Pattern Previews for Neons & Neutrals
Delve in the beauty of the Neons & Neutrals and take a closer look a the patterns featured in the book.
The book features designs by the following designers: Inese Sang, Maaike van Geijn, Karen Cronje, Anna Husemann, Layla Yang, Caitlyn Turowski, Cecelia Campochiaro, Valerie Ng, Maysa Tomikawa, Florence Spurling, Lotta H Löthgren, Brandi Cheyenne Harper, Marie Régnier, Susan Chin, Brienne Moody and Julia Wilkens. The collection is curated by Aimée Gille of La Bien Aimée.
Dãrta
Inese Sang’s Dārta is a sophisticated sweater with soft, flowy drape and simple lines, highlighting the fiber and the front ruffle panel. The generous ease creates a comfortable, loose-fitting garment that looks great either tucked in or over pants or a skirt. Ruffles are worked in a single strand of fluffy lace yarn in a contrasting color and adds a romantic touch to the overall look.
Yarn weights: light fingering, lace suri alpaca
Sample 1 used: La Bien Aimée Helix in French Grey, La Bien Aimée Kumo in Bone and Nadia.
Sample 2 used: Isager Tvinni in 47, Isager Silk Mohair in 47, The Wandering Flock Mohair Silk in Aimée’s Peaches & Dreams.
Designer: Inese Sang @isangknits
Wervel
Wervel is a yoked colorwork sweater worked in one piece, from the top down. After the yoke, it shifts to a larger gauge to speed up the knitting of the body and sleeves. The designer, Maaike van Geijn says: “I was mesmerized by the idea of a sweater design in different gauges since I like to knit and design colorwork yokes in a finer gauge, but tend to get impatient when having to knit plain body and sleeves in a similarly fine gauge.”
Yarn weights: light sport, lace
Sample 1 used: The Uncommon Thread Cloud Fingering in Tea Smoked; La Bien Aimeé Helix mini-skeins in Gaji, Lannister, Lise and Seaglass; La Bien Aimeé Felix mini-skeins in “AS IF”, Sansa, Seaglass, Buzz, Kool and Fluoro Morganite.
Sample 2 used: La Bien Aimée Merino Bouclé in Clay; La Bien Aimeé Helix mini-skeins in Avoine, Clay, Fluoro Morganite, Goldenrod, Sandstone, Bone, Sansa and Loam; La Bien Aimeé Felix mini-skeins in Avoine and Fluoro Morganite.
Designer: Maaike van Geijn @breielaar
Geweef
Geweef by Karen Cronje is a long rectangular shawl that features various stitch and pattern sections that are worked in a long mirrored repeat throughout the length of the shawl. The colorwork bands incorporate a technique that is a variation on the Roosimine technique, a type of inlay colorwork technique predominant in Estonian knitting.
Yarn weights: fingering
Sample 1 used: La Bien Aimée Merino Super Sock in Fiori; La Bien Aimée Merino Singles in Lichen, Kokko and Fluoro Morganite.
Sample 2 used: Miss La Motte Lustre in Black Tahiti Pearl and Driftwood; Miss La Motte Feather in Sunglow; Miss La Motte Singles in Coralis.
Designer: Karen Cronje @miss_la_motteyarns
Mollig
Anna Husemann’s Mollig is a reversible double-layered hat, knitted in stockinette stitch using a Seamless Intarsia technique in the round. One side is covered with colorful abstract shapes, while the other side is mostly plain with only three shapes. You can play with both sides, fold the brim or not, depending on your mood or your daily color scheme.
Yarn weights: worsted, fingering
Sample 1 used: La Bien Aimée Corrie Worsted in Seaglass and Lichen, Kaos Organic Brushed Alpaca in Charming and Sparkling.
Sample 2 used: Brooklyn Tweed Tones in Hollyhock Overtone and Hollyhock Undertone, Isager Silk Mohair in 22, Kaos Organic Brushed Alpaca in Spiritual.
Designer: Anna Husemann, @anna_husemann
XIAO MAI
Xiao Mai by Layla Yang of Qing Studio is a stylish and cozy piece that is perfect for those chilly days and nights. The oversized fit is both comfortable and fashionable, while the special stitches add a unique touch. This cardigan uses a mix of yarns to create different color combos, with a chunky dip stitch on the body and sleeves. It has a slightly oversized fit for comfort and wearability!
Yarn weights: sport, fingering, lace
Sample 1 used: Qing Fibre Melted Baby Suri in White; Qing Fibre Pearl in Tumbleweed; La Bien Aimée Felix in Pool, Sansa, La Bien Aimée Yellow, Peach Sweater and Sunrise.
Designer: Layla Yang @qing.studio
Confluence
Caitlyn Turowski’s Confluence sweater is a top-down sweater with a folded collar, balloon sleeves, and a circular yoke. The sweater body and sleeves are knit holding 2 yarns together to create a marled fabric. The collar, cuffs, and hem are worked with just one yarn. This sweater is perfect for first time sweater knitters, as well as advanced knitters looking for a relaxing knit.
Yarn weights: fingering, lace
Sample 1 used: La Bien Aimée Twist Nouveau in Sansa, La Bien Aimée Mohair Silk in Vespa.
Sample 2 used: Earl Grey Fiber Co. Darjeeling Sock in Meet Me Underwater, Earl Grey Fiber Co. White Peony Mohair in Sunflower.
Designer: Caitlyn Turowski @wanderlustknitter
Reflected
Reflected is a reversible shawl made of two mirrored parallelograms in a biased rib. The two parallelograms together make a form that resembles a pair of wings and drapes naturally over the body in a comforting way. The designer Cecelia Campochiaro created the fabric by mixing two lace-weight yarns from two different brands.
Yarn weights: lace
Sample 1 used: La Bien Aimée Helix in Lichen, Ito Yarns Kinu in Cream, La Bien Aimée Helix in Fluoro Morganite.
Sample 2 used: La Bien Aimée Helix in Loam, La Bien Aimée Silk Tweed in Shale, La Bien Aimée Felix in Violet Amethyst.
Designer: Cecelia Campochiaro @ceceliacampochiaro
YU
Valerie Ng wanted to create a knitted garment that didn’t scream “knitted” so she decided to use the herringbone stitch which has a bit of a woven look in this vest. To break with tradition, she wanted to make it even more unique and chose to combine different yarn weights and bases, too. As a result, Yu is worked with a thick yarn and a thin, fluffy yarn held together, flat from the top down in pieces then seamed.
Yarn weights: heavy aran, lace
Sample 1 used: De Rerum Natura Cyrano in Poivre Blanc, La Bien Aimée Kumo in La Bien Aimée Yellow and Dawn.
Sample 2 used: La Bien Aimée Corrie Confetti in Greybow #4, La Bien Aimée Kumo in Sunrise and “AS IF”.
Designer: Valerie Ng @joyancefibrearts
Videira
Videira by Maysa Tomikawa has a hood and pockets, and these are its signature. The loose and comfy cardigan is worked continuously from the back body, hood, and fronts, and then stitches are picked up from the body to create the fun shaped sleeves. As the construction and stitches are simple, Maysa jazzed it up with intarsia.
Yarn weights: lace, fingering
Sample 1 used: La Bien Aimée Helix in Bone, Kokko and The Flying Knitter; La Bien Aimée Merino Singles in Bone, Kokko and The Flying Knitter; La Bien Aimée Mohair Silk in Bone, Kokko and The Flying Knitter.
Designer: Maysa Tomikawa @m_moos
Ferrule
Florence Spurling’s Ferrule is a celebration of color, this design also features simple intarsia which allows for multiple marled panels across the row. The simple shape of the silhouette and the easy-to-remember textured stitch pattern encourages you to get lost in the creative and rhythmic process. The sweater is worked in pieces, with the front, back and sleeves worked flat.
Yarn weights: lace, fingering
Sample 1 used: G-uld No. 4 in Vn2225-2g, Vn2222g and Vn21121g; La Bien Aimée Mohair Silk in Avoine, Sandstone and Dawn; G-uld No. 3 in undyed colorway.
Sample 2 used: La Bien Aimée Felix in Yellow Brick Road, Avoine and Peach Sweater; La Bien Aimée Mohair Silk in Tang, Héliodore and Yellow Brick Road; La Bien Aimée Helix in Peach Sweater.
Designer: Florence Spurling @florence_spurling_studio
Klänge
Lotta H Löthgren’s Klänge scarf is worked from point to point and finished with an applied i-cord all the way around. The Klänge stitch pattern may look advanced but is worked over only 2 rows, and you’ll quickly get the hang of it, making this a relaxing and interesting project to work on. Klänge is fun to knit and easy to wear – two of the things Lotta loves in a good project.
Yarn weights: DK, lace
Sample 1 used: Sägen Fe in Ursus, La Bien Aimée Felix in Flash Fluo, La Bien Aimée Mohair Silk in Fluoro Morganite.
Sample 2 used: Dimond Laine Elmer Fingering in Thermal, La Bien Aimée Merino Singles in Fujimoto, La Bien Aimée Mohair Silk in Seaglass.
Designer: Lotta H Löthgren @elkmarketyarn
Harmony
In knitting, there are all kinds of ways to bring colors together. In Harmony, Brandi Cheyenne Harper does it by using intarsia to create color blocks in a seamless way. This cardigan combines different yarn weights in different colors. The body is knit flat in one piece from the bottom up. The sleeves are seamless and knit in the round on DPNs and have such an interesting construction!
Yarn weights: super bulky and bulky + fingering and lace for buttons
Sample 1 used: Camellia Fiber Company Chunky in Bisque, La Bien Aimée Big Merino in Sansa, La Bien Aimée Merino Singles in Sansa, La Bien Aimée Mohair Silk in Sansa.
Sample 2 used: De Rerum Natura Cyrano in Poivre Blanc, The Wandering Flock Bulky in Holograph Dreams, The Wandering Flock Fingering Singles in Holograph Dreams, The Wandering Flock Mohair Silk in Holograph Dreams.
Designer: Cheyenne Harper @brandicheyenneharper
Stries
This ribbed hat by Marie Régnier is made of columns of twisted stitches and purl stitches. A blank canvas to play with colors and texture, Stries hat is a warm and colorful cloud with a striking effect. It is easy to knit and a true statement piece on a minimalist outfit.
Yarn weights: fingering, lace
Sample 1 used: Maison Corlène Fisherman Fingering in Blodwyn, La Bien Aimée Merino Singles in Anemone, La Bien Aimée Mohair Silk in Buzz.
Sample 2 used: La Bien Aimée Wensley Worsted in Direwolf, The Wandering Flock Fingering Singles in Aimée’s Peaches & Dreams, The Wandering Flock Mohair Silk in Aimée’s Peaches & Dreams.
Designer: Marie Régnier @marie_tricote
Aliquot
This cowl by Susan Chin combines crochet and knit techniques. There are 3 different versions. Version 1 is the simplest, version 2 is twice the circumference, and version 3 can be reversed to show the crochet or knit side. You can also choose to make the cowl crochet-only or knit-only, and to give the cowl a mobius twist before seaming the ends of the tube (Sizes 1 and 2 only). The pattern uses different yarn weights and changing the yarns and colors between sections easily allows makers to personalize a palette for their cowl.
Yarn weights: lace, fingering
Sample 1 used: La Bien Aimée Felix in Peach Sweater, La Bien Aimée Helix in Peach Sweater and Lichen, La Bien Aimée Merino Super Sock in Peach Sweater and Lichen.
Sample 2 used: mYak Ra-Ku Lace in Ra-ma, mYak Baby Yak Lace in Oatmeal, mYak Tibetan Cloud in Cladonia and Wild Daisy.
Designer: Susan Chin @knit_frog_repeat
Brienne
Brienne Moody’s design uses contrasting colors in simple but bold and unexpected ways. The Brienne Cardigan is knitted from the cozy double cuff to the center in two pieces with some simple colorwork on one side, color-blocking on the other side and an exposed seam on the back. It has pockets and an easy shape; inspired by retro bomber jackets. Using muted colorways will give the cardigan a playful, vintage feel. Whereas using some punchy neons will yield a modern statement piece, reminiscent of contemporary abstract paintings.
Yarn weights: worsted
Sample 1 used: La Bien Aimée Corrie Worsted in Peach Sweater and Fluoro Morganite.
Sample 2 used: Brooklyn Tweed Imbue in Warbler and Orchid.
Designer: Brienne Moody @brienne_moody
Punkt
Julia Wilkens realized that using several threads, it is possible to create an easy, yet impressive version of intarsia. The simple triangular garter shawl has an elegant semi-transparent surface with squishy dots in various sizes and colors scattered across it. Knitters can play around with colors and the placement of the dots without having to care too much about anything.
Yarn weights: lace
Sample 1 used: West Wool Glowhair in Birch Tree; La Bien Aimée Helix mini-skein in Fluoro Morganite and Sansa; La Bien Aimée Felix mini-skein in Anemone, Kokko, Quartz Fumé and Highgarden.
Sample 2 used: La Bien Aimée Onyx in Sansa; Kaos Organic Soft Merino in Courageous; Kaos Organic Brushed Alpaca in Courageous; Isager Tvinni in 6s, 23s, 13s, 61 and 25.
Designer: Julia Wilkens @wilkens_julia