The eleventh pattern to arrive from The Almanac Series II is the beautiful 3-piece Sagittarius Set design from Anna Daku!
With winter well and truly arriving here in the UK along with the sudden drop in temperature, those cosy comforts that were tucked away have finally reappeared to help keep us warm! For those of you looking for a fantastic set of three that includes a cowl, hat and mitts, the gorgeous Sagittarius Set from Anna Daku is the perfect combination. Enjoy our interview with the designer and the stunning pattern design.
Could you tell us a bit about yourself: how did you get into knitting and designing knitwear?
“I learned to knit in my late teens, after moving away from home and living in dorms at college in a small city called Camrose, AB. There wasn’t much to do in that town, so a friend and I wanted to take up knitting. We were fortunate to have a knitting group take us in and teach us to knit mittens, flat and seamed. I’ve been an obsessed knitter ever since.
I think most independent designers credit their start in knitwear design to the Ravelry database. Ravelry changed the world of knitting patterns, and made it easy and accessible for anyone to start designing. That’s how I began, in 2011. Self-striping yarn was really gaining popularity at that time, and I designed a self-striping, ribbed bonnet for my toddler. It’s still available for free on Ravelry.”
Tell us about the inspiration for the Sagittarius Set.
“For this set of designs, I was inspired by the Northern Lights where I live. They move in irregular waves across the inky night sky during clear fall and winter nights.
Tundra, as a round yarn, blocks really nicely for textured designs, like cables and twisted traveling stitches. It creates a fast and quick project, and results in a warm accessory once finished.”
What makes your design special?
“I think simple but interesting details are the marks of a great design. I’ve recently fallen in love with twisted traveling stitches because they are smooth and fluid to execute, not requiring the use of a cable needle, but they also make such interesting textures. With these designs, knitters get to play with this type of texture, but then breeze along with stocking stitch to finish. I also incorporated a more unusual method of decrease for the hat and mittens, which creates a smooth crown and hand.“
A perfect set of three! Knit a beanie, a pair of mitts, a cowl or all three! The Sagittarius Set by Anna Daku brings warmth to this winter season, and makes a beautiful gift set! Knit in our pleasingly plump Tundra yarn, these accessories work up quickly. They feature a pretty twisted stitch pattern which looks intricate, but is remarkably easy to work.
This fitted beanie is worked bottom up seamlessly in the round, featuring a twisted traveling rib brim with a stockinette crown. The cowl is worked bottom up, seamlessly in the round, featuring the same twisted traveling rib. It is designed to be folded in half and worn double layered. The mitten is worked bottom up seamlessly in the round and features the same twisted traveling rib cuff with a stockinette hand.
What inspires and influences your designs?
“I’m inspired by so many things! I’m very inspired by patterns and rhythms, and they are everywhere, especially in nature. I really love all kinds of stitch dictionaries, and find them very inspiring. I’m inspired by the colours of our natural world. I am also inspired by boundaries and limitations; it helps me to focus ideas when the resulting design needs to fit within certain rules. For example: a certain fit, the flow of the process of the knit, a certain yarn, or colours.“
What is your favourite type of knitting project?
“I love knitting garments because there are sections that involve thinking and paying attention, but also sections where the knitting falls into a meditative rhythm.“
Could you share your design process with us.
“Often it begins with an item that I need to wear myself. If there is a change in season coming, I can quickly come up with lots of ideas of things I would like to make for that new season. Summer into fall, or winter into spring. Stitch patterns or colours that I would like to use help to focus my ideas.
Once I have an idea of the item, I typically decide on the construction method and finishing details (because those can influence construction). Limitations and boundaries quickly reveal themselves and I begin finding solutions to those problems.
I do some preliminary math for all the sizes that I hope to design, and then cast on my sample. I edit my numbers and my construction as I knit the sample.“
How does the yarn influence your design?
“Yarn plays a big role, as it can either enhance or take away from the stitch patterns and construction I hoped to use. Obviously, the warmth and thickness of yarn also plays into the types of accessories and garments I’d like to make with it.“
What is your favourite knitting technique and why?
“I love so many knitting techniques, and a new favourite seems to crop up every week, but I always enjoy knitting rhythmic colourwork and lace.“
What is your desert island knitting project?
“Honestly, I rarely knit the same thing twice unless it is a very functional item that my family needs. If I was on a desert island with yarn and needles, I would design many new things, and probably none of them very functional on a hot, desert island!“
What’s your first knitting memory?
“When I was 8, an adopted grandma taught me the knit and purl stitch. I don’t remember ever finishing an item, but I do remember the feeling of peace and calm during the time spent with that lovely woman.“
About The Almanac Series
The Almanac Series is based on the original farmer’s Almanac guide to the seasons, this collection acts as a seasonal guide to knitting with The Fibre Co. and celebrates each month of the year with an ascribed Yarn of the Month, paired with a new design launch in that yarn. For this year’s series, we looked to the heavens for inspiration, letting the beauty and grandeur of the night sky guide us. In the first half of this year’s series, we cover the Autumn Winter season, where each month’s yarn has been specifically chosen for its qualities to complement colder conditions in the northern hemisphere. Erika Knight’s Zodiac Sweater was the first design in The Almanac Series II collection, in which you can read our interview with Erika here.
Knitting the Sagittarius Set?
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