Friday 7 December 2012

Time to Share

One of the joys of blogging and podcasting is the people who get in touch. I hear from listeners, crafters, producers and designers and they tell me their news and share ideas. I like this community a huge amount and the fact that my profile makes people want to reach out and share just makes me smile. 

Someone who got in touch recently was a rather lovely fellow podcaster who I've listened to in the past. I say in the past as I'm woefully behind with podcasts as you can probably imagine. Lara Neel is a podcaster, blogger and designer. She got in touch to share the news that she's now producing pay for patterns and hoped I'd share a little of her story with you all.

Many of you will know Lara due to her podcast Math4Knitters, the Crafty Living Podcast. It's an interview format  show which includes a section where she talks about the pattern of the week that is produced via the newspaper she works at, Crafty Living. With so much experience, Lara decided to hit out on her own and produce paid for pattern with the kind of attention to detail she's become known for. This is a new enterprise for Lara and I've seen she's been very active on the free testers group, checking her designs and growing from feedback she's been given.

She sent me the Eulalia Shawl pattern to look at and I liked how typical this was of her designs: deceptively simple with an attention to finishing details. This is a top-down, semi-circular shawl with interest added due to a double-knit side edge that is incorporated as you knit, so other than darning in ends, there is practically no finishing at all. This creates interest through rolling inner and outer edges and will sit beautifully on your shoulders. It's simple with a twist and I approve of that! I like patterns to have on the needles that are comforting in their simplicity but have the all the details to give a pleasing finished result.

(c) Lara Neel

You can find Lara's test-knit patterns for sale via Lara Neel on Ravelry, where you'll also find over 140 free patterns, produced for the podcast and newspaper. I wish Lara every success in her growing career as designer.

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