How I made this spectacularly challenging project a joy to knit.

I got that quote in the headline from my first preview tester, Laura M. while she was knitting the smaller sample for my upcoming pattern, A Garden Wedding.

Closeup of Andrea holding out a pink gradient knitted flower on the edge of a cabled blue shawl.

I’m not gonna lie, the charts in this pattern are huge and there are a lot of them, but I’ve worked with editors and testers and put in a huge amount of effort so that the experience of using this pattern is fantastic.

A Garden Wedding is an epic project and I think it will challenge you in the best way. Here are ten things I included so that this pattern will give you a feeling of joyful adventure rather than frustrating confusion:

Beautiful photos that show the overall shawl and the details, including the difference between the small and large sizes.
Clear information about the construction of the project up front with helpful reminders throughout the instructions.
Colour-coded charts with numbers that indicate how many stitches to knit before moving onto the next section.
Easy-to-follow instructions that have been professionally edited and tested by knitters.
Numbered pages with the pattern and designer name on every one so you won’t get mixed up if you print the pattern and don’t staple the pages.
Easy-to-read black text and a printer-friendly format with instructions for what to print for each size so you get just the essentials without all the photos and tips.
Abbreviations list that includes chart symbols so that comparing the chart key to the abbreviations is intuitive.
Information about how to use the Gauge Dye Works yarn kits and on substituting yarn if you want to knit it again or use a different yarn.
Tips and tutorials on knitting colourwork, including catching floats, getting gauge, and working colourwork on the purl side.
A stitch count table to help reassure you that you’re on the right track.

All these thoughtful details mean you can relax and enjoy your precious knitting time!

A Garden Wedding shawl pattern and yarn will be available to buy on Wednesday, July 27, 2022. Subscribe to my email list to get an exclusive discount and a reminder when it goes live!

Check out my previous post about how my sister Jenni inspired this design and the one about how this year’s collaboration with Gauge Dye Works is different than previous years.

Update: The pattern has been published! Here’s a link to the pattern and here’s a link to the yarn.

"Best. Charts. Ever."

How I made this spectacularly challenging project a joy to knit.

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