I think of myself as a Leila Raabe fan. Her Peabody sweater and Ashby shawl, for instance, have been on my dream knits list since almost the day I learned how. Stasis is a perpetual candidate for casting on. Her name comes up here fairly often, I’m sure. And yet I must never have gone to look at her complete oeuvre before. (Don’t you hate that word?) Because how else did I not know about some of her best designs? Or maybe I looked long enough ago that my taste in knitting has changed? Who knows.
In the comments on Monday’s spring scarves roundup, Indiecita mentioned Thayer, above left, which is what prompted me to take another look. Once there I found Wexford, above right, which is equally lovely. Apart from the fall-ish photos, either of these would have been lovely additions on Monday. And look at Spire, below — another amazing square shawl/throw that should totally have factored into last week’s New Favorites, alongside her Tilt. Pay better attention, Karen!
Regardless, now it can be said: There is not a single, solitary thing on this page that I wouldn’t want to knit … and in fact I’m just mentally trying to sort them into what order.
PREVIOUSLY in New Favorites: Square shawls
I’m a Leila Raabe fan, too. I purchased the Peabody pattern as soon as I saw it. I love the pattern, but I think it has some tricky parts, like the sleeve. I made a copy of your notes for Acer and now I’m waiting for your notes on the Peabody. To me, Leila’s patterns are brilliant, but I don’t have the confidence to knit them without your notes.
Katherine
Agreed! I love how she uses traditional stitch patterns in very modern ways–like the stockinette white space in Wexford, Shaelyn & Spire. I want to knit them all!
Leila Raabe fan here, too! I see that I have Spire and Tilt in my pattern stash. I think I got into the amazing Brooklyn Tweed “view the Look” books on-line. (OMPatternGoddesses – what fun!) Anyway, with one tab opened for BT and one tab for Ravelry, let’s just say I got into lots of trouble. Bu… I have incredible patterns to knit (mostly hats and scarves) and became fans with some amazing designers.
I love the lookbooks and have definitely looked through all of them more than once, but I still see new things every time!
I wholeheartedly agree! Tilt, Spire, Ashby, Stasis & Peabody have been on my to-knit list since the moments I saw them. Like you, I see new things every time I look at Brooklyn Tweed pattern collections, too. I just looked closer at Thayer and think it’s lovely, and also Sakura–perhaps converted to a square shawl/blanket like Tilt and Spire? Maybe someday. It’s not as if I have a shortage of things to knit!
You’ve got to stop this, Karen! My to-knit list is already so long, I’ll never live long enough to finish it all. And you keep causing me to add more. Oh well, at least I can look at the lovely pictures and drool.
Agreed on so many levels. Leila is one of the coolest, smartest, most thoughtful designers out there. She knocks me out on a daily basis with her attention to detail and creativity.
Funny I’ve never clicked on her design page before either, but you’re right it’s a truly amazing body of work (carefully avoiding the o-word here :) seen altogether – not a clunker in the bunch.
I have been dreaming about Ashby for so long. Seriously, her designs consistently amaze me as well!
I may be her #1 Fan, as I think I’ve got almost every one of her patterns! I love my Ravensfoot hat (made out of Quince and Co’s tern) best, though. I wear it year-round, which is happily possible here in the Bay Area.
I had no idea. Leila Raabe and her designs are so on my radar now.
ooh spire!
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You might fall in love with this square shawl http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/gaia-6