One of the most interesting pattern designers to come along the last few years is Junko Okamoto, whose first pattern Child and Mam was fascinatingly unusual. She repeatedly combines volume and colorwork in a truly unique way, but her most recent pattern, The Twigs, is the one I can’t get out of my mind. I’ve been saying for a longtime that someday I will knit an allover colorwork sweater, and this one is a definite contender …
.
PREVIOUSLY in New Favorites: Adrian
Completely obsessed with her designs!
Beautiful sweater – BUT – oh my such tiny, tiny needles. It would be like knitting dozens of socks.
I know — it’s impossible for me to imagine.
I encountered this on instagram a few weeks ago and am madly in love. I’ve only done minor colorwork and never on a sweater, so it would be a serious challenge for me. But I may be game…
Colorwork sweater KAL?
ooh a new favorite I know of before reading the blog!!! lol I love this sweater!!! I do wonder how the sleeve cuffs look on a person bc they are so long!
You might need to be a “Twig” to wear it. Also, as someone says, such small needles. However, the patterning is really beautiful.
I went down the Ravelry rabbit hole on this one and found her Teru – it’s just the thing I’ve been looking for to make my first for-me sweater! Thanks for the recommendation.
I test knitted the Teru and it was an interesting knit that I love to wear. Moeke Yarns is lovely to work with!
I love Junko’s designs! I have made Acorn which my daughter fell in love with (I had to give it to her!). I plan to make a second one with some tweaks…it was actually a quick knit in spite of the volume. And I have the yarn for both Pam and The Twigs. The yarn that Junko uses is from Romania and it is yuuuummmmy! If anyone does order this yarn, it is recommended to wash the skeins first. The result is awesome. The yarn fluffs up and relaxes. Fabulous designs! I need to finish a couple of projects before committing to these two. (Woolymountain -Ravelry)
I agree – fascinatingly unusual designs. I appreciate the beauty of the colourwork designs but I have purchased several of her patterns with a simpler esthetic – Igawa, Sunny and Marja. I am currently knitting Igawa and it combines an unconventional, top-down construction with a casual, minimalist look that I love and will wear to death.
Thank you, Karen. I had never seen work by this designer. Wow. Just the kind of sweater that makes me want to wipe my entire Ravelry slate clean and start all over with this!
I love this one too and would knit it along side of you. The size of those needles is intimidating though!
I’m too chicken about the combination of the gauge and the colorwork. Pretty sure I would never finish it. :(
I’ve seen it. And I love it. I’m just not sure I’ve got it in me just yet to knit this one. I’m also in love with her Bright Sweater – one of these two will be my post-summer-sweater-cast-on!
Thnak you for posting her designs-I doubt I’d find her on my own. I love Acorn and then that dress Pam! I am encouraged when I see 56 projects. I am also not great with teeny needles but Acorn looks very doable.
Pam is amazing.
Thank not thnak:)
I enjoy very much the wonderful sweaters you find and post. This one is almost too wonderful! I want to do it now, but. . . I have “miles to go before I. . . .cast on”. It is now in my favorites and I will have to re-think my queue.
LOVE her work! This sweater is GORGEOUS! I love her shaping and fiber choices! Been wanting to try one of hers for a while!
I love every one of the patterned sweaters she does. Definitely, going to do one of them! Just have to figure out which one!
I totally agree with you. Junko’s sweaters are unique. The shapes she finds amaze me, and I believe she finds them because she is Japanese and considers topics like ease and shape and color in a very different way than us (from western Europe and America). I love it, it’s such an opening to another culture ! I like that such a simple craft as knitting opens a door to another world. I could say the same about the “Drape Drape” and “Pattern Magic” sewing books.
One day, I’ll try to knit it … “someday”, as you would say.
I, too, fell in love with this and I am making it right now!!! I am up to the 4th repeat, and it is slow going but its very fun!
I am so in love with her designs! Bright sweater is in my queue, just love it to bits and twigs is also beautiful!
I find the sleeves really interesting and would love to see a better image of what they look like when worn. It seems to me that they’re really meant to be scrunched up the arm. Thanks for the introduction.
Junko’s work is really something else, I’m in love with all her designs! I have nearly finished the body on the Twigs and the pattern is divided into manageable sections so the knitting is actually faster and easier then one might think.
Pingback: New Favorites: Marmor | Fringe Association
Pingback: New Favorites: Junko's abstract Bouquet - Fringe Association