maude — caarin

here she is...

Maude, my first published pattern. i am so thrilled and honored to be part of Pom Pom Quarterly's Fall issue! The magazine is full of gorgeousness, as always.

Back in March I decided to try my hand at designing patterns for publication. I had only just heard of Pom Pom through the grapevine, but I adored their style and when i found their submission call and their beautiful mood board, i had to give it whirl.

Give it a whirl, right...

While I knew I wanted to design and publish in a magazine, I will admit, quite honestly, that I didn't know exactly what that meant. From 2 weeks of imagining and swatching and sketching a pile of designs, to painstakingly preparing the pitches. Once I sent all my babies out into the knitiverse I immediately set about convincing myself it would never happen and to just forget it, so it was quite a shock to get an email a month later that my design had been selected - holy smokes! And while I did know that once my design was selected I would have to make it, what I didn't know was that I would make it twice! I was so nervous I knit the entire sweater first in alternate yarn, so that I could work out every little detail before I touched the precious yarn Pom Pom sent for the sample - and then I knit the whole thing all over again. But I absolutely loved every minute of it.

The result is Maude - a cozy, chic pullover chock full of texture. The fitted silhouette is a nod to vintage style and combines a rich and twisty central cable panel with a textured grid of tiny boxes. It is intended to be worn with slight negative ease to show off your girlishness and works equally well paired with skirts and boots or jeans. I personally like projects that are mindless and challenging at the same time. If you have made a sweater before, and are comfortable with cables Maude fits the bill perfectly. The central cable pattern is easily memorized, but it keeps you interested. The surrounding texture on the sides and the sleeves is an absolute breeze to knit.

Maude is named for the title character in Harold and Maude - the cult classic film from 1971 in which a vivacious and eccentric 80 year old woman, shows her young, morbid friend Harold the thrill, splendor and beauty of life. If you haven't seen it, you must. If you have, see it again.