RLFA Sweaters - Pattern Bundle
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Description
Get 3 of my most popular sweater patterns in this bundle, which includes my Nessa Raglan, Refracted Sweater, and Brith Cardigan patterns. Each of these patterns is graded across a range of 9 sizes and includes schematics to help you plan your project for the perfect fit.
Nessa Raglan
Nessa is the Vala most known for her dancing, and she is swift as an arrow from the string. Inspired by the joy of her dance on lawns of never-fading green, the Nessa raglan hearkens back to the glory of Valinor, where the Valar dwelt in bliss.
Brith Cardigan
Wave lapping calmly on the beach
Pebbles worn smooth along the coast
The beauty of windswept sand dunes
These are some of the images that inspired this cozy cardigan design. When planning for this pattern began, I knew I wanted to use brioche for a couple of reasons. First, the plump texture traps warmth close to the body for a fabric that will keep you warm all day long. Second, I love the way brioche fabric can be textural and graphic at the same time. The wave motif worked sideways along the hem and echoed down each sleeve was a fun challenge to design, and I wanted a graphic element that captured the beauty of a windswept coastline. This is a sweater that is fun to knit and will keep you warm and cozy all winter long.
Refracted Sweater
The idea for the Refracted Sweater was born when I was playing around with slipped stitches near the beginning of the great COVID quarantine of 2020. I wanted something that would be simple to knit but striking in appearance with the elevated details that I so love to add when knitting garments. I knit the prototype that spring. It was a lovely garment that fit my wife well, but there were still a couple things that needed tweaking. I spent quite some time searching for the perfect yarns that would match the vision I had in my head and finally hit upon the perfect combo. Sarah from Traveling Yarn and Tayler of Fiber for the People were a joy to collaborate with for the long sleeved version, and over 6 months after the initial sweater I started work on the final version. This has been a long process, but I wanted my first sweater design to be as good as it could be. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous to release this pattern out into the world, since I know I still have a lot to learn about garment design, but I hope y’all will love it all the same.
The Refracted Sweater is a comfy cropped pullover with a striking slipped stitch pattern and plenty of positive ease. It is worked in the round from the bottom up until the sleeve divide, at which point the front and back are worked flat separately and then joined with a three needle bind-off at the shoulders. The sleeves are then picked up and worked in the round from the shoulder down to the cuff, where 1x1 ribbing is worked until twice the length of the cuff for a comfy rolled cuff.
RLFA
Dyed with Nature's Gifts.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What you've always wanted to know about my yarn.
How long does it take to dye a batch of yarn?
Generally speaking, it takes about a week to go from undyed skein to finished skein, though it varies depending on the colorway. The process to dye yarn naturally has several more steps than the process to dye yarn with synthetic or acid dyes. These steps usually include scouring, mordanting, dyeing, and rinsing but can also include multiple dye baths or afterbaths.
Will it fade?
It depends. Part of the beauty of natural dyes is that they change and age over time, developing the patina that gives natural materials that lived-in feeling. Some colors fade, others shift, while still others deepen. Every natural dye behaves a little differently, and some have a greater tendency to fade than others.
Most of my colorways are dyed on yarn that has been mordanted. There are many different ways to mordant fiber in preparation for dyeing, but to speak generally, mordanting is a process whereby the fiber is prepared for dyeing by being treated with something that will help the dye bond to the fiber. This process improves lightfastness and colorfastness, but it does not mean that fading will not happen at all. Even industrial synthetic dyes can fade if exposed to harsh direct sunlight for long enough. If you are concerned about fading, then I recommend keeping your yarn out of direct sunlight.
Are your colorways repeatable?
Yes and no. I do have a library of repeat colorways that I have developed. These colorways are as close to repeatable as I can get them, which is to say that there may be very subtle variations between batches, as is true of all hand-dyed yarn. If you are concerned about color pooling, then I recommend alternating skeins in multi-skein projects.
That said, experimentation and colorplay are two of the reasons I got into natural dyeing in the first place, so I will often offer colorways that are one-offs, accidents, or otherwise unrepeatable. Anything labeled OOAK is something I do not anticipate being able to recreate, so when it's gone, it's gone.
Will it bleed?
This has been an area of ongoing improvement for me as a dyer, and I am constantly refining recipes and processes to eliminate as much bleeding as possible.
It is rare for my yarns to bleed, and I have never heard of or experienced bleeding ruining a project, but I cannot guarantee that no bleeding will happen. When washing, factors such as the temperature and pH of the water, the type of soap or detergent used, and any chemicals that may be present in the water can all impact a yarn’s tendency to bleed.
Given all these factors, even commercially-dyed yarns sometimes bleed. For this reason, I recommend that you hand-wash projects made with my yarn in cold water with a gentle pH neutral soap and use a color catcher sheet if you are concerned about bleeding.
What is crocking?
Crocking is a process whereby small particles of pigment are transferred from the dyed fiber to other surfaces due to friction and sometimes heat. If you’ve ever had a pair of jeans that bled onto other clothing, then you’ve experienced crocking. Crocking is most common with indigo-dyed fabric, but it can happen with other dyes as well.
I like to think of crocking as getting cozy with the natural dyes that give us color.
In my experience, crocking is a normal, though not inevitable, aspect of working with naturally-dyed yarns. It can also very from person-to-person, as differences in skin pH can affect color transfer while working with the yarns. Color transfer from crocking typically washes away easily.
Where do you get your dyes?
Most of my dyes are currently sourced from Shepherd Textiles, a weaving and fiber arts studio based in Washington state. All dyes are 100% natural and free from any synthetic colorants or industrial chemicals. Many of the dyes I use are GOTS certified organic.
Occasionally, I will dye special one-of-a-kind colorways using natural dye materials I have foraged, grown, or collected myself. In time, I hope to have my own dye garden and produce more of my own dyes.