We are thrilled to announce that we're now offering a new pattern, the Fancy Leaves Scarf by Michael Harrigan, for FREE when you sign up for our newsletter. 

We’ve interviewed Michael in the past, but today he answered a few more questions about his design process and inspiration.

An Interview with Michael Harrigan

Q. Where do you find your design inspiration?

A. I am mostly inspired by nature and the type of stitch patterns I choose for a design depend on whether what I see is best rendered in a selection of colors or more abstractly by openwork or lace knitting.

Q. What was your inspiration for the Fancy Leaves pattern? 

A. Continuing from the question on design inspiration - at times the inspiration starts with a yarn and whether the yarn will be able to yield the desired effect. I knew that the high-twist yarn I used for Fancy Leaves would produce a fabric that highlighted the stitch pattern, providing raised edges around the leaves - and I'm pleased with the effect. 

Q. What have you been up to since we last worked together?

A. I've had a few projects in the works, including a cloche-style hat in another Japanese stitch pattern, worked in a new yarn that's a blend of linen and silk; and a big project that will take a few months, I think - it's a Fair Isle-style throw/blanket in four quadrants, representing the four seasons. Each quadrant is knit in two colors only, reflecting a pattern color that reminds me of each season. I'm also working on a post-graduate degree program in Scottish History - with a focus on male-dominated knitting dating back to the 16th century. 

Q.  What do you like most about being a knitwear designer?

A. I really like being able to experiment with a variety of yarns to see what can be produced given different fiber content - and of course playing with color to see the impact that colors have when worked next to each other: it's always amazing to me how different a shade can look depending on the color that's placed next to it.

Q. What else do you wish I had asked you? 

A. I wish you'd asked me about some of my newest designs! 

I have three in mind, actually. The first is a Fair Isle neck warmer (available on Ravelry) that I knit in a heavy lace-weight yarn on small needles. It's the first time I've tried this and I really like the effect. 

The second one is a wrap that's also suitable as a wide man's scarf. It features three mosaic stitch patterns followed by wide stripes of color separated by garter stitch eyelets: Mosaics and Medallions (available on Ravelry).

The last one is a lace-patterned scarf worked in a heavier yarn, and I call it Shoulder Seasons (available on Ravelry), as it's a really useful accessory in the fall and early spring! 

Fancy Leaves Scarf

This lacy scarf is knit in a high twist yarn so all the delicate stitches stand out and create a lovely pattern. The rectangular piece is worked from one end to the other with directions that are both charted and written. This would make a lovely gift or a project to spoil yourself with over the winter.

Yarn: Eden Cottage Yarns BRIMHAM HIGH TWIST (100g, 360/392yds, 85% superwash extrafine merino, 15% nylon) 2 skeins of Silver Birch

Needles: US 2.5 (3mm) 24”/60cm circular knitting needle or size needed to achieve gauge.

Gauge: 21 stitches and 40 rounds = 4"/10 cm in Fancy Leaves stitch pattern.

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