Double Dutch: The First of Three Playground Shawls

Today I would like to introduce my first Playground Shawl, Double Dutch, and to share with you its "spark" which is a term that I like to use to refer to the origins of any of my designs.

I decided on a photo of Double Dutch for the "cover" of my very first ebook collection of knit designs.

Double Dutch was one of my most effortless design to date.  That is largely because it was "pre-designed" many months before I made the sample and wrote the pattern last June.  I recently described how rewarding I find it to have my designs selected for third-party publication.  As might be expected, many of my submissions are eventually rejected.

I made this swatch almost two years ago.  The "spark" for my design was a two-color stitch pattern called "Striped Double Stitch" from an old stitch dictionary (Knitting Encyclopedia: 1800 Patterns) that my Mom handed-down to me many years ago.

I loved the texture of the "double stitch" stripes and that they are fun and easy to knit.  The curving lines within the stripes reminded me of jump ropes.  I chose a border that repeated the curves at its edge, and I chose a shawl shape that is a variation of a shallow triangle for its wearability.

I sent the scanned swatch as part of a design proposal off to a place where I had been published once before.  No luck with that.  Then I sent it off one more time to a whole different place.  No luck there either, but from them, I received the kindest rejection email ever composed.  (Truth be told, there even was a third rejection... Oh, my!)

But I loved my little my swatch.  Much like the Little Prince loved his Rose.

Last June, I was contemplating how much fun it would be to participate in "Summer Camp" at my favorite LYS, Gosh Yarn It!  The Summer Camp project for June 2013 was:   “Color Wars -- a project that was to be made with two or more colors".  The yarns used in my swatch were purchased at Gosh Yarn It!  It was so easy to finally just make the (previously designed) shawl.  I created a project page on Ravelry with this "June Camp" image.

And the good news continued, because before June 30 of last year I made a shawl that I love.

"Double Dutch" was my first Playground Shawl.  It inspired me to continue to make two more shawls last summer in order to release my very first ebook.  Stay tuned for the stories of shawls number 2 and 3.

Thanks for reading!

"Playground Shawls" is my first ebook collection on Ravelry.  It is currently available for a purchase price of $11.  The three shawl patterns included in the ebook are also available for individual purchase at $5 each.

Much thanks to my Double Dutch team.
Tech Editing:  Holly Priestly
Test Knitting:  Catherine M & Joan S
Stylist/Model:  Ali Dervin
Photo/Styling Assistant:  Mallory Kern