Pattern Review #11: Quinn

Pattern Name: Quinn
Designer: Yvonne
Source:  Cogknition.org
Pattern Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash
Images:

           

Review:

You know the process, this feeling.  It begins with an idea, a concept of the project you are seeking out; to knit for you or someone else, family or friend.  In this particular case for me, I wanted a pattern for a Christmas gift for my father's wife.  I wanted something simple, a knitted object to complement the cable scarf I was knitting for him. 

I don't remember how I found this pattern. I only remember thinking it was perfect.  Then I discovered the yarn, Morning Moon Alpacas' Peruvian Highland Hand Dyed Sheep Yarn - yet another purchase made at the Virginia Fiber Festival at Montpelier. 

After beginning the purse, there was something about it that told me that I needed to knit it for someone else; someone more significant in my life.  My son's girlfriend Kate.  Yes, she should be the recipient of the Quinn purse. 

Yvonne's blog describes the pattern like this:

This pattern would be great for beginning knitters ready to move into more complicated territory, or for experienced knitters who want something relaxing, but not boring to knit. This pattern includes:

• Provisional cast-on
• Beginner-to-intermediate cables—all cable patterns are easily-memorized 12-row repeats and are provided in both chart and written form
• Grafting (three-needle bind-off may be substituted)
• Knitting in the round
• I-cord

The mechanics of the pattern are quite interesting.  The top horizontal cable band is knit first and the ends grafted together.  Around the bottom of the resulting band, stitches are picked up for the body of the purse.  Being that picking up stitches is not my "thing," it was at this point that I decided the band, by itself, made a really great winter headband.  She'd never know, I kept thinking.  After repeated glances at the pictures, however, I just had to persevere.  And there was the fact that she lives in Southern California, where a thick, knitted headband is just not needed.

The instructions for Quinn are some of the best laid out I've ever experienced.  Every single step is numbered.  Where it is useful, she adds comments such as, " you have just worked the left edge and front side of the bag."  Yvonne includes detailed stitch instructions as well as the charts for those rows.  There are even diagrams for parts that may be confusing! 

The pattern itself is nine pages in length with three excellent photographs of the finished purse.  I suppose that when you don't have to meet a space restriction for a printed pattern in a book or magazine, then you have the luxury of extending instructions.  This is a huge advantage that online patterns have over printed patterns. I'd never really thought of that before.

Personal Notes:

Don't ask me how I'd avoided it up until now, but this was my first try at i-cord.  My, it didn't take long to realize it's origin as idiot cord.  I had finished the body several weeks before Christmas, but it was only the day that I saw Kate, which was after Christmas, that I bit the bullet and knit the i-cord and sewed on the straps.  It was finished and wrapped less than fifteen minutes before my son and she arrived.

I had printed out the pattern and had not paid attention, until now, to the donation option on Yvonne's site.  Tonight, I will pull out my bank card and send her a donation.  She deserves it.

Rating:

Of course, I will award this pattern five balls.  It has everything that a great pattern should have.  It is clear, detailed, and includes charts and diagrams and photos.  The description is complete, so the knitter has a good feel for what they are getting into before they begin knitting.  And, with it online, I can get it now; not when I go to the LYS or book store, not when I wait for the mail or UPS; I can get it now.  Wow!  Thank you, Yvonne.

 

If you have knit this pattern, please rate it and submit as comments. Thank you!

Comments

[Micha]

I am in the process of knitting this pattern, and even with the thought of the I-cord at the end I love it!

[Yvonne]

Wow, thank YOU for such a wonderful review! I'm so glad you liked the pattern and found it easy to work from.