Designer Crush: Andrea Mowry

Designer Crush: Andrea Mowry

Andrea Mowry has been on my radar for a while – even before she started publishing knitwear designs that the knitting community is completely obsessed with! Back in the day, I was obsessed with the idea of making the sweater Lila, a simple pullover with high-low hem. Among the gorgeous FO’s on Ravelry was one by Andrea Mowry, and I flagged it as one of my favorites. Fast forward only a few years and this lady is EVERYWHERE! We shouldn’t be surprised by her success. She has been putting out tons of patterns over the last few years – modern and wearable knits that delight in fun techniques. Mowry is known for having fun with brioche or adding some “fade” into just about everything (meaning that she fades various hand painted yarns together in projects to bring color eye-candy to the world). She also has tons of cozy sweaters, hats, mitts and wraps that beg to be knit and worn. I hope that, after I list just a few of my favorites, you’ll check out her blog or the variety of her designs on Ravelry. I promise you’ll want to add at least one Andrea Mowry design to your queue!

The Weekender is a brand new pullover pattern from Mowry that puts Brooklyn Tweed’s Shelter to wonderful use. Imagine the type of sweater that you want to live in, made with a yarn that gets better every time you wear it. With drop shoulders, a little ease and a few interesting details, this piece is distinctive without being too fussy.

Tincture is another new pattern from Mowry. This hat incorporates mosaic knitting for its color work – which happens to be a very easy approach to adding colors to your knitting. This two-color herringbone texture is modern and also a pattern that would look great on the boys. It’s knit up with two colors of Brooklyn Tweed’s Arbor, which is highly addictive to work with. I’m eyeing this one for some quick diversion knitting (and something that would make a great holiday gift!)

Find Your Fade came out a year ago, and thousands of people have been finding their fade since then. For anyone who wants a ginormous scarf (like Joji’s MKAL Starting Point) without so much fuss, look here. Mowry masterfully combines five colors of hand dyed fingering weight yarn to create a dramatic and huge shawl. You’ll fine on Ravelry that there are endless possibilities of combinations for this piece, and nothing seems to be wrong. I love that Mowry gives us so much freedom to create and play with color on this piece. Find Your Fade has been so successful that Mowry is fading everything from socks to sweaters (kid sized and adult sized) to smaller shawls.

Mowry makes tons of fun slipper socks for cold feet! This Michigan girl apparently can appreciate the comfort that some thick and roomy slipper socks can provide. I have such a problem with cold hands and feet that I wear these things in bed – and I love them – so take note that’s where my enthusiasm comes from. Mowry has several patterns including Wanderers (modern Mukluks), the Local Roots Mukluks, the Farm Slippers. There’s lots of links here, but just one pic, so please go explore these cozy hand knits for yourself!

Mowry has lots of fun with two-color brioche, and my favorite from this category is Ramble. Lots of garter stitch kicks off this biased, asymmetrical shawl. After you’ve had some fun, get ready to play with some brioche herringbone. This is a wonderful project for brioche lovers, even if you’ve been admiring it from afar. Brioche stitching isn’t difficult – and once you get into the groove it is actually quite fun and relaxing! Ramble is knit up in a dk-weight yarn – so I suggest something like Brooklyn Tweed’s Arbor, Shibui’s Maai, or even HiKoo’s Kenzie. Depending on what you want out of your shawl, you can play with yarn weight – because it is a shawl! Mowry has lots of other awesome brioche projects, so check out her designs to see what else is out there.

Mowry has a mini-collection of patterns called the Staghorn Collective, and all incorporate traditional cables into modern designs. A big wrap, a great hat, and a simple scarf all feature stag horn cables. I also love that this collection features Stonehedge Fiber Mill’s Shepherd’s Wool – which is a favorite yarn at Wool & Grace. It is soft, straightforward wool that is easy to work with. It’s also made from sheep raised in Michigan, and it is entirely processed in Michigan. That Mowry keeps it close to home with this collection (and many of her other designs call for Shepherd’s Wool) makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. When you wrap yourself in these knits, you’ll feel that way too!

Mowry has so many other patterns that I find completely delightful. I hope you will check out things like her Great Up North Mitts, the Briochealicious Hat, Ronan, and Winter Honey. That’s just a taste of all her good stuff. Go check out her collection of patterns on Ravelry, and I am sure you’ll find something you want to cast-on right away!