And one day, it all felt good

I've been feeling kind of insecure about my work for the last... maybe 2.5 years.

There are MANY factors involved in this, and I am sure a lot of you reading this can relate. In my case, let's say that the three most important ones (among a sea of other) are social media blowing up in my face and me not really knowing how to handle anything, age, and building a second successful company in a business (retail) that I knew nothing about.

I am too stubborn to let go of the slightest bit of my dream job (designing knitting patterns), but the truth is I honestly don't have the same amount of time for it that I had 5 years ago.

I don't have the same stamina or the cool eye of a 30 year old. I doubt myself. I don't like some projects, some beginnings or some endings, and it all leads to a vicious circle that keeps me from publishing my beloved work. The work that allows me to connect with you all, reading this.

A while ago, as some finished patterns were lying around in my studio, me too scared to finish or photoshoot them, I realized I had the perfect FALL PATTERNS collection in my hands. There, already made, an opportunity to come out to the sunshine and show you all what I had been working on. The things I was so scared to show you, fearing the wouldn't be good enough any more.

I looked at my computer, checked the files: all but one pattern had been tested. It was all just waiting for me to take a closer look. My work was beautiful and I felt excited to share it again.

The next morning, I took a deep breath. Brushed my hair, wore a little makeup and asked my husband, Charly, if he'd help me take a few photos. We usually do my photography together. Charly doesn't know how to use a DLSR camera, but he's very good and patient at pointing, framing and shooting. So I checked the light, picked a quiet corner at an old house upstairs from Joji & Co and we took these photos.

Ready for Fall is a collection of 5 patterns with anything you may want to knit for the coming season. Somehow it was just waiting for me to realize these patterns were always meant to be together!

This is the Newspaper Pullover, and you can read all about the inspiration on the pattern page on Ravelry. It's available in sizes XS to 5XL and it's designed for Fingering Weight yarn.

Newspaper

Forever and Ever is an infinity cowl designed for 4 colors of mohair, double stranded. You can substitute with 2 strands of fingering weight, or 1 strand of DK weight yarn.

It's SO soft and divine!

Forever and Ever

Of course, when you learn how to knit your own socks, you want to make them perfect, every time. You want them to fit perfectly and comfortably, and you want the yarn to be durable, dreamy and gorgeous. Well, the Caramel Sauce socks my very well be my dream socks! Designed with a ribbed lace pattern, they always stay up.

Caramel Sauce

The story of this hat is so funny... I wanted to make something absolutely simple and basic to knit and walk, or to knit while I was on my car, so I started this beanie as a basic ribbed one.

Of course, if you know me, I have the attention span of a fly and I LOVE stitch patterns, so I couldn't resist! Shortly after I was knitting away a beautiful lace body for this two-color beanie.

It is designed for fingering weight yarn and the name is, of course, the Change your Mind Beanie.

Change your Mind

And last comes the beautiful shawl. I called it Some ME Time, because I started it just for myself. I needed to feel better, back in January. I had a bad case of the 'blues' and there were some things I really wanted to change for myself and this shawl helped me through it all. The repetitive and soothing movements while knitting it were like a song to me, and the yarn was a big hug. I couldn0t love this more.

My friend Ale helped me test it with her own yarn (a DK weight versus the original pattern in DK) wo I was able to photograph that sample in Pura Hilados as well.

Some ME Time

I felt really proud sharing my work with you all today, and it's really revived my passion for what I do. I can't promise not to have dark feelings about it again, but I promise today was a really important breakthrough for me. Knitting does that for all of us, right? Somehow, in one way or another, it rescues us.

I hope you like these designs and they keep you warm.

Have you picked one to knit first? I'd love to hear from you. I really would!

Joji

Sock knitting

I have just launched a pair of shortie socks, the Flora Socks, and it got me thinking about my love for knitting socks, and when it all began...

Back in 2004, when I was learning to knit all sorts of things, I tried for the first time. I used a free pattern, a very good one from Knitty.com. I can't remember what the name of the pattern was... but I achieved something that looked pretty much like a sock, even though I had no idea what I was doing for most of the instructions.

Unfortunately, I didn't have good materials available where I live, so I had to use the only set of double pointed needles I found (cheap and plastic, not very pleasant). To make things worse, I had no idea how different types of yarns could behave, so I bought a beautiful and colorful hank of single ply acrylic yarn that looked similar to the socks in the photograph.

Bad idea! I had a terrible time trying to move the yarn on those needles (my hands still remember that experience) and the socks were too big and stretched out. It was a huge lesson when learning to knit. From then on, I understood the materials would have a great role in the outcome of the project. Not just for socks.

Knitting materials don't have to be expensive. There were other yarns in my country that are affordable (and with acrylic content, I don't have anything against it) that would hav made a much better pair of socks: Plied yarns, and the right needle size for the yarn weight (socks need to be knitted at a tight gauge).

I can proudly say that I have knitted pairs of socks for almost everyone I love in all these years since then. I have made acrylic and cashmere/merino ones. I've made thick ones in worsted weight and super light ones that take forever.

There is hardly anything that I enjoy more than knitting socks and giving them away. Socks are a small project, you can carry them with you always. You can make them simple, if you just want to pass the time and do something with your hands, but you can also make them complex and have a real challenge while knitting them. You can experiment with a new technique you've been dreaming of learning (think brioche, mosaic knitting or color-work socks). They are affordable, you can find so many budget friendly yarns to make a good pair of socks. And most importantly, EVERYONE loves a good pair of hand-knit socks! So if they don't fit the intended recipient, there will always be someone who fits those socks.

Today's pattern is for a pair of shortie socks, with lace and cable details on thee cuff. They are worked from the top down, with a heel flap and gusset.

Flora Socks

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Materials:

1 skein of Sock Lite by Olann or approx. 280 (300, 340) yd 255 (275, 310) m of fingering weight yarn (shown in colorway Field).

The red socks were made using Sock by Suburban Stitcher in colorway Red Hot.

Needles: US 1 (2.25mm) dpns or long circular needles for magic loop.

Other notions: Stitch marker, tapestry needle.

FIND THEM ON RAVELRY

If you feel inspired to try some other of my sock patterns, here are a few you can find on my website.

Simple Cozy Socks

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Dreaming of Paris

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Curiosity and Opportunity Socks

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Do you have a preferred method for knitting socks? I am always interested in learning what you'd like to see in my patterns. Leave me a comment?

Joji

LONG SUMMER CARDIGAN

Happy Friday, friends!

I love my new pattern Long Summer Cardigan so much that I've decided to write a whole blog post about it. I started working on this design last year, as I wanted a project that could keep me entertained through some big changes at work . It was just perfect for that! It's been so relaxing to knit this project.

As you may know, we've finished our Southern Hemisphere summer and we're headed onto winter, which is just perfect because I get to share this new pattern with you at the perfect time.

Our summers are hot and not very breezy, but I just love wearing very loose fitting garments during this time. Open front sweaters are the most practical during the warm months since I can put them on and off easily when the night comes and we get (a little) chilly. This one is the perfect weight: not too heavy, not too light!

Long Summer Cardigan

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I admit a love for tight fitting jeans and leggings, but I often get a little self-conscious 🙈. Long cardigans give me enough confidence when I want a bit of both. Does this happen to you too?

I called it Long Summer for the length of the garment, but also because this project was knitted during a very enjoyable time. Last summer was very relaxing for us after a stressful year with all the COVID-19 restrictions in our country. We soaked up all the sun, enjoyed every single day of it, and during all of those days I knitted this cardigan. It was a long summer, knitting a Long Summer Cardigan.

The pattern is available on Ravelry and on my website. It's knitted seamlessly from the top down. The body is worked flat and the sleeves in the round.

It's available in sizes XS to 5X - finished measurements 38 (42, 46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 70)".

Recommended yarn: LolaBean Yarn Co, Wax Bean (80% Merino / 20% Silk; 400 yards [366m] / 100g) in colorways Almohada and Feed Me.

You'll also need some stitch markers and holders, and US 2 (2.75mm) and 3 (3.25mm) circular needles.

I would say the skill level required is an adventurous beginner, but remember we're always happy to help you if you have any questions, just send us an email!

I hope you're feeling inspired to knit yourself a long summer cardigan, and I hope your summer, fall, winter or spring are as peaceful as my summer was.

Wishing you joy and happy knitting,

Joji