When Jean Chung needed something to break up the reading and studying in law school, she got serious about knitting. So serious that, within two years, she was designing her patterns of her own. Since then, she’s had designs appear in Knitscene, Twist Collective and Knitty, among others.
This year, Jean decided to focus on self-publishing. In July, she released the Hearts & Flowers Shawl – a large, textured square designed in our Vintage yarn. Knit from the center out, the shawl features a mix of cables, stockinette, garter and easy lace. The increases are worked in a way that makes the different stitch patterns spiral outwards. The finished piece measures 56 inches tall and wide, so it can be worn like a long coat or cape, or folded in half and wrapped around as a shawl.
How did you come up with this design?
This piece was inspired by the characters in the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy. In one scene, Anastasia and Christian are arguing about the kind of relationship they need and despite Christian’s hesitance, Anastasia declares that she needs everything that a normal relationship offers – all the “hearts and flowers.” Like the multidimensional characters in the book, this shawl can be worn in so many different ways to create interesting effects.
How did you decide on the yarn?
I wanted the yarn to be comfy and cozy, but washable. I had used Berroco Vintage before, so I knew to trust its quality and durability.
What’s your favorite thing about knitting?
I love the fact that I can just take knitting anywhere: dinner with family, movie theaters, cafes…etc. In most cases, I just need to find a seat and start knitting. I love stitch patterns that are easy to memorize so that I don’t need to bring the pattern with me.
Do you have a cool design you want to share? Or did you recently finish a project with Berroco yarn? You can email Ashley: apalumbo@berroco.com or post it to the Berroco Lovers forum in Ravelry.