Favorite Finds: Botanical

We’ve had weeks of drippy, rainy greyness here (including a flooded driveway); and even though, as you can see from the above image, yours truly has sneaked out for a few moments of nature photography, spring can’t come too soon as far as I’m concerned. In that vein, I thought it was high time to present Favorite Finds: Botanical—maybe it’ll hurry spring along! In fact, I got so carried away that this is the largest Favorite Finds installment to date.

Kim Miller’s Midnight Wrap was probably the first crochet lace wrap I ever saw and I’m still very fond of it; the stylized motifs remind me of exotic flowers. It’s still a bit too nippy out for lace, but this will be the perfect wear-ever accessory by next month. Kim’s sample is worked in a lovely merino/silk blend, giving fabulous drape to the already-airy wrap .

I wear a lot of knit tees and would love to supplement my wardrobe with some hand-knit ones; Plant Lady by Agata Mackiewicz immediately caught my eye one day as I was browsing fingering-weight tops. The swingy, relaxed shape looks super comfortable and it would be equally pretty in sock yarn, as shown, or in fingering-weight linen for the height of summer.

For those in cooler climates, Kirsten Holloway’s Easy Button Flower Beanie is the perfect way to add a touch of vintage charm to an early spring ensemble. The hat uses simple stitches and three colors for a sweet, old-fashioned cloche look, and is sized for both children and adults.

Brioche seems to be a hot-button topic in the knitting community this year, and Julia Decker’s Sylvan Tales Shawl is a veritable brioche garden! The two-color brioche rib traces delicate vines throughout this all-season piece. Julia’s original color scheme of green and gold has a lovely, woodsy feel; I’d also love to see this in autumn browns and reds, or in white and silver for winter.

If you aren’t quite ready for spring yet, try Kristina Smiley’s Dreamscape Colorwork Pullover. Colorwork yokes are rare in crochet sweaters, compared to the vast number of knit stranded yokes; Dreamscape features an abstract floral design that reminds me or irises. Worked in a luxe sock yarn, it’s the perfect piece for transitional wear.

Today’s only non-garment feature, this is the Embossed Meadow Bag by Natalia Kononova. I’ve already featured one of Natalia’s designs in Favorite Finds Celtic, and this bag is no less stunning. Leaves and buds stand out from the body of the bag in a tactile, dimensional way that begs to be touched. Worked in three colors, the potential combinations are virtually endless.

Jennifer Weissman has created so many stunning and innovative shawl designs, but her Shh! Shawl is something extra-special. Rather than scattering lace patterning conventionally throughout the body of the shawl and leaving the spine unornamented, Jennifer has run a traditional leaf lace pattern along the spine itself, creating a strong central focal point for the design. The Aran weight is perfect for wrapping up in on a cool evening.

Modular blankets are the perfect project in any weather—Christine Bateman’s Fired Earth features many-shaded floral shapes reminiscent of painted tiles. The unusual motifs come in four shapes and are joined together in a rich, textural final piece offset with a simple border.

This beautiful cowl by Monika Anna is titled Love Autumn; but leaves are for any time of year, don’t you agree? The two-tone colorwork motifs are complex and detailed, perfect for color play. Made with DK-weight yarn, it’s a quick project; and Monika has even designed a second version and a matching mitts and hat.

Bernadette Ambergen’s Olivia is a delicate, graphic shawl that can be draped and worn in a variety of ways. Bernadette takes advantage of the inherent structures of different crochet stitches to create eye-catching shapes and soft, clinging lace. While not overtly botanical, the patterns have an unmistakably plant-like grace.

Our final featured design is Cherry Bobble by the wonderful Abbye Dahl. Twisted stitches, cables, and bobbles create a dramatic floral crown for this unique hat. The textures and shapes pop in a semisolid hand-dyed yarn, captured by Abbye’s incredible photography. Even the folded brim adds an extra dimensional component.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this tour de force of botanical designs—as always, please check out the featured designers’ pattern pages and portfolios. Big thanks to all of them, and I’ll see you next time!

All photos are used by permission of their respective owners; all opinions expressed are my own.