Welcome

Yes, this is the place! Welcome to Karen Alfke's website, featuring 2nd Nature Design knitting patterns and Unpatterns.

Like so many knitters, I welcome the arrival of fall, which brings an urgency and purpose to sweater knitting. It's the time when you can pull those warm woolies out from under the bed and plan what to knit for the coming winter.

And you'll be able to keep yourself wrapped in glorious warmth with our latest pattern, the long-awaited
Linen-Stitch Faroese Shawl, pictured at right.

Worked in hand-painted sock yarn (on impossibly-large US 13 / 9mm needles), this piece is functional yet dramatic. Available now as a download exclusively from Patternfish; or if you would like a paper version, ask your local yarn store to order one from me for you.

[Those of you familiar with Linen Stitch will recognize this piece: a closeup photo of the fabric is indeed the background image on the website here.]

My other pattern line, Unpatterns, is likewise alive and well on the web. The two (yes, two!) Sock Unpatterns  one from the cuff down and a new one from the toe up) are both available for download on Patternfish (and on paper in stores nationwide).

The perennial favorite Top-Down Sweater is available on Patternfish as well, but with a twist. I decided to break up the instructions for Top-Down Raglans into two Unpatterns: one for pullovers, and one for cardigans. The Unpattern Top-Down Raglan Pullover has been up for a while … and now the Cardigan is available there, too! Hooray!

I'm very proud of them, and hope you enjoy working with them.

You cannot purchase these patterns from me directly, in part because I feel so strongly about supporting local yarn shops. Click here for a list of shops who currently carry my patterns and Unpatterns. If you live near one of them, give them a call! Or, if you prefer to purchase a paper pattern rather than download, there are online retailers listed on my shops page as well.

It's a brave new world for all sorts of reasons: I've been blogging, too! (That's where you can read about all the other crazy things I'm doing, like training for the Chicago marathon.)

So nice to see you! I'm glad you came.
Prowl around, grab a catalog … there will be more fun to come.