Welcome

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

Yes, much of the country has gone quiet for the winter, what with the big blanket of snow and the relief that post-holiday brings.

But over here on the West Coast, we're getting geared up for an invasion of fiber professionals: it's trade show time! The National Needle Arts Association has the great good sense to offer knitting, crochet, and needlework professionals a sunny refuge in which to gather and discuss our industry's future. And for the first time, Unpatterns will be there!

'The Rockettes' (my new fleet of black mannequins) are nestled in the back of the station wagon, and we have three new bottom-up and three new top-down silhouettes available for wholesale orders this weekend.

Those of you currently enjoying some Unpatterns via download from Patternfish—first of all, thank you!, and second of all, hang in there: all the new stuff will become available over the coming weeks.

In the meantime, enjoy the photos, and check with your local yarn stores! Orders to stores will ship beginning February 1, 2010.

I can't wait!

Knitters, 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.