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Mauri Tau Pullover

“Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn’t hurt the untroubled spirit either.” ― Elizabeth Zimmerman

This well-known quote from Elizabeth Zimmerman resonates during this increasingly combative time. Knitting gives our souls the space to heal, to reflect, and to find peace. These moments of quiet contemplation renew our strength and prepare us once more for the struggles of daily life.

Mauri Tau means calm or serene in Te Reo Mãori, though I personally understand it as “settling of the soul.” This top-down yoke pullover features an eye-catching yet simple slip-stitch motif to create a soothing knitting experience. Even if you put it down for a while, it will be quite easy to see where you left off! The simple motif also allows you to use your more variegated yarns to knit it up and still not lose the beauty of the stitch pattern.

The abundance of calming stockinette allows the pattern to be easily adjusted at the body for length and waist shaping. You can even add extra flourishes at the sleeves and hem of the pattern if you like.

This pattern includes stitch count checkpoints, tables for all sleeve decrease rows, written and charted instructions (along with mobile and LVA versions), all graded in 14 sizes up to a 66-inch bust.

May the ease of the slip-stitch pattern and meditative nature of the stockinette produce a pocket of serenity in your busy life.

Get 60% off this Pattern by using Code: TPoF-PoTW-Mlsbie on Ravelry at checkout!

This shawl falls under The Giver category in my Fibre Muse titled bundles.

The Giver Fibre Muse uses knitting to make a difference in other people’s lives. They are very compassionate, kind and understanding. They will prepare months in advance, knitting up projects for their friends and family to give as gifts, because they understand the joy and thrill of receiving a handmade piece. Even if they aren’t always properly thanked (because non-knitters don’t get the amount of time, effort and skill that goes into their gift!), knowing that they left a special mark in someone’s life, lightning up their day, makes them happy and gives them a sense of purpose. In a world where there is not enough empathy, knitting is a way to help heal and serve others.

During the holidays or any special event, they get way more excited watching others open gifts from them than they do receiving presents. A charitable soul, they believe in the importance of giving back to their community in anyway they can: through supporting businesses that share the same values, volunteering or supporting charitable causes, or even just being a friend in need, a shoulder to cry on. But don’t think that the Giver is a pushover. If there is an issue they care deeply about, they’ll be the first ones to take action, speaking up and declaring their trust, protecting those who need protection. Some Givers may even use their craft as a form of activism, the driving force to make positive, powerful change.

This primary sense of giving to others, to improve other people’s lives, is what makes the Giver unique from their sibling Muses, the Seeker, Dreamer and Mystic. While all Fibre Muses share aspects of each type, this drive to give and serve most strongly resonates in the Giver.

Use the code TPoF-PoTW-Kawnbe at checkout on Ravelry to receive 60% off the pattern this weekend, exclusively for Indie Untangled subscribers!

Once Were Weavers celebrates the complexities of the Māori that colonization tried to erase. The name subverts the title of a brutal movie, “Once Were Warriors,” a story that displays the violent image of Māori culture and reduces it to this one view. Instead, this shawl rejoices in the depths of our culture which reveal us to be scientists, voyagers, navigators, warriors, gardeners, weavers, makers, artists.

The stitches used in this shawl represent and sometimes mimic traditional weaving techniques. Lace stitches and tassels imitate feathers, a common decoration for traditional Māori cloaks. A special combination of dropped and cable stitches approximates a cabling done in weaving, and you’ll marvel as these stitches come together in your hands.

Sitting easily on your shoulders, this three-quarter shawl will become the perfect partner for any occasion. Knit it up in linen yarn for warm days or wool for the cool nights of winter.

Download, select your yarn and cast on today for a beautiful meditation on the complexities of indigenous culture.

Use the code TPoF-PoTW-Owwnes at checkout on Ravelry to receive 60% off the pattern this weekend, exclusively for Indie Untangled subscribers!

The Nuku Beanie is a collaboration between Francoise of Aroha Knits and Qiane of the Nuku Podcast. Qiane reached out to me to ask me if I was interested in designing a beanie for her to help raise funds for her work. Her goal for her podcast is to interview 100 kick-ass Indigenous wāhine in Aotearoa “who are doing things differently” and then publish a book.

All revenue made from this beanie was directly put towards the Nuku Podcast Boosted fundraiser. Now that the fundraiser is over, future sales of the Nuku Beanie have been sent as koha to the podcast.

The development of the motif was created by the collaborative efforts between Francoise and Qiane. The motif utilizes the nihoniho (teeth), a symbol of strength and resilience. The horizontal zigzagging of the nihoniho is a reference to the aramoana motif, ocean pathways, illustrating the diverse journeys we have all undertaken.

Use the code TPoF-PoTW-Nukweb at checkout on Ravelry to receive 60% off the pattern this weekend, exclusively for Indie Untangled subscribers!

Whakairo, the respected art of Maori wood carving, resonates with me because, while it is a work of art, the carvings also tell a story. The patience and diligence of these wood-carvers in honing their skill amazes. The results honor their heritage as stories and lessons embed themselves in these carvings for future generations.

Knitting, like whakairo, requires patience and diligence. I use knitting, specifically knitwear design, to honour my heritage and carry the stories, values, and lessons of my people forward. I wanted to create a piece to pay tribute to this art form, which I was able to recreate the feel through the usage of twisted stitches and cables for a fabric rich in texture.

The Whakairo top is the sibling pattern to the Whakairo cowl. I loved working with the rich textured stitch pattern (originally created by Hitomi Shida) so much, exploration in another form was necessary.

This top is worked bottom-up and in the round until the armhole separation, where each side is worked flat. The drop-shoulder, boxy fit with minimal shaping only at the armholes, makes it really easy to make adjustments as you please.

Download the Whakairo top and dive into the deep textures to create a piece that will serve your wardrobe for many years to come.

Use the code TPoF-PoTW-whasbe at checkout on Ravelry to receive 60% off the pattern this weekend, exclusively for Indie Untangled subscribers!

🌱 Celebrate growth, strength, and peace with every stitch…

The Koru Cowl is a stunning stranded colorwork project inspired by Te Ao Māori, the Māori worldview that honors the deep connections between all living and non-living things. The unfurling motif comes from the koru, the spiral of a silver fern frond, symbolizing new life, growth, strength, and tranquility.

This cowl is a beautiful way to build your colorwork confidence. The nearly-symmetric motif provides a meditative rhythm, while long stretches of resting color give your hands and mind space to breathe. You’ll practice stranded knitting, master locking floats, and deepen your appreciation for how simple stitches can carry so much meaning.

Originally worked in soft, rustic Shetland wool from Harrisville Designs in fingering weight, the Koru Cowl is a joy to knit — warm and light, with crisp stitch definition that makes the motif shine.

🌿 Wrap yourself in a story of renewal and connection.

Cast on the Koru Cowl and let each round remind you of the beauty of growth and the peace of nature’s patterns.

Use the code TPoF-PoTW-kweouw at checkout on Ravelry to receive 60% off the pattern this weekend, exclusively for Indie Untangled subscribers!

Imagine strolling through the woods on a well-kept trail. A brook babbles somewhere near. Bright sunlight filters through the treetops, dancing across your face and scattering across the smooth path. Richly colored leaves fill the trees. A fresh cool breeze sweeps a few leaves from the branches and swirls them around you, sending goosebumps across your skin.

Thankfully, you brought along your most recent finished object, the light yet warm and cozy Mizu Shawlette.

This simple and sophisticated one-skein wonder project works up in sections of stockinette, divided by a fine line of slip stitches for textural and visual interest. At the edge, a delicate and airy lace pattern resembles water dripping off leaves after a summer storm.

Due to the simplicity of the design, the pattern works well with colorful and busy colorways and by using the slip stitches as a guiding point, can also be used with gradient yarns. However, it truly shines with semisolid or solid colorways. And you only need one 400 to 440-yard (350-420m) skein of fingering weight yarn, so this dreamy piece is perfect for that special skein you’ve been saving.

Cast on and continue dreaming with the Mizu Shawlette….

“There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music in its roar:
I love not man the less, but Nature more.”
– Lord Byron, Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, 1818

Use the code TPoF-PoTW-mizweb at checkout on Ravelry to receive 60% off the pattern this weekend, exclusively for Indie Untangled subscribers!

This shawl design was inspired by LA Bourgeois’s article for the Fibre Muse Quarterly Giver issue, “The Mourning Shawl”. When I asked LA what types of patterns make for an appropriate Mourning Shawl, she wrote, “My requirements for mourning shawls are that they include mostly simple knitting and can include up to three colors.” A Shield Against Grief was created to fit that description; with two simple stitch patterns that make it easy to adjust for different yarn weights or final measurements if you so desire. However, I recommend to knit it up as large as you can in heavier yarns, as so to wrap a loved one up in and bask in its warmth and comfort.

When words are inadequate to help someone’s pain, a handmade project filled with love, compassion and empathy can go a long way. As you are working on this project for someone special, infuse each stitch with the powerful intention of healing and light. Keep in your mind why and who you are knitting it for, and that energy will radiate into the fibres. The person receiving the gift will feel the intentions and blessings every time they wrap the shawl around them or run their fingers across the fabric.

Use code TPoF-PoTW-sgiend at checkout on Ravelry to receive 60% off the pattern this weekend, exclusively for Indie Untangled subscribers!

Iraira is Māori for “variegated,” reflecting the usage of variegated yarn in this design. Two skeins of yarn are used: one in a solid color and one in a variegated color. This shawl is worked with increases and decreases to shape it into the asymmetrical triangular shape. There’s lots of garter stitch, but the pattern is kept interesting with the use of stripes and slip stitches at different points of the pattern. The shawl is bound off using the picot bind-off for a nice, subtle touch.

This pattern is perfect for the adventurous beginner knitter who has made a few projects, using various skills and techniques. Stitches include knit and slip stitches, as well as a k2tog decrease and a kfbf double increase.

Use the code TPoF-PoTW-isbwoe at checkout on Ravelry to receive 60% off the pattern this weekend, exclusively for Indie Untangled subscribers!

When I think of the word winter, the Māori New Year Matariki immediately comes to mind. Winter in the Southern Hemisphere runs during the Northern’s summer months — June to August. Matariki refers to the cluster of stars (the Pleiades) that become visible during this time of year, heralding the New Year and giving a prediction of what the next 12 months will bring in terms of crops, weather and growth.

The Whetū Cowl (whetuu meaning star) features a lace star stitch motif in a fuzzy mohair yarn, on a backdrop of the night sky, twinkling with stars (the wool and mohair held together).

Use the code TPoF-PoTW-wtheus at checkout on Ravelry to receive 60% off the pattern this weekend, exclusively for Indie Untangled subscribers!