Tressa Weidenaar
Patterns available as Ravelry Downloads
Knitting: Pullover
This sweater was born from the creation of the Bluewater Wrap and Cowl. I kept seeing the stitches as something that would work great for a yoke. This sweater is meant to show defined stitches and texture like the ripples on water.
Knitting: Beanie, Toque
This hat is a spin off of my “Rug Weaver’s Headband.” The motifs are similar to those on the headband which I based off of Two Grey Hills Navajo weavings.
Knitting: Shawl / Wrap
This shawl was designed in collaboration with Lily Stevens from Merino y Vino. It was inspired by the book “Olga Dies Dreaming,” by Xochitl Gonzales. The theme of this book is liberation and the desire to break free from many oppressors that have control over the characters in the novel.
Knitting: Beanie, Toque
This design was created in collaboration with Lily Stevens from Merino y Vino. This collaboration included a book theme to go along with it. The book is Crazy Brave by Joy Harjo. This book tells an incredible story about Ms. Harjo’s life; the many ups and downs she experienced as she navigated the difficulties she encountered, both from being N...
Knitting: Cowl
This cowl was designed in collaboration with Lily Stevens who owns Merino y Vino. It goes with the book “Such a Fun Age,” by Kiley Reid. This book was a very fun read for me as it takes place in Philadelphia, PA where I spent a year of my life after I graduated from High School. I was able to picture the streets and parks that were mentioned in...
Knitting: Pullover
The Silversmith sweater was inspired by Navajo Silversmiths. This design is meant to reflect and honor silversmiths that have been in the Navajo culture for hundreds of years.
Knitting: Headband
This design repeats a motif over and over to create a colorful pattern. This headband has a simple symmetrical design and uses two highly contrasting colors to make the repeated diamond shape pop. The name comes from a technique jewelers use to create stunning multicolored silver bracelets, necklaces, and rings with carefully shaped stones set ...
Knitting: Tee, Pullover
This sweater is worked in the round from the neck down. Short rows are used to shape the back. Once the yoke is worked the sleeves are separated from the body. The body is knit with no shaping. Sleeves are worked last.
Knitting: Shawl / Wrap
This shawl was designed for the Year 12 (2021-2022) Pro-Verbial Shawl Club from A Verb For Keeping Warm. As we thought of yarn colors for this shawl, I was drawn to the colors of rocks in the washes and trails in the area where I live. Desert colors are always inspirational to me, so I was really pleased with the outcome of these beautiful, nat...
Knitting: Pullover
This wide necked sweater was inspired by the beautiful colors at the Painted Desert National Park. My family enjoys visiting the park for the startling beauty and peacefulness that can be experienced there.
Knitting: Mid-calf Socks
This design was created in collaboration with Radicle Threads Magazine to celebrate their first anniversary.
Knitting: Cowl
This cowl was originally designed for a class I taught at Indian Market in Santa Fe at a local yarn shop called Hacer. It is a smaller version of the Bluewater Wrap which was inspired by a lake that my family used to spend time at when I was young. The texture is created using knit and purl stitches. It is knit on the bias which is achieved by ...
Knitting: Mittens
In the Navajo (Diné) and other Native American cultures, coyote stories are often told to children as a way to teach lessons. These mittens are inspired by one particular story about a coyote who sees a flock of crows flying in the sky and wants to fly with them. The crows each give him one of their wing feathers, but soon he becomes arrogant a...
Knitting: Shawl / Wrap
This crescent shaped shawl was inspired by a story about finding arrowheads. My dad told it to me when I was a child. Slipped stitches are used to create the colorwork patterns in which only one color is worked at a time. This long shawl drapes well and can be worn in many ways.
Knitting: Mid-calf Socks
Kits for the socks can be found here: https://www.serendipitouswool.com/collections/serendipito...
Knitting: Headband
This headband is knit in the round with two contrasting colors. It is a quick knit and great for using up small amounts of special yarn.
Knitting: Cowl, Cape
This cowl was inspired by the colors and feelings of Christmas. Bobbles around the top and bottom make me think about cranberries or stings of lights, and the lace reminds me of bells or garlands. Looking at this, I think about going out to parties and gatherings where dressing up is fun. This bulky weight cowl can be worn around the neck or pu...
Knitting: Hanging Ornament
As a child I loved driving around the neighborhood looking at Christmas decorations. Seeing lights of all colors strung across rooftops, windows, and trees was a huge thrill. This ornament was designed with that in mind, and three contrasting colors give little pops of color similar to Christmas lights.
Knitting: Headband
I am often drawn to repeating patterns seen in stamped silver jewelry. A design like the one on this headband might be seen on a bracelet or a ring, and I love to look at it. I wanted to use a fingering weight yarn for a delicate and detailed pattern similar to the ones I love on stamped jewelry.Headbands are a quick, easy project that work gre...
Knitting: Beanie, Toque
The hike to the top of Pyramid is a well known hike in Gallup, New Mexico. Looming over the land, Pyramid can be seen from a long ways off and is always a welcome sight when traveling home from far away places.
Knitting: Shawl / Wrap
This parallelogram shawl is knit on the bias and uses three main pattern repeats to form the design. The pattern is both written and charted and can be adjusted to make a longer or shorter shawl.
Knitting: Cowl
The Hilso Cowl is named after one of my favorite trailheads in the Zuni mountains close to where I live in New Mexico. In the fall I love to hike or ride my bike up the trails to see leaves changing colors like the colors in this cowl.
Knitting: Clutch
After learning the wedge weave style on a traditional Navajo loom, I was was inspired to create a similar knitting design. As I am always in need of places to safely store my small notions (yarn needles, stitch markers, scissors, etc.) I decided to create this pouch. It is knit in the round using Judy’s Magic cast on to create the bottom (a sta...
Knitting: Beanie, Toque
The Gallup beanie is knit in the round and is a great pattern for learning color-work. The bulky weight yarn and larger needles makes this a quick knit.
Crochet: Cowl
This color-work cowl is crocheted in the round using the tapestry crochet technique. It is an intermediate design but is a fun challenge for those wanting to try crocheting with more than one color.
Knitting: Headband
This pattern is in Winter Vol.1 / GIFTS digital issue and will be available on Nov. 22, 2019 at makingzine.com individually or as part of the 2020 subscription.
Knitting: Beanie, Toque
The inspiration for “Desert Tracks” came several years ago. In the Southwest, we often see beetles that make the most beautiful tracks in the sand around our home; observing these beetle tracks is at once relaxing, exciting, and inspirational. The lines of this design are meant to resemble those tracks in the desert’s sand.
Knitting: Beanie, Toque
This hat is knit in the round using two contrasting colors. It features four cross designs and a color work crown.
Knitting: Cowl
The Twin Lakes cowl is named after the community where my dad grew up on the Navajo Reservation. The cowl is knit in the round using a color work chart for a colorful accessory.
Knitting: Headband
Weaving is an important part of the Navajo culture. I grew up watching skilled weavers create rugs, and I knew I wanted to learn weaving someday. I had a hard time finding someone to teach me as my great grandma had passed away before I could learn from her, and weaving is not as common as it used to be. About a year ago I finally found a class...
Knitting: Headband
I admire Native American pottery and it’s intricately painted designs. This headband resembles a design that could be seen on a pot. It is based on lines more often used on pottery rather than geometric figures common in other Native design.