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Jaq Cieslak

artist // patternmaker // dyke

📍 Oakland, California http://www.jaqcieslak.com

Osprey: The pullover Plover

OSPREY is a squishy, simple pullover with clean lines and quiet texture. This pattern was adapted from PLOVER, the lightweight warm-weather cardigan in a loose gauge that was originally published in Making No. 9 / SIMPLE. Knit in a heavier yarn at a denser gauge than Plover...

Yarn substitution at different weights

One of my favorite things to do as a designer is to reject established “rules” in the knitting world. From assumptions about grading patterns for fat bodies to the received wisdom about what kind of yarn is good for what kind of project, I relish the opportunity to subvert expectations...

Sol on the bias: The headwrap hack

Here are some ways this sweet little headwrap epitomizes the things I am grateful for this summer...

Sol for the summer solstice

SOL is a tank for the summer solstice, designed to celebrate the healing power of creativity and the warmth of the sun on your body. With simple bottom-up construction, this tank features an original asymmetric lace panel inspired by chestnut blossoms...

Plover: Making No. 9 / SIMPLE

PLOVER is a featherweight cardigan with clean lines and quiet texture. It is named for the birds whose cheery presence kept us company during Making Magazine No. 9 / SIMPLE’s memorable photoshoot on Popham beach...

How to make your local yarn/fabric shop fat friendly

I’m all for loving yourself but let’s remember that no one can self-love themselves into a chair that is too small for their body. This Valentine’s Day, as a gift of love and appreciation to myself and all my fellow fatties in the fiber community, I am sharing my top tips...

Water Bearer: The Aquarius Cardigan

Water Bearer is a sweater inspired by and designed for the creative, justice-minded, free spirit of the Aquarian zodiac. With seamless top-down construction and a dramatic brioche shawl collar, this cardigan provides for an elegant and absorbing knit...

Meet Star Crossed

STAR CROSSED is a truly oversized pullover inspired by the stars, from the grand Polaris to each little twinkle in the night sky. The pattern is designed to work with a wide range of positive ease (8-18”), and the instructions include options for two neckline...

Alabama Chanin style MOH DRESS

I have been enamored with Alabama Chanin hand embellishment techniques since before I began sewing, and my sister’s wedding seemed like the perfect excuse to make something a little, well… extra. Linda picked a muted palette of bronze hues and neutrals...

Introducing the Rift Tee

Rift cracks open all your assumptions about what a “basic tee” pattern should be. This lightweight, bottom-up knit includes instructions for two necklines, optional bust darts, and a custom fit bicep...