Hello, everyone! I hope you're all having a great week, and less crazy weather than we are here in Portland. We've been slacking on the blogging lately, so sorry about that. I'm pretty excited to show you all what I have today, though, so let's get to it.
A couple months ago, we started carrying a wonderful British magazine, The Knitter. The first couple issues we received started to pique my interest, but then I saw the newest one (Issue #18) and am really on the verge of becoming a hardcore fan. The cover shot is Martin Storey's new pattern Idube (Zulu for zebra) and it is just gorgeous?
Animal prints have been back in a big way lately and its so rare (and fun!) to see such non-traditional colorwork. I would love to knit this sweater, and thankfully the pattern comes with instructions for using Fair Isle or intarsia techniques. Knit in Rowan Siena, a cotton fingering weight yarn, I could see this being really beautiful in Shibui Sock (maybe Midnight and Honey? Mulberry and Ivory?).
Also in this issue is the pattern for Erika Knight's Cable Cardigan (one of my favorites) originally published in her book Men's Knits: A New Direction.
Originally done in (the unfortunately discontinued) Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Superchunky, I'd love to see this in Rowan Purelife British Sheep Breeds Chunky or the Debbie Bliss Como. I would definitely recommend checking out The Knitter if you're interested in these patterns; plus, there is also a great feature on Vintage Knits, as well as an interview with Cookie A.
The next pattern I have to share today is Triangel by Caroline Lang. This lovely (and free!) pattern is a popular one on Ravelry so some of you may have seen it before, but I just love it. Typically super-frilly lace patterns are not my thing, so I really love the more geometric, and substantial look of this one.
The last thing I have to share with you today the Ruffled Crochet Bib Necklace by Stefanie Fail. I've posted a necklace similar to this before, but I'm still really into this look.
I found this pattern on Ravelry, but it was originally published on the blog A Common Thread; which is definitely worth checking out if you're into crafty things! The original was done in a worsted weight, but the photo is of Carro's version done in Malabrigo Lace, and it's absolutely beautiful.
It's been a busy couple of weeks here, and I have a ton of shipping to get to, so unfortunately I shall have to cut this a bit short today. I hope everyone has a great weekend ( let's hope for sun! Or at least no more hail?). Check back next week for another edition of Fashionknitsta. Until then, stay chic, blogfans!
Hello, and happy Thursday, everyone! Sara did so in her last post, but I'd like to apologize again for our blogging tardiness these past couple weeks. I'm sincerely hoping all the craziness is over for a bit, and that we'll be back on track after this week.
The first finds I have today are some beautiful and inspirational pieces from Chanel's Spring/Summer 2010 collection. Now, this was shown in Paris last October and I'm not sure how it eluded me until now, but they are truly gorgeous and I'm so excited to share them with you! Here are a few of my favorites:
and a detail shot:
What a gorgeous stitch! Hand-knit in cotton and silk, this is such a great take on springtime knitwear.
I didn't think this would be an easy pattern to find, and that's proving correct. I did, however, find a slightly similar dress that would still be super cute for spring/summer. The #12 Pleated Dress by Vladimir Teriokhin from the Summer 2007 Knit 1:
Now this version is knits4jena's version and it's done without the sleeves which I really like. It's a DK weight and I think it would be fabulous in Rowan Wool Cotton or the Purelife Revive.
I also really love this little cardigan done in the same style:
The last look I absolutely loved from this collection was this one:
Now, I haven't found a suitable pattern for this sweater or skirt, but the bag looks really reminds me of the Oblique Ruched Bag by Pam Powers for Art Fiber Design:
Now, while we're on the topic of Pam Powers and bags, I can't not mention Pam's latest bag design, featured in the Summer 2010 issue of Interweave Knits. The Lacy Leaf Satchel:
I really love the look of this bag, especially since it would be a great addition to your wardrobe at any time of year. Done in a worsted weight yarn, I think the stitch definition would be gorgeous in Shibui Merino Alpaca, or you could do a super luxurious version in the Fibre Company's Road to China.
The last thing I have to share today is probably my favorite pattern from the new Summer 2010 Interweave Knits:
The Beach House Pullover, by Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark, is a lovely menswear inspired sweater done in Nashua Handknits Creative Focus. Wouldn't it be just gorgeous in Rowan Lima?
With that I'll have to leave you for another week (just a week, I promise!), so check back next Thursday for another edition of Fashionknitsta. Until then, stay chic blogfans!
It's a doozy. Jenny got carried away (I was actually in this tutorial, not just shooting it) and did some beautiful art shots, bless her. I could get carried away and wax eloquent about the play of the light and shadows all that, but I'll just let you admire them yourself. The best part of such an accomplishment was, of course, the fact that we finally blocked Sandy Kay's Girasole!*
Now, we've had a couple of recurring questions about the mailing we sent out on April 30th. To jog your memory, here's a silly shot (or two) of Lindsay with the shawl in question:
But, back to the questions, which (to the best of my knowledge) were:
Q: Do you carry all the yarns/ colors suggested in the book?
A: We do. Some are currently out of stock after this Friday's eCard, but they are on order and should arrive soon.
Q: When will the booklet The Fine Line be back in stock?
A: When we realized so many knitters would be interested, we contacted the supplier. The first shipment of books arrived today and the second shipment will arrive later this week.
If you missed it, There's A Fine Line has been added to our Newsletter & eCard Archive. Now, we'll admit that we thought the book would be popular - the shawls are beautiful, ingenious, and really well-photographed - but we honestly didn't expect to sell out in an hour. Please be patient with us if you, like Kristin F. and I, are still waiting for a copy.
And now that we've taken care of those two items, let's get back to the important blog stuff - the knitting! Kate came in last week wearing a cardigan she had designed and knit:
and the back (shawl collar!):
Which I cannot find on ravelry. Maybe Kate will send us a link? One of us will try and ask her when she comes in the store next. The notes we have on the cardigan are pretty slim - just that it was a personal pattern and used 7 balls of Noro Kureyon. And that's all we've got.
Next, we've got Ben's scarf-in-progress:
Being knit with two colors of Rowan Purelife British Sheep Breeds Bulky, using a personal pattern. Gotta give the man props for doing intarsia without a pattern.
Then, finally, we have some Staff Projects (which, admittedly, took some wrangling):
Cutest of all is Eva's itty bitty sweater:
The pattern is Knitting Pure & Simple's 'Little Girl's Shrug', which is a new pattern and should go up on the website this week. The yarn is Malabrigo Sock held double - one strand of Indiecita and one strand of Aquas. The overall watercolor effect is delicious and has been making me rethink the possibilities of Malabrigo Sock outside of, well, socks.
Then we have Lindsay's super-cool hat:
So cool, in fact, that she doesn't need a pattern. She's winging this one with a personal design. The yarn is Catherine Lowe Couture Yarns Merino 5, in Smoke. Yum. We've all taken turns today petting it and feeling the fabric. It's so light for a hat (a result of the parallel-plies). This project has also had some of us rethink using Catherine Lowe Couture Yarns for all sorts of projects...
Next, we have my (Sara M's) Liesl OTN:
Plus a pocket shot (I felt the need to share):
The pattern is from cocoknits and I love it, though it has been a teensy bit confusing at times. I may just shoot Julie an email and let her know. The yarns, however, are not confusing - they are gorgeous. I must now admit that I am totally addicted to Habu Textiles Linen Lace XS-55. This is my second project using it and I'm already trying to figure out a third. It's just so crisp and smooth and lovely to work with! I'm alternating holding the Ocean Blue (#5) with either Isager Knit Viscolin or Hoere in color #47 (dark teal), to create a marbled fabric.
And, finally, d'ya know that Marj had the audacity to give her finished Vintage Baby Cardigan (remember it?) before getting a photo?! It's just plain sad when your coworkers are set out to undermine you, eh? (She's promised an on-the-baby photo when said baby has been born, so keep your fingers crossed.)
With that, and it being almost 6 pm, I'd say we're as updated as we're going to get. Check back later this week for another edition of Fashionknitsta (and, no, I don't know what happened to last week's edition) on Thursday. Until then, happy knitting!
~Sara M.
*Which was started last July during our Girasole KAL!
Blocking lace is a magical experience. You take a small, gnarly heap of knitting (that often resembles a loofah) and turn it into an elegant, smooth garment. This transformation is even more evident in circular lace shawls, like Jared Flood's Girasole, because they don't even remotely resemble the finished product before blocking.
As Sandy Kay just finished our Girasole shop sample, we decided to take the opportunity and shoot a little tutorial on blocking circular lace. Blocking circular lace is different from lace garments that have straight edges. If you want the shawl (or blanket, hat, etc) to come out as a circle and not an oval, some preparations must be made.
The following tutorial can be applied to other lace pieces, but is truly aimed at circular shawls. In the future, we'll be adding other lace blocking tutorials as we have the chance to make them. For now, we hope this particular endeavor will help all you Girasole KAL participants who still haven't blocked your shawls.
A couple of notes before starting:
We used a homemade blocking board, a pencil, a tape measure, and over 200 pins for the actual blocking.
The board was made by duct-taping two 40" x 60" pieces of 1/2"-thick foam core boards together, along the 40" wide side (creating a 60" x 80" blocking board). If you do not possess a blocking board (bought or homemade), lace can be blocked on carpeting or mattresses. The surface used must be study enough to be pinned under tension (without curling or tearing), but not impossible to penetrate.
Be sure to place a white sheet or large piece of paper between the blocking surface and lace piece, if the surface cannot be marked by a pencil.
A combination of quilt pins and T-pins were used for the points of the shawl. Either can be used alone.
For the purpose of this tutorial, the blocking surface will be referred to as the "board".
Three geometric terms (diameter, radius, and circumference) are used for reference in this tutorial. If you a need a quick refresher, Wikipedia has a great article on Circles.
Text Instructions (each step has a corresponding photo):
Determine the center of your blocking board, mark it, and pin the tape measure to this point, starting at the '0' or first mark on the tape. Consult your pattern to determine the finished diameter of the shawl you are blocking (54" in our case). If you are blocking a shawl you yourself designed, measure the current diameter and add 30 - 40% for the finished size (the growth will depend on the stitch patterns and yarn used).
Divide the finished diameter in half to determine the radius of the shawl (27" in our case). Holding the tape measure taught, measure to your radius on the foam core and mark the location with your pencil.
Continue to move the tape measure around the board, keeping the tape measure taught, marking the circumference of the finished shawl. Place a mark every 2 - 4".
Be sure to check, as you move around the blocking board, that the end of the tape measure hasn't moved or unpinned from the center. When you have completed a circle around the board, check to make sure there are enough marks to follow. If necessary, go around again, filling in any gaps. Once the circumference of the shawl has been marked, unpin and remove the tape measure from the board.
If you haven't already pre-soaked your lace garment, now's the time (place it in a bowl with cool water and a dollop of no-rinse wool wash for 15 - 30 minutes, or until thoroughly soaked). Gently wring out your piece and place it on the board.
Begin by pinning the center of the shawl to the center mark on your board. Smooth the shawl out around this center pin, laying it as flat as possible. (In most cases, the shawl will not want to lie flat, which is fine.)
Take a point and draw it out to the marked circumference. It may fight you a bit.
Pin it in place, angling the pin at a 45-degree angle, so it won't pull out easily.
Continue to pin the shawl in this manner (Steps 7 & 8) in 4" increments, pulling it out to the marker circumference line from Steps 2 - 4. In most cases, you're going to have to be quite mean to the lace and manhandle it into place. If, however, at any point it feels like the lace is going to snap or rip, ease up the tension and decrease your intended diameter.
Do not attempt to pin each point of the shawl border. We skipped five or six points before pinning another. As we had two people working on the shawl, a constant tension was maintained. If you are blocking by yourself, be sure to try and balance your pinning. An example of how to do this would be to pin 6 o'clock after pinning 12 o'clock, then 2 o'clock after 8 o'clock, etc. By working the shawl in a mirrored fashion, it will keep the tension even around the entire surface of the shawl.
Once every sixth point (or so) has been pinned, begin to work on pinning each point by carefully drawing it out to the marked circumference line and pinning it in place (remember, be aggressive!). If you prefer, you can make this task easier by starting with the center point from each section pinned in Step 10. (see the lower right corner of photo #11)
Work around the entire circumference of the shawl, pinning each point into place. Remember to angle each pin so it will be less likely to succumb to the mounting pressure of the blocking lace.
Once you've completed pinning, step back and admire. Leave the lace blocking until either (a) it dries or (b) for 24 hours (my recommended time frame). When the shawl has finished blocking, unpin it and wear in style!
Not too bad, right? Sandy Kay certainly thought so (it was her first lace project, yay!). But, to make this tutorial a little more accessible, here are some options for adaptation:
If your shawl pattern doesn't have a pointed or ruffled edge (unlikely but entirely possible), you're going to need to place the pins more closely together so the edge doesn't warp. Even better, if you can get your hands on flexible blocking wires, thread them through the edge and pin the wire to the circumference marked in Steps 2 - 4.
If you are blocking a semi-circular shawl, or Faroese shawl, complete Steps 2 - 4 and then adapt the shape to suit your needs. Consult a schematic of the finished piece and (strongly recommended) use a yardstick or rule to marker the straight edge(s) of the piece.
And, with that, we leave you (hopefully) with some new & helpful information. Check back next week for what will (again, hopefully) be the long-awaited Duplicate Stitch tutorial. Until then, as always, we love to hear feedback or suggestions for future tutorials. Happy knitting!
Animal prints have been back in a big way lately and its so rare (and fun!) to see such non-traditional colorwork. I would love to knit this sweater, and thankfully the pattern comes with instructions for using Fair Isle or intarsia techniques. Knit in Rowan Siena, a cotton fingering weight yarn, I could see this being really beautiful in Shibui Sock (maybe Midnight and Honey? Mulberry and Ivory?).
Originally done in (the unfortunately discontinued) Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Superchunky, I'd love to see this in Rowan Purelife British Sheep Breeds Chunky or the Debbie Bliss Como. I would definitely recommend checking out The Knitter if you're interested in these patterns; plus, there is also a great feature on Vintage Knits, as well as an interview with Cookie A.
I found this pattern on Ravelry, but it was originally published on the blog A Common Thread; which is definitely worth checking out if you're into crafty things! The original was done in a worsted weight, but the photo is of Carro's version done in Malabrigo Lace, and it's absolutely beautiful.
