Fashionista Zone

Cashmere Cowl

Cashmere Cowl

Courtesy of Jessica Hauser (SewKnit) - 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yarn Used: 2 Skeins - “Art Yarn” Cashmere Sock Yarn

Needles : 5mm - US 8 24-inch Circular

 

Cast on 210 sts, place marker and join in the round.

Garter Edging

Knit 6 rounds of garter (garter in the round = k1 round p1 round)

Eyelet section (5 rounds)
Yo, K2tog to marker

Solid section
Work 5 rounds in stockinette stitch (knit every round)
Purl 1 round
Work 5 rounds in stockinette stitch
 

Eyelet section (7 rounds)
Yo, K2tog to marker

Solid section
Work 5 rounds in stockinette stitch (knit every round)
Purl 1 round
Work 5 rounds in stockinette stitch

Eyelet section (5 rounds)
Yo, K2tog to marker

Garter Edging

Knit 6 rounds of garter (garter in the round = k1 round p1 round)

Cast/Bind off loosely

"Body Knitting"

Ran across a very cool knitting technique today.....Hand Knitting!  It has been around for some time; but, today was my first introduction of this technique.  Teresa Dair, an Australian designer, utilizing hand knitting in her design of beautiful scarves!!!  Can't wait to experiment!!!!!!!!!!

 Check out a Hand Knitting Video!!

 

Teresa Dair has many wonderful designs on her website:  http://www.dairing.com.au/

 

Learning from a Master!!

Christine Jonson is one of the best in the business of sewing with and designing patterns for knit fabric.  Her patterns are extremely versatile, fun to make, comfortable to wear while looking very put-together and professional!!!! 

Thank You Christine for sharing your years of sewing knowledge, pattern designing skills, and AMAZING industrial equipment with me over the past month!!!  A truly wonderful sewing teacher!!!  I am so excited to learn all the tricks of sewing with knit jersey fabric and leather :-)  Just wish we could have class everyday!!!!!! 

 

 

 

 

Gettin' Organized.....

Our favorite organization tools.....

• Journal Pages by Kathryn Ivy: (including finished projects, projects En Queue, needle inventory)http://kathrynivy.com/patterns/extras/knitting-journal/


  Needle Cases/Holders:

• Lantern Moon Double Pointed Needle Holder

• Happy Bags, etc. Brand Circular Needle Case (they do not appear to have a website... I know "The Knitting Room" in Birmingham, Michigan sells them and would be happy to ship one out to you.) (I am sure other individual knit shops carry them as well I was just unable to locate them on the web to post a link)

• Lantern Moon Straight Needle Case

• Lantern Moon Notion Cases

    

• Lantern Moon Project Bags/Baskets:

• Mad Bird Project Bags: (http://madbird.bigcartel.com/)

• Sarah's Hat Boxes for Multi-Color Project Yarn Holders:



***We hope keeping your projects organized will help you enjoy your creative process even more!!!***

 

Visual Inspiration: Crossing Language & Geographic Barriers

A couple years ago a friend drew my attention to a fantastic blog, her favorite blog for that matter (and she was a regular reader of many blogs).  Very interested I immediately went to http://rosa-r.blogspot.com/ and was surprised to see that the entire blog was written in German without any English translation.  Amazingly, I was not turned-off at all by the fact that I could not understand a written word I was looking at because the pictures said it all.  Clearly Rosa P sews her own clothes and also knits beautiful sweaters and accessories to finish the look (there is an example below).  Thank you Rosa P for the continued inspiration to SewKnit beatiful creations!!!

To Sew/Knit In or Off Season.....That is the Question :-)

A common question that often comes up when teaching knitting classes are .... "Should I be knitting for the current season or off season?"  There is not really an answer to that question.  It is sometimes difficult to knit (crochet, sew, design) off season as most people get inspired by the current season and want to make something to wear RIGHT NOW; which often leads to a bit of disappointment when that RIGHT NOW summer project (for example) is finally finished on a beautiful but frigid -10 degree winter day :-/ Or, the RIGHT NOW project is started and never finished because they have to start another RIGHT NOW project.... SO, what to do...... 

It must first be mentioned that we are advocates of having multiple project going at one time.  In my classes we have come up with a pretty good equation to have the satisfaction of a RIGHT NOW project and also plan ahead so that you can have that fabulous piece, ready to wear for the right season. 

The "Kind-Of-Perfect" Equation:

1 quick easy RIGHT NOW project + 1 "classic" design for an off season project + 1 all season accessory project + 1 "trendy" seasonal project if you just can't resist, knowing you may never wear it but, will just enjoy the process = HAPPY KNITTING/SEWING

 

 

What Inspires You??

There are so many creative ideas that can be incorporated into fashion!!  Please share what inspires you?? Is it an intense color, a favorite photograph, a unique fabric, a textured skein of yarn??  Fashion is an amazing thing, there are ways to include just about anything that inspires you!!  Enjoy some inspiration from www.pinterest.com There is a world of inspiration to discover!! 

        

                 

 

              

 

Anthrospiration

   Inspiration always seems to come when it is least expected.  While shopping on Anthropology.com looking for clothes to purchase....NOT MAKE :-) I stumbled upon this top.  The crocheted embellishment is so stunning and a perfect representation of SewKnit....or SewCrochet :-)  I was quickly taken off the shopping track and have been thinking of ways to incorporate this inspiration into our designs.....

Inspiration to Pursue Your Dreams.......If your heart is in the right place you cannot go wrong!!

 

Ran across an excerpt of a Merton quote today....it was quite inspirational.  The thought of freeing the creative mind, not worrying about pleasing others, but trusting the drive in your heart to do what is right for you is such a wonderful goal to strive for. 

 

The photograph of the afghan above was a result of trusting my own creative mind.  I took the Artful Afghan pattern by Lion Brand and completely changed it up.  Used a much finer yarn then what is normally used for a afghan (even though others said that was crazy to do).  And the results, a dynamic, cozy, light weight, stretchy, heavenly afghan.  Voila!!!

 

"Do not depend on the hope of results. You may have to face the fact that your work will be apparently worthless and even achieve no result at all, if not perhaps results opposite to what you expect. As you get used to this idea, you start more and more to concentrate not on the results, but on the value, the rightness, the truth of the work itself....."



--Thomas Merton

 

Free Pattern in Support of the Detroit Tigers (or your favorite team)!!

In honor of opening day in Detroit!!  Good Luck this season tigers!!!

**A disclaimer about the pattern**  This is our first published pattern.  So please be patient with any mistakes or unclear wording.  We are trying to find the best way to write patterns so that it is clear to all who make them.  The pattern has been tested by other knitters and they were successful!!  But, we are always open to any input or corrections that you may have. 

Most of all we hope you have fun supporting your favorite team.  Scan the internet or create charts for your team and adjust the pattern accordingly to make it work for you!!! 

Detroit Tiger Mittens

 Materials: 

1 skein St. Denis Nordique Navy

1 skein St. Denis Nordique Orange

1 skein St. Denis Nordique White

One set of 3.25mm double pointed needles

One set of 4mm double pointed needles

 Tension:

22.5 sts to 10cm over st st worked on 4mm needles in the round

Chart:

Chart begins after working the first 10 rounds of the thumb gusset shaping.  For the right mitten, K1 work chart over next 25 sts, K1.  For the left mitten work as for the right but over the last 27 sts instead of the first.

Chart is intentionally upside down so that the D is right side up for others looking at the mittens. 

Right Mitten:

• Using 3.25mm needles and orange color yarn cast on 42 sts.  Join circularly and mark the beginning of round. 
• Work 3 rounds of K1 P1 rib.
• Change to navy and continue in pattern for 18 rounds.
• Change to 4mm needles work 2 rounds in sts before beginning thumb gusset *

 Shape Thumb Gusset (begin “D” chart after 1^st 10 rows):

• K22, M1, K1, K19
• Knit 3 rounds straight
• K 22, M1, K3, M1, K19
• Knit 3 rounds straight
• K22, M1, K5, M1, K19
• Knit 3 rounds straight
• K22, M1, K7, M1, K19
• Knit 3 rounds straight
• K22, M1, K9, M1 K19
• Knit 2 rounds straight

 Decrease For Thumb (thumb is worked later):

• K34, slip last 13 sts just K onto a st holder. K remaining sts.
• Next round: K21, cast on 3 sts, K remaining 18 sts.

 Palm:

• K1 round straight.
• Next round increase 5 sts evenly
• K 5 rounds straight
• Next round:  K 27, cast off 19, K1
• Next round:  K27, cast on 19, K1
• ** K 13 rounds straight.
• Next round decrease 2 sts evenly
• Work one round
• Next round decrease 3 sts evenly
• Work one round

 Shape Top:

• K1, SSK, K15, K2tog, K2, SSK, K15, K2tog, K1
• K1 round straight
• K1, SSK, K13, K2tog, K2, SSK, K13, K2tog, K1
• K1 round straight
• K1, SSK, K11, K2tog, K2, SSK, K11, K2tog, K1
• K1 round straight

 **Switch to orange yarn**

•  K1, SSK, K9, K2tog, K2, SSK, K9, K2tog, K1
• K1 round straight
• K1, SSK, K7, K2tog, K2, SSK, K7, K2tog, K1
• K1 round straight
• K1, SSK, K5, K2tog, K2, SSK, K5, K2tog, K1
• K1 round straight

 Graft the end of the mitten together using kitcheners stitch

 Thumb:

• Using 4mm needles K13 sts on st. holder, pick up 5 sts at base of the 3 cast on sts.
• 1^st round:  K13, K2tog, K1, K2tog.  Mark the end of the round.
• K19 rounds straight.

 Shape for tip:

• (K1, K2tog) repeat to last stitch, K1.
• K1 round straight.
• K2together to last stitch, K1.

 Thread yarn through sts and draw up tightly.

 Finishing for finger opening:

Using the navy and 4mm needles pick up 19 sts at the bottom of the finger opening (on the palm of the mitten) and work 6 rows K1 P1 rib.  Cast off loosely in rib.

Repeat for upper finger opening.

Bring ribbing on upper edge of finger opening to the inside of the mitten and catch down the sides  firmly.

Bring ribbing on lower edge of opening to the outside and catch down sides neatly.

 Left Mitten:  Work as for right mitten to *

 Shape Thumb Gusset (begin “D” chart after 1^st 10 rows):

• K19, M1, K1, M1, K22
• Knit 3 rounds straight
• K19, M1, K3, M1, K22
• Knit 3 rounds straight
• K19, M1, K5, M1, K22
• Knit 3 rounds straight
• K19, M1, K7, M1, K22
• Knit 3 rounds straight
• K19, M1, K9, M1, K22
• Knit 2 rounds straight

 

Decrease for thumb (thumb is worked later):

• K31, slip last 13 sts just k onto a st holder to pick up later for thumb. K remaining sts.
• Next round:  K18, cast on 3 sts, K remaining 21 sts.

 Palm:

• K1 round straight.
• Next round increase 5 sts evenly
• K 5 rounds straight
• K1, cast off 19, K27
• Next round: K1, cast on 19, K27

 Complete as for right mitten from ** to end

 Finishing:

Darn in all ends!!