ConnieLene – KnitDesigner

I have created 4 different skirts using hyperbolic plane increases so far.

What is that you say? – All the increases for a skirt created using the Hyperbolic plane method are carried out after knitting exactly the same number of stitches continuously for the entire skirt.

One of my skirts had an increase at 80 stitches and another at 60 stitches. My skirts are knitted in the round and the increases are always at the same position for the whole skirt, no matter what. Sixty stitches apart makes a marvellous floaty, flirty skirt.

I use a stitch marker at every increase and remove as I knit to it each and every time.

Cast on for your waistband which should be knitted in a circular fashion. So far mine are all knitted with a row or two of yarn over holes so that a ribbon or elastic or even an I-cord belt or tie can be used.

Then I decide on the number of stitches between increases. The larger the number of stitches between increases the less full the skirt will be. You will decide on the rate of increases depending on the yarn, the wearer and the purpose of this skirt.

For Example – every 60 stitches.

Complete the waist band, change from rib or whatever construction you have decided for the waistband and continue in stocking stitch.

Knit 60, PM, increase a stitch
knit 60, PM, increase a stitch

If your waistband had 120 stitches then you would increase 2 stitches on the first row. Continue to increase after every 60 stitches until the skirt is the right length for your proposed wearer. You will be sitting there counting from 1 to 60, PM, increasing a stitch, count to 60 again etc.

If you are interrupted in your counting simply count again from the last marker and you will never lose your position for the increases. Always remove the marker when you get to it and reposition it again when you have knitted your next 60 stitches. There will be times when you have an increase directly above an increase for a previous row. Still do it – the increase I mean, it will work, and it doesn’t look wrong in the shaping of the skirt.

The end result is elegant, or flirty, or cheeky depending on the number of stitches between the increases and the yarn you have chosen.

There is another great thing about knitting a skirt this way – you could add to the length if you ever need to. So if you knit it for a child, as she grows the skirt can grow with her. If you knit it for an adult – they may change the length simply because fashion changes.

Knitted skirts can seat – but because this skirt doesn’t have a front or back or sides dictated by the increases – this skirt can be turned to protect one from that drama.

Link to Wool On Gallery 2010 and my skirt is in there.

Over these past months – in fact it is since the end of July 2011 I have not had the right situation to be creating in yarn as I love to do. I have been creating a garden, an orchard, taking care of our grandson and so on.

I just have not had the time nor the head space to be knitting – well not too much that is. I have knitted a few beanies for people who needed them and created a piece which is still a secret. I managed that only because there was a completion date.

Now the weather is much cooler, the garden earth is very wet, and I need to be creating something new, something different and to start my brain off on this task I have been doing research on the internet.

Now you may remember that I am Danish born and that in the last 3 years while we were living in the Netherlands (till end July 2011), I have visited Denmark a couple of times and I attended a workshop by Danish knitter/designer/artist Christel Seyfarth in de Afstap in Amsterdam.

Why am I telling you this?

Well I have been looking at knits for 2012 / 2013 autumn and winter and I have been looking at the Missoni collections in particular and those collections are full of Danish shawls. Now that is a real surprise to me. Danish shawls in an Italian knit collection! And I may not have realised that had I not been to Denmark and seen the Danish Shawls at the Gamle By (The Old Town). Danish Shawl at the Old Town

The Danish shawl does have a wide triangular shape – true. The Missoni Shawl doesn’t – but what is in common is that the shawl is wrapped around and tied at the back. The true Danish Shawl ties the ends of the shawl together at the back, the Missoni shawl has a clasp attached which holds the shawl in position at the back.

Isn’t it great that the old Danish Shawl has a new lease of life as a fashionable modern garment on the runways of the world?

This morning I was told that what I call a Beanie is a Skull Cap.

So here a few skull caps / Beanies / hat, and yarny warm things depending on your point of view.

Today I drove to Mangawhai, north of Auckland, from Miranda (about 185k’s if you go the direct route) to have lunch with some terrific people that I went to primary school with ever so many years ago. I was a bit late having driven the long way there and also included Orewa and Kaiwaka on my route. The restaurant was the Frog and Kiwi, a small restaurant with interesting salt and pepper shakers! you probably guessed already but just in case – one was a frog and the other a Kiwi.

I had a great French Onion Soup and a really good long black.

But the tree, Oh Yes the tree. On the way to Mangawhai I drove into Orewa to deliver a Beanie to Karl and I also stopped to see a tree at the Estuary Arts Centre And it was worthwhile doing so as this tree is festooned with all sorts of yarny things which seems to have happened during a KIP (Knit in Public) event held there during this last week.

They certainly had a psychedelic knit in public day in Orewa. It is a magnificently adorned tree. The Estuary Knitters celebrated WWKIP (World Wide Knitting In Public) day very well indeed.

11th June 2011

Sadly I do not know the name of the artist and I have searched on Google and not found the artist there either. I did find many crocheted masks but none that looked quite like these. If you happen know the creator of these wonderful pieces I would love to know.

The photographs were taken through the window of the gallery by the St Bavo Church in the Grote Markt in Haarlem, the Netherlands. We were on our way to listen to jazz when we spotted the masks and I think they are great and hope you do as well.