ConnieLene – KnitDesigner

If you are considering “knitting in the round” these are the advantages as I see them.

Knitted in the round from bottom up.

Advantages:

1. No purling – you are always knitting on the right side, so unless you are ribbing or creating a pattern which requires purl stitches on the right side then you do not need to purl.

2. Little or no seaming / finishing

3. May use less yarn if the pattern is altered from a flat or pieced pattern. When altering a flat or pieced pattern one can reduce a stitch at each side of the body front and back – reducing the yarn required but not the finished size.

4. Speed – knit stitch is faster and your knitting rhythm works to your advantage.

5. Great knitting for watching a favourite TV program.

6. Less seaming is better for a knitted piece – it will rest better on the body without stresses and strains of a seam.

7. You can design as you knit. You can adjust length and shape as as you go.

8. You do not need to check that front and back pieces match exactly. Place a marker at the begining of the first row and you will always know exactly where you are and where to measure.

9. Using circular needles means that a large garment rests in your lap and not on the needles and your arms.

10. A garment can be altered – lengthened or shortened for another wearer later by unravelling and knitting down as required.

Disadvantage:

1. Boring knitting – Sweater done in knit stitch in the round can be boring.

2. Pieced or flat knitting is easier to create if starting with a sewing pattern.

Folk knitting was originally created circularly and seaming was very minimal so Knitting in the Round has been the “norm” in many cultures.

think tubes

Socks, arm warmers, body warmers, leg warmers, corsets, skirts, ponchos, cowls, hoods, boob tubes, etc and the leap to knitting a whole garment in the round occurs when one joins the knitted or crocheted tubes to create the desired garment.

Gallery of Examples of My “Knitting in the Round”

In New Zealand in my early knitting and designing days I was totally unaware of the movement toward knitting in the round as reintroduced to the US by Elizabeth Zimmerman. I was a busy young mother and wanted to finish my garment when I had completed the knitting whereever possible and so I worked on achieving that.

Fashion shaping may have been the impetus for creating flat pieces and joining them. I have worked on shaping my pieces when knitting in the round. The other area I have worked on is knitting a waistcoat, cardigan or jacket or sweater in one piece to the underarm or from cuff to cuff – again to reduce seaming requirements but that will have to be another post.

And then of course there is also top down knitting and steeks and ……

It would seem on checking that gauntlet is not the correct word for my knitted pair. Best Beloved did hint that it was a stretch to call my knitted pieces Gauntlets, so I checked a bit.

Wikipedia says “Gauntlet is a name for several different styles of glove, particularly those with an extended cuff covering part of the forearm. Gauntlets exist in many forms, ranging from flexible fabric and leather gloves, to chainmail and fully-articulated plate armour.” And some can have knuckle dusters included in them, some do not cover the whole hand just the top – good protection in battle.

Well mine cover the hand and arm and protect from the cold, and do look ever so cool – even if I do it say it myself. They do not contain knuckle dusters and they are warm as well.

I will not add a photo yet as they are going to New Zealand for WoolOn in Alexandra, and my hands are not good model hands being of the aged and not so elegant type. I have no one here to ask if they would provide hands and arms for photographic purposes. So you will just have to trust that they are cool and they will be a pattern.

Burnt Orange Chunky Basic Roll Neck Dress, by Stella McCartney.

A-Line, Orange, Knitted, Elegant Simplicity

My Knitterly view continued

A-line dress, Beehive hair can be arranged

Camel colour with the burnt Orange and Navy in a Knitted, flowing, elegant, dramatic, and full length Cloak

Delicate Knit – Dryclean only, Expensive and Elegant simplicity – yes

Faux Fur or Feather yarns in the Cloak

Grunge glamour – I think we might have that, HairBand – knitted or Leather, Intricate details – in the Hairband or the Lace arm warmers, Jewellery – chunky knitted or crocheted Jewellery to wear over the the Camel or Orange or Navy Lace arm warmers, Knits from top to toe – we certainly have that, Lace arm warmers and/or Leather – soft Leather boots to the knee or even over the knee, Mad men secretaries (hope someone explains that to me)

Navy – in the Cloak

Orange – the dress is Orange, Polo Neck – on the dress, Quantam Leap – okay, Retro hair – Beehive hair is fairly retro

Shearling – trim around the edges of the Cloak including at the neck line so the Orange Polo of the dress can be framed by the creamy Shearling

Teddy bear fur – maybe the model can carry a little Teddy bear with a purse hidden inside it?, maybe? I really cannot envisage Teddy Bear Fur anywhere. Understated or Unique Knit – this dress is, Vogue and Vintage Knit – this dress is, Vogue Knitting – this dress is, and the dress is simply WOW.

X – cloak design to be included in the XRX “Knitters Magazine” – now that would be really great, Yeti – maybe the faux fur yarn can be a bit Yeti like, ZigZag – knitted design in the cloak

So this dress by Stella McCartney does represent the Vogue winter fashion trends for 2010-2011 from A to Z – once you add the flowing, elegant, full length, dramatic, knitted with a zigazg design Cloak,the chunky big jewellery, hairstyle change, hairband, lace arm warmers, and leather high boots

Now that would be a stunner and I just happen to know a designer who could create that cloak.

NOTES: A-Z of the Vogue winter trends 2010-2011

A for A-Line, O for Orange, K for Knitted top to toe, E for Expensive and/or Elegant Simplicity, P for Polo neck – Just in case my ramblings did not make it clear. The dress scores A,O,K,E,P or 5/26 – not bad.