ConnieLene – KnitDesigner

I have been looking at autumn / fall fashion trends 2011 instead of knitting; and I’m not really feeling like writing a report just because I would rather be knitting, so a list will have to suffice this time.

SO:
Capes are still in – and still my favourite

Frills and flounces – they are also in, I play with frills and flounces sometimes, but not too often.

Poncho – are warm and they also cool – that is why I like Ponchos

Cowls – I am glad that all my cowls are still in

Fur – fun fur and I guess other fur if you have it or want it.

Fingerless gloves – and as you know I love funky fingerless gloves.

Cables –

Split sleeves

See through sections

Obi style belts

AND

and Hot Pink
and Black, Grey, White and Red.

I have a real passion for the cloak and cape. They are elegant garments and can be dressy, sexy or plain comfortable. If they are created with a flowing shape they will move well with the wearer and can be created with a yarn or fabric that suits the personal style of the wearer.

Here in winter of 2010 there is still a fashion trend for the cape, and this gallery contains some of the capes and other creative coverings that I have created.

If you want to buy yourself a cape

If you would like to knit yourself a cape

Examples of my work

There it is, I have been blithering on about communication and I missed a really great question from a lovely artist/designer on Facebook. Today I did something I have not done on Facebook before – I checked the tab “Just Others” and there was the question from May 2010.

The question was “Where can I learn more about your method of intarsia freeform knitting?”

Now that should have sprung out and said “Hey, Here I am”!!!, and I missed it.

There are books out there and much on the internet explaining Intarsia, but my free form Intarsia, there is no resource available as yet that I am aware of.

And so there is no single easy answer to the question, although I am working on an answer to it as I am putting together a book proposal.

For the design on the piece I consider the shape of the canvas, which might be a sweater or a cloak, or a jacket; and the person or exhibition for whom this piece is being created, and then I work to the idea or concept. In other pieces I might simply change the colours and yarn types as I feel, as I view what I am creating.

Very very basically, I sort yarns by colour, texture and weight (more or less as I don’t let the weight drive my work) and then I knit (play) always with the idea or concept in my mind or on the sketch.

The biggest hurdle for most knitters is to plan too much, and while I do plan, that is I have a canvas, which is the shape of the knitted piece, and concept and colour group, then I just knit.

I would love to run workshops on working with intarsia generally and including freeform work, or on “Playing with colour and yarn”. I hope I will have the opportunity to do that when I return to New Zealand.

I am working on a proposal for a book which will have basic knit designs, Instruction on working in the Intarsia method, a planned intarsia design for each knit design, as well as exercises to play with the yarns and colours and so go on to work on a free form intarsia design within the knitted design.

There is a lot work even in putting together a proposal as I am sure you all know, and of course I have to convince a publisher that it is worth their while.

No I didn’t knit this multi coloured cape over night. I am working on completing works in progress and this is one of those. It is still a “WIP” because it needs 2 perfect buttons – in two different shade I think.

This cape was born because I bought a hank of Vera Moda Tracey yarn at Spotlight, in New Zealand. It says it is 5% wool, 6% acrylic, 45% polyester, 40% nylon and 4% lurex. Now I think this is a very bizarre yarn for me to have purchased, and I have another in pinks and purples and who knows what, which I will have to knit at some time.

When I started to really look at the yarn I found that it is made up of many different yarns joined together. I don’t like joins or knots in my knitting so I carefully undid the components, how stupid is that – after all it was intended to be knitted as a scarf or shawl – knots and all, and I looked at what I had purchased. Of course I did not record the total number of different yarns in it, and there were quite a few. What I did do, was consider what to do with this rash of very odd and quite sparkly bits of yarn and I decided to knit this little cape which I have done before with many colours. I included wool, mohair, sock yarn, and faux fur yarns.

So it is nearly a done deal this little cape. It just needs two gorgeous buttons and of course my reasonable button collection is in New Zealand. I have purchased a few here, but none are quite right for this cape.

So a “WIP” is nearly off my list.

Link to the pattern for a cape like this is available on Etsy.