ConnieLene – KnitDesigner

I just can’t wait to say it – and I still have the medium length gloves to complete.

BUT I love this pattern and I cannot believe that I have actually created something using a lace pattern, even a very simple lace pattern, and then it is for arms! I don’t create for arms!

But these are so much fun, I know what I shall be knitting for wintery presents – MY FINGERLESS GLOVEs or GAUNTLETs. The name is a very personal thing, it could be a glove, a mitten, gauntlet or lacy thingymebob to keep hand and arms warm in a stylish fashion, or just arm and hand warmers.

So for the short length – only 40 rows or to the length you want x 2 – as most people have two hands. Not at all daunting for the quick Christmas present.

My etsy listing for these gloves At only US $2.50 till 19th September. Pattern available from Monday 13th.

My short length PURPLE version is a one skein pattern, and will become a favourite. Wear it one way and you have the curve of the fan over your hand, turn it one turn and the narrow rib at the back sits along the thumb and the fan curves are now over your hand sides, as it were. Perfect for a chilly day, easy and quick to knit and oh so “In fashion” right now. Make a pair to match your various clothing colour themes.

So you live in a warmer climate! then use a cotton or bamboo, or other cooler fibre, as I have done with the full length green version. These are stunningly stylish, young and oh so cool – being cotton; and oh so cool – being fashionable.

Wikipedia: A glove (Middle English from Old English glof) is a garment covering the hand. Gloves have separate sheaths or openings for each finger and the thumb; if there is an opening but no covering sheath for each finger they are called “fingerless gloves”. Fingerless gloves with one large opening rather than individual openings for each finger are sometimes called gauntlets.

There are various versions of this jacket and the pattern will be for the sleeveless option only. The first pattern will be in English only, and I will follow with a pattern in Danish, and maybe in Norwegian. Danish is quite possible, Norwegian is much more difficult. But the first edition of this pattern will be in English only.

The way the jacket is knitted takes advantage of the varigated yarns to create the look of free form intarsia. This makes this a garment which satisfies one of the winter trends for 2010/2011 because it looks like a patchwork of colour and Patchwork is in – or so they are saying. Me, I just like the colours.

Gallery on Facebook

All the jackets above are created from my original basic pattern for the sleeveless jacket – believe it or not.

I need to check properly for the coming winter trends as I have now committed to creating a piece for The Mirror WoolOn™ Creative Fashion Event at the Alexandra Blossom Festival in New Zealand.

Come and celebrate the arrival of spring in Alexandra, Central Otago, New Zealand – 24th September to 9th October 2010. I know here in Europe we are preparing for Autumn and Winter then, so why not participate in an event that celebrates the arrival of spring down under.

It is an historic Festival that has marked the arrrival of spring for over 50 years. The first festival was born out of community spirit and recognition of the special character of Alexandra, and these values remain at the heart of every subsequent festival.

There is still time to register for the fashion event that is “WoolOn” – the late entries close on 15th August 2010.

Back to the work at hand.

I really want to create an edgy out there piece, but I am not really sure what that means.

I have Touch Yarns – 4ply variegated – which I hope to incorporate – and I am thinking of something lacey, covered with something faux furry and a tight little skirt – maybe or something else – so some research is required and as I don’t really think my assessment of the Vogue Trends reports is going to help me very much; I am searching the web for the trends, and not just relying on Vogue for a view point – and I have found the following

These fashion trends suggest a poncho with long fringes and quilted patchwork fabric, over a maxi dress with a turtleneck, which is worn over wide pants which cover the thigh length boots. Finished with gloves and a military style vest with a high collar worn over the dress and under the poncho.

This does not sound like edgy out there fashion, it sounds like 60′s hippy regurgitated for this coming winter season. I am having trouble with my creation based on these trends, and there is no lace – darn; as I was hoping to show the world I can knit lace. At least my favourite knitting method – intarsia can be used to create the patchwork for the poncho.

And then there is the colour – In 2010, camel is the new black and is ready to invade the streets. It really doesn’t work for me – so it is back to the research.

I am, of course, delighted to hear and to see that in fact my love of capes and cloaks is not out of line with the fashion consensus for the coming Northern Winter.

Capes can be casual and comfortable, easy to throw around the shoulders. They can also be smart and sophisticated; they can be fun and sassy, and then of course they can be seriously sexy, sensuous, and just plain gorgeous. A cape can be punk or funky, and it can be ethnic or modern – a cape be any look you want, and it can compliment any clothing style that you like or can imagine.

SO the cape or cloak is great over an evening dress, a tank and jeans, a negligee, a summer dress, a formal dress, around the shoulders of a business suit – even over a a bikini or your sexy underwear. Capes Rock.

A cape is so easy to wear and you can wear it anywhere. It can be dressed up or down using various pins and brooches or ties – you decide how your cape should appear. It can also define itself by the yarns that are used to create the cloak or cape. Faux fur is a fashion trend for this coming winter and luxury mohairs are okay again.

It is a funny thing the cycling of yarns and garments, isn’t It? Why don’t we ever just say – “This is what I like, this is the colour I like, I am not concerned with trend reports, I am only concerned with what I love. For what it is worth – I love capes and cloaks and I love the earthy colours, the warmth and lightness of wearing a faux fur with a fine mohair or alpaca yarn, I love the purples and then the reds and then the blues and then …. well it seems I just love colour and in no particular order.

There is plenty of time to find the pattern and the yarns for your cape for the winter of 2010. My Etsy shop has the Kiwi Cape available pattern now and I will be adding the multicolour cape that is in the gallery very soon. It is so easy to knit being all garter stitch and it is an easy one to play with the yarns you have in your stash. There are others and I will announce them as I complete them.

The photo gallery is of some of my capes, cloaks and some little capelet, poncho pieces as well. As I locate photographs of others I shall add them to this gallery. I do hope you will find something here that gives you an idea or a plan for your winter wardrobe.

The Cape is perfect for a newer knitter – no sleeves, simple shaping, small enough to not get bored with and frustrated by. They are also ideal for trying new yarns and colours, or to use up yarns from your stash. In these more austere times a cape will not require a huge outlay in monies, and your cape will dress up all of your current wardrobe items.

So don’t allow the winter of 2010 be the winter of your discontent because you do not already have one or two trendy, knitted capes and cloaks ready to wear by the time the weather begins to turn.

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.