Tag: intarsia
Sleeveless Jacket Pattern – Soon
by connie on Aug.03, 2010, under ConnieleneKnits blog, Creative Coverings
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.
All the jackets above are created from my original basic pattern for the sleeveless jacket – believe it or not.
Fashion Trends – how come they are all so different? – yet another list
by connie on Aug.02, 2010, under ConnieleneKnits blog
Refined sophistication – buttoned up collars
Military / aviation
Lingerie as outerwear
leather clothing
the cut out / cutaway – with the cut out pieces worked directly on top of skin or ‘filled in’ with sheer fabrics, detailing can be subtle to sexy
Knee high socks or over the knee socks, or even thigh high socks
White tights
Women’s camel coat
Velvet clothing
Neo double breasted jackets
Sheer clothing /cut outs – mixed with fine laces, the sheer trend mixing elegance with sex appeal
Capes
Thigh high boots
Shoes with socks
Socks under heels
Fur boots & mukluks
I know fashion is fun, I absolutely love fashion, but I don’t wear fashion. How bizarre is that. I guess it is that fashion clothing like all clothing should be fit for purpose, and is not the purpose to keep warm in colder times?
I want wool, mohair, alpaca, knitting, crochet, weaving, colour, color, yarn, garn, woll, felt, filt, layers, and I want warmth, pleasure, comfort, and a little usefulness. I am going to create something for WoolOn that will be fit for purpose, created mainly of wool, and in many colours, and a style or shape or design which is edgy and out there. It must also be in Vogue – Somehow.
Fall/winter trends 2010/2011
by connie on Aug.02, 2010, under ConnieleneKnits blog, Design Process
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.
The Great New Zealand Cloak
by connie on Jul.20, 2010, under ConnieleneKnits blog
The competiton was held by the Compendium Gallery in Devonport, New Zealand in 1992,
The Brief – To Create the Great New Zealand Cloak, My Piece – “Island” 
When I planned the cloak – I did want to include reference to Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, who created wonderful cloaks mostly of a rectangular shape with a woven tie at the shoulders or neck. Their cloaks were woven, usually of a flax fibre. The best and most valuable Maori cloaks included bird feathers, the most striking for me being those created with kiwi feathers. Some were all over feathers attached to the base woven flax cloak. The flax is dyed in a specific mud to get the very dark almost black colour in the work. The flax was woven in intricate geometric designs using the dyed black with the creamy natural fibre and their stories are woven into the designs in the cloaks.
My cloak was created in one piece from the bottom edge to the shoulders. It is an island from the sea to the sky with mountains, sea shore, surf, farm land etc, as best as I could represent a land from the sea. I considered adding a component relating to my own Viking heritage of the sea – but had decided that will be the basis of another cloak in the future.
The black stripe down the sides from the shoulders have linen tassels is to provide that link back to New Zealand Maori whose cloaks were the natural flax creamy colour with black tassels. A feathered cloak would not have tassels. My reference is in reverse – creamy linen tassels on black yarn strip. I called my piece “Island”, because New Zealand is made up a group of islands.
I feel that I created an art piece in the form of a cloak, an absolutely wearable cloak. It sits well and floats from the shoulders. It is light and warm and envelopes one in luxury. When you are wearing it and walk along the shape of it moves in light waves and ripples like the shallows on the sea shore. I am still delighted when I wear the cloak and am always delighted when it is borrowed as it has been many times. This cloak has attended an opera, music festivals, celebratory dinners, and graduations. A perfect piece.
This the link to my earlier story of The Great New Zealand Cloak” competition / exhibition – http://www.connielene.com/the-great-new-zealand-cloak-exhibition
When I created this cloak I decided that I was possibly an artist who knits.
Jacket pattern brewing
by connie on Jun.13, 2010, under ConnieleneKnits blog, Creative Coverings
This sleeveless jacket pattern will be a doddle in English but a real challenge for me in Danish as my written Danish is very very average, and then my Norwegian is, well it is really nonexistant. That is I do not really know any Norwegian. I will be bribing the requesters for the help I need with the testing and checking of the pattern.
Fortunately I know one very well (my Danish cousin) and the other I am getting to know (lovely Trine from Norway). I hope they read this – which is why I have written the words down – they will need to be my testers.
But of course I am digressing – the real purpose of this post is to tell you that I will also create the pattern for lighter weight yarns as well, as the style is classic and interesting, as you can see in the version below with long fitted sleeves and shaped peplum and without the shawl collar.
I think this jacket will work well in a double knitting (8 ply / worsted weight yarn), making it a great in between seasons jacket.
I am not committing to writing the pattern in any other languages however. I shall get the sleeveless one completed in the three languages and then see how well I survived the process and then decide.
Both versions of this jacket were included in the Colour Play exhibition held in the Randolph St Gallery, at Whitecliffe School of Fine Arts and Design campus in 2007. A Vogue Knitters Tour Group from USA hosted by Nicky Epstein and Carla Scott attended the opening.
Peplum
Curiously Peplum has two distinct and almost separate definitions. Its early origins are Greek, and peplum was simply the word for tunic. The peplum, a term dating back to the 19th century, is also a short overskirt that is usually attached to a fitted jacket. My jacket is certainly a fitted jacket with a short skirt.
Intarsia – colour & yarn
by connie on Jun.08, 2010, under ConnieleneKnits blog, Intarsia
Many many years ago – I attended my first Kaffe session on colour and knitting in New Zealand. I purchased a Kaffe videotape at that time, I do not have it with me here in the Netherlands & cannot recall the title – the subject was knitting with colour, as in many many colours, and viewing your world for ideas to create new knitted pieces using many colours and shapes.
When Kaffe came to New Zealand then I had already been knitting & crocheting using many colours in freeform intarsia since the early 1970′s. I found as everyone does great inspiration in listening to him then & I continued to knit with many colours and yarns even though I was informed by others that my knitting was not normal, nor was my passion for playing with colour. I do however feel quite quite normal.
I have searched the Kaffe Fassett listings in Youtube and cannot see my video tape there. But the concepts in this new video apply to knitting as well as quilting, mosaics and other art and textile art forms.
Cloaks and Capes – the in thing / trendy fashion items for the winter of 2010
by connie on Jun.08, 2010, under ConnieleneKnits blog
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.
| Etsy: Your place to find a Cape pattern for Winter 2010 uniqueboutiqueknits.etsy.com |
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.
Berets and other warm bits for winter in New Zealand
by connie on Jun.04, 2010, under ConnieleneKnits blog
Well Jeanette, The news is all good – I have finished the 2 pieces, well more or less finished the 2 pieces that I have been knitting for you to consider to go with your beret. I am finished the knitting, not quite finished with buttons and things. Now they have not taken a long time because they are big items – but they just kept me playing. You know all about that I know – me playing with yarns.
This little project was one that I planned would be a ribbed piece – with buttons to join, and big enough to double over and wear inside a jacket or over a sweater when you are out on that bicycle of yours. But I couldn’t really stop and now it is a neck piece but it kept on growing as it were – so now it is also a capelet, scarf, neck wrap, some call these things a cowl – I am not sure that that is a good term for it. I might look up the dictionary on that. It has 3 buttons at the neck but the folded over section (collar) will need to be fastened with a knit pin or brooch or even a kilt pin – to the position you wish for it.
However you choose to wear this – it will keep your neck and shoulders warm.
The other one is a single layer ribbed piece to buttoned at the neck – not as big, or as warm because it is intended as a single layer – but it will suit some situations. I haven’t sewn in some of the ends nor have I added buttons – so no photo of it yet. Both contain the colours of your chosen beret and other colours of course – as you will have expected as I created them.
When you decide which you want I will bring the beret and the neck piece to New Zealand with me now that you are there once more and winter is so nearly upon you as well. Posting from the Netherlands takes ages and costs a bundle, so I shall find room in the luggage.
So let me know – okay and I shall add it to the Etsy shop for you.
A new Challenge for the Knit Sisters (Sarah)
by connie on May.31, 2010, under ConnieleneKnits blog, Intarsia
I was wandering about the internet – which is remarkably easy to do – and I happened upon a blog I have not read before and there in was the challenge. Knit Sisters Blog – A year of knitting dangerously
Excerpt from the blog: and do follow the link above and read the rest. It is good reading.
Item 1 on the list is – Learn something new
…… However, there are a couple of techniques that I’d like to tackle this year: entrelac and twined knitting. These seem worthy goals. (Please do not unkindly point out that I have not included intarsia in this list; I feel that intarsia should not be asked of anyone.)
I will not be unkind regarding the exclusion of Intarsia.
I will however take umbrage at the vague suggestion that taking up intarsia as a challenge could be somehow “unworthy”
Now I really am in a state of distress, my heart is going crazy. How could any form of knitting be considered unworthy? If you had remained silent, I would never have know of your view with regard to Intarsia.
Below are some points for Intarsia knitting which I personally regard as an important item in the arsenal of any knitter – especially the freeform colour work.
And I do have to say it again – I really want everyone to play with intarsia.
I do have to confess, even though I have done so many times before – I do have other knitting skills to be learnt on my list as well, such as the knitting of socks – (still on my to do list for 2010, and they were there in 2009 as well, and I am sad to say I have 2 IOU’s for 2 pairs of hand knitted red socks, for Best Beloved and Son) – and if you take up the challenge to knit a piece of freeform intarsia, I will add Entrelac and twined knitting to my list for 2010.
So to Knit Sister – Sarah
Take up the challenge – Knit dangerously with Intarsia please
Simple Sweet Shell (Picture to be included in pattern)
by connie on May.19, 2010, under ConnieleneKnits blog
It is in a glorious Rust red and black Naturally Mohair Plus 12ply from New Zealand. The pattern is available on Etsy now. It has 3 versions link to pattern for Simple Sweet Shell on Etsy.
1. Sweet Shell in turquoise (the colours of the sea) using stripes and intarsia, with small sections of yarn, and knitted in the round. The original was created for my Colour Play Exhibition in New Zealand in 2007 and went to Angelica in Switzerland. I am waiting for a photo of her wearing it.
2. All the Blues vest – with a k2p2 rib – for those who do not like the rolled edge – also in intarsia with short yarn sections but a one colour rib – or if you like it can be striped as well.
3. The new one – is knitted in one yarn only, a Naturally Mohair Plus 12ply from New Zealand. The yarn has a long gradual change and in a piece like this shell it has a muted rather than striped effect. The colours in the one in the picture are ruby, wine and black. (col 25).
NOTE: I have just checked the New Zealand website and the yarn has been discontinued – which is daft because mohair is coming back as a trendy yarn for 2010 and 2011. There is quite a bit available on USA online shops still should you be interested.
As I am a firm believer that any yarn that knits to the tension will create the piece so I am not stating a yarn in the pattern, just that it is a 12ply and that it should knit at 14st and 18 rows to 4″ or 10cm in Stockinette or stocking stitch.
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