ConnieLene – KnitDesigner

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.

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

We checked today and they are not back, the Great Balls of Haarlem, and the road works continue. Not one person (Dutch person) that I have spoken to seems to know if the Balls will return. Surprisingly no non Dutch person has been able to help either.

I am working on a ball warmer design with a company logo for a special ball we have found. We think we could install it on 1st April – April Fools Day. That is the target date but it does depend on completion of a number of little projects that are progressing – so the date could change. We just thought April Fools Day had a great ring to it.

We will keep you posted.

I have been experiementing with felting my knitting in preparation for the Blossom Festival parade.

I have decided to create a wall hanging and if I am smart just maybe I could create one which when felted it will be perfect. Could it be perfect? I am not a felter.

Well it wasn’t perfect but it was fun.

Well it wasn’t perfect but it was fun and unfortunately it was a bad camera day as well.