Knititude

Meet & greet

I feel like I've been shot out of a cannon, with the last couple of weeks flying by in a whirl of back-to-school activities and (sadly) not much knitting.  I did have the chance to finally meet Julie Turjoman, the author of Brave New Knits, in person; she held a book signing and trunk show atWindsor Button, in Boston, the Saturday before last.  I also was lucky enough to meet Ann Weaver and the one and only Grumperina, two of the other Boston-area designers featured in Julie's book. 

Just before Julie had to pack away all of the projects from the book, I tried on a few-- what fun!  The Koukla cardigan by Hilary Smith Callis and theOrigami Shrug by Melissa Wehrle are pictured; I hadn't realized that the cardigan has those great pockets, nor had I realized how cleverly the shrug is constructed (it's knit in one big round, and then partially seamed to shape it and create the armholes). 

I also tried on Norah Gaughan'sSprouting Cloche, which is reallyadorable (even more so than it appears in the book), and looked great on Julie, Ann, Kathy/Grumperina, and several shopper/knitters who stopped by-- it flattered everyone who wore it.  I also tried on Ann'sJohnny Rotten Jacket, which is beautifully shaped-- I wish I could say I rocked it, but I wouldn't go that far!  Ann, on the other hand, wore it like she meant it-- very cool.  Kathy/Grumperina showed us how the lace patterns used in her Lubov Scarf are more solid at the center (providing more warmth where it is wrapped around the neck) and become more open toward the ends, making an expensive yarn go a long way-- carefully thought out, like all of her designs.

Before I left Windsor Button, I also got to meet the owner, Susan, and of course had to check out their extensive stock of yarn (not just buttons any more!).  No, I did not escape without adding to the stash....

Seaweed Vest

There is only one stitch pattern (so far*) that I've used more than once in my designs, and it is the "Seaweed" pattern from Barbara Walker's 2nd Treasury of Knitting Patterns.  It is by no means the most striking stitch pattern I've seen, but it is unusual, and it has a quiet elegance that I find very attractive. 

I first used it in the Seaside Gloves pattern, originally published in Magknits and now available here.  The stitch pattern is both a texture and a rib pattern, which works well for gloves, giving them a nice fit as well surface interest (and I also added beads).  But in looking at photos of the gloves, I realized that I like them best when they are not being worn:  the Seaweed pattern is really at its best unstretched, accentuating the subtle wavy ribs and background texture.

That is why I really like the way the Seaweed Vest was photographed forBrave New Knits:  it is worn with several inches of ease and accessorized with a belt, which allows the fabric to contract slightly and emphazise the narrow wavy ribs. 

I wish I had thought of that when I took a few photos of the vest before sending it off to the book editors!  Also, the belt provides additional waist shaping, and since the only shaping is provided by the stretch of the ribbing (there is no side waist shaping), this is nice if the wearer wants to accentuate her waist. (I wonder what the vest would look like if it was left unblocked....)

In keeping with the narrow ribs, I decided to use an attached I-cord to trim the neck edge and armholes, and allow the Seaweed pattern itself to form the bottom edge.  The front neckline is quite deep, and the back neckline more shallow (but the vest can also be worn with the shallow neckline in front, as seen in the last photo).  This pattern is quite simply constructed compared to many of my designs, and probably suited for a careful novice knitter (because on certain rows, it does take a bit of concentration to keep track of where you are in the stitch pattern).

 

*There are other stitch patterns that I've used in a design and would happily use again (just haven't gotten around to it yet!).  I love Hearts of Oak (Selva Skirt), Chinese Lace (Chinese Lace pullover), Four Sisters (Sorelle pullover), and the stitch pattern showcased in the Plaited Tam, and I do not feel I've exhausted the design possibilities of any of these.

Follow up to my interview in Brave New Knits

Julie Turjoman featured me in the Designer Spotlight on her blog a couple of weeks ago-- it's a follow-up to the interview she included in Brave New Knits.