My Fashionable Life

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July 24, 2007

This model is wearing a size too small

That's just what happens when you start working on a piece before you know you're expecting.

I am sucking in my tummy as far as I possibly can, but nevertheless have expanded quite a bit, in all sorts of places. So if you're thinking of making this please note that, if you make the correct size to fit your actual body, the sweater will be an inch or two longer in the body, and slightly less strained all over.

At least my expansion doesn't affect the neck. I love how the neckline turned out.

Posted by Anna at 05:44 PM | Comments (51)

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February 25, 2007

Blustery

Some knits jump off the needles so quickly, uneventful or unremarkable, they race from skein to wardrobe without ever being scrutinised here. Like all those pairs of socks for Mr Raitte, darned, redarned, worn out and replaced, the humblest knitting. Another one of those was this little vest. The plainest, quickest knit, started on a whim and finished in a week back last October, there was nothing to say about it. Wouldn't you know, it turned out to be one of my favourites? It has one little pocket, and all the ribbing is cast on or off tubular-wise.

Here's a secret: many of the pieces I design, I hardly ever wear. My day-to-day style is somewhat, let us say, understated. So when one works its way into my wardrobe like Pippa, or Jemima (now well and truly exhausted, worn out, and needing replacing), or now this, it's unexpected and comforting.

Posted by Anna at 11:44 PM | Comments (56)

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November 15, 2006

My friend Flicca

Do you want to see what this became?

I'm thrilled. It was a super-fast knit (far fewer stitches than something like Bridie or Pip, so if you're daunted by knitting what is essentially a coat, don't be), and everything worked out right the very first time.

I was determined to finish in time for our flight to Canada and completed the last seam about an hour before we left for the airport. Wonderful thing too - travelling in this outfit was perfect: I looked far more respectable than I could have in sweats or jeans, but felt as comfortable as if my chosen ensemble was a nightie and dressing gown.

No buttons or buttonholes, although of course they would have been easy to add - but I like the drawing round of cardigan, cuddling oneself. The only difficulty I have encountered wearing Flicca is reaching across the table, over a bowl of soup, for bread - but the minor inconvenience of that negotiation is a small price to pay. I have honestly never received more compliments on one of my knits than when I wore this to the office the other day - where a gentleman of great taste and discrimination immediately ordered one to be his wife's Christmas gift.

The pattern will be available here shortly. I hope to size it to fit up to a 52-ish bust, and I hope you will enjoy yours as much as I enjoy mine. It's a wrench to take it off - we may be bound together til Spring.

Did I mention that I love this cardigan? (Thank you also to Jnr, model's assistant - never one to let a photoshoot pass undisrupted.)

Edit to add: the pattern is available here

Posted by Anna at 05:02 PM | Comments (95)

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August 20, 2006

Lavender’s blue (diddle diddle)

Summer 2007 – surely this must be a design for summer 2007. A few months ago I had been feeling quietly smug, the penny having finally dropped that I needed to work on designs several months in advance of their season. Alas, apparently not far enough in advance… summer here is decidedly on its way out, with barely a chance to wear Daisy. I planned to find a wildflower meadow to gambol in, but that will have to wait for another year. This particular knit is also historic as it is the first one which I have designed on paper, but made up by third-party hands (thank you!).

Daisy cardigan
Pattern: Available here
Yarn: Rowan Wool Cotton in Antique

The garter slip stitch in wool cotton drapes in a pleasingly supple way, and I've used my favourite Annie Modesitt slipped-stitch edging. The neckline is finished with a bias binding cut from some wisteria print cotton purchased years ago down the road in Shepherd’s Bush market. It closes with a concealed fastening of pearl buttons and sewn button loops, both applied to grossgrain tape.

I once heard of a diamond ring lined on the inside with jewels, and I enjoyed thinking about secret treasures while finishing the precious details.

Posted by Anna at 06:03 PM | Comments (61)

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August 16, 2006

Flummery socks

I think slightly variegated solids are my very favourite sock yarns. Along with tabby stripes and zebra stripes. This pair of socks, which remind me of rhubarb fool, or raspberries with meringues and cream, all those soft pink summer puddings which attract the bees, are in Fleece Artist sock in Rose, and the pink is paler and more subtle than it is showing here. They're very short because I was overly-cautious in my yarn rationing. I needn't have, there's masses left: I could add at least a couple of inches to the length, but I'll probably leave them as candy-floss ankle-highs.

Just plain old top-downers, with a little knot pattern, which gives them a spotted look when the light catches. They are so simple, so plain and I love them for it. Do you ever feel like your socks are too pretty to wear?

Posted by Anna at 09:56 PM | Comments (43)

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May 11, 2006

Tease

Cherry.

Neat, chic, sassy. She has that thing they call 'va-va-voom'.

More pictures and pattern coming soon.

However I, from the evidence, could use a little makeover. I was thinking of a short red flapper cut... if I can muster the nerve.

Posted by Anna at 07:33 AM | Comments (49)

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April 04, 2006

Tiggy at last

I just had to share the joy of Tiggy, finished not half an hour ago. All that ruflette tape was sewn in place by hand, so it took a while. But I think it was worth it; you can use the pockets now without the fronts stretching out of shape. And I did my usual trick of reinforcing the neckline with some stitching, so as to put a curb on how much the stitches there can stretch. The length of the sleeves feels extremely practical - no need to roll up for cooking or other types of mess-making.

Tiggy cardi, started 21 Jan 06 finished 4 Apr 06
Pattern: My own design
Yarn: Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed

Posted by Anna at 06:04 PM | Comments (49)

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March 30, 2006

A note on Bridie

If you are thinking of making Bridie, it may be worth your time to experiment with different methods of increasing for the right front shaping. I went for the good old standby of M1 by picking up the 'bar' between stitches and making a stitch from that, but when you work that kind of increase on every row, the strain on the surrounding stitches starts to show, pulling the work in.

In the event it blocked out perfectly well, but if I was to make it again, I'd experiment with other methods, perhaps working into the front and back of the very first stitch of the row, or my other new favourite, working into the stitch below the next stitch, then working the next stitch on the needle.

edit to add: Jody rightly points out that a cable cast on will work well in this instance. Instead of increasing one stitch every row, you could instead use a cable cast on to add two stitches at the beginning of each right side row.

Posted by Anna at 08:42 AM | Comments (13)

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March 16, 2006

Guess who's back?

The pattern for Claude is available once more.

Posted by Anna at 09:06 PM | Comments (7)

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March 12, 2006

Jess update

There is an update to this pattern: I am this afternoon sending it out to everyone who bought it. If you don't receive your copy, please check the account of the email account which you use for Paypal. Failing that, contact me and I'll send it along. The error is in the armhole depth for the right front piece: it is correct as given on the left. Also, there is more instruction on the slipped-stitch edging which I hope makes things clearer.

Posted by Anna at 05:10 PM | Comments (2)

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February 21, 2006

Bridie pattern

Published in KnitKnit by Sabrina Gschwandtner

Sizes to fit bust 32 [34: 36: 38: 40: 42] inches
Finished size 34.5: [36.5: 39: 41: 43: 45.5] inches

A classic cardigan updated with an asymmetric opening, which always draws compliments. The lattice stitch pattern shows off a luxurious yarn and pearl buttons are the final accent.

Knit in Karabella Margrite - a wool/cashmere DK blend - 50gm (140m [154 yards]) 7 [8: 8: 9: 9] balls

Gauge: 22 sts and 34 rows in stitch pattern to 10 cm (4 inches) using 4mm needles.

Skills: Ribbing, stocking stitch, increases, decreases, knitting through the back loop, wrapped stitches, short rows.

Posted by Anna at 08:24 PM | Comments (26)

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February 05, 2006

Bridie

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The point is made well enough, despite the assertion about women with big busts (an affliction I have often wished for a bit of). We all know that to be untrue, it’s simply a question of getting the neckline right. Despite the rustic styling here, I think this qualifies as sufficiently elegant ‘for the city’.

Bridie, started 30 Dec 05 finished 2 Feb 06
Pattern: My own
Yarn: Karabella Margrite

Posted by Anna at 08:13 PM | Comments (59)

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February 02, 2006

Noisette

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I’ve such a crush on Bridie.

It all started in a meeting at Work, where I was sat opposite a red-haired beauty wearing a divine camel-coloured cardigan with an asymmetric opening. It was a fine, silky, machine-knit, in a classic style, but the way the opening whipped across to the hip, sloping sharply from the solar plexus, lent it a hint of the warrior, somehow. Or that could have been its wearer’s bearing. Either way, my instincts were twitching.

And even before then I had been planning a cousin to Pippa, who was doing such great service. So I straight away ordered the yarn (Karabella Margrite, because I’m worth it) and, while waiting for the parcel post, mulled and sketched.

The original inspiration had the lower half of the front opening, if you can picture it, veering off to the right. It looked gorgeous fastened, but cardis can be so pretty worn with the top two or three buttons done up and the rest open, and asymmetry there might lead to odd shapes at the hem. Flapping. The twist moved upwards to the bust.

And oh! When the yarn came I knew this would work. It did: it fits, it’s perfect, I love it. Proper pics at the weekend, and I’ll let you know what Dariaux says on knitwear.

I’ve been reading the discussion about pattern-making versus designing over at Eunny’s (her argyle vest is causing me to long to knit something which someone else has already worked out), and rolling the points raised round my mind for all those days I was out of touch. It’s a difficult line to draw. I could not call myself a pattern-maker: that is far too accomplished, methodical, for the vague process I follow. I don’t pretend to understand the maths behind making a garment, and never reinvent wheels. I put together colours, outlines, textures and details in a way that says something to me. Cardigans that speak to me about childhood, West Wittering, ancestry, orchards. Clothes with superpowers stitched in.

Posted by Anna at 10:52 PM | Comments (19)

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January 22, 2006

Full disclosure

I confess, there are no instructions for crochet button-covers in the Jess pattern. This is because I do not know crochet, or how I did what I did. I will attempt to deconstruct a crochet button-cover and post a photo-tutorial to help out, unless anyone knows of a decent one in existence?

Edit to add: You'll find a great tutorial for crocheted buttoncovers here – I couldn't hope to do better.

Posted by Anna at 02:40 PM | Comments (9)

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January 15, 2006

Below stairs

Undoubtedly there's a common flavour to the designs I come up with. So far, in the broadest terms, I've been inspired by 'The Big House'. The grand homes of the English countryside, with land, and staff. I imagine how chilly it must have been the whole time, old houses being draughty the way they are, before central heating; and how little there would have been to do. I imagine the jumpers and cardigans that the family and guests must bundle themselves in to keep from perishing in the cold.

Hence all the pearl buttons.

I'm also interested in what they wore below stairs. With a vague idea for a coarse, garter-stitch jacket, I started thinking about pockets. And how you could reinforce them so that they don't stretch and distort if you actually use the pockets. It started out as a warm, utilitarian layer for a scullery maid.

It's Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed (on sale at Get Knitted) the colour of porridge (which incidentally was the perfect breakfast with blueberries and honey). Wool, silk, cashmere. Not so utilitarian now. I think it need some kind of stitch pattern, something modest but enough to keep one from expiring due to too much stocking stitch.

PS: It's been a busy few weeks catching up with pattern-writing. Expect to see Jess and the sock patterns up in the next few days, then my little shop is stocked, for now.

Posted by Anna at 03:06 PM | Comments (24)

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January 11, 2006

Best bits

Do you love sleevecaps? I do. The gradual but gruelling incline from wrist to armpit seems never-ending but at last you reach the magic words, “Cast off 3 sts at beg of next 2 rows” and then you hurtle, like running down the hill you just slogged up. As a grown-up, I don’t run down nearly enough hills. I may take steps to remedy that but in the meantime I have sleevecaps.

This Karabella yarn is heaven to knit with. The softness, and the colour which has something malty about it, reminds me of the inside of a Malteser, a hazelnut meringue, coffee-flavoured icecream. It’s too dark in this picture. I waited all last week for the weekend, hoping for daylight by which to photograph, but alas even between the hours of 10am and 2pm the light could only be described at best as murky. My choices: make do, or have a pictureless journal til Spring.

Thank goodness for brightness adjustment.

Nautilus socks, started 15 Sept 05 finished 7 Jan 06
Pattern: My own, available here, or as part of a set here here.
Yarn: Koigu KPPPM

These were almost finished months ago, but languished in my knitting basket until last week – all that needed doing was the cuff of the second sock. I love them, but they are very open and lacy; definitely a Spring sock so they won’t see much wear for a while. There’s a closer-up picture of the stitch pattern here (scroll down). Patterns for these, Giotto and Badcaul coming very (very) soon.

£2 - you will be sent a link to download the pattern as an electronic (pdf) file, approx 600K.

Posted by Anna at 08:54 AM | Comments (21)

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November 21, 2005

Sock karma

My deposit to the knitting bank of good karma went in the postbox to Amerikee this morning.

Badcaul socks, started 11 Nov 05 finished 19 Nov 05
Pattern: My own, available here, or as part of a set here here
Yarn: Koigu KPPPM

I’ve never known speedier socks. I can only attribute this to the facts that I a) knit both socks at once, which kept me sufficiently interested that b) I didn’t work on very much else last week.

Happy. I think this slipped stitch cable pattern shows off a bright Koigu really well.

There are some more images of the work in progress here.

£2 - you will be sent a link to download the pattern as an electronic (pdf) file, approx 950K.

Posted by Anna at 01:39 PM | Comments (32)

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November 15, 2005

Jess

Jess, started 17 Oct 05 finished 28 Oct 05
Pattern: My own, available here.

Yarn: Elle yarns merino washable DK, doubled

This was such a fun knit. The basketweave stitch pattern really looks ‘woven’, the red is eye-poppingly red, and with doubled yarn and big needles, all the knitting was finished in a week. I couldn’t find big buttons that were just the right colour, so I bought plastic ones instead and made them little crocheted jackets. Mr Raitte rose even higher, if that were possible, in my estimation when he commented, ‘that little jacket looks really sophisticated’. That’s my guy. It’s a simple design (there is almost no shaping), but somehow it looks sharp, and it works.

Someone else got a jacket too:

Leon, started 31 Oct 05 finished 12 Nov 05
Pattern: Based on this Chihuahua sweater
Yarn: RYC Cashsoft DK, left over from Jemima

Harvey has a long history of clothes-wearing. As a kitten we used to dress him up in doll’s clothes - he looked so sweet in a white cotton lace-trimmed skirt and blue wool cardigan. He has always been peculiarly docile: most other cats I know would scratch your eyes out before they would let you put clothes on them, but Harvey has always considered himself more human than feline.

He’s pushing 20 now and feels the cold, the little love, so he joins a very select group: the superior people who wear Fashionable Life knits. I think he looks splended; the grey brings out the colour of his whiskers. He’s also not that steady on his feet any more, so I was a bit anxious that the sleeves might upset his balance; luckily he doesn’t move around as much as he used to, either. Mother is on strict surveillance duty, and I will remove the sleeves if they impede him in any way. Dear Harvey. I hope he likes it, and that it keep his poor old bones warm.

Posted by Anna at 12:30 PM | Comments (76)

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October 26, 2005

So long

It’s been so long... food poisoning really kills a girl’s will to write, and then the domain was down for a couple of days. Things seem to be getting back on an even keel (those sound like famous last words) and I’ve some catching up to do: let me show you one of my favourite recent FOs.

Jemima, started 27 Sept 05 finished 9 Oct 05
Pattern: My own – available here
Yarn: RYC Cashsoft DK

After some tweaking (the first attempt at the neckline was far too wide), it takes all my ingenuity to come up with anything else to wear. It’s a DK yarn, but I knit it at an aran guage, and it’s made a fine, drapy fabric which is perfect for this alarmingly mild autumn.

I like the buttons best of all. From left to right, Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddleduck and Tom Kitten. This was also my first attempt at a tubular cast-on (this is a progress pic I never got around to posting).

Ah the pictures. Despite what I may have said previously, it turns out that when one is tired, it is possible to take 60 pictures and find not a flattering one. I don‘t care though, because I do love this jumper.

Posted by Anna at 08:06 AM | Comments (63)

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October 03, 2005

Pippa

Pippa, started 11 Aug 05 finished 18 Sept 05
Pattern: My own – available here

Yarn: Baby Cashmerino

I like Pippa. She is sober and refined, sensible, cultured, thoughtful. She knows her way around a horse, and plays piano. She has a delicate ankle, and a firm will. She is quiet, but not shy, affable and without guile.

What I most like about this cardigan is that I can wear it to the office without looking the least bit ‘homespun’. Sgt Pepper has some stiff competition for title of most-wardrobe-enhancing knit this autumn.

Next, I am tackling mountains, acres, rather, fields of stocking stitch. You see I’ve taken up ‘The Booker Challenge’, the challenge being to read the shortlist for the Man Booker Prize between the announcement of the list and the winner being announced. Competitive reading in the workplace.

As with competitive sports, in competitive reading I lag fearfully, but join in and have a go regardless. I have already done far better than last year when I managed all of one measly book. This year I am playing by slightly amended rules: I do not have to finish any book. I think of it as a ‘knock-out’ tournament, and it’s really quite scientific. Simply put, if Book B is sufficiently interesting to keep me from Book A, Book A is out of the running and it’s Book C’s turn to go up against Book B. Life being too short for ploughing through dull novels.

So far I have read three-quarters of Julian Barnes’s Arthur & George, which was knocked-out by Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, which I read to the end. They have seen me through a sweater-dress and the front and back of the world’s simplest raglan. I am starting A Long, Long Way with a sleeve: it’s a close call which will be finished first. For Heaven’s sakes, I’m running out of stocking stitch ideas, and I lack the co-ordination to read while doing any other stitch. If I can find the knitting to keep me going, I could potentially finish two whole more books by the 19th.

Talk amongst yourselves.

Posted by Anna at 11:10 PM | Comments (50)

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September 18, 2005

Roundup

Many thanks to those who wrote with steadying words. Let me show you what I’ve been working on, so we can all be up-to-date.

Giotto socks, started 31 July 05 finished 18 Sept 05
Pattern: My own, available here, or as part of a set here here.
Yarn: Koigu KPPM 701

Only a few days late with my Sockpal2za socks. I think, where my sock chum lives, it will be too warm to wear woollen socks, even Koigu woollen socks, for several weeks yet. These will go in the post in the morning along with two postcards from my day of horsey-culture.

There are some more images of the work in progress here.

£2 - you will be sent a link to download the pattern as an electronic (pdf) file, approx 900K.

About once every five years I partake of one or two of London’s tourist attractions. As you may remember Mother Dear turned 60 this summer and celebrations have been prolonged. This visit, by Mother, Sister and Me, marked the official end to festivities. First we went to Stubbs at the National Gallery, then for a superior sort of lunch at the National Gallery cafeteria, followed by a short walk down St James’s Park to the Royal Mews. There we saw ma’am’s horses, carriages, Rolls Royces and spunky young coachmen, and had further confirmed the really dreadful taste shared by so many generations of royal; crowns, gold-plated cherubim and other palace-themed kitsch as far as the eye could see – only redeemed by Daniel, one of the Windsor Grey horses. I thought Daniel was a splendid name for a horse. A visit to a royal establishment is a distasteful proposition on many levels, but made an interesting visit historically and architecturally. The horses stalls were tiled in exquisite eau de nil hexagonal glazed tiles, with a herringbone brick floor. I envy the look for my own, human, home.

I digress.

Because it is such a wrench to part with these socks, I had immediately to start a new pair, for myself, which you saw in its embryonic stage here. It’s name is Nautilus, the pattern is reminiscent of Go With the Flow, and it has a similar sort of pace to knit up.

In this shade of Koigu (bought for a song from Kerrie) it reminds me of chain mail, or chainlink fencing. I’m wondering if I can get two footlets out of one skein.

Finally, and importantly, I must note that despite lack of communication, I am diligently working on my ‘Stitch Ya Neck Out’ scarf for Annie. It is Annie Modesitt’s Backyard Leaves scarf in DB Cashmerino Aran.

I picked this up and cast on after posting about ennui a couple of weekends ago. I was bored with my projects, which had been behaving tiresomely, and needed to do something else for a while. By Sunday at elevenses I had cast off the first half. I set it aside while I worked on some pieces with earlier deadlines, but now that three pieces are off the needles I can tackle this again. The pattern is utterly compelling: one repeat is never enough.

Posted by Anna at 04:47 PM | Comments (24)

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September 03, 2005

Claude addendum

Claude. In working the sleeve, I give the instruction “Cont without shaping until sleeve measures 21 cm (9.5 inches), ending with a WS row.” The measurement should be 24 cm (9.5 inches) (correct as shown on the schematic).

Posted by Anna at 03:23 PM | Comments (0)

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July 31, 2005

Claude

Claude, started 31 May 05 finished 29 July 05
Pattern: My own
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cotton Angora

Claude was inspired by Debbie Bliss’s toddler smocks; this is a very grown-up version. The pearl buttons to fasten and at the cuffs, and the deep wide neckline make her very ladylike. The mock smocking and cabling detail give a slight empire line. Wide, swinging jackets have been very much in evidence in ‘high’ fashion over the last couple of seasons, and Claude will be perfect for the early days of autumn.

This yarn makes a beautiful soft fabric, cool from the cotton, and it knit up very quickly on 5mm needles. I lost my way part way through the design of this and stalled for several weeks, but start to finish this will be a quick and easy knit.

I love how elegant Claude looks, all dressed up with pearls and tweed. But today the sky is the same colour as Claude, and I’m going to put her on, with jeans, sandals and a headscarf, to go shopping.

Posted by Anna at 01:45 PM | Comments (48)

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July 27, 2005

Cloud cover

The English summer, it has been said, consists of two fine days and a thunderstorm. The glowering gloom of the last few days has made bad my promise of pictures of Claude - the evenings are so dark it has been impossible to take a reasonable photograph.

Or, put another way, the rain has caused a raincheck. I checked, and yes, still raining.

Posted by Anna at 08:28 AM | Comments (22)

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July 14, 2005

Pepper pattern

Mr Raitte says, 'If you don't want to wear it, hang it on the wall and enjoy it as 'a work of craft'.'

Oh yes one more thing: American Vogue's 'must have' items for Fall 05:-
***1. admiral's jacket***
2. voluminous skirt
3. romantic blouse
4. newsboy cap
5. bright bag
6. short black evening dress
7. long loose dress
8. flat boot
9. statement coat
10. a skinny pant

Thanks to Cathi for letting me know. I knew Anna Wintour was lurking.

'A flat boot'? Would boots be more practical? And as for a pant...

This pattern was free for a limited time period, which is now over. Thanks to everyone who came and grabbed themselves a copy and left all those encouraging comments. Please enjoy knitting it; and send me your pics so I can post a 'Lonely Hearts Club Band' gallery

Posted by Anna at 10:12 PM | Comments (25)

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June 12, 2005

For the Benefit of Mr Kite

Sgt Pepper, started 25 Apr 05 finished 10 June 05
Pattern: The Rebel, published by Alchemy Yarn

I'm really proud of how this turned out. I learnt so much about form and function in the making of Sgt Pepper. For example, the epaulettes are going to help these shoulders not to droop; the cabled cord around the collar will help prevent it stretching out; and the plackets (or whatever you might call them that the buttons are attached to), actually give the front of the jacket the structure it needs not to roll inwards, even with a hemmed band up the inside front sections.

Sgt Pepper is knit in Debbie Bliss Cathay, which was a good choice. It has the 'inelasticity' of cotton, but is not so heavy: all that embellishing in 100% cotton would have pulled on the knit fabric beneath it. I compromised on the buttons, again for weight. These are plastic, not brass.

This piece is all about the detail. The main body was knitted up weeks ago: my time since then has been spent on the finishing.

Inspired by the 'Shocking' Cardigan in Interweave Knits winter 04, the body of the jacket is made of seven pieces rather than the usual five, with much shaping. It's difficult to photograph, being black, but I love the tailored effect it gives.

And the most amazing thing of all, I think I'm even going to wear it. Garments like this (and in fact, to a lesser extent, Sally) require a kind of commitment from the wearer: you know that people's attention will be drawn to what you are wearing, so you have to be prepared to be the object of onlookers' gazes. But I wore this one out all day yesterday, and nobody actually pointed and laughed. Or at least, if they did, they had the good grace to do so behind my back.

Posted by Anna at 09:45 AM | Comments (65)