Lakers hat

tapiolarolla @ whitedogknits

This hat was made specifically for a student at Grand Valley State University, in Michigan, but in the great lakes area we are all lakers. You can’t hardly chuck a rock in Michigan without it landing in some body of water. Though right now the water is starting to freeze over. And wherever there isn’t a standing body of water is covered in snow.

This was a self designed project, and by designed I mean I charted out the color work and more or less made everything else up as I went along.

The hat I left behind me

Jared Flood’s Skiff, by tapiolarolla @ whitedogknits.com

 

I am not sure if anyone else has this problem, but I certainly have a difficult time finishing pieces meant for myself. This is especially true now that Christmas is quickly approaching. A scarf for grandma, a stocking for boyfriend, a headband for a sister.

As much as I love being able to give knit gifts, I wish I had more hats, sweaters and blankets!

 

Artist in focus: Ruth Marshall

Ruth Marshall creates hand knit animal pelts to raise awareness of animals endangered by the illegal skin trade. At the same time, she indirectly brings us to question our relationships with animals of all kinds, as can especially seen in her piece, “Rocky,” which has been modeled after her own house cat.

Marshall offers workshops, creates exhibits, writes books and engages in conservation efforts that seamlessly integrate knitting, animal rights and politics. In her workshops, she actually teaches a method of intarsia she developed herself  to use for these pelt pieces.

Clicking any of the photos will take you to the artist’s blog.

“Leadbeater’s Possum #1” by Ruth Marshall

“Tasmanian Tiger #2,” by Ruth Marshall

“Ocelot Series,” by Ruth Marshall, 2010-2011

“Rocky,” Ruth Marshall, 2005

“The beginning of History and the First Man,” by Humayun Gauhar

At the beginning of time, in prehistory, women worked the spindle and men the potter’s wheel. Thus the wandering minstrel sang the Sufi’s song, “Long live the woman on the spinning mystic spindle” spinning out threads, every thread a force of history, its sound akin to the sound of creation.

Link to article from Pakistan Today.

A bit of abstract reading for your Monday morning – I hope you’ve had your tea or coffee for the day. This article addresses the metaphysical nature of the development of society, its history, its creation while playing with the allegorical imagery of spinning and fiber works.

 

“Cable Knit”

Contemporary artwork by artist Rachel Beth Egenhoefer, clicking the photo will take you to the artist’s project page.

In this piece, Egenhoefer combines a modern norm: Ethernet cables, with a traditional norm: knitting. Both forms interchangeably represent the exchange of information through time and space and the holding together of society through networks and the creation community.

On a more shallow level, this would be an awesome way to organize the rats-nest I call my jumble of electronics’ cords.

Simply Sheep Yarn

Simply Sheep’s Vernal Yarn in Suerte. A lace weight yarn composed of 65% silk and 35% linen. The color is a little tricky to capture on camera, it is a dusty green-blue with some golden undertones. It looks and feels absolutely gorgeous.  I can’t wait to wind this up into a ball so I can start working with it.

 

 

Contemporary Artists – Las Hermanas Iglesias

Las Hermanas Iglesias, The Iglesias Sisters.

Two sister artists, Lisa and Janelle Iglesias each recreate their own bodies in a witty fiber-arts project. Working with knitted body suits made by their mother, the Iglesias Sisters embroidered their finer details – body hair, birthmarks, tattoos, etc. By recreating their bodies in this art piece, these women highlight the infinite number of customizable options that knitting allows while raising questions about self identity and what it means to cover our bodies.

Clicking on any of the photos below will take you to the artists’ website.

“Winter Preparations,” by Sparrek

Short Clip – Old Salts Knitting (1936)

Warm even when wet, oily unscoured wool was the historic top pick for sailor’s sweaters. Though these sweaters are usually though to have been knit by whatever women happen to be in the lives of the sailors, we can see in this short video that it was not unheard of for sailors to do some of their own knitting as well. Not that this is really all that surprising – between sailors’ extensive knowledge of knots and working with rope and how nice it is knitting during the down time on a sail boat.

Though the links for these videos were provided through Youtube, the British Pathe curates these and more historic videos and other short clips.

Fall/Winter 2014 Knitwear Trends

Wool-wrapt models flocked the runways for this upcoming fashion season.  Though knitwear is a staple for most winter runways, new developments in fashion preferences are always noteworthy. Who knows when a designer will trigger the development of a new style of cable, a new desired finished look or trigger a new preferred technique.

Major designers including, Barbara Bui, Celine, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors and Row have all played with the idea of knits elongated layers of dusty neutral tones. Again, features such as cables and ribbing act as standards, while the way that these designers manage to have these larger-than-life layers of knits maintain shape and drape is really quite astounding.

Barbara Bui

Celine

Marc Jacobs

Michael Kors

Row

Runway and contour knits are great to look at for inspiration when designing your own patterns, but they are also useful when looking at other designer’s patterns. Below are some patterns found on Ravelry that correspond with at least some of the themes seen in the knitwear on the Winter/Fall 2012 runway. Clicking on the image will take you to its project page.

(c) Rowan Yarns, 2012

Structured but comfortable, this pullover designed by Marie Wallin for Rowan Tweed is completely gorgeous. If you really want this project to be “this season” switch out the wine colored yarn for a similar dusty-neutral toned purple, like Manos del Uruguay Fino’s Corsage. Or for a truly no fuss neutral, you can not go wrong with Madelinetosh Dandelion Yarn in Antler.

(c) villiputti

Knit up some ribbed or cabled leggings, or textured leggings like Outi Markkanen’s Pitsilegginsit shown above and wear them with a knitted tunic if you are feeling brave, or with a lesser fabric if you are more conservative.

(c) Joe Storie

I love everything about the Chloe cardigan by Jo Storie. Slubby, textured, grey, with an interesting shape and construction style. It doesn’t get much better than this.

(c) Jared Flood/Brooklyn Tweed

Jared Flood’s Hayward is the last example I will give here. Simple construction with a relaxed a clean looking finish, just another pattern I want to knit and promptly fall asleep in after weaving in my ends.