Delights de Luxe : The Cashmere Gallery

Unexpected Little Knits!

2008-02-25T08:27:00.000-08:00

[x-posted at Two Pointy Sticks]

I was just about ready to do a little reveal of a new project today, but a little something has just arrived on my desk that deserves its spotlight. If you haven't already seen a copy of Expectant Little Knits (ed. Suzanne J.E. Tourtillott; new from Lark Books), it's definitely worth checking out.

Just on the first flip-through I found several patterns that I'm putting on my must-have list, including a chic pucker-stitch tunic dress and a truly elegant houndstooth jacket, cropped to create a younger modern edge to a great classic. My needles are burning for these pieces. And I'm not even pregnant! But you don't have to be to enjoy most of the great patterns in the book.

Amongst the designs is also this, which I've had to be mum about for nearly a year now. Keeping this little secret has nearly killed me, but finally she's out!

Introducing the Deauville Car Coat in Pippin (100% aran weight cashmere):

The coat, which has a shawl collar that wraps around the cutaway front and curved tail back, is designed to worn open or closed with a brooch, and is a piece that can be worn both during and after pregnancy.

So that's my surprise for today. Stay tuned this week (that's right, you haven't read wrong, I mean this week) for YET ANOTHER reveal!

A tres bientot!

New Pattern: Aoife

2007-12-05T11:24:00.000-08:00

The new Winter 07 Knitty is up with lots of lovely projects. I'm honored to have a new pattern of mine included in such great company.

Presenting Aoife (pronounced EE-feh). (Named after an angelic little girl I once met long, long ago. When I asked her what her name meant, this little five-year-old gave me a shy smile and, in that cheerful breathy whisper five-year-olds have, said, 'radiant'. And in that moment it didn't seem possible for her to have had a more appropriate name.)

You can find the pattern on knitty here: Aoife

Something Snuggly for a Sunday

2007-10-14T09:08:00.000-07:00

[x-posted at Two Pointy Sticks]

The Midnight Knitting project this week is finally finished, just in time to wear outside on this chilly morning. Here it is, a little cashmere heathered baseball tee - great for lounging in on any day ending in "-day"!

For this size (bust size 36), I used 4 skeins of Mont Blanc in Rosamund, and 3 skeins of Mont Blanc in Tobacco.

In the end it turned out to be only a very little bit this-season's-Balenciaga, about 2.6% (the single arm stripes), and 97.4% Lorelai Gilmore. Props to the costume designer for that show, because apart from the general wit of the writing, I want - no, NEED - to have a closet full of Lorelai's clothes. Simple and very everyday, but with a little twist in either color, shaping, texture, or print. Is anyone here a fan? Remember the Knit or Die! t-shirt?

Kitschy!Me has decided that I really really need one of these.

Capuchine

2007-09-24T06:27:00.001-07:00

[x-posted at Two Pointy Sticks]

Boy, B.B. King is right: time really is a thief!. When I was young, I barely took notice of time passing. In fact, in retrospect, time seemed to move along at the same speed as me (if not slower - like those last few nervous minutes waiting for the bell to end the last school day before summer - excruciatingly i n t e r m i n a b l e). But now it seems that I wake up on most days and schlepp through a never-ending to-do-list, only to get up the next day and do it all over again. And in the back of my mind there's an echo that always seems to be wondering: where's all the time gone?

Like this morning, it's actually dawned on me that it's already the end of summer. And I've barely broken the seal on my sunscreen bottle! So here it is... me saying a last goodbye to the summer...

Of course, before this post gets too melancholy, there's always an upside to the start of fall, and that's the chance to break out all the glorious fall clothing we've had tucked away for months. As much as I love the spring and summer, my favourite clothing season is by far autumn/winter. And my favourite piece of the moment is... the sweater dress! I love love love the sweater dress.

And this year it seems to have made an even bigger comeback than usual, on the runways and your local neighbourhood pavements. They're shorter, hipper, and not at all like the wrap-yourself-in-a-shapeless-rug sort of seasons past. Paired with boots (or booties, which, though not my thing, look great on some people), chunky heels or wedges, the sweater dress is a go-everywhere item. It's wrinkle-free, it's warm, and it's stylish. The holy trinity of fall/winter travel dressing, as far as I'm concerned. And so much the better when it suits more than one mood...

Having said that, now I can finally tell you what became of this little pile of pieces:

Introducing... the sweater dress, Capuchine (in Estelle, 100% cashmere; colourway - Orion):

The hood, or capuche, is easily removable, allowing for the quick transition between dressy and a sportier look.

The pattern is in the finishing stages now, but since it's so chilly in the mornings now, I couldn't wait to do the little show and tell! :)

Lucky Number 14

2006-05-14T09:25:00.000-07:00

[x-posted at Two Pointy Sticks]

Happy Mother's Day!

Thank you, everyone, for all your kind words about the Provence pics. I love looking at them, too. And yes, Kristen, it's probably just as beautiful as you imagine it -- I can tell you it always exceeds my expectations. Those of you who have been lucky enough to spend more than a week there, how I envy you!

The only thing keeping me from being too nostalgic has been to finish the #14 lace v-neck pullover from VK by Kim Kotary.

I didn't use the recommended yarn, but instead substituted with 6 skeins of Mont Blanc (100% cashmere) in Young Fawn, US 6 / 4mm needles, and a size E crochet hook. The Mont Blanc was right on gauge and there was no need to double up the yarn. Thanks to my friend V and the gals at Woolplay, I learned how to crochet properly specifically for this project -- and it is so worth the effort. And best of all, in cashmere it is fabulously soft and warm, like a hug that stays with you all day!

With 5 skeins, I got this far...

... and was tempted to stop there because it looked lovely as it was. But I decided to press on with an extra skein and I'm glad I did. The result is even better than I had imagined!

And just because I can, here are a few extra detail shots.

Jackie's Clapotis in Orion

2006-05-02T18:40:00.000-07:00

[x-posted at Two Pointy Sticks]

Jackie from North Carolina sent some terrific photos of her Clapotis for which she used 3 skeins of Estelle (100% cashmere) in Orion.

Read her entertaining play-by-play Clapotis adventure during the Knitting Olympics here and the Flickr photoset from start to finish.

She writes:

This yarn was an absolute dream to knit with--I love love love how patternless it was and the consistency of the color. Not to mention the softness!!! I followed your suggestion and threw the finished product into the dryer for a few minutes after I ironed it (no blocking needed!)--the fluffing made all the difference, too.

Jackie, thank you! And thanks for sharing your photos!

"Det finns inget dåligt väder, bara dåliga kläder"

2006-02-12T12:14:00.000-08:00

[x-posted at Two Pointy Sticks]

That's Swedish for "there is no bad weather, only bad clothes".**

Not a bad aphorism for today's forecast. And after weeks and weeks of 60 degree weather we're finally having a proper winter. From every window here, the world looks like this:

New Sweater: VERONIKA

If I wasn't in such a lazy-Sunday mood, I'd be outside wearing this recently-finished fitted cashmere deep V-neck pullover. It insists on being called Veronika.

I know. A clothes horse with no shoulders doesn't carry it off quite as well as a real person, but that's the best I can do for now.

Veronika was knit in a size 38, using 8 skeins of Mont Blanc in six colourways: Grape, Tender is the Night, Etro Shirt, Hill of Tara, Paddock Brown and Perry Winkel. There was even enough left over for a matching ribbed long skinny scarf. Here are a couple of close-ups:

Sleeve detail:

Companion scarf detail:

Break-Up SOX II

Thanks to all of you who left compliments on the Break-Up Sox! I'm wearing them now, in fact, and it's amazing how much cozier they feel while lounging here at the window where we can see the neighbourhood kids, hooting and hollering, as they slide down the snow-covered street on sleds.

Some of you expressed an interest in the deviation from Cat Bordhi's Simple Sock pattern. The modification is really simple. I substituted the 2x2 rib for the following stitch pattern:

Round 1: [K2, sl1, k1, yo, psso (by this I mean: pass slipped st over both the knitted st and the yo)] to end.
Round 2: Knit
Repeat these two rounds.

And to begin the heel flap, I worked the stitches on the first needle and worked the heel flap using the stitches on the second needle. Whether you start the heel flap on the first or second set of needles doesn't really matter; all I wanted was to resume knitting the front of the leg with a "K2..." rather than the "sl1, k1, yo" portion of the rib. But it's up to you to do what you prefer. I also made the leg 7" (as opposed to 6"), so it sits better on and hugs a wee bit more between ankle and calf -- believe me when I say that that one inch can make a huge difference under jeans on blustery days.

Now, my dears, off screen, there is an entire colourworks studio filled with fiber processing, and beside me there is some piping hot cocoa, knitting, and a shiny new novel to sink into.

Speaking of which: Veronika knit up in just a little over a week while I was reading Isabel Allende's Zorro. If you can manage to knit without looking, in a position where it's easy for you to page-turn without much trouble, I recommend Zorro as excellent, highly entertaining white noise for your knitting. Somewhere amid all the banditos, pirates, and swashbuckling adventure and romance, you'll find that your garment has pretty much knit itself!

Do any of you read while you knit? And if so, can you recommend any well-written page-turners? (So far I have lined up: Brokeback Mountain, which shouldn't last longer than even half a skein as it's 64 pages, Donna Tartt's The Little Friend and The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova.)

____________________________
** This, according to this web page, where, incidentally, there are also listed a few phrases you might not find in the run-of-the-mill Swedish phrase book, such as...

-- morgonpigg - (expression used to describe early-morning-shiny-happy-people)
-- ...och det spelar ingen roll ändå om hon ser ganska tjock ut, eller hur? - and it doesn't matter anyway if she looks fat, does it?
-- och vilket språk använder ni i sängkammaren? - and what language do you use in bed?

(Honestly, it never ceases to amaze me what sorts of information one can find on the internet.)

Break-up SOX

2006-01-24T18:00:00.000-08:00

[x-posted at Two Pointy Sticks]

...I have another friend who also knits. We'll call her Ginny. Like me, Ginny knits for pleasure... and distraction... and stress-relief therapy. I've noticed though that, unlike me, Ginny becomes even more prolific in times of emotional upheaval. She says the best thing about a break-up is... well, the SOX, of course. Break-up SOX.

If she breaks up with her beau-du-jour/semaine/mois (it's never the other way around), or if some former friend slides right off the sliding friendship scale... suddenly, the needles are out and clicking. Before you know it, there are SOX.

Warm toes, cold heart, I guess. And why not? Who isn't cheered up by a good pair of simple socks. And in cashmere? So. Much. The. Better.

I am not a sock-knitter by nature, but I like socks, and have been known to tuck them gleefully into my mukluks in the winter. Knitting them makes for good, fast therapy, too -- think of the huge boost in serotonin that comes with every completed pair! On a whim I started knitting a pair last week, and now I may have to do this every year, emotional upheaval or no emotional upheaval.

Behold! Cashmere Break-Up SOX (without the break-up):

These were knit with 2 skeins of Estelle in Fiery Sunset. I made slight modifications to the Simple Sock Pattern from Cat Bordhi's Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles to incorporate a tiny chevron-like rib (ETA: Pattern modifications are in the next post).

Toes this toasty probably don't much care how broken the heart might be.

Close-up of the second Break-up Sock in Estelle, colourway Atropos.

Everyone's got an opinion on how many chaps a girl can date at once, but one thing we can all agree on is that there's no such thing as having too much SOX.

SAFE SOX (of course).

Tori

2006-01-08T14:49:00.000-08:00

[x-posted at Two Pointy Sticks]

How many of you have ever sat in quiet contemplation (or rush hour traffic, or in the queue for groceries, or smack in the middle of any busy-but-not-mentally-taxing activity) and suddenly remembered a friend from long ago and wondered, what on earth ever happened to So-and-So? How many of you have raised a glass this holiday season to Auld Lang Syne and thought of someone you'd lost touch with over the years? Did you feel the impulse to find them, or did you silently decide to resign them to the Land of Lost Anecdotes? ("Alas, poor [Name Here], I knew him well," etc etc)

How many of you then seized the moment and sought that person out? In this day and age, finding that old pal can be just as easy as a quick Google and a phone call or email. Plenty of us let that moment pass. I know I have. Many, many times over, blaming work, household chores, a tight schedule -- all those clichéd excuses.

Did you ever wonder what would happen if you seized the moment, that impulse to reconnect, and just did it?

I did. Right in the middle of seaming up a sweater, Chibi needle poised in mid-air, I had a flash of Tori, a friend from university who had always been bright and full of laughter -- and who knit like a fiend while she studied, finishing almost a sweater a week during finals in our senior year. I was the maid of honor at her wedding, which was the last time I saw her. That was 14 years ago, before travel, time, and career paths came between us.

By the time I had finished seaming up, I was online to begin my search and after a good half hour, I'd found her! In the Netherlands, with her husband and two beautiful boys. Work had brought me briefly to their town just a few years ago when they had first moved. I remember standing at the train station on the platform one cold evening thinking how nice it would have been to have friends in such a lovely little town. We must have been only a few minutes walk apart then. And to think neither of us ever knew!

Life is too short to let valued friendships slip away from us. In this day and age technology makes the world small enough (and the task easy enough) to keep in touch with the people we care about. It only takes a phone call, or an email, or a text message every now and then. If there's one resolution I hope to maintain this year, it's to strengthen these ties to family and friends. Because without them, what sort of life can this possibly be?

So with that said, I give you... Tori, named after, obviously, Tori, who wore a lot of this colour in our four years at dear old uni:

(Tori was knit up as a variation on Lois, using Pippin in a modified Hill of Tara (#59) with splashes of leprechaunic green for interest, and Louisa Harding's Sari Ribbon in colourway #2 for embellishment with a bit of 'Renaissance' glam.)

So you tell me, "should auld acquaintance be forgot"?

(I hope not!)

Cuteness!

2006-01-04T19:20:00.000-08:00

[x-posted at Two Pointy Sticks]

A sorrow shared is but half the trouble, but a joy that is shared is a joy made double. -- old Swedish proverb

And since you all know how I like to share...

Here is two-and-almost-a-half month old Hana in Toronto, looking sporty in a cashmere raglan baby boatneck in Highland Heather. (Many thanks to Hana's mum and dad for sending on these adorable pics!)

Each sweater is made with 2 skeins of Pippin (100% aran weight cashmere). (Colourways above: [left to right] Fiery Sunset, Highland Heather, Water Lilies)

Holiday Red

2005-12-19T06:44:00.000-08:00

Vicki at Stanford has just sent these lovely shots of her Clapotis in Estelle, colourway Cranberries. Cozy cheer in any light.

She writes:

I just wanted to give you an update on what's happened since you sent the yarn! First of all, you were right, it arrived in fine time for my trip to Australia - and was shockingly soft and beautiful, everything I had hoped it would be in terms of color and texture...

Your yarn was wonderful to knit with - not only did the varigation help me discern what was going on in stitches (new stitch red, old stitch purple - very useful for a beginner!) but it was smooth, soft, and even, and very easy to handle. I felt like it almost *wanted* to be knitted. :) I looked forward to picking it up again!

Thank you so much for sharing these, Vicki! The scarf came out absolutely beautifully!!

Introducing... Zhivago

2005-12-11T22:21:00.000-08:00

[x-posted at Two Pointy Sticks]

Another day, another... original cashmere sweater kit. Introducing Zhivago: a sweater inspired in part by the glorious costumes in the film Dr Zhivago (the Omar Sharif/Julie Christie version of Pasternak's epic, rather than the Keira Knightley/Hans Matheson version).

In daydreams of skiing this winter, an elegantly insouciant, fashionably-off-piste sweater design haunted me until I finally committed it to paper and knit it up -- not once, but twice. Zhivago turned out to be a very quick knit, about 5-6 days for a completed garment, including steaming (in lieu of spaceboard blocking) and seaming. Knit in Pippin (100% aran weight cashmere), the pullover is fitted and sports both cabled cuffs and a collar, the simple cable pattern adding a twist (no pun intended) to the high, scrunched funnel neck.

Here you have Zhivago, wonderfully modeled by Marine and Nathalie. Both samples are in bust size 38, worn slightly oversized (in colourway: Bruise) and in true fit (colourway: Rum Point):

Zhivago is available as a kit.

Fits bust sizes: 36 [ 38; 40; 42; 44; 46; 48]
Materials:
-- 12 [ 12; 13; 14; 15; 16; 16] skeins of Pippin (100% aran weight cashmere)
-- size US 10 needles
-- cable needle
-- tapestry needle
-- waste yarn for seaming up (preferably in a finer gauge)

Blanche-Neige (Snow White!)

2005-12-04T22:13:00.000-08:00

[x-posted at Two Pointy Sticks]

Voila! A new pattern, now up in the new Knitty Winter 2005 issue.

Introducing... Blanche-Neige (click for pattern).

Some additional photos:

Essential Chic

2005-11-16T07:08:00.000-08:00

In stolen moments between WorkWork and the colourworks studio, I'm having a fabulous time drinking in a fantastic book: Genevieve Antoine Dariaux's Guide to Elegance: For Every Woman Who Wants to Be Well and Properly Dressed on All Occasions. So few are the opportunities when we can get a kick out of reading a how-to manual. Written originally in 1962, the book still contains a lot of practical advice. One or two things may be slightly outdated, but some things do not erode with time, including this nutshell definition of...

CHIC

The essence of casual refinement, chic is a little less studied than elegance and a little more intellectual. It is an inborn quality of certain individuals, who are sometimes unaware that they possess it. Chic is only perceptible to those who have already acquired a certain degree of civilization and culture and who have in addition both the leisure time to devote to improving their appearance and the desire to be part of a particular kind of elite, which might be called the 'aristocracy of external appearance'. It is a gift of the gods and has no relationship to beauty nor to wealth. One baby in its crib may have chic, while another doesn't.

Luckily, being chic for mere mortals, however, she says, can be learned also through imitation.

Dariaux goes on to say that elegance is achieved in part by having the right accessories, which may be simple but of impeccable quality.

And nothing says that like a cozy cashmere scarf around your neck in winter, like this 1x1 ribbed scarf by Helen from Yorkshire, England.

She used 2 skeins of Pippin (100% aran weight cashmere) in colourway Bumblebee to create a simple accessory that is ALL casual luxe.

Thanks for sharing such a lovely photo, Helen!

Lois: Cropped Cashmere Cardi

2005-10-17T15:10:00.000-07:00

[x-posted at Two Pointy Sticks]

At our local fall festival this weekend, that stranger to these parts, the sun, finally showed his face -- just in time for me to wander giddily about in the fresh air, grab a pumpkin spice latte, hang about listening to live street music, and... wear this. If you read the fashion press, you already know that the cropped jacket is IN this season. Though there are dozens of knitting patterns out there, I didn't find one sufficiently appealing, so I came up with this one. Everyone, meet Lois (cropped cashmere jacket with 3/4 set-in sleeves):

I started this on Stitches weekend and finished it in just 4 days using:

-- 6 skeins of Pippin in colourway Hotel California
-- 1 hank of Louisa Harding's Sari Ribbon colour #1 for the crocheted border (you'll need only about 1/3)
-- 1 crochet hook
-- 1 pair US 9 needles, and
-- a glass button from my stash that had found its true calling

The version above fits bust sizes 36-38 and is the perfect TV/radio/cooking/laundry/otherwise multitasking knit. And off the needles it's instant cozy, casual chic.

The pattern for Lois accommodates bust sizes 32-34 [36-38; and 40-42] and would require 6 [6; and 7] skeins of Pippin (100% aran weight cashmere) and is available at no extra charge with purchase of Pippin for the project. Available colourways can be found at the List of Colourways; pricing and ordering information can also be found at the very bottom of that rather long page.

Let's talk samples...

2005-10-10T05:47:00.000-07:00

[x-posted at Two Pointy Sticks]

Thanks again to all of you who left good wishes for Stitches in comments and emails. And just for those of you who couldn't make it, here are a couple of lovely projects that had been kindly loaned to us for display at the convention (seen here modelled by my new and shapely dress form, Angelina).

The first is a Clapotis in Estelle (colourway: Orion) knit by the astonishingly prolific and talented Lauren:

And I absolutely fell in love with this cashmere scoopneck tee by Brooke. She used 3 skeins of Estelle in Cranberries and 3 skeins of Estelle in Last of the Summer Berries, striped randomly to achieve this Missoni-like effect. And the feel of it on -- heaven!

Clapotis by Sam La Tricoteuse

2005-09-23T08:46:00.000-07:00

I'm back! But still on the run, so to speak. But I just wanted to take the time to show you these lovely photos of a truly luxe Clapotis by the wonderful Sam La Tricoteuse in Quebec.

She used 5 skeins of Estelle (100% Italian sportweight cashmere) in colourway Amy's Chocolate Cherry and 4.5mm needles. And she writes that she modified the original Clapotis pattern slightly by going up to about 155 sts.

Well done! And what a truly gorgeous Clapotis, Sam! Thanks for sharing such wonderful pictures!

Klee Down Under

2005-07-21T23:19:00.000-07:00

How I wish it was 50 degrees outside these days instead of 100-- because I've been hankering for a chance to wear a Klee scarf. Until the dog days of summer are gone in this hemisphere -- and I'm finally able to roll down the car windows, I'm going to indulge my dreams of cashmere and show you the wonderful photos of the gorgeous Klee a prolific and talented knitter sent from Melbourne, Australia:

I love the accent colour she chose, as well! Don't know if you can see it, but rather than the standard black, the accents are in a lovely burgundy/aubergine that sets off the warm, rich tones in the multis. Just beautiful!

Be sure to check out the other goodies at the inimitably chic Clementine's Shoes (one of my favourite knitblog names of all time)!

Jane's Clapotis in Rum Point

2005-06-03T16:25:00.000-07:00

[x-posted at Two Pointy Sticks]

On the menu today is this delectable Clapotis in Rum Point by Jane from the UK.

For this Clapotis, she used 4 skeins of Estelle and extended the pattern with a few modifications. She writes:

"My finished Clapotis is wonderfully soft and the colours play out brilliantly. I used 4 skeins (with just enough left over to make a Barbie cashmere scarf - on the blog) and made it wider & longer... I went up to a max of 133 stitches on the needles, and then I took a guess at how much I could knit with each skein."

And it looks good enough to eat!

Be sure to check out her beautiful craft blog, yarnstorm, one that not only fills me with PURE BLOG ENVY, but also brims with creative inspiration!

Jesse's Clapotis in Rivendell

2005-05-18T19:15:00.000-07:00

In complete harmony with the lush California woods, here's Jesse from SoCal in her cashmere Clapotis in colourway Rivendell:

Jesse used 3 skeins of Estelle and US 6 needles and made a few modifications to the pattern. She writes, "I knitted 5 repeats of the increase section, and 6 straight rows with one skein! So, I did the reverse for the decrease sections, and had very little yarn left over. It's slightly skinnier than others, but I like really long scarves, and it's perfect."

And she looks perfectly smashing in it, too! Thanks, Jesse! :D

Rivendel-Luxe

2005-05-05T20:54:00.000-07:00

There are few pleasures as luxurious as the perfect companion to cuddle against in the cool spring breeze. So as the winds waver between March and May temps, a girl’s best friend is… her Clapotis, of course!

Like this cashmere Clapotis in Rivendell by Diane from NY:

And she looks fabulous! Elegance. Comfort. And instant style. (Even elven princesses don’t have it this good.)

Diane, thank you again for sharing these lovely pictures. You made my day! And I think I could easily spend a lifetime making a Clapotis every season – whoever said you can have too much of a good thing has obviously never owned a Clapotis.

The Klee Scarf Kit

2005-04-14T06:35:00.000-07:00

[x-posted at Two Pointy Sticks]

Colour has taken possession of me; no longer do I have to chase after it, I know that it has hold of me forever. That is the significance of this blessed moment. Colour and I are one..."

-- Paul Klee (1889-1940)

The expressionist artist renders less what the eye sees than what the heart and mind sense and feel. In this spirit, behold the building blocks of your own expressionist masterpiece in luxurious cashmere. Introducing...

One cashmere scarf kit. A world of possibilities.

The Mini-Klee:

The Large Klee:

Each kit includes 8 x 50 yd mini-skeins of Estelle (100% Italian sportweight cashmere) for the Large Klee scarf, or 8 x 25 yd mini-skeins of Estelle for the Mini Klee, in eight assorted colourways carefully selected to provide you with a rich, vibrant palette.

The Mini-Klee (pictured) measures 51" / 130cm long. The Large Klee (pictured) yields a scarf around 104" / 264cm long.

Pattern Directions:

This is the best part -- there aren't any! The examples of the Mini-Klee and Large Klee here are merely for inspiration. Cast on as few or as many stitches as you like and change colours, add accents as your whimsy moves you to create your own piece of unique wearable art!

Where to find:

The Klee Scarf Kit is an exclusive to Woolplay. For more information and to purchase, please call Woolplay directly on tel: +1 (856) 428 0110.

Clapotis in Hotel California

2005-04-12T12:30:00.000-07:00

With a sample of the 4-ply cashmere that is being spun expressly for me (or, more specifically, for me to pain for you), you could say I went a little... Clap-happy.

Thank God for spring, sunshine, a cool breeze and the chance to wear my second Clapotis (the first one being here and here), this time in colourway Hotel California:

Gotta love those waves...

:)

Monica's Clapotis in Japanese Maple

2005-03-20T16:28:00.000-08:00

Monica from California recently linked me to photos of the Clapotis she just finished in Japanese Maple. This picture makes me grin no matter how many times I see it!

Doesn't she look fabulous?

Check out Monica's delightful gallery of FOs here! (Personally, I'm coveting her mother's scarf.)

Seurat II

2005-02-28T09:09:00.000-08:00

The Seurat sweater in colourway #33, Orion, seen here in all its bring-on-the-blizzard insouciance:

The pattern accommodates bust sizes 34-42 inches; first Seurat I knit (in Crocus) was a size 38 and this one's a size 36. Both took just as long (or rather, were just as quick) to complete: five days from start to finish! And the cashmere is such a comfort and a luxury to tired hands -- not to mention to snuggle into -- who am I to resist? :D

Atropos' Clapotis in... Atropos

2005-02-04T05:59:00.000-08:00

Ladies and gentlemen, I am honoured to update the gallery with a gorgeous FO (although it isn't mine)! Here she is: Atropos' Clapotis in, appropriately enough, the colourway Atropos:

She used 3 skeins of the sportweight cashmere and US 6 needles for her Clapotis. More on Atropos' fabulous knitblog, I Knit Therefore I Am.

Le Seurat: Snuggly Chic

2005-01-21T20:08:00.000-08:00

I wanted a really quick winter knit to cuddle into during the next snowfall (which, I'm told, will be this weekend), so I came up with an original pattern, which I'm calling the Seurat:

For a size Large, Seurat required 10 skeins of aran weight cashmere in Crocus (smaller sizes would probably only require 8 or 9 skeins) and it flew right off the US 10.5 needles! It took roughly 4-5 days to complete -- one day per piece, an evening to seam together and VOILA! How's that for quick?

I think what I love the most about this sweater, apart from the soft swaddling of cashmere, are the relaxed wide neck, the laid-back roll of the collar that stands up on its own, the stovepipe sleeves, and the gentle shaping at the waist -- because cozy never has to mean frumpy!

Here's a gratuitous detail, perhaps the truest depiction of the colours, and just because... I like it. :)

I'm so pleased with this one. If anyone is interested in the yarn for the Seurat, I'd be happy to include the pattern. Snuggly chic should be shared! (Say that ten times really fast.) ;)

Scoopneck Tee in Briar Rose; Annie Hall scarf in Cirque

2005-01-16T18:36:00.000-08:00

Here's my RLBF modelling the scoopneck sweater I finished recently: an original pattern using 6 skeins of the sportweight cashmere in Briar Rose and a tiny bit of Cotton Candy for the piping accent on the neckline, hem and cuffs. (Doesn't she look smashing?)

The sweater was such an easy, therapeutic knit and I'm really quite pleased with the end result: a luxuriously soft, pampering piece with Missoni-like allure from every angle.

The tee is fitted to flatter (or fabricate) a waist and ends at the top hip. I've worn this with jeans, dressed it up with tailored bootcut trousers and it's now one of my wardrobe staples. (I may end up making at least one or two more because it's such a quick and easy knit.) ETA: I've still to type up the pattern, but I'm happy to include it free of charge for anyone purchasing the yarn for their own luxury tee.

And next in the gallery is my new favourite knit for a quick cashmere fix: the super easy, super fast Annie Hall scarf in aran weight cashmere. Although 3 would have been sufficient, I used 4 skeins (because who would object to a wider scarf that amounts to a greater Surface Area of Luxury?). The colourway shown here is Cirque:

Robin's Clapotis

2005-01-07T07:04:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Cashmere Gallery! Here you will find a selection of finished works knit in the cashmere from the List of Colourways.

For this inaugural post, I am very grateful to Robin from California for sharing these pictures of her gorgeous Clapotis in sportweight cashmere in the Rum Point colourway.

.

She writes:
I truly love this scarf. The only pattern modification I made was to add one extra pattern repeat to the straight section. I have about a quarter to a third of one skein left. Also, I used US 6 needles... By adding the extra pattern repeat, the scarf wraps nicely around my neck. Seeing the amount of yarn I had left over, I could easily have added yet another pattern repeat to the straight section for an even longer scarf...

I didn't block it initially, but after being worn so much, it needed a wash, and that is when I blocked it out to dry (actually, I didn't really "block it", I just threw it over the shower curtain rod and spread it out to dry. When dry, I put it in the dryer for a few minutes - as you suggested - and it came out softer and nicer than ever. The photos I sent were "pre-washing".)

I measured my Clapotis, and she's around 18" x 53". However, she does tend to lengthen and narrow when worn. Also, as nice as Clapotis is upon completion, she is ever so much nicer once washed and fluffed (at least in my opinion).... :)

Thanks, Robin! She looks absolutely beautiful! :)