Tag Archives: design

New Design: Hel

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MMP-2081I knew I wanted to design a garment with these Sweeping Cables as soon as I saw them. I knew it had to be a long garment so they would have some space to unfold across. A vest, but should it be open or not? Not, I decided so it could be used as a summer top too. I tested a few yarns before I was happy with the result of the cable which stretches two stitches across four hence need to be of a filling type like Rowan Alpaca Merino DK – an alpaca, merino and nylon mix – of a chainette construction with a generous 105 meters/115 yards on each 25 g ball. The vest is knitted using a 4.5 mm/US 7 with a gauge of 22 stitches and 30 rows in stockinette stitch. The Norwegian pattern will be published in Familien Strikk in late August while the English pattern will be test knitted in my Ravelry group in mid-July.

MMP-2071The rib in the cables became the obvious choice for the bottom band and lent itself to making vents in the side. A relaxed fit, hence an a-line shape, makes the vest wearable for any occasion. It was stunningly worn by model Alexandria Eissinger with silk slacks, see my previous post: Villa Malla Sneak Peek. The deep v-neck can be worn on the front or on the back, due to the shoulder shaping. It is framed by an I-cord bind-off which I tried to offset with a few rows of reverse stocking stitch. Due to the fuzzy yarn the contrast did not work as well I had imagined.

MMP-2087The vest is knitted in two parts due to the vents. I named the vest Hel because it means complete in Norwegian and because the Norse Hel ruled over nine worlds. Complete because of the different looks you can create with it, whether you wear the v-neck at the front or at the back and what you prefer to wear under it.

MMP-2094I have graded the vest from size XS to size 2XL. The sample, the only one of the nine new designs we photographed at Villa Malla, I had time to knit since I was knitting samples for Interweave and SweetGeorgia Yarns. All the photos above are taken at Ormøya, down from where we live. Unlike the heat from the photoshoot day these photos were taken in a very cold wind and I would have preferred to have worn all three on top of each other instead of separately. Hel is the fifth new design and the last in the series to be published in Familien Strikk together with the Yellow Gold Pullover. Next up are each of the four designs I have made for Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk and their yarn kits to be launched at Oslo Design Fair in early September. To be continued.

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New Design: Regal Purple Jacket

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I am thrilled to present my latest design, complete: Regal Purple Jacket. The vibrant, rich purple catch my attention and demanded to be chosen out of the 62 marvelous colours on offer in Perle, meaning pearl in Norwegian, a divine mercerized 4-ply/fingering cotton with a crisp stitch definition from Hifa, see ull. I chose a pattern, I have named Flower Wave, which is half lace and half garter stitch hence easy to memorize. With garter stitch inside the pattern it also became the obvious choice for the edging. Regal Purple Jacket has an A-line shape with added garter stitches in the side for decreasing, with short sleeves and a V-neck with a garter stitch then stocking stitch band. It is knitted flat and sewn together to give stability to the garment. The pattern has been sold to the Norwegian magazine Familien where it will be printed next spring/summer.

As a contrast and an add on, I decided it needed an accessory so I made a cowl, made all in stocking stitch with stripes in reverse stocking stitch, knitted as a tube I turned so I could continue to knit instead of purling to make the stripes, and grafted it together at the end. I still have a bit of work left on the pattern (read: grading) but I am pleased with the result!

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DUODU Norsk Strikkedesign/Norwegian Knitting Design

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This marvelous Norwegian book sums up 15 years as artists and designers for the two women behind the brand DUODU; Rita Nylander and Anne Grut Sørum, excellently written by Art Historian Eva Furseth, designed by Bodil Mostad Olsen (see more!) and published by Forlaget Schrøder, see forlagetschroder. DUODU works in the span between haute couture and limited series production, in the very intersection between art, handcraft and design. Their motto from the very beginning was fun, simple and elegant. Brilliantly illustrated in the book, just take a look at the photo below. A small selection of their garments can be described as body jewelry or body decoration as the book cover illustrates and are exhibition pieces. Knits in wool is their main material, why is answered in their introduction: “What could be more beautiful than a yarn storage filled with spools in all the colors of the rainbow? With yarn we make creations with different expressions, sizes and shapes. There is enormous satisfaction, in seeing our ideas materialized. We are often asked what inspires us; where do the ideas come from? Often, just a spur of the moment, is enough to start the creative process.” See more photos from one of their exhibitions: bymuseet. I discovered this inspiring book at Tanum and their limited edition clothes range at Norwaydesigns.

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