In episode 94, I recount that someone
recently said to me, "You only knit sweaters from the top-down."
For me, nothing could be farther from the truth. When I started
knitting, I knit sweaters from contemporary patterns, which had me
dutifully knit my fronts, back, and sleeves, and stitch them all
together. But patterns, like clothing styles, evolve and change,
and new designs caught my eye that involved new techniques. Being a
sucker for innovative constructions, it wasn't long before I was
stitching top-down sweaters, bottom-up sweaters, sideways sweaters,
and currently I am enjoying the new creative techniques that
designers are using to knit top-down sweaters with a variety of
sleeve constructions. This new contemporary takes the fitted style
many sweater wearers love, turns it upside-down, and introduces
innovative constructive techniques enabling us to use knitting to
its advantage. We aren't merely piecing together clothing as one
would when creating a garment from an already woven piece of
fabric, we are finding new ways to use our ability to create fabric
while making fitted garments previously knit in pieces. While I
adore my raglan-sleeved sweaters, I equally love trying out new
construction techniques. More than one finished sweater in my
closet has been knit because of the techniques employed by the
pattern as much as for the style of the finished garment.
Elizabeth Doherty's new book
Top Down: Reimagining Set-in
Sleeve Design is exciting to me because it takes the
set-in sleeve sweater style, turns it upside down, and teaches us
how and why we can knit sweaters in this direction, create fitted
sleeves, and why we benefit from the exercise. I know Elizabeth
personally and I will tell you that she is smart, thoughtful, and
funny. This book takes Elizabeth's voice, combines it with the
beautiful photography, yarns, and skilled knitting of Elizabeth's
sample knitters (Hi Erin from Doubleknit!) and takes off running
for the win. Lest you be afraid you won't understand the technical
bits, the technique is supported by 6 classic patterns that are
simple, yet elegant. I personally would love to get three of them
on the needles. :) Needless to say, Gayle and I are both fans of
this book, and hope you will be too.
- Sharlene
What are we wearing?
Since we aren't wearing too many knitted garments this August, we
talked about knitted items we have been using, including knit
washcloths, and
crochet bath scrubbies.
Echoes of Color by Joji
Locatelli
Gayle's
Echoes of Friendship
What are we stalking?
Breezeway Pullover by
Kirsten Hipskey
Edie by Isabel Kraemer
Whippet by Ankestrick
Color Affection by Veera
Valimaki
Miss Babs' Yet
Manzanita Tee by Rosemary
Hill
Neoma's Shawl by Rosemary
Hill
Little City Tee by Rosemary
Hill
Universal Yarn
Cotton Supreme Splash
Peanut Warmer by Taiga
Hilliard Designs
What are we knitting?
Easy Folded Poncho by
Churchmouse Yarns and Teas
Polaris by Hiroku Fukatsu
a new shawl from
Elizabeth Doherty
Razzle by Allie Coffey
Deep Breath Sweater by
Kirsten Hipskey
What have we finished?
Pagona by Stephen West
Gayle's Advent calender
Smittens