Warm Fleece

Are you making any holiday gifts this year? Have you ever used fleece? I like this material because its very warm, and you usually only need to wear that layer with maybe one shirt underneath.

Fleece is made up of napped synthetic fibers. Your regular fleece that you can buy at almost any store, is actually known as polar fleece.

Even though some fleece is very cheap feeling (think the snuggie..you know that thing with the armholes, that acts like a blanket?), you can find some very nice, non synthetic fleece at shops like BlueFly.com, and Nordstrom.

Marios Schwab Fall 2007 Collection - fleece sweater

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Hancock Fabrics is having a big fleece sale right now: http://www.hancockfabrics.com/Fleece_stcVVcatId537261VVviewcat.htm?extid=HAN_EML_20090921_CT_biggestfleeceevent

Also, Hancock Fabrics is celebrating their 52nd anniversary, so enter for your chance to win a $52 gift card from Hancock Fabrics, here:
http://signup.hancockfabrics.com/OpenHouse/B/


MORE LINKS:


Fleece Queen - solid colors are #3.75 a yard.

New Knitwear Shopping Information

"Pretty Stitches" via Free People

The following are found in Lucky Magazine, October 2009 issue:

Wool - blend knit tunic $209, Ella Moss, Select Saks Fifth Avenue - (800) 347-9177

Chunky knit alpaca blend scarf, Heritage by Banana Republic, (available early Nov.)

Wool blend sweater, Mimi & Coco, Lyn Evans, Wellesley, MA, (781) 235-0096

Wool blend vest, Rare Woman. Rouge, Los Gatos, CA, (408) 395-8995

Knit hat, DKNY, (800) 231-0884

Wool blend sweater, Nicolefarhi.com

Hooded wool knit jacket, Gudrun & Gudrun, Beyond 7, NYC, (646) 619-6857

Wool "Raita" scarf, Diane Von Furstenberg, (646) 486-4800

Cable knit wool tote, United Colors of Benetton, (800) 535-4491


Merino Wool "Poncho" dress, Jillian Lewis, Beyond 7, NYC. (646) 619-6857

Mohair blend sweater, Sisley, (800) 535-4491

Deborah Lindquist alpaca sweater dress, Order at http://www.deborahlindquist.com/, and enter "lucky8" at checkout to save 35% off.

Autumn Fashion collection at H&M

Angora tank, Jill Sturat Collection, (212) 343-2300

Viscose "Xinia" Knit wrap, http://www.elizabethgillett.com

Handcrafted Chairs by Melanie Porter

Have you ever wanted to work directly with a high fashion designer to create your very own one of a kind piece of furniture?

After 10 years working as a knitwear designer for a number of international fashion brands, including Burberry and Pure Collection, Melanie Porter has turned her expertise to furniture, creating one-off contemporary designs from chairs sourced from auctions and markets across the UK. Melanie undertakes the entire process herself and everything, from the restoration and upholstering to the felted woollen panels and individual, crocheted buttons, is done by hand. The result of this incredibly labour-intensive process is a stunning and unique, but hard wearing, work of art, destined to be a future family heirloom.

“Although I loved my job in fashion, I really missed the hands-on creativity of actually making something,” explains Melanie. “I also wanted to learn upholstery – it’s something that has intrigued me since I was a child and would watch my grandfather repairing chairs. I am actually still using the tools that I inherited from him.”

Each project starts with the chair itself – anything from an antique Victorian nursing chair, to a 1970s Egg chair – which is painstakingly stripped back to the frame, before being restored and reupholstered using traditional techniques. This blank canvas is then covered with a series of hand-knitted, felted panels, especially created for each chair.

“To a certain extent, I let the chair lead the design and knit structure,” says Melanie. “I’ll sketch a rough idea but it’s quite an organic process and so I allow myself the freedom to change things as I go along.”Melanie also takes on bespoke commissions and, in this instance, the process is a bit different. “Sometimes a customer has a chair they want me to reupholster, sometimes they’ll ask me to source a frame. Then I’ll talk to them about what they’re looking for in terms of colours and designs, and show them sketches and swatches before I start work.”

For more information visit the website, or call +44 7770 941 305.

Get Started on your own High Fashion Knitwear for Fall 2009

Tyra Top knit in Rittratto yarn, by Tahki Stacy Charles, Inc.

The Modern Living Collection
"This collection of 17 distinctive styles features jackets, shrugs, coats and the ultimate in sweater dressing."

Samina Peplum Jacket

"Gedifra brings you 30 stylish projects direct from the runways of Europe. This collection is actually two collections in one. The first is called "Glam Factor" and features cozy structured pieces for fall. The second is titled "Abstract", and here you will find colorful and trendy pieces with tons of eye interest and the latest in shapes. There is certainly something here for everyone, from trendy to sophisticated; from unstructured to sleek and stylish; from bright and colorful to chic and refined."

When you think of new pieces to add to your wardrobe for Autumn, knitted garments are usually a must have, even if you can only buy one or two. This makes it even better because you can create your own, if you are into that sort of thing. The two I featured here are designed with beautiful new shaping and fiber blends to satisfy your fashion needs. Style yourself right, and learn a new technique with these sumptuous patterns.