Fashion Word of the Day-Chambray

3.1 Phillip Lim Resort 2008


Chambray (sham-brey)

–Noun

1. A fine cloth of cotton, silk, or linen, commonly of plain weave with a colored warp and white weft.

Fall 2007 Trend Report from Style dot com - Knit Parade

Calvin Klein Fall 2007 RTW


Surf over to Style dot com for a great review of this season's knits in high fashion. There is also a great audio report by Joanna Rodger. You choose your favorite designer that incorporated knitting in their creations, then comment back to give me your opinion.

Fashion Word if the Day-Cheongsam

Cheongsam (chawng-sahm)

–Noun

1. A form-fitting, knee-length dress with a mandarin collar and slit skirt, worn chiefly by Oriental women.

2. A long dress with a high collar and slit skirt, traditionally worn by Chinese women.

[Chinese (Cantonese) ch'eūng shaam, long gown, equivalent to Chinese (Mandarin) cháng, long + Chinese (Mandarin) shān, gown.]

Caponi Embroidery - Superb Stitchery

Did you know that handkerchiefs were once a symbol of social status, such as the type of car we drive is today? The finer fibers and the more complicated designs indicated wealth. We all covet fine linens, especially those that are expertly crafted with elaborate detail. From the 1600s until the 1950s, embroidery was considered an extreme luxury.

Loretta Caponi's fine embroidered linens are a true testament to this. These textiles are desired by the well-to-do of today's society.


A review from cyberspace:

"Loretta Caponi is the very best the world has to offer for elegant silks, linens and cottons. She and her talented staff design and make nightogowns, robes, sheets and towels and the most beautiful baby clothes we've ever seen. She has made the nightwear for most of the royal houses of Europe.
Her shop in cental Florence is an old convent and an architectural gem.
Be sure to stop in!"

Afghans for Afghans

Have you ever wanted to create something for a wonderful cause? Well, now here is your chance. I found this great website for the wonderful people of Afghanistan. Here is an excerpt from the website:

afghans for Afghans is a humanitarian and educational people-to-people project that sends hand-knit and crocheted blankets and sweaters, vests, hats, mittens, and socks to the beleaguered people of Afghanistan.

This grassroots effort is inspired by Red Cross volunteers who made afghans, socks, slippers, and other items for soldiers and refugees during World Wars I and II and other times of crisis and need. Read about the Red Cross knitting tradition.

Help Families in Need

"Take advantage of this chance to get yourself a deal on our patterns and feel good that your purchase will be helping out two "knitting and crochet" families that really need help.

These families are experiencing very bad times because a family member is seriously ill and needs life-saving treatments. Insurance doesn't come close to covering all the miscellaneous expenses needed for these families to get necessary help to the people they love."

How you can help:

Make a purchase at SuperCrafty.com,

Donate directly on Allison's Blog,

Buy a Stitch Diva Studios Pattern in the next 48 hours,

Purchase Annie's Red Carpet Convertible pattern or any pattern offered for sale on her website.

Purchase one of Annie's books.

Donate directly on the Red Carpet Convertible page.

Buy a Stitch Diva Studios Pattern in the next 48 hours

Please visit Stitch Diva Studios for more information.

Sweater Dress - Transition into Fall

This beautiful dress is a great transition piece from summer to fall. You can wear it almost anywhere. Pair it with neutral accessories for a classic look, or glam it up with some mauve heels, or a large cobalt shoulder bag.

Diaper Bags can do Double Duty

Fashionable diaper bags that can double as knitting project carriers.

Mia Bossi


Not Rational



Mia Bossi


Paula Quintana

Sex Sells

Sexy knitting book titles to stimulate your knitting desires.

1. "Domiknitrix: Whip Your Knitting into Shape" Author: Jennifer StaffordCost: $19.99
Sample project: Charcoal Snow Devil cap, complete with two horns.




2. "Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-Shirt"Author: Megan NicolayCost: $14.95
Sample project: "Bohemian Wrapsody," a flirty wrap skirt created from one T-shirt.




3. "Knitting With Balls: A Hands-On Guide to Knitting f or the Modern Man"Author: Michael del VecchioCost: $20
Sample project: Classy tribal sweater.



4. "Plush-O-Rama: Curious Creatures for Immature Adults"Author: Linda KoppCost: $14.95
Sample project: "Llorie the Bipolar Cloud," a two-faced plush cloud - white and fluffy on one side, gray and gloomy on the other.



5. "Pretty in Punk: 25 Punk, Rock, and Goth Knitting Projects"Author: Alyce Benevides and Jaqueline MillesCost: $19.95
Sample project: Union Jack bum flap.



6. "Subversive Cross Stitch"Author: Julie JacksonCost: $14.95
Sample project: A cutesy blue-bordered design with a pink pacifier and the words "Babies suck."



SOURCE

Beach Fun

stuff to bring:

bamboo, cotton or linen yarn with summer fashion pattern

Large, soft beach towel.

Fashionable fold up lounge chair.

bottled water.

sunblock.

iPod with knitting podcasts and ambient music.

Don't forget your binoculars ;)

What have I've been up to, lately? Knitting.

Well, lots of things that I like to do. I've had the urge to make lots of jewelry, so I decided I would get started on a possible Christmas gift list, although knitting may be included in that.
~First off, I'll discuss my latest (yes another one...) knitting project. My cousin Jevae recently had a baby girl and I decided to make her a pair of cute baby slippers (I hate the word booties). So, I went to my local B&N and found Debbie Bliss's Simply Baby pattern book. Here is the picture of the design I'm in the process of working on. I've already completed one slipper and haven't started the next one :( but will shortly.



So here's Bliss's "Cuff booties" version knitted in Debbie Bliss (duh) Baby Cashmerino which is a lightweight yarn somewhere between fingering and double-knitting. This version was casted on with a size 2 needles, and then switches around from that size, to size 3, and then back to size 2 and so forth.

Here is a side angle of mine lying flat down. As you can see I haven't seamed up the back seam yet, which is something I'm very intimidated of. I chose a pink and antique white color combination, which turned out so cute, especially for a little girl.
This slipper is knit in Bernat Baby which is a very thin fingering weight yarn. I used size 3 to cast on and only used size 2 when I was doing a portion of the instep. I decided to make my version the 0-3 month size. The reason I say it's "my" version is because I casted on with size 3 needles instead of size 2.The way she designed the little flap was using short rows, I believe, which I have never tried before this pattern. The instructions were very easy to follow even though I did have to go back and read portions over and over. I didn't understand why she wanted me to place stitch markers at each ends of one of the rows. They just got in my way and I didn't understand why I needed them because I was knitting fine without them.

Overall this has been a really fun and quick project. I love the seed stitch body. Seed stitch is one of my favorite knitting stitches to date. The way Bliss was able to explain shaping, using two needles was amazingly simple to understand. I'm impress with this book and may buy more of her pattern books.

Apple Jacket

Manufacturer: Jacqueline Dufresne, Ontario, Canada. Designer: Jacqueline Dufresne Description: Tired of tossing an apple in your purse for a snack and retrieving it later only to find it battered and impaled on your house keys? Never eat a bruised apple again with this hand-knit, 100% cotton sleeve. Topped off with a knit leaf detail and button closure, these apple jackets aren't exactly armor, but they sure are adorable! Get one to keep your apple, pear, peach, etc. safe or give to a teacher as a great gift. Color: White, off-white, pink or bright blue.

New found interest in all things Rowan

Rowan has really sparked my interest lately. I love most all of their patterns, and really want to discover (feel, knit swatches, etc.) more of their line of yarns. This weekend I am going to be doing some LYS hopping. Hopefully I'll find something that I just can not live without.

Update on my Manos/Metro Girl Sweater

Well, I've knitted a good six inches or more on the right front panel of the sweater. I hope to get more knitting done before the end of the month. The cable is turning out to be very fun and interesting.

Cute Stitchery

Love, love, love this daily candy!!! Read on!


In Stitches
From Daily Candy


You threw out your copy of Domiknitrix and dropped out of Stitch ’n’ Bitch. (Some talents you have. Some you don’t.)
Which doesn’t mean that people more talented than you don’t know how to make crochet very — dare we say — cool.
Simply IrresistibleThat’s exactly how you’ll feel about A.S.I.S.’s super-cute crochet earrings. The little gems come in shades of blue, red, green, white, black, and gold. The designs dangle perfectly from your lobes, adding just the right amount of jazziness to any outfit.
Get Your Hammock OnNothing screams “I heart summer!” like Binetti’s Hammock bag. Made of crochet with fringe along the bottom, it comes in white or natural with an attached key fob and a leather base to help keep its shape.
Wren Tin TinHumidity wreaks havoc on summer hair. Draw attention away from the frizz with Wren Handmade’s adorable crochet hair clips. They come in a plethora of floral designs and colors and cost just twelve bucks a pop.
They’re the perfect thing to show (not sew) and tell.

Birth of my first cable, EVER.

So it has been a few years since I first started knitting. It has been about three years to be more exact. Today is a milestone in my knitting "career." I've never actually knitted a cable before, and found out quickly that it is super simple. I'm starting to knit the right front panel of the sweater today. There are cables on the right and left front, and on the sleeve cuffs. It is for a sweater pattern by Manos del Uruguay. The pattern is called "Metro Girl" and is knit in their hand dyed yarn. The color of this yarn is Hibiscus.

Fantasy - Luxurious Leather

The love I have for elegant, clean cut lines, paired with the sheen and texture of long leather gloves and boots is almost indescribable. Even though this design element tends to cover up almost everything, it just looks so tailored...so luxurious. At times, leather tends to give off some sort of "bad girl" aura, being that it is sometimes associated with bondage and whips. However, this fall, if I were to run across a woman in classy, saturated colored, knee length leather boots and elbow length gloves, the first thing that would come to mind would be money, and jealousy. Wrist length leather gloves are also very cute, and can go with almost anything. Leather paired with soft wool, or cool cotton knitted garments would be wonderful and full of awesome texture. Hey! What about knitting WITH leather?

A New Blogging Project

Ok everyone, I am starting a new fabulous project with a fresh new blogger named Millissa at Haute Mimi. Please check it out and give us some feedback. Right now we are in the process of discussing ideas, etc. If you know me, then you know I love other cultures than my own (Millissa is Indian). This will be a great opportunity for me to learn more about another culture, as well as continue to persue one of my passions, FASHION.

Indian Yarn Art

The Huichol have been creating these amazing yarn art tiles for hundreds of years. They interpret their visions and experiences while visiting the spirit world using colorful yarn which they glue to the wooden tiles using a paste made from bees' wax. First the artist makes a very rough sketch onto the wood and then meticulously goes about applying the yarn, each tiny strand one by one, creating the image you see before you. It is not uncommon for a tile this size to take in upwards of 20 hours to complete! On the reverse of each tile, the artist writes in his native tongue (a tribal spanish) a description of what the image means or what he was trying to capture. We have included a loose translation with each tile. This particular tile captures the high priest asking the moon for good rains and abundant crops. Measurements: 12" square

There is a picture of one at Indian Sun

Spinning Wheel

Here is a photo of a spinning wheel. I was visiting my friend and we had a great time discussing fibers, and the spinning processes. This is the one I had a hard time using.