Ankar - Fine Cashmere and Textiles

Luxury fibers and expert craftsmanship are rare in the garment industry. Ankar sweaters and textiles are these and more. Ankar sweaters are manufactured in Italy and only with yarns from Loro Piana. This is pure fiber bliss at its highest, in addition to timeless, chic style. At Ankar, you will only find select products that are targeted to a niche consumer, which also makes this company unique in a mass produced, money hungry world.

Contact Information: niklas@ankar.se

PH: +46 708 62 68 00

"Wool, C'est Cool"

Oscar de la Renta

Who will be the winner of the next Wool Secretariats Award (the Woolmark Prize)? Amoung the competitors are: Tom Scott and Louise Goldin, to name a few. The winner will be announced June 3rd.

Knitted or Crocheted Dolls - Amigurumi

CrochetMe

My Little Mochi

Japanese craftbook help

Amigurumi Kingdom

Crocheted Necklaces by Dominique Desanti

Via Maris NYC is all about culture, fashion and style. Crocheted necklaces add texture and a personal style that only few can appreciate. The handcrafted look by Dominique Desanti is sure to please, with glass beads and soft yarns. These necklaces are eye catching statement pieces and perfect accessories to solid colored blouses or dresses.

Verena Magazine

Image featured on the home page of the Verena website.

Verena magazine is one of Europe's top knitting magazines, and contains stunning patterns to create and enjoy. This magazine is published four times a year, and subscriptions can be purchased at their website, or at Yarn Market, to name a few. Yarn Market displays sneak peaks of some of the patterns for the latest issue. I was attracted to the magazine by their Spring 2008 cover because I love the ocean and sailboats. I am in love with the wool tailored jacket.

Updates!

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Pitti Filati 2008

Image source: Foamy-GFX

Thanks to Berroco KnitBits newsletter, I was able to view fantastic images of this year's Pitti Filati in Florence, Italy. How I wish I could have visited this exhibition to view these amazing designs. The theme was nature inspired: here is a short video of some amazing knitted sea creatures. Have you ever been inspired by sea life? Did you ever wonder what a knitted jelly fish actually looks like? Now you can, and you can create it too, for free! Thank you Norah Gaughan! This is spectacular and strange in the best ways.

Cable and Rib Halter via Tahki Stacy Charles

Beautiful free pattern designed by Irina Poludnenko. Visit Tahki Stacy Charles to open the free PDF file. The pattern suggests you knit this in a new stunning yarn called Siam by S. Charles Collezione. Siam is "a soft crepe yarn, blending silk, wool and viscose..." "It creates lightweight garments and accessories for year-round use. The classic color palette shows off an elegant hint of tonal-contrast and sheen." This unique yarn comes in five different colors. For more patterns to knit with this exact yarn, visit Tahki Stacy Charles to view the S. Charles Collezione Spring/Summer 2008 collection. source

Catherine Lerer Designs

Catherine Lerer has studied and been in this industry for years. Her experience has led her to create fabulously stylish pieces, and art installations, featuring her designs.

"My work ranges from my interests in dissecting consumer habits and culture, to reinterpreting statistical weather analysis, to investigating personal family views on art and craft. I am strongly drawn to creating garments and wearable art, as I feel clothing and apparel are the perfect hybrid of Art and Design and Craft while still being inextricably linked to the wearer's self as a conveyor to the world; making the wearing a performance, the wearer an actor and the bridge between the art and the world in which it exists." - Catherine Lerer

Lace Smocking - Fresh and Feminine

Flower trim tank featured in Vogue Knitting Spring/Summer 2008

If you purchased this issue of Vogue Knitting, you will want to view the smocking workshop that was not included in the issue, at the link above. This beautiful, feminine, and frilly tank is perfect for Spring. I could see this on a bridesmaid in a fresh Spring wedding.

Fashion Solitare

Do you love Solitare, but are so tired of the boring suits and a repetitive objective? Well, I found something just for you. It is a new and innovative game called "Fashion Solitare" where blouses and boots take the place of queens and hearts.

The game combines a traditional solitaire card game with fashion design and dressing models. One of the most interesting features is the Design Studio where you can create your own clothing, add it into your solitaire deck and then dress models with it in the game. It's an interesting twist which we're hoping will really catch on with women (and perhaps even men) of all ages.

Check out the concept/sample video on YouTube. Download the free demo version of the game here. To learn more go to http://www.largeanimal.com/

Fiber Technology in Fashion on Trendinista

Check out Trendinista's article about fashion technology. Fabrics, fibers, and fashion all go hand in hand. Be inspired!

India Inspired: Exotic Textiles

(Click on image to enlarge)

Find these exotically fabulous textiles, and more designs, at Exotic India and The Textile Museum.

Explore beautiful antique Indian textile images at TextileAsArt. See Indian textile history here.

Pink, Pouffy and Wild Bag

Fuzzy fiber handbag by Sonia Rykiel. It certainly looks squeezable. Find it here, and at http://www.soniarykiel.com/

Rowan's Latest - My suggestions to Knit

Here are a few patterns I like from Rowan's latest pattern collection:

This one is called "Trench" and it is knitted in a yarn called Cotton Glace.

This top is called "Granite" knitted in Bamboo Tape. It could be worn with or without a tank or bandeau underneath. If you wear nothing underneath this, I suggest you use Nippies fashion tape, because they work and are awesome.

These two luxurious tops were designed by Erika Knight.

Irish Inspired: Lovely Lace

Crocheted necklace at Urban Outfitters.
Donna Karan lace cardigan
Milly crochet halter dress

Floral Prints and Flowering Design Elements

Women should take complete advantage of floral prints and design elements because it is almost exclusively feminine. Other than the fact that men wear flower boutonnieres on their lapels for formal events, they almost never, if ever, wear floral prints or flowers in general. Ladies, lets keep this trend all to ourselves!

To discover more, view Betsey's Lookbook, Blooming Beautiful, at Style.com.

Stunning Embroidery - Alexander McQueen

This dress by Alexander McQueen is number ten on Vouge's Most Wanted list for this week. I fell in love with these angelic wings right away. Paired with modern sculpted heels, such as this Martinez Valero design, you are sure to make a bold, "forget-me-not" statement.

N.E.E.T. Magazine - Crocheted Bangles

N.E.E.T. Magazine, originally uploaded by neet_editor.

Check out these crocheted bangles that were featured in N.E.E.T. Magazine. Pretty!

The Baggy Cashmere Beanie

Do you like beanies? If so, do you like baggy and cashmere, beanies? If so, check out Madeline Thompson's designs. Personally, I'm not a fan of the bagginess, but beanies are cute, and definitely do the job; keep heads warm!


Note: here is a pic and article of a dress by the designer.


Here is a baggy beanie on a chinese fashion website I found.