//// Work in progress
Posted on | November 8, 2009 | 13 Comments
It’s probably mentioned here before, that my knitting blog is on hiatus, because of my identity problems as a knitter. I’ve knitted tens (or maybe tons) of sweaters — and very few of them are on actual use. I started to knit mainly my own patterns maybe bit more than year ago — but that did not actually help instantly. I was thinking about utilizing my skills and selling patterns — but when I though what actually might sell I kind of lost the touch to what I would actually love to wear.
So it was quite natural to turn the thinking process upside down and start to explore that wearability factor from my own perspective. The first result was the Light Flyweight sweater — that actually has been in use quite a lot! From knitters point of view this might be the most boring project ever, but the oversized shape, sheerness that makes it interesting piece in layering and the extreme lightness (easy to tuck, knot, twist…) makes it a really good addition to my wardrobe.
I still knit when I have time (which is not much) — and somehow exploring the loose gauge knits feels really interesting right now. Can’t deny the Rodarte influence here, but I don’t want to make copies of their beautiful pieces.
My love for layering was the starting point for this work in progress. The result will be a large gauge fitted dress with simple lace patterns. Yarn is delicious nude silk-cashmere mix, looks bit boring and wiry here, but that’s because it is lightly oiled for machine knitting (I do only handknits but industrial yarns have their advantages). The oil is washed away when the piece is finished — and the yarn will bloom beautifully. The front and back pieces are finished, started the long, fitted sleeve yesterday. I really wait to see the finished product and try it on! That’s promising…
Oh, there has been some shopping happening… …I really had to get a pair of slimlined black pants to replace my skinny black jeans — and the unfortunate PVC pants. The idea was to wait for the Jimmy Choo for H&M stuff to arrive and snatch a pair of those leather leggings. But judging from the images they indeed were quite legging-like — and in this case more pant-like solution would serve my purposes better. So I wandered through few clothes stores and checked the pant selection — and came by to these.
A single pair of slimlined stretch leather pants in my size was waiting for me in Selected Femme. The price was very reasonable (less than H&M option), fit was good and I liked the details: zippered front pockets on the hip, zippers on the leg and nice vertical seam on the middle back leg. I hope that these will be a long time companion for me!
Discussion
What do you think?
About
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Contact: kamicha (a) gmail dot com
I'm especially interested in young designers creations, non-established labels and indie fashion. So if you have something interesting to show, feel free to contact!
You can find Finnish design from both specific and some outfit posts - but both are tagged.
You might be also interested in DIY posts, How-to posts, DIY ideas - or my adventures in Etsy =).
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November 8th, 2009 @ 7:21 pm
Oh I’m glad you’re still knitting, I came by your blog through ravelry. It’s true though that what is interesting to knit is not always (or even usually) what you want to wear…The dress looks really intriguing, can’t wait to see more!
November 8th, 2009 @ 9:52 pm
Tuo verkkomainen/pitsimäinen neule näyttää kerrassaan upealta!! Sä olet kyllä tosi taitava! (Olen muuten itsekin väsäämässä kerrostamistarkoituksiin suunnattua, verkkomaista neuletoppia — lopputulos tosin ei tule näyttämään noin kauniilta ja loistokkaalta kuin tuo sinun, mutta luulenpa että tulen silti käyttämään sitä melkoisesti.)
Ja onnea nahkahousujen löytämisestä! Kyseisiä Selectedin housuja olen kuullut jonkun muunkin kehuvan: hinta ja laatu lienevät noissa todellakin kohdallaan! Sääli että mä näytän naurettavalta mustissa nahkahousuissa — ne olis niin mageet.
November 8th, 2009 @ 10:08 pm
Can’t wait to see the dress finished!
I actually like to knit “boring” pieces — I have no patience for complicated instructions, and I’m too lazy/selfish to knit anything I don’t want to wear everyday… Might even try something like your flyweight sweater, when I finish my current Project.
On another note — I’ve also tried those Selected pants, they felt and looked really good on! Have to admit, leather is so much nicer than any PVC or whatever.
November 8th, 2009 @ 11:15 pm
Wow thats fabulous. I would definatley buy it if I saw it in a shop. x
November 9th, 2009 @ 6:55 am
your dress looks really pretty and not in the least boring. i like the idea of long fitted sleeves on it.
and i agree about current knitting patterns. most of them are uninspiring and i too have a shelf full of handknit and infrequently worn sweaters even though i live in a sweater climate.
i love your lightweight mohair sweater though and am glad you are wearing it a lot.
November 9th, 2009 @ 2:03 pm
You wrote about what I’ve been stretching around in my mind recently. To what extent do the “audience’s” expectations dictate what you as a “performer” will produce? Or, the other way round: how much do you as a performer allow yourself to be influenced by what the audience wants to see? Should you care? Probably, if you need to sell something. What if you don’t need to sell anything? I replaced the words in brackets by buyer/artist, reader/writer.
Finding the balance between “selling your soul” and “creative liberty”.
November 9th, 2009 @ 2:24 pm
queen of boring here says that boring is great. looking forward to seeing the finished product!
November 9th, 2009 @ 3:32 pm
funny, i was listening to the first music piece you posted in the previous post when i was looking at the knit dress pattern. it was a very harmonic experience. those knitted things easily look hippy-boho on me for some reason, but i like how they look. i will start my knitting today with mohair.
and Selected really does some great stuff. the style is usually very mine, so to say. leather pants i dont dare wear.
but just bought 3 pairs of skinnies from H&M with 20% discount. i have 10 pairs of black pants. 
November 9th, 2009 @ 7:33 pm
What an amazing dress! Are you planning on sharing the pattern?
November 9th, 2009 @ 8:59 pm
Mulla on ollut neulojana vähän samanlaista ongelmaa kuin sulla — vuosia sitten neuloin kaapin täyteen neuleita, joita en koskaan käyttänyt. Sitten kärräsin ne kirppikselle ja olin monta vuotta neulomatta mitään. Nyt olen aloittelemassa hommaa uudelleen, ja olen tehnyt vastaavan lupauksen kuin sinä — suunnittelen itse omat mallini. Lähinnä ajanpuutteen vuoksi olen toistaiseksi keskittynyt asusteisiin, mutta nyt suunnittelen jo puseron neulomista.
Ristiriita taitaa tulla usein just siitä, että vaatteet, joita tykkää käyttää, ovat tylsiä neulottavia ja haasteelliset ja kiinnostavat neuletyöt taas ovat helposti irrallaan muusta tyylistä. Itse pohdin just omassa blogissani sitä, kuinka neuleohjeet tarjoillaan usein irrallaan muusta pukeutumisesta — siinähän käy helposti niin, ettei sitä oikein osaa ottaa itsekään huomioon, vaan suhtautuu neulomiseen jotenkin erillisenä harrastuksena eikä osana omaa tyyliä.
November 10th, 2009 @ 12:43 am
Welcome, Kate!
Anna, en vielä uskalla antaa nahkahousuille lopullista tuomiota, ne ovat olleet jalassa vasta kerran. Mutta kyseessä oli sentään pikkujoulu, eli ihan turhasta eivät hajoa. Odottelen verkkopaitasi virallista julkistusta!
sugar kane, yeah, boring knits can be knitted almost eyes closed — or you can treat yourself with some mediocre — or slightly better — movie while knitting. And LF is definitely for your wardrobe!
Jasmine,
michele, yes, the knitting phase can be interesting, but the result — blah. You have knitted some Habu textiles patterns if I remember right, have you liked those in use?
May, that is really a good question. And if someone succeeds in field of art or design, populism or too commercial view are common accusations from critics. I think that pleasing the markets can’t be the starting point when a designer or artist is searching her own style… …but the more commercial are the end products the more she should be able to stretch her vision to please the crowds. I think that when industrial designer still wants to put her name on the label there probably is something good going on. And that reminds me of good article on Helsingin Sanomat, why don’t the architects put their names to all those new buildings…
stellagee, u r not boring!
Lisa, this is my first Selected piece, but I have to say that I have been tempted before!
Linda, perhaps… …depends if this really works out — and how lazy ass I will be…
Heh, ihan sama kokemus, tosin kirpparille ei tainut mennä mitään, mutta sanotaanko niin, että tuttavapiiri on villapaidoissa… Ja olen kyllä samaa mieltä tuosta arvelemastasi syystä. Ehkä nuo Wenlan Chian neuleet ovat toimineet minulle juuri siksi, että nainen suunnittelee vaatteita varsin monipuolisesti — ja kirjat ovat aina hyvin stailattuja. Toki neulemallit ovat usein konservatiivisia myös siksi, että “ajattoman” neuleen ajatellaan helposti olevan kaiken sen vaivan arvoinen — mikä tietysti kumoutuu sitten tuolla käyttämättömyydellä…
November 11th, 2009 @ 5:03 am
kamicha — i am moving your blog to my daily read … often you discuss something that really echo with what i have been thinking … i need to keep up with your post — they always have something striking me .… what you wrote here is really one of the main topic i’ve been going back and forth .… for right now, let’s just put it: it’s complicate!… i think it has so much to do with who we are and where we at and how clear vision we have .… and since we change all the time, such relationship between us and our passion also evolve for good or worth .… xx
November 11th, 2009 @ 2:44 pm
Minullakin on nuo Selected Femmen nahkahousut, ja ne ovat olleet kyllä jokaisen senttinsä arvoiset!
Myös minä tykkään kutomisesta (käytän tätä virheellistä termiä, koska se on kotimurrettani), mutta tuppaan olemaan niin lyhytjännitteinen, että mun neuleprojektit valmistuvat noin kahdessa vuodessa (kolmessa päivässä voi valmistua kolmannes projektista, mutta seuraavan kerran saan tartuttua puikkoihin vasta vuoden päästä…). Mielelläni näkisin enemmänkin omia neuleitasi ja/tai kudottuja neuleasusteitasi täällä inspiroivassa blogissasi!