Marilla in Clotheshorse Magazine

Cropped wholeThe latest, and unfortunately the final, issue of the digital Clotheshorse Magazine is out. It is with a heavy heart that editor and designer Mindy Gayle announces it, but she and co-editor designer Heather Dixon will both continue to design. I am very grateful that my designs have been selected to be part of this fashion forward knitting and crochet magazine. New friendships have been made, new lessons have been learnt, so thank you very much, Clotheshorse for your approval of my design submissions and excellent co-operation through the last few years! My last design for Clotheshorse is Marilla. Inspired by their Underwater Love mood board and blue shades into lime, yellows, gold and silver, I choose a hand-dyed silk with petit glass beads; Beaded Lace from Tilli Tomas in Jade. This is how I introduced the pattern in my submission: “A divine, generous lace top with a draped front and a shorter back to let the folds at the front rule. Knitted in a divine silk with beads attached from Tilli Tomas in an easy reversible lace pattern without any bands”. Brilliantly photographed by Heather Dixon and beautifully worn by Mindy Gayle.

10604576_683278431754419_445553872311392102_oThe top is available in four sizes with these finished measurements: Chest 31.25 (40, 45, 48.5)”/79.5 (101.5, 114.5, 123) cm. Construction notes: It is worked in two parts, from bottom and up. The front has a triangular shape with a wider bottom to make the draped front, while the back is straight and shorter than the front to allow the front to hang. To avoid the holes growing too large, since silk grows during blocking, I choose to use a 2.5 mm/US 1.5 needle.

10623480_683278338421095_4729111284551578805_oTilli Tomas Beaded Lace is made of 100% silk has 150 m/168 yards on it. The stitch pattern I chose is from Lynne Barr’s excellent book: Reversible Knitting. Under notes in the pattern you will find this information: “This pattern will open up when blocked, so make sure to knit a gauge swatch to ensure correct sizing. The center stitch of the front is marked to correctly place the increases and pattern on the front; this marked stitch is referred to in the pattern as the center stitch. You may find it easier to place the center increases and pattern by moving the locking marker up every few rows. The front is wider than the back, and there may be a gap near the bottom of the armholes. If desired, when the top is complete, try it on and mark any gap. Sew a small dart, tapering to a point away from the armhole edge.”

10533858_683278308421098_4680693657753762598_oI was so delighted with all the photos in the magazine, including the close-up of the stitch pattern, and the stunning beach location. Especially the last photo below which seem to draw you in.

10518342_683278385087757_3858898363888083325_oYou will find more pattern information on Ravelry, and do take a look at this magic last issue of Clotheshorse.

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New Released Pattern: Eligia Top & Cowl

Eligia Top & Cowl EOne year ago, this pattern was featured in the digital magazine Clotheshorse (see archive) and now the rights have come back to me. It is now available in both English and Norwegian from my Ravelry Store, see ravelry.com/stores/linda-marveng.

ELIGIA TOP AND COWL

An elegant evening look, with Gothic aspirations was my aim for this top and cowl. The result was a fitted allover lace sweater with puffed sleeves and a straight boatneck, knitted in a yarn with sheen, and smooth to the touch in deep purple. Tencel is a fiber I love knitting with since it only needs to be stretched into shape, and feels like silk, hence selected for this set. Eligia means the chosen one, and so it was by Clotheshorse; first published in No. 3 Winter 2012-2013.

Size: S (M, L, XL, XXL)

Finished Measurements: Top:                                                                                             Bust: 92.5 (98, 101.5, 105.5, 109) cm/ 36.5 (38.5, 40, 41.5, 43)”                                             Waist: 80 (85, 89, 92.5, 98) cm/ 31.5 (33.5, 35, 36.5, 38.5)”                                              Length:                        55 cm/21.5″,                                                                                              Sleeve length:             45.5 cm/18″.                                                                                                 Cowl: Circumference 59.5 cm/23.5″, height 34.5 cm/13.5″

Yarn: Valley Yarns 8/2 Tencel in Eggplant (100% Lyocell, 1lb/454g, 3360yds/3675m): 1 (1, 1, 2, 2) Cones: 2833 (3238, 3640, 4045, 4450) m/ 3098 (3541, 3981, 4424, 4867) yds used for top and an extra 809 m/885 yds used for cowl yarn or handweavers.

Note: Yarn is held double throughout pattern.

Alternative yarns: Jaggerspun Zephyr Wool-Silk 2/18 held double (50% merino, 50% tussah silk, 454 g/1lb, 5040 yds/ 4609 m) jaggeryarn.                                                          Drops, Lace held double (70% alpaca, 30% silk, 800 m/ 874 yds, 100 g) garnstudio.

Needles: 3 mm/US 2.5 straight needles, 3 mm/US 2.5 circular knitting needle 80 cm/32″, 3 mm/US 2.5 circular knitting needle 60 cm/24″ for cowl or size needed to obtain gauge

Notions: 24 Stitch markers, 2 Stitch holders, cotton thread if not using Tencel to puff sleeves and yarn needle

Gauge: 29 sts and 38 rows in rev st st using 3 mm/US 2.5 needles and 2 strands of yarn held together equals 10 cm/4″ square. 17 sts in Lace Panel using 3 mm/US 2.5 needles and 2 strands of yarn held together equals 6.5 cm/2.5″. Or size needed to obtain gauge.

Notes: The sleeves are knitted first and worked flat to learn the stitch pattern, while the body and the cowl is knitted in the round. The pullover has puffed sleeves, made by increasing each side of the middle pattern repeat, and puffed by hand and then set in. If not using Tencel, use cotton thread so the yarn will be strong enough to pull the sts together. The body is shaped between each of Lace Panels. The rev st st between each Lace Panel varies in stitch count depending on size chosen.

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LaChaise in Clotheshorse Fall/Winter 2013

lachaise1My design has been published in the recently published Fall/Winter issue of Clotheshorse digital magazine. I am delighted with Heather Dixon’s photography and styling as well as the stunning model, Natalie! In my design submission in response to their experimental mood board, I wrote: “Tyrol Scarf and Loose Sleeves. An experiment with layered tucks and a patterned cable results in an exciting scarf with matching loose sleeves. I adore these Tyrol cables with their flower bud shapes and the contrasting tucks at each end. The layered tucks create a sculptural feel and add drama to the bottom of the loose sleeves. Both are knitted in the round to form a tube of textured volume.” I suggested knitting it in Madeline Tosh DK in Composition Grey but Clotheshorse selected the much softer and more divine Blue Sky Alpacas Metalico in 50% alpaca, 50% mulberry silk in the natural color of Platinum, see blueskyalpacas. Each skein is 50 g with 135 m/147 yds, so you will need 13 for the scarf and 5 for the loose sleeves or 17 for the set and 3.5 mm/US 4 circular needles. Here is a link directly to the pattern page: issuu.com/clotheshorse.

lachaise2The scarf is worked in the round, bottom up in two parts; first: tucks and cables and second: opposite tucks to make the tuck layers identical. The parts are knitted together with a 3 needle bind off. The loose sleeves have elastic in the encasing at the top (or knitted in elastic, if preferred), in addition to a cord which can be tied onto the scarf at cable crossings when worn around the shoulders and fastened with a shawl pin or tucked into the end, see photograph below taken by my husband. One loose sleeve also looks nice worn as a small scarf around the neck.

DSC_2492The most popular of the 25 designs in this issue of Clotheshorse is the cabled cardigan; Hardy by Kristen Tendyke, see ravelry, while I prefer the spiked shoulder jacket; Hepworth by Ruth Roland, see ravelry. Here are all the designs presented on Ravelry; clotheshorse-fall-winter-2013/patterns but do not miss the Runway Reports in the magazine itself, see clotheshorsemag. Thank you, Clotheshorse!

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Finish-Free Knits by Kristen Tendyke

Scan 133160001I know at lot of knitters who prefer to minimize the amount of finishing and especially avoid sewing if they can. Kristen Tendyke encourages every knitter to try an unfamiliar technique in her introduction, and I want to see what I can learn. Beginning a shrug with the cable panel at the centre of the back and then picking up stitches on each side of the panel is a smart solution, I had not considered in any detail. While shaping lace by working with different needle sizes is a technique I know and have used. There are several top-down projects worth studying as well as tips on how to avoid puckering at the underarms. My favorite part of the book is how to shape set-in sleeves while working in the round and it will be my homework for now. At Amazon you can see inside the book: Finish-Free-Knits-No-Sew-Garments-Classic and on her website you can see all the 20 projects presented: kristentendyke. Kristen Tendyke is also an technical editor for the digital magazine Clotheshorse where my second pattern just have been featured. More details will follow.

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Clotheshorse Mood Board

Yes, it is time again to send in another design submission to the fashionable knitting and crochet magazine Clotheshorse, this time for their Spring/Summer 2014 issue. Out of the four inspiring mood boards, one jumped right at me: “Underwater Love”, it was the colours in addition to all the floating shapes that did it. I have found a yarn I want to use – that is not too difficult – but the stitch pattern took a bit longer and the shape of the garment do make my head spin. There are way too many “what if” at the moment, so it is a good thing that I have a limited amount of time to come up with a proposal and have my Creative Director (read: husband) draw a sketch. The deadline is 15. June and I will keep you posted on the outcome. Check out their Spring/Summer 2013 issue here: clotheshorsemag.

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The Day Job: Made By Me

The latest issue of Made By Me came out on Monday, here in Norway. I have not submitted any designs, but I have written some of the picture texts, translated a number of the patterns from English into Norwegian, and formatted a number of the patterns. That is one part of my day job, the other much larger part is the translation of the previous issues of Made By Me – 3 in total – into English for both the UK and the US market where it will be sold as an app. The popular magazine covers Knitting, Crocheting, Sewing and Crafts and the latest issue contains a whopping 92 patterns, printed in a separate booklet. I love reading the designer portraits, the trend reports as well as studying the designs!

My favorite designs in this issue are by acknowledged Norwegian designers Ann-Kristin Knardal: an Inca inspired series of garments in alpaca – see below, Sidsel Høivik: an elegant outfit in layers with a matching bag decorated with buttons – see button set: knappesett, and Nina Granlund Sæther whose book: Putefest is presented with 2 patterns, read my post: putefestcushion-party. The formerly bi-annual now quarterly magazine is published by Egmont Hjemmet Mortensen, designer is Tine Solheim, see tinesolheim – I am listed under Diagram og Oversetting/Chart and Translation, since you ask – and it has a Swedish version. Its conquest continues…

Design Update: I am pleased to let you know that Clotheshorse has accepted my design submission for their Fall/Winter 2013 issue!

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