New Design: Atika

Posted on February 18, 2015 by Linda Marveng

Hearts of Oak is an attractive stitch pattern I came across last summer, and just had to use in a design. The sculptural feel it gives make the texture stand out. Judith Bech has designed a stunning felted wool dress in exactly the same grayish aqua color I choose for my swatch made in the luscious Du Store Alpakka, Dreamline Soul held together with Pickles Merino Tweed using a 4 mm/US 6 needles. A large cowl to cover your shoulders or neck that can also be worn as a tight wrapped top together with matching loose sleeves was my solution to grace Judith’s dress.

Fabulous knitter, Grete Jenssen, aka ma9 on Ravelry, agreed to knit the sample for me and to assist on deciding how to work the increases as well as whether to work them in the round or flat. It is a stitch pattern that is harder to work flat since the centering stitches on each side does not seem flow naturally, in my opinion. Grete found a great solution to increasing by working them on either side of the pattern increase or decrease, and suggested knitting both in the round for ease. Ideal solutions, I think! Thank you, Grete!

Above it is worn as a tight top with a twist around the neck. I know this is a style that does not suit everyone, but I love how it transforms the cowl completely. You can easily add or remove pattern repeats to both the width and the height of the loop, depending on how you prefer to wear it. The loop is worked straight without any increasing while the loose sleeves have increases on the inside of them, and a thin round elastic cord thread through the top to keep them in place around the upper arm.

It can also be worn twice around the neck if preferred. All these photos of me wearing it are, as usual, taken by my husband. You can look forward to seeing the gobsmacking photos photographer Eivind Røhne took of gorgeous model Alexandria Eissinger at Pholk beautifully styled by Sissel Fylling, wearing that stunning matching dress by Judith Bech and divine shoes by Monica Stålvang. The Norwegian pattern will be published in Familien Trend, out on Monday 23. February, while I plan to test knit the English pattern in my Ravelry group before releasing it.

New Design: Gyda

Posted on February 14, 2015 by Linda Marveng

A turquoise fitted cable jacket had to be part of the Nordic Vintage series, I realized as soon as I saw the aqua colors Monica Stålvang had chosen for her Spring/Summer collection. My chosen yarn was the pure wool Ask in Light Green Turquoise 6584 (read: why had I not used this color of Ask before?) knitted on a 3.5 mm/US 4. Very fitted just like the Tyrol Jacket, but with a deeper v-neck and a cable panel that would fit even on the shoulders, was my plan. Instead of 10 or 11 small buttons, I opted for only 3, to be attached just before the v-neck, and I knew instantly that I wanted them bespoke by Siri Berrefjord. Not only are they like small pieces of jewelry, but since I wanted to make this jacket worn with one of Judith Bech’s stunning dresses, I needed them to be outstanding. Above is a photograph of me wearing size S but without the buttons.

I decided to knit the fronts and the back flat, while the sleeves are knitted in the round. On the front and the sleeve I could fit in one cable panel as opposed to three on the back. I made sure that all the shaping could be done in stockinette stitch in the sides and at the neck. The button band is a double hem just as the one at the bottom of each part. I prefer to knit it flat, then fold and sew it neatly on the wrong side by hand to keep it flat, but you could easily use two circular needles and use one as a stitch holder and then knit the two together or use a different method if you prefer.

Framing the cables on the back, like a textured painting make the back as beautiful as the front in my opinion. Before I end the cable panel, I gather the cables together to capture their texture instead of leaving them to a flat end. You can also easily see the flattering shape of the jacket. I have later added a size XS so that the pattern is available in sizes XS to 2XL, with a finished bust measurement of 84 to 126 cm/33 to 49.5″. Of course I could not resist the temptation of combining this beautiful turquoise color with a melange Light Farm Blue 6537 in Ask and a tonal brown made by Huldra Kamgarn held together with Du Store Alpakka, Dreamline Soul. A Tweed Belt to lengthen the jacket, yes with Siri Berrefjord’s buttons – this time with a brown base – as well as a large Butterfly Cowl. The belt is shaped and come in the same sizes as the jacket, while the cowl is one size both can easily be adjusted in width and length. I love being able to wear the cowl as a belt too, see bottom photo.

I had fabulous help knitting the Butterfly Cowl and the Tweed Belt from Airin Hansen. The accessories were knitted after the jacket hence the two different photo shoots you can see above, all the photos are taken by my husband.

Last here is a photo showing the cowl worn as a belt, where you can see the lace panels, divided by reverse stockinette stitch that make up the Butterfly Cowl. The Norwegian pattern will be published in Familien Trend on 23. February, while I will begin the test knit of the English pattern in my Ravelry group in March before publishing it.

New Design: Eira

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Linda Marveng

A sporty looking cowl with a matching belt knitted in a reverisble rice pattern closed with snap fasteners was the idea for Eira; A Norse name meaning merciful. A thin drapey mercerized cotton called Hifa, Perle held doubled, seemed ideal for these accessories. Gorgeous model Alexandria Eissinger at Pholk, brilliantly styled by Sissel Fylling, is wearing a beautiful linen silver printed dress by Judith Bech and perfect flats called Elisabetta black by Monica Stålvang, all magically captured by photographer Eivind Røhne at Hvalstrand Bad. The Norwegian pattern will be published in the Nordic Vintage series in the new magazine Familien Trend which takes over after Made by Me, out on the 23. February.

The Eira sample was knitted by my neighbor Karin Placht during her summer holiday to my utter satisfaction. I was so delighted to have help knitting the smaller pieces for this Nordic Vintage series so that I could concentrate on the larger projects. Perle from Hifa gives a very crisp stitch definition even more highlighted when the yarn is held double using a 4 mm/US 6 needle. The cowl, or loop if you prefer, can be worn draped over the shoulders as above, twice around the neck as below or hanging loose at the front.

Both Cowl and Belt are knitted flat. The Cowl is cast on with a provisional cast-on using waste yarn which is removed at the end so that it can be grafted or bound off with 3 needles to join into a loop. The Belt only comes in one size but can easily be adjusted to your preferred waist length by adding or removing pattern repeats. It is closed with snap fasteners and has a folded hem. The English pattern will be released on Ravelry shortly after Familien Trend is published.

New Design: Freja

Posted on February 7, 2015 by Linda Marveng

I was spellbound by Judith Bech’s black fringed skirt with a train the moment I saw it, and knew I wanted to make a sleeveless top with a similar shape. To contrast the marvelous texture of the skirt, a delicate lace panel swatch knitted in Du Store Alpakka, Dreamline Soul held together with Pickles Merino Tweed using a 4 mm/US 6 needle was chosen. Freja, named after the goddess of love with the added meaning of like a lady, is knitted with a longer back shaped at the bottom. Three lace panels are centered on both the back and front with garter stitch bands and vents in the side, hence having the possibility of adding a belt to the front part. My initial plan with a longer back with a train, but I soon realized that I could not add too much extra fabric on the back to keep the lines sleek. The result was less shaping, first by short rows in garter stitch then by decreasing a few times in between the lace panels. It did not take me long to design an accessory for it; a chocker. The pattern is part of the Nordic Vintage series to be published in Norwegian in Familien Trend, out on 23. of February.

Above, you can clearly see the shaping at the bottom of the back. I did not want the shaping to continue too high up to avoid making the bottom part shaped like a fan. The front I decided to keep straight, to create a clean line and so that it would hang well on the body. I knitted back and front separately, but chose to knit the neckband and armhole band in the round. Below you can see the chocker made of one lace panel with garter stitch edges on all sides. For a closure I attached 3 small snap fasteners.

The art deco interior at Hvalstrand Bad was ideal for this particular shade of turquoise, with a similar shade painted on the wall. There is no doubt in my mind that Alexandria Eissinger at Pholk wears Freja like a goddess! I will share all the brilliant photos Eivind Røhne took soon, do not worry.

New Design: Hillevi

Posted on February 4, 2015 by Linda Marveng

One of my infatuations is reversible scarfs, and the different ways they can be worn. You can follow the development of these, as if it was a design series that started with the Cable On Scarf, recently published in Norwegian, followed by; Scarftex and now the latest; Hillevi. I had reached the conclusion that I wanted to add a shawl collar along the scarf’s length to make it more wearable: Wear it as a scarf with the collar tight around your neck, or as a shawl with the collar around your shoulders. You can even wear it upside down with the collar as a shaped curve, or as a top around your bust pinned together with a shawl pin. Hillevi was designed for the Nordic Vintage series I made in collaboration with dress designer Judith Bech and shoe designer Monica Stålvang to be published in Norwegian in Familien Trend out on 23. of February. Again, just as I did for Scarftex, I choose to hold Rowan Lima and Rowan Fine Tweed together but in two shades of blue this time. Grete Jenssen knitted the sample for me, to my relief and utter satisfaction.

This is how Hillevi looks worn as a scarf, with the collar lying flat around the neck. The lighter shade of the Rowan Fine Tweed, called Skipton, creates an extra depth of color to the deeper blue Rowan Lima, called Amazon. Even with both the two yarns together, it was knitted with a 5.5 mm/US 9 to make the cables pop. The reversible staghorn cables I found in Lily Chin’s book on Power Cables. I choose to use garter stitch on all the edges and the collar. All these great photos are taken by my husband in our garden in the warm mid-September last year.

Above the scarf is worn as a shawl upside down with the collar hanging loose. As you can see one center stitch makes up a spine in the collar with increases on each side to give the shawl collar extra fullness. In addition I choose to shape it by working a large number of short rows.

This is how the scarf looks worn as a top around the bust, pinned together with a shawl pin. I just left the excess scarf to flare at the front. I love the result with the full shape of the shawl collar visible and its sculptural look. The pick up row along the length of the scarf is visible but it only adds texture to it, in my opinion.

From behind, the middle stitch on the collar makes a decorative spine. The first small swatch I made looked stunning on Judith’s folded dress in olive green silk with a blue shine to it. So both the dress and the swatch was chosen for the collection. As you can imagine model Alexandria Eissinger at Pholk looked gorgeous wearing them both and brilliant photographer Eivind Røhne captured it all. To be continued.

Exit Made by Me, Enter Familien Trend

Posted on January 31, 2015 by Linda Marveng

No more Made by Me magazines will be made, but as one magazine exits another one enters. Welcome, Familien Trend! Hence my series due to be published in Made by Me out on the 2nd. of February will instead be published in Familien Trend out on the 23rd. of February. Despite this change all my 10 designs will be published in Familien Trend, I am relieved to tell you even though it means a longer wait. So today I will share a few more sneak peaks from the unbelievable photo shoot we had at Hvalstrand Bad before I begin to present each design separately. One of the sights that totally blew me away was seeing the gorgeous Alexandria Eissinger at Pholk; beautiful hair and make-up by Sissel Fylling; wearing Judith Bech’s wonderful felted wool dress in aqua with my matching Atika design; Kaja Gjedebo’s stunning Paper & Scissors silver earrings and Monica Stålvang’s amazing Elena shoes in blue; all brilliantly captured by photographer Eivind Røhne. The shoes did not fit in the picture and were photographed separately, see below. Atika consists of a loop with matching loose sleeves, all knitted in the round with Du Store Alpakka, Dreamline Soul, a lace weight alpaca mix, held together with Pickles Merino Tweed, a fingering/4 ply using a 4 mm/US 6.

Here is the continuation of the photo and a close up of the Elena Blue shoes by Monica Stålvang. The aqua colors were initially hard to match without choosing baby yarns hence I begin to choose deeper colors, due to the natural distance between garment and shoes. By mixing a melange alpaca color and a tweed yarn in a similar shade, the tone turned towards grey and the yarn created had a marvelous stitch definition.

Hennika, a delicate cropped lace jacket with a scarf collar, knitted in Ask by Hifa, a sport weight/5 ply, worn over Judith Bech’s stunning light blue halterneck dress with a high waist with layers of tulle on top of silk (see Facebook) together with Elisabetta blue flat shoes. To create more volume around the neck, I folded the scarf collar in half before I pinned it together with a shawl pin. It is knitted separately and sewn on afterwards. The sleeves are knitted in the round, while the fronts and back is knitted flat, all using a 3.5 mm/US 4 needle. The solid but worn parquet flooring tiles created a stunning contrast to the blue tulle of the dress, we all agreed before testing with a chair for Alexandria to sit on. The chair worked well for showing the sleeve and the back. More photos will come, project by project while we are waiting for the new Familien Trend magazine to hit the shelves.

Linda Marveng

Knit wear designer and author

Tag Archives: Familien Trend