Pont des Arts Skirt

Hoo boy. You know, I don't self-publish often, and when I do it's a fairly anxiety-producing, nailbiting experience. You never know if your pattern is going to be a big hit or a massive flop, and today's pattern is no exception. I give you: The Pont des Arts Skirt!

Pont des Arts Skirt|

I happen to really love this skirt; I love the versatility of high-waisted pencil skirts, and this one is knit in a particularly luxurious yarn from Artyarns. Ensemble Light is a 2-ply (I'm gonna call it fingering weight) yarn composed of 50% cashmere and 50% silk. And if that isn't enough to sell you on it, I can personally attest to the amazing yumminess of both the yarn and the resulting fabric.

Top-down construction with an elastic waistband

The construction here is top-down seamless, naturally. There's an elastic waistband and a neat folded hem at the bottom. The fabric contains tiny purl stripes to keep the look a little bit funky, but don't worry - the stripes are small enough not to be unflattering to your figure! This fabric is actually meant to be reminscent of the wildly popular bandage skirts. I gotta keep my girls sexy! ;)

 

Show off those curves!

 

I could see this skirt being worn a multitude of ways. Dress it up for a sexy night out on the town as pictured above, or dress it down with an untucked tshirt and some cute flats. You could even wear it to the office! I'm in the midst of designing a companion piece to wear with this too, in case you want to go all-knitwear. (It's going to be a lovely, floaty, high-low tank, in case you're dying to know.) In the meantime, here are a couple of inspirations for you:

 
Wear it casually!

Wear it to the office!

The Pont des Arts Skirt is now on sale for $6.00, and you can buy it here even if you don't have a Ravelry account!

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Getting to Know You #10: Susan Crawford

Today we have an extra special feature on the blog as part of the Getting to Know You series of interviews, and it's a book review! Not just any book, either - an entire book devoted to knits styled after the royal family! Its Coronation Knits, from fashion historian Susan Crawford.

Coronation Knits, by Susan Crawford

Now, it should be pretty clear at this point that I am a ridiculous fan of the royal family. I've pretty much been obsessed with them since I was a small child. You'll read a bit more about that below, so for now I'll just say that when I first heard about this book I went completely bonkers. When I got my digital copy to look over, it didn't disappoint, either. The entire collection is themed around Elizabeth II's days as a style icon (think 1950's glam), and there's more than enough here to make any contemporary fashionista squee with delight. Drawing inspiration from women's magazines of the day, there are fresh new versions of 1950's lace patterns, colorwork motifs, even cardigans, all executed with impeccable flair. Each pattern includes a quick story about what inspired the piece and why it relates back to the royal family, which I found particularly wonderful. This book is chock full of royal tidbits, and if that and the incredible patterns and spot-on styling weren't enough, the styling of the format is to die for, too. I can't wait to add the print copy to my library, because this is one that I'll want to show off for the sheer beauty of it. Okay, enough raving! On to the interview....

Susan Crawford, author of Coronation Knits

TSK: As someone who's long been obsessed with the royal family, I love that you've written an entire book devoted to their style. But what on earth possessed you to do it?

SC: I have collected memorabilia from the early twentieth century onwards for many years which includes stories and photos of the royal family. However when I was a child I used to sit and look through a scrap book that my mum had put together when she was young which focussed entirely on the then princess Elizabeth and her sister Margaret. Mum always said that the two princesses were considered the style icons of their day, just as Diana was in the 1980s and Kate is today. Mum styled her hair the same as the princesses and looking at old photos of her, I can also see a lot of similarity in the style of clothing that she wore. Mum’s scrap book continues through Elizabeth’s marriage to Philip and then on through the Coronation. Added to this the fabulous memorabilia I had, such as the magazine containing the illustrated Royal Route used as the backdrop throughout the book, and it was just too much to resist. Also my mum had a severe stroke nearly three years ago now but is still managing to knit and still remembers the scrap book, and it just seemed appropriate to put something together that she would also love.

Diamonds are Forever: The shape! The diamonds! The perfect red lipstick!

TSK: I love that backdrop! I could look at that for days. I'm glad you've included a photo of it in its entirety at the back of the book. Who is your favorite member of the royal family (current or long dead)? Why?

SC: Ooh now. I love kings and queens of the past. Elizabeth I is probably one of my favourites. To maintain control when all around her were looking for ways to get rid of her was an incredible achievement. And she was strong and cool and independent. She also created her own style and was copied by women everywhere. So I’m going for Elizabeth I.

The Crowning Glory beret features a lovely crown motif!

TSK:Oh, Elizabeth I! I love that you answered that. She was indeed an incredible monarch, and what an incredible era for fashion, too...  Last year, I got out of bed at 3 in the morning, put on my finest hand-knit dress and the tiara I wore to my own wedding, and drove across town to watch Prince William marry Katherine at an event attended by at least 1,000 other viewers. (Consequently, I got on the local news...)When Princess Diana died, I seriously considered hopping the pond to see her funeral procession in person. Did you watch either of the last two royal wedding processionals in person, or have you ever seen any of the royal family in person?
SC: I didn’t get to see any of the recent royal weddings in person as unfortunately I live towards the other end of the country and it was therefore much easier to watch on the TV. That way I could see all the detail and get a good look at what everyone was wearing. I also remember sitting motionless in front of the TV for hours after Diana’s death was announced. It really didn’t seem real. I have been at one or two events where royalty was present but I’m afraid I’ve yet to meet any of them in person! My friend’s auntie however received an OBE (Order of the British Empire) last year and my friend went to the palace with her and therefore ‘nearly’ met the Queen!

TSK: I remember hearing about Diana's accident as clear as day. It happened the day I got my ears pierced, I'll never forget that. I was glued to the television as soon as we heard about the crash, and the shock when the final announcement about her death was made was pretty unbelievable. As to staying home to watch the latest royal wedding, I can totally understand wanting to see everything up close. There was so much to see! I suppose standing out on the street would give you only a glimpse, although if I'd been in the country, I wouldn't have been able to help myself. Okay Susan, last question: What makes you feel sexy?

SC: Feeling positive about myself and being happy with who I am. Its taken a long time for me to get there, but now, for most of the time at least, I am happy in my own skin and that makes me feel good.

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Big thanks to Susan for stopping by the blog; you can check out the other stops on the Coronation Knits blog tour here:

8th June	Susan Crawford	http://justcallmeruby.blogspot.co.uk/
12th June 2012	Jean Moss	http://jeanmosshandknits.blogspot.co.uk/
16th June 2012	Jen Arnall-Culliford	http://jenacknitwear.typepad.com/
18th June 2012	Helene Magnusson	http://helenemagnusson.blogspot.co.uk/
20th June 2012	Knitting magazine	http://www.knittinginstitute.co.uk/
24th June 2012	Ingrid Murnane	http://ingridmurnane.com/
28th June 2012	Felicity Ford	http://thedomesticsoundscape.com/wordpress/
29th June 2012	Donna Druchunas	http://sheeptoshawl.com/
7th July 2012	Karina Westermann	http://www.fourth-edition.co.uk/
2nd July 2012	Simply Knitting magazine	http://simplyknitting.themakingspot.com/blog
6th July 2012	Ruth Garcia-Alcantud	http://www.rockandpurl.com/blog/
10th July 2012	Tasha Moss	http://blog.bygumbygolly.com/
14th July 2012	Tom van Deijnen	http://tomofholland.com/
18th July 2012	Woolly	http://www.woollywormhead.com/blog/
22nd July 2012	Mim	http://www.crinolinerobot.blogspot.co.uk/

Susan has generously offered up a copy of Coronation Knits to one lucky commenter! All you need to do to enter is leave a comment stating who your favorite member of the royal family is. If, after you leave a comment, you're on Twitter and would like an extra entry, just tweet the following:

I've just entered to win a copy of Coronation Knits from @astitchintime and @thesexyknitter! Come join the fun: http://tinyurl.com/gtky10

I'll announce the winner on August 1st. The winner will have 3 days to contact me to claim their prize, and if I don't hear from them by August 3rd, I'll draw another winner. So make sure to come back and see if you've won!

Speaking of winners, are you looking for the winner of the Olga's Vest giveaway, in conjunction with Gra2

Helezula Luxury Fibers? It's Susan Poulter, aka zuzu! Congrats Susan, you have until midnight central time on Saturday, July 28th, to claim your prize! Please write me at sarahATsexyknitter.com with your mailing address and (if applicable), Ravelry ID!

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Getting to Know You #9: Grace Akhrem

Today's guest is a designer whose work carries a fashion sensibility so close to my own wardrobe, I find myself drooling over practically everything she designs. It's none other than the fabulous Grace Akhrem, and if you're not familiar with her work you should go queue it all immediately, then come back here and read the rest of the interview.

I first met Grace last June at TNNA, and she immediately made me feel welcome hanging out with all the cool kids. Grace's fantastic, low-key personality punctuated by hilarious outbursts of sarcastic commentary meant we hit it off right away, and I'm honored to count her among my professional friends. Every time I walked by her booth last month at the show, she had out some new sample that I had to stop and pet and try on and attempt to stuff into my giant knitting bag. (No luck though, some people are just SO touchy about stealing!) ;)

Here's Grace, modeling her Grace Headband.

One of Grace's most ingenius designs is a tribute to another knitwear designer; it's called Olga's Vest and can be styled in over 12 ways! Grace is heading up a knitalong for this pattern beginning August 4th for anyone who's interested, and you can find more details about that here.

 Grace's Olga's Vest KAL begins on August 4th, hosted in her Ravelry group.

Let's move on to the questions, shall we?

TSK:  So, Olga's Vest can be styled at least 12 different ways, and probably many more. I love that the creativity you had in designing this piece inspires creativity in others to find new ways to wear it! How on earth did you come up with the idea to make this garment? Did you know going into it that it would be so versatile?

GA: I had no idea that this vest was going to be so versatile. I intended for it to be worn two ways - forwards and backwards. When I finally finished the vest and sewed on all the buttons I asked a friend to try it on. She kept trying it on all the different ways - we were both surprised how versatile the garment could be... and it's all because of the buttons and the stitch I created.

 One of my very favorite of Grace's designs, the Bougainvilla Lace Shrug.

TSK: This appears to be just your sixth adult garment since you started designing. Your accessory patterns have experienced huge success, one of which nabbed the cover of Interweave Gifts in 2011. Where does your heart for designing lie? Do you find that you enjoy designing accessories more, or can we look forward to seeing more garments from you in the near future?

GA: I guess it depends more on my mood. I have a very short attention span when it comes to yarn and colors and I might lose interest in something rather quickly, which is why I usually create more accessories. Lately I have found myself more disciplined and able to knit something in the same yarn that is longer than 300 yards. I do love designing garments - especially the ones that can be worn more than one way. I have a few more garments on the needles and a couple more in the queue that I hope to have finished before May. You will still see more accessories from me, but I guess it just depends on my attention span.

Grace's Robin Hood, Olana Shawl and Gregorio patterns

TSK: What's up next for you? Any big plans for designing in 2012?

GA: Yes! It seems like I am always getting ready for the next TNNA. This TNNA I only had three new patterns - my all time low. I hope that when I have that few that they are very strong patterns. I want to have about 5 pieces for this next TNNA and I have been thinking about putting together an e-book. My only problem is my full-time job and all the time constraints that come with it. But I am very optimistic and I think I can make it happen this year.

TSK: Sounds like you have a big year ahead! Okay, last question. What makes you feel "sexy"?

GA: I'm not really sure what makes me feel sexy.... heels maybe?.... especially stilettos.


Thanks so much for stopping by, Grace! Y'all be sure to look Grace up not only on Ravelry but also on her Facebook and Twitter pages. She'd love to see you all over there!


We have a fabulous giveaway to go along with today's post! (You knew that part was coming, right?) The amaaaaazing Anzula Luxury Fibers has offered up enough Squishy for one lucky winner to knit their very own Olga's Vest as part of Grace's KAL! Grace will also be providing the pattern to the winner, free of charge. All you need to do to enter is leave a comment stating which size you'd make, and whether you'd prefer Maple or Plum. And if you're on Twitter and want an extra entry, just tweet the following:

I've just entered to win an Olga's Vest kit from @Anzula, @GraceAkhrem & @TheSexyKnitter! Find out more here: http://tinyurl.com/gtkygrace.

Good luck all, and we'll announce the winner on July 25th! (You'll need to be "present" to win though, and the winner will have 3 days to claim their prize or we'll select someone else.)
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Sexy Tip 002: Don't Compare Yourself to Others

Ladies,

I stumbled across this video today.

Naturally Critical from Stephanie Ifill on Vimeo.

I had to share it with you. One of my BIGGEST PET PEEVES is when women degrade THEMSELVES. Watching this video, I think we can all agree that the women in it are beautiful, can't we? I mean beautiful; not just above average, but truly stunning.  And yet....and yet, they sit there, unable to think of something they actually like about their appearance. Ask them what they don't like, though, and they'll go on and on.

Ladies, this is something we ALL struggle with. Maybe you're a curvy gal and you find yourself particularly offended when a thin girl says she hates something about her appearance. Let me make one thing perfectly clear, though. You ready? I'm going to be saying this a lot:

If you feel like you can't be beautiful until you look like ________, you will always feel that way, whether you are a size 2 or a size 20.

Were you paying attention? Here it is again:

If you feel like you can't be beautiful until you look like ________, you will always feel that way, whether you are a size 2 or a size 20.

Good, just so we're clear.

I bought myself a few treats...

I hardly ever buy yarn anymore. Because I knit almost exclusively for work and already possess a large stash, I tend to indulge in purchasing knitting tools and project bags instead of yarn, since I can use and enjoy these types of items while I work.

My yarn wall, located conveniently in our living room.

This week, though, I made a few exceptions. The yarn wall still has room for a few more skeins, after all!

First up was a fantastic skein of sock yarn from Black Trillium Fibre Studio. I've had Melanie's shop in my favorites for quite some time, and finally broke down and made my first purchase during her moving sale. It won't be my last - look at this beauty!

 Pebble Sock in Chennai; 100% Superwash Merino, 380 yards, 100 gram skein

Melanie's shop photo showed a rather darker version of this colorway, but I was still pretty pleased with the skein I received. This has a lovely tight twist to it, and I'm already dreaming about having time to knit with it. Who am I kidding? That's not gonna happen for months. In the meantime, it gets a premium spot right up front in the sock cubby.

My second purchase was just made a few days ago while I was down at the Lake of the Ozarks. One of the guild members I visited with owns a lovely shop called The Yarn Basket, so I stopped by and fell in love with this yarn.

This is Plymouth's Nazca, color 10; 77% Alpaca, 18% Silk, 5% Nylon, 142yards per 100 gram skein.

I'm a sucker for a gorgeous novelty yarn, and while a boucle doesn't COMPLETELY qualify as a novelty, it's definitely unusual. This is both fabulously soft and fabulously squishy, and I'm thinking it's going to become a big, fluffy cowl of some kind. Or legwarmers. Or mittens.

Anyone else splurged on a fantastic yarn lately? Surely I can't be the only one...

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Lake Area Fiber Arts Guild Presentation

Yesterday morning, I drove down to the Lake of the Ozarks to share a little bit about what being a knitwear designer entails with the Lake Area Fiber Arts Guild. I recorded the presentation to share with all of you!

The audio fades out with the guild president asking me to pass around the samples I had taken to share with the ladies; as that bit just consists of me describing each piece, I didn't think it would be that interesting. And then they all clapped enthusiastically, and made me an honorary member of the Guild. What a lovely group of ladies! I can't wait to go back; this is a very active group with lots going on. Their extremely skilled members (one of them is a Master Weaver) eagerly share skills with each other, and I am looking forward to learning all I can from them.

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Mentioned in the presentation:

Jennifer Hansen, Stitch Diva Studios

Golf club cover patterns

My 3 Knitty patterns

Interweave Knits call for submissions

Twist Collective call for submissions (here's the one with loaves of bread)

Sundance Square Pencil Skirt

Limeade Fizz Shawl & Shawlette

Cathy Carron, designer extraordinaire and super helpful lady

Sweater Wizard, Sock Wizard and Stitch & Motif Maker

CYCA Sizing Charts
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Lady Sybil Jumpsuit

I am more than a little obsessed with antique clothes. I firmly believe that society has managed to kill fashion in the last 100 years, and long for the days when men wore suits to baseball games and a woman wouldn't dream of leaving the house without a proper hat. I frequently watch mind-numbingly boring period dramas just to ogle the clothes, and spend hours poring over sites like this, taking in every detail. When I heard about Masterpiece Classic's TV show Downton Abbey earlier this year, I knew that I had to watch if only to drool over what I hoped would be fantastic costuming. I was not disappointed! Turns out, the story is great, too. The first season is on Netflix, for those of you who haven't watched yet.

I guess I should rewind a little bit. While attending TNNA in Phoenix in January, I confessed to Sabrina Famellos, owner of Anzula Luxury Fibers, a deep desire to knit a second jumpsuit. (My first, a sexy backless mohair number, had been quite popular at the June show the year before.) "I don't want to write a pattern," I told her. "I just want to see what I can do". Surprisingly enough, Sabrina agreed to my hairbrained idea, and unleashed me in her booth to select colors and yarn bases. I picked out a gorgeous teal in lace and worsted, and was extremely pleased when the resulting box showed up on my doorstep a few weeks later. However, I didn't have a firm plan in place for the execution of the jumpsuit; I'd made half a dozen sketches and none of them seemed quite right. I knew I wanted a nice pair of flowy harem pants on bottom, but what to do up top? Enter Downton Abbey.

Towards the beginning of the first season, one of the characters, Sybil, shocks her family by showing up to dinner in a new "frock" that isn't a frock at all, but a drop-dead gorgeous pantsuit comprised of intricately detailed laces and silk chiffon. I almost fell out of my chair when this costume appeared on the screen, because really. Look at that gorgeousness! Now my plan could proceed.

I started scouring my stitch dictionaries for a lace with a vaguely art deco feel to it, and found one called "Kiwi" in the Big Book of Knitting Stitch Patterns (page 214). Perfect! I swatched it up and knew I had my bodice all set. I worked up a big rectangle of it and lined it with a bit of stockinette.

I should point out here that I'm pretty terrible at estimating yardage requirements. My original intention was for this garment to all be one color, but I'd only asked Sabrina for a single skein of the teal For Better or Worsted, most of which was used for the bodice lining. Luckily, I had 2 skeins of For Better or Worsted in navy left over from another design, and I decided it would be an acceptable secondary color. Let me tell you, I was kind of stewing over that for the first few days, too! When you have your heart set on one thing and have to change it, it can be difficult to get over. In retrospect, I am really glad this isn't all one color. I think the navy really sets off the piece.

 

Panels of staggered left and right twists add texture and interest; this technique also results in a sturdy fabric, perfect for the waistband, sleeve straps and cuffs.

This jumpsuit is incredibly comfy to wear! It's like a giant adult onesie. There's just enough sex appeal to still be "me", but overall it's quite modest. Also me!

I found a quartet of antique Victorian buttons on Etsy with stunning etched details and crystal centers. Closeup photo here.

Picot hems on the sleeves tie in with a picot edging at the top of the bodice. A scattering of Swarovski crystal beads were added by hand to the lace after the piece was complete. I think it's these small details that really make the difference!

I've written out detailed construction notes for this project on its Ravelry project page, in case anyone is interested in learning more or attempting their own. Fair warning, though! This piece consumed more than 400 hours to create. These pant legs are BIG! Huge, huge thanks to Sabrina for enabling my vision, and to Emily Brewer of Brewer Studios for the amazing photographs.
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Craftsy Course Review: Lace Shawl Design

I have a confession to make: Understanding knitted lace is extremely difficult for me. Intricate cables? No problem. Twisted stitches zigging this way and zagging that? I can design the heck outta those. Fair Isle? Intarsia? Biased fabric? Definitely skills I have firmly tucked into my designer's toolbelt. But ask me to design an allover lace shawl with beautiful transitions and a lovely border, and my heart will skip a beat. Of course, I've designed with lace many times before, but as a general rule of thumb I use lace as an accent - not as an allover texture. There is just something about the rather disorganized nature of the stitches, the way the charts don't always represent the finished nature of the fabric, that my left-brained self can't seem to process. Oh sure, I've taken advanced lace classes before and have textbooks up to my eyebrows on the subject, but it seems that every time someone starts trying to explain lace to me, my brain goes fuzzy and all I hear is white noise.

Enter Crafty's newest knitting class by Miriam Felton, Lace Shawl Design.

As soon as I heard Miriam had filmed this class, I knew I desperately needed to enroll. Embarassing for an established knitwear designer to admit to, but there you have it. I needed help, and I was hoping Miriam could provide it for me.

Containing well over three hours of instruction from a woman who clearly gets what's going on with lace, this class did not disappoint. Miriam's confident voice and lovely, slow pace was exactly what I needed to stay focused and understand what was going on. And, because of the nature of Craftsy's unique platform, the few times my brain did get fuzzy, I was able to rewind and listen again. Not something you can do in an ordinary classroom! Carefully planned to enlighten even the beginning lace knitter (Miriam does suggest you have a working knowledge of charts before enrolling in the class), the course starts with the basics of shaping lace and moves on through more advanced topics like what causes undulations and biasing within lace, how to create a working shawl chart from a pattern you found in a stitch dictionary (this section alone is worth the price of admission), how to beautifully transition from one lace pattern to another, and more. Miriam covers top-down shawls, bottom-up shawls, crescent shawls, rectangular shawls, shawls with garter tabs, shawls with all-around borders, shawls with central panels that flow seamlessly into a border, and pretty much every other type of shawl you could ever hope to devise. There's also a lovely section called "Bringing it All Together", to round up anyone who might have gotten lost along the way (not saying that was me, or anything). As if that wasn't enough, there is an incredibly detailed section about fixing mistakes that covers what to do if you've missed a yarnover, how to safely rip out multiple rows without tinking back each stitch, how to drop down multiple rows across just a small section of your work, inserting lifelines...you name it, she covers it! The class wraps up with "Bonus" sections on taking gauge, making a swatch, properly executing yarn overs, and casting on.

This class did a few things for me. First, it boosted my confidence. I actually did know a lot of what was covered already, which made me feel less like the lace doofus I'd made myself out to be in my head. Not many people can do that for me these days, at least not when it comes to knitting skills, so I thank Miriam for that. Second, it gave me a much better working knowledge of how to manipulate a stitch pattern to suit my pattern needs, and vice versa. Third, it made me make a mental note to give Miriam a ginormous hug the next time I see her, because that is how awesome I think this class is!

If you think you might be interested in enrolling in Miriam's Craftsy course, you can get the class for 50% off by using this link*. And if you do take the class, come back and leave me a little note to tell me how you liked it, won't you?

*seriously. That makes the class like 20 bucks. Or like six dollars an hour. So go sign up already!
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