Beatriz is Here!

Hoo boy, I've been waiting a long, LONG time to show you guys this one!

Beatriz Dress, from Knitscene Winter 2011

I have been working on this design for almost two years; last year, it found a home at Interweave Knits. Although originally scheduled to appear in the Holiday Gifts issue of Interweave, it eventually got shuffled around a bit and included in this winter's issue of Knitscene, and I couldn't be happier! Knitscene has long been a favorite of mine, and I almost always love how they style the knits. You can get a sneak peek at how they styled this knit for the magazine right here, as well as getting a preview of the rest of this issue. The issue won't be out on newsstands until October 25th, but if you decide to order online, you can get 18% off your order by entering the code "XTRA18" during checkout. (Side note: You can also preorder IK's special issue, Jane Austen Knits, while you're at it!)

This dress, worked from the top down, is worked with Kollage Yarns' amazing Scrumptious, a truly delectable combination of 70% angora and 30% silk. I had a hard time taking the sample off after the photo shoot, it felt so good against my skin!

Fab photo courtesy of Sara McDonald

The dress begins with a hem to give the boatneck a bit of stability; an elongated circular yoke forms the dolman sleeves, then the body is continued in the round. Large, lacy leaf motifs decorate the bottom of the skirt, which gets finished off with another hem. The entire piece is worked seamlessly, and is sized for busts 32"-48".

Add a sparkly belt for a bit of holiday bling!

I've added the Beatriz Dress to the Ravelry database, and just can't wait to see everyone else's projects! This dress was really fun to knit and especially fun to wear; I'm really looking forward to having one of my own!

______________________________________________

Picks of the Day:

Want your Etsy Mini in this spot? Click here!

My Interweave Debut!

The internet has been all abuzz this weekend over Interweave's latest special issue, knit.wear. This issue focuses on classic, simple garments styled with a twist. The issue also features my first pattern published with Interweave, the Reversible Scarf Tank! I was really excited to be able to design for this issue after there was a little mixup with another submission of mine that I didn't realize was being held for publication (oops).

My original proposal

The inspiration for this tank came from a memory of a Project Runway contestant from aaaaaaaaages ago (so long ago, I'm not even sure who it was now) who wore a one-shouldered top with a long scarfy thing to a judging panel. It was only on screen for a few seconds, but as soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to translate it into knitwear at some point.

Finished garment! Pretty dang close to the original, yes?

My version is knitted from the tip of the scarf downwards in one seamless piece. There's enough going on with the reversible lace and strap shaping to hold your interest, while the body gives you a nice break as it's all in stockinette. There's quite a bit of negative ease around the bust; combined with the weight of the scarf, this is what holds the top in place. The skirt gets a beautiful swing shape due to circular yoke styled increases and is finished with a single round of decorative yarnovers couched in garter stitch.

No hem, and NO rolling.

 Now, you may be thinking, "Why would I want to knit a strapless top as we're going into fall?" Well, the answer is in the styling! See, since this top has the scarf attached to it, it's the perfect transition piece to wear as the weather starts getting cooler.

Throw a blazer on over it and you're good to go!

You'll notice in the last photo that you've got more than one option for styling the scarf, so if you're nervous about just throwing the scarf over your shoulder, just tie it on for a more secure feeling!

If you're interested in the pattern, you can find the IK special issue at your local yarn shop or book shop, or buy it online. The pattern's in the Ravelry database, too, in case you want to favorite it or add it to your queue. :)