PANTONE FASHION COLOR REPORT SPRING 2015

Top Ten Women's Colors: En Plein Air
Pantone released its list of the top 10 women’s color for Spring 2015 this week which coincided with the first day of New York Fashion Week. Spring 2015 will move towards a softer and cooler color palette that will feature pale pastels, neutrals and understated brights. 

“Many feel compelled to be connected around the clock because we are afraid we’ll miss something important. There is a growing movement to step out and create ‘quiet zones’ to disconnect from technology and unwind, giving ourselves time to stop and be still”, said Leatice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. Color choices follow the same minimalistic, ‘en plein air’ theme, taking a cue from nature rather than being reinvented or mechanically manipulated. Soft, cool hues blend with subtle warm tones to create a soothing escape from the everyday hustle and bustle.”

En plein air is a French expression which means "in the open air". It is used to describe the act of painting outdoors and can also be used to describe other activities where a person partakes in an outdoor environment.

Aquamarine An airy, ethereal blue with a cool, dreamy feel. Invokes thoughts of soothing, tropical waters.

Scuba Blue This cool turquoise shade adds excitement to the pallet restoring our sense of carefree playfulness, while invigorating the body and mind.

Lucite Green A soft, serene green with a minty glow offers a fresh sense of clarity.

Classic Blue A strong and reliable anchor to the color palette that inspires calm, confidence and harmony.

Toasted Almond A sun-tanned neutral, offers timeless, comforting warmth. 

Strawberry Ice A light, nurturing coral tone that evokes a feeling of being “in the pink,” emitting a flattering and healthy glow.

Tangerine An energizing, non-jarring take on orange that adds a bold pop of color for spring.

Custard An all-encompassing yellow emanating warmth and happiness.

Marsala This compelling and cordial hue that is much like the fortified wine that lends its name. The color is inviting and exudes confidence and stability.

Glacier Gray A timeless and unobtrusive gray that adds a sense of graceful relaxation as another practical neutral. 

Bibhu Mohapatra     |     Barbara Tfank     |     Alice & Trixie

Click here for the full Pantone Fashion Color Report Spring 2015

BRAMBLE STITCH

STITCH OF THE MONTH – September 2014

The Bramble stitch is also known as the Raspberry, Cluster or Trinity stitch. The right side is richly textured with raised diagonally staggered clusters while the back side has a flat but interesting texture.

It has great history in Aran knits where it is rich in symbolism. The stitch is used in combination with other stitches and cables to produce beautiful sweaters and afghans.

The Bramble stitch adds great texture to knitted projects. The texture ensures that the fabric doesn’t curl making it a great choice for edgings and borders.

Bramble Stitch
(Multiples of 4 + 2 stitches)
Row 1 (RS) Purl.
Row 2         K1, *(k1, p1, k1), p3tog; repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Row 3         K1, *p3tog, (k1, p1, k1); repeat from * to last stitch, k1.

Row 4         Purl.
These 4 rows form the Bramble Stitch.

AN EVENING TO REMEMBER SHAWL

An Evening to Remember Shawl is knit in a luxurious blend of merino wool, silk and cashmere in a textured lace pattern. Japanese glass seed beads add a touch of elegance and sparkle. The beads are pre-strung onto the yarn and worked into the lace while knitting the shawl.

I wanted to design a shawl that showcased the subtle variance of colour in the sports-weight yarn and add texture with knitted lace and glass seed beads.

A video has been uploaded to YouTube to provide a tutorial on how to do the Purl with Bead abbreviated as pb in the pattern.

http://www.nadinemcleoddesigns.com/#!an-evening-to-remember-shawl/c3n8

BRIOCHE STITCH

STITCH OF THE MONTH – August 2014

The Brioche stitch is a reversible ribbed stitch pattern that creates a warm and rich fabric. It originally became popular in Europe in the 1800s and is also known as English Ribbing. The brioche stitch resembles a 1 x 1 rib but has a lot more loftiness and stretch. The natural stretch of the stitch is great for loose-fitting items that require ease.

The brioche stitch uses more yarn than usual to make an item. Every other stitch is a double stitch on every row, and working two rows is equivalent to one row because every other stitch is slipped on every row.

Avoid using yarn is slippery such as alpaca, silk or bamboo as the tendency to 'grow' in length is pronounced. Opt for a yarn that has a more grip such as 100% wool (not a super-wash).

If you choose to have selvedge stitches, it important that the first stitch at the start of the row is slipped or a ripple will appear along the edges.

Brioche Stitch 
(Even number of stitches)
Foundation Row       *yo-sl1, k1; repeat from * to end

Pattern Row              *yo-sl1, k2tog; repeat from * to end

Repeat the Pattern Row to form the Brioche stitch.

Casting On                Use a cast on method that has a lot of give to accommodate for the stretchiness of the brioche stitch pattern. The long-tail cast-on method works well for the brioche stitch.

Foundation Row       To work the yo-sl1, bring the yarn forward and slip the next stitch purlwise. Knit the next stitch. A ‘yarn over’ stitch will be created as you take the yarn from the front to work the knit stitch.

Pattern Row              Work the yo-sl1 as worked in the foundation row. Knit the next 2 stitches together (this will be the slip stitch and yarn over of the previous row).

Binding Off                When binding off, do not create the yarn over. You can slip 1 stitch (or purl the stitch to keep the ribbing pattern) and then k2tog. Bind off very loosely to maintain the stretchiness of the fabric. A conventional bind off will require using a needle a couple sizes larger. The Italian bind off works well with this stitch pattern or Elizabeth Zimmerman’s sewn bind off.

Counting Stitches    Do not count the yarn overs when counting stitches.

K2tog                         Some patterns reference the K2tog as brk (brioche knit).

CAT'S EYE STITCH

STITCH OF THE MONTH - July 2014
The Cat's Eye Stitch is a reversible openwork pattern. The beauty of the stitch is the textured mesh that is created produced through a simple three row pattern repeat. 

The stitch pattern creates a durable mesh that has a lot of lengthwise stretch.  It would work well for shawls, scarves, afghans, baby blankets or beach bags. It can also be worked as a complimentary openwork design together with an intricate lace pattern.

Cat's Eye Stitch
(Multiples of 4 stitches)
Row 1   P2, *yo, p4tog; repeat from * to last 2 sts, p2
Row 2   K2, *k1, (k1, p1, k1) into the yo of the previous row; rep from * to last 2 sts, k2
Row 3   Knit
These 3 rows form the Cat's Eye Stitch.

WORLD WIDE KNIT IN PUBLIC DAY

Saturday, June 14, 2014 is World Wide Knit in Public Day (better known as WWKIP Day for us acronym-loving knitters). It's a day knitters gather together to celebrate their love of knitting which fosters an opportunity to learn, share and teach their craft with others in the community.

Danielle Landes began WWKIP Day as a way for knitters to come together and enjoy each other's company with a mission of "Better Living Through Stitching Together". Local events are organized by a group of local volunteers in their community. The popularity of WWKIP Day continues to grow. It started with about 25 local events around the world in 2005 and this year there are over 500 local events with 34 countries participating: Australia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greenland, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, and Uruguay. A truly world wide event.

Visit your LYS or the World Wide Knit in Public Day's Facebook page to find a group or get information about putting together a local event. Use the hashtag #wwkipday to find information and share images and information about knitting in public. 

STAGGERED EYELET STITCH

STITCH OF THE MONTH - June 2014
The Staggered Eyelet stitch pattern produces a pretty all over eyelet pattern. The eyelets are produced by creating both a yarn over and a decrease. Working these two together creates the eyelet (or a 'hole') in the fabric and maintains the stitch count.

The simplicity of the eyelet stitch works well for feminine items (such as shawls) or baby clothes. Ribbon can be woven through a row of the eyelets to create a decorative feature or it can be used as a drawstring.

Staggered Eyelets
(Multiples of 4 sts + 3)
Row 1   Knit.
Row 2   Purl.
Row 3   *K2, k2tog, yo; repeat from * to last 3 sts, k3.
Row 4   Purl.
Row 5   Knit.
Row 6   Purl.
Row 7   *K2tog, yo, k2; repeat from * to last 3 sts, k2tog, yo, k1.
Row 8   Purl.
These 8 rows form the Staggered Eyelet stitch pattern.

Abbreviations
k2tog     knit 2 stitches together
yo          yarn over

LINEN STITCH

STITCH OF THE MONTH - May 2014
The linen stitch produces a dense fabric that resembles a woven fabric. There is not a lot of drape to the fabric due to its denseness which makes the linen stitch a good choice when a more structured or firmer fabric is required such as coats, structured blazers, purses, belts and straps.

The first row slips every other stitch which are then worked on the next row on this two row pattern repeat. This makes it a bit more time consuming to knit but the result is well worth the effort.

The pattern ends with a yarn over and a slipped stitch. The yarn is then worked on the first stitch of the next row creating a 'wrap' around the edges which creates a fabric that does not curl at the edges. 

The cable cast on works well with this stitch pattern to create a firm edge for this dense fabric. The bind off looks attractive when done in pattern.

It is not a truly reversible stitch but the 'wrong side' produces an interesting texture that resembles a seed stitch.

Linen Stitch
(Even number of stitches)
Row 1   K1, sl1p wyif 
Row 2   P1, sl1p wyib (slip 1 purlwise with yarn in back)
These 2 rows form the Linen Stitch

Abbreviations
sl1p   slip 1 purlwise 
wyib   with yarn in back
wyif    with yarn in front

KNITTERS FROLIC 2014

Yesterday was a wonderful day at the annual Knitter's Frolic held at the Japanese Cultural Centre in Toronto. It is definitely worth getting up early on a Saturday to spend the day amid a dizzying amount of yarn in a vast array of colour and textures, and to be among knitters and friends. It was a happy day filled with lots of laughter, sharing ideas and being inspired. 

I enjoyed taking a couple of classes with Candace Eisner Strick: 'Creating Crescents' and 'Double Dare'. I enjoyed both classes with Candace who has a great way of teaching combined with a wealth of knowledge and sense of humour - truly a pleasure to meet her and learn new techniques - I'm anxious to introduce them into my designs. 

In between classes I had a few hours to shop around the marketplace and found a beautiful stitch pattern book to add to my reference library. I also purchased something called the 'Fleegle Beader' at the BeadFX booth which had people clamoring to purchase this tool used to add beads while knitting. 

My favourite yarn was a new yarn called Mrs. Crosby introduced at the Frolic by The Needle Emporium. Julie designed the booth with vintage trunks and suitcases filled with yarn available in five weights in really beautiful colours - it was like finding treasure in those trunks! The Facebook page for Mrs. Crosby describes it as 'more than yarn. She is about inspiring people to follow their muse and fulfill their dreams. She represents every woman’s search for excitement and fulfillment'. There were also quotes from Mrs. Crosby used throughout the displays. I chose 'Hat Box' (a sports weight) in colour Wild Huckleberry. 

I raced home and wrote a pattern. I've wound the yarn, purchased some glass seed beads, got out the Fleegle Beader, made a cup of tea and I'm ready to cast on...

RIDGED EYELET BORDER

STITCH OF THE MONTH - April 2014
The Ridged Eyelet Border is worked over a background of stockinette stitch. It works well for adding a single border of a simple eyelet lace to a garment or baby items to add some interest and texture. Weaving a pretty satin ribbon or a knitted icord through the eyelets will add a touch of femininity.

Ridged Eyelet Border
(Uneven number of stitches)
Rows 1 thru 3 (RS)  Knit
Row 4                      *P2tog, yo; repeat from * to last stitch, k1
Row 5 thru 6            Knit
These 6 rows form the Ridged Eyelet Border

Swatch is shown repeated on a stockinette stitch background.

THE GAUGE SWATCH

What is Gauge?
Gauge is defined as the measurement of the number of stitches and rows per inch required to knit a pattern. A knitted swatch is required to calculate the gauge. It is also known as a 'tension' swatch. The gauge will be affected by the type/weight of yarn, the size of knitting needle used as well as the stitch pattern. 

The gauge swatch is knit to a minimum 6"/14 cm square and the stitches (width) and rows (height) are then measured over a 4"/10 cm square. Measuring over less than 4"/10 cm can result in inaccurate stitch/row counts but a 4"/10 cm measurement will ensure that half stitches are included in the count. 

The Importance of Checking Your Gauge
Knitters that use the same yarn and same knitting needles may have a different knitting gauge than the other knitters or the designer of the pattern whether the knitter knits a bit looser or a bit tighter. This variance in gauge will affect the overall size and fit of a garment. If a sweater has been designed to have 22 stitches per 4"/10 cm, and it is actually knit to 20 stitches per 4"/10 cm, the finished item will not fit as intended. Gauge is not generally required for scarves and blankets but is crucial for any fitted items such as sweaters.

    The gauge will be shown on a pattern as follows:
    ___ sts x ___ rows = 4"/10 cm using ____ needles. 
    The information may also indicate the stitch pattern used to obtain the gauge.
    If not, consider it to be stockinette stitch.

    The pattern will also detail the size of needles to be used under materials, 
    OR SIZE TO OBTAIN GAUGE.

Knitting the Gauge Swatch
Knit the swatch using the recommended needle size and stitch pattern in a 6"/15 cm square (cast on one-and-a-half times the 4" stitch gauge). Bind off loosely. Measurements should be taken from the center of the square as edges tend to curl in a bit and may be tighter than the knit fabric. It is important to block the swatch before measuring.

Measuring stitch gauge: Place a marker 1"/2.5 cm in from the edge and another marker exactly 4"/10 cm from the first marker. Count the number of stitches between markers including any half stitches (and quarter stitches for chunky yarns). The stitch is the 'v' in the fabric. This will give you the number of stitches for gauge.

Measuring row gauge: Place a marker 1"/2.5 cm up from the bottom and another marker exactly 4"/10 cm from the first marker. Count the rows between the two markers to get your row gauge. It's easier to count the rows on the back of a stockinette stitch swatch because the purl 'bumps' are easier to count.

The markers can be pins or a different colour of yarn but whatever type of marker is used it is important that the marker does not move the stitches apart as this will affect the stitch count.

Adjusting to Meet Gauge
If you have fewer stitches than required for the gauge, go down a needle size.
If you have more stitches than required for gauge, go up a needle size.
It is a good idea to make a note on the pattern of any changes to the needle size.