It’s good that you guys LOVE New Favorites, because fate has given us two in a row! I have Things To Say about this whole 10×10 Challenge I’ve been doing, coming up later this week, but one thing that has been highlighted for me is how lacking my closet is on date-night clothes. Not that we go out anywhere particularly dressy or anything, but it always feels a bit weird to me to go out to dinner with my husband on a Saturday night in the exact same clothes I would I wear to work on any given morning. I’ve realized during the challenge that I pretty much wear the same silk top every time we go out, because (even though I wear it to work all the time, too) it’s the only thing I have that’s sort of soft and pretty. But that means for much of the year I’m underdressed, shivering in my chair. So I got to thinking about the possibility of knitting a date-worthy sweater or two just before the new Helga Isager book arrived at our Fringe Supply door, like an answer to a question I’d only just started to form. You can read more about the book in the webshop, but it contains at least two strong date-night contenders:
TOP: C6 (Cable 6) is knitted sideways, with cables running up the arms and across the neckline. I love the soft marl constrasting with the non-marl cuffs and waistband.
BOTTOM: SSK (Slip, Slip, Knit) is similar in many ways [edit: also knitted sideways], with elbow sleeves and an eyelet detail rather than the bolder cables. It might also be lovely in linen or a linen blend.
They’re like the winter and spring/fall counterparts to each other!
Actually, nearly all of the sweaters in the book are date-worthy. Isager has such a way with making things pretty yet not too girly for me. You can see the whole collection on Ravelry and buy the book at Fringe Supply Co.
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PREVIOUSLY in New Favorites: the Staithes Gansey and how to knit one
These are beautiful! I started saving a bunch to my favorites in Ravelry, but switched back to Fringe and bought the book. I’m going to enjoy this one.
OMG! This entire collection. Not sure if I should be thanking you or cursing you for bringing it to my attention! My fantasy knitting just went into overdrive! :)
Just ordered the book from you LOL…..
Or you could just knit yourself a pretty shawl to throw over that silk top. :-)
If I were a shawl knitter …
Lol you just need to knit one! And that might get you hooked, watch out. Universal fit, no gauge…
Do you have any experience with sideways knit sweaters? I’ve seen patterns I like – and C6 is one of them – but I’m always a bit worried that they would stretch out in weird ways because of the way the rows run.
I don’t. I’ve been intrigued by them since before I even knew how to knit, and have bookmarked dozens in the past years, but have yet to knit one.
Usually–not always, but usually–sweaters knit sideways benefit from being knit flat and seamed, which holds the fabric in check. I’ve knit four sideways sweaters, and the only one that had any problems with stretching out of shape was all stockinette, in okay-quality cotton yarn. I made a second one in high-quality pima cotton and had no problems with that one stretching out of shape.
Imager makes beautiful yarns. You end up with a structured cloud.
The top sweater gets my vote, and it has nothing to do with the ‘come hither’ look the model is giving. There’s something both simple and classic about it while the cables add a softening effect. I like the contrast waistband & cuffs as well.
I’m a little bit allergic to things (especially cables) that are too decorative — esp if they make me think of a wallpaper border or the like — but I’m so obsessed with the way this plays out on the sleeves, and there is something appealingly simple and pretty about the execution of it here. Always an exception to things I think I don’t like …
Living in a warm climate, I love bottom sweater. My upcoming sewing projects also include “going out” clothes, even though our dates are usually pretty laid back. It’s nice to mix it up now and then.
I like the shorter look, so pretty with waist high pants or skirt. But I would swear the second sweater is also knit sideways.
I’ve been looking at sideways knit sweaters in a whole new way since Mason Dixon turned me on to designer Daniela Gregis. In fact she is making me hungry for color, too. Gorgeous stuff….
Oh, you might be right — that hem ribbing might be picked up later. I’ll take a closer look at the pattern when I get to where my copy of the book is.
You are right — brain fart on my part!
I’m curious to try knitting a sweater from side to side.
Does anyone know anything about the provenance of Isager yarns? I’m really intrigued by them but also usually try to knit with yarns of “known origin.”
There aren’t any specifics on their About page (http://isagerstrik.dk/garn/om-isager-garner/?lang=en); it just says, “It is important to us that our yarns are produced with the greatest amount of care taken to both animals and humans.”
Thanks for it finding that! I didn’t come across it when I was looking. I suppose that’s somewhat informative. It makes me think of some of the slow fashion October conversations around how you define slow fashion or ethical buying.
These are SO pretty.
I love the cable detail on the neckline of the first sweater! Add me to the list of knitters who are curious about knitted-sideways garments. I’ve yet to make one, but I love non-standard construction methods like that. :-)
I would like to make the second sweater, but I can’t find the pattern. Do you know where it is?
I finally found it! http://knitisager.com/epages/8a82804a-30cc-48c7-ba7b-d862514f56d5.sf/en_US/?ObjectPath=/Shops/8a82804a-30cc-48c7-ba7b-d862514f56d5/Products/BkKnit
Hi, Colleen — both the pattern and the book are linked in the post. We still have a couple copies of the book, if you’re wanting one: http://www.fringesupplyco.com/product/k-knit-by-helga-isager
I saw this, but the pattern seemed to point to a different book. Are the patterns bottom up, my preference, or top down?
One vote for you to do a post on how to know when it is a good idea to substitute linen or cotton blend yarns for wool or alpaca. I am about to move to Little Rock, a much warmer clime than Madison, WI, and I gotta know!
Good idea. I would like to know how to make the substitutions the other way from cotton/linen to something warmer as I live in the North.
It just really depends on the sweater and what’s called for. Linen and cotton have no stretch or recovery to them, like wool does, and of course the “hand” is different, and the stitch definition or what they each do best. For really simple sweaters, it may not matter. But your best bet is always to knit a really big swatch to match the pattern gauge, block it, carry it around, get to the know the fabric, and ask yourself whether it seems like it will work as a garment.
I think SSK is the prettier option, but they’re both lovely.
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