Oh Where, Oh Where Can Miss Lavish Have Gone?

Yes, yes, I've been very naughty. Extremely remiss, bad me. But will you forgive me if I tell you the new collection is up on Etsy now? isobelandcleo.etsy.com. Here's a sneak.

i phone jealousy...

I have have been unforgivably remiss in the blog updates I know, but the last few weeks have been pretty hectic with sporadic internet access. It amazing to live in a world that is so connected with wifi and still be unable to get access. I think it should be free and accessible anywhere, like TV. To have an i phone!

I have been traveling in the US now for the past week, starting in Burlington, Vermont, I had since been to Boston, Nantucket, and am now in NYC. You may have wondered what happened to the end of my course at Knit-1. Don't worry, though the course is now complete, I will tell you what happened the last few weeks and give you a preview of the work that you'll be able to buy come September. You'll like it, I promise. I just wanted to pop in and give you a wee update, and let you know that I haven't forgotten about you, and I haven't dropped off the planet.

If you would like to meet the makers of isobel and cleo or would like to arrange workshops, I will be visiting the following cities: Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, LA, Austin, Dallas, New Orleans, and Charleston over April and May. You can contact me through my website: www.isobelandcleo.com.

There's More to Life than Just Knitting, There's Also Thinking about Knitting

So a couple of weekends ago, I was up in London visiting a friend, who works at Aquascutum. Now besides the amaaaaaaaaaaazing discount and thus wardrobe she has, she also just makes incredibly good research for me. You may remember this look from a recent-ish collection:

This hot little number is a sample of everything (in my mind) that is right in fashion. Kid Rock once said, "all you need to make a good music video is a couple of hot blondes, a Harley, and an American flag." Just three small things to make something perfect. Well, I completely agree and in the same vein, all you need to make a good knitwear piece is some fringe, cables, and chunky yarn. Is that so wrong? I think not. So this piece inspired me to make the following: It is a work in progress so this is just a preview for you:

Week Eight: The Nefarious Knitter and the Knit of the Week

I'm not entirely sure that I can justly title this post the "nefarious" knitter. The word just popped into my head this morning and I desperately needed an outlet for its utilization and you are the only person around right now. But I have been a little wicked, haven't I? I mean, I did just dash over to NYC to do the J. Crew interview and then disappeared off my blog with no hint of when I may be back, what may have happened, or what's been going on since. It's been crazy month, a crazy two weeks but I'm here now and I'll do my best to update you. Week 8 was a Pointelle week, in the UK they refer to this as lace knitting. The knit of the week (oh the knits of the weeks gone by, how I have forsaken you!) down down down there. Now if you're totally demented, have patience of biblical proportions, I'm thinking the book of Job here, and aren't totally ADHD and distracted by the slightest movement out of the corner of your eye, you'd probably be really good at concocting all types of unique and time consuming lace patterns on your knitting machine. I am not one of those people. I love to knit, and but I love how immediate machine knitting is, or at least, has the potential to be (Honestly, I start projects with no idea of the epic consequences that I'm bring upon myself. Just call me the knitter's Odysseus).

That said, for people like me that fall obviously fall into that second category, "desirous of immediate results," there's the lace carriage. It's very simple to use, attaches on to your knitting machine, and with the assistance of a punchcard that tells it where to place all the holes, it does all the lace transfers for you. Problem is, you're using a card with finite and limited possibilities. So it ends up looking very mechanical, stiff, robotic, etc. I think it's best if you want to do some lace in a certain section of a garment, but carry on doing something else in other areas. So this week was a little special because instead of designing a lace garment and making it entirely on the machine, I create little samples of lace fabric, and faggoted them together into a bustier top. Now these are the pictures of it in progress, and is the knit of the week. It's a size Large, if you want it to be tight light on the mannequin, otherwise it's a medium, even a small (if you want it to fit a dress to layer on top of other clothes). It does not come with a slip.

oh and as for J. Crew, though I haven't heard anything back, it went something like the Ladytron song "Seventeen."

Etsy's Jump Across the Pond... and a channel and a country.

In celebration of Etsy's first international office, they are having an exhibition of DIY Fashion in the Etsy Labs in Berlin. Guess who has been asked to participate? Isobel and Cleo will be one of the featured labels/artists! The exhibition will be launched on April 1st, and is also hosted by CUT, the DIY Fashion Magazine of Germany. If you live in or will be visiting Berlin, you should definitely check it out!

New York, New York!!

Hey everyone,

I'm so sorry for being MIA the last several days, I am in NYC doing that J. Crew thing I told you guys about a few weeks ago. In my haste to get out of the UK I just didn't have enough time to post the knit of the week, or any of my new projects, but will do so when I get back next week. Keep reading because I have a lot to acquaint you with!

Knit of the Week - Trangle Blanket Wrap

Ok, so I intended on having two knits of the week this week, but I'm telling you: my little knitty eyes are too big for my knitty hands, project wise. I'm working on a doozy right now. It actually started two weeks ago and is the neverending story, but unfortunately, without the friendly dragon. If you know anything about me, you know that is SO me, devising genius(!) plans that I think I can finish in a day, maybe even two days, but in actuality take about 2 months. I'm actually working on one, two, three, different garments with a fourth (A FOURTH!) that I hoping to start Thursday, which is... oh geezus H, tomorrow. This is not counting the two orders that I have to make for isobel and cleo customers, and oh right, the Fall Winter 2010 collection for isobel and cleo. Which is still a hazy cloud in the back of my mind. I'm thinking of just promoting the show and sending out press releases because the threat of a looming show with an audience may be the only thing to kick my butt into gear. I'm really kicking myself for coming up with this Knit of the Week idea! (But really I secretly love it, because I totally thrive on this level of hysteria). On to the Knit of the Week...

The Triangle Blanket Wrap
100% soft soft soft Lambswool
made in United Kingdom (can't wait till I go back to Scotland, 'Made in the UK" just really doesn't have the same ring to it).
One size

This blanket shawl is made from a soft blue lambswool with a triangle jacquard pattern over the entire fabric. Can also be worn as a chunky scarf. I'm sure you'll figure out lots of other ways to wear it. At present this shawl is beltless, it's pictured with a measuring tape wrapped around the model's waist twice. If you are really nice and promise me that you'll love isobel and cleo forever, I can make a belt for the purchaser.

and as always, on sale for one week only here.

$50.

Week 6? 7?? -- This is Captain Jean Luc Jacquard of the Starship Knitaprize... lower your needles.

What week is this? I don't even know anymore, I'm in messy tangled daze of lambswool, a crazy sleeved sweater that has no end, plane tickets, visas or lack thereof, financial crises, why the hell does it cost £52 to graduate? (this does not include the robe, which you HAVE to wear, or any photos. But it does include 1 glass of champagne. Cava. That's like Andre for us Americans. And don't get me wrong, most of you know I love Andre, in fact, I introduced many of you to my good friend years ago. But Andre is not worth £52 ($78.13 USD). The most I've ever paid for it was $23, $20 for the taxi driver to go get it for us and $3 for the BOTTLE of Andre. Can I at least get a glass of Veuve?).

I think it's weeks 6 (free week) and 7.

Which means that I've learned how to make jacquard fabrics on my knitting machine. This has opened a WHOLE NEW WORLD for me. (don't you dare close your eyes). I spent at least 2 days of week 6 trying to plot, "I Survived Snowmaggedon 2010" on a punchcard so I could knit it up. (Darn Brits tainting my American vocabulary. jumper = sweater.) This was supposed to be 1 of the 2 knits of the week but alas, there is not enough time in the day. I actually made swathes of samples this week, but I'm becoming increasingly paranoid about people (like Urban Outfitters who I know comb blogs and Etsy looking for ideas) "borrowing things." I feel iffy already about my knitted snowmageddon top. WORK CITE. Plus, I'm on to something here and it's going into the Fall Winter 2010/11 collection. Here some of my skanky ideas. You can have these Urban.

If you can't beat them, should you really give up and join them?

You know, I really used to like Prada. I have a few Prada pieces myself. Nothing major, just enough to send a nod off to Miucccia that, "Hey, I salute you!" But then she had to go and do something like this:

Miuccia, Oh Miuccia! WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME???!!! Just remember where you saw it first guys. I've had this idea for years now everyone's going to be comparing me to Prada. Grrr. How can I compete? No one's heard of me, everyone's heard of Prada. Even though I titled this post, "if you can't beat them..." I'm somehow feeling a little renewed feisty-ness coursing through these veins! I know!! Maybe if when people see these, they'll think a). I want these now, where can I find some embellished tights?, search on Google and find me. b). Think, "love those tights, but they're way too expensive," search on Google, find me and say, "love those tights, but they're WAY too expensive! Who does she think she is, Prada?" or c). Think, "I love those tights! Maybe I could just knit them myself, or get Grannie to do it." If only I could just get an investor. Ah, oh well. One can dream. Guys don't you worry, I've got some ideas for more tights/leggings and socks. I'm such thankful it wasn't a complete direct rip or different kinds of embellishments on the tights because then it'd be a lot worse. In the meantime, keep checking here or isobelandcleo.etsy.com.

Bring it Miuccia. Any last words?

Excuse me while I go knit till my hands fall off.

Past Isobel and Cleo Styles:

It's is interesting to note that Prada's Embellished bits are on the front of the leg. Perhaps she thought of what all the people have been saying to me: "But how are you supposed to sit down?" "That looks so uncomfortable!" Etc, so on and so forth.  For the record I'd like to say, I thought of those same questions, who knew! These tights are so damn comfortable when I tried them on I wanted to move into them and start paying rent! I wonder what the massive department store Liberty, who just told me three weeks ago, that my knits were: "not commerical," and, "couldn't imagine how to style them," let alone "wear them" would say now. Probably the same thing. Sometimes I still feel like I'm in high school and I'm just not in the popular crowd.  xoxo, Gossip Girl

Week Five: Cro....sh**!

In one summer I learned how to crochet from a little old lady that lived down the street from me. Now that I'm grown I realize that she wasn't really an old lady, though she probably is now. It's so funny how everyone seems ancient when you're little. Well, if it weren't for this lady, Mrs. Jones, I probably would've grown up to be a lawyer, doctor, veterenarian, or a marine archaeologist, things that had nada to do with textiles, unless suing over copyrights or sewing up wounds counts. I loved the yarn, the funky hooked needles, and the misshapen fabrics that grew from my little 10 year old hands. The thrill of creating this handmade fabric was short lived however. After carefully crocheting (what was probably the ugliest shawl ever created) my annual end of the school year gift for my too stylish to be a 6th grade teacher Ms Duplussis, I can't remember really picking up a crochet hook again. Until this week. After seeing my teacher holding my shawl as one would a soiled baby diaper, perhaps I was a bit put off. Needless to say in the interim years that have passed, my crochet skills have not improved, therefore I will not show my work as you should do on a math exam if you want partial credit. No, No, I'm only showing you the answer:

 

So ok. I cheated. Just a wee bit!! My crocheted bits were just so dismal I learned how to imitate crochet on my knitting machine. There were just too many profanities flying out from under my breath! You can see this in the sleeve and at the waistband, which is connected to the bust and skirt part of the dress by a faggoting stitch. This piece was actually made during our free week 6 along with the last Knit of the Week.

alright maybe just a wee bit of partial credit.

Oh dearie me!!!

Isobel and Cleo and I have been busy busy BUSY bees this week, clocking some serious airtime. Copenhagen, Sweden, London, and now Dublin have been our hosts and I must admit, I haven't had any opportunity to do a Knit of the Week!!! I am so sorry for letting you guys down this week. But I PROMISE, I will more than make it up to you next Wednesday!!! In the meantime inbetween time check back for a knitted garment (different to the knit of the week) that is COMPLETELY UNCHARACTERISTIC. (meaning for me, totally wearable.) This course is really pulling me in directions I've never even thought about getting lost in. Also, go here to listen to my oldies on Steve Wright's show on BBC Radio 2. This is the kind of music that I love to knit to! Have a good weekend!

Knit of the Week: The Flap in the Wind Tank

The second installment of the Knit of the Week is the Flap in the Wind Tank. Now for those of you new on the scene, I am in a 12 week machine knitting workshop and every week I will sell one of my creations for $50 only. Now the girls in my class think I'm completely crazy for selling anything so cheap, but it's a great way to support me and Isobel and Cleo at a fraction of my usual prices. So I said last week, these pieces may not be perfect, but they are wearable and will be totally original! Some styles (like this week's Knit of the Week) will never be remade, so own something completely unique.

A word to the wise, last week's knit went within an hour so don't think too long!

Flap in the Wind Tank
on sale here for one week only!
Wednesday February 17th to Tuesday February 21st.

This piece was created during Week 4 contours and decorative fashioning. We not only learned how to subtract excess fabric away from the garment while on the machine, but also how to add extra fabric. This piece is made from Cotton and Lambswool. Size Small.

Week Four: Va Va Va Va-luptious Voom

Va va voom...

This week I was feeling a lot like I was making a wardrobe for the cast of Chicago, but using ALL KNITS. Contours and decorative fashioning was one of the main reasons that I wanted to come on the course. I mean, how cool would it be to make Herve Leger style bandage dresses that punctuate a woman's figure, or vintage inspired bustier and corset based garments in a knit? (One good book to check out if you're into this is Knitting Lingere Style by Joan McGowan-Michael). It's amazing what kind of shaped pieces you can achieve on the machine, just by moving stitches around. We've learned how to make shaped bust pieces on the machine without ANY seaming, simply by fashioning. (Fashioning in knit is basically knitting the exact pattern piece that you need on the machine, as opposed to cut and sew, which is knitting swathes of fabric and cutting out your garment shapes). These pieces are examples of contoured garment made here at Knit-1.  I'm still trying to get my head around the stripes from three weeks ago, but once I master that, I will theoretically be able to knit corsets, bustiers, bras, travel around accentuate any of the curves of the body, shoulders, hips, waist, etc. We've effectively learned how to eliminate the excess fabric where there would normally be a dart if you're working with a woven fabric.

But the week wasn't all about drawing the knit fabric in to fit the body. We also learned how to add texture, mass, and dimensions to our garments as you will see later in this week's Knit of the Week.

Knit of the Week - Cleopatra's Got Nothing on You

Knit of the Week for Feb 10th to 16th:

Drum roll please!!!!!!!!

This week's Knit of the Week is inspired by the fantastic and jewelry laden Egyptian queen Cleopatra. I think every incarnation of Cleopatra would be proud, from the queen herself to Vivian Leigh, Sofia Loren, and Elizabeth Taylor. The collar is made from 100% lambswool that I handwashed to make it feel extra soft. Wear it as a scarf or a necklace, either way it looks great over just about anything. I kept trying it on with dresses, tube top shapes look especially good underneath.  Handmade in the UK.

The Cleopatra Neckpiece on sale for one week ONLY here.

Take a wee little piece of my heart...

So I can't believe I've been here for 4 weeks. Is that possible? I'm sure it's only been three. I can only tell by where I've been on the weekends, glasgow, then london, then copenhagen, now glasgow and london, wow. It really has been 4 weeks. What do I have to show for myself? Well, Monday (maybe Tuesday) I will unveil my first piece/garment, followed a week later by the one I'm working one now. I've decided that in an effort to raise moohlah for more materials (YARN) I will be selling the pieces I make each week for that week only for the low price of $50 (£30). No matter how many days have gone into making it, no matter how expensive the wool is, no matter how big or how small (though if it is terribly small I will lower the price to $30!/£18). All these pieces are one of a kind originals, as I am really just practicing all the techniques I'm learning by making them. Since I'm kind of freestyling it and not taking any exact notes on how I've made everything, there's no way that they'll be perfectly replicated, to be honest, some required so much work, I may not even want to. So come back on Monday (maybe Tuesday) to check out the Knit of the Week, on sale for $50 for one week only!

Week Three: I am the MOST indecisive person on Planet Earth

Right. So this week we were supposed to make a garment based on what we learned over the first 2 weeks.  Out teacher encouraged us to build/upon existing swatches we'd made during that period. Totally my kind of teacher. You saw the first swatch I did, but here's the second:

  

I've tried to cable cables here with varied success, but it's the idea that counts. Now because that tiny section took just about 50 billion years I decided to turn last week's swatch into a garment. That was 1/16th of the battle. The other 15/16 was trying to chose one of the following as the final look (an infinitesimal part of that last fraction was making the back, bust and shoulder straps of the top). 

but of course the mannequin wasn't enough, so I had to get one of the other students in the workshop to pose for me:

which idea won out? Check back soon for more pics and more stories!

Week Two: If I knit fast enough, does it count as aerobics?

No seriously. Does it count?

knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit.knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit.

My first cable sample on the machine. which became...

knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit.knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit.

this piece on the mannequin. which I then tried to turn into a garment, as you can see me experimenting with ideas for collars and...

knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit.

 

and straps. we'll see what this wee sample becomes in the next post or two.

knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit.knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit.knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit. knit.

I think I just fell in love...

I'm going off to Copenhagen this weekend. On business.* Anyway, I figured I'd go some where I'd never been before. Somewhere where I might learn something. Somewhere where people are cold and can actually afford to buy my knits, you know get a little self advertising going. Somewhere I could fly to from London Gatwick, as it's on the same train line as Brighton. Been doing a bit of research online about Danish knitwear designers and I found this:

Oh my god, when they start talking about 'the process,' it makes me salivate with glee! The grease and oil of those old Stoll machines, I want that. I want to go apprentice with them. What could be better?! Four guys and a little lady in the Danish countryside? I'd be like funky american girl in Denmark version of Heidi. It's what every wee Danish country village needs, a Charlotte. A Charlotte like me. They're going to be really lucky if I don't show up on their doorstep this weekend refusing to leave.

*ask me for clarification if you really want to know. it's something I have to keep on the 'DL' from certain people.