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