Day 36: Top Down V Neck 2 inspired by Wendy Bernard
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/pink
Wearing hand knits in every day life can be tricky because, let’s face it, often a sweater is just a sweater. Pairing a knitted top with a bunch of other woolens can create a dowdy look unless all the pieces have textural interest and fit perfectly. I try to pep up my knits by pairing them with items that have different or contrasting textures. I pair delicate soft sweaters, such as my kidsilk haze V-neck above, with a rougher denim jean. The hard and soft combination of textures is what makes it work. Another trick to make simple knits pop is to add metallic accessories. Here a Victorian necklace compliments the delicate softness of the sweater while the bold gold purse adds sparkle to the knitted fabric.
Day 37: Striven by Jennie Atkinson
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/striven
I built the metallic element into my Striven jacket by using bold brass buttons, knowing that the wool tweed would need a modern edge. Pairing a sporty tweed with a fitted dress also creates a balance between hard and soft elements in the outfit.
Day 38: Checked Cowl
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/snuggle-up-either-way-snood
The faux leather pants, which I initially thought I would only wear in Europe, have stayed in my closet because the gloss of the leather makes an interesting visual contrast to knits. I can assemble an all-black or black-and-white outfit and keep it interesting because the toughness of the leather is alleviated by the woolen fabric. I was surprised by the way the large scale of the checks and the smaller scale of the houndstooth somehow go together in this outfit. And the black and white top goes strangely well with the charcoal and cream of the cowl. I am really happy now that I made the sleeves of the Dinky Pull all black instead of continuing the houndstooth pattern there. It would have been impossible for me to pair the top with any other print without the relieving splashes of black on either side.
Day 39: Eva
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/eva
Perhaps it was a bit corny of me to wear this red angora sweater with the silk rosebud top on Valentine’s day. I have to admit that, in spite of all the justified complaints of commercialism, I am a secret fan of this holiday. And the silk top was sewed for me by my mother-in-law so it has a special place in my heart. Besides, the sheen of a patterned silk top makes any monochromatic cardigan pop. No knitted sweater sets for me, ma’am, I’ll take the silk top and cardigan set instead. You just match one of the colors in the print to a solid colored cardigan, and you're ready to go!
Day 40: Mystery by Kim Hargreaves
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/mystery
Here is another variation of the yarnstylist sweater set. I like the metallic sheen of these buttons, which echoe the splashes of silver in the top. It just gives me a pang right in my heart when I look at the shoes in all these photos, though. Someday when my foot injury is totally healed I will wear beautiful shoes again with these outfits—I imagine little brass pointy-toed shoes peeping out underneath the black cuff of the jeans…
Day 41: The Charm Pull by Anny Blatt
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/charm-pull
Here the Chanel-style pullover is paired with gold and cream damask pants which echo the colors of the pearls. This is classic realtor wear and is perfect for the open houses I often host on weekends. I’m tempted to pair this sweater with the faux leather pants for off-duty wear to see if it creates a more relaxed vibe.
Here I have a confession to make. After my last post about the forgotten treasure trove of the Knitting 1980s, one of my readers busted me. Yes, Dayana, you are right! I did knit one of the extravagant 1980s designs from the magazine. It seemed so fashion forward at the time. Sigh. Can you guess which one seemed daring and new to us all at the time?
Day 42: Design #29 from Georges Picaud
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/modigliani
Here it is. I feel like I'm back in 1988, don't you? This was the second sweater I ever knitted, under the tutelage of my German friend, Bettina. She taught me so she wouldn’t have to knit alone, and we used to sit for hours watching 1950s sitcoms on a tiny black-and-white tv set, knitting away. I still secretly like this sweater because of the memories I have, and I wear it sometimes when I am alone at home.
Well, I have now completed the sixth week of the 100 day challenge to wear my handknits. I am curious about how many of you readers are also wearing your knits right now. Every one of us must have a set of fashion rules we use when putting our knitwear together into outfits. I wish more knitters talked about this in their blogs, so I could learn some more tips from them! It is important, because the more skills we have in making our knits look like fashionable clothes, the more we will wear them. So please share!
By the way, there will be a startling revelation in the final installment of the Vanishing Shawl Mystery, coming next!!!! To read it, and the continuation of the 100 Day Challenge, click here: