Kim Hargreaves’ amazing Spring/Summer book, Honey has just come out. You can find it here:
http://www.pod9ecommerce.co.uk/view-books/honey/
The style of Honey is described as a “sunkissed collection with a 70s vibe.” I really love the classic, elegant styles from the book, and they do seem to have a golden glow about them. I am not sure I would choose the term "seventies" to describe sweaters that I really like, though. Were there any good clothes in the 1970s? Perhaps I am biased but what lingers is a vague memory of button-ups with huge collars and bell-bottom pants in brown and avocado and mud tones.
There are certainly some great sweaters in Honey, though, and I have my eye on a few others.
Mia:
This cardigan is just so classy and elegant to me in white softknit cotton. The intricate design motif is created through a series of knit and purl stitches.
Madeline:
Everyone needs a short-sleeved white cardigan in summer. This cotton glacé sweater with eyelet lace is effortless in its simplicity.
However, I chose to knit the design, Sherry, from Kim Hargreaves' new book, because I was trying to be virtuous and use yarn from my stash. I used Rowan calmer yarn from another sweater that I had unraveled, and the knitting and unraveling happened in parallel. It was challenging rescuing my calmer yarn but I feel it was worth it in the end. What I like most about Sherry is that it looks great from all angles!
And the construction of the cardigan is ingenious. The collar is fully fashioned. The moss stitches for the collar are slowly increased as you knit up the front pieces of the sweater, so there is no need to worry about picking up stitches around the neck or sewing a collar on as an afterthought.
However, the fact that you are making the collar as you go up the fronts means that you have to be careful to ensure that your edge stitches in the moss stitch pattern are very regular. Do not try to add a new stand of yarn on the collar side of the piece---when you weave in the yarn ends later they will show. Add your yarn on the armhole side instead. The collar folds over, so that the inside of it is displayed on the outside. This meant that the reverse side of the moss stitch collar sections have to look beautifully finished.
Keeping this in mind, I joined the two collar pieces together at the back neck using a three-needle bind-off technique, allowing the seam to show on the right side. The collar folds over so that the exposed seam is hidden by it.
I had thought that after wearing my handknits for 100 days I would be able to weed out some pieces that did not work, but I only ended up saying goodbye to two sweaters. One of them donated the yarn for Sherry. It was formerly Enchant by Kim Hargreaves:
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/enchant
As you can see from the photo, this design has a fatal flaw in that the sideways construction makes it impossible to accommodate the shape of the arm scythe properly. As a result, there is a ton of fabric that bunches right under the arms, creating a very unflattering impression. Looking through the completed versions of Enchant on Ravelry, I noticed many projects had the same issue. I feel that Sherry is a much more figure-flattering design, and a better use of my calmer yarn:
On the subject of the 100 Day Challenge, I was dared by my husband to wear a knitted piece of clothing every day for 100 days, and although I have been following the challenge, I have not posted any photos here for a while. I did get some photos of my knits in Paris to fulfill the 100 Day Challenge. But since we were so busy sightseeing, most of these shots were taken at the spur of the moment and some had to be cropped rather wildly to remove those who did not want to appear. You may notice the same knitted culprits cropping up over and over, given the need to pack light for the trip:
Day 81: Dinky Pull by Anny Blatt
Passage des Grands Cerfs, Paris
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/anny-blatt-dinky-pull
Day 82: Alder Wrap by Kaffee Fassett
Fermette de Marbeuf Restaurant, Paris
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/alder
Day 83: Scarf Neckwarmer by Filatura di Crosa
Patisserie Stohrer, Paris
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/scarf-neckwarmer
Day 84: Checked Cowl
Gien Porcelain, Paris
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/snuggle-up-either-way-snood
Day 85: Scarf Neckwarmer by Filatura di Crosa
Les Grands Boulevards, Paris
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/scarf-neckwarmer
Day 86: Checked Cowl
Cafe Madelaine, Paris
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/snuggle-up-either-way-snood
Day 87: Dinky Pull
Rue Saint Honoré, Paris
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/anny-blatt-dinky-pull
Day 88:: Alder Wrap by Kaffee Fassett
Boulevard Montmartre, Paris
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/alder
Day 89: Scarf Neckwarmer by Filatura di Crosa
Canal at La Republique, Paris
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/scarf-neckwarmer
Day 90: Bay by Kim Hargreaves (sleeves used as arm warmers)
Café at La Place des Voges
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/bay
Day 91: Alder Wrap by Kaffee Fassett
The Louvre, Paris
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/yarnstylist/alder
To read the last post in my series on the 100 Day Challenge, click on the link below: