My Dior jacket is inspired by Paris architecture. I wrote about this recently in my post about the beauty of the doors of Paris.
http://yarnstylist.com/2014/05/the-doors-of-paris-an-inspiration-for-knitted-texture.html
I love the way that the door to the Parisian building is an art piece in itself, created to beckon the viewer, “if you think this is beautiful, wait till you see what is inside.” What a wonderful idea to apply to one’s clothing! I would like to enfold myself in a jacket that beckons the viewer, like the door above, with an image of subtle elegance. So I have been experimenting with slip stitch patterns in order to create a similar effect.
I am enraptured by this slip stitch pattern, which I created through experimentation, using the Rowan yarns Frost and Kidsilk Eclipse and Debbie Bliss’ Rialto 4ply. Figuring out how to create a couture-style suit using this fabric has been a challenge, but it does have wonderful drape. The fabric is beautiful from the wrong-side also, as you can see from this photo, where the right side and wrong side are both exposed:
One of my favorite aspects of couture is the visually layered effect that is often created by combining several woven fabrics in the same shades, so I am taking advantage of the right side/wrong side of my slip stitch fabric in the construction of my Dior Jacket. I am using the wrong side to create the collar, accent cuff and belt, and the right side for everything else. Depending on how ambitious I am, I may attempt a skirt out of the wrong-side fabric as well. Here is my work in progress so far:
The jacket is edged with a double thread of Rowan kidsilk haze eclipse
Then the cast off row is knitted using Anny Blatt muguet.
http://www.annyblatt.com/boutique/fils/24-muguet/592-muguet-noir/
I have mentioned the Muguet yarn several times in my posts about Chanel-style knits. Anny Blatt has a stable of designs that emulate Chanel jackets, and so they offer more yarns than any other company I have found that can be used effectively for trims for couture-style jackets.
The Muguet has a metallic sheen and eyelash structure which both emulate the style of trim that some designers are using currently in couture, and so it can be a great choice AS LONG AS IT IS NOT OVERUSED! By casting off in the Muguet only, I limit its use to only one row of the edging, which allows it to pop without dominating the piece. Since the other yarns in my textile are also fuzzy mohair yarns, and both have a sheen, the eyelash texture and metallic shine of the Muguet blends with them, simply adding an extra level of intensity. However, I would never recommend using it as a trim for a smooth fabric, such as a cotton or silk. The contrast between the two textures would be too extreme and it would make the piece look cheap.
I don’t have much time for knitting these days, because our Santa Rosa plums have all ripened at once! Every year we get a huge crop, with all of them ripening simultaneously, and then I’m hard put to find a use for them all. So far, I have made two batches of plum caramel sauce and two batches of plum icecream:
The egg whites left over from the icecream custard have been made into meringues:
And I have a disk of paté sucre in the fridge ready to be rolled out for the bottom crust of a plum tart. Next will be the batches of strawberry plum pies, which I make at least half a dozen of and freeze every year so I can bake them on demand.
The most challenging thing about cooking with my Santa Rosa plums is that they are tart as a general rule, but some are much more so than others. So, whereas my first batch of plum icecream turned out perfectly, my second batch is a bit on the sour side. I will have to serve it swirled together with vanilla icecream to take the edge off of the tannic fruit flavor. This is why I mix them with strawberries in my pies as well. Ah, the sweets of summer.