Tag: Chic Knits Cerisara

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Sleeves, with love Tuesday June 22, 2010

It seems a little funny that this second day of summer, being bare-armed and barefoot, I’m busy knitting Sleeves. It’s been the kind of muggy hot we’ve come to (secretly) relish in the cold hard northern midwest.

Typical humid, downtown garage elevator conversation, two parties, standing on top of each other, shiny and slightly glazed-looking: “Hot enough for ya? I can’t hardly stand this.” “Oh. I Love it!” “Yah, me too — I feel all peachey!”

Now that the market show is fini, I can wrap myself in some personal knitting. My very own workbasket has three outstanding projects: a new for Fall (and new for me) cardi, a 2/3’s finished TWIST made from taupe Cotton Ease, and the one I’m being most productive with, my cotton blend Cerisara.

BTW, the name of this pattern has been a little cryptically amusing — just how IS it pronounced? It is simply, sarah sarah. And Chic Knits is sheek knits. That is all ;p

It’s been raining here alot — and I’ve been taking advantage of being a little housebound to catch up on some favorite movies (Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, the Dark Knight, American Psycho, C. Bale film fest, nuff said) and get going enjoying some AC with my lace.

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In the wild…
While I’ve been knitting on my second Cerisara sweater, I’ve found I have lots of fantastic company!

Traveling hither and yon on the web, here’s some wonderful pieces from some very talented knitters…

 
   
         

Knit by Kathleen/katrog(Rav)
from Elsbeth Lavold Silky Wool:
Color – Blue-Green

  

Cerisara #2, Knit by Kathleen/katrog(Rav)
from E. Lavold Eucool: Color – Khaki

 

Knit by Connie/yellowcosmo(Rav)
from Malabrigo Silky Merino:
Color – Velvet Grapes

Cerisara-W-100621-9291My little taupe version would’ve looked a lot like the lovely vest in the middle, if I hadn’t flipped the coin a few days ago and went with the sleeves. I still have some Plymouth JEANNEE in a toasty brown in ze stash to make one, soon to come. The sleeve knitting is going smoothly round-and-round on one long nickel needle. The sleeves are going to be about 3/4 length, am trying on as I go :)

For some reason, the knitting went much faster during the Dark Knight – maybe because I was a little weepy during Capt. Corelli – wow! What a three-hankie fest! Or maybe it was because it was so hard to imagine the lovely P. Cruz choosing N. Cage over C. Bale (not likely). Or maybe it was because every single character (of Italian, American, or British origin) was speaking with such Bad Accents I was actually looking for subtitles to get a verbal grip!

I think I better read the book. :)

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Chic Knits at TNNA Columbus Market June 12 – 14 2010

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Chic Knits will be presenting its Portfolio Trunk with all the fresh samples of our garments!

TNNA Fall 2010 Market
Start Time: Saturday, June 12, 2010 at 10:00am
End Time: Monday, June 14, 2010 at 3:00pm
Location: Booth 151/153 Greater Columbus Convention Center
Street: 400 North High Street
City/Town: Columbus, OH

Fresh Sweaters & Accessories for Fall 2010

If your favorite LYS is going, invite them for a l@@K :)

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To Close or Not to Close May 11, 2010

Going through some of my Spring Portfolio files, I came across some early pictures I thought might be fun for all of us knitting along on Cerisara…

The lovely RobinM, recently finished hers and used a rather unique closure on her sweater, something she describes as a “barbell”. (And please, for all things holy to Sexy Knitters everywhere, check out those Shoes!!)

I found this to be very interesting because, during the trial phases of the design, I was playing around with options myself. Ultimately, the choice of closure (or No Closure) was left up to the knitter.

Why?

Initially, as this design was floating, brain droit, as it were, it presented as something I am constantly in need of: something between a sweater and a shawl. To date, I’ve only knit one shawl. Even though I adore how they look, I just have never gotten the “hang” of wearing them. Better for ze Wardrobe, I envisioned? A light wrapper that would be lacy and airy, like a shawl, but have more structure, with sleeves and a traditional appeal, with a modern fit.

Chic-Knits-Cerisara-Back-NeckIt would be in one piece, seamlessly starting from the back neck and ending with only the weaving in of ends. (In fact, if one is a super-duper weaver, this piece can be worn inside out).

Ultimately, a delicate wrapper with lace fabric, was born… And that translated as buttonless. Consider: in the Real World Wearing of most of my sweaters, even if they have 10 buttons, only 2-3 will be used to close and much of the time not even that. They will be worn un-buttoned. A lot.

Which is why I am so Mad About Cardigans to begin with: the temperature control thing. ;p

But. If one Wanted to anchor the front with a fastener, what would it be? Buttons? Shawl pin? Or something like this:

Chic-Knits-Vest-ButtonThis is a little “option” that I’ve used in the past and really like with this style. It is a simple crocheted chain string, made long enough to form a loop, which then is used to fasten around a button anchored on the opposite side it’s anchored to.

The length of the loop controls the snugness of the fastening. In fact, my favorite option was not to attach the “working” end of the string, but to leave IT loose, (hanging straight down when not in action), allowing it to be wrapped around the button at different tightness levels, depending on how the piece was being worn (and what was being worn under it). This is, in fact, how I’m going to finish the Cerisara I’m working on now. :)

Here’s the loop in action:

Chic-Knits-Vest-Front-1

I used a really pretty light aqua button to be the anchor on the left side of the garment — so very lucky to be a Flea Market fiend the past summers at the local Sunday county fairgrounds (great diggin’).

This picture is the sample Cerisara before I started the sleeves. You can see that it makes a great vest (and armhole finishing is included in the pattern).