Tag: chicknits.com

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Suffragette City Part Five February 23, 2012

Being ever so misty-eyed that Season 2 of Downton Abbey has wrapped here in the States doesn’t mean the story has ended but just a different king of chapter continues.

The Knitwear.

Knitwear from almost 100 years ago.

Chic Knits Knitting Blog

This collection is amazing for a couple of reasons – yes, the variety and exciting modern-looking constructions but also in the fast-forward way the evolution of the clothing matched the evolution of the culture…

Women were just being more Public.

They were going Outdoors more than ever before. They were playing Sports. The popularity of tennis & golf gave rise to the need for some mobility garments, stat.

And now, sweaters and jackets appeared for women that allowed them the same range of movement that their brother golfers and swingers were enjoying.

No more Mutton Sleeves; begone Bustles, farewell hemlines that dragged in the dirt.

Hello Norfolk-style sweaters and ankles!

Now, if you’ve seen any fox hunts on film, chances are you’ll recognize the Norfolk. “It was originally designed as a shooting coat that did not bind when the elbow was raised to fire.”

Range of Motion. Mobility. Action.

From 1917:

Chic Knits Knitting Blog

And something else happened that was very exciting: fashion equity.

Just like in the culture-at-large, the knitwear the Upstairs was wearing appeared Downstairs as well, almost to a T. You could make it…

 Or, from the Spokesman Review, July 29, 1912 (!), you could buy it (here at the Kemp & Herbert Dept. Store, Spokeane, WA):

Here was the birth of Casual, where formality melded most neatly into Comfort, without losing style…

And this is what I find the very most exciting about clothing from this time: women moved away from being rather strictly ornamental to being At Large.

A small step, but, indeed, the journey begins…

Cheers & see you in Season 3?

…all in the series:
– Suffragette City Part 1
– Suffragette City Part 2
– Suffragette City Part 3
– Suffragette City Part 4
– Suffragette City Part 5
– Suffragette City Part 6

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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.

Cerisara-W-100620-9290

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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Monday Morning Mirth June 21, 2010

  Monday Morning Mirth  

Maybe I’ve been on the road for too long this summer already, but Whoops! A major trend has almost passed me by: Underwear as Outerwear!

summer-lingerie

mad-bustiNow, I hate to be a downer, but didn’t we already go through this a few years ago? Is it Soon Enough to repeat the Madonna-fueled bustier craze that left casualties all over the urban runway? (Let’s not speculate what C. Aquilera was thinking when she sported the blinking heart on the recent MTV Movie awards. You’re a Mom now! Stop that!)

Apparently not.

However. If you must, you must.

Tips from an expert: “How are department stores dealing with lingerie dressing? “I recommend moderation,” says Neiman Marcus senior vice president and fashion director Ken Downing. His suggestion for taking the trend off the runway is a creative one: “Satin tap pants with lace trim can replace a skirt for a look that is modern and new..” Eh? [Dude, only if you model it for us…nah.]

OR

Bergdorf Goodman’s Linda Fargo. “I’m foreseeing a spike in lace-edge slips emerging from hemlines…” Forgive me but this was something my Mom drilled into me as a big Oh-No-You-Didn’t although I confess I loved the peek-a-boo.

Chic Knits recommendation: try this instead — a gorgeous slip of a dress from Chanel…

chanel-crochet-dress