the knitting buzz

fall 2011 color forecast

 
During TNNA, VOGUEknitting's Trisha Malcolm, Editor in Chief gave a splendid session on the color trends and forecast for Fall 2011 from Pantones Fashion Color Report. Here are some highlights and insight into these color trends.

Fall 2011 fashion color trends take the approach to pair brighter colors with more neutral hues.  The highlighted colors are a link to the pantone color with some fashion designers visioin of the color and their observations.

Honeysuckle (dubbed color of the year) continuing from Spring, is a playful reddish pink. Works great with Coffee Liqueur and Nougat. Pair it with Bamboo for some intensity.  Honeysuckle provides a complimenatry healthy glow and looks good on everyone.  It will be used often for a festive sweater, shrug or jacket and perfect in a lace shawl.

Bamboo is a subtle yellow with a green undertone. It will be paired with Phlox, Deep Teal and Honeysuckle.

Emberglow is the perfect autumn tone that borders on a coral influence. Combine it with Coffee Liqueur for a classic look or with Honeysuckle for a retro feel. A dramatic accessory would be a lacey knit scarf in Emberglow, Deep Teal and Phlox.

Phlox is a deep almost magical purple tone. Its is stunning worn on its own and dramatic when its worn with neutrals like Cedar, Coffe Liqueur and Deep Teal.  Knitting fair-isles or any color work Phlox works well as an accent color combined with Cedar as the main color, Bamboo and Honeysuckle as additional accent colors.

Cedar is a versatile mid-tone nuetral green.  Its naturally paired with Deep Teal. For a sophisticated approach its complimented beautifully with Phlox or Orchid Hush.

Deep Teal is an intense blue-toned green, residing somewhere between Navy and a Deep Forest.  Used with Cedar, its neighbor on the color wheel is almost a standard. Looks striking with Honeysuckle.

Coffee Liqueur the richness of this color is a savory wardrobe staple to basic black.  It works well with all the bright hues of the season. It adds a sense of elegance to the Fall pallette.

Nougat is a warm taupe camel shade and is complimented with Phlox, Emberglow and Honeysuckle.

Orchid Hush is a unique shade of soft gray with orchid undertones. Blends with any color well. 

Quarry a beautiful and reliable shade of medium gray. A great colorway to show off cables in sweaters, scarves and afghan/throws.

Get out your knitting needles..... we've got lots of gorgeous sweaters and accessories to knit....

Happy Knitting!

one of those weeks

Happy Summer Soltice!

Ever have one of those days weeks where you feel like you are just off your game..... that was me this last week.

I can actually pin down the cause(s).  And you won't believe it.  I bought a new netbook (its so little, lightweight and cute) for traveling, so I didn't have to lug my 17" laptop (definitely more cumbersome). I was so excited to blog and share lots of news, trend, direction, new items and photos of the knitting famous (like Barbara Walker, Norah Gaughan, Ysolda Teague to name a few) from TNNA.  Then it happened....

The first day started with only about 4 hours sleep, early travel with crazy storms and lots of classes. I think the lack of sleep took its toll.....result no blogging....but not the cause.

Next day, started early, chalked full of classes and speakers (which were all great) that lasted all day.   Came back to the hotel, ready to write and load all the photos I took and that's when it happened......

I went to download the photos I took and my new netbook would not allow me to select the photos to download.  It would only give me the option to download ALL photos....which is like a gajillion and I knew that my cute little netbook had limited memory, which I was certain a gajillion would blow it up.  (Later I found out that my netbooks memory could have handled it.....argh).

BUT that little setback of downloading photos is what I am blaming the cause of the tumble.  Going from "so excited" about sharing all the great new things at TNNA.... to nothing.  This translated to a week of no blogging and worse yet, no knitting.  I have not knit or had the desire to knit for more than a week.  TAKE MY TEMPERATURE, PLEASE!!!!!

I hope this post will snap me out of it..... on all fronts.

Hope you have a good rest of week and a lovely weekend.  By the way, Taste of Chicago starts this weekend..... always lots of fun!

 

heading to TNNA

Its that time again to pack my bags and head to Columbus for TNNA. 

Today is packed full of doing laundry, some chores and packing.  The hardest part of packing is to decide what knitting projects to take. Yes, that's right, it requires multiple projects.  This may seem crazy to some but it really does require a little thought, at least for me. 

This trip is 5 days loaded with classes, speakers, a fashion show and the most important part, the market.  Where there are thousands of booths to navigate to find the best products and yarns for this Fall and Winter.

So back to selecting the knitting projects to pack.

• I need some simple projects that I can do during the speaker luncheon and some of the classes. 
• I always like to take some more interesting or slightly more complicated projects for any down time (as long as there is no alcohol involved, never works for me).
• Need a project for the plane, that won't be taken away because of needles that are too pointy or circulars that are too long.

I usually seem to over compensate and take more projects than I can possibly work on.....visions of grandeur perhaps.

Truth be told, usually I will take the opportunity to use this as an  excuse a platform to start new projects.  And after about a week of swatching and not quite getting the desired effects I was looking for,...... I have decided to dig out some unfinished projects and use this time to reclaim some project bags from the dark corners of the closet.  This almost feels heroic..... oh my, way too much drama.

 
So I have decided to take 3 different sock projects (1 2nd sock and 2 1st socks), a crochet pillow cover project, the "Its Native" wrap/scarf (feeling very optimistic) and some linen lace to start another Bubbles.

I failed to mention that some time between now and class time, I have to complete 4 swatches as homework for two different classes, one on Thursday and the other on Friday. I think I will start the first one on the plane. 

Looks like my homework will cut into some knitting time. Better rethink the number of projects to pack.....just may be over zealous.

I will be sure to take lots of pictures to share with you and report back. 

More later.....

 

stash treasure

 I spied some Berroco Bonsai that I had stashed in a bronze-ish color. I've been wanting to make a summer scarf or something with it for at least a year or so. Bonsai is a ribbon/tape style yarn,  97% Bamboo, 3% Nylon,it has a nice sheen and somewhat drape-y.

Lightbulb goes on....bing bing bing..... and yes, you guessed it......another (or third) Dandelion Lace Scarf has emerged. I am knitting this scarf a little narrower,  with one less repeat and using a US# 9 knitting needle to open up the stitch.

  

The result looks less like dandelions and more like bunches of wheat sheaves. But I think it will show well all the same. And the best part is, it will done in time for TNNA.....sweet!

 

inspired

"Shoulda, woulda, coulda" gave me the "kick in the pants" inspiration I needed to set a goal to get the beautiful lace knitted wrap/scarf design completed, so I could wear it to TNNA (The National Needlearts Association) Trade Show in Columbus.  I calculated that I needed to complete 20 rows every day, giving me enough time for blocking and pack it for my trip. Twenty rows sounded ambitious even to me, but I was determined to give it my all

The first two days of this challenge, were indeed challenging, but 40 rows were completed. I pushed myself and got it done. 

Day 3 was a different story...... I got up at 4:30 am to knit with the endless cup of Starbucks House Blend, then off to work.  Came home to look after Xander, then resumed knitting around 9pm and stayed up to till around 11:30pm kniitng groggily and at times falling asleep. Still not completing my 20 rows....OOFDAH!!!

Day 4 was worse..... this is the day I found the mistakes I made under heavy eyelids, late the night before.  Kind of like a Day of Reckoning.  I quickly faced the fact that this beautiful wrap/scarf knit in Dream In Color's Its Native, will be finished at a later date and will not be going to Columbus with me in any form other than a UFO (un-finished object).

So, this opened up season on knitting up something else to wear at TNNA. Not surprised, I'm positve.