- 20/07/2016 - Signatur July 2016 Newsletter 69

Signatur July 2016 Newsletter 69

Wed, 20 Jul 2016

 

What's New and What's Next?

* Melbourne Craft & Quilt Fair
        28th to 31st July
* Coal Loaders Artisan market Sydney 28th Aug
* New Jacket Designs 2016
Stitched Up Jacket
Billy Drape Jacket
Windsor Jacket 

* New Yarns New Ideas!

Spectacular variegated
* Detail, Detail, Detail!
"Check out the back!"

Detail, Detail, Detail

I just love to say to customers admiring the front of my designs at shows, "Check out the back!" Above left shows my Stitched Up Jacket back detail with off-centre hemline button detail, a split-colour collar and, I think for the first time in my collection, patch pockets! As always the finishing touch (on the front of course) is our Signatur handmade buttons.
Two length options, top in red short length and right, long length - individual web pages per length.

Stitched Up Jacket

Attention to detail is making my 'New for 2016' designs a real hit! Hand-made and colour-matched buttons, collar choices, split hemlines, feature pockets and colour trim contrasts are the elements that highlight three new and very different designs in my range. Let's face it, a plain sweater is really just a missed opportunity!

Billy Drape Jacket

Billy Drape Jacket is knitted sideways, casting on the left front from collar to hem. Knitted in one piece, front edge to front edge, without side seams, with the cable showing horizontally instead of vertically.


Short rows are also worked into the front rib to create a deeper collar at the hemline than the neck edge.

The back of the Jacket features an asymmetric split hemline (left), the longer side is worked with short rows, adding 12 more rows to the rib.

 
Right, Billy Drape Jacket is knitted in Fleck yarn colour Stone. The A-line is evident by the commencement of cables on the angle.

The short rows create the A-line, so the fronts still overlap / meet at the hemline. The hemline of the ribbed collar has 20 more rows than the collar/neck edge of the ribbed collar.
Windsor Jacket
The Windsor Jacket was a real hit at the Sydney Quilt Fair in June, both as a garment and a knitting kit.

Created to look like a tailored riding jacket with the centre back panel longer than the sides. The collar of the Windsor Jacket features the centre back split. 

All the panels have decrease-shaping first into the waist-line, then increasing back into the chest. The shaping is more evident on the coloured centre back and front panels (below).
"Short row shaping, is used for many reasons: certainly to create design features but also for functional reasons."
 
As a design feature short row shaping allows me to create slanted hems, which I am pretty fond of. The images show short row shaping better than trying to describe the technique and results.  

Though not immediately apparent there is a subtle slant to the hemline of the Windsor Vest right. Far more evident in the designs below.
Tally Ho Jacket

The Tally Ho Jacket (left) was one of my first 
applications of short rows to create a pointed front band.

Right: This is part of the Wave collection of Scarves, Warps and Cowls, using short rows which is a perfect use of the long colour-spanning yarns: they are great fun to knit.



 

Functionally for the back neck and collar, short row shaping lengthens the outer edge of the collar. It results in a greater curve to the outer edge of the collar compared to the seam edge.  

Shown Right Buckingham Jacket with short rows worked over the Bell stitch pattern on the back hem egde. Sleeves matched with Bells but not short rows. 



"Short rows are incomplete rows that, as with most knitting techniques, can be worked in many different ways."
When I ask somebody if they have worked short rows I usually ask if they have knitted socks or baby booties, as this is often the first time a knitter will come across short rows.

Shown Left one of my first 'Swagger"style coats, 
with the short row shaping really showing the extra length at the front hemline.

Right the Zig Zag Swagger adds some extra stitch pattern to the original Swagger design. The back is worked as 2 separate pieces, creating a vent centre back, mirrored with the split in the collar.
 
Shows continue into Spring time!!!!
Time to start knitting Christmas gifts?
Melbourne Quilt & Craft Fair Thursday 28th to Sunday 31st July
Come and be inspired  - 4 days of craft, classes and plenty of colourful surprises!

Sydney Coal Loaders Artisan Market Sunday 28th August
Great Australian made goodies - great time to buy some stunning yarn to knit the ultimate Christmas gifts!!!
Discontinued Colours in Azteca, Tonalita and Poems Silk
Once a colour has been discontinued, it is no longer offered as a kit (pattern and yarn), otherwise inventory is impossible! You can still however purchase a single ball of any colour.

We have on offer 3 complimentary patterns (value $10 each) with a purchase of
Azteca 3 x 100g balls are purcahsed $60
Tonalita/Poems 4 or 5 balls (50g) are purchased $40 or $50 
These yarns are so much fun to knit with. 

 
New Variegated Yarns for every acccesory kit

AZTECA 12 Ply has 3 discontinued colours, these colours are now sold only as 100g balls A$20.
There are still lots of colours to choose from though, including (left) Fall Patina and Yurt hat (below) in Sunset Sky.

OFFER purchase 3 x 100g - any colours and recieve 3 complimentary patterns worth $10 each.
Complimantary patterns: Above Wave Scarf, below left Circular Cowl, below Yurt hat. Each piece requires just 1 x 100g balls - perfect gifts!

 
Above three discontinued colours Left to right Heather Autumn, Santa Fe, Rainbow.
The 3 complimentary patterns each use 1 x 100g, so pick 3 different colour.
1. Wave Scarfshown above in Fall Patina
2. Circular Cowl shown above in Autumn Heather
3. Yurt Hat - shown below in Summer Haze.

Offer applies to full range of Azteca 12ply colours.
Tonalita and Poems Silk were the first Italian yarns I brought into the range. Limited colours remain.
TONALITA 10 Ply discontinued yarn -
purchase as 50g balls only (no more kits)
BUT

Offer 1: Purchase 4 balls and receive 3 complimentary patterns $40 - 
Offer 2: Purchase 5 balls and receive complimentary Wave Wrap pattern $50.

Tonailta
Left colour Harvest
Right colour Sunset
Below right Sunset knitted - half the scarf is in another colour.


The Wave Scarf (right) was the first short 
row design in my accessory range. The Wave Scarf pattern has 2 widths, shown in the narrow width.
Left the Wave Wrap was the next piece, starting narrow and widening to the centre back.
Above left, the Wave Cowl is knitted as the scarf with more stitches and then one seam completes the Cowl.
 
Poems Silk Wildberry
Order 4 balls of Tonalita or Poems Silk and receive three complimentary patterns -  Yurt Hat, Wave Scarf and Corrugated Cowl $40. 
Order 5 balls of Tonalita or Poems Silk and receive Wave Wrap pattern shown below $50.
Cinque 8ply has some stunning colours.
It has 150m to 50g so really good yardage - sorry meterage!
Offer: Order 3 balls $48 recieve 3 complimentary patterns:
Wave Scarf, Circular Cowl and Yurt Hat - total saving A$30
 If you'd like to discuss anything in this newsletter - or anything at all, please email Jane. Thanks for your support - Laura, Petra, Philippa, and I look forward to seeing you in the knitting circle!
 
  
Signatur Handknits www.sigknit.com