Spotlight on..... Designer Svetlana Gordon

A few weeks ago I came across this photo on Pinterest and posted it to this blog's Facebook page. I'm sure you won't be surprised to read it attracted quite a lot of attention (350 likes, 170 shares, 44 comments), because the coat is an undeniably stunning piece of design. When I tracked down the source of the picture, it proved to be the work of designer Svetlana Gordon, also known as Tashashu. When I looked at the patterns Gordon has listed for sale on Ravelry (and sorry to disappoint but this pattern for this coat isn't among them), I made two discoveries: I had already featured one of her other designs on Facebook; and all the rest of her work was on par with this coat. In this post, let's have a look at some examples of Svetlana Gordon's wonderful work.

This is the Blue Willow Shawl. The pattern is available for $5.00(USD). Many of Svetlana Gordon's designs have a unique blend of modern edge and a wealth of rich detail. Most contemporary design is simpler than this.

The Murano Scarf, which is like stained glass translated into yarn. The pattern is available for $5(USD).

It seems Svetlana can't design even a simple pumpkin decorative piece without turning it into something eye catchingly special. This Decorative Pumpkin pattern is available for $2(USD) and comes with optional crocheted spider instructions.

This "house coat" is from Gordon's Facebook page. I'd be more inclined to turn this into an afghan than a coat, but that street scene is too charmingly rendered for words.

Adorable cabled mini-dress, also from Gordon's Facebook page.

This Morocco Coat is simpler and more practical and wearable than the coats above, but still very striking.

This lovely jacket design uses Gordon's Autumn Leaves stitch, the instructions for which are for sale on Ravelry for $4(USD).

You can see more of Svetlana Gordon's work in her store on Ravelry and on her Facebook page, and she has an online store. You won't regret any time you take to check out her work as, though I've focused only on her knitwear design in this post, she also works in fabric and leather, and all her work is quite amazing. After looking at all of Gordon's work while researching this post, I can only say she is insanely talented, and definitely ranks among the very best of the designers I've come across in two years of writing this blog.

Interweave Knits Winter 2014: A Review

Interweave has published the Winter 2014 issue of Interweave Knits. Let's have a look at it, shall we?

The Fall River Cowl has a nice texture and sits well.

The Quivira Coat. This is a classic Aran coat and the texture is good, but the shaping could do with a little work, such as raising the dropped shoulders and shaping the ribbed neckband so that it sits better.

The Moraine Jacket. I like this one, though I think I'd replace that tied belt with a leather one, or perhaps add a metal buckle to a knitted belt.

The Muir Wrap. I'm not taken with the colours used here, but this is one visually striking wrap.

The Hudson Wrap. This looks too much like an afghan to work as a wrap, but I will say it is quite a nice afghan.

The Bear Lake Cowl. Love the texture of the piece, but not the way it sits. This is one of those "flat tire hung around the neck" cowls.

The Ozark Wrap. Nice piece, but again it's too much like a blanket to work as apparel.

The Tanawha Wrap. This one is just small enough to work as an oversized wrap. Interesting texture and nice colour.

The Zuni Cardigan. Good design. The shawl collar sits well (a lot of shawl collars don't), and the colourwork is subtle and interesting. I wouldn't include the tie belt, though, and I'd advise against knitted tie belts for most people. It's a difficult look to pull off. It isn't even doing this professional model any favours. Waist shaping is a much safer bet.

The Bozeman Hat. Nice slouchy tam in a beautiful colour.

The Trapper Cowl. Very cleverly done knitted tartan pattern.

The Ice Rink Pullover. Love this one. The shape, texture, and cowl neckline are all very well done and make the sweater both comfortable and comely.

The Kittery Point Cardigan. Very pretty new take on the fair isle cardigan.

The Siobhan Blouse. I like this design but would replace the tassel with another cable device. Including the tassel makes this look like something Lady Mary Crawley of Downton Abbey would wear in order to save herself the trouble of actually having to rise from her seat in order to ring for her maid Anna when she wants her hair combed.

The Cocoa Cardigan. Lovely simple cardigan with some distinctive detailing.

The Quadrille Pullover. Nice little pullover with terrific latticed cabled texture. I don't think the choice of a three quarter sleeve length is working that well here, but they are easily lengthened.

Pearl Lake Mitts. Very cute fingerless mitts.

The Caterpillar Cowl. This lace edged cowl has that sad flat tire look when it's worn single, but it looks ever so pretty when worn doubled.

The Modest Pullover. Nice simple pullover, though I think there are better yarn choices for this design. I'd go with a flecked rather than a variegated yarn.

The Wind at Your Back Pullover. This one has good lines and good texture.

The Matalina Pullover. Love this one. The texture's attractive and interesting and as you can see this sweater is unusually flattering for a cabled sweater.

Mother and Urnie Knitting Things

This video from It's Alive, a late night horror show webcast based in Pittsburgh, PA, Mother has some unwelcome news for Urnie. She's late. Fifty-six years late, to be precise.

The Knitwear of Oscar de la Renta

As those of you who read my knitting magazine reviews may have noticed, I won't generally include the names of the knitwear designers whose patterns appear in them. My main reason for not doing so is that I think it would make my negative reviews too much like a personal attack on the designer. It would also mean my snark about their work would come up on Google searches for their names. So I keep the reviews focused on the merits of the specific item in question, and only name the designer when I think she or he is especially deserving of praise. But although my practice of not naming designers has become a policy with a carefully considered rationale, it wasn't originally so. No, when I first began writing reviews nearly two years ago, I didn't name the designers in them because I never thought of doing so. I'm not one to care much about name designers and labels. For me, it's all about the design, about looking at patterns on a case by case basis. And it seems like a reasonable approach to me because while there are exceptionally talented designers out there who turn out a very consistent body of work, many are hit or miss, and all of them are capable of laying an egg sometimes. I also don't think the famous designers are necessarily the best designers, because much of the most stunning work I've seen in the course of research and writing for this site was by some relatively unknown designers I stumbled across on Ravelry. This agnosticism regarding prestige designer names is an integral part of my entire approach to crafting. As I wrote in this March 2013 post, "The Mount Everest of Knitting Patterns", my belief is that when one makes one's own clothes one needs to be one's own designer, to make patterns one's servant and not one's master. It's so important when crafting anything to make an effort to maintain a certain critical distance from all outside design influences in order to make sound decisions about what will work and to guard against being overcome by slavish adherence to someone else's design and rules because as good as those may be, they weren't, after all, tailor made for you.

All of the above preamble is intended as an aside to explain why, when Óscar Arístides Renta Fiallo, known professionally as the designer Oscar de la Renta, died of cancer on October 20th, 2014 at the age of 82, it didn't make much of an impression on me. I certainly knew who he was and realized that he was considered legendary, but I wasn't that familiar with his work. And it was only after seeing all the Oscar de la Renta tributes on the websites and webpages I follow to keep myself somewhat informed about what's going on in the knitting and fashion scene that it occurred to me that I perhaps ought to do an Oscar de la Renta post myself. It took one image Google of the words "Oscar de la Renta" to make me decide that perhaps I also ought to reconsider my indifference towards name designers; that I ought to at least take the time to occasionally look at their work as a whole in order to gauge its general calibre and character. As I scrolled through images of Oscar de la Renta designs, dozens of beautiful confections were followed by dozens more. There is a reason why de la Renta dressed so many movie stars, royal and political figures including many American first ladies that he became a living legend: he was past master of elegantly and distinctively simple design. He is probably best known for his evening gowns, though as his long career progressed he diversified into bridal wear, home furnishings, and fragrances, but he also designed knitwear. And this post will feature a selection of his knitwear design. I've opted not to include any of the Vogue Knitting-published de la Renta patterns that are on Ravelry. They're all nice, but none of them really stands out to me. Instead I have included a selection of photos of the knitwear design that bears his name for your inspiration and replication.

Navy sweater and skirt set offering us an updated take on the polka dot fabric. I think those circles have been created by stitching beads in circles, and possibly cutting out the centre of the circle. The skirt seems to be self-lined while the sweater shows us glimpses of the blouse beneath it.





Beautifully shaped and detailed knitted dress. I love the kick pleats in the front and back, which are a great way to add interest and movement without making the silhouette too full.

This design is one of those that I could never wear but that gets my creative juices flowing, because the idea of those silver rose outlines against pale pink is one I would love to see translated into various handknit patterns.

I love this use of gradient colourwork, which is fresh and spring-like.

Many Oscar de la Renta designs have such a timeless quality. This sweater evokes the forties and probably could have been worn back then without looking at all out of place, but at the same time it looks very current.

Another good use of gradient colour, combined with great shaping.

Love this piece, which looks comfortable and casual enough to wear with jeans but has such incredible style at the same time.

I can't even quite tell what's going on with this design of this little cardigan, and how it is made. It seems to be knitted of some chiffon fibre and decorated with chiffon roses. I find the concept of a sheer cardigan with a textured decorative overlay around the neck to be an intriguing one that I would love to see interpreted by other skilled designers and knitters.

Something that I noticed about Oscar de la Renta's designs when I was researching this post is that wonderful sweater and dress pairings were very common among his offerings. Everything about this pairing is perfect, from its lines to its colour combination.

A beautiful lace cardigan over a coordinating dress.

Ever thought of embroidering a sweater to go with a favourite dress?

Pom Pom Quarterly Winter 2014: A Review

Pom Pom Quarterly has released a preview of its Winter 2014 issue. Let's have a look at it.

The Fairchild design. Not impressed with this one. That pouch on the front makes the overall shape so unflattering.

The Falling Snow Mitts. I rather like these crocheted mittens. The texture's great and that's an interesting yarn. I would correct the pointy tips though.

The Cidre design. I think this model was styled this way in an attempt to give this item a certain hipster chic, but this model looks for all the world like a university student in the midst of exams, who has thrown on the only relatively clean items she could find on the floor of her dorm room and put her hair any old how before running out to her local coffee shop to fuel up on caffeine, where she promptly ran into that cute boy from her economics class she's had a huge crush on since the first week of term. That's always the way of it, isn't it? Anyway, about the sweater. It has its good points, such as its texture and the way the shaping has become part of the design, but it's too big for this model and that is one depressing colour. Neaten up the fit and knit it in a colour you love, and put it with things that actually go with it, and the wearer won't wind up dying inside when she finds herself standing next to her secret crush at the local coffee shop.

The Into Trees hat pattern. The stitchwork is good, and I admire the way the designer has integrated the earflaps into the design. If this style of hat is not for you, you could omit the ear flaps and the pom poms and have a nice slouchy style cap.

The Sorrel hat. This is the expression the university student had on her face when she ran into the local coffee shop the week after exams wearing a coordinated outfit and a very cute hat and found herself standing next in line to the cute boy from Economics again.

The Aubrietia sweater. Not thrilled with this design, which has a rough, amateurish look to it. A polished, accomplished design needs better shaping, a design concept that is carried steps farther, and a more sophisticated, interesting colourway.

The Brynja cardigan. I think I might make a few tweaks to this one, such as not going with a raglan sleeve, as it cuts into the cabled detail on the front to poor effect, and I think I'd create a cuff that employed some of that cabling instead of going with those ribbed cuffs that don't seem to belong on this sweater.

The Curio Mitts. These are nicely detailed and fit well.

The Trienne Shawl. Now our friend the young university student is trying to attract the boy from Economics class by being all Manic Pixie Dream Girl in the shawl she crocheted back in her gap year, when she was backpacking in the Netherlands and got into doing mushrooms. Honey. One of the cardinal rules of dating is "Don't try too hard," and one of the cardinal rules of crafting is "Anything you craft while high will look terrible, and you won't even know it."

Knit in 80 Seconds

The children's storybook, Phoebe's Sweater, written by Joanna Johnson and illustrated by her husband Eric Johnson, tells the story of Phoebe Mouse and how she becomes a big sister. The book also includes knitting patterns: one for a child-size hooded sweater, one for a toy Phoebe Mouse, and one for a doll-size sweater that will fit the toy Phoebe Mouse as well as a 16-18 doll. The video above shows a Phoebe sweater being knitting in 80 seconds. Or more accurately, shows us 80 seconds out of of a day-long process of knitting the Phoebe sweater, but the 80 second stop motion video is quite well done and offers cute background effects, such as a last ball of yarn being delivered by a little vehicle made out of Lego. If you'd like to knit Phoebe's sweater for the little girl in your life, the pattern is available on Ravelry for $6(USD).