Knitting inspiration: book with traditional Dutch fishermen's sweaters

This book has been on my wishlist for a long time. Finally it was on sale and I decided to buy it!
From 1880's until the 1950's dutch fishermen used to wear knitted sweaters (ganseys) for everyday work. The patterns were different in each village and were mainly made up from knit/purl stitches (my favorite type!). This had an economical reason: it took less yarn to knit than knitting cable patterns. The sweaters were knitted in the round up until the armholes and the sleeves were knitted from the shoulders down. This made reparations easier, the damaged underarms and cuffs could be re-knitted.
The patterns weren't written down (as many people couldn't write back in those days) the knitters memorized them as they learned from their mothers. Every village had it's 'own' patterns, probably because the women copied each others work and knitted what they liked.


The author collected old photographs of fishermen, often portrayed with their families. Based on the pictures she figured out how the original stitches looked like and reproduced the patterns. The book contains about 60 patterns from 40 different Dutch coastal villages. The book contains not only patterns to knit these sweaters but also history, stories of everyday life of the fishermen at sea and at home and a lot of old pictures.
Good news: there is a second book in the make with more fishermen's ganseys:


The wool that is used to make these traditional knits was produced again by the name 'Zuiderzee' by the dutch brand Scheepjeswol. It is a worsted/sport weight yarn:
100 grams=200 meters (metric needle 4,5-5)

19 sts and 24 rows = 10x10 cm

The original colors were blue, navy, anthracite and natural wool color.
It is easy to replace it with wool by any other brand: I'd use the drops 'Karisma' which I also used to knit my baby blankets. It has exactly the same length per 100g, though I'd knit it with a smaller needle to prevent stretching. The denim blue would make a perfect fishermen's sweater!

For more interesting information on the history of (English) ganseys click here

vintage crochet and knitting inspiration

A while ago I was gifted a collection of old knitting and crochet magazines. The Hungarian 'Furge Ujjak' (='Quick Vingers') magazine was the first one promoting crochet, knitting and embroidery projects in the country. The first edition appeared in march 1957.
When I was a child my grandma used to buy the magazine every month. That was back in the 80's and the main focus was on garment knitting projects and fashionable use of traditional embroidery on garments.
When the magazine started in the 50's the main focus was on crocheting: they offered countless patterns for doilies, traycloths, tablecloths, crochet gloves and edgings with an amazing variation of different techniques, like Irish crochet, Bruges crochet (like above on the first cover), clones lace crochet and many more.
Each month they included a few knitted garments as well, embroidery projects, a few short stories and recipes. There are interesting projects as well, like knitted doilies and 3d shaped crochet items stiffened with sugar-water.


Now how pretty is this one, named 'Granny's lace':

Inspiration: 100 years of beauty video's

Time lapse of a model getting her hair and makeup done to match every decade from 1910 to 2010.  Now there is a new version with an African-American girl. Quite different hairstyles, and I like her looks even better!

inspiration: padded Canadian smocking pillow

A really interesting (and actually quite simple) technique demonstrated by debbie shore!

'Koeka' inspiration for diy nursery accessories

I already shared my first knock-off project for a Koeka item yesterday and there is more to come!
Koeka is a brand from the Netherlands, and was set up in 1998. They have blankets, changing pad covers, mats, bedding in their collections, but also clothing items and accessories. Their simple but chic signature style is easy to recognize. Although the prices are high the items are easy to reproduce as well if you are handy with a sewing machine.
Take a look at their lookbooks for more inspiration!

Their 'Amsterdam' ad 'Antwerp'-style products have a soft, cotton waffle (or honeycomb) fabric in combination with a matching velour or bath-towel fabric. The edges are finished with recognizable, decorative zigzag-like stitches (which i.m.o. can be easily replicated by using simple blanket-stitch or a closed blanket-stitch)
A few of the items I like:

baby blankets:
These are made of two layers: waffle cotton + teddy or waffle cotton + cotton flannel fabric:


playpen-mat:
Below is the reversible 'Amsterdam' playpen-mat, again with waffle cotton and bath-towel  fabric:


changing pad cover:
For their 'Amsterdam' changing pad cover they use the cotton waffle fabric or a knitted base in combination with a cotton bath-towel fabric for the middle section:



This one below is the 'Valencia' cover, knitted cotton, again with bath-towel fabric:


toy-bag:
An easy-to copy toy-bag for the crib or bed:

Inspiration: 4 decorative diy pillow ideas from the internet

these pics are courtesy of the owners - see links below

Though I have a zillion baby-related projects to finish from playpen-mat to bathcape, changing cushion covers and mobiles I still love to think about new projects and browse the internet for new ideas. Sometimes, something simple can turn out great, like my most recent creation, a faux fur footstool, which took only 1/2 day to make and I use it every day!
Now, that the Holiday season is approaching I'd like to make a few new, fluffy, modern and cozy pillows for the sofa. These would make great gift-items too!
Here is my top-4 list for the best ideas. Are you inspired?

1. I know, I know, it's a bag. But: imagine turning this pattern into a pillow!
I love the felt look. This bag is actually knitted with a chunky wool yarn with an easy bobble pattern and then washed in the washing machine to turn the yarn into felt. I can think of hundreds of design variations for the placement of the bobbles: using only two rows on one side, in a rectangular shape in the middle or both at left and right, just like on the flap of this bag...
As for the color: I'm currently in love with everything white, off-white and shades of grey, but pastel colors could work beautifully as well.
Because chunky yarn tends to be expensive I'd use plain fabric for the back. The only thing you need to keep in mind is to allow about 30% extra in size when knitting, since felting makes the work shrink.
original pattern here: drops felted knit bag

2. the second one is a rather simple recycle project: an old jeans transformed into a modern looking pillow. The site is Norwegian, but I guess the fabric stripes must be about a cm wide. I think the best is to use a thinner jeans fabric, which is less stiff than the classic workers pants. This would make the cutting and knitting easier. The pattern they used is a simple garter stitch.
Again, the back of the pillow is made from a piece of matching fabric.

pattern here: recycled jeans pillow

3. If you are not keen on knitting you can use a better quality ready-made felt for this modern circle pillow. The coffee-brown circles are placed in a geometric pattern and simply sewn in one vertical line through the middle. A combination of off-white and grey or off-white and mustard would make a sophisticated version too, just like a subtle white and beige version. You can go for more fun with a lot of different colors too!

pattern here: modern circle pillow cover

4. Another knitted one: simply beautiful, but with lots of structure. They use more strands of thinner yarn for the black embroidery on a chunky knitted base which is made in an easy stocking stitch. You could change the color combinations.
pattern here: monochrome knit pillow

Inspiration: Making of Chanel fall-winter 2013/14 & 2014/15

These 'making of' videos give us an idea about the amount of hand-embroidery, attaching beads, sequences, minuscule pieces of fabric one-by-one, that goes into just one haute couture outfit! A-ma-zing!!!!
(then I think of how on Earth can you clean those garments?!)

What to wear & carry when going to a festival?

Guess what, here is another blogpost! Today I have something not-vintage, not-sewing and not-knitting to share. Past week visited Werchter Rock festival in Belgium. This is one of the bigger summer festivals in Europe, it has about 80.000 visitors each day. This year Pearl Jam, Arctic Monkeys, Metallica, Kings of Leon, Bastille performed among others. This was my second time there and I was better prepared than the first time. I thought it would be fun to share my tips and lists to what to take with you, in case you are planning to visit a festival during the summer months.

5 festival essentials to carry:

• sunscreen spay (UV-protection 50)
• foldable plastic bottle (like platyplus)
• mid-size messenger bag (water resistant)
• foldable picnic blanket with water resistant/plastified back
• sun hat

A foldable water bag is really handy, because most festivals don't allow you to take a plastic bottle with you. You simply can't avoid sitting on the ground, so a picnic blanket is a must! We used ours very well. It was a cheap one which can't be washed, so we just threw it away after the last day. A sun-hat and sunscreen is another thing you must take with you. A lot of people walk around like red lobsters after the first day and you certainly want to avoid that. A messenger bag which is big enough to put all your stuff in but not as large as a backpack. No need to worry about dirt and rinks if you carry one which is made of water resistant fabric or plastic.

5 things to wear:

• oversized band shirts/boho tunic
• (jeans) shorts 
• comfy jeans for colder days
• sneakers 
• one piece of 'statement' accessory (a necklace or bracelet)

Remember, a festival is not a fashion show. It is more important to wear clothes you feel comfortable in. I suggest to take one outfit for each day. The first time I took more shirts,  shorts and skirts with me and at the end of the day I didn't really knew what to wear. This time I prepared an outfit for each day, and took less stuff with me.
Oversized shirts are easy to wear if the weather is hot and they cover up any weight issues which makes you look more confident. A boho style tunic can be a good option. I took a pair of (age and figure-appropriate!) jeans shorts with me, which were comfortable to wear and also quite dirt resistant. No problem to sit on the ground and not too hot on a summer day. You see a lot of All Stars sneakers around, mine are cheap look-a-likes which ventilate well, and I can throw them in the washing machine (or in the dirt bin) after 4 days. An extra inner sole makes them more comfortable to wear all day long! Hiking boots can be an option because they are comfortable, but they don't ventilate well, so you don't want to wear them all day long.

5 things in your bag:
 

• sunglasses
• a rol of toilet paper
• earplugs with an acoustic filter ('partyplugs')
• colored lip balm (my fav is Palmers 'Cherry & dark chocolate')
• silicone bag for your keys and money

Sunglasses are essential! Even if there is enough toilet paper on the site I like to carry around my own. It can be handy to use for any other purpose like instead of napkins or to dip your blanket dry if anyone spills drink on it...

It is worth the money to invest in a pair of earpugs with an acoustic filter. This time I was happy to avoid the loud, ear-paining noise. Usually I don't wear a lot of make-up, just a bit of foundation, eye-shadow and a colored lip balm instead of a lipstick. Lipstick melt and get messy in hot weather, and since you drink and eat all the time, it is useless.

handy for rainy days:

• lightweight, hooded outdoor jacket 
• rainboots (no need for expensive ones!) 

My experience is that cheap plastic rain capes don't work! It is better to take a light weight, outdoor rain jacket which you can fold up and put in your bag or tie around your waist. This time we've had 2 rainy days and I was really happy with my rainboots! It was almost sad to see a lot of people walking around with soaking wet shoes or sinking to their ankles in the dirty mud. Remember, there is no need to invest in expensive Hunter rainboots, mine are cheap ones from the local farmer's market and are just fine!

5 big no's:

• (high) heels
• toe-slippers/flip-flops or anything barefoot
• mini skirts or dresses
• tight or short tops
• synthetic fabrics

It speaks for itself, you won't be able to walk around all days on heels. My experience is that the festival grounds can be dirty, people spill drinks or food, so I wouldn't wear anything barefoot like sandals or slippers. You won't be able to sit down elegantly in a mini skirt or dress. Tight or short tops aren't comfortable to wear all day long, just like synthetic fabrics.

An experiment: fun with color analysis!

One thing I've always liked on vintage, especially 30's knitting patterns, that they tell you to 'choose a color to suit your complexion'. What does that really mean?
Every season has it's fashion colors but we all know that not all colors look flattering on us. Why would I wear white, beige or orange when it makes me look washed out?
Above I collected a couple of pictures where I'm wearing colors that I think flatter me. I especially love how the 'electric blue' and 'green-teal' look on me!
Definitely a good starting point. But why do these colors suit my complexion and others not?

what is color analysis:

"Color analysis is the process of determining the colors that best suit an individual's natural coloring. The most well-known is "seasonal" color analysis, which places individual coloring into four general categories: Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn. This system is used by image and color consultants worldwide."

The most successful book on seasonal color analysis for the general public was Carole Jackson's 'Color Me Beautiful' first published back in 1981.
"Whatever style or mood, you'll glow in your thirty special colors!"


Of course, since those years the system has been developed further and nowadays there are even more variations within the different 'seasons', like soft, light, cool, deep, clear, bright and muted...
Although you can have a professional color analysis done (and I might be doing that one day) playing around with Photoshop might be just as much fun as that!

first step:
To start with the color analysis look at yourself in the mirror.
What color is your skin, your eyes, and what is your natural hair color?
- my skin is pale and rosy
- my natural hair color is medium ash brown
- my eyes are (warm) green
The rosy pale, color and the ash colored hair are already clues to move in the 'cool seasons' direction.
Collecting pictures of yourself wearing colors that flatter you is handy as well.
There are certainly items in your wardrobe which flatter you and you often get complimented because that certain color suits you so well.

note on ethnic skin tones:
Be aware, just because you have an 'ethnic' skin or hair color, either african or asian, your undertones are not the same. Obviously you see the most variation in skin, hair, eye color in caucasian type people, but you can skip that step for sure.
For example, take a look at the beautiful Oscar winner actress Lupita Nyong'o.
She seems to look amazing in virtually any color! Like other African ladies she has brown skin, brown eyes and black hair. Autumn or Winter maybe?
I think along bright white, the radiant colors and jewel tones suit her best. She is definitely a 'Winter' type! Though she can pull off pastel, beige, golden and orange shades because of her deep dark skintone, somehow she looks less radiant to me when wearing those. Do you agree?
Upper row: looking radiant in what I think are her 'best' colors, lower row: looking 'washed out' in her 'less' colors:


want to wear your 'less' colors?
Sometimes, you'd just love to wear a certain color that is not one of your 'best' colors. Just because you love the look or because it's fashionable or because you need to keep with a dress code. No problem! The trick is to simply keep them away from your face and team them with one of your 'best' tones. You can wear a dress in your 'less' color in combination with a scarf (=close to your face) in your 'best' color.

warm or cool:

For the next steps your hair should be covered and your face should be make-up free. In the pictures I do wear lipstick, simply because this picture matches my real skintone best, and that is the most important thing.

When doing a professional color analysis your hair will be covered and while you sit in front of a mirror there will be different colored scarfs draped around your shoulders.

Let's start with a simple gold and silver background.
If the cool, silver background flatters your face you are a Summer or Winter type. If the warm, golden color flatters you you are a Spring or Autumn type.

I think it is obvious, gold is absolutely not my color. Blah! I can almost see brown 'patches' popping up, I seem to look sick...
The silver background is much more flattering. It brightens up my face, which has naturally a blue-ish/rose undertone. This looks more 'balanced' and calm to me:


Now I know I am a summer or winter type. If your eyes and hair are dark then you should be a winter type, if your eyes and hair are light you should be a summer type. I have green eyes and naturally middle-ash brown hair (currently dyed blond) so go figure... The best is to check both color palettes.

summer colors:
The summer type colors are not bad, but I'm not sure of the pale grey and beige colors around my face. I also know from experience that pastels don't look good on me at all.


Here with another Summer color chart:
I especially love the green tones in the last row. The beautiful blue of my Valerie jumper is the 2nd from the right in the 2nd row! The lavender color of my 50's scarf is the 4th from the left in the 2nd row:


winter colors:
The brighter winter colors look good, for the lighter colors the icy tones work well. Again, I don't like the look of the mid- and dark browns and the peachy/salmon color right above my face. One of the colors that makes me look 'washed out' the most is white:


The another color chart: Are the winter colors too bright for me, after all?...
There are a few colors I definitely don't like: the reddish-brown, the bright yellow, the warm red, I'm not sure of the grass-green...


the conclusion:
I am definitely more Summer than Winter. Probably, a mix of the summer and winter types works for me the best. Yes, those types exist too!
The emerald-green and turquoise, the bright red and fuchsia, the pale purple and lavender, the blues are all colors which suit me well:

• cool colors
• jewel-tones 
• icy hues instead of pastels  
• 'deep' hues of colors.
• this goes for lipstick as well: icy rose, cool and deep red, fuchsia-pink, bright pink, lavender-rose are the best for me to use
• silver accessories

What do you think?

Talking about the perfect fit...

Talking about the perfect fit, how about this pretty, pale pink skirt and top, Duchess Catherine wore today? I like the contrast between the elegant, minimal top and flared skirt. A top with such 'clean' lines needs to fit perfectly. Choosing the perfect color for your complexion is another important thing of course.

Let's take a look at the pictures above:

• the waistline of the top sits at the natural waist
• there is a perfect amount of ease 
• shoulder width is perfect
• look at the picture where she lifts her arm! That's how a perfect armhole should behave! 
• the neckline lies flat, there is no gaping
• there are no drag-lines or wrinkles 
• the bust dart might be just a tad too high imo (hits right at the apex) 
• skirt hem hits the leg elegantly just at the knee

It looks like the fabric is some kind of heavier (wool crepe?) jersey. The peplum has more body than the skirt, so it is probably underlined.
I tried to search the net for the original Alexander McQueen garments but could only find something similar. The top at left features the just slightly flared peplum and the V-neck, but placement of the bust darts is different. The top in the middle has the right color and dart placement, but the peplum is more flared. I guess the skirt is similar to this one below. At first I thought it was a circle-skirt but then noticed the pleats.

 

If you'd like to make something similar, I have the right patterns for you!
Vogue 8815 peplum top:


Butterick 5756 pleated skirt:

corduroy, post-war fabric of the 40's

"Corduroy which pre-war was confined to working clothes, hard-wearing sports togs. and children's wear, has taken a new importance in post-war fashion."

Corduroy is not a fabric I'd associate with the 40's, but in 1946 this "humble cloth of peasants and artisans" made it's entry in the fashion world that was still very short of good dress materials! My favorite 'almost-40's' blazer here and here is a corduroy one, about 10 years old, which I dyed grey (was originally purple).

above 1946, below 1947 inspiration

source images: AWW through Trove