<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- RNG Baby Blanket<\/a><\/strong>
Had fun with this little blanket in block stitch. I had 4 colours (excluding the white defining line) so utilised a Random Number Generator via Alexa – \u201cAlexa, give me a random number between x and y<\/em>\u201d works! – to decide which colour to use next. I\u2019ll be honest I ignored her if she told me to use a colour three times, but otherwise it was a fun technique to use.<\/li>- <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tuesdayfortnite.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/20190518_110345-e1559316672479-576x1024.jpg\")
Baby blanket<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n WIPs (Works in Progress)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Works actively being worked on – (not hibernating or we\u2019d be here forever) including my PP (Purse Project or the project that is living in my handbag)<\/em>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n- Spiderweb Skirt<\/a>, Hook 5mm, Knit Picks Dishie in \u201cEggPlant\u201d
Despite a perfect swatch I discovered (30 rows in) that my stitch and row gauge was off. Not just by a little bit – this ‘skirt’ was rapidly becoming a thigh warmer – or a skirt for someone a LOT slimmer than me. Ripped out and not had the courage to start again yet.<\/li>- Due to various factors I had to go ‘deep hibernation diving’ for a couple of projects – these are projects that I haven’t worked on in (at least) 12 months, them having done the equivalent of having fallen down the back of the sofa after I got distracted by other projects. I dug out my Stephen West Spectral <\/a>shawl and my Tirrold Sweater<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Every Day\u2019s a School Day<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What I\u2019m learning from my crafting this month..<\/em>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n- There’s more than one way…<\/strong>
The short rows and low stitch counts of Spectra has encouraged me to learn to knit and purl backwards. What was fascinating for me was how this is different to knitting left handed (I really hadn’t expected that!) But knitting left-handed twisted the stitches – so knitting left handed and knitting backwards really are two different techniques.<\/li>- Tedium and perseverance<\/strong>
lace weight 2×2 rib for 17 inches is boring and probably the reason this went into deep hibernation in the first place. However I am very close to finishing this long boring tube so just need to crack on so I can get to the cute lace section.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nBits of Sheep<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Stash reduction or enhancement<\/em>
<\/p>\n\n\n\nHaving signed up to a short course to explore some dying techniques this month, my stash has naturally increased by \u2018some\u2019 in order to have something to dye. But breaking out the deep hibernation projects means I’m also clearing a little bit out…
<\/p>\n\n\n\nMonth<\/td> Balls\/Skeins In<\/td> Balls\/Skeins Out<\/td> Net Balance<\/td><\/tr> May<\/td> 5<\/td> 15<\/td> -10<\/td><\/tr> June<\/td> 5<\/td> 2<\/td> -7<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n Oh Shiny…<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The source of my startitis – for example planned projects , inspirations or ideas that have caught my eye or subjects or topics that have snagged my attention..<\/em>
<\/p>\n\n\n\nThis month isn\u2019t so much about yarn as about the heights craft can reach. Sorry this is a long post and quite picture heavy, but I wanted to record all my thoughts for myself as well as for you.
<\/p>\n\n\n\nI was lucky enough to get tickets to the Dior Exhibition on at the V&A in London – seriously, I was like Charlie Bucket on finding a golden ticket when I managed to score these and the show did not disappoint. I am a lover of 1940\u2019s and 1950\u2019s vintage clothing and frequently dress in original vintage and reproduction garments and Dior to me is the epitome of this period in time.
<\/p>\n\n\n\nSet across 10 rooms the show is staged to present this couture fashion in all its glory. \u00a0Each room is themed and presented in a different way, and with the exception of the 2nd and 3rd rooms, designers for the House of Dior are mixed together giving a really interesting overview of the individual designers and how the aesthetic of Dior is maintained. \u00a0Of course there were certain designers that have a very strong, identifiable look (Galliano I\u2019m looking at you) but for others it was much more difficult to identify which were Dior himself and which were another designer.
<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe timelessness of the exhibit was also interesting – frequently dresses from a 20 year period were put together and it was very difficult to say which order they were made in and what time period. Of course Dior has a very (to me) \u2018vintage\u2019 1940\u2019s\/1950\u2019s look – but Dior himself was drawing from \u2018the Belle Epoque\u2019 and using older historical fashion as his main influence and that was very apparent in the collections on display. Also Dior\u2019s love of flowers and gardens was much more obvious when viewed in groups of clothing.
<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe exhibit opens with the famous \u2018bar suit\u2019 which ushered in the new look and lots of personal artifacts, photographs and drawings. \u00a0I was fascinated to read that Dior had stepped on a (5 inch ish) metal golden star in the street and being very superstitious had seen it as a symbol of the good luck he was having at the time. \u00a0He kept the star with him, and in later years would reward his atelier’s excellence with a copy of the star – part of me wonders if this is not the origin of a gold star for achievement (though of course it could also have a military origin – I genuinely don’t know).
<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe second room is lit boxes of some of the most iconic silhouettes that he had leading into a bright room centered around Princess Margaret\u2019s 21st birthday dress and lots of information about Dior opening shops in England and the partnerships he created with various companies to provide a brand that even the most \u2018lowly secretary\u2019 could buy into. Room 4 was a look at his belle epoque styling with Marie Antoinette inspired lines and beautiful embroidery and beading work reminding me of Royal courts.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tuesdayfortnite.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Dior1-1024x480.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nNext was a look at how Dior, and future designers, were influenced by travel and incorporated elements from their explorations. This was inspiring for me to see how architecture, colour and ritual was incorporated into designs. The flavour of the country being apparent without being obvious was really interesting and I know I need to cogitate on what that means for my own designing process.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tuesdayfortnite.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/dior3-1024x480.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nThe \u201cTravel Room\u201d was quite a darkly lit room with black plinths and floor and you exploded from this into a bright white room with thousands of paper flowers cascading from the ceiling. I\u2019m sure they were adding Dior perfume into the air in this room and to echo the room decoration all the dresses in here had something to do with floral decoration – from a short, strapless dress decorated to look like a single tulip flower to the Miss Dior dress covered in millions of tiny hand sewn organza bud flowers. This room contained some of the most beautiful dresses of the collection for me.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tuesdayfortnite.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/dior4-1024x480.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tuesdayfortnite.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/dior5-1024x480.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nA short passage linked to some of the more recent designers, where echo\u2019s of patterns and designs could be seen as well as some of the more outre Galliano designs. This was another \u2018dark\u2019 room to show off the sequins and beading better.
<\/p>\n\n\n\nThis lead into a stark white \u2018design\u2019 room – stacked with toiles. \u00a0For the readers who don’t sew, a toile is a mock-up of a design made in cheaper fabric (often white cotton) to make sure of fit and drape as well as placement of appliques and buttons etc.. \u00a0This room for me was mind blowing as there were so many toiles and designs it was easy to see both the detail of the work (the fine darts and pleating and draping of the fabric) but also how a tiny change completely altered a design – encouraging me to try more different things in my own designing but also in my own wardrobe, for example swapping a belt for a different colour or width. In the photos below you can see the toile (complete with paper appliques) and the finished garment
<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tuesdayfortnite.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/dior6-1024x480.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAfter the bright clinical starkness of this room a darker corridor containing a rainbow diorama of ensembles was almost overwhelming. Starting with white and fading beautifully through the colour wheel to black everything from hats, shoes, jewellery, dresses, handbags (and oddly knee pads) were on display opposite some of the Dior magazine covers through the years. I particularly loved the mini mannequin models of the dresses in this display – perfect scale models of dresses on display elsewhere in the collection, standing about 12\u201d (30cm) high.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tuesdayfortnite.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/dior7-1024x480.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThis corridor ended in a startling large circular space with a ceiling changing through sunrise to cloud spotted day to sunset and night with shooting stars. A slowly turning pedestal in the centre displayed 10 or 11 dresses and around the outside were evening dresses ranging from perfect simplicity to dramatic impracticality – including several dresses worn on red carpets recently, along with photos of the stars wearing them.
<\/p>\n\n\n\nAs you left, overwhelmed and senses drenched in variety, techniques and colour there was a final single mannequin of a dress designed by the current head designer which was beyond doubt \u2018a Dior\u2019 echoing the full skirts and vintage feel of his original designs and inspired by a 1950\u2019s vintage asymmetrical paper fan – including embroidering his signature into the tulle layers of the skirt it was uplifting to see how the tradition continues into the future.
<\/p>\n\n\n\nI need to process everything I saw as there was well over 200 dresses in the displays, but I am sure that this show will influence how I design but also how I dress in the future, even when not in vintage clothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FOs (Finished Objects) What\u2019s been finished since my last post RNG Baby BlanketHad fun with this little blanket in block stitch. I had 4 colours (excluding the white defining line) so utilised a Random Number Generator via Alexa – \u201cAlexa, … Continue reading
- Tedium and perseverance<\/strong>
- Due to various factors I had to go ‘deep hibernation diving’ for a couple of projects – these are projects that I haven’t worked on in (at least) 12 months, them having done the equivalent of having fallen down the back of the sofa after I got distracted by other projects. I dug out my Stephen West Spectral <\/a>shawl and my Tirrold Sweater<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n