Autumn got two posts, part 1 and part 2. Here are five things that come out as the weather turns colder. All five are already in my patterns.
1. Seventies stripes
The stripe is back, but not the navy one. This winter's stripes are wide or close together, in caramel, brown, mustard and cream, and they look like they've been sitting in a chest of drawers since the seventies. The zigzag comes with them.
Milk & Honey – The Sweater has two sleeves that don't match: one with seven wide bands, the other with thirteen narrow ones. Gingerbread – The Sweater is brown and caramel all the way through, with a border of blocks and lice pattern on the sleeve. Karma Chameleon – The Sweater is built from an old fair isle garment, with one wide zigzag band and a narrow, mirrored band in two colours.
2. The knitted dress
The sweater gets longer, until it's a dress. Short over thick tights, or all the way down to the ankle. The knitted dress does the job of two garments and is just as warm as a sweater.
My Cosy Winter Dress – The Dress is long, in purple and green mohair, with half brioche and slits on both sides. Up With the Birds – The Dream Dress is long too, in stripes of good yarn.
3. The slit and the hem that doesn't run straight
The bottom edge doesn't have to run straight around. Slits, wraps and edges that meet at different heights keep turning up this winter. They bring movement to a garment that would otherwise stand still.
Pencil Please – The Skirt is striped in green and pink and splits in two at the bottom, so the slits are worked back and forth. The matching top, Low Omslagsgenser – Green Glow Edition, crosses over at the front and ties.
4. Shoulders and sleeves that take up space
The silhouette moves up. Shoulders get wider and sleeves round like balloons, while the rest of the garment is left simple.
The puff sleeve is one of my signatures, so there's plenty to choose from. Double Trouble – The Sweater has extra width in the sleeve, a high neck and a velvet ribbon at the waist. Arctic Snow, Lux Edition – The Winter Icon has wide sleeves with extra puff and a lace pattern. You'll find the rest under puff sleeves.
5. A little skin
Winter knits don't have to cover everything. Bare shoulders or an opening at the neck turn a warm garment into an evening piece.
Dancing Queen – The Top is black mohair with gold thread, and the neckline sits out on the shoulders. At the front, a crocheted cord runs through the neck edge, with a button at one end and a bead at the other. Love Actually – Autumn – The Top is off-shoulder in brown mohair. There are more under off-shoulder.
Winter is long. Knit something you look forward to putting on.
Anne-Turid