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Web-Letter, Issue 112 – Fall 2009

These days, I’m loving stockinette stitch. I’m also loving simple shapes and simple stitches--trends that we’re seeing in the ready-to-wear world, too. CEY’s fall 2009 pattern collection represents all kinds of knitting—cables, colorwork, lace, and other knitterly things. We’ve made sure that there are plenty of pieces that are easy, fun, and interesting to knit—pieces that make the most of simple stitches and fresh embellishments. Here are some of the Web-Letter team's fall favorites.

Pam Allen
Creative Director


The Yarns:

Giselle

Giselle is a beautiful kid mohair and wool blend. It’s a little heavier than lace weight but plenty light and airy for floaty designs.

Kumara

Kumara is a blend of baby camel hair and extra fine merino. It has a hand almost as soft as cashmere. Undyed camel hair is spun with dyed wool to create a subtle heathered effect.

Chesapeake

Cheasapeake is the latest addition to our Verde line of eco-friendly yarns. It’s a blend of organic cotton and soft merino and it has a very slight mouline effect.


The Booklets:

9102 Weekend

Ravelry link

9103 Snow Day

Ravelry link

9104 Winter Whimsy

Ravelry link

9105 Saturday Afternoon

Ravelry link

9106 Sunday Brunch

Ravelry link

 

The Patterns:

I really like to knit garments that I will want to wear everyday, and I love lots and lots of stockinette stitch and simple details. The stockinette stitch Kumara Funnel Neck pullover has amazing garter stitch collar and sleeves; Véronik Avery used simple embroidery stitches to make the Duchess Embroidered Cardigan extraordinary; Pam Allen worked a lovely skirted bottom and added adorable buttons to the Montera Embroidered Jacket; a simple stockinette raglan is made extra special by Melissa LaBarre’s addition of folded over and buttoned collar and cuffs; and Carrie Bostick Hoge’s oh-so-vintage looking Fresco Lace Bodice Cardigan becomes very precious with the addition of lace panels.

Cecily Glowik MacDonald

Kumara Funnel Neck Pullover
9102 Weekend

Duchess Embroidered Cardigan
9103 Snow Day

Montera Embroidered Button Jacket
9104 Winter Whimsy

Moorland Foldover Cowl Pullover
9105 Saturday Afternoon

Fresco Lace Bodice Cardigan
9106 Sunday Brunch

 

As it gets chillier by the day here in Maine, I want to wrap myself from head to toe in knitted goods. Pam Allen's Montera Fair Isle Yoke Pullover would certainly be a part of my cold weather uniform. I love the simple-yet-intersting colorwork and the fact that it is a double-stranded knit— fast, fun and super warm! Also, Véronik Avery’s Fresco Fair Isle Vest is calling my name. I love the soft, friendly color palette and the fact that it is worked in Fresco, one of my favorite yarns. And lastly, I’m a sucker for great knitted accessories. I’d be one happy camper knitting Cecily Glowik McDonald’s Forbidden Beret and Wicked Flower Stitch Gloves, and Catherine Shumadine’s Long socks in Alpaca Sox.

Carrie Bostick Hoge

Montera Fair Isle Yoke Pullover
9103 Snow Day

Forbidden Beret
9104 Winter Whimsy

Wicked Flower Stitch Gloves
9104 Winter Whimsy

Fresco Fair Isle Vest
9105 Saturday Afternoon

Alpaca Sox Long Socks
9106 Sunday Brunch

 

While working on tech editing this season's patterns, I fell in love with the construction, feel and fit of so many of them—It was hard to choose just a few favorites. I had the liberty of trying on many of the model garments. Pam Allen's dolman-sleeve dress in Giselle, Carrie Bostick Hoge's cabled shrug in Aspen and poncho-style vest in Princess stood out as ones that fit me well, hugged my curves and had interesting-enough construction that I'm eager to knit them up. Pam's La Gran dress has beautiful lace and a fun construction that I would love to experience knitting up. And my own lace cardigan in Miracle is a great everyday cardi that I dreamed up while camping and would love to knit one of my own.

Kristen TenDyke

Giselle Dolman-Sleeve Dress
9102 Weekend

Aspen Cabled Shrug
9103 Snow Day

La Gran Drop-Stitch Dress
9104 Winter Whimsy

Miracle Lace Cardigan
9105 Saturday Afternoon

Princess Poncho-Style Vest
9106 Sunday Brunch

 

I confess that often when I finish something I’ve designed, I’m disappointed with it. What looked great in the imagining sometimes falls short in reality. That said, I like the way the Miracle Lily-in-the-Valley cardi turned out. I love the easy-to-wear silhouette and the bobbly stitch pattern that edges the neckline on this piece.

Other favorites? Cecily Glowik McDonald’s charming pink garter-stitch mitts in cashmere (Forbidden), embellished with matching buttons and worn with the orange Montera Jacket, and her light-as-air lace top pullover in Giselle, a floaty new fine-gauge mohair. I also love the clean lines of Carrie Bostick Hoge’s three-button swingy yellow jacket worked in our new eco-friendly Chesapeake. And I adore Kristen TenDyke’s long richly textured cabley vest in soft Inca Alpaca. I love the fit, the color, and the stitches in this vest. I’ll be making one for myself. Finally, I think the mix of easy texture patterns in Robin Melanson’s Classic One Fifty lace-up pullover is lovely. And the sweater’s ribbon tie is the perfect final touch.

Pam Allen

Chesapeake 3-Button Jacket
9102 Weekend

Giselle Lace Bottom Pullover
9102 Weekend

Inca Alpaca Long V-Neck Vest
9103 Snow Day

Forbidden Mitts
9104 Winter Whimsy

Miracle Lily-of-the-Valley Cardigan
9105 Saturday Afternoon

Classic One Fifty Lace-Up Pullover
9106 Sunday Brunch

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