In the last three weeks, my work life has changed rather significantly. Different hours, different colleagues, different dress code. For the time being, my crafty time is more constrained than it has been for quite some time, so I find myself really thinking hard about what I want to do with it.
I do like to knit for wardrobe, but my current work lifestyle is not one that accomodates big slouchy sweaters or garments that are too "out there". I find myself mostly in dress slacks, dress shirts and layering pieces like jackets and vests. There's room for sweaters, but the types I think work best are those in very fine gauges and simple patterns with fitted shaping. There seems to be two places that look to work best when it comes for knitwear:
1) Layering pieces like vests that help give dress shirts a bit more interest and help add a little bit more structure or make blouses that are a little bit sheer a bit more work appropriate.
2) Accent scarves that can be used to bring in a little color and provide a little hint of personal creativity without screaming "Yo! Look at me! I like to knit"*
Thrown into this mix, I have to consider another factor, one that's been vexing me for almost a year now: I think I'm sensitive, and not in a good way, to wool. I'm still experimenting with this, but it does seem that when I knit with wool, the eczema on my hands is more likely to flare up. When I wear wool sweaters, my back seems to get worse. When I wear wool socks, it seems like my legs and feet get more irriated and itchy. I'm currently experimenting with eliminating wool from my wardrobe diet, While it doesn't eliminate my problems, it certainly seems to reduce them. So not only am I changing the types of garments that I am likely to knit, I'm also going to be changing up their fiber composition. Fortunately, this is a good time to be looking at wool alternatives. There are many fabulous cotton, silk, bamboo, linen yarns as well as many blends that really look delightful.
So I've been looking for patterns that meet my new wardrobe needs, are knit at finer gauge, and look good knit out of non-wooly yarn. THe first place I decided to start looking was at ChicKnits, since I know Bonne Marie has been actively interested in developing patterns that "go to work". With summer and lighter weight dress around the corner, I decided to start with Nicole -- a little vest that has a lot of visual and knitting interest, can layer well, and also can be knit in DK weight cotton.
In the spirit of both work appropriate and compatible with a wide variety of under pinnings, I chose Rowan's Purelife Organic DK Cotton in a taupe-y shade (whose name escapes me at the moment). The yarn is dyed with natural color dyes and has subtle variations that add depth without being too pronounced about it. I swatched it up on the suggetested size needles (Addi Turbo 3.75 mm "lace" style) -- I always take it as a good sign for a project when I get gauge on the first try.
I'm actually going up to a slightly larger size than I would normally knit for myself to accomodate both an "under layer" as well as a bra with more solid structure (which seems to have become one of the most necessary parts of my wardobe post-child)... and also because a number of Nicoles on Ravelry look a little too close fitting for a somewhat conservative work environment. So far, as I knit on the project, the size has the right "feel" -- hopefully that will continue to be the way it is as I go on.
*Not that there is *anything* at all wrong as being identified as a knitter.... it's just that in a professional setting, I'd like to be remembered for my business acumen or personal enthusiasm for a particular project instead of just as "that woman wearing the wild scarf".
I do like to knit for wardrobe, but my current work lifestyle is not one that accomodates big slouchy sweaters or garments that are too "out there". I find myself mostly in dress slacks, dress shirts and layering pieces like jackets and vests. There's room for sweaters, but the types I think work best are those in very fine gauges and simple patterns with fitted shaping. There seems to be two places that look to work best when it comes for knitwear:
1) Layering pieces like vests that help give dress shirts a bit more interest and help add a little bit more structure or make blouses that are a little bit sheer a bit more work appropriate.
2) Accent scarves that can be used to bring in a little color and provide a little hint of personal creativity without screaming "Yo! Look at me! I like to knit"*
Thrown into this mix, I have to consider another factor, one that's been vexing me for almost a year now: I think I'm sensitive, and not in a good way, to wool. I'm still experimenting with this, but it does seem that when I knit with wool, the eczema on my hands is more likely to flare up. When I wear wool sweaters, my back seems to get worse. When I wear wool socks, it seems like my legs and feet get more irriated and itchy. I'm currently experimenting with eliminating wool from my wardrobe diet, While it doesn't eliminate my problems, it certainly seems to reduce them. So not only am I changing the types of garments that I am likely to knit, I'm also going to be changing up their fiber composition. Fortunately, this is a good time to be looking at wool alternatives. There are many fabulous cotton, silk, bamboo, linen yarns as well as many blends that really look delightful.
So I've been looking for patterns that meet my new wardrobe needs, are knit at finer gauge, and look good knit out of non-wooly yarn. THe first place I decided to start looking was at ChicKnits, since I know Bonne Marie has been actively interested in developing patterns that "go to work". With summer and lighter weight dress around the corner, I decided to start with Nicole -- a little vest that has a lot of visual and knitting interest, can layer well, and also can be knit in DK weight cotton.
In the spirit of both work appropriate and compatible with a wide variety of under pinnings, I chose Rowan's Purelife Organic DK Cotton in a taupe-y shade (whose name escapes me at the moment). The yarn is dyed with natural color dyes and has subtle variations that add depth without being too pronounced about it. I swatched it up on the suggetested size needles (Addi Turbo 3.75 mm "lace" style) -- I always take it as a good sign for a project when I get gauge on the first try.
I'm actually going up to a slightly larger size than I would normally knit for myself to accomodate both an "under layer" as well as a bra with more solid structure (which seems to have become one of the most necessary parts of my wardobe post-child)... and also because a number of Nicoles on Ravelry look a little too close fitting for a somewhat conservative work environment. So far, as I knit on the project, the size has the right "feel" -- hopefully that will continue to be the way it is as I go on.
*Not that there is *anything* at all wrong as being identified as a knitter.... it's just that in a professional setting, I'd like to be remembered for my business acumen or personal enthusiasm for a particular project instead of just as "that woman wearing the wild scarf".
I completely understand. I have cardigans that I make for work, and I'm always looking for something that expresses personality. I have a lot of hand knit socks for that reason. With the different kinds of shoes I could wear hand knit socks (or wild store bought ones) and no would be able to tell under the slacks and shoes, but I would still get to enjoy the little flashes of color.
Woven silk scarves, a linen/cotton/silk/you name it jacket with handwoven fabric, a woven skirt....what is wrong with small gauges? They do knit up lovely.
Pattern stitches and jacket style cardigans more then the big baggy sweater. Couture knitting.
I've read your blog for about a year now, and I really enjoy it. I'm a high school math teacher with a masters in math who loves to knit and loves young adult fantasy literature and lives in Illinois. This year I've even been learning to quilt, so I'm sure you can see the connections. I've also had to give up knitting with wool due to excema. I was really resistent to making this change, and I'm still not really sure whether its an allergy to wool or whether the scratchiness of the wool irritates the skin more. I did find that when I gave up the wool initially it only helped some, but now that I've given it up for over a year I see an even more noticeable improvement. I recently tried to knit an item with 5% mohair and the rest was acrylic and I immediately started developing worse excema on my hands again. I've been having fun experimenting with different yarns. I'm sure someone has pointed out the No Sheep for You book as a starting point in your explorations. Good luck.
Also thanks for showing your picture of your swatch... It reminded me to put a border on the swatch I'm doing right now.
And Burt's Bees Hand Salve is great for excema.
Taupe is a french word. That is the name of a little animal (I think "mole" in english) which fur is grey braun
Amicalement.
I'm currently working with Knit Picks Simply Cotton Sport which they just launched in 20 heathers. Generally I do not enjoy working with cotton, but this is surprisingly not bad on US3's. Also, it's a cardigan, but have you seen Anne Hanson's Sprossling at Knitspot?
Have you ever considered that you might be allergic (or sensitive) to your Addi Turbos? I used them for years and then had a TERRIBLE bout of eczema (or psoriasis) on my hands. Finally, after about a year of going to dermatologists, my latest dermatologist did allergy tests on me and discovered that I was sensitive to nickel. I stopped using my beloved Addi Turbos (I must have had over $1,000 invested in them!) and have been replacing them as needed with Addi Lace needles. (I have tried other brands, but only Addi seems to reliably have "joins" that don't hang up. You might look into something of the sort!
P.S. Really enjoy your blog.
I was thinking of the wool processing chemicals; some people can use only all-natural wool.
Bonne Marie does have nice designs.