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(photo from Little Red in the City)
Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,
Spud has a new friend and her name is Ysolda. Ysolda is without a doubt one of the most popular knitwear designers today. She has designs in the top Ravelry patterns in just about every category and usually she claims the number one spot on the list. Her design range is incredible. Thousands and thousands of completed projects of Ysolda’s designs have been posted on Ravelry as well. I love and admire her fearless approach to knitting and her never-ending devotion to be all inclusive with her designing when it comes to sizing and her garments.
Ysolda has definitely hit the design world in a unique way. She has basically done all of her publishing independently. Her newest book has just been released. I pre-ordered it the minute I heard about it because I want to support her in every way possible. I believe she is adding so much good energy to the knitting world and that is worth every penny to me. Her new book is called, Little Red in the City. You can order the book in print form which gives you access to the entire book in pdf form or you can only order the downloadable version which is fantastic.
Click here to find out more and to see all of the projects in Little Red in the City.
Little Red in the City is 264 pages long, is self-published, and about half of the book is devoted to an inside look and instruction on sweater design and how to best get your garment to fit your body. There are only seven patterns in the book but they are amazing sweaters and cardigans in a wide range of sizes. The size range is from a bust size of 30 to 60 inches which is just plain incredible. The photographs show the sweaters on tiny Ysolda in the smaller size range and also the same sweaters on the gorgeous Amanda in the upper size range. It is a great concept and I applaud Ysolda for taking on this tricky design task.
Anyway, much to my surprise when I received my copy in the mail Ysolda selected Spud & Chloë Sweater to create one of the seven patterns in her book! What an honor. Skelf is a reverse stockinette pullover sweater with sleeve, neckline and waist stitch details. It is a beautiful sweater and I just have to share it with you.
(photo from Little Red in the City)
Skelf is a seamless pullover that is worked from the bottom up. The reverse stockinette makes the details really pop and Sweater has the perfect stitch definition to make this happen in a spectacular way. The sweater is worked inside out for the most part because most prefer the knit stitch to the purl stitch. By working inside out you get to knit instead of purl which is a good thing. Ysolda used the colorways of Moonlight and Pollen in Spud & Chloë Sweater to make the samples.
Click here to read more about Skelf.
As you can see in the photo above, Ysolda’s sketches and handwritten comments and instructions are sprinkled throughout the book. This gives the book a home-y feeling which is fun and different.
(photo by bleideag)
The stitch details are referred to as a cabled tree motif growing out of the ribbing at the bottom and a vine detail that wraps around the deep scoop neck. The scoop neck also has a decorative button detail and who doesn’t love a button here and there? I think it is all exquisite.
The photos of the sample are from bleideag on Ravelry and you can read about her sweater here. She knit this sample for the book.
(photo by bleideag)
I appreciate anything with vines and leaves for some reason. Skelf is a fresh take on both of these motifs.
(photo by bleideag)
Ysolda includes charts, which are big and easy to read, and line by line written instruction. Her pattern writing is very thorough. The cable tree motif is so crisp in the Spud & Chloë Sweater. What a perfect use of this yarn.
(photo from Little Red in the City)
Here is Amanda in her version of Skelf. The way Ysolda has set up her book is innovative. I haven’t seen this concept before and I think it will be well appreciated by knitters everywhere.
Check out Little Red in the City online or in the print version in local knit shops everywhere! It is worth your time.
Well, as I like to end most posts, I’ll be back soon with more…..