Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Kim Hargreaves’ Misty
I have long admired the knitting designs of British designer, Kim Hargreaves. With the release of her latest collection, Misty in Light and Shade, it's easy to see why.
A moody, almost brooding series, these 21 designs are beautifully photographed against a minimalist setting: bare white walls, wood floor, no props or furnishings. The total focus is on the designs themselves, evocative, nuanced, and precise in their construction.
Most of the pieces are sweaters and cardigans, like Lucy, photographed here as white on white:
Peace is an exquisite example of purist construction: a fitted cardigan, shaped perfectly, with subtle detailing. It is the detailing in Kim's designs that impresses me the most. Such close attention to the finest details!
My favourite in this collection is Sage, an A-line cardigan in a mixture of cables, lace, and texture. Beautiful and accomplished.
I keep trying to convince myself that I don't need to buy any more pattern books. But then I buy a book like Kim's Misty and I find that there is still so much to learn from the work of other designers. Through purchasing Kim's books, for example, I have learned more imaginative uses of the picot edging. Just look at how she uses it here in Blossom:
Kim's designs are pure mastery and I can't wait for her next collection.
