Ilga's Knitting WorldIlga's Knitting World:2010-07-29T16:08:04ZCopyright (c) 2010, Ilga LejaExpressionEnginetag:ilgaleja.com,2010:07:30Last Two Days for 5th Anniversary Sale!tag:ilgaleja.com,2010:blog/index.php/site/index/1.2542010-07-30T03:57:00Z2010-07-29T16:08:04ZIlga Lejainfo@ilgaleja.com5th Anniversary Sale is tomorrow, 31 July.
This is your chance to stock up on those patterns you have been wanting at a real saving. Buy any two patterns and get a third pattern free.
Once you have made your purchases, e-mail me at info@ilgaleja.com with your request for the complimentary pattern and I'll forward it directly to you.
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]]>India Scarftag:ilgaleja.com,2010:blog/index.php/site/index/1.2532010-07-27T07:14:00Z2010-07-26T19:39:07ZIlga Lejainfo@ilgaleja.com
For this month's scarf in the International Year of the Scarf Club, we are venturing even further, this time to India.
Reminiscent of the fine, filmy scarves worn by Indian women, the India Scarf is worked in an openwork stitch, a version of the Grand Eyelet Lace stitch pattern.
These graceful accessories, often in silk or the finest cotton, form part of the woman's costume in India. A complement to the sari or the more informal salwar kameez , the scarf serves multiple purposes: it protects the wearer against the sun, dust, and insects, enhances modesty, and adds further elegance to the Indian woman's dress.
The openwork pattern of the India Scarf suggests the airiness and lightness of clothing work in a hot country. It is worked in linen (Euroflax 100% Wet Spun Linen ), a fibre also common in India and valued for its ability to keep the wearer cool. The mandarin orange colour pays tribute to one of India's national colours.
The India Scarf can be worked in any yarn--in virually any weight--that you wish. But when knit in linen, it has lightness while retaining both drape and structure.
The India Scarf is also the perfect accessory to Calilfornia Dreamin' from the Linen Collection. Wear them together, add a pair of loose cotton pants and you have your very own salwar kameez.
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]]>5th Anniversary Sale!tag:ilgaleja.com,2010:blog/index.php/site/index/1.2522010-07-23T08:30:00Z2010-07-23T13:48:47ZIlga Lejainfo@ilgaleja.com
It's hard to believe, but I have now been in business for five years!
On 28 July 2005, I sold my first patterns to the Tangled Skeins Yarn Shop in Dartmouth. (Tangled Skeins is now now sadly gone). Among the first collection of shawl and scarf patterns that I sold then was the Lady of the Forest, now part of the Mythic Forest Collection. It still remains one of my most popular patterns.
In the early days, I was a wholesale-only business, selling my printed patterns to yarn shops. Now I am offering my designs directly to customers through my website and through Ravelry.
To celebrate these five years in the knitting design business, I am offering a sale on my patterns. Until 31 July, if you purchase two of my patterns, you can receive a third pattern for free! Just e-mail me (info@ilgaleja.com) with your selection of the third pattern and I'll e-mail the .pdf to you directly.
This amounts to a 33% or more saving on your purchase. Just go to the Design Collections page to begin browsing the patterns.
Come and celebrate with me.
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]]>Early Harvesttag:ilgaleja.com,2010:blog/index.php/site/index/1.2512010-07-20T11:51:00Z2010-07-16T00:04:51ZIlga Lejainfo@ilgaleja.com
Among my other pleasures is harvesting herbs from my garden. Golden Oregano here. So beautiful I just had to take a picture of it.
The first crop of raspberries:
The pungent aroma of freshly cut chives:
And the old-fashioned task of hanging herbs to dry:
Filling the air with fragrance.
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]]>Blushtag:ilgaleja.com,2010:blog/index.php/site/index/1.2492010-07-16T10:46:00Z2010-07-15T23:11:20ZIlga Lejainfo@ilgaleja.com
The next pattern in the Linen Collection is now available: Blush.
Like the blush on a rose or a lilac, this delicate shell has a gossamer, graceful quality. The decorative openwork stitch pattern, made even more transparent with wrapped and dropped stitches, plays on the floral theme.
Now that we are in mid-summer and working with a heavy wool yarn holds no appeal, Blush presents an alternative. This light-weight, breezy shell, worked in cool linen (Louet's Euroflax
, 100% linen) is just right for summertime knitting.
And with all that openess, it works up quickly, too. Sized from Extra Small to 3X, it is suitable for many different body types. Pattern instructions include optional short row shaping for the bust. And you can vary the length and arrangement of stitch pattern to your own delight. Crop it. Lengthen it. Wear it with a slit or without. Blush is perfect for layering over a tank top or a swim suit. Or pair it with a camisole and a luxurious skirt and you are ready for an evening out.
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]]>Power Cablestag:ilgaleja.com,2010:blog/index.php/site/index/1.2482010-07-13T10:06:00Z2010-07-13T14:03:29ZIlga Lejainfo@ilgaleja.com
I thought I knew as much as I needed to know about cables. And then I bought Lily Chin's new book, Power Cables, and found out that I still had a lot to learn.
Long known for her creative, fashion-oriented approach to knitting design, Lily applies the design features of the cable to create stunning, sculptural works of art.
There are lots of books of cable stitch patterns. But Lily takes a completely different approach. She wants you to understand how cables are constructed, what makes them work the way they do. Then when you have grasped the basic concepts, she takes you into uncharted territory (Oops! sorry about that pun!) where you can begin to design your own cable stitch patterns.
She gives some examples of how to do this as in this stunning cardigan:
Lily has also been well-known for her designs using reversible cables. She, in fact, has been a pioneer in deconstructing the cable stitch so that it can become reversible. In Power Cables, she goes even further. She uses the reversible cable principle and applies to the the brioche stitch--in two colours at that.
There doesn't seem to be an end to Lily's creativity and technical prowess. How lucky we knitters are that she is so willing to share her knowledge and experience so readily!
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]]>Wrapping and Dropping Stitchestag:ilgaleja.com,2010:blog/index.php/site/index/1.2472010-07-10T20:00:00Z2010-07-10T21:52:42ZIlga Lejainfo@ilgaleja.com
Members of the International Year of the Scarf Club enjoy the
opportunity to learn a new technique each month. The current month's scarf pattern, Greece, introduces wrapped and dropped stitches into the mix.
I love to insert some rows of wrapped and dropped stitches wherever I can. Doing so inevitably inserts some transparency and light into a piece. For the Greece Scarf, it also breaks up the regularity of the lace stitch pattern, adding interest and establishing a border at both ends.
These unique stitches have the added advantage of making the work grow quickly while creating a lacy look to the fabric at the same time. Perfect for summer knitting.
Another pattern of mine which uses both double- and triple-wrapped stitches throughout in the popular Open Waters poncho, another design which evokes the sea.
Members of the International Year of the Scarf Club receive a technique sheet which discusses wrapped and dropped stitches--with detailed instructions on how to execute them. The pattern itself also gives directions as well as knitter's tips on how best to work with them. Once you are comfortable with this technique, you will find lots of places where you can begin to introduce these stitches into your knitting.
Another way in which to make your knitting uniquely yours!
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]]>Garden Goddess(es)tag:ilgaleja.com,2010:blog/index.php/site/index/1.2462010-07-07T14:01:00Z2010-07-07T14:27:39ZIlga Lejainfo@ilgaleja.com
Last week I got to hang out with my friend and knitting design colleague, Jane Thornley .
One of the unique pleasures of my visits at Jane's is the chance to forage among her many fabulous designs and to try them on. I fell in love with one of her latest creations: Garden Goddess.
I love the brilliant shaping of this top. Jane takes the stitch pattern
and follows it along its logical course, allowing it to form the piece.
This design comes from her latest evocative guide: Into the Garden. Using the creative possibilities of the Feather and Fan Stitch as well as her signature wrapped and dropped stitches, she has designed two other pieces for this guide:
Hydrangea:
And Delphinium:
Not only are Jane's designs feasts of colour and texture, they are pure pleasure to wear. Draping the body so gracefully and celebrating the feminine form. Jane's designs look wonderful on any woman, of any size, age, or shape.
Then to add to the perfection of an already perfect July day, we also took advantage of the beautiful setting, and went for a dip in the--where else?--Goddess Pool:
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]]>Greece Scarftag:ilgaleja.com,2010:blog/index.php/site/index/1.2452010-06-29T19:48:00Z2010-06-29T20:03:32ZIlga Lejainfo@ilgaleja.com
The June scarf for the International Year of the Scarf Club is Greece.
The Greece scarf has got to be one of the most pleasant, relaxing, and satisfying projects of the year. The yarn, a self-striping one in the colours of the seashore, does most of the work.
Paired with a sequence of easy lace stitches, interspersed with rows of wrapped stitches, this pattern is easy to memorize and can be taken anywhere. It makes for excellent vacation knitting.
It is worked from one end to the other and requires no grafting, no provisional cast-ons, no fiddling of any kind. Just cast on, knit as prescribed by the pattern and bind off. Then block to open up the pretty lace stitch pattern--and wear!
What could be easier and more rewarding?
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]]>Americo Yarn Shoptag:ilgaleja.com,2010:blog/index.php/site/index/1.2442010-06-25T21:29:00Z2010-06-25T21:56:00ZIlga Lejainfo@ilgaleja.com
It is always such a delight to discover a new yarn shop.
When I was in Toronto last week, wandering along funky Queen Street West, I happened upon a new yarn shop that I had not seen there before, Americo. Judging from the store window, I thought it looked more like an upscale boutique than anything else. The window displayed gorgeous mannequins in neutral-coloured, trendy clothing.
Then I realized that all the mannequins were wearing knit garments. When I went inside, I was greeted by the loveliest array of beautiful yarns in muted colours. In all sorts of fibres--all natural--from pima cotton to 100% alpaca, including cashmere.
Americo's yarns come from Argentina and the shop sells only its own brand of yarns. As well as its own patterns. Staff create their own designs especially suited to the yarns the shop carries. When you purchase your yarn, you can request a pattern for the yarn. The shop then prints out a fresh copy for you before you leave.
I loved the yarns at Americo. It felt as though I had stepped into an elegant shop in South America. The palette of colours so elegant and subdued. Classic. And the range of yarns was simply impressive. I found myself wandering throughout the shop, touching and feeling all the different yarns.
I wanted to buy them all. But, since it was summer, I settled on some pima cotton.
I know that I'll be back for more on my next visit to Toronto.
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]]>Straw into Goldtag:ilgaleja.com,2010:blog/index.php/site/index/1.2432010-06-18T17:08:00Z2010-06-18T17:36:10ZIlga Lejainfo@ilgaleja.com
The name "Straw into Gold" for this piece was suggested to me by my wonderful test knitter, Lisa. She said that, as she was knitting this shawl with Handmaiden's Flaxen, it felt as though she were knitting straw into gold.
There is double luxury in this pattern number 3 of the Linen Collection. First, the design itself which is an example of bias knitting. Beginning with just a few stitches and using strategically placed increases and decreases, this pattern grows in a diagonal fashion, transforming the lace stitch pattern as it is worked.
But more importantly, bias knitting emphasizes the element of drape. This stole will not fall off your shoulders. And it will hang in elegant folds which emphasize movement and its diagonal structure.
Secondly, the yarn is pure heaven: Handmaiden's Flaxen, a beautiful blend of silk and linen which is a joy to work with. And absolutely delicious to wear.
This combination of classic design with an elegant linen-based yarn that will last forever is the basis of an heirloom project.
Kits for making your own Straw into Gold are available in four colour choices.
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]]>International Year of the Scarf Updatetag:ilgaleja.com,2010:blog/index.php/site/index/1.2422010-06-13T16:43:00Z2010-06-13T17:20:04ZIlga Lejainfo@ilgaleja.com River City Yarns in Edmonton runs its own International Year of the Scarf Club group at its two locations. They recently asked me for an update on the club so I thought I would share what I sent them.
Members of the International Year of the Scarf Club have now travelled to seven countries: Austria, Bermuda, Greece, Haiti, Norway, Peru, and Scotland.
Each month members receive a unique scarf pattern representing a different country. There is a newsletter describing each country's knitting and textile traditions as well as instructional tutorials. And each month's design explores yet another new knitting technique.
Some of the Technique Sheets that IYS members have received included Provisional Cast-On, Wrapping Stitches, "Make One" Increases, and the Mother-in-Law Splice.
There have even been designs for men:
Members of the Club hail from all parts of the world, from as far away as Japan and Australia, as well as the United Kingdom and Europe. And they have been sharing their projects on the IYS Ravelry Group.
You can still join the International Year of the Scarf Club and receive all the materials (patterns, tutorials, newsletters) for the Club. To see what others have said about the club and to join: International Year of the Scarf Club.
River City Yarns will soon be publishing some images of their group's scarf projects in their newsletter. I am really looking forward to seeing what they have done.
If you are lucky enough to leave in the Edmonton area, you can still join in the fun. Contact River City Yarns for details on meeting times.
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]]>Do One Thing Every Day That Makes You Happytag:ilgaleja.com,2010:blog/index.php/site/index/1.2412010-06-05T21:27:00Z2010-06-05T21:30:37ZIlga Lejainfo@ilgaleja.com
Saw this proverb on a plaque in a craft shop today.
And I thought: Lucky for us knitters, that's easy. In fact, this may actually be two things: knitting AND the beach.
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]]>Bermuda Scarftag:ilgaleja.com,2010:blog/index.php/site/index/1.2392010-06-01T14:47:00Z2010-06-01T16:43:33ZIlga Lejainfo@ilgaleja.com
With summer on its way, what better time to knit the Bermuda scarf pattern?
I have been intrigued for some time now by the versatility and shaping opportunities of short rows. Using the template of a scarf/shawl gives me the ideal field on which to experiment. Those short rows transform the lowly Garter Stitch into something entirely different, something truly unique.
Adding a few rows of eyelet lace helps to emphasize the sense of movement, of cascading ocean waves. They also introduce light and lightness.
The other secret to the Bermuda scarf is the use of self-striping yarn. The original version (shown above) is worked in Noro Silk Garden Sock Yarn (colour No. S264). The colour changes, instead of resulting in horizontal stripes as they usually do, curve and undulate and form surprising pockets of colour.
The version pictured below is worked in Kauni Effektgarn, colour
"Watercolour".
Here the colour changes are longer and more subtle, more fluid, one colour blending gradually into the next. I love how this yarn works with the short row construction. The Kauni version is so light and yet warm.
The shaping of this scarf/shawl is vaguely triangular. It starts off at the bottom with a few stitches and grows organically along both sides, with both regular and somewhat irregular increases. The result reminds me of batwings. You can get an idea of how the side increases work in the image below.
The curvaceous top border folds back to form a lovely, feminine collar.
The Bermuda scarf is just the thing for summer knitting. Once you understand the construction--and it is not difficult--you can proceed in your own way. No need to take along the pattern when you leave for that trip to the beach.
The Bermuda scarf pattern is also available as a kit for $57.00 CAD (includes both pattern and yarn). Choose the Kauni colourway you like best.
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]]>Last Chance to Pre-Order Linen Collectiontag:ilgaleja.com,2010:blog/index.php/site/index/1.2402010-05-30T16:57:00Z2010-05-30T17:13:30ZIlga Lejainfo@ilgaleja.com
Monday, 31 May, will be the last day for pre-ordering my Spring and Summer 2010 Collection: the Linen Collection.
There are five designs in the Linen Collection. Two of them have already been released:
An openwork long-sleeved top--that almost looks as though it could have been crocheted--called California Dreamin'.
And a two-part, two-colour, lightweight shawl in a lacy pattern that uses double yarn overs to create lots of airy openness, called Flight of Fancy:
There are three more patterns to come:
A sleeveless openwork shell
A shawl
A vest
All five patterns can be purchased now for $35.00 CAD. This is a saving of 40% off the full retail price. Not to mention the delight of finding a nice surprise in your Inbox once a month when the pattern is e-mailed directly to you.
You can also order the two shawl kits for a reduced price, since shipping is included.
To pre-order the Linen Collection as well as the shawl kits, go here.
