BOUTIQUE KNITS
BOUTIQUE KNITS
20+ MUST-HAVE ACCESSORIES LAURA
IRWIN![Boutique Knits - image 2](/uploads/posts/book/52812/images/f0003-01.jpg)
Editor Anne Merrow
Technical Editor Karen Frisa
Photography Joe Hancock
Styling Carol Beaver
Hair and Makeup Kathy McKay
Technical Photography Ann Swanson Interior Design Stacy Ebright Cover Design Pamela Norman Text 2008 by Laura Irwin. Illustrations 2008 by Interweave Press LLC. All rights reserved.
![Interweave Press LLC 201 East Fourth Street Loveland CO 80537-5655 USA - photo 4](/uploads/posts/book/52812/images/inter.jpg)
Interweave Press LLC 201 East Fourth Street Loveland, CO 80537-5655 USA interweave.com Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Irwin, Laura, 1976 Boutique knits : 20+ must-have accessories / Laura Irwin, author. p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-59668-073-9 (pbk.) ISBN 978-1-59668-800-1 (PDF) ISBN 978-1-62033-202-3 (ePub) 1. Knitting--Patterns. 2. Dress accessories. Title. Title.
TT825.I79 2008 746.432041--dc22 2008010526
For Adriano Gonzalez, for his friendship,
generous support, and encouragement
from the very beginning.
Acknowledgments
Thanks to the Interweave staff: Editorial Director Tricia Waddell, for taking a chance on me; Managing Editor Rebecca Campbell, for her sweet feedback that made me feel like I was getting it right; and Editor Anne Merrow, for her sense of humor and incredible knowledge. Thanks to my knitters for their amazing attention to detail: Mary Bata, Anne Marie Gibson, and Jamie Sajovic. Thanks to Church + State for allowing me to use pieces of their beautiful clothing for the photography of the book. Thanks to the yarn companies who provided their lovely yarn for me to work with: Berroco, Blue Sky Alpacas, Brown Sheep, Classic Elite, Debbie Bliss, Elsebeth Lavold, Mission Falls, Muench, Plymouth, Reynolds, Rowan, SWTC, and Vermont Organic Fiber Company. Extra special thanks to my mentors and teachers: Leigh Radford, for her friendship, generosity, knowledge, her tireless motivation, her enormous talent, the magical garden behind her house, and for showing me how its all done! Dayna Pinkham, for her friendship, her open heart, her legendary talent, her modesty. Holly Stalder and Kathryn Towers, for their friendship, their genius, and for creating the boutique Seaplane, which first inspired me to knit and continues to push me to be a better designer.
Suzanne Bartron, for being the original mentor and believing that I would eventually figure it out! Super special thanks to friends Emily Bixler, Teak Wall, Brent Knoff, Tom Delaney, and Douglas Freeman, for listening to me talk about nothing but this book for a year solid and creatively knocking my socks off; to Erin Rackelman and Patricia No, for thinking my work was good enough to write about; to old-school Lint staff Melissa, Morgan, and Hillary, as well as all of the regular customers and students Ive taught and who have taught me. Love and thanks to all of my family, especially my parents, Sandy and Doug; my sisters, Ashlee and Michele; and my grandparents, Grammy and Grandma.
Table of Contents
![Boutique Knits is meant to outfit women with an eye on fashion in a collection - photo 6](/uploads/posts/book/52812/images/f0006-01.jpg)
![Boutique Knits is meant to outfit women with an eye on fashion in a collection - photo 7](/uploads/posts/book/52812/images/f0008-01.jpg)
Boutique Knits is meant to outfit women with an eye on fashion in a collection of stylish and curiously assembled accessories and layers. I picture the knitter who will be drawn to these projects: She insists on seeing her fashion sensibilities reflected in her handmade projects. She pays attention to the little details on all of her favorite pieces in her wardrobe. She is brilliant and quirky.
Shes got even better ideas than she knows. She is a designer or artist, although she may not know it yet. The accessories of Boutique Knits introduce techniques, tools, and adornment rarely paired with knitting. These sweet patterns require a quick and clever mind, but not necessarily a lot of knitting expertise. When working on the patterns in this book, you will benefit most from a background in crafting, a healthy dose of improvisation, and impeccable attention to detail. These uncommon techniques and new materials will transform your knitting and give it a more complete and charming look.
What kind of uncommon techniques? Turning knitting on its side and working in a new direction. Using ribbing to turn a few unshaped geometric pieces into a curvy, clingy vest, and moving the bind-off to the front and center. Mixing felted and unfelted knits, not just for decoration but as structural elements. Knitting in pleats to create volume and dramatic decreases. Many of these projects use unique adornment like horse tackle, hardware, vintage lace, beads, ribbon, custom leather handles, grommets, and fabric-covered buttons. I taught myself to knit, and I love to improvise.
I really love being surprised at the end of knitting projects and enjoy teaching myself things. I hope these designs will surprise you and inspire you to improvise on your own!
Shibori in knitting is often associated with felting, but you can manipulate knitted fabric without felting. Begin with a simple horizontal rib knitted on the bias, then use an improvised gathering and sewing technique for delicate but organic-looking results.
finished size 5" (14 cm) wide and 66" (169 cm) long before ruching; 5" (14 cm) wide and 60" (152.5 cm) long after ruching.
yarn Laceweight (Lace #0).
needles U.S. size 4 (3.5 mm). size 4 (3.5 mm).
Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge. notions Tapestry needle. gauge 22 sts and 36 rows = 4" (10 cm) in rib patt. construction The scarf is knitted diagonally in one piece. When main piece is completed, gathers are made with yarn and a tapestry needle.
stitch guiderib patternRow 1: (RS) K1f&b, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3: K1f&b, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
Row 4: Knit.
Row 5: K1f&b, purl to last 3 sts, p2tog, p1.
Row 6: Knit.
Row 6: Knit.
Rep Rows 16 for patt.
SCARF CO 54 sts. Work in rib patt (see ) until piece measures 66" (169 cm) from CO, ending with Row 2. BO all sts. Block lightly. SHIBORI RUCHING With yarn threaded on a tapestry needle and RS facing, beg at CO edge, locate the third rev St st (purl) ridge, pinch with fingers, and use running st (see ) to sew St st (knit) troughs before and after it together, so that rev St st ridge bulges slightly.
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