Knitting and fashion, the Thursday that knitting won, but first a little background. You may remember some time ago I was interviewed by the New Zealand Podcaster GrannyG, for her ongoing series on New Zealand fibre crafters? In January I was at the Greytown knitters weekend I had the privilege of seeing GrannygG's near finished entry for the Creative Fibre 2010 fashion show. Then on her podcasts she talked each episode about her progress, culminating in her frantic last days of energy as she finished the lining and the steeking and the edges ... and submitted it. The entry as I saw in in Greytown was amazing, fully fashioned fitted shaped bodice of a jacket with huge OTT amazing leg of mutton sleeves. The design had presence and was pretty on trend as far as the shoulder and sleeve detail ...and then came the news via Twitter and Ravelry - GrannyG has been rejected. You can read all about it here. My heart sank, rejected, and more so after seeing the fashion awards show in April 2009. Compared to the events I'm usually involved with, the entries were on the whole dull. I know the entries are not from design degree graduates ... but I expected more. Then a lift, a surprise, a little excitement on Wednesday, I was lucky to be backstage for half of the iD judging, I'm not esteemed enough to be part of the judging but backstage is pretty good. I was close up and personal with half the entries and there was an amazing amount of hand knitting - which for a fashion design competition drawing 120 entries from 19 countries, with only 30 selected by a panel of international judges is very very exciting( 4 were our graduates). Thursday night came and the awards show was fantastic, Igor Galas won the top prize with the most amazing knitwear, huge texture, fantastic dresses with amazing short rowed cowls across the back and the hoods .... this is hand knit with presence, with some sort of design extension beyond what we already have as fashion knitwear and .... it was amazing (google Igor Galas to get more images of his work and see what I mean). Ok, yes, I'm conservative and I'm not about the whip myself up a full length flared fitted cowled chunky dress .. but I do appreciate it as a high fashion statement and I'm thrilled that in a design competition not specifically for hand knitting or fibre craft - that it was selected as the very best of what was entered. Then Saturday night was the iD Railway show, a more commercial fashion event, showcasing work of Dunedin designers, and again more hand knitting, even a whole collection of hand knit designs, from Lou and Ash. I've not heard of Lou and Ash before, and I'm not sure if they are Ravelers ... but they are Dunedin! I'm slightly intrigued by the nostalgic rework of traditional blanket knitwear styles into oversized coats and throws ..... and can see that they may or may not have been looking in some contemporary knitting project books for their inspiration .... and hoping to see more as the label grows, and develops.
Then there is little old me and my knitting, back on the domestic front, now that I'm not gadding about town from fashion show to fashion show ...after fashion show, and pre and after paries, and catching up with my about to be sister in law for a wedding jacket fitting and generally working and parenting. My Turkish socks grow and now have a gap where the heel will be, an empty heel. I think these will be shorter not longer, ankle bootlet socks ... and I'm loving the colour work, truly my first love in knitting. I should knit more colour work, as I knit this I wonder why I don't, it makes me smile and this is such a simple colour work pattern. Imagine how more complex colour work would make me feel?
And my Green Sweater grows, to the point I'm about to steek. There are four steeks, one lower center front, one upper center front, and the two armhole steeks. I've cast off the steek stitches and hand whipped 3 of the four steeks. The armhole steek is visible here as the thickened column of stitches near the fold, the lower fold is the neckline steek. Then a quick steam and cut, before grafting the shoulders together, turning up the hem, and the front facings, and picking up for the sleeves. I am enjoying the shaping of this as I knit - its like seeing EZ's mind at work as each section develops, and I find it simply wonderful to be able to knit along with EZ .....or so I can imagine as I work this.
so, excuse me as I head off to complete my steeking, and sit and think of award winning knitwear. Tomorrow there is a last chance to see Zandra Rhodes and Co's work up close ... so I'm dreaming a little of that as well. I can't even begin to describe how hearing her talk about her process, design and production, and meeting her, and then seeing her work on the catwalk inspired me and confirmed that designers really need to be connected to and knowledgeable about their inspiration, materials and techniques to develop quality lasting innovative intelligent and influential design. Perhaps I can elaborate more in the next post, once I've ordered my thoughts a little more - if that wouldn't be boring?
na Stella
4 comments:
Not boring at all! I love it when you connect your professional life with your craft life. It is nice to be reminded that your approach to knitting is informed and coloured by your career.
Your green cardigan is coming along very nicely.
A very interesting week. Thanks for taking the time to share.
I've been waiting for your iD related post with baited breath! What an awesome week for you. Lou and Ash appears to be one lady - she was covered recently in Viva the NZ Herald fashion supplement. But how awesome for hand-knitwear to be prominent in a fashion week!
btw, Jay was very inspired by Zandra Rhodes, she had been struggling with the concept of the mood boards but found Zandras talk regarding her process etc very helpful. It's not entirely fair my daughter gets to see my idols before me!
What a great week you've had - backstage as well! It really is fun, hearing about what inspires you to be so creative. Not boring at all.
Great progress on both the Turkish sock and the Green Sweater. I do like you description of the sock heel-to-be - empty heel. Says it all!
That wouldn't be boring at all! You think so differently about these things than I do (I have no background to inform my own thinking) that I really appreciate the nudge to contemplate them myself in a way that's a little more informed. I love your description of the shows, and of your excitement at seeing a knitted garment win the best of the best -- it makes me excited, too! And I am also loving your socks; I have been craving some color myself. Soon...soon...
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