Tag Archives: vanessa jackman

Knit the Look: Marthe Wiggers’ vintage-chic pullover

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Knit the Look: Marthe Wiggers' vintage-chic pullover

I love how simultaneously retro and au courant Dutch model Marthe Wiggers looks in this slinky, ribbed, black mock-neck sweater and motorcycle jacket. Such simplicity with that sweater, and as usual what makes it noteworthy are the tiny little details — the proportion of the peaks and valleys of that ribbing, and the shift in scale from the sweater to the neck. Which is easy enough to emulate. Vintage patterns would be the best bet on this one, but there are some available options to work from. There’s a reasonably similar Rowan pattern from a few years ago, Fiori (just add ribbing) but it’s worsted weight, whereas Marthe’s sweater seems to be a fine-gauge machine knit. So I’m going to recommend Pierrot’s characteristically rudimentary, English-translated Japanese pattern called 22-23-20 Ribbed Turtleneck Sweater (free pattern), which is written for fingering weight. (As with pretty much all Japanese patterns, it’s one size, so add to the stitch count as/where necessary to adjust the width.) To make it look more like Marthe’s, try the rib in 2×1 or even 3×1, switching to 1×1 on smaller needles for the collar. And instead of knitting the neck to full turtleneck length, stop at about 3”. Yarn-wise, for that gorgeous heathered black I’m a big fan of Quince and Co’s Sabine colorway, which is available in fingering-weight Finch.

For more photos and Marthe’s full outfit, see Vanessa’s original blog post. And for guidance on how to read a Japanese knitting pattern, click here.

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PREVIOUSLY in Knit the Look: Camille Charriere’s stripes

Street style photo © Vanessa Jackman; used with permission

Knit the Look: Camille Charriere’s stripes

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Knit the Look: Camille Charriere's striped sweater

Here’s a styling option I hadn’t considered for my striped pullover: shiny pants! Never happen, but I admire how striking Camille Charriere looks in these photos — showing the world that black-and-white does not equal boring. And I do look forward to wearing mine slung over my shoulders like this — one styling holdover from my teen years that I’ve never not loved in the interim. All you really need to approximate this sweater is my notes on my striped sweater, but the other option would be to pick your favorite basic pullover pattern and simply knit it in alternating stripes. Camille’s sweater looks to be more like 1.5″ or 2″ stripes (as opposed to my 2.5″ awning stripes) and more of a truer, flatter black and white than mine. So for yarn, you might consider Brooklyn Tweed’s new Arbor in Kettle and Thaw. I’m told Thaw is technically a really pale icy grey (I haven’t seen it in person) but it would read more white against the black than an undyed (ivory) yarn would. Not a lot of yarns include both black and white in the palette, so feel free to pipe up below with other ideas! As far as the other sweater details, it looks like the waist ribbing spans the last two stripes, and the ribbed cuffs might actually be grey? They seem darker than the white stripes, and I like the idea of that, either way.

For Vanessa’s suggestions on the rest of Camille’s look, see her original blog post.

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PREVIOUSLY in Knit the Look: Perfect grey turtleneck

Knit the Look: Perfect grey turtleneck

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Knit the Look: Perfect grey turtleneck

Oh hey, what a happy accident! I’d forgotten all about this photo from Vanessa’s blog last year, and just rediscovered it on the heels of Tuesday’s post about funnelnecks and midiskirts. This one, spotted outside the Miu Miu show last March, is more of an upturned turtleneck, which I personally prefer to a funnel, and this proportion is also a bit more wearable for those of you who were concerned about that. To emulate this gem of a sweater, all you need is Julie Hoover’s Veneto pattern, which, if you take away the color-blocking, is the perfect basic.* It’s a classically proportioned, well-shaped, set-in-sleeve pullover, knitted flat and seamed — which means it’s also highly adaptable. To turn it into something more like the sweater above, all you’d need to do is go up one size (for the slouch factor), extend the hem ribbing to more like 3″, continue a few stitches of ribbing up both sides of the front and back, leave a split hem when seaming the sides together, and knit the neckback to your desired turtleneck/funnelneck length. (You might find you want to pick up a few more stitches for the neck, as well — try it and see.) Veneto is written for two strands of lace-weight mYak held double, at a gauge of 5.5 sts/inch, so you could also sub a sport-weight yarn. Ysolda’s Blend No. 1 would be perfection.

Now if only I could help you with that amazing skirt. You can see more pics of both garments in Vanessa’s original post.

*Veneto really should have been in the pullovers installment of Make Your Own Basics — I’ll rectify that.

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PREVIOUSLY in Knit the Look: Jenny Gordy’s comfiest cardigan

Street style photo © Vanessa Jackman; used with permission

Knit the Look: Windowpane scarf

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Knit the Look: Windowpane scarf

We’re headed into that blissful time of year where you can trade in your coat for just a big glorious scarf, and I adore this windowpane-check number photographed on model Taylor Marie Hill. Hers is woven and fringed, but for a knitted alternative, all you need is Olga Buraya-Kefelian’s pattern Bygge. It’s written for the luxurious Woolfolk Tynd, and would be gorgeous in Color 15 (black) and Color 1 (ivory). Olga varies the size of the checks, which you could do or not do, according to your preference. And of course, there’s always room for fringe!

See Vanessa’s original post for additional photos of this gem.

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PREVIOUSLY in Knit the Look: Charlotte Groeneveld’s cozy turtleneck

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Street style photo © Vanessa Jackman; used with permission

Knit the Look: Charlotte Groeneveld’s cozy turtleneck

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Knit the Look: Charlotte Groeneveld's cozy turtleneck

How pretty does fashion blogger Charlotte Groeneveld look in this big shell pink overcoat wrapped around a simple grey turtleneck over ivory culottes? I know a lot of people recoil from this shade of pink (I personally love it) but who can argue with the sweater? To knit your own, all you need is Michele Wang’s new Cadence pattern — just skip the textured stitch on the body if you like. And it’s written for Brooklyn Tweed’s Shelter, which offers the perfect icy-pale grey in Snowbound. I did a little bit of Google image searching to try to get a better look at the neck on Charlotte’s sweater, and it’s either a mock tneck or just a snugger, skimpier turtleneck. So if you prefer that look, knit to the smallest neck size your head will allow and cut down the height of the ribbing by a couple of inches. Then extend the cuff ribbing by few inches as well.

See Vanessa’s original post for more get-the-look suggestions.

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PREVIOUSLY in Knit the Look: Ultra-stockinette scarf

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Street style photo © Vanessa Jackman; used with permission

Knit the Look: Anya Ziourova’s cropped raglan

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Knit the Look: Anya Ziourova's cropped raglan

While I’m not the biggest fan of the overall butterscotchness of this outfit photographed on Russian fashion editor Anya Ziourova, I like the proportions: cropped, fitted sweater with slim, high-waisted skirt. And I like that the subtle marl of the yarn gives just a tiny bit of interest to a fairly simple pullover. For knitting a version of this one, I would definitely say just improvise it top-down. Pick two low-contrast shades of your favorite fingering-weight yarn and hold them together (pictured is Loft in Fossil and Tallow); knit a swatch to get your stitch gauge; and go for it. To capture the interesting bits of Anya’s sweater, work the sleeves and six or eight raglan stitches in 1×1 rib. Work the body in stockinette until just below the bust, then switch to 1×1 and knit until just above your belly button, or just enough to overlap the waistband of your favorite high-waisted skirt or pants.

See Vanessa’s post for full-length shots of this ensemble.

UNRELATED BUT SUPER IMPORTANT: If you are Lorna in Canada or Carey in the UK and you’ve recently ordered from Fringe Supply Co, please email me at contact@fringesupplyco.com — emails to your address are bouncing!

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PREVIOUSLY in Knit the Look: Big scarf season

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Street style photo © Vanessa Jackman; used with permission

Knit the Look: Big scarf season

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Knit the Look: Big scarf season

I’ve had this scarf on the docket for Knit the Look, and along came Purl Soho this week with the perfect pattern for recreating it! Photographed on an unidentified fringe lover last February, it’s a generously sized scarf with a slightly-more-interesting-than-ribbing texture. Take Purl Soho’s Mistake Rib Scarf pattern (free pattern) and the recommended quantity of yarn, add fringe at both ends, and you’re good to go. The pattern is written for Purl Soho’s Mulberry Merino, which has a lovely palette, of which the Paprika Red is the closest thing to the scarf in question. If you want something a little more burgundy, try Quince and Co’s Chickadee in Barolo (pictured).

For the head-to-toe look at this outfit, see Vanessa’s original post.

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PREVIOUSLY in Knit the Look: Marihenny Passible’s black cable beanie

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Street style photo © Vanessa Jackman; used with permission