Tag Archives: vanessa jackman

Knit the Look: Bonnie Chen’s sunny beanie

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How to knit Bonnie Chen's sunny yellow hat

What better way to perk up an outfit on a cool morning than to top it off with a sunshine-yellow beanie? I can’t quite decipher this one on model Bonnie Chen — looking at the slightly tighter photo, it doesn’t appear to be plain old ribbing, but I’m not sure what it is. (Are you?) So here’s my suggestion: Knit the Purl Bee’s Heel Stitch Hat. But since the heel stitch fabric is not reversible and will roll at the edge — and I like Bonnie’s rolled-up brim — what about knitting two or three inches of 1×1 ribbing before beginning the heel stitch pattern? That would give you a foldable edge that would have a bit of textural contrast with the main body of the hat. For the sunny yellow, knit it in Anzula’s For Better or Worsted in the color Ducky.

See Vanessa’s original post for more of Bonnie’s ensemble.

UPDATE: To see this hat knitted up with the recommended mods, check out my orange version.

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Street style photo © Vanessa Jackman; used with permission

Knit the Look: Evelina Mambetova’s baseball tee

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How to knit a sweater version of Evelina Mambetova's baseball tee

This outfit of Evelina Mambetova’s is one of my all-time favorites to appear on Vanessa Jackman’s blog — a slouchy modified baseball tee and paper bag-waisted shorts? I wore almost this exact outfit when I was in high school (the Preppy years), and I would happily wear it again. Of course, the only thing better than this jersey would be a really stellar knitted version of this jersey, and that’s where pattern designer Laura Bryant comes in — with her Two-Color Baseball Tee pattern from the Spring 2013 issue of Knit.wear magazine. I would, however, knit it in a yarn that is both a natural fiber and less drapey than the recommended Tencel — either cotton or a cotton blend. How about Pickles Thin Organic Cotton DK in Hav and Hazel? Which might even give it a slightly slubby jersey look. Skip the waist shaping for a slouchier, boxier look. And even though the sweater is raglan rather than saddle-shouldered like Evelina’s tee, you could totally just stick with Bryant’s recommended contrast edging on the short sleeves, or go ahead and knit an elbow-length sleeve (or longer) in the blue. Adorable either way.

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Street style photo © Vanessa Jackman; used with permission

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In a somewhat similar vein, this week’s ICYMI is It’s all about elbow patches.

Knit the Look: Franziska Frank’s easy summer tunic

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How to knit Franziska Frank's ivory pullover

Such a great little city-to-beach sweater on German model Franziska Frank, and so very, very easy to knit. All it takes is a little bit of modification to this free Berroco pattern called My First Summer Tunic. (With optional necklace! Please opt out.) The process is this: You knit one rectangle for the front and another for the back; seam them together along the tops of the shoulders, then pick up stitches for the sleeves; lastly, seam the sides and underarms closed. To make it look like Franziska’s: Rib the first two inches, then increase one stitch (for an odd number); work in seed stitch until 1 inch short of the top edge; decrease one stitch and switch back to ribbing for that last inch. Repeat for the back. Work the sleeves in seed stitch (from an odd number of stitches) until switching to ribbing for the cuffs. And when seaming the sides together, leave a few inches open at the bottom for the split hem. For the yarn, how about the lovely Blue Sky Alpacas’ Organic/Worsted Cotton in Bone.

See Vanessa’s post for the rest of Franziska’s outfit.

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Street style photo © Vanessa Jackman; used with permission

Knit the Look: An emerald scarf-shawl

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How to make a knitted version of this silk scarf-shawl

I remember once seeing a knitter tweeting about finishing a triangular shawl and wondering whether only knitters wear shawls. I think the answer is pretty much yes. But there’s so much potential there! I am completely in love with this girl with her giant silk paisley scarf folded into a triangle and worn as a shawl with faded jeans. I love the emerald — color of the year or not — and it sent me in search of something I never imagined wanting: a colorwork shawl, in the realm of a scarf print. Or better yet, a square lap blanket that can be worn folded like this, such as Kate Davies’ Tír Chonaill — ideally converted to fingering weight, and knitted with something like Valley Yarns BFL Hand Dyed in Hemlock for the varying yellow-greens, paired with a natural. To give it that classic scarf edge, knit a thin border in the natural, followed by a wide one in a matching solid green. (And hey, for the socks, have you seen the new Petit Fours pattern at Quince and Co? A near-perfect match.)

See Vanessa’s recommendations for the rest of the outfit.

Unrelated: This week’s ICYMI post is Blog Crush: Karen Barbé, who never ceases to wow me.

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Street style photo © Vanessa Jackman; used with permission

Knit the Look: Here kitty kitty

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how to knit a kitty hat

Who says you have to stop wearing hats as the weather warms up? Whoever this girl is,* she is likely the only person on earth who can pull off this look — a playful, white, furry, kitty-shaped hat worn with a striking black-and-white skirt-and-top combo (and silver pumps, no less). It’s somewhat subtle, for a cat hat. I mean, the ears are understated. There aren’t any eyes or whiskers. (Although it looks like there might be a tail.) Still, let’s look at a slightly more subtle alternative, for those of us with chutzpah but maybe not quite so much as this girl. Here’s what you do: You knit The Purl Bee’s funny little Cozy Ear Flap Hat, minus the pompom — but instead of working the decreases for the crown, just knit a straight tube. Once it reaches the intended height (or the depth of your head), lay it flat and Kitchener across the top, so instead of being rounded off, it’s square on top. When you pull the hat on, the two corners will stick out a little like these ears. You could knit it in the Purl Soho Super Soft Merino the pattern was designed for, or go full kitsch and make it out of a fake-fur yarn like Lupo. If you want to add a tail, you’re on your own.

See Vanessa’s original post for more shots of the outfit.

*Update: She’s been identified as Olga Sorokina

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Street style photo © Vanessa Jackman; used with permission

Knit the Look: Elin Kling’s little black turtleneck

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how to knit Elin Kling's little black turtleneck

Apart from being an irredeemable minimalist, I’m a great lover of sweaters paired with lighter-weight clothes and some bare skin. It’s one of my favorite things about living in the Bay Area: We get to do that all year. Elsewhere, of course, this is what’s known as transitional dressing. All of which means I’m obviously gonna love Elin Kling’s minimalist, trans-season ensemble of a little black turtleneck sweater with Audrey-style trousers and flats. Of course, a little black turtleneck (LBT, anyone?), being a timeless wardrobe staple, isn’t generally expensive or hard to come by in stores, but by knitting your own you can customize the fit and use whatever fiber you like. I’d suggest a pattern that has a tiny bit more interest (both in the knitting and the wearing) such as Julie Hoover’s Hudson, which you could knit in anything from the hardworking Brooklyn Tweed Shelter in Cast Iron to the luxe Jade Sapphire Mongolian Cashmere in La Nuit.

See Vanessa’s recommendations for the rest of the outfit.

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Street style photo © Vanessa Jackman; used with permission

Knit the Look: Mary Kate Steinmiller’s lace-front jumper

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how to knit Mary Kate Steinmiller's lace-front jumper

You may remember Mary Kate Steinmiller from my aran sweater reveries, as the adorable genius in the Crewcuts’ sweater. Here she is again, in the same great shoes and another quirky pullover-with-skirt ensemble. This time, she’s sporting a white lace-front sweatshirt that, I have to confess, is a little ’80s-flashback-inducing for me. But it’s a great transitional item, and it brings to mind a sweater that’s been near the top of my to-knit list for awhile, Joji Locatelli’s Dragonflies Jumper pattern. To emulate Mary Kate’s sweater, knit it in Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca Silk in White or Ecru. Or go with Debbie Bliss Cotton DK in White or Off-White, if you want it to be a spring/summer piece.

See Vanessa’s recommendations for the rest of the look.

(And see also Louhie’s recently finished Dragonflies — I love what she did with the back.)

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Street style photo © Vanessa Jackman; used with permission