Friday, August 21, 2009

Fabulous Fall - OTTOBRE design® woman 5/2009

OTTOBRE design® woman Autumn/Winter issue 5/2009 will be published August 28, 2009.



Including:

FABULOUS FALL
Our warm autumn and winter collection includes wonderful wool coats, tunics, tops, pants and a skirt – all items that are perfect for layering. Earthy tones, tweed, wool jersey and boiled wool. Sizes 34–52

OLD-SCHOOL GLAMOUR
The festive season is full of sparkling luster, swinging hemlines and lovely details. A special-occasion top, a ballooned satin skirt and a beautiful jacket. Sizes 34–46

WONDERFUL WOOL
Whether purple or grey, fantastic wool knits are equally charming. Every woman’s favorite cardigans, dresses, pinafore dresses, a classic shirt blouse and a gorgeous wool scarf. Sizes 34–52

INTIMATES AND SPORTY BASICS
Beautiful underwear for women of all sizes: a camisole in retro-print knit and panties in two basic styles. A soft-shell jacket and casual outdoor pants for active women. Sizes 34–52







Thursday, August 20, 2009

OTTOBRE knits - Rib Knit Beanie

OTTOBRE design® 4/2009 (page 64)



MATERIALS
- 100 g rose-pink merino wool yarn; for the sample beanie, Katia Merino Baby 100% extra-fine merinowool (50g = 165 m) is used
- set of double-pointed knitting needles (5 needles) or 40 cm circular needle, size 3 mm (metric) or no. 4 (US)
- darning needle for finishing ends
- cardboard for making pom-pom

ABOUT DESIGN
The unstretched circumference of the beanie is approx. 40 cm. Since the beanie is knitted in a rib pattern, it is very stretchy and fits head circumferences from 50 cm to 58 cm.

INSTRUCTIONS
Cast on 160 stitches and divide them equally between four needles. The beanie is knitted in the round.

Round 1: *Knit 2, purl 2*. Repeat from * to * around.
Repeat round 1 until the height of the beanie is approx. 25 cm. Decrease as follows:
Round 1: *Knit 2, purl 2 together*. Repeat from * to * around.
Rounds 2-6: *Knit 2, purl 1*. Repeat from * to * around.
Round 7: *Knit 2 together, purl 1*. Repeat from * to * around.
Rounds 8-10: *Knit 1, purl 1*. Repeat from * to * around.
Rounds 11-12: *Knit 2 together*. Repeat from * to * around.

Finishing: Cut yarn, leaving approx. 25 cm long end for fastening off. Pull yarn through remaining 20 stitches. Weave in all yarn ends on wrong side.

Pom-pom: Cut two circles of cardboard, both 8 cm in diameter, and cut a hole, 2 cm in diameter, in the center of each circle. Slash the edge of each circle. Place the circles together, aligning the slashes. Wind yarn around the outside of the circle and through the center hole until the hole is almost filled with yarn. Cut through the loops of yarn around the outside of the circle, holding the pom-pom tight. Insert a 55 cm long double strand of yarn between the circles, loop it around the center and tighten it slightly. Remove the cardboard circles, tighten the yarn and tie the ends in a knot. Shape and trim the pom-pom and attach it to the top of the beanie with the yarn ends. Weave in the yarn ends on the wrong side.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

How to give pants a worn look

Once you have completed the pants, you can give them a distressed-wash finish. Denim jeans will stand scrubbing well while corduroys will need a gentler treatment. Experiment on a scrap of fabric before starting.

Pin and stitch three or four tucks, a few millimeters deep, at the groins and the backs of the knees. Wash the pants and scrub them with a brush. Use a laundry detergent with bleach to give the pants a slightly faded appearance all over, which is vital for a genuine worn look.

You need to add “wear” to certain areas on the pants to make them look naturally worn. The knees, front pocket openings, zip fly, back pockets and leg bottoms are such key areas and you can rub them more firmly while washing the pants.

Remove the stitching after the pants have dried.





Pattern from OTTOBRE design 4/2009, design no. 39: Jeans in sizes 128-170 cm