Knitting and collecting

I was blown away by this Anne Ventzel design on Tuesday of this week: the Karla cape is part of the new Isager collection and pays homage to Danish knitwear designer Åse Lund Jensen and her diverse designs. Fashion leaves its mark - whether it is industrial or handmade. The latter even more so, of course. Haute couture, for example (high-end tailoring), is also made by hand according to strict criteria.

Of course, knitwear fashion - at least in my eyes - is often (much) more wearable than what you see on the catwalks of this world. But the fact remains: some designs stand the test of time and continue to inspire long after they are gone.

The Karla Cape falls into precisely this category, exuding a touch of retro without appearing old-fashioned. By the way: this year, there are many signs of a comeback of - watch out, don't laugh - grandpastyle. This may sound a little strange at first, but basically it means nothing other than that a handmade wardrobe, which of course includes knitwear, is very much in vogue.

Even if I don't see the point in chasing after every trend for reasons of time and money (don't even get me started on practicality - ciao, platform shoes!), it is of course more than nice that knitwear is becoming increasingly popular. An unmistakable sign of this is the wide range of (often poor quality) knitwear offered by large fashion chains.

So it's better to just keep knitting! The Karla Cape, which you work seamlessly from the top down, will complement your wardrobe perfectly. We recommend Como Grande and Premia from Lamana as an alternative yarn combination to the original Isager yarns. This will make the piece warm and cozy, but not too heavy. It is therefore the perfect jacket substitute when the temperatures are mild but a shirt alone is not enough. By the way: we are often asked whether we would like to add Isager to our range. We would really like to, but it's not possible for us at the moment due to retailer conditions. Believe us: we think that's just as bad as you do!

Another Lamana combination - and one of the most beautiful, I might add - can be found on the Post It Sweater from ChrisBerlin. As someone who is really open to digitalization and no longer wants to do without smart thermostats, online banking or even a digital shopping list, I have to say: I can't do without a notepad. There's always a (maschenfein) notepad on my desk. So a knitting design that is entirely dedicated to colored notes, which are so wonderful to stick anywhere, definitely makes me curious.

Knit the sweater with a high but loose collar from the top down. It is designed in such a way that its width is reminiscent of a poncho. So you can imagine my recommendation: wear the sweater as a jacket when the temperatures are right!

The Post It sweater is made special by details such as the half turtleneck, high side slits and - of course - the color accents that give it its name. You'll be working with Milano and Premia from Lamana.

As you know, I like to drop the odd piece of wisdom in Saturday coffee. "The early knitter catches the worm", for example. Or now - brand new! - "Well planned is half knitted". Because even if my colleagues smiled at me a little (almost laughed at me) because I was already making plans for the coming Christmas wardrobe in January, I'm telling you: The final tally will be on December 24th - and then we'll see what I'm wearing.

At the moment I have the following outfit in mind: Ruth skirt (I already have it - ha!), a blouse (hook on it - everyone has one) and then the Audrey jacket by Cheryl Mokhtari, who you also know under her stage name Coco Amour. And because this week was also Valentine's Day, it's practically my duty to show you this jacket that Coco Chanel couldn't have dreamed up more beautifully.

There will be more soon!

Knit from the top down in stockinette stitch. First cast on the stitches for the back and then work in rows up to the armpits. Then pick up stitches from the cast-on edge for the shoulder, which will be transferred to the front pieces. Join the back and front pieces to the body at the height of the armpits. Stitches are picked up from the armholes for the sleeves. The jacket is made from the yarn used: Teddy Dear from Gepard, the facing and collar are made from Snefnug from CaMaRose. We are eagerly awaiting delivery of the former. It has been announced for the end of February - so please put your preferred color on the waiting list and we will let you know as soon as it is available again.

You can already tell: I haven't had enough of jackets yet. How could I - when my head is full of knitting ideas. And anyway, a cardigan never hurts. So let's move on to the next design!

How about the Mam's Cardigan by Teti Lutsak? The Dutch designer with Ukrainian roots has a wonderful design portfolio - be sure to check it out on Ravelry. I'm really taken with the traditional patterns. This is also fashion: it tells real stories.

Knit the cardigan from the bottom up in rows up to the armpits, then knit the back and front pieces separately and join them at the shoulders. The pockets are attached and the buttons are optional. With the wide fit, dropped shoulders and a V-neck, you get a casual look that promises lots of coziness. The kit includes Álafosslopi from Ístex and Soft Silk Mohair from Knitting for Olive. The Icelandic yarn in particular is ideal for outdoor clothing as it has wind and water-repellent characteristics.

If that sounds too robust, don't worry - I have something for you! How about a wool-silk-cashmere yarn? Held double? Sounds tempting and you'll find it in Verona by Lamana (50% wool, 30% silk, 20% cashmere).

We have picked it out for you as an alternative to the Rebellious Scarf, also by Teti Lutsak. The unisex scarf with an asymmetrical shape brings a lot of variety to knitting with its different texture patterns. It is worked in rows from one tip to the other. After blocking, your scarf will measure approx. 230 x 32 cm. The pattern is in English.

Finally, here's a beautiful sweater for you, because they always work! Be sure to check out the kits for the new DIY collection from Sandnes. Louisa has already shown you her three favorites in the newsletter.

Funnily enough, my favorite wasn't included, which wasn't a bad thing, but rather an advantage. So here's all the information about the Wendy Sweater in Sunday and Tynn Silk Mohair from Sandnes. You knit the model with saddle shoulders from the top down. The pattern is designed to be cozy - just the way I like it best at the moment (spring tiredness needs to be celebrated). And even though I haven't actually knitted anything in pink for myself for a while, this pattern definitely makes me want to. And thanks to the really generous color palette of both yarns, there's something for everyone here.

In general, beautiful project and accessory bags are (almost) as important to us as the knitting itself. Which is why we are still more than proud of our collaboration with the Leipzig-based fair fashion label Franziska Klee. Franzi and her team make wonderful pieces from leather - all by hand and all in their studio. There is no question about the quality here.

So we were all the sadder when Franzi told us the other day that they were looking for new premises. It hurts - anyone who has seen the pictures of the lovingly designed studio will understand the pain of separation. Not to mention the organizational effort and costs.

That's why I'm happy to share Franzi's appeal here: if you're from Leipzig and know of a space of just under 150 square meters, please tell us about it. You can reach Franzi and her team at "hallo@franziskaklee.de".

Finally, and before we take another look at the Maschenfein knitting round, I have some really nice news for you: A new episode of our podcast "Just one more row" went online this week - yay! I know you've been waiting a long time, but here we go again!

In this episode, I talk to Louisa, who has been part of our team for two years but still has a lot to say about herself. So it's all about her path to knitting, her actual profession, her reorientation and her passion for Nordic yarns. You can listen to our podcast on Spotify, iTunes and anywhere else you listen to podcasts!