stripey St Catherines

Good morning! Friday is project reveal day – or in this case, outfit reveal day. Do you remember St Catherines – the shrug-style garter-stitch cardigan that’s included in my Shore collection? I originally designed this piece in a solid colour, which I wore, and rather liked, but then Mel knit up a bruce and birkin stripey sample in the second size. The stripes were just so pleasing! The looser, easier fit so comfortable! I immediately fell for Mel’s sample, appropriated it, and now wear it very frequently, particularly at this time of year.

And so yes – I designed the belt I mentioned yesterday just to pair with my super-comfy cardigan.

You might certainly argue that my styling tendencies err too far towards the matchy-matchy, but I honestly find it really satisfying to be able to wear a cardigan and belt – both functional pieces of clothing – both using exactly the same shades of exactly the same yarn. It’s also kind of nice to have designed these things myself, though as is often the case, the work of producing them has involved Mel’s hands too.

In response to this post Elia asked how I managed to be so productive: I might talk a bit self-indulgently about my generally driven nature and mono-focused approach, but the reality is that KDD is not just me: as a group of people we manage to do so much because there’s an effective division of labour. For the past ten years, Mel has knitted samples of the vast majority of things that I’ve designed, and her input is always crucial in the way a pattern develops.

Mel’s knitterly choices are often very different from mine – this is a good thing. In the same way as enjoying the different colourways I wrote about last week, Mel’s take on a design often helps me to step outside the work, look back at it, and see it differently.

In this case, I feel that Mel’s stripes bring St Catherines a new aesthetic life – highlighting the design’s structured lines.

. . . angles

. . . and the multi-directional nature of the knitting.

Mel’s stripes transform a simple garter-stitch garment into a piece of Bridget Riley Op Art!

Can you tell I like this cardigan?

I like the whole outfit, actually – I am really enjoying pairing gingery or ochre shades with darker neutrals at the moment.

I’m currently researching and looking at a lot of Mexican art and design (as part of my work on this project) and wonder if this is why I’m currently finding myself so drawn to these warmer shades.

I suppose you might regard this palette as autumnal, but I think it forms a nice contrast to a landscape of spring green.

But the main thing is that the whole outfit is just really comfortable, for mooching about the house, and walking in. I’m definitely finding the comfort and ease of what I’m wearing really important right now.

Though this design is simple garter stitch throughout, the multi-directional construction of St Catherines also makes it a really interesting knit. So if you fancy whipping yourself up a super-comfortable throw-on shruggy cardigan, be it plain or striped, we’ve kits in the shop, and the pattern is also on Ravelry.

I’m off out for a walk in my new belt and cardi.