3/11/2013

Needlecrafts - Knits in Combination

3/11/2013
Needlecrafts - Knits in Combination
Leather patches on sleeve elbows or suede fronts or trim on vintage men's sweaters are not new and have been around for a long time.
Combining knits with lace, leather, fabric and even fur caught my eye throughout the runway collections for Fall/Winter 2013.
Lace used to lengthen tunics to knee-length, allowing for some transparency was particularly feminine and pretty.
The showstopper for me was the fur sleeves at Max Mara.These sleeves combined with the cable knit sweater was modern, perhaps a jacket idea more than a pullover.
Shirt bottoms are attached to knit yoke in menswear . All of these ideas, to me, are modern and a continuation of the concept of restyling garments.

Read further for ideas and inspiration, tips for sewing with leather and other helpful hints.
Images | vogue.com
Images | vogue.com
Combining different materials for sleeves needn't be that difficult. You can even machine stitch if both the knit and material for the sleeve isn't heavy.
Always keep in mind that once you make a hole in leather or suede, that's it. It's there for good.
I have used an awl punch to puncture holes evenly around the sleeve edge, so that sewing was that much easier to attach to the body
Images | vogue.com
All Images | Pinterest
The idea of combining jean material to a knitted cardigan is both practical and fashionable. Jeans that outlived their wear can have the legs reused for sleeves.
The wear on the jeans, I feel, is what makes the garment special and makes a safe cardigan edgy.
Silk is being shown a lot in combination with t-shirt material, but a finer knit with a silk front or back would dress up a casual look.
Leather sleeves are fabulous on a sweater. A boxtop style with contrast sleeves elevates the garment to high end. If the leather is thin enough, leave the edges raw.
Look for suede or leather garments in a second hand or thrift store and reuse the material for sleeves or pockets.
Both ideas do not require a lot of material but look great when finished.
Happy Knitting!

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