BLOG GIVE AWAY: HENRY HOLLAND STYLE CROCHETED SNOOD.

Those of you who follow fashion will in no way have been able to miss the HOUSE OF HOLLAND’S fall / Winter 2011 collection - especially if you love all things knitted and crocheted!

IMAGE FROM THESTYLECATCHER.COM

Now I personally love crocheting just as much as I love knitting - so above is a photo of what the real HENRY HOLLAND WINTER ACCESSORY looks like, and below is a photo of what MY version looks like (so far):

NEARLY FINISHED:

So far I like it QUITE a lot, if I do say so myself…

The differences are that firstly - HENRY HOLLANDS VERSION is a scarf… my version is a SNOOD. Secondly, that whilst his is probably machine made - mine is all hand crocheted. BRAVO.

Now this post is’nt all about me bragging about my snood and making you all dislike me a little… instead it is a BLOG GIVE AWAY.

If YOU would like to WIN this Henry Holland Fall 2011 STYLE snood, then all you have to do, is follow my blog - and reblog any post that originates from my blog.

SIMPLE.

1/ Follow my blog.

2/ Reblog a post from my blog - it can be this one, or any other.

You have until the 22nd of DECEMBER to enter, and I shall get in touch with the winner by Midday on the 25th of DECEMBER!

- Before you ask, no I am not deludedor do I sit here writing this blog in a big red Santa like suit - I’m just feeling a little festive and generous.

SEPTEMBER 1990 - ELLE knitting pattern.

SCANNED PHOTOGRAPH OF ELLE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 1990.

Now some of you may be wondering why I have posted a big photograph of this lovely ‘vintage’ issue of Elle magazine (September 1990) on this knitting blog. Those of you who know your fashion magazines should know that back in the day, issues of ELLE Mag contained free knitting patterns! Brilliant I know!!

Now as much as I would love to be surprised by a fashionable knitting pattern in the next issue of ELLE that I purchase - I doubt there will be. Shame I know. But knitting is in back on the radar - so hopefully it wont be too long until knitting patterns are back in our favourite mags!

Join me on Twitter  @KNITthatTREND to follow my quest in making this happen - by quest I mean trying EVERYTHING to get the members of ELLE mag to put knitting patterns back into their issues! Expect some over enthused tweets…

Anyway back to the point:

This is the knitting pattern included in September 1990’s issue of ELLE:

Okay, so the girl and the polo necks a little out dated - but other than those little fashion faux pas isn’t it fabulous!?

Little bit of deija vu going on here? Well for a start leopard print is always in fashion! But this particular fun over-sized print is definitely a print you need to have in your wardrobe next season!

However, if you would like to give this cardigan slightly new vibe for the new season then swap the original stereotypical colours for bright and vibrant shades like violet, lime, pink, lilac & blue - just like the HOUSE OF HOLLAND’s new prints for S/S 2011.

IMAGES ABOVE from FASHIONOLOGIE.COM

INSPIRED MUCH?

When you’ve chosen your colours and are in the mind frame for a knit-athon with your gal pals, you will need:

5 x 50g balls of 4ply wool for your main background colour

      (where they have used cream wool)

3 x 50g balls of 4ply wool for the print outlines

      (where they have used black wool)

2 x 50g balls of 4ply wool for the main blotches of the leopard print

      (where they have used brown wool)

1 x pair of 2.25 mm needles

1 x pair of 3 mm needles

1 x 2.25 mm circular needle

6  x buttons for the front of the cardigan

You should be able to get all of the above from your local haberdashery / knitting store, or if your unlucky and do not have one near by try a large department store like John Lewis or you could even opt for the web.

Once you’ve collected everything you need - click the link below where you can print off and / or download a copy of this knitting pattern made by and featured in ELLE magazine.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71526689@N05/6466919753/sizes/l/in/photostream/

REMEMBER TO FOLLOW THE BLOG FOR SIMILAR POSTS COMING SOON!

HIP CHICKS KNIT

ABOVE: Hip chicks do knit - most of us just don’t have the possessed looking cats…

So basically, I just wanted to get it out there before I actually start blogging properly.

Hip Chicks Knit. Agree? Well I hope you do.

Basically, I am sick and tired of people thinking knitting is some sort of Olympic sport for grannies…

It is actually not an Olympic sport (although I sort of think is should be - the speed some girls manage to knit at is at a faster speed than most of the sprinters you see at the Olympic games) - but even if it was, grannies would be no where near the start line.

Yes some grannies do knit, but surprise surprise -lots of young and aspiring fashionistas do too!

• Dakota Fanning
• Julia Roberts
• Nicola Roberts
• Sarah Jessica Parker
• Katherine Heigl …  but to name a few.

*RANT ALMOST OVER*

So anyway, back to my point: Hip Chicks Knit. 

Now more than ever, knitwear is being pounded onto the runways in full force. Not by an army of grannies armed with needles but by young and current designers, forcasters and taste makers of the fashion industry. So whats with the ‘granny’ stigma hanging around like a bad smell?

*RANT OVER*

The truth is, that whilst there are plenty of young and fashionable ladies (& gents) knitting these days, there aren’t many - if any at all - places where they can go to seek fashion savvy guide lines, news & gossip about their passion (knitting - if need you ask!)

So here I come in: over the next few weeks I shall be posting blogs all about knitting & crocheting in regards to whats hot & whats not.

For those of you who have been living in space and had no clue this trend was going on, fear not - I shall be posting quite a few ‘how too’ posts here to get you on board the bandwagon. And as for you who consider yourselves experts of the field - just sit back and enjoy the posts, give aways & competitions to come…

Why do you think so much ‘granny’ stigma is attached to knitting?!

Do you agree that this needs to change?!