From Stage to Stitches: The Jetty Cardigan Designer, Cheryl Toy
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Supernova Cardigan with Imke von Nathusius
From fashion technology to knitwear design, discover the interesting lifestyle of Imke von Nathusius!
The Fibre Co. were blown away by the classic cardigan shape of the Supernova Cardigan and the quality of the seamless knitting techniques used throughout the design. In this fascinating blog post with German knitwear designer Imke von Nathusius, we discuss all things knitting, from their years studying fashion technology, to their simple, yet timeless approach to the Supernova Cardigan!
Could you tell us a bit about yourself: how did you get into knitting and designing knitwear?
“I studied fashion technology and worked as a designer in the industry many years (I designed mainly pants and outerwear for men, never knitwear). Knitting was in several periods in my life a creative outlet for me, in my early twenties I crocheted a lot and sold my own designed accessories at an online platform and on craft markets. That time when this crochet trend was over I got drown in huge piles of crochet hats and cowls, crocheting was to speedy, I consumed too much yarn, so I switched to knitting to save yarn and money.
I started to designing knitwear for myself and my kids when most of the patterns I liked were only existing in Scandinavian languages. Knitting and designing was a great outlet when I were on parental leave. Sustainable lifestyle became very important to me, so I quit my job in the fashion industry and started my own little business.”
Tell us about the inspiration for the Supernova Cardigan.
“I design what I like to wear! Simple, minimalistic, timeless pieces, but they always need a little twist and love to detail in it. For the supernova cardigan I played with stockinette and broken rib texture, the stockinette panels (raglan lines and also neckband and hem) frame and break through the broken rib at the same time. Arranmore light is the prefect yarn for it, it has a beautiful interesting tweed structure, but subtle enough to underline the clear broken rib texture.”
The Supernova Cardigan is a cleverly constructed cardigan designed by Imke von Nathusius which begins with just a few stitches at the back neck and radiates outward with sections of a simple broken rib stitch pattern and wide columns of stockinette stitch forming the graphic raglan shaping. The doubled neck band is knit-as-you-go and the folded hem makes a smooth, professional finish.
Named for a powerful and luminous stellar explosion, the Supernova Cardigan will be the bright star of your handmade wardrobe.
About The Almanac Series
The Almanac Series is based on the original farmer’s Almanac guide to the seasons, this collection acts as a seasonal guide to knitting with The Fibre Co. and celebrates each month of the year with an ascribed Yarn of the Month, paired with a new design launch in that yarn. For this year’s series, we looked to the heavens for inspiration, letting the beauty and grandeur of the night sky guide us. In the first half of this year’s series, we cover the Autumn Winter season, where each month’s yarn has been specifically chosen for its qualities to compliment colder conditions in the northern hemisphere. Erika Knight’s Zodiac Sweater was the first design in The Almanac Series II collection, in which you can read our interview with Erika here.
What inspires and influences your designs?
“Everything. Other designers, Yarn, Instagram, Pinterest, Architecture, People on the Street, Art…”
What is your favourite type of knitting project?
“Everything knitted topdown and in one piece. Cardigans, Sweater, Tops, at the moment I prefer circular yokes.”
Could you share your design process with us.
“Mostly I just sketch some ideas until I found the perfect proportions and details for something. Often, I I try to find new ways to simplify constructions and I love to play with the directions of knitting, create a 3-dimensional shapes piece of clothing through the use of rectangles and triangles for example or shaping something with short rows.
But sometimes I’m inspired by a yarn and makes swatches, trying to find new structures.
Important for my pattern is an interesting knitting process, also a simple stockinette crew neck sweater need some special cast-on / Bind-off techniques, or a usual or new-to-me way to work increases and decreases.”
What is your desert island knitting project?
“Definitely Cardigans, they are such a versatile piece of clothing. I wear them every day, they are easy to layer and combine or works as an outdoor jacket.”
What’s your first knitting memory?
“I remember sitting in the Danish Dunes behind our vacation home when I was maybe 8 years old and knitting my first scarf in gather stitch using a wooly white acrylic yarn.”
Knitting the Supernova Cardigan?
If you are knitting the Supernova Cardigan, please do share it with us!
We would love to see it. If you are sharing on social media, please use the hashtags #MadeWithTheFibreCo and tag us @thefibrecompany so we don’t miss it. You can also follow us on social media by clicking the icons below.
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