Pirouette, New for Fall 2011

Pirouette is one of six new yarns for Fall 2011. Mohair has long been a staple here at Classic Elite, starting with our first yarn made right here in Lowell, La Gran. Last fall, we introduced Giselle, a blend of kid mohair, wool and nylon. This fall, we're debuting something a little different...Pirouette is a surprising blend of kid mohair, bamboo and nylon. Two of the things that attract me to bamboo are its drape and that little hint of shine (see Vail, Wool Bam Boo and Cotton Bam Boo for more bamboo blends from CEY) and this yarn has both.

Cellulose fibers, synthetic or natural, are often used in conjunction with mohair to give it strength, and using bamboo is an inspired choice, making the perfect substitute for mohair-silk blends at a much more attractive price. The resulting yarn is strong, decadently soft, lustrous, and versatile, and the color spectrum ranges from soft neutrals to vibrant jewel tones.

You will find Pirouette in two pattern booklets this season; the first is the dedicated booklet by the same name. These six designs are knit in single, double and triple strands, sometimes combining effects in the same garment. There are two cardigans, a cowl neck pullover, a top that can be worn with the opening in the front or in the back, a striped scarf, and a cowl with a multicolored look achieved by knitting three strands of different colors together. Clockwise from top left, the garments are Arabesque, Glissade, Attitude, Waltz, Plie, and Fondu.

The second booklet featuring Pirouette is Panache, a collection of scarves, shawls and wraps in five yarns. The idea behind Panache is to illustrate how the same design can look completely different when worked at a different gauge or in a different fiber. Pirouette is used in three of the four designs, from left to right, Glamour, Grace, and Flair.

Hopefully one of these projects will inspire you to pick up a ball of Pirouette and cast on!

The Magic of Giselle

Vogue Knitting's Magic of Mohair contest is in full swing! Vogue Knitting is holding a design competition this fall for all aspiring designers and design students. The rules are simple: submit a handknitted women's fashion garment in yarn that is at least 25% mohair and you could win! Prizes vary from gift cards and knitting supplies to the GRAND PRIZE, an all-inclusive weeklong trip to South Africa sponsored by Mohair South Africa to learn firsthand about the mohair industry, including a tour of a working mohair farm and processing center near Port Elizabeth! Also, the winner's design will be featured in a future issue of VK and will be displayed at the VKLive event this winter in New York.

With such extravagant prizes in the balance, we thought we'd give out some mohair ideas for you budding designers to get your creative juices flowing.

The objection I hear most often about mohair is, "It's scratchy." While I've felt my share of scratchy mohair, it's important to understand why some may be scratchy and some soft enough to keep next to your skin. Have you ever seen the term "kid mohair"? Mohair varies in softness depending on the age of the animal: the younger the goat, the softer the hair.

When I picked up the ball of Giselle to swatch for this post, I was mesmerized not only by its jewel-like color, but also by its softness. I rubbed it between my hands and then, curious, against my face and neck. It's a blend of 66% kid mohair (hence the softness), 23% wool, and 11% nylon; the nylon acting as a binder, holding in all the beautiful fluff that's particular to the fiber. When looking closely at my peacock-blue ball of yarn, I noticed the thin nylon ply holding it together and was delighted to see that it's green! The contrasting nylon binder adds dimension to the already brilliant, prismatic color.

Giselle is a "bulky" yarn, the recommended needle size is a US8, though the yarn itself feels quite thin. Why the beefy needle size? Because Giselle is meant to be knit as a soft, airy fabric, with plenty of space between the stitches. Last week was hot, hot, hot and I knit my swatch with my ceiling fan on--the strands are so light I had to wrangle them out of the air beside me.

I love Giselle in stockinette stitch and delicate, ladylike lace and eyelets. I swatched it here in a horseshoe eyelet pattern from Barbara Walker's Treasury of Knitting Patterns, and I have to admit, I couldn't get a good picture of it to save my life...I hope this one shows off the pattern and the beautiful haze.

See it in our Fall collection on our website and get inspired by our Heavenly and Weekend booklets! Stay tuned for a La Gran post tomorrow. Thanks for reading!