Lion Brand Notebook ®
One of the hottest 2018 trends is all in the details… the Unexpected Details. According to Editor in Chief of Elle Magazine (& ‘Project Runway’ judge) Nina Garcia: “In fashion, it’s all about embroideries, monograms, and design-your-own sneakers, bags, jeans, you name it. In technology, we can’t get enough of personalized filters, lenses, and Bitmojis.” We’re captivated by the little things that can make a look uniquely ours. And when we’re crafting that look ourselves, it’s even more fun to add special touches! For suggestions for unexpected details to add to your crafting, plus 10 patterns, read on.
When you’re making a piece yourself, it’s the little things that make it completely yours. ‘Bespoke’ means made for you, so here are 6 unexpected details to add to your knit and crochet projects that show the world your individual style.
Milford Vest (Knit)
Just because you fall in love with a one-color pattern, doesn’t mean it needs to stay that way! Color tipping and color blocking are two ways to make color the unexpected element in your project.
This is especially useful if you’re drawn to one of our funkier colors of the year, but are afraid a full garment is too much for your wardrobe.
You could always make the front of a top one color, and color block the back another hue. Or change the cuffs & collar to a second tone!
A perfect example is our Milford Vest (Knit) pattern, which you could work up in any two colorways. Choose two neutral hues, or, a neutral & our May color of the month, Marigold!
Any designer would tell you, it’s a no-brainer to play with seaming! We’re in love with experimenting with new techniques, or eliminating the seams all together. These less-than-central details will add a touch of couture to your project. For the Tacoma Top (Knit) below, you could consider not seaming at all! Make sure your front & back pieces are made of a stitch that won’t curl (not stockinette), and plan to wear a tank underneath unless you want to shock your coworkers! And for the Marigold Cardi (Crochet), you could consider seaming your pieces ‘wrong sides out’.
Folklore Top (Knit)
Another trend that has been on the rise in 2018 is embellishment, of all kinds. Embroidery, fringe, tassels; while these details were once hallmarks of Coachella, now they’ve infiltrated the mainstream.
Mermaid Afghan (Crochet)
Adding any of these unexpected details to a simple knit or crochet pattern will amp up the personality of your project.
Take the Folklore Top (Knit) for example, where we use a simple stitch & cotton yarn to add cosmic medallions to a classic top!
And to add some embellishment to your decor, check out this Mermaid Afghan (Crochet) with its underwater accoutrements. A simple chain stitch is added for seaweed tendrils, and corkscrews make great mermaid hair.
Texture is an excellent way to add unexpected details, because you can offset a pattern with even the simplest stitch. Since simple shapes are in, it’s easy to add your favorite stitches to your current pattern. First, consider adding simple knit & purl stitches to just the sleeves of a sweater, like in our Gridded Pullover (Knit). We think this looks more modern than having an all-over stitch pattern. Next, lace gets a graphic refresh in our Cropped Kimono Cardigan (Knit). Last, for knitters who are a tad more experienced, you can all kinds of stitches to our armhole shaping. For example, a simple yarn-over adds eyelet details to the raglan armhole in our Stone Harbor Pullover (Knit).
Bel Aire Top (Knit)
A notched collar is easier to execute than a classic v-neck, plus, it looks exquisitely bohemian.
To take it up a notch, take another look at two patterns we’ve already mentioned: the Gridded Pullover (Knit), which features a notch in the bottom hem, and the Folklore Top (Knit).
In addition, check out our Bel Aire Top (Knit), which features a cute notch in the neckline.
Surf Side Top (Crochet Kit)
Summery tops are the perfect projects for playing with straps, whether it’s falling off the shoulder or doubling up! We’ve already mentioned our Bel Aire Top (Knit), but it also has cute strap details, as well as color accents.
Another perfect example is our new Surf Side Top (Crochet Kit). It already has a 5-star review from crafter Sharon, who says: “this is really beautiful, works good for my granddaughters.” The unusual strap detail makes this a perfect piece for your summer wardrobe, easy enough for an afternoon event, but memorable enough for a night out.
Jump into one of the hottest 2018 trends for the summer, and the rest of 2018, and craft with unexpected details! Crafting slow fashion is about as personalized as it gets, but you can take it to the next level with any of these 6 ideas. Let us know what special touches you’re adding to your projects lately, and share by tagging #LionBrand if you craft any of these detailed patterns!
Written with Adina Klein, of the Lion Brand design team.
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