Who is in the mood for drawing and painting?
Who wants to play with yarn and colour?
Imagine a fun and yarny colouring book experience: But with absolute freedom of abstraction.

If, like me, you are a bit bored of the usual motifs used in Fair Isle knitting, Norwegian colour-work or traditional embroidery throughout the world and want something you created by yourself, you can get inspiration from any shape or form around you - try to see the lines and surfaces in an abstract design.
There are so many different ways that colours can interact with each other that go beyond what we already see in knitting..
​..but I digress...
​let me start at the beginning:

​Now, by looking at the early 20th century perfume bottle, I had my answer:
​I allowed myself to get influenced by the delicate scrollwork pattern from the label design and played with it to create an interesting motif that also provided a gradient of colour, deliberately set up to go from light to dark. I'd like to think that you can still see a bit the influences of Art Deco and Japonesque elements that were the rage when the perfume was launched!

This pattern tries to explore stranded knitting by tackling the subject with a different approach:
Mitsouko wants to explore something a bit more experimental, large-scale and conceptual.
The idea is mostly influenced from abstract large scale paintings in general, while only the specific interpretation is drawn from the famous scrollwork pattern. 

You can knit this Mitsouko pattern as is and I have prepared charts that match three standard sizes to create these colour interactions with your yarn and colours of choice.
But if you’d like to go a bit further and be a bit experimental and unleash the abstract designer or graphic artist inside, I have also provided empty charts in three sizes for you to play with, without having to bother to do all the math or think about construction.

​This could be a design or drawing of your very own. You can customise this hat while getting an excuse to doodle… and get to unleash your (inner?) kid!

So how would this work? Well you can choose something you want to make as a pattern. Like me, you can allow yourself to be inspired by any form you find intriguing. You could blow up and digitise a photograph that has interesting colour interactions. You could take up crayons and have some fun. You can blow up a segment of a design you like or even a lace design and transform it into colour-work. You can also give the provided charts to your friend, child or loved one and have them come up with a colour design for a unique custom knit they have put their own creativity into.
And then you can knit their custom-motif up for the perfect gift... a project that came out of your very own creative collaboration.
You can use this as a fun experimental place to try out something new. Take a walk on the design side, or the fashion side and come up with a fresh take on your knit-work for a truly one-off hat nobody else has – this way, you are the master of your project.

...If on the other hand you prefer taking the safe route and also don't like the spirals of the original Mitsouko? Then, well... then Mitsouko's Lover is for you...  

Mitsouko's Lover is the cheeky name of the "minimal and simple" striped version which is probably more unisex and easy to wear than Mitsouko, although this all depends on personal style anyway. For this version I tried the Ovelha Negra Victoria yarn for the first time and it really is an absolute joy to work with!

The longer ribbing and slightly larger body of the actual shape of all versions can be worn slouchy or tucked in for a more elegant beanie effect. You get a dense and warm hat, that is still light and easy to wear and to take with you, since it is knitted in fingering weight yarn.

Find the pattern on this site or go to ravelry.
(Until midnight of 23 of January 2018 (CEST), you automatically get a 20% discount)​
Also stay tuned to find out about some news out of Italy.... a surprise collaboration with Unfilodi knit house that will interest all Italian speaking friends and many more...

Since the whole hat pattern is so adjustable and open to personalisation, it is the perfect project to have a fun and interactive KAL together with other colour-drawing-exploring knitters - or to get some help in deciding on how to combine one's own ideas of design, motif and colour - or to just show off different versions from clean-cut minimalism to totally out there, baroque styling!
Check out the ColourOutsideTheLines knit-along (or KAL in knitter's terminology) to find out more...

Click on the Banner above to open up the KAL page and participate in this fun game!

I know I know...
It seems as if I have been in a sock knitting frenzy lately - but my sock ramblings shall be kept in check for the next year (here you have quite the original New-Year resolution)!

But I really had to post this follow-up article on my latest one,  the free SpiralSock Pattern!

My good friend and tech-editor Kate, actually made a great suggestion after she checked the first version of the pattern ( the one published this Christmas). There was not time to rewrite the pattern back then, but I really wanted you guys to know about Kate's great idea!

(Quick disclaimer:... It seems that her idea is a known adaption to heel-less sock patterns, but we both didn't know about it and re-discovered what others will most probably already know for decades!)
Anyway, since I know that there must be other sock-ignorant people out there like me, who are very entertained by this kind of knitting-technology, I still thought that this follow up post and addition to the pattern itself, might interest some of you.

So, well... Kate's new and improved method was to work a Star-Toe (or also a round toe) with the SpiralSock, so that it can be worn without having to adjust the toe in any way, since there is no need for any adjustment in any direction because there simply isn't any - the star toe is the same on all sides, as is the tube for the heel-less sock!
With this toe, one would be able to keep the heel part of the sock even longer in shape, since it never will be put on in the exact same way and therefore the whole area will be worn out over a longer period of time.
Cool, isn't it?

So I played around with a star-toe with a progressive ratio of increase and even rounds and of course I have updated the sock pdf and now there are both toe variations in there for you to choose!

To work this star toe though, we need to cast on our stitches in a circle and there are many ways to work the same circular cast on techniques: One is the crochet technique, which uses (as you have already guessed) the extra tool of a crochet... not a problem in itself, if you can be bothered with looking for it in your messy studio (not that I speak out of experience here....)
Or then there is the excellent "disappearing loop method" by the famous techknitter, whom I consider my biggest teacher and mentor, that also uses knitting needles only and is using a similar technique as for the tubular or invisible cast-on.
 
But I do prefer the one I am showcasing below, since it not only has the advantages that no extra tools are needed (and the messy studio can be sufficiently ignored) - but it also does immediately provide the knitter with two casted on rows. Therefore there is an actual "lower row" stitch to work into right away - a feature, which is especially handy for hidden increases in the very first round after casting on.
(Here I like the hidden increases because they provide a discreet way to work immediate repeat augmentations - on every stitch and/or directly on top of each other on subsequent rounds, as we are doing here to provide a less pointy toe)

On another note: I wonder, do you guys prefer my printable photo-tutorials (which I find are easy to reference later on or to file) or do you like videos better?
Is there one medium you strongly prefer over the other, or does it all depend on the technique itself (like in this case, where the tutorial is easier to understand when actually seeing the movement)?
Please do tell me and I will try my best to adapt to what you guys like most!
oh...
​...and have a wonderful and strong New Year! ✨⭐️

HOSE WITHOUT HEELS
"Socks and stockings are often knitted straight and without heels, the foot finding its own heel by adjustment. This stocking can be very uncomfortable at the instep unless knitted correctly, and then it is as comfortable as any other, the best fit being derived in Spiral Ribbing.
A stocking knitted in this manner is adjusted on the foot by twisting it round until the ribbing appears straight. The heel then takes its position with comfort, and the instep is smooth and smart. Bed-socks made in this manner remain in position all night."

So Mary proposes a scientific, traditional method for an automatic-adjustment-sock, constructed like a Helix that adapts to the shape of the ankle, foot and heel and that does not budge at all, if put on correctly...

Almost 80 years later our funnily shaped Spiral Sock pattern differs with a contemporary toe-up construction from it's grandpa version and features a fun, striped contrast toe as also a mirrored stitch pattern. It also provides you with all the needed calculation for 6 different sizes. 

​I was immediately smitten with this cool idea and had to try it out to see for myself if it works or not (while adapting it to my favourite toe-up method and play around with colours and the stitch pattern). I loved the result so much, that I had to make my notes on my adaptions available to you guys. 
And since the smart idea was not originally mine, but an old tradition as Mary says herself, I found that it would only be fair to offer my updated version for all my fellow beginner / curious or maybe just simply “lazy” sock-knitters out there as a gift for the Holidays!

This smart sock needs to be tried out by as many needles as possible, because:
➤ It really is the perfect beginner sock, since there simply is no heel to construct at all!
➤ It can be worked as a perfect gift for a person which cannot try the sock on while it is knitted: There is no heel - so no specific foot length we need to know about, while the stitch pattern makes for a very elastic width, which means that an approximate guess on size might be enough for a perfectly fitting sock! Add to this the fact, that everybody is impressed with magical tricks ...and the scientific background will immediately elevate this sock to "cool gift" level!
➤ The toe-up version allows for us to use up nearly any amount of yarn, by just halving the weight for each sock.
➤ And then, after knitting the toe, we work the same, super easy repetition of a stitch pattern: So this is a wonderful project when mindless knitting is needed: not much can be done wrong in this sock.
➤ The only thing that might need adjustment is the width for a smaller or larger sock (although 6 sizes are already included in the pattern!) - it is very easy to work any adjustment in our toe up construction.
➤ And it is really quite hard to outgrow this sock, even for quickly growing children feet!

Finally and because of all the above features, this project is the perfect introduction to sock knitting for any beginner or even advanced knitter that is afraid of knitting a sock.

The last couple of months have been quite busy here and I thought that an update on what is happening on the La Maison Rililie front is overdue!

First things first: You might have noticed that my new cardigan pattern (Diane) has been published a fortnight ago!
​If you want to take a closer look, here is the link to my own pattern page on the site + to the ravelry pattern page. There is also a KAL happening on my group, for anybody that is in the mood to work this cardigan together with others in a fun and cozy knit-along.

But... In the above picture you might also have noticed the new hat that is in the works... Mitsouko shall be in test phase soon and... she is not as tame as one might think!
There is more to her than meets the eye....
(and yes, this lady definitely likes some mystery!)

Not only that, but Rachel from YarnLoop is having aBlack Friday giveaway for all NoShowSock-Kits (don't miss the chance to win this giveaway until the 27th of November 2017! Just click on the link above.)
And if you missed this opportunity, don't worry... she is providing everybody for the duration of the next 6 months with a generous kit discount coupon code: 
Simply write MAISONCOUTURE15 for 15% off the NoShowSock-Kits at check out when shopping at Yarn Loop.

Oh! I also had the honour to be featured in Rachel's Designer-Spotlight interview, where I talk a bit about my work and myself.
Thank you so much, Rachel for the article!

Let's see, what else? There is a new shawl in the works as also a sock... and some workshop preparations!
And I have to publish so many blog posts that are still in Draft modus - Tutorials, tips and tricks mostly, but also other stuff... it shall all unfold in the upcoming weeks, if all goes well!

The year will end and start with lots of inspiration and creativity - at least this is what we hope!
...here in the La Maison Rililie headquarters!

Allow me to describe my though-process and incentives about this pattern in this lengthy post:
I was searching for this perfect but elusive accessory for years!
It must have been right after I learned knitting socks, when I whipped up my first typical run-of-the-mill shorty. I was and remained disappointed while periodically continuing with experiments to knit a sock with a low top section, that not only would hide perfectly in my shoes, but also remain put and make for an elegant and flattering footwear, if I'd needed to take my shoes off while visiting friends. (I don't know about you, but I did find that all those other short socks with the horizontal "cut" across the ankle were not the best option for a long-leg-and-slim-ankle look).

Only after many trial socks later, I finally had found a way to produce a low top sock with my favourite kind of heel (a gusseted short-row one). This sock was constructed with a new kind of decrease - especially developed for this pattern, because I didn't like the look of the gusset stitches after turning the heel. I therefore tried to produce sturdy and symmetrical decreases that still had some "plush" feel and style at the gusset-heel edges.

But all of these ideas and new systems, as also the extensive (ab)use of german short-rows in the pattern made me insecure and afraid that people would hate my construction and find it much too cumbersome for such a tiny sock! So I did hold off with publishing it for quite some time and only after getting wonderful feedback from my talented testers I felt brave enough to make this strange little sock pattern public. I was immediately blown away by the amazing response and my fears were completely quelled! I even noticed that many of the other knitters out there shared many of my own quirks and slightly neurotic "preferences" in relation to short socks.... who knew!

No recommended yarn was used for this pattern either, although there were many options of beautiful sock yarn for me to choose from!
The reason was simply that I wanted to showcase that this pattern lends itself wonderfully to use up any of the accumulating bits and pieces, that seem to take up our yarn stash. Small lenghts of yarn, which we don't want to through away but still don't know how to use up!.
It's quite easy to use yarn rests of similar weight here: First find the colours you'd like to combine and then just weigh the yarn rests. Work half or less for one sock and you'll have enough for the second sock!

Finally the last technique that provides a good fit to this special little sock is the customisable cast off, which securely hugs the backside of the ankle while giving a looser fit at the instep section, which needs to be more elastic.

As you can see from the pictures, I have already knitted up quite a variety of those socks - and I have only worn this kind during all of last winter! Standing next to all the youngsters on snowy pavements, wearing sneakers and even short booties - I too, kept my ankles fashionably naked!

You can find the pattern either on ravelry or here on my site
(on ravelry you can even check out many of the wonderful socks that have been already knitted up by knitters all over the world)

In the last weeks I had to reconsider my knitting-needle "organisation": My "system" wasn't working anymore. Circulars were everywhere and although I tried to keep them from tangling up with each other by storing most of them in their original sachets, they were also starting to show their age and tearing up. It was extra hard and quite unpleasant to try to find anything in my big mess of a bag...

It might look like an innocent, elegant silk clutch from the outside, but beware - the inside holds the best tool for all of us slightly neurotic and archive-maniacs knitters out there:
Pockets... Labels,
TABS!
In this organisational wonder you get 21 labelled pockets, plus another 3 plain pockets. 
​All of them do have a flap and they are about 15cm x 10,5cm big, which makes each pocket large enough to hold about 3 (smaller sized) needles comfortably.

The half sizes stop at 6,5mm, so that there was no pocket provided for my 7,5mm circular (the labelling goes from 1,5mm (000US) to 12mm (17US) by the way). There are even quarter sizes for the smaller needles, which I do not use at all - so I thought that I could put stickers on the existing tabs to personalise the labelling according to my own needs and together with the pockets that do not have labels, I can still find my stuff at one glance and have all of my needles together in one case.

While the pocket organisation is most practical and welcome, the main star of this case is of course the fabric! When I first saw it, I thought that it is made out of pure silk - but no, the material is called “Poly Silk” and as I found out with a quick google search, Poly Silk is essentially polyester and silk - it is a mix designed to make the silk more durable, easy to wash and wrinkle resistant. So you get the gorgeous look of silk and hopefully the durability and resistance of polyester with this material. 
Sounds good to me (who always walks around with wrinkly clothes, if they aren’t knit-wear… my knits are perfectly blocked, always!!! But everything else, not so much).

The colour I have is called “Seafoam” and it is a wonderful, vibrant, light venetian green. I especially love the different hues the silky fabric provides and I have the impression that it will age gracefully by getting lighter at the edges and make the rich texture of the weave come out even more. On the website there are quite many different colours to choose from, depending on the model and there is also a big choice of different sized needle cases for interchangeables, straights, DPNs or crochet hooks. I also think that I saw some lovely project bags over there, but I tried to ignore them for the time being.... 

But what I love the most, is the fact that these cases aren’t produced by a big international company but by a small business based in Seattle, which seems to be working ethically with the people that produce those handmade bags in Vietnam.

There is so much more info you can read about the DellaQ shop and the quirky owner Della in her about page (or you can also check her out on instagram). Her blog “The Knitting Bag Chronicles” features also a lovely post that introduces the Vietnamese sewers and the workshop she is working with.

Now I am off to find a different solution for my DPNs, since I guess that my old Cath Kidston straight case (although very cute) will be too cumbersome to take with me when travelling…

For the dimensions, offered colours, price and other info about the cases, check out the DellaQ shop.
My case is this one: The Que Grand Circular Needle Case in the colour seafoam

After having gifted a very special hand-knitted item to a beloved receiver, the most dreaded thing for a knitter to hear, is: "Oh... it's so cute, I love it - but I have to admit that I never wear it because it really doesn't fit / is too big / much too long / not really my size...! Well, thanks anyway"
- I had the pleasure to hear something similar after asking my mother if she wears the ShellSock in yellow I gifted her about a year ago. I made her this pair because she liked the ones I did for myself (based onthis free pattern here), but I never saw her wearing the socks, when I visited.
So... after wondering why she didn't tell me sooner and without me asking about them, I immediately started "The Operation ShortSock".
It's nothing groundbreaking in terms of newness or innovation. No, it's simply a cut-and-graft shortening of the sock's foot-tube. But since many knitters seem to be afraid of such "invasive treatments" and since I thankfully remembered to take pictures during "surgery" (a rarity in my case), I thought that I might show you the complete procedure below - step by step - and maybe it will seem less daunting to some! It's the idea of cutting that frightens more than the act itself, believe me.
​
So - first of all we had to do an evaluation-field trip: Mum tried on the sock and we established how much exactly we would need to shorten it, so that it'll fit comfortably.
​Try to keep in mind here that the fabric is elastic and that it will stretch a bit, but avoid to take out too much and make a sock that will be too snug and tight. Just fold over a section, try it out and mark the extent that needs to go.

Then I cut into one stitch of said contrast round in white (the first round of the section we intend to remove right above the needle of the toe area) and proceeded to take the whole round out stitch by stitch until the toe was separated completely from the rest of the sock.
You can click on the pictures to see a bigger version of them, if you like.

Then I found the tail of the grey main colour and just unraveled it until I got bored... and grabbed the cute little scissors I have from fringesupplyco to quickly cut all the excess away - without of course hurting any of the stitches already positioned on the needle - or myself - or others... 

Then the fun part began: The actual grafting and re-connecting of the toe to the foot! If you are one of those knitters that fear this step, rest assured that it is not at all hard to do. You just need to take your time and keep an eye on your tension, while following a good tutorial, if you don't already know the grafting mantra "knit, slip, purl... purl, slip, knit" by heart.

After neatly hiding all tails and such, the old-new shortened sock was ready to be worn for the first time and it successfully had been saved from a dark and boring life in the sock-drawer!
Both me and my favourite knit-recipient were quite glad about it...
You are welcome, mum! 

On an incredibly hot day this past June, I strolled around the former industrial district in Athens and stumbled upon a rare gem: A happy marriage between Art and Fiber.
It was the very last day of an exhibition called Chroachym by Chrysanthi Koumianaki, as I read on the front door of the old Mentis factory - so I walked inside.

Chrysanthi Koumianaki, a greek artist, collaborated and got inspired by a small scale brocade factory called Mentis in Athens - which today houses the Centre for the preservation of traditional textile techniques of the prestigious Museum Benaki in Greece.

The brocade factory opened in 1867 to dress King Otto, the first King of Greece’s shortlived Monarchy. Later the factory's production expanded as a silk factory and it became one of Greece’s most famous producer of passementarie - the embellisments that decorated courtains of couture houses, traditional costumes, theater production and even army wear for over half a century. Today it survives as a reference to a by-gone era, less as a necessary production line but as a symbolic gesture, a cultural and historic heritage site.

Wonderful tassels, cords and edgings fill up the space everywhere and can be admired in midst all the industrial beauty of the old machines and tools. And there, right between the busy silk heaps, there are Koumianaki's delicate floating pieces of work: Intertwined, as if they always were a part of the setting. Listening with feminine attentiveness and speaking to us about the factory in a poetic and soft voice. Her work asks us to see the factory’s particularities - to see and to hear them anew, as they truly are - and that IS Art in my opinion. It makes people think and feel and challenge and decide and observe.
Making us more "human", I guess - and I love this feeling, even if I encounter it seldom!
Thank you Chrysanthi for this experience.

Since most of my own pictures are from the factory/museum itself, you can see more of the actual exhibition here, on Chrysanthi's site.

Just as a general side note: I have to mention here that I don’t take the word “Art” lightly and that I myself have never applied it, when referring to knitting, spinning or weaving. I also have to admit that I am always cringing when I read or hear this new linguistic construction called a “Fibre Artist”…
But I digress... this is quite a huge subject and we can discuss it in the comments or in another moment, if you wish.

Anyway, ranting or musing aside… in this very specific instance there was something happening that truly resonated with me and that for the first time gave the words “Fiber Artist” a meaning that rang true - even in my personal strict, narrow and very specific view of fibre and art!

Gilda... The film Rita Hayworth was most famous for.
The 1946 Hollywood drama with this one immortal scene: Featuring a dancing and singing, alluring Gilda and one looong glove!

Now my take on Gilda has not much in common with the sleek and provocative, red-haired pin-up Rita... But it features long fingerless gloves too, and I would love to think that it would be Rita's choice for a Gilda-esque casual and chill out day in autumn or winter...
... the dancing and singing is optional, of course!

Finally the extra large stripes give the whole design a more youthful and modern take, while tiny accent stripe allow for a fun play with colour.

To further enhance the striping of this design, different material has been chosen, so as to have a slightly mat fabric for the patterned stripes and a smoother one for the Stockinette sections. Both yarns are of light fingering weight and very affordable, while offering a vast choice of colours and extremely good quality: Mabel & Ivy Supersoft and Mabel & Ivy Coast yarn.

The producer of the Mabel&Ivy label, Tangled Yarn, are offering kits for this pattern, which include all the yarn you’ll need to knit your sweater (with the option to purchase the needed amount of yarn - with or without arm-warmers - to complete the look)!
The GILDA Kits are available on the tangled-yarn site for a limited time: Until October 20th 2016.