Fashion crochet projects by Emma Varnam

Today I am showcasing some of the lovely Emma Varnam's designs from Fashion Crochet.
The cute shorts are perfect for the beach, I love the royal navy crab stitch edge which looks like piping, while the mini is right on trend and perfect for any young ladies who have the legs to show off!

Go check out Emma's Blog she is a very talented designer and a gorgeous person to boot! 

fashion crochet projects

 A couple more patterns from the book - summery beach/festival attire today...dreaming of the sunshine! :)

This is a very simple cropped waistcoat perfect for layering over a vest, tee or maxi dress at a festival, while the mesh dress is a perfect cover up for the beach. Strangely enough, now is probably the perfect time to get making stuff like this for your summer holidays (once the Christmas present crochet is out of the way!)

Fashion Crochet by...me!

Finally I am getting round to posting these images from my latest book, Fashion Crochet. I wanted to write a book that showcases how wearable crochet is - it is often relegated to homewares - and with so much on the catwalks, I wanted to use the modern pieces around to inspire the projects.

This week I am hoping to post all the projects from the book so you can take a peak inside. I am proud of this book, and it will forever remind me of my little babe - I shall have to post the picture my mum has of me crocheting the ruffle scarf over her lying in my lap when she was but a few months old. Most of the projects were completed like that....anyway, here's the projects:

 

LBD. Everyone's gotta have at least one, right? So why not have a crocheted one, too? this is probably my favourite project as I don't see many crocheted dresses I want to wear, but I love wearing this one. It was also difficult working in the black yarn, but so worth the final effect I think. Also got to use some of the assorted bootiful sparkly buttons I have been collecting over the years in one project! (if you can't see them very well, they are the back fastening)

The Granny cowl was inspired by a Paul Smith number, as soon as it went down the catwalk, I knew I wanted one...so made it from scraps in my stash. A perrrrfect stash buster.
Hope you like these...more to come!

crochet on the catwalk

I like to keep an eye on what textiles go down the catwalks and Marc Jacobs Fall 12/13 collection had some stunning examples of crochet - something to try out before the cold weather subsides this year to be well ahead of the crowd! Loving the oversized safety pins too. Enjoy!

graduate fashion

Had a fab time the other week at the RCA fashion show, regular mens and womenswear was ok, but the knitwear was amazing! So bright, cheerful and original.

My favourite collection was Helen Turner's, above, with her fabulous pile fabric garments, looking like beautiful feathers or a massive pom pom. These moved so beautifully as they went down the catwalk.

Ruth Green
Hannah Buswell

Check out my full report on this year's graduates from all the big shows in Issue 20 of Inside Crochet, out in a couple of weeks.

More from 2010: Horrockses

Amongst the selection of fabulous exhibitions I visited last year was the Horrockses Fashion at the FTM, the wonderful, intimate venue in Bermondsey.

For those of you who haven't come across the company the museum was highlighting, Horrockses Fashion Limited was a ready-to-wear manufacturer of fashionable, mid-market clothing in the 1950s.

Although they were mass-manufactured, the dresses were well designed, wearable and made from wonderful, uniquely designed textiles.

The exhibition was small, yet packed in a huge amount of interesting and colourful artefacts, including actual garments, original designs, signage, advertising and fabric samples as well as some ephemera donated by the public. There was a wall showcasing personal black and white snaps of glamourous 1950s young ladies donning the stunning sundresses.

A fabulous fact discovered in the fascinating exhibition literature was that the company came into its own just as Britons began to holiday abroad, as the lightweight, prettily patterned cotton dresses and sun suits were perfect warm weather attire.

I loved everything about this exhibition and found the beachwear and sundresses still eminently wearable. In fact, continuing my New Years Resolutions theme for these posts, I have my eye on a couple of the designs to try to recreate myself.

This must be the year I conquer my sewing machine, if only to benefit my first beach holiday in years, as I am not a typical beach holiday dresser. I think that I've mentioned before that I have what I like to call an 'English Rose' complexion - snow white and freckly! This means that in the sun I will inevitably eschew the short shorts and teeny bikinis for swathes of cotton, a huge floppy hat and oversized sunnies. (I like to think I look enigmatic and glamourous sitting under the parasol, rather than an eccentric recluse - think Joan Collins rather than Miss Havisham). These voluminous skirts will fit in perfectly with my alternative holiday wardrobe...wish me luck!