this is the story behind the patchwork sweater.
i made this little sample what feels like ages ago now. i liked it but the technique was very time consuming and i didn't know how i could put it into production so i set it aside to think about it for awhile.
soon after i unfortunately(!) saw the jumper below from this collection by rodarte. then i really set my sample aside because to me, this looked like the perfect patchwork sweater and i knew i would end up copying it or want to make something very similar.
later in 2011, when we were in new york, i took these photos of this amazing set of furniture in abc carpet and home. the pieces were covered in this heavy duty hessian-like fabric and had all sorts of cute stitching details on them. i was so inspired by this and wanted to apply the idea to a garment.
and then over christmas when we visited my late grandmother i took these pictures in her room. on the bed you can see a silk patchwork quilt. my grandmother and her sisters used to have a lot of their clothing made for them and this quilt was constructed using silk remnants from those garments.
i love this quilt, not only because it's handmade and so delicate, but my grandmother's apartment was quite austere and she had a very no-nonsense personality. this piece hints at a softer aspect to her that i didn't really know. i inherited this quilt and now it sits on my bed.
a bit later on in january i was starting to work on my current collection. i wasn't feeling too great - i was completely burnt out from the year before and feeling pretty sad about my grandmother passing. to be honest, working on the collection was the last thing i wanted to do. i had to take some steps to look after myself a bit better, which included doing a detox diet, having regular acupuncture, doing heaps more exercise, starting tai chi and qi gong classes, reducing my work hours (harder than it sounds!) and accepting that i would need some regular help with the knitting. specifically in regards to the collection, i wanted to work with some uplifting colours and designs that would make me feel a bit better so then i knew it was the right time to take the patchwork sweater idea out again. this time i thought of a new way to make the patchwork effect in a slightly more productive way. and so here you can see a bunch of my samples and then of course, the result!
18 comments:
Thank you for sharing the lovely evolution of this lovely jumper. You personal story is definitely embedded deep within it...
inspiring & interesting.. thank you for sharing all of this
so lovely to hear your design process... in an industry of quick rips offs it's really refreshing!
elizabeth, what a beautiful way this jumper went. I wore mine yesterday. I love it so so much, the colors, the shape of the neckline..everything...thank you
beautiful, love your patchwork design!
I love patchwork sweater, I think it's a great idea and I found really interesting to know the whole stroy of the sweater...
I also love knitting and I have at home a small blanket made by my mather and greatgrandmather for my birth also mixing knitted pieces of different shapes and colours, for me is like a treasure... maybe some day I would try to do something like that...
Best,
Eldara
It's always so nice to hear the story behind, especially because it is so rare that garments are made with such care.
x
i loved this post. i'm so glad that even through the long process of constant highs and lows, something beautiful came out of that process...that sweater's a real-life analogy!
on another note, i'm so excited you're also doing tai chi! i went to a few sessions when i lived in la from a group that held open sessions on the weekend and it was so relaxing, save the anxiety i had for not knowing what i was doing and constantly needing to look over my shoulder at the others to copy their moves, ha.
this is a wonderful story - and sweater - !
I love how it all turned out! So sorry about your grandmother. But it's really inspiring to see how you used your grief, your emotions, your stress even, and how you managed to coordinate everything, so as to produce something as beautiful as your bright knits! Creating can be so painful sometimes, but in the end, it is just like giving birth, the result always makes you forget about the pain you went through! I wish you all the best for your future designs and creativity!
this is such a lovely story elizabeth. i feel like it's rare that we get to see the whole thinking process that goes into making one piece from any designer, so this was a real treat. i'm sure your grandmother would feel so touched by your story.
This is just so beautiful Elizabeth, so much soul and love, your Grandmother would be so proud of you, I know I am !!!
A great warmth to these kind of things.
Isn't it funny where life can take us? And we never know the journey we're on until we look back at it, like this.
I have also found that out of sadness and being in what seems like a hopeless place can come the most beautiful things (and experiences). And sometimes I think that need to experience these things to be able to properly see what is beautiful.
I just realised that all sounds a bit cryptic. But I can't think of a better way to say it!
i love this post! i always find it super interesting to see the design process and where your inspiration comes from. so inspiring! and i looove the patchwork sweater of course.
you are so amazing elizabeth! agree with mandy...you are such a wonderful soul!
love that i found you because of your work...and i am a huge fan of your photography! xxn
Such a late response, but I had to let you know what a beautiful post this one was Liz. The words, the colours and the presence of your Grandmother make it special and thoughtful..
Catch up soon!? x
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