activewear collection

The reason I haven't posted in ages - but it is finally done!

 

Spandex work out top with nude mesh
Spandex/polyester blend "silky" basketball shorts

 

Spandex sports bra with nude mesh & hand dyed straps

 

Ponte cover-up sweatshirt

 Spandex leggings

 

Nylon waterproof running shorts with ponte waistband

 

Spandex/polyester blend "silky" cut out top

 

Nylon gym bag

 

Spandex sports bra with nude mesh & hand dyed straps

 

Spandex empire running top

 

Spandex compression shorts

Inspired by highway interchanges; designed & executed by me; photographed by Julia Carleton.

obsession : basketball shorts

One of the pieces in my activewear collection is inspired by the classic basketball short - think elastic band with 3 rows of stitching, loose slouchy fit. I made mine in a slinky spandex with great drape, in a tarnished nickel color. The fun part is that with a silk white tank, they can be worn to dinner - and then the next day, on a run with a sports bra.

It's fun to watch the athletic and fashion world collide - activewear inspired garments are becoming more and more regular.

Let's see how it's being done!

 

Love the take on athletic shorts in this fun, bright color! But the waistband keeps the inspiration nearby.

 

 Once again, clearly inspired by basketball shorts - but the watch and fun tank keep it from looking like she just came from the gym.

 

What do you find of this trend? Would you buy a pair of shorts inspired by athletic clothing, or would you wear a pair of "basketball shorts" out with regular clothes? I think it's cute!

activewear collection : dyeing the straps

As a single insignificant person in the fashion industry, finding certain supplies can be difficult. Take, for example, my fruitless search for bra strap elastic (the shiny-on-one-side, plush-matte-on-the-other kind that you have on your bra right now). I could find endless amounts in white and black for retail, but finding colored versions was near impossible (unless, of course, I wanted to order 50,000,000,000 yards - but I am not a manufacturer). Many suppliers of hard-to-find garment supplies don't offer retail sale, so I had to get creative.

Did you know Etsy now has a "supplies" section?

 

I ordered white and used Rit dyes to get the colors I wanted.

 I like to pretend I'm legit by making tech packs for my designs.

The straps dyed very easily - I literally dipped them in the solution (using vinegar as a mordant) for no more than 2 seconds and they were done!

Just waiting on a few more fabric shipments and then it's time to SEW!

activewear collection : swatching

Currently in the swatching and sketching stage! Working on narrowing down a color palette (gonna be a bit neutral heavy with bright pops, as you can see). I meet with my mentor on Wednesday to discuss the selection of final designs.

project : herringbone scarf

I totally started this December 5th with the intention of giving it as a gift for Christmas ... and only finished it yesterday. Knitted laterally, this project definitely took a great deal of time. But it was so worth it!

The pattern can be found here.

Yarn: madelinetosh tosh merino light
Colorway: Betty Draper's Blue (I actually blended the light and dark version of this colorway, hence the different subtleties in hue)
Yardage: roughly 700 yards

designer : the knit kid

Knitwear is in a strange place. If you browse knitwear patterns online, you feel like you've been transported back to the 1970s or 1990s and can never escape. But then if you find yourself on Sandra Backlund's site viewing her portfolio, you think knitwear has a chance - but it's still too experimental for everyday wear.

When my friend Elyse texted me this morning asking if I had heard of this Etsy designer, I was beyond excited to see modern, fashion forward and wearable knits that are as beautiful as they are minimal and clean - not overly fussy, covered in too many techniques - just speaking for themselves.

Just simple enough not to scream "my grandma made this for me" - the clean lines, color blocking, and fresh hues erase any sentiment of that.

Gorgeous!

Source: http://www.etsy.com/shop/theknitkid#