Friday 1 August 2008

Sweater Dress Love

I was on Net-a-porter.com earlier today (I can't afford to shop on this site, but I enjoy cruising the knitwear!) and saw this: That's a Chloe Ribbed Knitted Dress, regularly priced at $1404.20, for the summer 2008 collection. Doesn't it look remarkably similar to the Ribbed Mini Dress (ravelry link) from the Summer 2007 Vogue Knitting? I hate to say it, but it looks like the design team at Chloe totally ripped of Mary Lynn Patrick. But I did see this, and I'm absolutely in love with it: This little number is courtesy of Stella McCartney, and I'm seriously considering knitting it. Minus the batwing sleeves and with a tad more waist shaping. I've had a secret obsession with knitted dresses for a while now, but haven't yet made one. The trouble is, there are two very good reasons why I haven't yet taken the plunge- 1. That's definitely going to take a lot of time! I have no idea what I'd blog about while knitting it ('hi, here's a shot of the stockinette... and more stockinette two weeks later....' etc.)2. That's a lot of yarn, and it won't be cheap. Of course, it would be much cheaper than a ready-made Stella McCartney dress, but still. A bit more than my little yarn budget can handle at the moment. Has anyone knit a sweater dress? How did you find the whole process? Any words of wisdom for those about to journey down the sweater dress path?

12 comments:

Krafty Like A Fox said...

Ouch, you're right. That first dress looks uncannily similar.

yoel said...

After a lot of hemming and hawing, I just started my first knitted dress. I had such trouble choosing a nice pattern/yarn, but then I got a perfectly good one through a swap, which takes care of a lot of problems! You're right though about not having much to blog about...

soknitpicky said...

Personally, I like the VK dress much better than the Chloe--a lot more interest on top. I have been wanting to knit that one but never got around to it (or got the nerve, I guess). I've never knit a dress for myself, but I am knitting my first skirt that is for myself. If I like wearing a handknit skirt, I may muster up the courage to do a dress.

jennifer said...

Wow, I thought of the Vogue dress instantly when I saw that one! Sure does seem like a rip off. I've never ventured a dress; I'd ask shopgirl for her thoughts ...although you probably already thought of that!

stickyfingers said...

Knitting a dress would be a true test of your patience. I don't think I could ever do it. When my mom (oh so subtly) questions me about getting married I tell her when I can knit this http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/wedding-gown I'll settle down and get married in it :)

Jill said...

How about this dress? http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/nightline-dress

Team Knit said...

LOL!! Jill, that's hilarious!

- Julie

Anonymous said...

Julie, go for it and use something like Cascade Eco Wool. :)
Chiara

Jeanette said...

That second dress would be so much better if there were no obvious seams where the back is twisted like that. Perhaps work it in the round and twist the straps around before bind off--then bind it off ONTO the main portion of the dress?

Whenever I see stuff like that I melt!

erngrn said...

the second dress gives me almost inapropriate visuals.

i love it!

Anonymous said...

Hi Gals,

I just couldn't resist commenting. First and foremost, I love the name of your blog. Second, I too was on Net-a-Porters site and came to the conclusion that I could not afford a sweater dress. A sweater dress for $1500!!! We were looking at knit dresses, right? *sigh*

What I personally like most about sweater dresses is they could be worn in a dressy or casual manner! You can throw on fitted jeans or leggings/tights with a sweater dress. You can wear cowboy boots, heels, and so on.

I'm definitely looking forward to the Fall!

Best,
Tia
www.herroom.com

Anonymous said...

Love the outfits. I love sweaters too. I bought a white cardigan from Fashion Bug.