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tanja | knitwear designer

@allureknits

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I once read about how ready-to-wear clothing is designed around standardised sizes and proportions. It made me realise why so many clothes I bought over the years never quite felt right on me.

The size might be right, but the sleeves are too short. The shoulders don't sit quite where they should. The proportions just feel a little off.

And it's not necessarily that there's anything wrong with the garment — or with the body wearing it. We're simply not all built to the same proportions.

One of the things I love most about knitting is that I don't have to accept those compromises in quite the same way.

I can make the sleeves a little longer, adjust the body length, change the amount of ease, or make small modifications to a pattern to better suit my preferences and proportions.

The garment doesn't have to be exactly as someone else designed it. It can become something that works for me.

And I think that's one of the most underrated things about making your own clothes: you don't just choose what you wear. You get to shape how it fits you 🤍

Have you ever adjusted a knitting pattern to make a garment fit you better? I'd love to hear what you changed 💌

ad | yarn gifted

#knitting #knittinginspiration #contemporaryknitwear by @allureknits

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18 hours ago

Meet the newest member of the Vela family — the Vela Asymmetric Dress ✨

ad | yarn kindly gifted

A dress has been on my mind for quite some time, and I knew that when I finally designed one, it had to carry the same details that made me fall in love with the Vela silhouette in the first place.

The asymmetric neckline leaves one shoulder bare, while the opposite side flows into the characteristic wide Vela trumpet sleeve — a detail that gives the dress its sense of movement and makes the silhouette feel unmistakably Vela.

The dress is knitted in COMO by @lamanayarns — one of my favourite yarns for its beautiful drape and clean, refined look. The body is worked in smooth stockinette with gentle shaping through the waist and hips, keeping the silhouette simple and timeless while allowing the sleeve and neckline to take centre stage.

And although I first imagined this dress for the moments that make us reach for something a little more special, I wanted it to be more than an occasion dress.

For celebrations, dinners, evenings out and those moments we remember for years to come — but also for an ordinary day when you simply want to feel a little more like yourself.

Because I think some of the most beautiful moments are not necessarily the big ones. Sometimes it’s a quiet dinner, a walk on a crisp evening, meeting someone you love, or simply getting dressed for yourself.

The Vela Asymmetric Dress can be knitted to your preferred length, whether you envision it as a mini, midi or longer dress. I’m planning to make mine a midi length — although, as I mentioned in my stories, I’ll be adding a little more length to this sample after realising that holding it against myself while knitting is not quite the same as actually trying it on 🙃

This one is still in the making, but I’m already so excited to see where it takes the Vela family.

Made for moments — both the ones we plan for and the ones we don’t 🤍

What moment would you knit and wear your Vela Asymmetric Dress for? 💌

#velaasymmetricdress #knitting #knittinginspiration #contemporaryknitwear by @allureknits

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5 days ago

Whenever the world around me starts to feel a little too loud and too fast, I find my way back to myself through knitting.

There is something about sitting down with a ball of yarn and a pair of needles that reminds me that not everything has to happen immediately. While so many things around us are available at the click of a button, knitting brings me back to a much simpler thought: I can make something myself.

And I don't mean that we should stop buying things or reject everything that makes our lives easier. I love the convenience of modern life, too, and there are plenty of things I am very grateful not to have to make myself.

But I think we can easily forget how capable our own hands are.

We can knit a sweater. Bake bread. Grow tomatoes. Sew something. Repair something. Make a meal from scratch.

Small things, perhaps. But there is something incredibly satisfying about knowing that we don't always have to reach for the quickest or easiest option. Sometimes, we can simply make.

And maybe that is what I love most about knitting: it doesn't just give me something to wear at the end. It reminds me that I can create something meaningful with my own hands — one stitch at a time 🤍

What is your favourite thing about making something yourself? Tell me in the comments 💌

ad | some of the yarn was kindly gifted

#knitting #knittinginspiration #contemporaryknitwear by @allureknits

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7 days ago

CLOSED

I’m so happy to finally open the test knit for the Elara Poncho 🤍

ad | yarn kindly gifted

Inspired by the quiet beauty of winter light, Elara is a soft, feminine layering piece with a fluid silhouette, a warming rolled mock neck and a softly flared ruffle hem.

Despite its generous volume, the poncho knits up surprisingly quickly on 4.5 mm needles — making it a lovely project for autumn and winter.

The test knit is now open. All relevant information about the design, yarn, sizes and testing process can be found in the application form via the link in my bio or in my stories.

And if you know a knitter who might be a good fit for Elara, I’d be so grateful if you shared this reel with them. I’d love to have knitters across the full size range join me in bringing Elara to life ✨

@langyarns_official
#elaraponcho #testknit #knitting #contemporaryknitwear #knittinginspiration by @allureknits

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10 days ago

Self-improvement seems to have found its way into almost every part of our lives — and even our hobbies are not entirely safe from it.

There is always something to learn, something to improve, something to challenge ourselves with. And honestly, I love that side of knitting. I enjoy learning new techniques and understanding how things work, and since I started designing my own patterns, this has naturally become an even bigger part of my knitting. Exploring new constructions, finding solutions and learning along the way is one of the things I enjoy most about designing.

But I also think it is important to step away from that mindset when we simply don't feel like it.

A sweater knitted entirely in stockinette can still be incredibly interesting because of its construction or an unexpected detail. A project doesn't have to be technically complicated to be beautiful. And sometimes, I simply want to knit something I already know how to knit — because I love the colour, the shape or the way it feels in my hands.

There is something refreshing about stepping out of the constant pressure to go further, faster, better — even when it comes to something we do for pleasure.

Sometimes I want to learn something new.
Sometimes I just want to knit.

I think there is room for both 🤍

Do you usually choose projects that challenge you, or projects you simply love? 💌

#knitting #knittinginspiration #contemporaryknitwear by @allureknits

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14 days ago

Why I designed Hespera ✨

That in-between feeling at the end of summer, when the days are still warm but the mornings have started to change. When you open the window and the air feels different. When you want another layer, but not yet a heavy sweater.

I wanted to create something for that moment — a piece that feels light and effortless, but still gives you that little bit of warmth you start looking for as the seasons shift.

Something you could throw over a dress in the evening, layer over a blouse on a cooler morning, or simply wear when you want a little more softness around you.

That feeling shaped Hespera from the very beginning: the airy fabric, the relaxed silhouette, the delicate details, and the choice of two strands of Soft Silk Mohair.

A reminder that sometimes the most useful pieces in our wardrobes are the ones that simply meet us where we are.

Hespera is now available on Ravelry and Etsy. Link in bio 🤍

What's your favourite part of this in-between season? 💌

#allureknits #hesperaslipover #knittingpattern #slowknitting #knitwearinspiration handknitwardrobe knitweardesign knittingdesigner by @allureknits

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17 days ago

A few years ago, after the baby years with my children, I reached a point where I wanted to find my way back to myself — including through the clothes I wore.

At first, I thought that meant I needed more. More pieces, more options, more things to wear. I imagined I would have to buy or knit quite a few new garments to make my wardrobe feel like me again.

But somewhere along the way, I realised that it was never really about how much I had.

It was about having a few good pieces — whether they are special statement pieces or simple everyday basics — that can be worn in many different ways and work with what is already there.

And I've found that the most successful pieces are often the ones that don't stay within the season they were originally designed for.

This is where layering becomes so powerful.

A lightweight knit can take a summer dress into autumn. A slipover can transform a simple shirt, soften a blouse, or add warmth to an outfit without making it feel like winter yet.

It makes our wardrobes more flexible without making them bigger.

And perhaps that's one of the things I love most about knitting my own clothes: the goal isn't simply to create more. It's to create pieces that earn their place in my wardrobe — pieces I can keep discovering new ways to wear 🤍

What's one knit in your wardrobe that you find yourself wearing in more ways than you ever expected? 💌

#knitting #knittinginspiration #contemporaryknitwear by @allureknits

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18 days ago

PATTERN RELEASE Hespera Slipover 🤍

There is something special about those last days of summer, when the mornings begin to feel cooler and the light slowly changes. When a shirt is no longer quite enough, but a heavy sweater still feels like too much.

This feeling was the starting point for Hespera.

A lightweight, feminine slipover designed to carry you gently from late summer into early autumn — layered over a blouse, a simple dress, or a fine knit. With approximately 10–15 cm of positive ease, a softly oversized silhouette, and a delicate central cable and eyelet panel, Hespera is designed to feel effortless while still bringing a little detail to the everyday.

The name was inspired by the Hesperides of Greek mythology — the nymphs who tended the garden of the golden apples. I loved the quiet imagery behind the story: an almost hidden garden, evening light, and a sense of beauty that feels timeless rather than obvious.

Hespera is worked seamlessly from the top down with two strands of Knitting for Olive Soft Silk Mohair held together, creating a light, airy fabric with a beautiful halo.

I’m so happy to finally share her with you.

Hespera Slipover is now available on Ravelry and Etsy. Link in bio.

I hope you’ll enjoy making her as much as I enjoyed creating her 🤍

ad | yarn support for selected test knitters
@knittingforolive

#hesperaslipover #knittingpattern #knitweardesign #knittinginspiration by @allureknits

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19 days ago

A little honest look behind the scenes at allureknits lately.

I’m currently working on quite a few things at once — some knitting designs are almost ready to leave the studio, while others are just beginning to take shape.

And I have to admit, sometimes I find this slightly ironic considering how much I believe in slow making.

But this season of having several projects on the needles at once actually happened rather unintentionally. A few months ago, I simply wanted to plan ahead for the summer holidays and make sure there would still be room for allureknits while my days looked a little different.

Somehow, that planning resulted in a rather full pipeline.
So this is what the studio looks like right now: a little fuller, a little busier, but still very much rooted in the same intention — to create thoughtfully, rather than simply create more 🤍

Which design hast caught your eye? 💌

ad | yarn was kindly gifted

#knitting #contemporaryknitwear by @allureknits

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21 days ago

Meet Elara 🤍

Named after one of Jupiter’s moons, Elara carries a sense of quietness, softness and distant winter light.

The Elara Poncho is designed to bring that feeling into the everyday — a fluid, feminine silhouette with a generous shape, made for slow winter days and effortless layering.

More of Elara coming soon, including a test knit ✨

I'd love to know what you think 💌

ad | yarn for sample kindly gifted by @langyarns_official

#elaraponcho #knitting #knittinginspiration #contemporaryknitwear by @allureknits

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22 days ago

CLOSED

I always find this part of the process a little exciting — sending a design out into the world before it is even completely finished.

My Vela Pure Sweater is still missing one sleeve and I have a few ends left to weave in, but I’m so happy to finally open the test knit today 🤍

Vela Pure is a study in simplicity: the same thoughtful construction and signature trumpet sleeves as the Vela Blouse, with the entire design knitted in stockinette to let the silhouette take centre stage.

There are a limited number of spots with yarn support from @lamanayarns, as well as discount codes for the original yarn through @maschenfein.

All details about the test knit, yarn, sizing and timeline can be found in the application form.

The test knit is now open — apply via the link in my bio or in my stories 🤍

And if you know a knitter who might be a good fit for Vela Pure, I’d be so grateful if you shared this reel with them. I’d love to offer the sweater in as many sizes as possible, and for that, I need test knitters across the full size range 💌

ad | yarn for sample kindly gifted + yarn support for selected testers

#knitting #knittinginspiration #contemporaryknitwear #testknit #velapuresweater by @allureknits

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24 days ago

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a month ago