Inspiration
The Black Cloud Dress
I love log cabin knitting. Something about the clear lines and the structure is very visually soothing to me.
And I love the possibilities. It all starts with one small square, but you never know where it ends. It has the potential to grow infinitely. Or to grow into something completely different than a square.
By adding a neckline, two armholes, sleeves and a hem it becomes a sweater. By adding a skirt, such a sweater becomes a dress. That’s how the black cloud dress came into being.
I had knit plenty of log cabin sweaters and vests for my little daughter. At some point she asked if I could make a dress with a very fluffy skirt. So, I gathered a colorful array of fluffy yarns: mohair, baby suri alpaca, angora, everything soft and fluffy my stash had to offer.
I picked up stitches at the bottom of a little log cabin vest construction and started knitting a skirt. I just kept adding stitches until it felt fluffy and poufy enough. It turned into a dreamy little dress that twirled and danced at every step. My girl loved it! And so did I.
Having all that soft fluffy yarn running through my fingers and seeing this cloud-like little dress come to life made me long for more—more fluffy soft skirts that danced cloudlike around my ankles with every step.
However, I’m 5’11.” To knit a mohair ballgown for myself wasn’t exactly a project I had considered before. Nor did I consider it in all the colors of the rainbow, whatever my stash had to offer.
When it comes to my knit wardrobe, I prefer basics. I love knitting all the colorful scrappy projects but when I look at the knits I wear the most, it’s the black, brown, and beige ones. I had wanted to try a monochrome log cabin knit for a while, so I opted for a black version.
Here I was, engaging on a black log cabin adventure with a black mohair ballgown length skirt for my tall self. Not once did I think that this might be a somewhat erratic idea. Eccentric, maybe, but not to a point where I might end up annoying myself with all that black yarn. I was just thrilled at the idea of a full mohair skirt.
So, I cast on that first square. I puzzled with the log cabin structure until I had a top in the size and shape I had vaguely imagined. I picked up stitches at the bottom, switched to mohair and started increasing.
And kept on increasing.
More stitches, bigger needle sizes, until I had 648 stitches on size 17 (12mm) needles. I have no idea how many rounds I knit.
It was not exactly a comfortable knit and at some point it felt more like hugging a fluffy teddy bear that’s just a few sizes too big to really fit onto your lap. The endless sea of black mohair fabric made me doubt my eyesight at every stitch. But somewhere along those rows and stitches I got so very excited.
I was obsessed. I couldn’t wait to actually wear the thing. It was a bit of a mystery knit. I had no idea what it would look like, feel like, fit like. I kept trying it on from time to time to check if I wasn’t completely lost. Every trial felt better and better. I knew I had to reach that ankle length.
It took me 3.5 months. It was one of the longest bind offs I ever did. And oh, the sweet satisfaction when I pulled the cut yarn through that very last stitch!
It must have been way past midnight, but I put it on anyway and did a little twirl. The immediate drape and swing of the fabric! I went to bed a very happy knitter that night.
Next day I filled my bathtub and soaked the dress, wrapped it carefully in a towel, laid it out to dry on the guest bed. Then I checked every half hour to see if it was dry already.
Seeing it lay there I couldn’t help but think that it had a personality. It had soul. Some knits have that. They’re like their very own being. Created by your hands and thoughts, moments and emotions woven into the fabric.
And once you start wearing them, they become a friend. A companion for special or ordinary occasions. A cloak to hide yourself or let your personality sparkle.
A small square in garter stitch became a dramatic dream of a dress, a dress that makes me stride and twirl and live my best black swan persona. It makes me cherish every future cast-on already. Because I never know what they might become, nor who I might become wearing them. Every stitch is a sweet possibility with the potential to grow into something infinite.
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Spectacular.
That is a show stopper! Beautiful.
Stitching the miles! Dedication to do this in black.
Wow!!
WOW!!!
Stunning. Such a feat!
Fabulous!
So impressive. I can only imagine how wonderful that feels to wear.
What a creative idea and AMAZING execution!
Really stunning! I’m not sure I would ever actually make it but it looks fantastic on you.
This Has to go on a book cover somewhere!
I agree
Absolutely beautiful! Are there ravelry notes for guidance if we feel inspired to create a similar dress? I love it
Very beautiful! I hope you have someplace great to wear it soon!!!!!
Spectacular! Black — OMG….
AMAZING! Looks great on you.
A lot of mohair… And in black…
Well done!
Please wear often!
So incredible! So very beautiful!
Gorgeous and brilliant.
When I saw the first image I thought, hmm, the top resembles the vest by Sonia W. in John Arbon’s Annual 4. But no—this is way more spectacular!
And P.S.: what a delight to find someone else’s knitting origin story has to do with wanting leg warmers for ballet class.
Spectacular!
Stunning. Truly a fairy tale dress.
Omg! What does it weigh? What did it cost? Fabulous.
I love that.
Positively AMAZZZZZZING!!!! I love the black, but I can also envision a pretty spectacular wedding dress in your work. Thank you for sharing it all with us. Wear it with TREMENDOUS cheeks-aglow pride!!!
Brava!! That is gorgeous!
This dress is absolutely amazing! And incredibly inspiring . . . the beauty of creativity <3
That is so beautiful. You are so inspiring, for imagining this project and then completing it! It’s an heirloom.
What a Herculean task but it looks fabulous and how satisfying it must have felt to finally put on that beautiful dress. Well done!
I am so impressed with your dedication and the absolutely stunning conclusion! It looks fabulous on you!
It is so imaginative and so gorgeous! I wish that I could have seen your first dress that you made for your little girl. Thank you for the article and pictures.
Congratulations! It’s an amazing knit
Absolutely stunning
Free range. That’s how I roll, too. Beautiful.
So cool! A wearable work of art.
I am guessing you varied the needle size to have it be pretty opaque for your thighs and then translucent for your lower legs.
Wearable art! Gorgeous. I love how you increased the translucency as you went down the skirt!
I would love to see more of her projects. Instagram? Ravelry?
Perfection. Couldn’t love this more!
Spectacular! Brilliant! Looks so perfect on you. Very much admire the work of vision without an actual plan.
So beautiful
So beautiful!!!
I usually do not respond to these things but …. this dress is amazing. I love the dress…wish I had an event where I could wear something like this.
Wow!!! I love your project that grew into a marvelous dress!! Congrats to you!!!
That dress. Is AWESOME!
Increasing needles to change the drape and sheerness is beautiful! This or gorgeous and I wish I had the knit ambition to try it!
Nice photo work, also.
THIS!!!! I cannot love this enough!!!! What an amazing story and spectacular dress!!!! I really want one too! What I also want to know is how many skeins (yards) of yarn did this take???? What a feat!!!
I thought about that too. Like how many little 50g balls of black mohair did she have rolling around, waiting their turn? So much fabric in a full, full ballgown skirt. Amazing!
Beautiful and spectacular !!!!!!!!
Please make a pattern!!!
Do you have a pattern for this dress?
I will keep this post forever! The thrill of the log cabin AND a ball gown AND one-color-ish AND for and by a princess so nearly 6 feet tall. It’s almost too much. But instead just what knitting can be.
Thank you 🙂
It’s a work of art. Congrats to you.
Simply stunning. Thank you for sharing it.
Ok, what did you do for the hem? Inquiring minds want to know? Tell us all about it please. I don’t imagine that you did a EZ sewn bind off, but did you mix in any Judy’s magic? I can’t see if the bottom is rib or garter. Fess up?
I could barely sleep after seeing your IG post a few weeks ago, the dress–and your swirling in it–were entirely entrancing. I’m delighted to see your post here on MDK. Thank you for inspiring us with your soulful creation!
Hi me_and_simone I have been watching you for a long time! Glad to see your article on your amazing ballgown. I know you feel like a princess wearing it. You are so very talented!
O my wordy word, this is the most inspirational knit ever. Ever. Underline “the”.
Wow! I love everything about this! Beautiful idea, wonderful garment!
Speechless! In white or cream it would be an amazing wedding dress.
I can not take my eyes off this dress. It’s spectacular and creative and fancy and simple, all at once. Against that backdrop, the photos are perfection. The idea of all that black yarn and just the sheer determination to make the dress and also the joy involved. Fabulousness all the way around! PS Would also like to see the first special dress made for your daughter.
Thank you for sharing your experience. That‘s true knitting magic!
The dress looks absolutely amazing.