Di Gilpin, a self-taught knitting designer in Scotland, speaks in this video about her collaboration with couture designers, including her shrug inspired by the White Witch in “the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” – and the tattoes of a Russian warrior princess.  As she points out, with a lacey knit worn over bare skin, the effect is of tattoes on the skin.

Watch from 90 minutes in. (It’s a long vlogcast).

(The video is by the knitting vlog, Fruity Knitting)

As well as knitting a grey shrug to mimic tattoes, Di also designed a featured full-length, red knitted ballgown, with a tabard full of Scottish symbols “Including a lovely Mackintosh rose” (a recurring motif used by the famous architect, Charles Renee Mackintosh) 

Fantastic for the variegation of reds, even in the lace panel in the arms.  It keeps the eye interested, across repeating lace patterns.  From the bodice, they created a Shetland lace pattern, and towards the bottom of the garment, using an Estonian knitter’s traditional skills in knitting bobbles into a lace pattern.

These bobbles were added to give weight, so that it draped well and, worn over a taffeta underskirt, it floated down the runway.

A photo of the back, under construction, shows the level of skill and precision here:

Nor surprisingly, the garment was mentioned in Vogue.