This morning’s interview is with designer Kristina Vilimaite from Hungary.

Kristina modeling Aglow Mittens from Lace Mittens for Snow Battle e-book

Who taught you to knit/How did you learn to knit?
My grandmother tried when I was six, but my first memory of knitting is about being in fury – I was knitting so tight I was not able to work the next row. Then, at 10, I was totally bored when we learnt knitting at school. My mother finished up the cowl I was so bored about so I did not get bad marks. And at 15 I remember meditation like feeling when knitting a sweater – since then I could knit.

How did you get started designing?
I made that first sweater without a pattern, though I didn’t think it was a design then, I was just making a sweater. Then, just before my daughter got born, I found out about Ravelry and started knitting again. LYS owner in Budapest issued a call for designs from their yarns. I gave it a try, and just got hooked.

What inspires your designs?
Nature and stitch patterns. I worked in environmental protection for years, so nature is always on my mind, and I just adore Estonian lace and Japanese stitch patterns. I also like watching the world around for interesting shapes and colours – be it a building, an interestingly cut coat of a passer by, or a ceramic bowl in a museum.

Lustrous

Which comes first – the yarn or the inspiration?
I often start with an idea and only when I like how it looks in white single ply wool (I also like to swatch with cotton), I search for a suitable yarn. Then yarn influences the final details of the design. Of course I have a lot of yarn that I’ve got because it was simply beautiful. Most of it is still in my stash.

What characteristics do you try to incorporate in your designs?
I like when it is possible to make differently looking knits from the same patten. So my shawls are in many sizes, customizable and they can be worked from different weight yarns. Currently I like complex looking stitches, which I adjust so they are easier to work but still intricate. I also love beads – even for mittens. I get little sparkling moments of happiness when I wear something with beads, such knits make me feel extraordinary.

What is your favourite type of item to design?
Shawls. Right now I am hooked on a simple triangular shape that is worked sideways. This shape is like a painting canvas and it gives me so much freedom to for my knitted flowers to grow.

Seed to Flowers Cowl from Recowled ebook

Tell me about “Recowled”, your new collection, what is the story behind it?
When I design I have to make finite choices: about shape, stitches used, all other details. Sometimes I see so many options that I can’t choose. I was drafting Tulippa shawl (not published yet), and this thought was always around – “maybe this should be a cowl, this would be a great cowl”. So I decided to let them both be. All three patterns in “Recowled” will be based on shawl patterns that look equally well as cowls. I also experiment with shapes, so two of the cowls will be scowls, kind of hybrids of shawls and cowls worked top down stating with just a few stitches. One will be of a traditional shape worked sideways.

Do you have an aspirational knit – a complicated/challenging design that you want to knit “some day” when you feel ready?
I have lots of ideas for cardigans. Well, I never wore the sweater I knit when I was 15. The size was OK, but I didn’t like how I looked in it. I acquired a better body image since then, but I am still not sure that a sweater I dream up and invest a lot of time into making would fit me and others well. At some point I will probably gather my courage to make one.

Tulippa

What is coming next? What’s in your release queue?
I just started another collection called Lace Mittens for Snow Battle and I am almost ready with the second design from it. That knit is really addictive, so it pushed other half finished things down the queue. But probably I will release Tulippa shawl earlier.

Your desert island yarn? (If you could only knit with one yarn from now on which would it be?)
Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light. I like most of single ply yarns, but this one is dyed in such a way that it looks like as if it was shining from inside.

Icy Rivulet

Which is your most under-appreciated design?
Icy Rivulet. For three years it was my favourite shawl to wear, both indoors and outdoors. It is actually my first design, but I made a very unlucky decision to publish it through a magazine. Only when I got the rights back, I could release it in the quality I am satisfied with, but the momentum was gone by then.

What’s the one piece of advice you’d like to share with other knitters?
I am not sure anybody wants my advice – but I can tell what worked for me when mastering knitting and designing. I reverse engineered a couple of hats and some stitch patterns. For me it brought a real breakthrough in understanding how to read my knitting, and helped me to understand the principles behind some techniques.

Any knitting/designing New Year’s resolutions?
I prefer to go with the flow, I mean my individual flow. I do what I like when I think the moment is right for that. I probably never in my life had a New Year’s resolution… and if I had, I do not remember, probably I didn’t keep it anyway.

If you could have dinner with one knitting designer (living or dead) who would it be and why?
Could I have a party instead? Ten different people every week? If I have to choose just one today, that would be Kate Davies. I really love her designs and she writes interesting stuff.

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View all of Kristina’s patterns here. All photos copyright Kristina Vilimaite. All images used by permission.

You can find Kristina on the following social media sites:

• Kristina’s newsletter
• Anima Knitting Club Ravelry Group

What is the Gift-A-Long? The GAL is a big knitting and crochet designer promotion with prizes and more than 5,000 people participating in a giant KAL/CAL. Come join the GAL group on Ravelry!

Today’s first interview is with Josh Ryks of Sword of a Knitter.

Josh, modeling Ad Hoc

Who taught you to knit/How did you learn to knit?
I learned to knit from a learn-to-knit kit that came with a book and needles and some notions. I taught myself from that little instruction booklet on some truly horrible acrylic yarn (the stuff was splitty and just awful. My second yarn that I used was much nicer acrylic yarn!) and got going. I remember finding the cast on and knit stitch much easier than the purl stitch. I had to grab a different book for that one!

How did you get started designing?
I started designing after knitting some of Stephen West’s shawls and other “modern” designers that introduced me to the world of color and shaping and new techniques that stemmed from the base techniques of knitting and I understood the structure of it all.
The combinations of color and shape and line and texture hooked me and I actually started thinking that I could do this too. So I did!

Convergent

What inspires your designs?
I find inspiration in black and white photography, architecture, shadow, and line play. I also love tessellation art and the geometric motifs found ornamenting our everyday.

Which comes first – the yarn or the inspiration?
It really depends! I find that the inspiration comes first, but (depending on the yarn!) the yarn may change everything and become the muse of the piece!

Death of the Moon

What characteristics do you try to incorporate in your designs?
Graphic, clean lines with bright, bold splashes of color and techniques that create texture and color play.

What is your favourite type of item to design?
I LOVE designing shawls! It’s the most versatile canvas we have as designers to push the boundaries of knitting and play around with color, shape, technique, line, texture, shadow, etc. It’s also a fantastic why to show off the amazing indie dyers that make such beautiful yarns!

glaciation

Do you have an aspirational knit – a complicated/challenging design that you want to knit “some day” when you feel ready?
I do! It’s a shawl concept that I’ve had milling around for a long time and I will one day sit down and tackle the shaping and technical details to get it started.

Your desert island yarn? (if you could only knit with one yarn from now on which would it be?)
That’s a tough question! Hmm… At the moment it would have to be a combination of Neighborhood Fibre Company’s Rustic Fingering weight single and 716knit 716solo neon-tactic tonal color ways. I could be a very happy knitter with that yarn combo!

What’s your “comfort knitting?”
I would say shawl knitting in any shape or form or design is my comfort knitting. For me, comfort knitting is more about the yarn and the colors I’m using more so than the knitting itself.

Color Spike

Which is your most under-appreciated design?
I would say Color Spike. It’s one of my personal faves and the way the cables and short rows and slipped stitches and color all work together is a great shawl that speaks of Josh and his style of knitting.

Continental or English?
Continental.

What’s the best thing about knitting?
The ability to create something that’s unique, original, and handmade all the while playing with fibers and colors that you can’t get anywhere else!

3-5-7 Mitts

What’s the one piece of advice you’d like to share with other knitters?
Have FUN knitting! Don’t stress about the techniques and any insecurities you may feel about something. Just go for it, have fun, and even if you end up with a mess, have fun and laugh and move on! Knitting is supposed to be fun and make us feel better! So don’t bring stress and obligation into it!

Any knitting/designing New Year’s resolutions?
I am hoping to finish all the mystery designs I have going on at the moment and to publish my second and third collections next year!

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View all of Josh’s patterns here. All photos copyright Josh Ryks. All images used by permission.

You can find Josh on the following social media sites:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Pinterest

What is the Gift-A-Long? The GAL is a big knitting and crochet designer promotion with prizes and more than 5,000 people participating in a giant KAL/CAL. Come join the GAL group on Ravelry!

I’m so thrilled with my newest design release, the Blennerville Stole. The combination of the graphic patterns and the lusciousness of Sweet Paprika’s Adagio yarn (a truly decadent combination of silk and camel fibres) make for an indulgent wrap. This is the 4th release in Northern Landscapes, part two collection.

Patterns in Northern Landscapes, part two are available individually or as part of the collection. During the pre-order period, the ebook is available at a special, discounted price of $24.95. Filigree and Shadow Stole, Peridotite Stole and L’Anse aux Meadows are already released, as is Northern Landscapes, part 1. The rest of the patterns will be published over several months and once all the patterns are available individually, the eBook version of the patterns will be uploaded (tentatively end of February 2016). At that time the price of the eBook rises to $35.95 (full retail price of patterns is $75).

If you choose to purchase individual patterns from the collection you will still be able to take advantage of the ebook pricing. Once you purchase the equivalent of $35.95 in patterns from Northern Landscapes, part two, the rest of the patterns will be automatically added to your cart/library.

Today’s second interview is with Canadian designer Anneh of Shanghai Lily.

Anneh, modeling Clochán

Who taught you to knit/How did you learn to knit?
I’ve been knitting off and on since I was about five years old, but I picked it up with a vengeance back in 2003. My mom originally taught me to knit with some plastic needles she cut short and then glued buttons on to make the ends. When I was in my teens, the German mother of one of my mom’s friends taught me to knit in Continental style. It didn’t matter that I didn’t speak German and she didn’t speak English, we could still understand each other!

How did you get started designing?
I started designing in October 2013. A few people had suggested I try designing before that, but I never felt like I had any interesting or unique ideas that were worth pursuing. But while I was watching an episode of the British TV show Time Team, I had an idea that really excited me. I designed Caerwent that weekend.

Caerwent

What inspires your designs?
For the patterns I’ve designed for self-striping yarns, I’ve been inspired by shapes and impressions that I get from watching episodes of Time Team. Sometimes a fleeting glance of an interesting geometric shape is enough to trigger an idea. Many of my other sock designs are similarly inspired, in that I will see a shape or motif somewhere, like on a building, and that will set my mind going. Of course, not all those ideas work out!

Which comes first – the yarn or the inspiration?
It depends! I have a huge stash, and lots of that impossible-to-resist self-striping sock yarn. Trying to use up stash was partially the impetus for me to design patterns for stripy yarns. But when inspiration strikes first, I stash-dive to find the best fit. Of course, that doesn’t always work, and sometimes I have to buy yarn to match an idea, which is always fun.

Iron Bridge

What characteristics do you try to incorporate in your designs?
I really want my designs to be simple and interesting to knit. We’ve all knit patterns that made us crazy, and have also knit ones that were fun and intuitive, and were therefore simple. I aim for the latter, so that the knitter will enjoy the process and also like the finished item.

Tell me about “The Black Album”, what is the story behind this collection?
This was completely self-serving: I wear a lot of black clothing, and many mornings when I was getting dressed, I would think “I wish I had more black socks.” (I’m sure I’m not alone in this). Being a knitter, of course “need more socks” meant knitting them myself. But complex patterns stitch patterns get lost in the darkness of the yarn, so I set out to design something that would still be visible, even when knit in black. I ended up having enough ideas for a whole collection!

Black Cable

Your desert island yarn? (if you could only knit with one yarn from now on which would it be?)
There’s no simple answer to this! I love the rich colours of Wollmeise, but would never knit socks from it…it’s just too precious! For socks, any of the hard-wearing “work horse” yarns are my go-to: Regia, Patons Kroy and Kroy FX, OnLine, Fortissima and Lana Grossa are all great sock yarn options that I just couldn’t live without. And then there are the stripy yarns from indie dyers like TurtlePurl, with whom I’ve partnered in the past, where the colours are stunning, and the yarn does all the work for you.

Which is your most under-appreciated design?
In my humble opinion, it is Black Rib, which is my favourite pattern to knit for gifts. It makes a sock that is stretchy and easy to put on, and is not too fancy for those not used to wearing handknits, but still has enough going on to make it fun to knit.

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View all of Anneh’s patterns here. All photos copyright Anneh Fletcher. All images used by permission.

You can find Debbie on the following social media sites:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Pinterest

What is the Gift-A-Long? The GAL is a big knitting and crochet designer promotion with prizes and more than 5,000 people participating in a giant KAL/CAL. Come join the GAL group on Ravelry!

My first interview today is with Lisa Chemery of Frogginette Knitting Patterns.

Madame Entrechat

Who taught you to knit/How did you learn to knit?
My grandmother taught me how to knit when I was about 7 but I wasn’t a fan at the time and didn’t pick up the needles again until I was in my early 20s.

How did you get started designing?
I wasn’t seeing the kinds of children designs that I wanted to make, so I decided to create them myself.

Miss Daisy

What inspires your designs?
Children inspire me. Their sense of whimsy, their innocence, the way everything is fresh and wondrous to them. Also, more practically, I pay close attention to what they like to wear 😉

Which comes first – the yarn or the inspiration?
Most of the times, the inspiration, though some yarns do tell me what they want to be!

Baby + Toddler Tiered Coat and Jacket

What characteristics do you try to incorporate in your designs?
I always try to make my designs as fun and straightforward to knit as I possibly can, while trying to keep unexpected elements in there. I try to stay away from fiddly techniques unless they are absolutely necessary.

What is your favourite type of item to design?
I love designing outerwear and chunkier cardigans. And shrugs!

Silverfox Bonnet

Tell me about designing for babies/toddlers, what led you to design for this age group?
Initially I was in the midst of a baby-boom and was asked to knit a lot of baby items. Since then, I’ve had my own kids and between the lack of knitting time and their need to be clothed, I ended up designing what made the most practical sense at the time. I also have a short attention span, haha! I have so many ideas (as most designers do) that it’s nice to be able to move on quickly and not get bogged down in designing a grown-up sized garment for weeks at a time.

Do you have an aspirational knit – a complicated/challenging design that you want to knit “some day” when you feel ready?
I have been obsessing about stranded colorwork lately and I would love to make an all-over fair isle cardigan for myself.

What is coming next? What’s in your release queue?
I have a very adorable unisex sweater that should be out within the next month or so, and I am currently working on a stranded colorwork tunic for my daughter, so if I’m happy with the result, I might turn that into a pattern.

Entrechat

Your desert island yarn? (if you could only knit with one yarn from now on which would it be?)
Only one yarn? That’s tough. I can narrow it down to two: The Plucky Knitter’s Primo Aran, which is absolutely scrumptious, and my favorite workhorse yarn, Eco+ by Cascade Yarns.

Which is your most under-appreciated design?
That would probably be a tie between my Framboise top and my Petite Feuilles booties. I get so excited when someone knits one of these because I still love both designs!

What’s the one piece of advice you’d like to share with other knitters?
Don’t be afraid to try new techniques, and make sure you block your hand-knits!

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View all of Lisa’s patterns here. All photos copyright Lisa Chemery. All images used by permission.

You can find Lisa on the following social media sites:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• Frogginette Club Ravelry Group

What is the Gift-A-Long? The GAL is a big knitting and crochet designer promotion with prizes and more than 5,000 people participating in a giant KAL/CAL. Come join the GAL group on Ravelry!

The second interview today is with Debbie Sullivan of Sweet Paprika Designs.

Debbie modeling Diagonal Lace Shawl

Who taught you to knit/How did you learn to knit?
My grandmother taught me, when I was about 11 years old. She lived pretty far away at the time, and on one of her visits she showed me and my sisters how to knit. A little while later she sent us a box of yarn, patterns and needles in the mail, which was a great way to keep us inspired to do it on our own. She had started us on straights though, so I remember it took us a while to figure out what the circular needles and stitch holders were for…

How did you get started designing?
I’d been making up things to knit for myself, often using stitch patterns from the Barbara Walker treasuries, without ever thinking of it as “designing”. Then when my sister Elizabeth and I started our business (Sweet Paprika Designs) we were teaching classes, and starting to put together written patterns to teach from. My Diagonal Lace Shawl pattern was the first one I ever wrote, it’s super simple and I was using it for a beginner lace class. This was around 8 years ago when Ravelry and online self-publishing were just starting to take off, so it was pretty natural to try putting our patterns up online for the wider public as well.

What inspires your designs?
Usually I start with the idea to make a particular item (hat, socks, sweater, etc) and then start playing with shapes, colours and stitch patterns. I’ll do some sketching and swatching and try to make it all come together in a way that makes sense for that garment or item. I can be quite picky once I have an idea in my head and have been known to knit many, many swatches in order to figure out how to make it work.

Lanark

Which comes first – the yarn or the inspiration?
Most often it’s the yarn. I spend a lot of my time dyeing yarn as part of our business, so I have lots of opportunity to dream up what I might want to knit with it! It’s also important to us to have a range of pattern support for our yarns, so when we add a new yarn we’re always excited to start designing with it and showing it off.

What characteristics do you try to incorporate in your designs?
The details of construction are pretty important to me in garments. Since I have a little bit of sewing/costume making experience I’ll often start with the shape of the piece (sometimes even drape it with fabric first to make sure it will work) and then figure out how to create those shapes in knitting. I also tend to include finicky finishing details and then worry that no one else will have the patience for them!

What is your favourite type of item to design?
I’ve really enjoyed working on both of my sock designs. Partly I think because the sizing/grading isn’t that complicated, and that’s my least favourite part of the process.

Bracquemond

Tell me about “Bracquemond”, what is the story behind this design?
The Impressionists collection was put together for our first-ever sweater club. We needed three sweater designs that each used a different yarn, and for some reason I volunteered to use the fingering-weight for my design. I regretted that decision after I somehow lost one of the sleeves as it was in progress and had to re-knit a whole new one on a very short deadline! I am happy with the result though, it’s one of my favourite hand-knit sweaters to wear.

The other two sweaters in the collection are designed by my sister (Elizabeth Sullivan) and Jennifer Wood. We knew we wanted a theme to bring the three designs together, and it happened to rain on the day we had scheduled for the photoshoot so we happened to have a Renoir umbrella in several of the shots. That, together with the mood and styling of the other photos had us thinking about impressionist painters, so we ended up naming each of the designs after one of “les trois grandes dames” of impressionism. Marie Bracquemond was a late-nineteenth century French painter who was mentored by Monet and Degas.

Shackleton Sweater

Do you have an aspirational knit – a complicated/challenging design that you want to knit “some day” when you feel ready?
I’m quite a fearless knitter actually – I think it comes of having lots of practice fixing my own mistakes! I’ve never knit a really complex show-stopper lace shawl and I’d love to do that someday. But currently most of my knitting time takes place on public transit, which is not so great for reading charts… Lily Go’s Narnia shawl caught my eye recently, for when I have a bit more focused knitting time.

What is coming next? What’s in your release queue?
I have a crocheted hat and mitts set for babies that we’ve got really cute photos for but I’ve been procrastinating about writing up. Hopefully that will be published quite soon.

Your desert island yarn? (if you could only knit with one yarn from now on which would it be?)
I mainly knit with Sweet Paprika yarn, partly because we always need more samples, and partly I have easy access to it in whatever colour I want! I don’t think I could pick just one yarn though, as there are so many characteristics inherent in different yarn weights and fibre types that might be perfect for one project but terrible for another.

And now I’m imagining myself stranded on a desert island, trying to find the perfect design to use rope or vines or something that I’d actually have in that situation… Maybe a twine bag for gathering edible plants?

Transposition

Which is your most under-appreciated design?
For some reason my Transposition scarf has never gotten very much attention from knitters, although I get compliments on the sample from non-knitters whenever I wear it.

What’s the one piece of advice you’d like to share with other knitters?
I often tell beginner knitters that once they can knit and purl they can do anything – everything else is just a variation on those two stitches. It’s also great to learn to read your knitting right off the bat if you can – if you understand what’s happening it makes fixing your mistakes much easier, not to mention having your own ideas about how to modify a pattern or create a design.

Any knitting/designing New Year’s resolutions?
I have a big bin full of bits and ends of yarn that I inherited from my grandmother and have been adding to for the past eight years or so, with the intention to someday knit it into a scrappy afghan. I’d love to finally get a start on that in the new year!

If you could have dinner with one knitting designer (living or dead) who would it be and why?
Hmm, I’m not sure – I don’t really have a design idol. I would love to meet Barbara Walker though, just to thank her for putting together those treasuries. I used to get them out of the library all the time starting when I was 11 or 12 years old, and they are still a source of inspiration for me.

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View all of Debbie’s patterns here. Transposition photo copyright Kim-E Photo. All other photos copyright Veronica Schleihauf. All images used by permission.

You can find Debbie on the following social media sites:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Pinterest

What is the Gift-A-Long? The GAL is a big knitting and crochet designer promotion with prizes and more than 5,000 people participating in a giant KAL/CAL. Come join the GAL group on Ravelry!

This morning’s interview is with Canadian designer Yvonne of Thread Forward.

Yvonne modeling Liassic

Who taught you to knit/How did you learn to knit?
I was surrounded by fiber for almost as long as I can remember – my mother was a knitter, weaver, spinner and sewer. I can remember the excitement of the day that her spinning wheel arrived in the mail and helping her braid a cord for my new mittens. I was thrilled to show them at school the next day. My mother taught me to knit at a young age and I knit off and on until I was in university. Then I took it up as a form of relaxation and have never looked back!

How did you get started designing?
My first design was made for our local knitting guild’s 15th anniversary. I chose a stitch pattern with a fifteen stitch repeat and made a cowl as part of our summer challenge for the guild. A few knitter friends within the guild encouraged me to publish the pattern on Ravelry. Shortly after that, a non- knitter friend asked me to make a couple of cowls for her kids for skiing and snowboarding that winter so I designed the Fledgling Owl Cowl for her daughter and the Kids Creeper Cowl for her son. I soon published those patterns and I have been was hooked! Early in 2015, I started a blog about knitting from an early Victorian era knitting book by Miss Lambert (1843, My Knitting Book, First Series) which I affectionately called my MKB Project. At the same time decided to start publishing more patterns with the help of a technical editor. Both ventures have been great fun!

Guild Anniversary Cowl

What inspires your designs?
I like simplicity, practicality and colour. I am often inspired by a need for a hat for myself or mittens for my children or to deal with some challenging yarn in my stash. As I have been working through the early Victorian era knitting book, I have found that the patterns are also simple, practical and use colour in an interesting way. I am inspired by the stitch patterns in the book and am working towards (a) publishing photographs and patterns in modern day knitting language on my blog and (b) bringing versions of the stitch patterns forward to the present in a modern context with a vintage flare.

Which comes first – the yarn or the inspiration?
For the most part, I would say I am first inspired and then choose the yarn to fit. However, I have to say that sometimes it is the yarn that comes first. For example, I had a small skein of very bright fingering weight yarn that I really loved when I bought it but found I couldn’t find the right pattern for it. I found that it went really nicely with another heavier weight yarn and created the pattern for The Bus Stops Here hat.

The Bus Stops Here hat

What characteristics do you try to incorporate in your designs?
My goal is to make my designs simple but include something in them that people may want to try on a smaller scale such as a provisional cast on, lace or combining a crochet edging on a knitted project. As I continue to design, I hope to be able to bring old and forgotten knitting stitch patterns back to life in a modern context. Living in Canada where it can be very cold in the winter, I also want my designs to be practical and provide warmth!

What is your favourite type of item to design?
I don’t have a favourite item – I think my favourite item is whatever it is that I’m working on at the time. It grabs my attention, enthusiasm and challenges me. Right now, I am working on a design for fingerless mittens and so far I am greatly enjoying the challenge and the process!

Timan Ridge Cowl

Tell me about “Timan Ridge Cowl”, what is the story behind this design?
I was inspired to design the Timan Ridge Cowl after knitting the first pattern from Miss Lambert’s 1843 knitting manual for Siberian Cuffs. When I researched Siberian Cuffs in other knitting books and online, I learned that there are several early Victorian knitting patterns that used shades of grey and/or brown to knit garments that mimicked various types of fur, including sable and chinchilla, worn by the wealthy at the time. The Victorians were fascinated with natural history and I chose to name the cowl after Timan Ridge, geological feature found in Siberia, the home of the Siberian sable.

Do you have an aspirational knit – a complicated/challenging design that you want to knit “some day” when you feel ready?
I think my aspirational design would be to design a lace shawl. I find them to be so beautiful and delicate and hope that I will be able to incorporate some Victorian lace patterns into a unique object with historical significance in the future.

What is coming next? What’s in your release queue?
My next two designs will be released before the end of 2015 and will include a pair of Victorian inspired fingerless mittens (Penny Post) and a buttoned version of my previously published Guild Anniversary Cowl.

Your desert island yarn? (if you could only knit with one yarn from now on which would it be?)
If I could only choose one yarn to work with from now on, I would choose some kind of silk/alpaca blend to knit with. My son is someone who does not enjoy the texture of most yarns (sadly) but he loves silk/alpaca blend. But, if I was on a desert island, I would want a sturdy sock yarn that would withstand being knit, ripped out, and knit again while I wait for rescue!

A Tunic For Violet

Which is your most under-appreciated design?
My most under-appreciated design is A Tunic For Violet. I really do love this pretty baby tunic with vintage appeal. I combined a modified version of a 173 year old Victorian lace stitch pattern with the simple shaping of a 1930s era singlet. There is a crochet shell stitch along the hem and forming the caps of the sleeves which also adds to the vintage feel. I feel that the pattern is a nice small project to try out a simple lace pattern, venture into the world of knitting garments and combining knitting and crochet without a huge financial or time commitment! And, at the end you have an adorable little tunic for a person who is new to this world!

What’s the one piece of advice you’d like to share with other knitters?
Don’t be afraid to try something new and don’t overthink your knitting!

Any knitting/designing New Year’s resolutions?
Not yet, I really should make some!!!

Fledgling Owl Cowl

If you could have dinner with one knitting designer (living or dead) who would it be and why?
Elizabeth Zimmerman. Do I need to say why? I would love to talk with her about her life, her knitting and what it was really like for her when she started ‘thinking outside the pattern.’

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View all of Yvonne’s patterns here. All photos copyright Thread Forward. All images used by permission.

You can find Yvonne on the following social media sites:

• Twitter
• Instagram
• Pinterest

What is the Gift-A-Long? The GAL is a big knitting and crochet designer promotion with prizes and more than 5,000 people participating in a giant KAL/CAL. Come join the GAL group on Ravelry!

My second interview today is with Italian designer Ela Torrente of Modish Knits.

Ela Torrente

Who taught you to knit/How did you learn to knit?
I learned to knit from my mother, but mainly from my grandmother. My granny was a cable ninja! She knits only with 2-3 mm needles because she loved to do very intricate garments for newborns. So, I will never reach ever the teacher!

How did you get started designing?
Ravelry has changed my life! I learned modern techniques and I could adapt the patterns to myself. A few years ago, it was less easy to find very small sizes (I am a pocket size woman). So… I customized everything. This helped me to create my designs later.

What inspires your designs?
Nature, more than anything else.

Soft Stones

Which comes first – the yarn or the inspiration?
It depends. Sometimes one, sometimes the other. Let’s say that happens more often that I have an idea and then apply it to my stash. It means many swatches, some disappointment, a final cry of joy!

What characteristics do you try to incorporate in your designs?
I try to do wearables. Sweaters or accessories that do not remain forgotten in the closet. It is important for me, I wear almost everyday my knitting stuff.
So, “knit comfortable” is my mantra.

What is your favourite type of item to design?
Definitely top-down sweaters!

Ballerina

Tell me about “A Study in Single”, what was the inspiration for this collection?
For “A Study in Single” I immersed myself in the joy of working what I love most: single ply, non-superwash yarns. I know some may be frightened by felting, but there is nothing more pleasing to knit feeling the pure fiber in your hands.

Do you have an aspirational knit – a complicated/challenging design that you want to knit “some day” when you feel ready?
I never knitted socks! A full of shaping-extralong-fair isle pair of socks! Some day… maybe… who knows.

Burton Vestigan

What is coming next? What’s in your release queue?
Oh, you’ll see a lot of things in 2016! I’m working with some incredible magazines, some amazing dyers and stunning yarn companies! I’m very happy. I will be immersed also in my “Ultimate Modish Sweater Club” that I started on October: 6 brand new sweaters in 12 months!

Your desert island yarn? (if you could only knit with one yarn from now on which would it be?)
A giant, never ending, roving to spin. Could it be?

Yellow Brick Road

Which is your most under-appreciated design?
It’s a difficult question!
I’m quite new in this job and I haven’t the parameters for judging the liking of others. I can say that I underestimated my Yellow Brick Road cardi. When I released it in May 2014, I was very surprised by the popularity of the pattern. Even today, when I look at how many wonderful sweaters finished on Ravelry, I find myself surprised, proud and touched too!

What’s the one piece of advice you’d like to share with other knitters?
Be patient, and smile more!

Any knitting/designing New Year’s resolutions?
I would like to try out new yarns and create new relations with dyers. I enjoyed so much to work with fiber artists in 2015. I hope to find out a good ease to create new partnerships.

Latte e Miele

If you could have dinner with one knitting designer (living or dead) who would it be and why?
Oh, fantastic! Well, if I could I’d love to cooking for Barbara Walker! Her Treasures of Knitting constantly occupy tables, coffee tables, chairs or shelves in my home. She is always with us ahah!

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View all of Ela’s patterns here. All photos copyright Ela Torrente. All images used by permission.

You can find Ela on the following social media sites:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• Modish People Ravelry Group

What is the Gift-A-Long? The GAL is a big knitting and crochet designer promotion with prizes and more than 5,000 people participating in a giant KAL/CAL. Come join the GAL group on Ravelry!

Today’s first interview is with Canadian designer Jessie McKitrick, you can visit her blog here.

Jessie modeling the Starlet Stole

Who taught you to knit/How did you learn to knit?
I didn’t happen to know any knitters when I wanted to learn, so I taught myself to knit from books; however, I owe a debt of gratitude to my mom who is always crafting something. As I was growing up, this taught me by example that there’s always a way to sort out how to make something yourself, and that gave me the confidence to give it a try.

How did you get started designing?
I’ve always had a tendency to picture something I want to make in my head before I start looking for patterns or instructions, and so, whenever I have not been able to find quite exactly the right thing to fit that picture, I’ve turned to making it myself. Ravelry was full of amazing people sharing the patterns for the amazing things they had made, and so it was only natural to start sharing, and then eventually selling, a few things. More recently, I have started submitting patterns to third party publications, such as Knit Now Magazine, Knit Picks collections and Interweave Knits, and have been fortunate enough to have patterns published with them.

Popinjays

What inspires your designs?
Whimsy, colour, and shapes. I love the mood boards that are often included with calls for submission, and enjoy trying to see what I can come up with for them; it’s a fun part of the collaboration!

Which comes first – the yarn or the inspiration?
I can approach a design from either direction, but on balance, I would say inspiration.

What characteristics do you try to incorporate in your designs?
Wool is definitely high in my priorities; I love working with and wearing it as it has so many great qualities! I have a tendency towards fitted garments in lighter weight yarns, and towards including graphic elements such as colourwork, cables, or texture that I find visually striking.

What is your favourite type of item to design?
Definitely colourwork mittens. For such a small canvas, there are so many possibilities and so many colours to work with!

Floral Heart Mittens

Tell me about your mitten designs, what was the inspiration for this collection?
My first mitten design “Madison’s Marvellous Mobile Mittens” were the result of a commission for a friend who wanted to text while keeping her hands warm. Popinjays are inspired by a detail from some Italian fabric from the 14th Century that I found in a book while I was looking for neat ideas for a pair of handwarmers. My mother-in-law is very fond of penguins, so I originally had her in mind when charting the Penguin mittens, but in the end, my youngest needed a new pair much sooner, so I re-worked the chart for kid-sized mittens. Floral Heart Mittens“>Floral Heart Mittens and Lily mittens both arose from a few sessions where I played around with traditional Nordic motifs, and re-interpreted them in my own way. When I’m charting mittens, hours can go by without my noticing, as it’s very engrossing watching the motifs evolve while being moved around, changed to different sizes, and combined in different ways.

Lily mittens

Do you have an aspirational knit – a complicated/challenging design that you want to knit “some day” when you feel ready?
I think I’d like to design and knit a traditional-style Fair Isle jumper or vest someday.

What is coming next? What’s in your release queue?
At the moment I’m at the waiting stage for hearing back about some third party submissions, but I’m also in the early stages of working on a new pair of colourwork mittens, as well as swatching some sweater ideas.

Your desert island yarn? (if you could only knit with one yarn from now on which would it be?)
Ooo, that’s a tough one… If I pick Jamieson and Smith 2-ply Jumper Weight, can I have all the colours?

Irish Cowboy

Which is your most under-appreciated design?
I’d have to say Irish Cowboy, which is a cowl/neckwarmer that doesn’t seem to have attracted much notice overall. It’s warm and cozy, it has cashmere, it has cables, and it’s a nice little knit. I wear mine all the time in the winter (so, November through May), and find it quite practical when I wear it with my V-neck coat as it doesn’t leave a gap the way scarves tend to do.

What’s the one piece of advice you’d like to share with other knitters?
Swatches aren’t just for gauge; they’re also for trying new things. If there’s something you really want to make, but it has a new skill involved that you’re not sure of, use swatching as an opportunity to try out the new skill. Swatches are great to test out different sorts of increases, decreases, seaming, steeking, colourwork, cables, lace, or any other thing you want to try or to practice more. Also, do still swatch for gauge!

Myshka tuque

Any knitting/designing New Year’s resolutions?
For designing, I think I should pick something from my “I’m not ready for ‘x’ yet” list of business development, and either get myself ready, or just give it a go whether I feel ready or not. Sometimes that is the best way, as I might never actually feel ready! Knitwise, I always make my first knitting of the year something for myself, whether it is to start something new or to finish something that is languishing in hibernation.

If you could have dinner with one knitting designer (living or dead) who would it be and why?
Another tricky one! I had a lot of designers come to mind, but in the end I picked Kate Atherley, partly because of the depth of her technical knowledge and interest in improving the clarity of knitting patterns, partly because she is working on a book of mitten designs, but also because I am sure (based on following her on Twitter) that she would be entertaining company and would probably also bring ice-cream for dessert if I asked nicely!

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View all of Jessie’s patterns here. Popinjays photo copyright Beverly Feddema. All other photos copyright Jessie McKitrick. All images used by permission.

You can find Jessie on the following social media sites:

• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Instagram

What is the Gift-A-Long? The GAL is a big knitting and crochet designer promotion with prizes and more than 5,000 people participating in a giant KAL/CAL. Come join the GAL group on Ravelry!

Today’s second interview is with Holly Stevens, a designer from New Zealand.

Holly, modeling Call Me, Diana

Who taught you to knit/How did you learn to knit?
My nana and my mum play a very big part in my knitting, I still have fond memories of running downstairs to mum and asking her to cast on for me so I could carry on, I would have been about 8yrs old. My 8yr old is equally as keen so hopefully a future Hollyberry prototype knitter! I have 5 young children so even if I just end up with a few knitters I will be a very happy mummy passing on my craft to a new generation.

How did you get started designing?
I bought an amazing knitting magazine almost 2 yrs ago now that had a pull out that was about designing your own hats – it spiralled out of control from there!

What inspires your designs?
A number of things really. Sometimes I think of something and I draw it and the idea spirals from there. Sometimes its a matter of searching on Rav [Ravelry] for something that I want and can’t find so I design it! A few times I have seen a stitch that I have fallen in love with and thought “that must become a hat.” I love the stitch on my “Chloe slouch” so much its echoed through quite a few of my designs. I am also working on something now that is based on a description from my 8yr old.

Chloe Slouch

Which comes first – the yarn or the inspiration?
The majority of the time its the inspiration, sometimes I find that no matter how big my stash is I don’t have quite what I am after so I will dye something up or talk some of my dyeing friends into a quick custom! I have one that has been floating around in my head for a while now and I just don’t have the right yarn so I expect to get the dye pots out in the very near future.

What characteristics do you try to incorporate in your designs?
I love seamless knitting, I doubt I will ever design a seamed knit. I love trying different things so I have a few garments with raglan sleeves and one (so far) with contiguous. I have also played around a bit with different collar options. Ohhh lace – I love a bit of lace, something that I would really like to improve is my lace writing skills. I do worry a bit how much is too much – do I need a hood and a pocket and buttons and etc etc etc. I do tend to need to reign myself in sometimes and think “well that could actually be two designs instead of one with all the things”

What is your favourite type of item to design?
Its probably not that surprising but I LOVE slouch hats – probably because they really are the only type of hats that suit me (selfish designing hehe) but I love them! They are so quick and can incorporate so many different brims, stitches etc. I have a bit of a thing for furry pompoms lately so I designed Lilybelle and decided after the first photoshoot that it NEEDED a fur pompom – I have quite the stash!

Neptune’s Necklace Socks

Tell me about “Little Monkeys”, what was the inspiration for this collection?
Little monkeys is named after some of my children. I started with “Biddybelle” and wanted to knit my youngest a cute A-line dress with just a little something extra. I have a bit of a fascination with colourwork, although sadly my skills are lacking! The idea is that with either of the designs you get a number of different graphs for the colourwork aspect and you choose one of your liking or I encourage you to choose/design one of your own.

“Jahvis” came about after my 4yr old Toby decided that he wanted a boys one with tractor pictures – so what Toby wants Toby gets right? ? Anyway I thought that a wee chest pocket makes a gorgeous wee addition for little people to pop their little treasures in. Jahvis works equally as well for girls as it does for boys. I couldn’t have designed a collection named after some of my children without naming it something that describes that – so “Little Monkeys” was born!

Bobbie Hoody

Do you have an aspirational knit – a complicated/challenging design that you want to knit “some day” when you feel ready?
I do – I would love to do an adults version of “Jessie-Ivy” I love retro clothing and think a cropped fitted version would be fantastic with some of my dresses and skirts. I just don’t know if I am confident enough to take a leap into adult garments just yet. I may have to start with a couple for myself and see if I am keen to reveal it to the general public. I suffer a bit from design anxiety and it’s a scary thought to put your work out there to be judged, I love it but I think I may need to grow a thicker skin.

What is coming next? What’s in your release queue?
I have a couple of things on the cards right now, “Therese” is one – named after my Nana, it is a knitted dress with a full skirt on it, it’s the one my 8yr old helped to design. I love it to pieces. It incorporates contiguous sleeves and the only hold up has been me trying to decipher my hand scrawled notes. I also have an adults accessory design that I am going to start very soon, I cant reveal too much just yet but its not a hat, socks, scarf, gloves or shawl…..

Your desert island yarn? (if you could only knit with one yarn from now on which would it be?)
Anything on a MCN base, its so luxurious I could knit/wear it forever. My favourite MCN source is Featherbrush Yarns, Rachel is a close friend of mine and “she gets me” so if I request a custom colour its absolutely perfect (usually a red – I am very predictable)

Tiffy Sweater

Which is your most under-appreciated design?
Definitely the Enlace Shawlette – it does incorporate a crochet edging though so I appreciate a lot of my followers don’t crochet, and the ones that do don’t knit! It also looks a lot more complicated than it is so that can be off putting. My posing in the pattern pictures probably also didn’t help!

What’s the one piece of advice you’d like to share with other knitters?
You can NEVER have too many WIPs, I know that sometimes when it feels like you have far too many it feels a bit naughty to start a new one. If you aren’t feeling something don’t carry on with it because you feel like you have to before you start something new – just pop it aside and start the new thing, you can always come back to it when you have rekindled the love for it. There is nothing worse than a growing hatred for a design or project because you are forcing yourself to finish it!

Any knitting/designing New Year’s resolutions?
hmmm good question – not really, I think my biggest resolution is to knit and design with my own yarn! I have a few yarny trade shows to go to next year to peddle my yarn and I really don’t have any good knitted prototypes of it. It would be great to have something gorgeous to show off that I have knitted for myself in yarn I had dyed. I have the odd thing but I could always use more right? I do find it hard to justify keeping yarn that could be sold but surely its cheaper than buying it retail from someone else (yes I am trying to talk myself into being selfish)

If you could have dinner with one knitting designer (living or dead) who would it be and why?
It would probably have to be Andi Satterlund to be honest. I just love her retro styled designs and I would LOVE to pick her brains about designing for adults.

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View all of Holly’s patterns here. All photos copyright Holly Stevens. All images used by permission.

You can find Holly on the following social media sites:

• Facebook
• Instagram

What is the Gift-A-Long? The GAL is a big knitting and crochet designer promotion with prizes and more than 5,000 people participating in a giant KAL/CAL. Come join the GAL group on Ravelry!