Today’s Gift-A-Long interview is with Georgie Hallam of Tikki Knits, a designer of new classic pieces for kids and another Australian designer.

How did you get started designing?
It all began with a 200g of Rainbow gradient dk weight yarn way back in 2007, when gradient yarn wasn’t a very common thing. This ball of yarn was like a magical entity. I HAD to do something special with it. I had to make something amazing with it. I decided to make my daughter Lily, whose middle name is Rainbow, a dress. The only problem was that I could not find a pattern that would do this yarn justice; that would allow the colour changes to sing easily and not be broken by seaming or joins. Some friends on an Aussie based knitting forum I used to hang out on encouraged me to have a go at knitting it on the fly. After lots of ripping and restarting and probably some fairly choice swearing, I managed to create a cute little dress that I loved.

I published some photos on the forum and my blog and was inundated with requests for the pattern, so I wrote it up in the size I’d knit for my daughter. Then I was swamped with requests for other sizes. That was a steeper learning curve. I had some experience with sizing and drafting sewing patterns so I applied some of what I knew from that and from knitting and adapting for my pint sized child, and came up with the Rainbow Dress pattern.

It wasn’t until two years later when I released milo that I felt comfortable charging for my patterns, and even then it only happened because knitting friends convinced me that I should do it. I still remember thinking it would be amazing if I sold 20 or so copies. Given I was largely self-taught, I didn’t really consider myself a ‘designer’. I have to admit it took me years before I was comfortable applying that tag.

What inspires your designs?
Sometimes when I design it is out of need; one of my children may need a new cardigan, beanie, dress or jumper such as my School Cardigan pattern. And initially, that was very much the case. Other times, it might be a stitch pattern that I’m inspired to play with and see where I can work it into something such as with Olearia, Cassia or Summer Festival. Sometimes I even get clear images in my head of exactly what I want to knit. That’s pretty cool. Other times, it might be a shape or line of something or even a colour that catches my eye, there is a whole lot out there to be inspired by. Retro fashion is also a great inspiration, I have fond memories of growing up in the 70s and 80s and the knitwear of that era is something I do remember fondly.

A lot of my inspiration comes from the simple question, “I wonder what would happen if I did this instead of that?” I really like to play around with construction and take the known and create it in a new or different manner. A number of my designs have quirky construction elements, such as Griffin where the saddle shoulders are constructed in an all-in-one sort of process, or Jane, where I wondered what would happen if I started with all of the front stitches of the raglan sleeve already cast on. Sometimes, this doesn’t always end as I expect!

Which comes first – the yarn or the inspiration?
It’s definitely the inspiration. However, when I am working with a specific yarn company I do need to alter that process to take into account the characteristics of the yarn.

What characteristics do you try to incorporate in your designs?
Simplicity. Timelessness. Seamless.

I love a polished finish and am a bit of a problem solver. There are elements of seamless knitting techniques that leave little gaps or holes that have over the years driven me balmy and it’s been like a personal life quest to fix those things. Underarm holes are the bane of my life, let me tell you. Just quietly, I believe I now have the upper hand without resorting to darning.

I like my patterns to be clear and concise with enough detail so that knitters don’t feel like they’re lost in a sea of abbreviations. I like to introduce my knitters to new techniques that improve their knitting. I think the modern knitter is more adept at exploring new techniques, due to the wondrous teachers on youtube and blogs. They have, and like to have, a wider arsenal of techniques at their disposal. A generation ago most knitters in Australia at least, knit patterns that basically followed a formula and produced the same shapes and then seamed. So while they may have been knitting for years, their scope of experience in terms of what they could do was quite limited.

What is your favourite type of item to design?
Cardigans! I so love a good cardie. And if you look through my catalogue you can see it is the thing I design most. It is also the knitted garment that everyone in my family, including my 6 year old son, wears the most. For our Australian climate, they’re so easy to throw on or shrug off; particularly for active kids.

Your desert island yarn? (if you could only knit with one yarn from now on which would it be?)

That’s so hard. Even though a dk/8ply weight isn’t probably the most desert island appropriate yarn weight (I’m thinking an island in Fiji – so not strictly desert) it would have to be a dk. That’s my staple go-to yarn weight. As for yarn, hmmm. White Gum Wool or WOOLganics. Impossible to choose between them

What’s your “comfort knitting?”
Stocking stitch sleeves knit in the round on my 30cm addi circulars. I so love knitting sleeves, which apparently makes me a bit weird.

Which is your most under-appreciated design?
Tobias. I love this wee cardie with its cables and pockets. My son looks so cute in it, but there you go; not everyone wants their son to look like a leprechaun.

Which three GAL designs are top of your list to cast on?
I’m looking for some quick knits because unfortunately I still have samples to knit for deadlines.

So I am hoping to knit the Paper Boat Hat by Amy van de Laar, Astrolabe Mitts by Gabriella Henry and Sand Bank by Justyna Lorkowska.

Continental or English?
English, I can knit Continental and I use it when I work colour work double handed but I’m faster and have better tension when I knit English. My technique is not quite traditional English

What’s the best thing about knitting?
It’s a portable craft. I’m not a good sitter and do nothing kind of person. I don’t last long at a cafe for example and I’m not good at the movies nor just hanging at a park watching my kids play. Having something to do with my hands like knitting, saves a lot of pain and wriggling.

What’s the one piece of advice you’d like to share with other knitters?
Learn to read your knitting. Be brave with both your knitting and your fixing of mistakes.

Any knitting/designing New Year’s resolutions?
Knit more for myself and find a yarn that agrees with my husband, who claims he is allergic to wool. I’m taking the Elizabeth Zimmermann approach on that one, just don’t tell him 😉

View all of Georgie’s patterns here. All photos are copyright Georgie Hallam, Tikki Knits. All images used by permission.

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 in GAL group on Ravelry!

Today’s Gift-A-Long interview is with Julia Trice of Mind of Winter Knitting Patterns. Julia is a designer whose work I’ve admired for years and I was thrilled she was able to take the time for this interview.

How did you get started designing?
I started knitting before there were patterns available on the internet when there were only a handful of sources for garments that were fashionable, so when I wanted something that wasn’t in Rowan or Vogue, I had to design it. I didn’t really think of it as designing then because it was in one size, for me. But it was a beginning.

What inspires your designs?
The yarn. I work almost exclusively with indie yarn dyers. I use their yarns as inspiration, and try to make each yarn into the best thing I can imagine for it at the time. My second inspiration is stitch pattern. Trying a stitch pattern with a yarn is the first step to learning its strengths and limitations.

What is your favourite type of item to design?
I’m naturally a sweater designer and if you ask me to come up with something amazing for a yarn, a sweater is likely the first thing I will think of. But I am also very enamored of hats and cowls, and find them to be a nice break.

Your desert island yarn?
Oooh, that is a tough one – like choosing a favorite child, almost. If I absolutely had to choose just one it would be Shalimar Yarns Haven. It’s deceptive – a “workhorse” yarn with good yardage that knits up light as air, to a DK to worsted gauge. It has a unique character that is hard to describe. When I knit with Haven, it feels like coming home.

What’s your “comfort knitting?”
Cables.

Which three GAL designs are top of your list to cast on?
I have to start with the caveat that I almost never have time to cast on a design other than my own. I am knitting a sample sweater for Marnie Maclean, one of the GAL designers, which I anticipate will be available while the GAL is ongoing. It’s a child’s sweater, and I am knitting it for my son, Griffin. It’s the first time I’ve knit something by someone else in 4 years. I realize that is pretty cryptic, but it is the only GAL pattern other than my own that I know I will be able to knit. Following that, my top picks are Willowherb, also by Marnie, and East End by Alicia Plummer. I have a lot of exploring to do, though. I know there are a ton of gems out there waiting to be discovered, and even if I cannot knit everything, it is wonderful to look and be inspired.

Continental or English?
Both. I’m a natural thrower, but for colorwork or fast Stockinette in the round, I pick as well.

What’s the one piece of advice you’d like to share with other knitters?
Don’t be afraid or ashamed to rip. You are never so good that you are beyond ripping, and you will never be better if you don’t rip when you should. (This is a pep talk as well as advice – I have a bit of ripping to do!)

View all of Julia’s patterns here. Images copyright Julia Trice, Mind of Winter Knitting Patterns. All images used by permission.

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 Gift-A-Long interview is with Amy van de Laar of Baroque Purls, a new-to-me designer discovered through the Gift-A-Long. Amy is a Melbourne, Australia-based designer.

How did you get started designing?
One day back in 2010, I had an idea for some colourwork mitts. I charted out a star pattern, and figured it all out as I went. Then I started getting ideas for scarves, and then hats, and it was all on!

I chose my blog/business/Ravelry name ‘Baroque Purls’ because it combines my main obsessions: music and knitting. My favourite musical era is the Baroque, because that’s when Monteverdi and Bach were composing. As a singer, I also love the freedom the Baroque style allows, in terms of interpretation of the music and text. And Baroque ornamentation is heaps of fun!

What inspires your designs?
Often it’s a special yarn, or colour combo, or an interesting stitch pattern. I’ll play with the initial ideas, and often they’’ll end up linking with something from the natural world or pop culture. So far I have designs inspired by honeycomb, Daleks, rainbows, ferns, Tetris, waves, stars, vinyl records, and origami! I also have plans for some music-inspired designs in the future.

Which comes first – the yarn or the inspiration?
Sometimes I start with some special yarn that I want to really make the most of. But mostly, I tend to get inspired by an idea for a stitch pattern, and I start off by sketching and charting stitch patterns and playing around with them. This invention process is the most fun part of designing, for me.

What characteristics do you try to incorporate in your designs?
Fun, colour, and joy in beautiful yarn! Also, as a person who enjoys complicated things (major example: my taste in music), I need to work at simplifying things a lot when I’m designing. When I hear from a knitter that they’ve used one of my patterns for their first colourwork, or their first cabled project, it’s really satisfying!

What is your favourite type of item to design?
I’ve designed more hats than anything else, and I think they hit a nice sweet-spot, as they’re relatively quick to complete. I’m generally able to keep the new-idea-excitement going until I finish the project! Scarves, on the other hand, can sometimes drag on a bit. I have a large fingering-weight scarf on the needles at the moment (sigh)…

Your desert island yarn? (if you could only knit with one yarn from now on which would it be?)
Wow, tough question! Do I go with the most versatile, or the most luxurious, or the most inspiring colours… The most luxurious would have to be Zealana Air, which is a cashmere/possum/silk blend that feels amazing! As for versatility and great colours, I’ll have to go with Vintage Purls Sock, by a great NZ indie dyer. I have an embarrassingly large stash of this, for shawl and sock knitting. I’m also using it for my main GAL project, a short-sleeved sweater.

What’s your “comfort knitting?”
Something simple enough that I can do it when tired or sick – a fairly plain sweater or hat or scarf that I can knit mostly on autopilot, preferably while watching a documentary or something. Complicated stitch patterns are exciting, but I’m not always up for that! I like having a few projects on the go, so I can choose my concentration level.

Which is your most under-appreciated design?
I love my Bushwalk Beanie hat with its fern-frond-lace pattern, but it hasn’t been knit very often. If you’re tempted to try merino-possum yarn, you’ll only need one ball to make this hat (I love possum-blend yarn).

My Seaswell shawl is another design that hasn’t caught on (yet!) – it’s a striped triangular shawl knit in recycled cotton yarn. Living in Australia, I’m always on the lookout for warm-weather-friendly knits.

Which three GAL designs are top of your list to cast on?
I’m nearly ready to cast on a Park Slope tee – I just need to measure my swatches and finalise which size to make. If I have time, I’d also like to make some Fightin’ Words mitts for a certain comics-lover in my household, and one of cheezombie’s toy patterns. I’m torn between Sheepish Toy Pattern and Garden Slug!

Continental or English?
English, but I can knit Continental when I’m stranding with both hands (which is magical).

What’s the best thing about knitting?
Making things that you can wear, and it’s relatively easy to backtrack and fix mistakes. I find sewing stressful because it’s so much harder to fix mistakes. Give me frogging over re-cutting or seam-unpicking any day…

Actually, that’s a lie – the best thing about knitting is playing with colour!

What’s the one piece of advice you’d like to share with other knitters?
Don’t be nervous about trying new tricks! There are so many helpful resources out there these days. Ask around on Ravelry, search Youtube and blogs, visit the library, or take a class.

Any knitting/designing New Year’s resolutions?
I want to try more lace designing, and make more garments for myself. My Ravelry queue is ridiculous, and I have a couple of sweater-lots of yarn waiting in my wardrobe.

View all of Amy’s patterns here. All photos, except for the Snowflake Hat and Insulate!, are copyright Amy van de Laar, Baroque Purls. Photo credit for Snowflake Hat and Insulate! – Willie Lewis. All images used by permission.

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 in GAL group on Ravelry!

Today’s Indie Design Gift-A-Long 2014 interview is with Kate Bostwick of Cowtown Knits, a fellow Canadian designer.

How did you get started designing?
I think my story is similar to many others’, I wanted to knit something specific but couldn’t find a pattern for it. In my case, I wanted to knit a very simple hoodie for my toddler, something she could wear every day. I had a vision in my head of what I wanted it to be and realized I had the ability to do it myself. Then I did a LOT of reading about how to go about pattern writing and grading the right way. That first idea became the Everyday Hoodie pattern and I haven’t been able to stop designing since.

What inspires your designs?
A lot of my inspiration comes from fashion. I’ll see something in fabric and wonder how I could translate that shape or print into knitting. For example, I was inspired by all the paisley fabrics from last fall to design something with a Paisley colourwork design – which became my They’re Paisley! mittens. And right now I’m tossing some ideas around in my head on how to do some interesting construction techniques to mimic some draping I’ve seen on shirts recently.

Which comes first – the yarn or the inspiration?
Inspiration is always first for me. I am very much a product knitter/designer in that I have a vision of what I want to wear, then think about the qualities that piece must have. Then I search out the yarn that will give me those qualities.

What characteristics do you try to incorporate in your designs?
First and foremost, I like clean lines. You’ll notice that a few of my patterns have turned hems (Everyday Hoodie, Hearts and Butterflies, Helen Pencil Skirt). I chose that finishing technique because I like the look of the fabric to continue all the way to the edge without being interrupted by a border.

I also really love colour. Lots of colour. It’s pretty rare for me to design something in just one colour, I’ve always got to find some way of getting another one in there somewhere. My Beverly Beach Shirt was a dream come true for me – the opportunity to use the whole rainbow in one piece!

What is your favourite type of item to design?
Sweaters! Sweaters, sweaters, sweaters. I love to design sweaters. Sometimes it’s fun to fire off an accessory here and there, but I’m finding my focus more and more on pieces I want to wear every day. There are just so many possibilities for construction techniques, textures, shapes and colours.

Your desert island yarn? (if you could only knit with one yarn from now on which would it be?)
I knit a pair of baby booties with Road to China Light from The Fibre Company and it was just the most delicious yarn ever. How could you go wrong: Alpaca – check, Silk – check, Camel – check, Cashmere – check! I have some left over but I don’t want to commit it to anything. But if I had an unlimited supply, I would use it forever.

What’s your “comfort knitting?”
A big squishy sweater.

Which is your most under-appreciated design?
That’s a tough one. I guess I’d have to say the Atticus Pullover. I think that people like the look of it but are afraid or unwilling to do the seaming. If I ever have time in the future I would like to give it an overhaul to make it top-down seamless.

Which three GAL designs are top of your list to cast on?
1. I have already cast-on the Irena Wrap by Deirdre Lejeune.
2. I’m also hoping to make a Molly Hooper by Kimberly Golynskiy with some scraps I have laying around.
3. I’d also love to make myself a pair of Tess slippers by Ann Kingstone.

Continental or English?
Both. English most of the time but when I’m doing Fair-Isle I work with one strand in each hand.

What’s the best thing about knitting?
A chance to sit and relax while still feeling like you’re doing something, not just wasting time.

What’s the one piece of advice you’d like to share with other knitters?
Learn how to fix your mistakes. Once you’ve learned to read your knitting and fix your mistakes, it’s all gravy from there. And those mistakes in your work will bother you if you leave them there!

Any knitting/designing New Year’s resolutions?
Slow down and spend more time with my family. It’s hard, because I know it’s best for business to regularly be putting out new designs. But this is supposed to be something that’s fulfilling and enjoyable. If I put too much pressure on myself then it becomes stressful, which defeats the purpose. So, even if it’s not the best business decision, I’m going to try and put out fewer patterns next year and enjoy the process more.

View all of Kate’s patterns here. All photos, except for the Everyday Hoodie, are copyright Kate Bostwick, Cowtown Knits. Photo credit for Everyday Hoodie – Ryan Barr. All images used by permission.

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 in GAL group on Ravelry!

As part of the Indie Design Gift-A-Long on Ravelry, I will be interviewing a few of the 293 participating designers about the process of designing and what they like to knit – and if we’re lucky, they’ll give us a peek into what’s on their needles. To launch the series I interviewed Jenn Wisbeck of Midnightsky Fibers, who I’m blessed to have as a tech editor and whose stellar skills keeps my patterns intelligible.

How did you get started designing?
I started selling handspun yarn on Etsy. Back then, there weren’t many patterns available for handmade yarns, so I started designing patterns that were quick to knit that worked well with limited yardage.

What inspires your designs?
My knitting patterns are inspired by the trips I take and the beautiful scenery around me in the Pacific Northwest. Right now I am obsessed with knitting hats, so most of design ideas show up in hat patterns.

Which comes first – the yarn or the inspiration?
Almost always the inspiration first, unless I am trying to figure out what to do with some fabulous yarn. I do generally have a type of yarn in mind when I start planning, especially for colorwork.

What characteristics do you try to incorporate in your designs?
I like projects that are easy and quick to knit- the sort of projects you can throw in your bag before you hop on a plane.

What is your favourite type of item to design?
Hats! What can I say, I am obsessed- several hundred hats later, I am still not tired of knitting them!

Your desert island yarn? (if you could only knit with one yarn from now on which would it be?)
Cascade 220 and a size 32″ circular. Cascade 220 comes in lots of lovely muted colors that work well together, and the needles work for everything from hats to sweaters.

What’s your “comfort knitting?”
Ribbed hats in recycled cashmere yarn. I take thrifted cashmere sweaters, unravel them, and wind 3 or 4 strands together to make a dk or worsted weight yarn. The hats are nice and warm while still being lightweight.

Which is your most under-appreciated design?
I just released it, so too soon to say that it is under-appreciated, but my Elevation Hat is a great quick gift project, and the chained yarn is really lovely.

Which three GAL designs are top of your list to cast on?
1. A Most Bespeckled Hat pattern by Alex Tinsley- I love the pops of color!
2. Klimt Hat pattern by Nina Machlin Dayton, in some natural colors
3.Pixelated Hat pattern by Jennifer Beaumont- looks like a great way to use up some leftovers!

Continental or English?
Both! I switch between, but generally use continental.

What’s the best thing about knitting?
Portability and how easy it is to rip back. Unlike weaving or sewing, it is easy to change your mind if you decide you don’t like the size or pattern you have chosen. Plus, knitting doesn’t require very many tools so it is easy to carry along on trips.

What’s the one piece of advice you’d like to share with other knitters?
Learn to knit or join ends of yarn as you go – it will make the finishing process so much easier!

Any knitting/designing New Year’s resolutions?
I will be trying really hard to use up some of my stash yarn that has been languishing in bins, especially the UFO’s (unfinished objects) that have been abandoned for years. Time to finish them off or rip them out!

View all of Jenn’s patterns here. All photos copyright Jenn Wisbeck, Midnightsky Fibers. Images used by permission.

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 in GAL group on Ravelry!

Usually I announce a new pattern with a simple post that links you to the information page here on my blog. With the release of Pyrenees Shawl, I thought I’d do something a bit different and share a few photos behind the scenes. Pyrenees has been traveling a bit over the past month before she made her public debut.

First she was on display at the Sericin Silkworks booth the Knitters’ Fair in Kitchener last month. Once the dust settled from that event it was time for a proper photo shoot.

The plan had been for an outdoor photo shoot in a local backyard, but the weather on Thanksgiving Monday morning decided not to cooperate and, thanks to the generosity of Karen at Shall We Knit?, we were able to save the photo shoot and move it indoors to the shop. Once the weather cleared, we were still able to do some photos outdoors for the Interwoven Blanket and Sinuosity Shawl.

Thanks to Jen and Shawn for being so patient with the location changes – and in Jen’s case, spending so much time holding still! Once the photos were complete, Pyrenees Shawl got a bit of a touch up blocking and then off to Woodstock for a second appearance in the Sericin Silkworks booth at the Fleece Festival.

Now that things have quieted down a bit, I’ve had some time to promote the pattern release and update the pattern with the new photography. Tabi still has some of this fabulous yarn available in her Etsy store. The medium size (shown in the photos) takes 880 yards of the scrumptious 50/50 Buffalo Silk yarn. The shawl is also lovely in Tabi’s other yarns – as well as any other lace weight yarn that blooms and drapes.

Get all the details on Pyrenees Shawl here.

Last Saturday I had the honour of teaching a class on Intentional (planned) Pooling at the Lancaster Yarn Shop in Intercourse, Pennsylvania (Lancaster County). It’s a great way to use some of those multi-coloured, handpainted skeins of yarn hiding in your stash and it’s one of my favourite techniques to teach. The bonus of teaching this at Lancaster Yarn Shop is that they have their own line of Kettle Dyed Yarn that is perfect for this technique and comes in very generous skeins of 484 yards.

There were 7 students and 1 dog (Geisha) in the class; Geisha was very well behaved!

The class started by selecting the yarn they wanted to use from the shop offerings, with colourways Rhubarb and Plaid Shirt being the most popular – although Rainbow was also a popular choice. Once everyone had their yarn, everyone spread out and started to assess their yarn. As the yarn is not dyed to be symmetrical, class members had to decide if they wanted to knit their project as it looked in the skein (using a single skein) or if they wanted to use two skeins and have a wider piece that was symmetrical with one row being the circumference of the skein. About half the students decided to do a narrower piece and the rest decided on the wider, symmetrical version. With that decision being made, they moved on to laying out the yarn to match up the colour repeats to establish the length of the rows and mark where the yarn turned.

After marking the turns for the first rows, we calculated estimated stitch counts and everyone got to knitting. Intentional pooling isn’t an exact science, there really isn’t a way to get it to work out perfectly right at the start. Individual knitting tension, type of needle, humidity, how you knit – it can all play in altering tension. The next part of the class was fine tuning all of these to ensure that the colours would line up. For some it required changing needle size, for others it was a matter of learning the tricks to tweak rows as knitting. Soon, the pooling began to show as you can see in Cheryl’s project shown below worked in the colour Rainbow.

Three hours passed very quickly and all too soon it was time to pack up. Barb from the class members sent me this picture of her scarf the next day – she’s made great progress. I think she was bit by the pooling bug, it can be highly addictive!

I’ll be teaching classes on Intentional Pooling this fall at Shall We Knit? in Waterloo, Ontario, both an introductory class and one on working pooling with lace (like the class shown above). You can find a list of all my upcoming classes here. You can also sign up for my periodic newsletter (in sidebar ->) which includes information on classes as well as new designs.