The Designer's Studio

TODAY"S GUEST: MARNIE MACLEAN

2011-09-10T00:40:00.000-07:00

Marnie MacLean is one of the behind-the-scene people of Twist Collective online magazine. She has been designing since 2003. By day, Marnie works for a newspaper as a business analyst. In the knitting circles of Ravelry Marnie is known for her generous sharing of her knowledge with aspiring designers either in a conversation about the process of designing and publishing or by her wonderful tutorials on how to use Excel, Microsoft Word, and Adobe Illustrator for design work. On the personal note, I love these tutorials and admire how much Marnie knows about these programs. She helped me out with some questions I had and I really appreciated that. It is not a big surprise that Marnie knows these programs in and out since her education is in a desktop publishing and she continues to use Adobe and Microsoft products at work. Marnie's designs appear in books and print magazines but primarily she self published until the launch of Twist Collective in the fall of 2008. I love her fresh, youthful, feminine, and classic-chic designs. It was no big surprise that she became an official member of the Twist Collective team since the Spring 2010 edition. She says: "I’ve been knitting since I was about 6, though I preferred crocheting through college and didn’t take up knitting in earnest until the early 2000s." Well, we are very glad she did pick it up again. There are many beautiful designs that Marnie authored and there is no doubt that we will see many more from her. Below are Marnie's answers that describe her work and her life. This is Astoria, one of her masterful designs.

1. When did you start knitting (crocheting) and who taught you?

I started knitting when I was about 6. My mom had tried to teach me but I wanted to know the hows and whys of every little thing and I wanted to make it “just right.” My mom knew that the only way to get there was to just keep doing it but that wasn’t enough for me. She didn’t have time to help me pick apart every little stitch so she gave up and so did I. My acrylic yarn and Susan Bates needles, languished in my closet for a while until late one night, I sneaked down to my parents stash cabinet and found a Mon Tricot knit and crochet stitch dictionary and I began to teach myself.I didn’t really read that well, I mostly worked from the diagrams so I hadn’t realized that the work needed to be turned at the end of each row. I also wrapped my purls “backwards” so that my stitches were oriented in the combined/eastern uncrossed orientation.This really only gave me problems when I tried to understand decreases.Interestingly, I think that one advantage to learning on your own, without the internet or other people to help, is that you don’t know what is supposed to be “hard” or “easy.” In the Mon Tricot book, you had knit and purl stitches, then lace stitches. So I learned to do knit and purl stitches and then lace stitches without realizing that I should have considered lace complicated or scary. It wasn’t until I started hearing other people talk about how intimidating or complicated lace was that I realized how much we underestimate ourselves when it comes to knitting.

2. When did you begin publishing your designs?

In the loosest sense of the word, I started publishing sorry excuses for patterns back around 2003. I never really worked from patterns so I didn’t have a sense of what the conventions were. I had done a bit of sewing over the years so I understood the basics of garment shapes but I had assumed that offering patterns in S-M-L would cover most people and I assumed that people would know what abbreviations would mean or would be happy to work from charts of garments instead of written out instructions.I learned a lot by trying to reinvent the wheel over and over but I wouldn’t recommend that route if you don’t also like spending hours and hours doing support for free patterns. You can still see my early attempts at designing such as Gothic Lace, Happy Hat, and Bella Paquita.

3. What is your most favorite knitting (crocheting) technique?

I love them all. It’s like asking what my favorite spice is or my favorite paint brush. Different techniques shine at different times.

4. When you are thinking about some new design, what inspires you the most? Is it different every time? Could you give us some examples on inspiration for some of your designs?

There are really two different ways I design, there’s the design I do that comes from sudden inspiration and then there’s the design that comes from needing to come up with a design, whether I’m inspired or not.For the former, I’m inspired by things that seem to make the wearer (sometimes me) feel great about themselves. I’ll see a shape or a neckline or a hem treatment on someone or in my own wardrobe and try to imagine how I would incorporate it into my own designs. I’m not necessarily someone who thinks about texture or color, at the outset. For instance, with Bijou I knew the shape of the garment I wanted, I knew I wanted lace at the top and solid stockinette at the bottom. I had these ideas about how I wanted the garment to look overall, but I didn’t really sort out the details until after the design sketch had been accepted for publication. I guess I’m more of a big picture thinker than I am a details person. The same is true of Jamison Square. I wanted a big slouch cowl pullover with a cable detail, but I didn’t really care what the cable was, it just had to fit the proportions of the garment.On the other hand, now that I publish most seasons with Twist Collective, I really have to come up with 2-4 concepts even if I’m not feeling particularly inspired. In those cases, I have a few techniques I use to come up with new ideas:1. I keep a few books around with illustrations and photos of historic fashion trends. I’ll flip through the books and see if anything catches my eye. As fashion trends change, year by year, different items catch my eye and trigger new ideas. Dietrich was a good example of this I was looking at hats of the 20s and I there was an interesting cloche with an asymmetrical brim that I thought was really charming. I decided to see if I could use that asymmetrical hem on a hat of my own design.

©Caroline Bergeron

2. Flipping through stitch dictionaries can be pretty inspiring for me. I think it’s the part of me that loves problem solving that responds so strongly to this method. When I designed Tolovana

and Raina

they both started as a single stitch, found in a stitch dictionary and sparked a whole design. Tolovana started as a single leaf motif which I scaled down, up and into a border pattern, with transitions between each. The result is really 7 different stitch patterns that all work together. For Raina, I found the delicate little leaf motif that runs along a reverse stockinette background but what caught my eye were the vertical knit welts spaced evenly along the stitch pattern. Lace can be a challenge to work allover in a garment, both because it is less modest than most people like and because it is a challenge to work shaping while maintaining the lace pattern. But when a lace pattern can transition to a simpler allover pattern, it keeps the feminine detailing but becomes much easier to work up. That’s what I saw in the stitch and that’s how the pattern came to be.3. My last method, when all else fails, is to just sit down and make it happens. As the saying goes, “Fake it ‘til you make it.” Projects like Tidewater and Astoria (see above) were really just a matter of my deciding I want to design a shawl or colorwork garment, respectively.

The same is true of the baby gifts I’ve made like Alsace Le Monstre and Dweezil.

I dive into these projects without much clue where they will go, but with the idea that I’m going to do it.

5. What does your studio look like?

We bought our house about two years ago and I’ve been slowly morphing one of the extra bedrooms into my craft room. I do basically none of my knitting there. I use it mostly for weaving, sewing and as an occasional guest room. However, it remains my primary storage for all my crafting supplies, except for those that overflow into the rest of the house or those that are being used for some project currently in work.

I love my little craft room but since there are always needles and pins on the floor, I have to keep the dogs out of there and they really don’t like it when I spend too long away from them.

6. What is your most favorite place to knit (crochet)?

I very much have a goldilocks complex when it comes to knitting. I don’t particularly like doing it when I’m not in “my space”. When I am knitting my own designs (which is basically always) I generally need my laptop nearby, with all my calculations and charts, which I can adjust as needed if I catch a problem. I may have a stitch dictionary or two near me, scissors for cutting out knots in the yarn, various stitch markers, stitch holders, waste yarn and all the other stuff that I am forever forgetting to pack and finding I need when I’m hard at work. On top of that, I like to be comfortable, able to put my feet up or down, preferably with a puppy on my toes when it’s a little chillier. I don’t like having a breeze (as happens when I’m outdoors) or contending with a moving vehicle (cars, busses, trains, etc). So for me, the perfect place to knit is on my couch, next to my dogs, while watching something that isn’t so engrossing that I have to choose between following along or knitting my project correctly.

7. Do you spin your own yarn?

I spin, but not necessarily to knit. I do each for the pleasure of doing them. I enjoy spinning yarns that I don’t really like knitting, such as vibrantly variegated yarns or thick yarns with lots of plies. Occasionally, I do knit or crochet my own handspun, but that’s the exception not the rule.

8. Do you belong to a knitting group?

No, as I said, I really prefer to knit in my own space, on top of that, since most of my work is for publication, I try to avoid knitting my projects in public. For the past few years, I’ve done a Twist Collective trunk show at the Tigard Knitting Guild and if I had the time to attend regularly, that would be a group I’d join, but working my day job and working for Twist, keeps me pretty busy most of the year.

9. Are you in touch with other designers and how do you communicate with the knitters who knit your designs?

Oh I definitely have a circle of designer friends, some of whom I know in real life and some of whom I’ve only interacted with online but who still feel like friends to me. I’m also active in the Ravelry Designers group and have had lots of good conversations there. I’m on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ as well as Flickr and even post a few videos on YouTube, along with maintaining my blog, so I am constantly in touch with people online. On top of that, my work at Twist Collective has me interacting with designers all the time. I feel really fortunate to have such a wide circle of friends and acquaintances with so much talent.As for customers, they all have access to me via my site or through Ravelry and other social media. I get contacted pretty regularly, whether it’s a kind word from a happy customer or a frazzled knitter needing help with a pattern. Overwhelmingly, I find the knitting community incredibly encouraging and kind, which makes designing so rewarding.

10. Where can we see your published designs?

The most comprehensive list of my patterns is available on my Ravelry page though to be honest, there are a few patterns that are not available anymore because of disappearing publishers and my lack of organization.Most of my patterns are also listed on my personal site and you’ll find plenty of my patterns over at Twist Collective as well.

11. Do you teach classes? If yes, where do you teach?

I’ve taught before and I enjoy it, but I just don’t have the time to teach. I do offer tutorials on my site, and I hope to offer more in the future. For the sorts of topics I am most interested in, online tutorials and demos are a great way to reach designers all over the world instead of hoping that the people who want the information will be within a reasonable proximity to the location of the class. At some point, it might be fun to offer online classes but, like most things, time is a factor and I don’t have as much of it as I’d like.

12. What would you like to tell knitters who are timid and do not believe they are skillful enough to knit some of your designs?

I’ve been knitting for so long that I sometimes forget what it’s like to be a novice, but for the past few months, I’ve been immersing myself in sewing, something I’ve never done particularly well and by no means have I mastered. It’s given me some real empathy towards people who are overwhelmed or intimidated by any sort of craft.Firstly, you should know the type of person you are. If you are someone who is discouraged by anything less than perfection, if you are more of a product knitter than a process knitter and will consider your time wasted if your end product isn’t magnificent, then you may want to pick your project carefully. There’s no point in leaping into a big, expensive project beyond your current ability if you won’t be able to cut yourself some slack for any imperfections. Start off small and build your skills up before diving into something more challenging. Cowls, dishcloths, scarves and mitts are good starter projects for a new skill or technique.On the other hand, if you are a process knitter, someone who loves knitting for it’s own enjoyment, more than you care about the finished project, if you are someone who can be proud of doing something new, hard, different or unusual simply because you did it, then you are the perfect candidate to try something that really pushes your limits.Neither of these ways is better or worse. The former will tend to master a skill more fully while the latter will tend to learn more techniques in the same amount of time but take longer to really master them. The key is setting yourself up for the sort of success that matters to you.

13. What are your plans in the near future?

No plans in particular, more designing as time and publication opportunities permit and of course, making time to spend with my puppies and husband.

14. Can you share with us some of your latest designs?

My latest design is Doppler a his and hers pattern with an asymmetrical ribbed pattern and two neck treatments.

While I admit to loving a complicated pattern, I wanted to create something simple and flattering that could be a real wardrobe staple. I originally thought of this as just a men’s design, wanting something that was interesting enough for the knitter to want to knit it but simple enough that the more finicky men out there would be comfortable wearing it. I added the women’s version because I’ve always loved a ribbed turtleneck and I figured if I would wear it, someone else would want to, as well. On the other end of the spectrum is my Tidewater shawl and cowl. The shawl, in particular, has a fairly complicated transition between stitch patterns and is a more involved knit than some of my simpler
shawl patterns.

It was great fun and a challenge to design and I hope it’s just as fun to knit. And of course, wearing a beautiful lacy shawl is a treat. I’m always looking forward to occasions when I can justify pulling out something so elegant.

15. Would you like to add anything else about yourself?

I would be remiss if I didn’t say a little about my three rescued mutts. They are my comic relief each and every day and they keep me sane (or maybe it’s more of a charming insane) while I work from home.Panda, who turns 11 at the end of the year, happened to be born about 3 weeks after my husband and I met (not that we knew of her at the time). We adopted her when we moved to California, she was about 9 months old by then. We adapted our second puppy girl when she was only 12 weeks old, from a local rescue organization, here in Oregon. We changed her name from Pearl (Purl?) to Theano. She was born in February of 2007. Our most recent addition, Darwin, is a real fixer upper, he was surrendered to a shelter by a homeless couple and he definitely has some work to do before he’s the confident, well adjusted boy we know he’ll be.


He’s just about a year old now, and shows huge progress, already, from where he was when we brought him home.All three pups are border collie mixes and all three are the best thing ever :). I strongly encourage any of you thinking about getting a dog or cat to consider checking your local shelters and rescue
organizations.

FG: Marnie, wow! This is a wonderful story.   Thank you for your generosity for a knitting community and your wonderful designs. I wish you much inspiration for new designs and thank you for your work at Twist Collective. I know I am talking for many people.
I know you online for a few years now and hope to meet you soon at one of the events.

INTERVIEW NUMBER 30

2011-08-11T08:41:00.000-07:00

I want to thank all my readers and all the participating designers for contributing to this project. It is informative and useful for all of us. It has been a lot of fun for me to do these interviews. Amy Polcyn's interview is # 30 in this series. There are many more in line. Please come back and leave your comments, questions, suggestions, etc. Thank you and keep reading. ---Faina

TODAY'S GUEST: AMY POLCYN

2011-08-10T12:45:00.000-07:00

Amy Polcyn is a very prolific designer whose work can be found in such magazines as Knit Simple, Vogue Knitting, Knitscene, Interweave Knits, Knitter’s, Creative Knitting, Knit n’ Style, Yarn Forward. Amy contributes her designs to many books and she is also the author of Knit a Dozen Plus Slippers. Her article So you want to be a designer for Knitty.com is very generous and helpful for aspiring designers. I would recommend to read it if you are just starting and looking for an advice on how to proceed with designing for magazines and other publications. Amy is a "multitasker". Besides designing she is doing a very skillful job of technical editing for books, magazines and independent designers. Her designs vary from the knitted sushi (no kidding!) to accessories, children designs, and to full-length garments.

To learn more about Amy Polcyn, her wonderful designs, and her life as a designer let's read her answers below.

1. When did you start knitting (crocheting) and who taught you?
I learned to crochet first, in high school. I saw a classmate crocheting a bookmark and I wanted to learn. I mentioned it to my then-boyfriend, who surprised me by saying he could teach me to crochet. I learned the basics from him, and then taught myself how to read patterns and do more difficult techniques from a book. I really wanted to learn to knit in 1999 when I was pregnant with my daughter, but as much as I tried, I couldn't get the hang of it. Then one day I figured out the problem. The book I had said that as a left-hander, I should knit continental. It wasn't until I decided to ignore the book and try holding the yarn in my right hand that it clicked. It made sense, as a left-handed crocheter I was used to holding the yarn in my right hand, and I suppose it was just too awkward trying to change hands.

2. When did you begin publishing your designs?
In 2005. At the time, I was working on Level 2 of the TKGA Master Knitting program. As part of the program I had to design a Fair Isle hat and an Aran sweater. When I first started working on them I was totally intimidated, but as I went along I realized I could do it, and it was a lot of fun! I was hooked. After that I published my first design (Mosaic Bag) in the now-defunct web magazine Spun followed by my first magazine and yarn company designs later that year.

3. What is your most favorite knitting (crocheting) technique?
Strange as it might sound, I love stockinette stitch. Miles of stockinette might seem boring, but to me it's wonderfully relaxing as long as I like the yarn I'm using! Besides that, I love texture--cables, traveling stitches, ribbing.

4. When you are thinking about some new design, what inspires you the most? Is it different every time? Could you give us some examples on inspiration for some of your designs?
I get inspired by different things all the time. Sometimes it's the yarn, sometimes it's something I saw in a movie or on TV; other times it's a photograph or an object. For example, for Ginevra's Pullover (Interweave Knits Winter 2010), I was inspired by the lace fichus worn by the women while watching Pride and Prejudice one day.

For the Marigold Sweater (Interweave Knits Summer 2010) I was inspired by a photo of my grandmother as a girl.

For the Cable Neck Cardi (Vogue Knitting Spring/Summer 2010) I was inspired by, of all things, a bread stick I ate in a restaurant!

I carry a little Moleskine notebook in my purse wherever I go, and it's filled with sketches and notes for ideas I get when I'm away from home, and in my studio I have a large notebook filled with clippings, notes, and sketches.

5. What does your studio look like?
My studio is in our extra bedroom, which strangely has a doorwall instead of windows. The great part is that it's on the south side of the house, so even in the winter I get tons of natural light. It's a small room, but I manage to fit a lot in it.

In one corner I keep my spinning supplies (2 wheels, drum carder, etc). I have a large desk made of 2 tables and a low bookshelf so I have storage and lots of room to spread out when working on the computer or sketching.

I have 2 tall bookcases for knitting books, needles, and notions, and on top I keep a little collection of things I like.
The closet has my personal stash in bins to the ceiling, and my "professional stash" of swatching skeins is in 12 bins that are stacked next to the bookcases.

Yarn for projects I'm currently working on are in bins in front of the closet. On the back of the door is some of my fiber stash for spinning in a shoe rack, along with extra knitting bags (you can never have too many!) I used to have a big chaise lounge and a smaller desk, but I decided I needed more room so I moved the chaise to the living room, something my family appreciates as it means I'm more likely to knit out there rather than locked in my room.

6. What is your most favorite place to knit (crochet)?
The beach! I wish that was an option more often. I get some strange looks each summer, but I really don't see how sitting on the beach and knitting is any different than sitting on the beach and reading, you know?

7. Do you spin your own yarn?
Yes. I learned to spin a few years ago. I have 2 wheels, a Lendrum and a Louet Victoria, though I'm in love with the Schacht Matchless. I also spin on a drop spindle. Beth Smith at the Spinning Loft has been an excellent enabler!

8. Do you belong to a knitting group?
I do, though we haven't been as active recently. We're called the Detroit Area Knitters and at one point we had several meetings going on in any given week. I first met them in 2006 at a Yarn Harlot book signing, and we've gone on trips together, had yarn crawls, parties, and picnics. I've made some good friends that way.

9. Are you in touch with other designers and how do you communicate with the knitters who knit your designs?
I love getting to chat with other designers at TNNA each year. I mostly communicate with knitters through Ravelry.

10. Where can we see your published designs?
Well, since I mainly design for magazines and yarn companies, pretty much everywhere. I have a book out, Knit a Dozen Plus Slippers and my website has links to most of my other work.

11. Do you teach classes? If yes, where do you teach?
Actually, no. I might at some point, but so far I haven't made the time.

12. What would you like to tell knitters who are timid and do not believe they are skillful enough to knit some of your designs?
Well, when I was a newer knitter, I wasn't the type to just dive into more difficult projects; rather, I looked for projects that looked doable and built my skills up gradually. Maybe it's my background as a school teacher, but starting "where you are" skill-wise and systematically adding new challenges little by little makes sense to me. So find a project that works for you now, or perhaps has a small element of something new, and start from there. That said, most of my designs are not very difficult to knit. I most often like to knit to relax rather than for a challenge, and I think that comes through in my designs.

13. What are your plans in the near future?
Right now I am working on my second book and a pile of new magazine and yarn company designs and submissions. I also do a lot of tech editing, so there's always some of that on my plate as well.

14. Can you share with us some of your latest designs?
The latest would be the Rose Window Sweater, which is actually one of the first sweaters I designed! After a long road (the project it was originally designed for fell through and it's been in limbo for a long time) it's seeing the light of day on the cover of the March issue of Yarn Forward.

I also have a sweater in the new issue of Knitscene, and a sweater in the winter issue of Interweave Knits called Ginevra's Pullover (see above) as well as the Kinetic Cowl in the same issue. I also designed a sweater for the new book from DRG called Perfectly Plus .

My most recent piece for Vogue Knitting was in the Holiday 2010 issue, the Cowl Pullover (see above). Coming up soon are more designs in Knitscene, Creative Knitting , Love of Knitting , Knitting Today! and pattern from Classic Elite.

15. Would you like to add anything about yourself?
When I was a kid, I wanted to be a fashion designer. I sewed clothes for my dolls and played endlessly with my "Fashion Plates" set. Although I am certainly not a fashion designer, I love that I got to make that dream come true in a small way. I still like to sew, though now it's limited to just belly dance costumes (yes, really!) and Halloween costumes.

I have an 11 year-old daughter who doesn't have the slightest interest in knitting yet, though she does like to spin and even has her own wheel called "Spinnerino."

My husband and I have been together nearly 21 years (since high school) and fortunately he is as passionate about volleyball as I am about knitting so it works out great.

FG: Amy, thank you very much for sharing with us your beautiful work. Good luck with your new book and we hope to see more of your designs.

TODAY'S GUEST: KRISTI PORTER

2011-05-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

Kristi Porter is a designer, author, and a technical editor. She authored 4 books and contributed her other designs to many books, magazines and online magazine Knitty. Her style is saying simple chic, comfort, casual.
Her designs are popular and we can see why. It is what most of us like to wear. Kristi lives with her husband and two beautiful daughters in a beautiful spot in CA. When you look at the photos of her designs you see that her family is very involved in her life as a designer.
Her two latest books are published by Wiley and are full of beautiful and very functional designs. They are collections of designs by many designers including Kristi herself. Her both daughters were models for some of the projects. Photography is superb in both books and the Pacific ocean is divine.

I am happy to be among the contributors for two of her books. You can see my reviews of these books if you click on the images below.

Now it is time to let Kristi tell her story.

1. When did you start knitting (crocheting) and who taught you?
I truly don't remember learning how to knit or crochet! I must have learned in bits and pieces, a stitch here and a stitch there, from my mother, my grandmother and my aunt. My mother knit a couple of very nice sweaters for my dad before she had children, but I really don't remember her knitting much when I was a child. She knits a lot now that she has the time and even hosts her own knitting group and is teaching people to knit!

My grandmother, born before the turn of the last century, was an enormously skilled craftswoman. She made clothes for herself and her family, probably mainly out of need, but her skills were quite remarkable. As the youngest grandchild, by the time I knew her, her handiwork was just for pleasure. She spent years of my childhood creating a crocheted tablecloth (5' x 10'!) for my aunt out of very fine thread. This was passed down to me as a wedding gift. The stitches are almost invisible to the naked eye. Probably nearly a million stitches. It's exquisite! Hard to believe that anyone would ever take on such an opus today, but whenever anyone asks me (including the voice in my head) about taking on a large project, I think of that tablecloth and know that it is all possible.

My aunt, called Bricky for her red hair, was a wonderful knitter and knit many things for the extended family, including my mom, my sister, and me. She was always knitting, right to the end of her life. Even in her last moments, apparently, she imagined she was knitting. Her son, Mike, in his eulogy said, "Bricky was a knitter even to the end as we observed her, sound asleep, with her glasses in her hands with the stems facing toward her, using her glasses as the needles to knit one last sweater or afghan for one of us in her mind." I think we can all hope for such an end, trying to finish just one more row.

So my best guess is that between the three of them, I picked up a technique here and a stitch there, without thinking too much about it. The first moment of needlecraft I remember was sitting at my grandmother's bedside while she was in the hospital once. My mother was working on a crocheted ripple stitch afghan in rainbow colors of RedHeart. It was for my bed, which had recently received new rainbow sheets and a rainbow bedspread my grandmother made by quilting together two sheets. (These were a replacement for my StarWars sheets, so we can all be clear of the dates! Somewhere between 2nd and 5th grade.) I know that I worked some stitches on the afghan to pass the time, and I remember the idea of working extra stitches in one stitch at the top of the peaks and skipping stitches at the bottom to create the pattern.

The first thing I remember finishing was a dark red sweater with white dots ever few rows in a classic "Lice" pattern. I was probably 14 or 15. The only thing I really remember about it was that the neck opening was way too small and no one could get their head through. Seems like an easy enough fix now! I know that by the time I was an exchange student in Germany when I was 16-17, I was already set enough in my knitting that I did a lot of things in a freakishly American way and refused to switch (my knitted cast-on, throwing instead of picking, etc.). But it was nice that knitting was more popular there and pretty common to knit with friends after school or take your knitting on the bus or train.

2. When did you begin publishing your designs?
My first published design was in the first ever issue of Knitty.com. An any-gauge child's sweater called Haiku, which is still a very popular pattern! The model there is my younger daughter, Ella, who can be seen in More Knitting in the Sun modeling your Natka sweater, among others. Neither of us knew at the time how much this would become part of our lives over the next 10 years! But it really was a great turning point. When Amy Singer, then, like me, one of really just a handful of knitting bloggers, decided to start an online magazine, we really had no idea what was in store for us. I began working too as Knitty's first technical editor. While we were impressed with our audience, it was really only in the single thousands of viewers and the enterprise really seemed like some sort of garage-band/clubhouse project. We learned a lot quickly and I am so impressed with what Amy continues to do with Knitty. It has provided many designers a springboard to move on to other projects. I am not exaggerating to say that I can trace every bit of success I have had as a designer and technical editor back to those early days at Knitty.

3. What is your most favorite knitting (crocheting) technique?
My favorite techniques change all the time really, depending on what I am working on. Because I work as a technical editor, I have the pleasure and responsibility to read patterns by a great variety of designers carefully and thoughtfully. Sometimes it's a new structure or shaping technique that catches my eye. Other times it's a new stitch pattern. As an editor, I am forced to think about how these work. And, of course, my creative mind thinks about applying these techniques to something new or "How would this work if you turned it on its head?" or "Would this work in a completely different setting?" and sometimes, "This could be so much simpler if only…"

4. When you are thinking about some new design, what inspires you the most? Is it different every time? Could you give us some examples on inspiration for some of your designs?
Because I am so aware of pattern writing, that definitely influences my designs. A beautiful design deserves an elegantly written pattern. I think many designers work from a single garment that they've created. It may be spectacular to see, but the process of writing it up is cumbersome and inelegant. Add 5 more sizes to the equation and you've got a 14-page, 6-chart nightmare on your hands! (Hint for designers: No publisher wants to touch that with a 10-foot pole!) I always start on paper (And yes, paper. I try to work with spreadsheets, but mostly I find my natural designing proclivities are for scratch paper and pen and doing calculations out by hand.) After swatching and thinking, I will try to write the whole pattern out for ALL sizes before I cast on. That way I can find out ahead of time if it's going to lead to calamity down the road if there are 11 pattern repeats instead of 8 across the sweater. Obviously, in the creation of the garment you learn a lot of things and can make adjustments, but if you haven't thought through the process before you start, it's like the whole thing is stuck together with twine and duct tape.

5. What does your studio look like?
I don't think I've ever talked about this before! My work space is usually called "The Craft Room". It's the spare room in our house, and it's only "spare" because our girls share a room! Every once in a while one of them talks about having their own room, but so far I've been fairly persuasive in my arguments against such an arrangement.

Aside from my computer and desk, which occupy a fair amount of my work time, the room has a lot of storage (never enough!) for not only yarn and fiber, but also for any number of sewing, art or craft projects that we dream up and also a good sized table. If someone wants to draw, or paint, or sew, I want to be ready!

Sometimes, the craft table is a homework table. Other times someone is stitching or weaving, or covering something in duct tape. I love being the house where someone can always come to sew on a button or find the yarn ends to make hair for their puppet, or create a building from recycled boxes. Just this week, I loaned a little loom and yarn ends to a boy from school who told his mom he'd like try weaving and I passed on a broken hair dryer and toaster to a kid who wanted to see how they worked. So few people work with their hands these days, any time someone shows interest, I am eager to help.
Aside from the utilitarian aspects of the Craft Room, I have some stuff to inspire me. Right now I have a hummingbird nest harvested from our tree, a bag created by my friend Naida of Kao Pao Shu (http://kaopaoshu.it), an old (pre-QWERTY) typewriter, a drum carder, my mid-century pink Brother sewing machine, an orange 1960's patent-leather purse from Grandma Edna (my husband's mother's mother), artwork by my family, my Kromski spinning wheel, and a gold art deco dress and a shawl knit in Colinette Giotto. Along with natural light from three sides, these things make working a pleasure.

6. What is your most favorite place to knit (crochet)?
I knit anywhere and everywhere. The more of your life that is about knitting, the less time you have to knit. I knit waiting for kids. I knit in the car. I knit waiting for appointments. I like to knit and listen to podcasts. Aside from the knitting-centric ones, my usual favorites are The Moth, NYC's RadioLab, and This American Life.

7. Do you spin your own yarn?
Yes, I really do enjoy spinning, but since it's definitely a hobby, it always plays second fiddle to the actual work of knitting. I bought a beautiful Kromski Minstrel wheel as a gift to myself for finishing Knitting in the Sun. I confess that it's pretty dusty right now!

8. Do you belong to a knitting group? I don't belong to a knitting group per se, but I teach a regular class twice a week at my local yarn shop, Knitting in La Jolla. A lot of those knitters are regulars who come every week, so it is very much like a knitting group. A few knitters have come regularly since I started teaching six years ago. Others have come and gone. We do feel very connected with one another and they are a great sounding board for my ideas! Often a new design will come about because one of them says they'd like a certain something. "What can I make with this yarn?", "I saw this great silhouette and I'd really like to knit something like that!", "Here's this shape idea. Here's the yarn I want." "I want to knit something like this, but I need a very simple stitch pattern." -- I really love specific design challenges like that, or I have a pattern idea and one of them will knit it, helping me work out the kinks. It's both inspiring and rewarding to work in an environment like that.

9. Are you in touch with other designers and how do you communicate with the knitters who knit your designs?
Yes, I don't think I'd do what I do if I weren't able to reach out to designers and knitters. I love the feedback I get through Ravelry and email about successes (and sometimes, failures!) in knitting my designs. I am constantly in contact with other designers about their work, about what's going on in the industry, and so on. If it weren't for the Internet, this would be very lonely work. I think many of us would not be able to sustain our work if it weren't for the active online community of knitters.

10. Where can we see your published designs?
I have published four books. Knitting for Dogs (Simon and Schuster, 2005), Knitting Patterns for Dummies (Wiley, 2007), Knitting in the Sun (Wiley, 2009), and now, More Knitting in the Sun (Wiley 2011). I've also had single designs published in other books.

11. Do you teach classes? If yes, where do you teach?
I teach a regular class twice a week at my local yarn shop, Knitting in La Jolla. (See the answer for Q8)

12. What would you like to tell knitters who are timid and do not believe they are skillful enough to knit some of your designs?
Knitting is supposed to be fun! Whatever your skill level, there is a pattern out there to suit your taste for comfort and challenge. Some knitters truly enjoy knitting the "same" thing again and again. Others always want to try something new. And most of us enjoy great challenges from time to time, but also just want to knit a simple hat or garter stitch scarf now and then when the rest of life gets in the way. That's one of the great things about knitting. You can modulate the level of challenge to suit your mood and abilities. Two adages that I pass on to my knitters: 1. You can make anything if you really set your mind to it, and 2. Commit yourself to 15 minutes a day with it. Anyone can find 15 minutes to spend with their knitting, and some days they'll find themselves settling in to it and knitting much more. Like practicing an instrument or picking up any other new skill, you won't improve unless you practice! Yes, you'll make mistakes, but even with just 15 minutes a day, you will make progress!

13. What are your plans for the near future?
Since I finished up the book, I've been doing a lot of technical editing… and very little knitting and designing. I plan to take the summer off from scheduled projects so that I can do some more design and creative work!

14. Can you share with us some of your latest designs?
More Knitting in the Sun is my latest project. It contains the work of over 20 great designers and it's been a pleasure to get to know them and see their projects develop. I am always so inspired by working with others! I contributed four designs to the book: The Charlie vest, the Huck hat, the Owen blanket and the Caddie backpack.

FG: Kristi, thank you very much for giving this interview. You have done a beautiful job on your books and I hope many people will get a chance to make many of the lovely designs from those books. Good luck with the rest of the tour. Tomorrow's stop is at Knit with KT .

TODAY'S GUEST: LINDA PERMANN

2011-04-30T11:04:00.000-07:00

Linda Permann is a crochet designer, an author, and a teacher. Her vibrant, exciting, and modern style is very obvious and contagious. She is known and respected in the "crochet world" for her interesting take on crochet elements, play with color, and meticulous detailing. Her designs are published by most major crochet publications such as Interweave Crochet, Crochet Today and others. For more information about Linda's designs and her other interests visit her blog LindaMade .
On a personal note, this photo of Linda is saying it all. She is very friendly, upbeat and interesting as a person. When you talk to her, you know that she has so many ideas and interests that this is just a beginning of her professional life as a designer. I can't wait to see what she does next. I participated in the blog tour for her new book Little Crochet , so you can see the book review on At First Glance.

I AM DOING A GIVEAWAY FOR THIS BOOK. Thank you to Linda Permann and The Crown Publishing Group for providing a copy of the book for it. Read here about the terms how to win it.

1. When did you start knitting (crocheting) and who taught you?
My very first experience with crochet was as a little girl, when my grandma taught me to make chains. I remember making lots of chains but never going any further with it. I then taught myself to crochet around 2001. I was living in NYC and just amazed at the amount of free time I had since I was done with school, and I was also cold, so I wanted to find a hobby that would solve both of those problems. I went to the Knit Out but decided I would learn to crochet, I guess because I figured I had a head start with the chains!

2. When did you begin publishing your designs?
The first design I had published was in Debbie Stoller's Stitch and Bitch Crochet, which came out in 2006. Shortly after submitting that design, I was hired on at Soho Publishing, and started doing designs here and there for Knit 1, Crochet Today and Adorn magazines. I had to learn to write patterns so that they could use my designs--that was a challenge!

3. What is your most favorite knitting (crocheting) technique?
I really like to play with post stitches and textures, which you can see in some of my designs, like Petal Pouf, Artichoke Hat, and Blazing Cowl

I wish more publishers went for more complicated designs and crochet diagrams (as they are kind of essential to these types of designs), but, I really enjoy employing them when I can!

4. When you are thinking about some new design, what inspires you the most? Is it different every time? Could you give us some examples on inspiration for some of your designs?
It really depends, but most of the time it is all about the yarn! It's "what can I do with this yarn that would show it off, create a fun texture, and be fun to make?". If I have (or am given) a basic idea--i.e. design a hat--that makes it much easier for me but generally I swatch and play and let the stitch pattern tell me what it wants to be. I design very organically--I don't do a lot of sketching or planning (although I am trying to be better at that), I have to see what happens when I actually make the stitches. Color is very inspirational to me as well, I love to play with color combinations when I can. People tell me that they have a hard time picking colors that go together--I have the reverse problem, I can never pick just one color! That's what I like about crochet, it is pretty easy to change colors every row, or even every stitch, if you want to.

5. What does your studio look like?
My studio is a bedroom in my house that contains a couch, bookshelves, sewing table, desk and a whole lot of yarn. I end up doing a lot of the actual crocheting in the living room in the evenings, though, but the pattern writing happens in the studio. It's very colorful and bright, I try to keep the space cheery and inspiring.

A lot of times it becomes a gigantic mess (for instance the couch is covered in yarn right now), so thank goodness for cropping and selective photography. I wouldn't want to spoil anyone's glamorous ideas.

6. What is your most favorite place to knit (crochet)?
I keep it simple and knit and crochet in my living room. My WIPs (work in progress projects - FG) are all there, and my boyfriend doesn't complain about all of the messy tangles I leave hanging around. I learned in art school that it's very important for me to be able to leave my projects out if I actually want to finish them. I love how immediate getting started can be with yarn crafts, it's so easy to do it anywhere.

7. Do you spin your own yarn?
I've only spun one skein on a drop spindle, which was a very enjoyable experience. I love that it really involved my whole body, playing the spindle like an instrument. That felt completely different than sitting and crocheting. I could see myself becoming very interested in spinning, so I have to restrain myself! When I lived in Montana I met some ladies who did the whole bit--raised their own sheep and used the wool to spin yarn; grew their own plants to dye it, and made their garments from start to finish. I admire that.

8. Do you belong to a knitting group?
I don't belong to a formal stitching group but I do have an tiny occasional craft night with two friends, which is lovely. I work at a yarn store and sometimes when the planets are aligned, all of my past students will come to sit and crochet on the same day that I work, and the store will be quiet so we can actually chat-- I love that.

9. Are you in touch with other designers and how do you communicate with the knitters who knit your designs?
I am in touch with other designers through twitter (follow me @lindamade) and TNNA-- it has really made a big difference for me to actually meet and be in touch with my peers, it makes it so much nicer to have someone that I can ask questions or complain with.

At Soho Publishing booth with Doreen

With Robyn Chachula

I am in touch with the crocheters who make my designs through my teaching at the yarn store, and also on Ravelry.com (again, my username is lindamade). I strive to help anyone who has a problem with my patterns, and in the store I've walked people through so many different techniques and patterns that it's really a skill-building experience for me, too. So many of my students have told me that they are so happy to finally have someone to ask their questions. I think with knitting, there is a lot of help available in shops because most shop owners knit. But it's just been recently that the higher-end yarn industry has started paying attention to crocheters. There are so many of us! And all it takes is providing the same support that knitters get to woo those who hook. I love working at the shop and seeing all of the lovely creations (both knit and crochet) that people make with yarn.

10. Where can we see your published designs?
You can see my designs in my two books, Crochet Adorned: Reinvent Your Wardrobe with Crocheted Accents, Embellishments and Trims

and Little Crochet: Modern Designs for Babies and Toddlers

I also publish regularly in Crochet Today, Interweave Crochet and Inside Crochet, among others.The best place to find them all is on my Ravelry designer page.

11. Do you teach classes? If yes, where do you teach?
Yes- I teach in my LYS, Yarnivore every Saturday. I teach beginning classes and a lot of private lessons. It really keeps me in touch with what is hard for crocheters, which I try to keep in mind when I design. I like small class sizes and one-on-one teaching, it gives me time to get to know my students, work at their pace, and help them reach their crochet goals. One thing I really love about teaching crochet is that everyone comes in for a different reason, and a lot of times there is a life event going on (a new baby, a wedding, an illness) that inspires the person to crochet. I feel honored to be a part of helping people make gifts for these occasions.

12. What would you like to tell knitters who are timid and do not believe they are skillful enough to knit (crochet) some of your designs?
If you can read and follow directions, you can do almost anything! A lot of the things in my first book, Crochet Adorned, were actually designed with beginners in mind. Make a motif, an applique, a bowl, for your first project--it doesn't have to be a blanket that goes on and on forever. Depending on where the pattern is going, I strive to keep things simple so that crocheters can make classic item they can wear for a long time. To those knitters who are hesitant to add a new skill set to their repertoire, I say, give it a shot! It's so handy to know both crafts as there are definite strengths to each one. I love to knit too!

To those who are afraid to try more advanced designs-- you will never know if you can make them until you try! And you will never gain the skills unless you have the need to use them, so you might as well go out on a limb and see what happens. It's yarn, it's supposed to be fun, and you can always unravel it!

13. What are your plans in the near future?
Right now, just to keep on trucking! I'd love to keep creating beautiful crochet books, there are so many things I want to make! Of all of the ways I publish, I think writing books might be my favorite, because then I really have the freedom to choose my yarn, my design, my tech editor, etc. I also just want to keep pushing crochet to the limelight, I get a thrill from showing crocheters who wander into our shop just what they can do with their hooks--many of them have no idea that crochet has just as much potential for fancy footwork. I am happy to see so many modern crochet designs being published.

14. Can you share with us some of your latest designs?
My newest book, Little Crochet: Modern Designs for Babies and Toddlers (Potter Craft, 2011) is full of designs that are both classic and fun to make, with a colorful crafty twist. I like to throw layers of crafts in when I can, like simple embroidery or sewing techniques. I also recently designed a few of my first adult-size garments, which I am really excited about! One is a lacy motif-based cardigan that I think I will have to make for myself, and another is a summer tank. Both are coming soon to a crochet mag near you.

15. Would you like to add anything about yourself?
People always want to know how I got to where I am, so I'll give you the short version. I got my BA in Studio Art at UT Austin, and have always loved making things and playing with color. After college, I moved to NYC and worked as a temp, and a communications job at a drug company led me to a communications position at Newsweek magazine, which was good enough street cred for Soho Publishing to hire me. I didn't even know that jobs like "Craft and Decorating Editor" existed but when friends sent me the job posting two months in a row, I knew that it was meant for me. I really enjoyed my time working on first Joann magazine and then Adorn, but when I was ready to move on from NYC I knew I needed to keep a way to work in my field. My friend suggested I write a book and I just jumped in feet first--so far, so good! It's not always easy, but it is gratifying work, and I can do it from anywhere!

With my family

FG: Linda, what a pleasure to visit with you. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and work with us. Good luck with your new book and many other venues. See you at TNNA.

TODAY'S GUEST: SIMONA MERCHANT-DEST

2011-04-07T07:54:00.000-07:00

There are so many things I love and admire about Simona's designs that I do not know where to begin. Her style is always feminine, flattering, modern, interesting, and, what is very important, wearable. She puts a lot of thought in the construction of a garment incorporating shaping in the overall look. I am sure that many of you at some point opened the issue of Interweave Knits or Vogue Knitting and stopped at the page with her design to admire it a little longer. I always do. You can't miss it. Simona's designs vary in stitch patterns, yarn weights, constructions, but every one of them are inviting you to make them. She designs for people and knows how to dress them. I think it is a very valuable characteristic of a designer and it is not that easy to achieve. Her European upbringing and her life in the USA helped her to develop a unique vision for her designs. Simona is a knitwear and a crochet designer. I do not think there is anything she cannot do. You can see her designs in many books, magazines, collections by yarn companies, and her blog Stylish Knits.

There is no doubt that we will see many more of Simona's designs over the years to come. I am inviting you to read her answers below and admire her work.

1. When did you start knitting (crocheting) and who taught you?
I started knitting when I was about 6 or 7 years old. My Grandmother taught me. She was an avid knitter who knitted and “designed” out of necessity for the whole family; she was very creative and loved the craft. My sister and I “had to” knit while she was knitting her projects and that’s how we improved our knitting at a very young age. Growing up in the communist Czech Republic, we did not have access to many patterns, so I had started designing without even realizing it when I was a child: making sweaters for my dolls, and recreating sweaters and tops I saw in fashion magazines.
2. When did you begin publishing your designs?
I had knitted on and off since I was a child and took a long brake from my late teens until I’d had my first child. Having a girl, I wanted to dress her fashionably. But I became a stay-at-home mom and was on a budget, so I started to design outfits and hats for her and that’s when knitting and crocheting became my escape and passion. In 2005 I had sent my first proposals to a publisher and got 2 out of 4 accepted! And I have not stopped since.

3. What is your most favorite knitting (crocheting) technique?
My favorite knitting technique is combination of St st and rev St st. – it’s simple but it offers endless possibilities! But I like all textures created by knitting like lace and cables. My favorite is to knit and crochet in seamless constructions.

4. When you are thinking about some new design, what inspires you the most? Is it different every time? Could you give us some examples on inspiration for some of your designs?
I am greatly inspired by what’s going on in fashion, by art, home magazines, shoes, rugs, and places. Since I love fashion, I try to create something that people will love to make and wear. What gets my creativity going is when a publisher/yarn company offers some topics and/ or techniques they are looking for. This narrows it down for me, and I can explore the technique(s) into a wearable design. I have so many things I’d like to design, so that’s really helpful since there’s just not enough time for all my ideas!

I mostly like clean and simple designs where the stitch pattern plays “the main role” forming the silhouette of the garment.

5. What does your studio look like?
For longest time, my “studio” was my living room table and floor under the coffee table. When my yarn and reference books stash grew, I stored it in boxes on the floor in a messy home office. I was constantly looking for something! Finally, last year, I had bought some IKEA furniture (love IKEA!) and got organized. I have a 25-cube Expedite organizer where I store my books, most of the yarn (yes, my stash is still growing!) and office files. I have a large desk where I can spread all my stitch dictionaries, fashion magazines, and other things that inspire me! I also have TV and an extra computer, so my kids can do homework there and hang out with me while I work. Now I love to spending time in my office/studio.
6. What is your most favorite place to knit (crochet)?
I love to knit on the sofa in the living room watching the news and movies. That’s my favorite time of my job!

7. Do you spin your own yarn?
I do not spin my own yarn, but I would love to learn how to do it. Last year I took a class on dyeing yarn and loved it. Though, spinning sounds like another time-consuming hobby to me that I will need to put on hold for the time being – there’s just not enough time in a day. I know I could get hooked.

8. Do you belong to a knitting group?
I do not belong to a knitting group. Unfortunately, I do not have the time. But I constantly knit or crochet everywhere I go.

9. Are you in touch with other designers and how do you communicate with the knitters who knit your designs?
I am in touch with other designers, definitely. I love seeing what others are doing and love to connect with them. Knitwear and crochet designing is a very solitary job. For the first 3 years I only communicated with publishers via e-mails, people I have never met. Couple years ago I went to visit TNNA and there I finally met with many designers face to face and formed some nice friendships and business relationships. It helps to have friends among designers; they are great and fun people!
In this photo left to right: Ellen Gormley, Linda Permann, Kristin Omdahl, Marly Bird, and Simona Merchant-Dest. All of them are crochet designers. TNNA 2010 Ohio, Bijou Basin Ranch booth.

Faina Goberstein, Stefanie Japel, Simona Merchant-Dest at TNNA in Long Beach. 2010

10. Where can we see your published designs?
You can see my designs in most national knit and crochet magazines and books. I also design for yarn companies designer’s lines and booklets.

Magazines: Interweave Knits, Interweave Crochet, Vogue Knitting, Knit Simple, Knit.1, Knitter’s magazine, Knit ‘N Style

Books: Mission Falls Silhouette (2010), Circular Knitting Redefined (2010), Mission Falls Weekend! (2010), Mission Falls Duets (2009), Mission Falls Accents (2009), Mission Falls Dreamer (2008), Vogue Knitting on the Go: Felted Crochet (2008), Vogue Knitting on the Go: Cables—Mittens, Hats & Scarves (2008), Stitch Style: Socks (2007), Vogue Knitting on the Go: Crochet Baby Blankets (2007).

Yarn companies: Mission Falls, Bijou Basin Ranch, Classic Elite Yarns, Imperial Yarns, Cascade Yarns, and Skacel Collection.

11. Do you teach classes? If yes, where do you teach?
I do not teach classes as of right now. I am planning on creating on-line classes for busy people so they can learn and improve their knitting and crochet techniques in the comfort of their home.

12. What would you like to tell knitters who are timid and do not believe they are skilful enough to knit some of your designs?
You can learn any technique you are unfamiliar with in your LYS. But you can always try by yourself, and if it does not work out the first time, you can unravel and try again and again until you get it right. You can experiment, and you will be surprised how you will reveal your own potential in what you can do. Just keep trying.

13. What are your plans in the near future?
I am working on launching my own website. The website is still work-in-progress, since it is quite tedious work and quite time consuming. I am striving to complete it soon, though. As of designs, I am working on book proposals, work with yarn companies, submitting to magazines, and expanding my own pattern line.

14. Can you share with us some of your latest designs?
My latest designs were featured in Vogue Knitting Holiday 2010 issue, the Neck Bow Cardigan and Vine Lace Scarf. I have 6 designs in Mission Falls Silhoutte book released in Fall 2010.

I have several crochet projects coming out in Spring: one is in the spring issue of Interweave Crochet Hialeah Bag

15. Would you like to add anything about yourself?
I love to read; though, I do not have as much time as I’d like; so I only read books recommended by friends as must-reads.
I am a fitness junkie – I go to the gym 4 to 5 times a week to break a sweat – I am a runner and lift weights. I am interested in healthy lifestyle.
I am passionate about preserving my Czech culture and language for my kids here in the USA. My Czech friends and I had started a Czech and Slovak school in our area for the kids, and it’s been going strong.
I love singing, music and dancing. I’d grown up a folklore dancer and traveled through Europe with our dancing group. Now I teach children dancing and singing in our Czech and Slovak school’s folklore group.
Simona with her daughters and grandmother.

FG: Simona, thank you very much. It was very interesting. I know that I cannot possibly put all the photos of your wonderful designs here, so I think our readers will be looking at your Ravelry page for more. Good luck with your plans and we will be watching for your new publications.

TODAY'S GUEST: GWEN BORTNER

2011-02-16T09:08:00.000-08:00

Gwen Bortner is a Craft Yarn Council certified teacher, designer, and now is an author. In her biography, Gwen writes that she gave up her executive career as a head of an information technology group in Kansas City to devote her time to her lifelong passion for knitting and teaching. In 2002 she began her new role of a founder of Knitability, LLC. This company' s motto of "Taking Knitters to the Next Level" is saying it all.
Gwen is an educator in heart. I had a chance to take her class at one of the national conventions and I loved. As an educator myself, I appreciated Gwen's very well-organized, fun, and full of teaching techniques class. She says: "My mantra is "knitting is fun" and if class isn't fun, then I am not doing my job."
Gwen likes to explore different knitting techniques and teaches them to her students firing them up with her enthusiasm. So, nobody was surprised that Gwen wrote a book on a very special technique called Entrelac that fascinates many knitters and sometimes brings anxiety to some. Gwen used this technique in many of her designs. Some of them you will see below. Her book is appropriately called "Entrée to Enterlac". You got to see this book! It comes from a very experienced "biased" knitter and a teacher.
Here is Gwen's answers to The Designer's Studio questions.

1. When did you start knitting (crocheting) and who taught you?
My mother taught me when I was about 7. I knit one hat and then I was done – I knew how to knit! My next project was a sweater just before my senior year in high school. Apparently I was a knitter, because I was successful with my project with only a limited amount of help. Knitting really took hold in college including working in a yarn shop part time.

2. When did you begin publishing your designs?
My first published design was a result of my part-time job during college. I had discovered entrelac and starting playing with new and innovative ways to utilize the technique. My seamless entrelac sweater was published in Threads magazine in the early 90’s. But because I was focused on my information technology career, I did not officially publish anything until I founded my company, Knitability in the fall of 2002.

3. What is your most favorite knitting (crocheting) technique?

Entrelac has always been the technique that I have been most intrigued with. I often see a unique garment and think to myself, “I wonder if I could do that in entrelac?” That said, I really like playing with and exploring all sorts of different knitting techniques. That really is the fun of knitting – lots to learn, regardless of how much you think you may already know!

4. When you are thinking about some new design, what inspires you the most? Is it different every time? Could you give us some examples on inspiration for some of your designs?
Most of my designs are inspired by the need to create a project that demonstrates a technique or skill that I cover in one of my classes. Projects are a way to expand your knowledge and the finished object is just a really great bonus! So for me, it is usually about the technique. If I am designing for a magazine that has a theme, that also drives my design process. Rarely, do I start with the yarn, the yarn is just the medium for my creative expression.

5. What does your studio look like?
My studio is in transition as we are renovating one of the rooms in our house to be a shared office space for my husband and me. So right now it looks like a construction zone! However, I am hoping to be moved in before the end of the year.

6. What is your most favorite place to knit (crochet)?
I am not sure that I have a favorite place. But where I do the most knitting is on the plane. I will have logged over 50,000 miles this year, so lots of my knitting time is in the air. The majority of the remaining time is sitting on the couch with my husband watching our favorite TV shows and DVDs.

7. Do you spin your own yarn?
I have learned enough about spinning to appreciate the process, but recognized that I need to stay focused since this is my business. So the answer is “no”.

8. Do you belong to a knitting group?
I am traveling too much to really belong to a knitting group and honestly, I don’t have a local option. But I consider the other national level teachers that I see at many of the events to be my “knitting group”. We share ideas, ask each other questions and use one another as resources, so I think that qualifies.

9. Are you in touch with other designers and how do you communicate with the knitters who knit your designs?
I am a member of AKD (Association of Knitwear Designers – www.knitwear-designers.org) which is how I stay in touch with other designers. I stay in touch with other teachers at the various events as I was stating above. I try to be fairly accessible to the knitting community via e-mail, phone (when I am in my office), at knitting events and I pop onto Ravelry (www.ravelry.com) fairly regularly. Entrelacqueen is my Ravelry name – I thought it was appropriate.

10. Where can we see your published designs?
My published designs are in many more places recently as I have been making a concerted effort to gain a broader awareness from the knitting public. Obviously, I publish through my own company, Knitability and I recently had my first book published by XRX, Inc, Entrée to Entrelac . I have also had designs published in a number of knitting magazines including Cast On, Knits and most recently Creative Knitting and Knitters.

11. Do you teach classes? If yes, where do you teach?
Teaching is what I consider to be my main business focus. When people ask what I do for a living, I say that I am a professional knitting instructor. Needless to say, that can be the start of some interesting conversations! I teach at most of the major knitting conventions, Stitches, TKGA and TNNA. I will also teach at various regional knitting gatherings, knitting guilds and local yarn shops. It is the part of the business that I love and if I could figure out how to do nothing else, I would teach exclusively.

12. What would you like to tell knitters who are timid and do not believe they are skillful enough to knit some of your designs?
My Skill Builder pattern line (www.knitability.com/knitting-patterns.html) is designed specifically for this type of knitter. Instead of listing skill levels, I list the specific skills I expect you have before starting the pattern and the skills you will learn by working through the pattern. As such, these patterns also include detailed pictures and descriptions of the techniques to be learned. It is just another example of the teacher coming out in me.

13. What are your plans in the near future?
Most of 2011 will be focused on promoting the new book. I already have a pretty full teaching schedule with venues throughout the country. Toward the end of the year, my blogging partner, Kellie Nuss and I will be leading a knitting cruise through the Panama Canal. This will be the second cruise that I have hosted and I am really looking forward to it. Because there are two of us, we are able to offer some classes that just do not work in a traditional class environment. We are also offering classes for teachers to improve their skills as well as classes on other fiber related topics. If people are interested in finding out more information, they can visit our blog – Two Sides of the Same Stitch at www.thesamestitch.com.

14. Can you share with us some of your latest designs?
Almost all of my designs of late have been focused on entrelac (for obvious reasons). I will have two new entrelac designs one each published in the upcoming spring issues for Creative Knitting and Interweave Knits. I have also been working on some entrelac gloves that may get published in a magazine or I may publish through Knitability. My next goal is to start thinking about non-entrelac designs and to add several new offerings to my Knitability line.

15. Would you like to add anything about yourself?
Variety keeps life interesting, so I am often trying and doing different things. Before I started Knitability, I fully utilized my computer science degree as a consultant and as VP of IT operations for a competitive local phone company. Completely different work, but I loved that career too. Although I don’t really need more to do, right now I am also a part-time ski instructor at my local ski resort (2-hour commute), China Peak. Teaching skiing is a bit like teaching knitting as both a manual skills. I find I transfer teaching skills between the two venues. I only wish ski season and knitting season did not have so much overlap so I could spend more time at both. Whatever I am doing, I try to do my very best and enjoy the process, hopefully it shows!

FG: Gwen, thank you very much for your appearance at my studio. I love your book and I hope our readers will check it out. I also wanted to thank you one more time for a great class I took from you. You are a fantastic teacher!

TODAY'S GUEST: SHIRLEY PADEN

2010-12-28T19:41:00.000-08:00

Internationally renowned knitwear designer and the author of Knitwear Design Workshop: The Comprehensive Guide to Handknits Shirley Paden lives and works in New York city. Shirley is the owner of Shirley Paden Custom Knits and she also finds the time to design for such major publications as Vogue Knitting, Interweave Knits, Interweave Crochet, Knitter's as well as other publications. Shirley's designs are timeless, well-tailored, simply stunning. It seams that she finds that perfect union of yarn and stitch pattern with ease. Her exceptional work is an inspiration for other designers and for knitters who want to try their own skills on modifying commercial patterns.
Shirley teaches master knitting classes for the fashion industry and gives workshops on different topics. You can look up her schedule on her website . Learning from such an expert is a dream for many of us. Continue reading below for Shirley's answers for this interview. It is fascinating.

1. When did you start knitting (crocheting) and who taught you?
I was taught to knit by my grandmother when I was 8 or 9. I could however only make a straight piece of fabric, e.g. a scarf or stole using Garter, Stockinette or Ribbing stitch patterns. I was never taught how to follow written pattern instructions. I stopped knitting for many years. When I began knitting again about 20 years ago as an adult, I began to work with written pattern instructions and to learn the different types of pattern stitches.

2. When did you begin publishing your designs?
My first published designs consisted of a lace throw and 2 lace pillows. They were accepted in the Fall of 1995 and published in the Spring 1996 issue of Vogue Knitting. My first garment design was a Prada jacket interpretation. It was published in the Fall 1996 issue of Vogue Knitting.

3.What is your most favorite knitting (crocheting) technique?
In terms of favorites, while I do not have a favorite knitting technique, I do work primarily in 3 fabric construction categories. They are Lace, Cables and Color. For needlework techniques, I enjoy all aspects of the Finishing process. It is a completely different Needle Art that is set apart from Knitting. To do this well, a different skill set is required. I feel that it is the part of the garment construction process that is the most important. That is because a beautifully and very skillfully knit piece can be completely ruined if it is not beautifully and professionally finished.

4.When you are thinking about some new design, what inspires you the most? Is it different every time? Could you give us some examples on inspiration for some of your designs?
It is always the combination of a silhouette with current and classic elements coupled with the beauty of a pattern stitch. I work under what I term the 2T approach to handmade designs. The 2T label stands for “Trend with Tradition”. What that means is that I follow the silhouettes for modern trends as shown by the major forecasting groups. I then overlay traditional pattern stitches onto the silhouettes of the trends that I like most. In this way I feel that I both chronicle the time that I am living in (which I see as a designer’s job) and continue to keep the antique cloth-making arts fresh and relevant. One example would be my poncho that was featured in the ”Wrap Style” book published by Interweave Press. There we see a current silhouette (a poncho) made with a series of older lace patterns.

5. What does your studio look like?
It is a part of my home. The most important aspects of it are that there is a large window where I can see outside, and that I have a large worktable where I can spread out to draw, write, and meet and work with other knitters.

6. What is your most favorite place to knit (crochet)?
My favorite place to do all of my needlework is at my worktable. I have a very comfortable chair there with built-in back support and a wonderful light.

7. Do you spin your own yarn?
No.

8. Do you belong to a knitting group?
I am a member of the Big Apple Knitting Guild (BAKG) here in New York City.

9. Are you in touch with other designers and how do you communicate with knitters who knit your designs?
I have taught Design classes for many years. Many of my students have gone on to become successful knitwear designers. They are all friends. Most of them are constantly in touch with me. We are all always working on different projects. It is truly an inspirational creative network. I am also friendly with other designers who live in the New York City area.

I only use local knitters. When anyone is working with me on a design I usually meet with them once every week. Between meetings, the working method is that they send me photos of the work via computer as it is in progress.

This photo was taken at the "Knit Nation" Conference in London this past summer. Alice Yu is one of the Knit Nation organizers. She is a sock designer. She lives in London.

Tracey Rivers, Stacy Charles, and I at the annual "Stitch 'n Pitch" event at the Mets Baseball stadium here in new York City. Stacy is co-owner of the Tahki/ Stacy Charles yarn company. Tracey Rivers is the moderator of the "We love Shirley Paden" group on Ravelry.

Nicky Epstein, Lily Chin, and I. This photo was also taken at Stitch 'n Pitch. As you know, they are both designers and authors.

Tanis Gray and I. That photo was taken after TNNA at the airport in Long beach California. Tanis is a well-known designer.

10. Where can we see your published designs?
My designs have appeared in all of the major printed knitting magazines over the past 14 years. Over the past 3 years they can be seen primarily in Vogue Knitting and Interweave Knits. I have also recently had a reference book on hand knitwear design published by Interweave Press. The name of the book is Knitwear Design Workshop. The 4 designs featured in the book have been very well received. The book is #5 on the Amazon.com 2010 top 10 best-sellers list for Craft Books. It is the #1 selling knitting book on that list.

11. Do you teach classes? If yes, where do you teach?
Over the last 18 years I have taught a variety of classes in a number of different settings, primarily in the New York City area. However, since the release of Knitwear Design Workshop this past March, I have taken my classes on the road. I have been traveling and teaching in different cities for the past 8 months. Although this year I have been teaching primarily the Design Master Class and the Finishing Class, the full summary of the classes that I teach with their accompanying descriptions can be found on my website http://www.shirleypaden.com in the Events and Lectures section.
Members of the Sand and Sea Knitting Guild during my Design Weekend Retreat in Los Angeles. They all took me out to dinner.

12. What do you tell knitters who are timid and do not believe they are skillful enough to knit some of your designs?
It is my belief that knitters at all skill levels can knit most design projects. The key to successfully completing a design will depend on how willing the knitter is to take the time to carefully plan their work. I recommend carefully reading through each section of the pattern before they ever consider picking up their needles. Once that is done, I recommend following these 5 steps. 1) Study the pattern until they understand clearly how all of the parts are constructed and how they fit together. They should highlight any sections that they do not understand. Techniques research may involve going to their Local Yarn Shop experts, going online and/or referring to their reference books for the areas that they highlighted. 2) Practice any techniques that they are unfamiliar with or do not quite understand on a swatch. 3) Study and double-check all measurements (based on the given gauges) for the size they are making. This is done to make certain that there are no technical errors in the pattern. 4) Knit a large swatch using the pattern stitch. This will help them to become comfortable with the construction elements of the fabric. 5) Check the Ravelry pattern section to see if others have completed the project. If they have, utilize those knitters as a resource for explanations of the areas where they have questions. If they take the time to complete the planning phase they will feel totally prepared for and confident about knitting any project.

13. What are your plans in the near future?
I plan to continue teaching and designing. They are my passions.

14. Can you share with us some of your latest designs?
My latest magazine designs include an off-the-shoulder pullover that is featured on the cover of the Holiday 2010 issue of Vogue Knitting. It is made with a beautiful yarn that is an angora blend. The angora gives it a soft and very feminine feeling which is perfect for a holiday piece. I also have a Fair Isle cardigan (“Winter Wren”) featured in the Winter 2010 issue of Interweave Knits magazine. Again, it was designed with the holidays in mind. It too is a very feminine garment. It is bordered around the neck, bottom and sleeve edges with small bell ruffles. The yarn is a beautiful blend of alpaca, cashmere and silk. I am also currently working on a lace project for the Spring 2011 issue of Danish Needlework magazine. I have been invited to speak and exhibit my knitwear designs at their annual Needlework conference March 25th-27th in Middlefart, Denmark.

15. Would you like to add anything about yourself?
I have said pretty much everything. Thank you for inviting me to be a part of The Designer’s Studio interview series.

With Vanna White at the opening of the Lion Brand Store in New York City. They also launched the "Vanna's Glamour" yarn line that evening and Vanna gave a speech. I designed the lace pullover that she was wearing. It was made with the Vanna's Glamour yarn.

FG: Shirley, thank you so much for taking your time to answer my questions with so much information. Also, I want to thank you for your work. It is a truly exemplary and dedicated work and it will inspire people for many years.

TODAY'S GUEST: NICKY EPSTEIN

2010-12-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

A bestselling author and a prolific knitwear designer, Nicky Epstein is known all around the world for her distinctive and creative style. In her many (more than 20) books and numerous articles and designs in all major publications Nicky is giving us a volume of information about innovative techniques and new ways to use some well-known even traditional stitch patterns. It takes a uniquely creative mind to see ordinary things and interpret them into a fashion statement. No matter what Nicky's creation is, you can be sure that it will be in her beloved-by-her-fans whimsical style. She draws her inspiration from everywhere she looks. Nothing goes unnoticed and later shows up in her designs. Embellishment and detail are the two most important components of who Nicky Epstein is as a designer. Such books as Knitting on the Edge, Knitting Over the Edge, Knitted Embelishments are a great source for anyone who wants to design and experiment with adding adornments to their knitted projects. In her latest book Knitting Block by Block Nicky offers 150 "blocks" and shows how you can use them to construct a garment. To learn more about Nicky, her teaching and travel class schedule go to her new website and blog. Despite of her very busy professional life, Nicky stays upbeat and full of energy, and she always finds the time for her students and fans. She welcomes any interaction with other designers and teachers in the industry. I am sure that she will continue to surprise us with her new designs and new directions in her search for the unknown in the knitting and crochet world. Below are Nicky's answers to The Designer's Studio questions and some photographs of Nicky from her workshops. Enjoy.

1. When did you start knitting (crocheting) and who taught you?
When I was 6 or 7 my grandmother taught me the basics of knitting and when I was 14 a Spanish lady neighbor taught me detailed knitting and finishing.

2. When did you begin publishing your designs?
In 1982 after I won a McCall’s magazine sweater design contest—I started getting calls from needlecraft magazines.

3. What is your most favorite knitting (crocheting) technique?
I love all knitting techniques and try to show that in my books. When I was younger I used a lot of intarsia and color work…today I like appliqué because it looks intricate and complicated, but is actually quite easy. Knitters…don’t be intimidated by it.

4. When you are thinking about some new design, what inspires you the most? Is it different every time? Could you give us some examples on inspiration for some of your designs?
It really is different every time, depending on so many things… who the piece is for…the demographic I’m aiming for…the yarns I’m using etc. The inspiration comes from everywhere. Knit Simple Magazine asked me to design an unusual boy’s sweater…I happened to see a magazine ad with a bare chested little boy with a pet snake around his neck and that prompted me to design a cardigan with a dimensional snake around the neck (my 5 year old nephew Mason wears it now and loves it).
My book “Knitting In Tuscany” is filled with inspirational items

like a caplet inspired by Tuscan cypress trees and a sweater inspired by an actual and beautiful Etruscan Fresco found in a ancient ruin.

5. What does your studio look like?
Oh boy! It is overloaded with tons of yarn, needles, color cards, reference materials, a sheep collection, my books, etc…etc. My husband calls it the “wool warehouse”.

6. What is your most favorite place to knit (crochet)?
On my couch in front of my large TV screen, with some chocolate nearby, in case I need some nutritional inspiration.

7. Do you spin your own yarn?
Sadly, I don’t have the time, and my apartment is a little small to keep my own sheep, but I do like the thought of it.

8. Do you belong to a knitting group?
I belong to the Big Apple Knitting Guild in NYC and make myself available to knitting groups around the country that invite me to teach or sign books, I love knitting groups!

9. Are you in touch with other designers and how do you communicate with the knitters who knit your designs?
I have a number of designer friends that I see at various knitting shows. I am constantly in touch with knitters around the world through my website nickyepstein.com, Facebook, Twitter, Ravelry, and up close and personal teaching classes, book signings, and knitting cruises and trips. I feel it’s important to to stay in touch with people that are knitting my designs and get their input of my work.
10. Where can we see your published designs?
I’ve written more than 21 books that are available in yarn shops, Barnes & Noble, Amazon etc., and in all the major needlecraft publications, and I have many designs on my website, and will be adding more every month.

11. Do you teach classes? If yes, where do you teach?
When my book deadlines allow me time, I teach quite a lot. I’ve taught all across the country, in England, Australia, Italy, the Caribbean, Argentina, Uruguay. Canada, Holland, etc. See my website nickyepstein.com for my teaching/tour schedule.

12. What would you like to tell knitters who are timid and do not believe they are skillful enough to knit some of your designs?
Do not be afraid! I pride myself on the fact that I create designs that may look complicated but are not. When I teach, my students are amazed how simple many of the projects are. I design garments that are knitter friendly, and put much thought into ones that will flatter almost any figure.

13. What are your plans in the near future?
I am working on new books and getting my website up to speed with its store carrying my patterns, buttons, clasps, scarves, books, note cards, artwork etc.

14. Can you share with us some of your latest designs?
My latest book “Knitting Block by Block” (Potter Craft/Random House Nov 9 2010 still has my head spinning with ideas for designing with blocks. I just finished a coat/jacket in coral red using Karabella’s new “Aurora Bulky” yarn and a kimono style cardigan using Cascade yarn.

15. Would you like to add anything about yourself?
I love knitting and love to encourage knitters/crocheters everywhere to continue to enjoy the art/craft that brings us all such pleasure. Knitting should be fun. Happy Knitting!

FG: Nicky, I can't thank you enough for answering my questions in the midst of all you do. I love your new website and blog. There are so many beautiful photos of your designs and travel! I hope our readers will take time to visit you there and learn how the yarn is made at the yarn mills and what tours knitters can take with you. Thank you, again.

TODAY'S GUEST: GALINA CARROLL

2010-11-23T17:00:00.000-08:00

Born and raised in a beautiful and very inspiring Russian city, St.Petersburg, Galina Carroll became a professional designer after getting her degree from a prestigious Academy of Arts. Later she moved to America near another inspiring and fashionable city of New York and continued her career by working with fashion houses such as Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan, Liz Claiborne, Tommy Hilfiger and various companies. Her published designs can be seen in Vogue Knitting, Knit 1, Knit It, Knit Simple magazines, as well as various publications by and Tahki Stacy Charles, and Mission Falls. Her designs are contemporary and interesting in construction. Galina's colorwork is vibrant and well-placed to make a statement. You can see it in these two photos of her designs for Vogue magazine.

Galina's work is inspiring. She is skillful in both knitting and crochet design. From her interview you can see that Galina is full of energy and ideas for many more new designs, so this is just a glimpse of her work that wets our appetite for more. Please read on.

1. When did you start knitting (crocheting) and who taught you?
I finished high school and took the exam for college soon after but didn’t pass the exam the first time. Needless to say, I was very upset and depressed. A friend suggested to me that I should start knitting to calm my nerves. So I did and within one week I started and completed one vest and skirt. It turns out that I am a fast knitter.

2. When did you begin publishing your designs?
For many years I was working as a full time and freelance sweater designer in the garment industry in New York City. But about seven or eight years ago my career took a different turn when I met Adina Klein. At that time she was working at VK. She offered me a few projects for Vogue Knitting Magazine, and my relationship with Soho Publishing began. Here are a few photos of my work that were published in Knit1 and VK.

3. What is your most favorite knitting (crocheting) technique?
I love to do Faire Isle, but mostly as a decorative detail. Stockinette as a basic stitch could look very interesting if you have unusual seams placement. I prefer to spend more time designing (executing) a garment rather than working on stitches. I have a degree in Industrial Design and I am always trying to reduce the weight and volume of my manufactured garments. Pattern on Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/gloveglove .

4. When you are thinking about some new design, what inspires you the most? Is it different every time? Could you give us some examples on inspiration for some of your designs?
Oh yes, it is different every day. Inspiration is everywhere, on the streets, in the architecture, museums, nature. Since my childhood I always was attracted to the flowers, as most girls are.

Here are a few of my projects inspired by flowers.

I love to see old movies. It is a great source of information. Here is a little project "seashell necklace". I saw it on the beach and in a few days this necklace was born.

These patterns are available on Ravelry.

5. What does your studio look like?
As every designer I have tons of yarn, lots of books and magazines, and my favorite pencils to make sketches. I just have a studio, nothing extraordinary. By the end of the week it gets very messy. Although I have to clean before I start my new project, as if you clean your thoughts before you try to say something important.

6. What is your most favorite place to knit (crochet)?
I have a very cozy porch. It is my favorite spot in the summer; in winter, right next to the fire place. I have to feel warm and peaceful. And of course my little doggy Dasha (black and tan dachshund) is always by my side.

7. Do you spin your own yarn?
No, but someday I would like to.

8. Do you belong to a knitting group?
Unfortunately no. I know I missed on that, but being a grandmother and doing so many projects takes most of my spare time.

9. Are you in touch with other designers and how do you communicate with the knitters who knit your designs?
I have a lot of friends/designers. We communicate mostly by email, but a phone call or a real visit is my preference. The same with my knitters. Everybody seems to be busy bees.

10. Where can we see your published designs?
I was working for Mission Falls and you could see my work in their magazines: Dreamer 136, Duet, Accent, and Weekend. Vogue Knitting, Knit1,Knit Easy, Knit it for last seven years a few books: "Just wraps" by Lion Brand Yarn (Little Red)(The Flapper), "60 Quick Knits"(Scandinavian Mittens), (Cabled Scarf Hat).

11. Do you teach classes? If yes, where do you teach?
I have a few local students who come to my studio in Huntington, NY. I am also working to do classes online, teaching sketching. Hopefully, next year.

12. What would you like to tell knitters who are timid and do not believe they are skillful enough to knit some of your designs?
As a rule I really don’t have complicated patterns. I love simplicity in the design in general. Besides, there are no strict rules in fashion. Sometimes making a mistake could even create a beautiful new garment.

13. What are your plans in the near future?
Oh, it is not enough paper to tell you about all my plans. Here are a few on my list: I am working on a proposal for a book. This book will have a lot of my sketches and knitting patterns, sort of a source book for designers, students and knitters. Second on my list is a Design Mohair competition for VK Live. I just finished my sketching and ordered the yarn. It will be very interesting.

14. Can you share with us some of your latest designs?
Here is the one pattern for Classic Elite Yarns and soon a second pattern will be on their website. It is free on Ravelry.com. Another one is a sweater for my little granddaughter Eva called "Pastel". My Ravelry name is GalinaCarroll and you could see a lot of my projects and patterns there.

15. Would you like to add anything about yourself?
I graduated from "Academy of Art and Industrial Design of V.Muchina in St.Petersburg, Russia. For that reason, I love to do anything that involves design: interior design and decoration, paint, textile design, jewelry and fashion. I do consultation as a stylist (personal shopper) and interior decorator.
My latest hobby is video making. I have my YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/GalinaCarroll ) where you will find my personal and professional videos.
In my personal life I have a wonderful husband and a loving daughter who lives nearby.

I also have two grandchildren Phillip, who is three years old and Eva is who is nine months. At least two days of my week are dedicated to them. So I am still "full time" – a busy wife, grandmother and always a designer.

I want to thank you, Faina, for the invitation to this interview. It is a wonderful way to know more about person. You are doing a fantastic job!

FG: Galina, it was a pleasure working with you on this interview. I encourage our readers to visit your Ravelry designer page to enjoy all of your designs. I wish I could post them all here. It's just too many of them :) I loved reading about your inspirations. Good luck with your book and VK mohair project competition. I am looking forward to both.

TODAY'S GUEST: ANGELA HAHN

2010-10-25T08:03:00.000-07:00

It is my pleasure to welcome Angela Hahn to The Designer's Studio. I am positive that you know and love her feminine and beautiful designs. She plays with stitch patterns in a way that her designs look effortless, light, and very appealing. I always enjoy looking at her creations and I know I am not alone. Angela focuses on style and comfort so any knitter can see herself making and what is more important - wearing the garment she makes when she follows a pattern by this designer. You just cannot miss Angela's designs. One of the reasons for that is simple: some of her designs are right on the cover of Interweave Knits and of Vogue Knitting.

One of them is on the latest (Fall 2010) issue of Interweave Knits.

Here is the older issue of Interweave Knits where Angela has 2 designs!

And, of course, the Vogue cover:

Now tell me, did you see her designs? I am sure you did.
I have no doubts that we will see so many more from this talented designer and enjoy wearing her creations. Here is what she told us.

1.When did you start knitting (crocheting) and who taught you?
This is a photo of myself as a tot (that's my little bro in the high chair), wearing a hand-knit outfit probably made by my grandmother. It's very 60s!
I started knitting when I was a child, I don't remember exactly what age. My mother taught me. I have never learned how to crochet anything more complicated than a simple chain. One of the first things I remember knitting was a vest in green Lopi wool, for my sister; I stayed up late on Christmas Eve one year in high school, trying to finish it in time for Christmas. Just thinking about that vest makes me itch-- I'm not quite a "No Sheep For You" person, but my preferred wool is extra fine merino, ideally worn with an under layer!
I started to create designs for myself when I was in college-- I played varsity soccer for three years (occasionally midfield, but mostly bench warmer), and there was a group of us that would knit on the long bus rides to away games. At least when we traveled with the women's field hockey team; when we shared the bus with the men's soccer team, I preferred to chat with the boys!

2. When did you begin publishing your designs?
I got my online start in 2006. I self-published several patterns, both free and for sale, on my blog. In addition, the (now-defunct) online magazine "Magknits" published three of my designs in 2006 (each one made the "cover" of its respective issue), and Knitty published one of my designs in the Fall 2006 issue. Then in 2007 I broke into print media, with a pattern in the summer issue of Interweave Knits.

3. What is your most favorite knitting (crocheting) technique?
Hmm. So many choices...I am very intrigued by short rows right now. They can be so much more than a simple shaping device. I also find reversible stitch patterns fascinating.

4. When you are thinking about some new design, what inspires you the most? Is it different every time? Could you give us some examples on inspiration for some of your designs?
Often I start by looking for an unusual stitch pattern. I enjoy finding ways to use the qualities of that stitch pattern in the design: for the Selva skirt (published in Interweave Knits Winter 2007), I thought the dense texture of the stitch pattern would make a perfect fabric for a skirt (skip the Spanx!), and for the Lace Cable Rib Pullover (pattern self-published), I let the rib pattern and the drape of the yarn do the shaping, while the eyelets in the stitch pattern kept the fabric lighter in appearance than the usual ribbing. I especially enjoy working decreases and increases into pattern stitches, and incorporating those into garment shaping, for example in the Chinese Lace Pullover, Dayflower Lace Camisole (both self-published) and Plaited Tam (Twist Collective); or transitioning lace or texture stitches into ribs, as in the Chinese Lace Pullover and the Primrose Path pullover (Twist Collective).

5. What does your studio look like?
Right now we are remodeling our house, so I'm using a temporary studio, with some of my yarn and reference books in storage, more of it crammed into a crawl space, and the active stuff in boxes on the floor! But when our house is finished, I'll have my own office, with plenty of file and shelf space, built in cubbies for yarn, a drafting table, a dressmakers mannequin, and a piano (well, we had to put it somewhere).

6. What is your most favorite place to knit (crochet)?
By nature I am impatient, so I love to bring my knitting to waiting rooms, on trains, to Little League games, that sort of thing-- it makes it much easier for me to be patient if I feel I'm doing something productive. (And I always stop knitting when my kid is up to bat.)

7. Do you spin your own yarn?
No. Nor do I plan to start. Nor do I dye.

8. Do you belong to a knitting group?
No. Unless Ravelry counts.

9. Are you in touch with other designers and how do you communicate with the knitters
who knit your designs?
I've contacted a number of other designers via email, and I've become friends with Connie Chang Chinchio, who introduced me to several designers on a trip to Northampton last fall: Ysolda Teague, Melissa LaBarre, and Gudrun Johnston. Now that I'm not living in Italy any more (I moved there with my family in fall 2006, and returned to the US a year ago), I hope to make it to more trade shows and festivals, and meet more knitters and designers in person. I communicate with knitters who knit my designs via email and on Ravelry.

10. Where can we see your published designs?
My self-published designs can be found on my website Knititude, (where there is also a list of just about all of my designs published elsewhere, including those in Interweave Knits, Vogue Knitting, and several books). I also have several patterns on Twist Collective, and a pattern in the book Brave New Knits.

11. Do you teach classes? If yes, where do you teach?
I tried to teach my son's first grade class how to knit. In 30 minutes. Not long enough. I learned to knit so long ago that I had forgotten how difficult knitting is when you are just starting! Other than that, I have not done any teaching, although I would be open to trying it.

12. What would you like to tell knitters who are timid and do not believe they are skillful
enough to knit some of your designs?
After my one teaching attempt, I thought a lot about what is difficult about knitting, and I concluded that mastering the basic knit and purl stitches are the hardest part; compared to that, a k2tog or a YO is easy! Okay-- maybe keeping your place in a complicated lace pattern, or doing a giant cable crossing, or even finessing a three-needle bind off-- those can still be tricky-- but it's all a matter of your skills progressing with practice, right? My personal challenge is learning to knit with one color in each hand (but I'll have to master the art of Continental knitting first, with yarn in the left hand-- I'm a thrower, with yarn held strictly in the right hand). Knitters can always feel free to email with questions about my patterns, but the best way to learn a particular knitting skill is to find a knitter who can show you in person (try your knitting group or LYS!).

13. What are your plans in the near future?
VERY unusual for a knitwear designer-- book proposal. I'm kidding about the "very unusual" part.

14. Can you share with us some of your latest designs?
Well, right now my latest design is easily spotted, on the cover of the Interweave Knits Fall 2010 issue! Very exciting (for me anyway). In other news, I've recently started creating original stitch patterns. This is the pattern of a scarf featuring an original reversible lace cable. It also includes directions for a wrap version. I named it "Onda," which is Italian for "wave."

(FG: It is now available on Angela's website.)

15. Would you like to add anything about yourself?

My maternal grandmother knit for most of her life and rarely used a pattern, just figuring out and copying stitch patterns that she liked (although her sizing and shaping were often rather odd). My paternal grandmother, a CPA, pronounced knitting "old-ladyish," and preferred to golf and travel. I like to think I got my affinity for knitting from one, and my math skills (important for a knitwear designer) from the other. What else? I was a veterinarian (small animal) for almost 15 years.

FG: all above photos of the designs have copyright of Angela Hahn unless otherwise noted

1)Inversion Gansey, Interweave Knits Fall 2010 (cover) ( © Interweave Knits)

2) Roped Shell, Interweave Knits Summer 2008 (cover) ( © Interweave Knits)
3) Vine Leaf Beret, Vogue Knitting Fall 2009 (cover) (copyright Soho Publishing)
4) Sherwood child's sweater
5) Lutea Lace - Shoulder Shell, © Interweave Knits
6) Selva skirt, © Interweave Knits
7) Primrose Path pullover, Twist Collective (copyright Jamie Dixon)
8) Leaf Yoke top © Soho Publishing
9) Submission sketch for Leaf Yoke top, Knit.1 Spring/Summer 2009
10) Gudrun Johnston, Ysolda Teague, Connie Chang Chinchio and I, Northampton, MA, Fall 2009
11) Sorelle sweater
12) Aran Wrap, Vogue Knitting Fall 2008 (copyright Soho Publishing)
13) Reversible lace cable scarf Onda
14) Rose of Sharon hat

FG: I am so glad that we did this, Angela. Thank you for sharing with us your work. It is nice to hear that you continue to design, publish, and are working on a book proposal. Good luck with all of this! My readers and I will be looking for your new designs. I hope to see you at TNNA soon.

TODAY'S GUEST: LILY CHIN

2010-10-05T10:13:00.000-07:00

Lily Chin is a well-known name in the knitwear industry. Her career began many years ago in her native New York as she was working for such designers as Ralph Lauren, Vera Wang, Diane von Furstenberg, and Isaac Mizrahi. Lily's first publication was in 1982. For almost 30 years her designs bring us fashion-forward ideas combined with impeccable finishing techniques. In her column for Knitter's Magazine called "On Design" she examined different aspects of designing and generously shared her take on it. Later Lily began to teach at such venues as Stitches, TNNA, knitting tours and cruises, and knitting and crochet guilds. She is a great and memorable teacher with lots of energy, humor, and little tricks that she gladly shows to her students. Lily says that she is very proud of her teaching ability and she knows that she is a good teacher. If you are planning to take Lily's class, hurry. They fill up quickly. Lily Chin is also an author. Her numerous books are reflecting her teaching and designing expertise on knitting and crochet. Here are some of her newer books.

Did you know that Lily is the reigning champion as fastest crocheter in the world? She received this title in October of 2004 at the World Championship in London. I did not know that and I think it is remarkable. In summary, Lily is a fun and interesting person who works very hard and inspires others with her talent and vision. And now, let's see what she told us herself.

1. When did you start knitting (crocheting) and who taught you?
Mom taught me the basics when I was 8 years old. She cast on 20 stitches for me. I learned to knit but not to purl. When my 20 stitches became 3, I tossed it away in frustration. Desperate to keep me occupied and out of trouble, mom gave me a hook instead. I took to crochet like the proverbial duck to water. I later went back to knitting at age 13, not wanting this thing to get the best of me. I learned to cast on, knit, purl, increase and decrease … all from magazines. I was determined to do it all myself because I thought mom jinxed me :).

2. When did you begin publishing your designs?
When I was in college, my first design was published in Woman’s Day magazine in 1981 or ’82. This was when the magazine used to feature knit and crocheted patterns on a regular basis.

3. What is your most favorite knitting (crocheting) technique?
That’s like asking who’s your favorite child. I don’t necessarily have a favorite, but I prefer to make garments. I do have a least favorite and that’s intarsia.

4. When you are thinking about some new design, what inspires you the most? Is it different every time? Could you give us some examples on inspiration for some of your designs?
Since my husband is an architecture critic, I’m often inspired by that. I’ve done classical Greek columns in ribs and cables. I actually do a lecture on this where I show my inspiration and the results in a slide show format (actually, power point nowadays). I also use a lot of theoretical ideas as inspiration, such as the post-Modern movement of alluding to tradition in a tongue-and-cheek way. I did a classic Scandanavian design with their star motif but modernized it with beads, for instance, or used metallic yarns.

5. What does your studio look like?
I work out of home and it used to be more of a mess than it currently is. I recently renovated the apartment and that meant clearing everything out of the place so I had to organize. I have two knitting machines set up in the bedroom with 4 more under the bed. I live in a small 1-bedroom apartment in New York City!

6. What is your most favorite place to knit (crochet)?
There’s nothing like being curled up on the couch while watching television. My travel schedule is such that I spend more time working on airplanes and hotel rooms, though.

7. Do you spin your own yarn?
No but I know how and have tried it. Time is limited as it is; you have to make choices and to prioritize.

8. Do you belong to a knitting group?
I am a long-time member of the Big Apple Knitting Guild and the New York City Crochet Guild.

9. Are you in touch with other designers and how do you communicate with the knitters who knit your designs?
Yes, we chat at shows a lot. There’s a Yahoo group for Stitches teachers also. I rely on email a lot.

10. Where can we see your published designs?
Most magazines will eventually feature a design of mine from time to time. I’ve been concentrating on my books, however, so you can purchase the books.

11. Do you teach classes? If yes, where do you teach?
I’ve been teaching since 1989. I teach allover, I criss-cross the US and Canada. I’ve also taught on knitting cruises since 2000 and teach all over the world – Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand …..

12. What would you like to tell knitters who are timid and do not believe they are skillful enough to knit some of your designs?
Where else in life can you rip out your mistakes and start over? I mean, I wish I can rip out my ex :). Lots of crafters view ripping as a mistake. It is a learning lesson. They have lost nothing but a bit of time but it’s also time well spend for an education. It’s also about process and not all products. How will you ever know if you don’t try? When I was a teenager, I did lots of projects considered way beyond my skills. You work your way through it, fudge a little, and learn.

13. What are your plans in the near future?
More books, more teaching, more magazine work – the usual suspects :).

14. Can you share with us some of your latest designs?
I’m doing some projects for a crochet magazine that involves circular, 2-color Tunisian crochet. I got this double-ended hook that makes it possible and it’s very addictive. I’ll be writing a design piece about shaping lace.

15. Would you like to add anything about yourself?
I know of no one who comes into our business with the aim of designing knit and crochet designs for a living. You usually come from someplace else. I thought I was going to be a chemist in college. When I changed to liberal arts, what else do you do with a liberal arts education? I’m gleefully fortunate in that I have in my background education in the arts, science and math, business and garment manufacturing that has shaped my career. I have found all these to have been tremendously helpful in my growth.

FG: Lily, it was an honor to have you as a guest. We all see your designs, books and read your articles, but it is very different when you can actually talk to us here. Thank you for being so open and encouraging. You teach many people and make knitters and crocheters want to try new designs and techniques. Thank you from all of us!

TODAY'S GUEST: CARLA SCOTT

2010-09-07T20:13:00.000-07:00

I am very pleased to have Carla Scott as my guest today.
Carla is currently the Editor in Chief of Knit Simple magazine, the Executive Editor of Vogue Knitting, and the Editor of Vogue Knitting Stitchionary 5: Lace Knitting, the newest book in the Stitchionary series.
Besides what was already mentioned, Carla's career over 30 years includes working for various yarn companies, designing, hosting the Vogue Knitting Tours, working with book publishers and so many other duties. She lives in New York city and is inspired by it. By the nature of her job, Carla is in the midst of fashion industry which influences her as a designer and the editor.
Carla shares her knowledge through teaching and working with others on the production of magazines. Teaching continues at home as well. Carla began knitting as a little girl and now her daughter knows how to knit as well. We can see how passionate Carla is about hand-knitting industry through many projects that she initiated. In this interview we will learn about Carla Scott the editor, knitter, designer, author, and a teacher.

1. When did you start knitting (crocheting) and who taught you?
I learned to knit at the age of nine. My grandmother and sister taught me.

2. When did you begin publishing your designs?
I started working in the knitting industry in 1977, mostly checking and writing instructions and knitting up samples. I began designing my own in 1984.

3. What is your most favorite knitting (crocheting) technique?
For knitting, cables are my favorite, and for crochet, I love Tunisian (afghan) crochet.

4. When you are thinking about some new design, what inspires you the most? Is it different every time? Could you give us some examples on inspiration for some of your designs?
My forte in knitting is more on the technical/instruction side. I have been writing, sizing and editing knitting and crochet patterns for more than 30 years. When I do design (which is not very often) I like to play with stitch patterns. I’m very inspired by what people are wearing around New York City.

5. What does your studio look like?
I work full time at SoHo Publishing (Vogue Knitting/Knit Simple) and my office is full of magazine swipes, yarn, needles, knitting magazines and books.

6. What is your most favorite place to knit (crochet)?
I love to knit on my sofa at home, watching old movies.

7. Do you spin your own yarn?
No, but I love watching other people spin.

8. Do you belong to a knitting group?
No, but I visit the local knitting guilds (in Long Island, New Jersey, New York and sometimes Boston) several times a year to give presentations of our newest issues.

9. Are you in touch with other designers and how do you communicate with the knitters who knit your designs?
I am in touch with designers all the time, through the magazines I work for and knitting trade shows and events. Living in New York, I am able to meet personally with many designers, either at the office, and at lunch, at yarn shops and knitting events throughout the year.

10. Where can we see your published designs?
I do not have much time to design anymore, but every once in a while you can see my designs in Knit Simple or Vogue Knitting.

11. Do you teach classes? If yes, where do you teach?
I will be teaching classes at a brand-new consumer event sponsored by SoHo Publishing called “Vogue Knitting Live.” The dates are January 21-23, 2011, at the Hilton New York Hotel. Go to Vogue Knitting website for details.

12. What would you like to tell knitters who are timid and do not believe they are skillful enough to knit some of your designs?
As Editor in Chief of Knit Simple magazine, one of my jobs is to choose designs for each issue that are easy to make, yet stylish and fun to do. I also am responsible for all the instructions in both Knit Simple and Vogue Knitting, and most days are also filled with knitting--figuring out complicated patterns, how to size then and make them easier to understand. I find that I prefer to knit simpler things so that I do not have to think too much. Therefore my designs are usually on the easy side and are certainly not a stretch for a new knitter.

13. What are your plans in the near future?
To continue to knit and encourage young people to keep the trend alive.

14. Can you share with us some of your latest designs?
Here is a picture of my daughter Patrice, then 10 (now 13), who is wearing a sweater that I designed and knit for her. It was featured in an article on kids knitting, from Knit Simple 2007, which was my first issue as Editor in Chief.
I wanted her to wear something knitted for the photo shoot, and needed it done quickly, so I knit this short-sleeved raglan sweater in her favorite color. It is a very simple design, knit in one piece to the underarm to cut down on the finishing. I taught Patrice to knit when she was 6, and she still knits today.

15. Would you like to add anything about yourself?
While knitting was not my intended career choice (I wanted to be an interpreter at the U.N. and travel the world), I am so happy to be in the knitting industry. I have met so many wonderful and talented people, many of whom are good friends now. I am able to use my knowledge of languages by translating patterns from other countries and my travel bug is satisfied by going on the annual Vogue Knitting Tours (this year, Italy!). I have been working in this industry since 1977 and have seen a lot of ups and downs. But this most recent knitting trend has lasted longer than anyone expected. I hope that knitting will continue to be strong, and I am excited to be a part of knitting history.

FG: Thank you, Carla, for taking time to visit with us here. It is fascinating to learn about everything you do. Next time my readers open one of the Stitchionary books or Vogue knitting magazines they will know that you played a big role in its realization. Good luck with teaching at Vogue Knitting Live and other ventures.

TODAY'S GUEST: TANIS GRAY

2010-08-19T13:39:00.000-07:00

Tanis Gray is the former Yarn Editor for Soho Publishing (Vogue Knitting, Knit Simple, Knit.1, Debbie Bliss magazines, and Sixth & Spring Books) and is the co-editor of Knit.1. Tanis is a designer and an author. Her designs graced the cover of a few issues of Vogue Knitting and other publications. In her recent book 60 Quick Knits Tanis compiled 60 designs that are made out of Cascade 220 yarn. Tanis loves different knitting techniques and she is using them with style and elegance. Her modern and fashionable designs are loved by knitters around the world. Here is her interview for The Designer's Studio.

1. When did you start knitting (crocheting) and who taught you?
I started knitting when I was 8 years old. My mom was knitting me a mauve mohair sweater and of course, I wanted to do what she was doing! She started me off with simple garter but I quickly grew hungry for more. We would vacation in northern new Hampshire and go to a fabulous yarn shop run by a women who looked like she had been there for 1,000 years and had this old, white dog who would follow her around the shop. She put me on DPNs immediately and had me knitting mittens the same day. So began the mitten period. I knit little else for a few years until she convinced me to start my first fair isle sweater when I was 11. My friend in college taught me to crochet when we were freshman. Our dorm was drafty and I wanted to make an afghan.

2. When did you begin publishing your designs?
I started working for SoHo Publishing in 2005 and did my first design for them within a few months of being hired. I continue to do design work for them today but have branched out to other publications as well as self publishing some projects online.

3. What is your most favorite knitting (crocheting) technique?
I went to RISD and have always been very involved in the arts. My mother is a painter and pastel artist so color and texture were always a big part of my life. Fair isle and cabling are my favorites, followed closely by lace. The more complex, the better.

4. When you are thinking about some new design, what inspires you the most? Is it different every time? Could you give us some examples on inspiration for some of your designs?
It entirely depends on where it will be published. If it's for a specific story in a magazine, I start to research what I can about the subject matter. Living in Washington DC, I visit many museums and am surrounded by some amazing architecture. I have friends who work at the Smithsonian or in other museums and find myself constantly inspired by just visiting them at work. A small turret on a building or the arch of a staircase, a painting or lamp can inspire. My mom and I have this saying... "Keep your eyes open." It's amazing what you can be influenced or inspired by by just looking. I read voraciously, so most of my self published patterns get their names from something I've read and many times the ideas for the projects were hatched while reading.

5. What does your studio look like?
My "studio" is the kitchen table, especially if I'm working on a book. I'm hyper organized so it's very tidy. Life is so much better when everything it organized! My knitting comes everywhere with me, so you can find me knitting on the subway, in line at the supermarket, in the dentist waiting room, on a plane home to Boston to see my parents... My walk-in-closet houses my stash and I keep that in huge plastic bins organized by weight, then sub-organized by color.

6. What is your most favorite place to knit (crochet)?
I have a sleep disorder that prevents me from going to bed before 3 or 4 am. I love to camp out in front of my laptop when it's very dark out, my husband and pets are all tucked in and asleep and the world is calm. I knit at the table and watch streaming video by the glow of the Capitol dome light and my laptop screen. It's my magic hour. Fun knitting is saved for the hours of 12-4am.

7. Do you spin your own yarn?
I know how to use a drop spindle and I'm dying to spin, but I feel like that's a can of worms I cannot allow myself to open right now.

8. Do you belong to a knitting group?
No, but most of my friends knit so we always end up knitting together at some point. When we go to the movies together we all sit down and immediately pull out our knitting.

9. Are you in touch with other designers and how do you communicate with the knitters who knit your designs?
Yes! As mentioned previously, many of my friends are knitters and most of them I met while working at SoHo Publishing. It's so much fun to geek out over new knitting needles or a great new knitting book and have the other person know exactly what you're talking about. I'm a huge fan of communicating via the computer, so I email a lot, communicate through Ravelry (especially with people knitting my patterns), Facebook and texting. I'm not a huge fan of talking on the phone and I refuse to get involved with Twitter.

10. Where can we see your published designs?
I've been doing a lot of work lately with SoHo publishing, Knitting, Knitscene and various yarn companies. Everything is more or less up on Ravelry.com once it's published. I also have a website called Tanis Knits .

11. Do you teach classes? If yes, where do you teach?
I LOVE teaching. It's always interesting to me if designers like to teach or not. I teach a lot at Fibre Space in Alexandria, VA, Looped Yarn Works in Dupont Circle in Washington DC and Stitch DC, also in Washington DC. I especially enjoy teaching the beginners or people trying new techniques for the first time. Having been an Animation major at RISD, I have infinite patience. I think everyone should knit and if I can help them along and spread the joy-great!

12. What would you like to tell knitters who are timid and do not believe they are skillful enough to knit some of your designs?
How do you know unless you try? I get so many students who already admit defeat before even casting on. With some prodding and confidence boosting, they always leave with a finished project. You can do it! The only way you get better is by pushing yourself. You may have quite a knack for lace but how would you know that without trying?

13. What are your plans in the near future?
I'm finishing up my second book for SoHo Publishing and doing scads of freelance work. I've been doing more speaking engagements that get me into a new environment, which is always great. I have some plans for some e-book endeavors and something in the works that I can't talk about yet, but it's got me very excited.

14. Can you share with us some of your latest designs?
I've been doing a lot of lace recently since my last Vogue Knitting cover with the lace shawl came out. I'm working on stuff right now that won't be published until the winter, so there's a lot of fair isle and cabling, my 2 loves.

15. Would you like to add anything about yourself?
I truly love knitting. Each stitch has made me a more confident knitter and one willing to take chances. Sometimes designs don't work and they can't even be salvaged. That keeps me going and reminds me that knitting is always surprising. It's such an important craft and I wish it was taught in all schools. It teaches confidence, the joy of finishing something, hard work and builds match skills. It's so important to pass this wonderful craft on.

FG: Tanis, thank you very much for telling us so many interesting things about you as a designer. I agree with you that knitting must be taught to people and it brings to us so much more than just a finished project. It is a journey. I can't wait to see what you are up to with the projects you could not disclose to us. Good luck with them!

TODAY'S GUEST: KRISTIN NICHOLAS

2010-07-22T18:45:00.000-07:00

As knitters we know Kristin Nicholas as an author of knitting books and long-time knitwear designer. Her amazing color work is vibrant and thrilling. What I have also learned working on this interview that Kristin is a decorative artist who "lives in colors". Besides knitting she paints, does stitchery, interior design, home furnishing, ceramics, and gardening. The list is probably longer. She loves it all and shares her knowledge with us through her books on some of these subjects. Throughout this interview you will see some of the photos of her surroundings but I strongly encourage you to go to her website and her blog called Getting Stitched on the Farm for more. There you will see the farm in Western Massachusetts where Kristin and her family live with all the natural beauty that surrounds them. After you spend time looking at her fabulous photographs you will understand where does Kristin get her inspiration. You can read my review of her newest book Color by Kristin on At First Glance. So, lets begin.

1. When did you start knitting (crocheting) and who taught you?
My mom taught me how to knit when I was 9 but I only made a little garter stitch orange and yellow drawstring pocketbook. I never learned to purl. In only knit this one thing until I decided to really learn to knit when I was 19 and going to the University of Delaware.

On the other hand, my grandmother taught me to crochet when I was 9 and I did a lot of it. My grandmother crocheted all the time and she inspired me. She was also a quilter, embroiderer and seamstress. She always told me I was so clever and really encouraged me to keep trying new things.

My mom also sewed and knit a bit but she had 5 little girls and not a lot of time to make projects. She was always coordinating our craft and sewing projects, buying us fabric and supplies and never had much time to do it herself. I am eternally grateful that she kept those supplies in my hands and always kept encouraging my latest craft and sewing adventure.

2. When did you begin publishing your designs?
When I was just out of grad school, I started a little business selling patterns. Then I got a job at a small yarn company in 1984 called "Elite Specialty Yarns" (which is now called Classic Elite Yarns) and had to really start cranking out the designs because it was my job - along with a lot of other responsibilities. I started out designing very easy projects (which was what the yarn stores wanted and still do!) and then generally grew as a designer by designing more and more complicated projects. I worked with Classic Elite Yarns for 16 years so it is where I grew into myself and my profession. I've been on my own now for 8 or 9 years. Where does the time go?

Over the years, my designs have been featured in many different magazines, books, and yarn company brochures. It's impossible to keep track and I have lost many of the patterns. Oh well. I can always design another!

3. What is your most favorite knitting (crocheting) technique?

I love Fair Isle Colorwork and cables. I don't like to knit lace (or anything with yarn-overs in it) because I knit "backwards." I taught myself to knit out of a knitting book and evidently didn't follow the instructions correctly. By the time I figured that out, it was too late.

4. When you are thinking about some new design, what inspires you the most? Is it different every time? Could you give us some examples on inspiration for some of your designs?
I work on a project by project basis with the magazines and yarn companies. They usually say something like this to me: "Make us a cardigan with cables that isn't too hard." and then I do it. I have long standing relationships with most of the people I work with and they trust that what I do for them will be good. I'm very lucky.

When I'm doing a book though, I make it all up myself. I generally just start designing around the accepted "book proposal" and then keep building around the designs that happen. Most of my books have 20 to 30 projects in them so it is an organic process that happens over quite a span of time.

5. What does your studio look like?

Let's start this out by saying I'm not much of a housekeeper. I really don't have a lot of time or interest in a spanking clean environment. First off, my studio is in the basement of our really old farmhouse (built in 1751). The room used to be a kitchen and it "daylights" to the outdoors. I think that is some kind of "real estate term" but I like it. At the back wall, it is built into the earth which keeps it really cool. In the front, I can walk out the door to the garden or look out the picture window when there is snow on the ground.

I just love my studio - I call it my "office" and my husband calls it "Kristin's cave." My studio is my very own place and my daughter and husband rarely ever come down the stairs. I have my computer in a closet so I can close the doors when there isn't too much stuff on the floors. I have a large window which looks out on a patio and in the summer there are flowers blooming. I've got an old photocopy machine, a fax machine that never seems to work, a laser printer, and a corded telephone - all the usual stuff. There are 2 large tables that are covered with works in progress, just published magazines with my projects in them, sewing and art supplies. My studio used to be a kitchen so there is a sink, stove, refrigerator, and my washer and dryer are here too. It's always a mess, unless I know I am having a visitor. Then I clean it up and it looks great but only for a day or two. Then I have messed it up again. I think I prefer it messy - it means things are happening and that I am in a creative streak. I know where everything is, almost.

Oh, and there is always a cat with me - we live on a farm and we have nine so someone is always sleeping on a pile of yarn or a swatch or something. Right now Vera is on the window shelf and Annika is on the table. They must have been busy last night.

I actually don't knit in my studio. It's where I do all the stuff that I have to do like typing patterns, drawing charts and schematics, answering email. When I knit, I usually knit in a big chair in the kitchen or in the library room where my art and knitting books are and there is a television so I can watch movies on the DVD.

6. What is your most favorite place to knit (crochet)?

I love to knit and crochet in the car, that is if my husband is driving. I used to do that a lot but we don't travel as much as we used to. I miss it. I love to be on public transport of some kind - bus, train, plane and knit there too! It's that uninterrupted time when noone is bothering me - nor when I can worry about putting a load of wash in or doing the dishes - that I really love for knitting.

7. Do you spin your own yarn?
No, I know how but I let a friend borrow my wheel and she never gave it back to me. I have lost track of her now.

8. Do you belong to a knitting group?
No I don't. I really don't have a lot of interest in knitting with others. I guess that is because this is my job and for fun, I don't want to talk much about knitting.

9. Are you in touch with other designers and how do you communicate with the knitters who knit your designs?

Some of my very best friends are in the yarn business in some capacity whether it be working for yarn companies, magazines, or designers. We chat on the phone mostly. I find email impersonal and would rather spend a few minutes on the phone.

I have just a couple of knitters and I send them all their patterns by email. Mostly we keep in touch by phone though because it is easier to work through a pattern problem on the phone vs. email.

I hear from a lot of knitters by email when they have finished one of my projects. Frequently they send me a photo which I love to get. It is great to see how they have tweaked something to make it their own.

10. Where can we see your published designs?
Nashua Handknits patterns, Vogue Knitting, Interweave Knits, Knitty.com, my books. I also have quite a few patterns on my website for instant PDF download. I'm adding more and more to it.

11. Do you teach classes? If yes, where do you teach?
Sometimes. I don't travel far though. If I can't drive there in a couple hours, I usually don't go. I teach all day workshops at yarn stores in New England. I have been doing more teaching this past year.

I also run a series of classes at our farm. I call it "Getting Stitched on the Farm with Kristin Nicholas." They are weekend classes and really fun. It is great to share our farmhouse, the animals, good food, my knitting and color interests with knitters.
You can read about it on my webpage.

12. What would you like to tell knitters who are timid and do not believe they are skillful enough to knit some of your designs?
As the Nike ad says "JUST DO IT!" Take a deep breath and stumble in. You'll figure it out as you go along.

13. What are your plans in the near future?
I'm going to rake last fall's leaves and stack some wood for next year's fires.

To design and self-publish more PDF instant download patterns.

Add more classes teaching at our farm.

14. Can you share with us some of your latest designs?
Right now I'm in the middle of publishing "Olympia the Lamb's Felted Knit or Crochet Wool Lei." Olympia is one of our bottle lambs from this year and I photographed her on my blog with a wreath of flowers around her neck. Now everyone that reads my blog wants the pattern. So I've got to fulfill the wants of my blog readers.

15. Would you like to add anything about yourself?
My husband Mark and I have raised sheep for over 30 years. Right now we have over 400 ewes and lambs grazing our pastures. We sell frozen meat at local farmer's markets. I write about the trials and tribulations of living on a farm on my blog Getting Stitched on the Farm.

Besides knitting, I do a lot of other creative things like painting (oils and gouache), decorative paint my house, crochet, embroider. I've written two books on embroidery, besides the 6 books I've written or illustrated on knitting. I don't like to think of myself as a only a knitwear designer. I think of my self as an artist who happens to specialize in knitwear and stitchery design.

The current driving force behind all of my work is color and lots of it. I also enjoy taking photos (mostly for my blog) and doing a bit of gardening when I can find the time. My family and farm responsibilities come first so I often don't get as much knitwear work done as I dream about.

FG: Thank you, Kristin, for showing us this beautiful and peaceful place that you call home. We can clearly see where you get an inspiration for your beautiful designs. Good luck with your new book and we hope to see more of your creations.

TODAY'S GUEST: JOAN MCGOWAN-MICHAEL

2010-07-13T18:44:00.000-07:00

Joan McGowan-Michael came to knitwear design from a different angle from many. Right after she graduated from Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising she got a job designing for Frederick's of Hollywood. Although it was not exactly what she was taught to do, she says, it launched her career as a designer who understands a woman's body and wants every woman to look sexy, romantic, and beautiful. Joan's experience in lingerie and bridal design made a huge impact on her style when she transitioned to knitwear design. She manages to bring elements of a vintage look combined with an impeccable fit to her contemporary designs. Joan is the author of Knitting Lingerie Style

and her pattern line White Lies Designs is well-known. She has many publications, so watch for her wonderful designs and visit her website for more. So, here she is.

1. When did you start knitting (crocheting) and who taught you?
My mother taught me at about age 7. Unfortunately, she only taught me to cast on and knit which led to some weird attempts at finishing.

2. When did you begin publishing your designs?
I think my first design was published in 1996 by the kit company I was working for at the time. Then I went on to have a couple of designs published in Interweave Knits. I got the Summer and Fall covers of 1998.

3. What is your most favorite knitting (crocheting) technique?
I enjoy lace the most because I like the light look of it, even in heavier yarns.

4. When you are thinking about some new design, what inspires you the most? Is it different every time? Could you give us some examples on inspiration for some of your designs?
I like to collect the elements of design. I have a sketchbook that is full of different sleeves, pockets, collars, neckline shapes, silhouettes, etc. I combine them in different ways until I get something I like. Sort of the Mr. Potato Head approach to knitwear design.

5. What does your studio look like?
If you were to ask my husband he would say the whole house looks like a studio, with yarn everywhere and baskets of work in progress by all the comfortable places to sit. I do however, have dedicated work stations; one with my computer and all the business paperwork around, the other with my knitting and sewing machines set up and yarn and fabrics in bins stacked close by.

6. What is your most favorite place to knit (crochet)?
My current nest is on the futon in our family room. Very comfortable, good light, out of the way of family traffic. Other than that, I have an Adirondack chair in the backyard that is quite comfortable as well.

7. Do you spin your own yarn?
No. That would cut into my knitting time and could be a disaster.

8. Do you belong to a knitting group?
I see knitting as my job and when I am off the clock I don't really want to socialize knitting too.

9. Are you in touch with other designers and how do you communicate with the knitters who knit your designs?
Yes, I communicate with many other designers as well as knitters threough Ravelry or just by email.

10. Where can we see your published designs?
On my website White Lies Designs.

11. Do you teach classes? If yes, where do you teach?
Yes, I teach wherever knitters want me to go; guilds and yarnshops, cruises, other fiber related trips. Here's my workshop syllabus.

12. What would you like to tell knitters who are timid and do not believe they are skillful enough to knit some of your designs?
I'm told that my patterns are well written and easy to follow and even I am surprised by some of the finished sweaters I see on Ravelry that were made by relatively inexperienced knitters. I love how fearless many newbie knitters are and I would ask what does anyone really have to lose by trying out something that seems a little advanced? It's all about pushing forward and polishing your skills.

13. What are your plans in the near future?
I'll be going to Scotland in August for the UK Knitcamp and Ravelry weekend to teach! Very exciting!

14. Can you share with us some of your latest designs?
Carmella is one of my new designs made in Cascade's new Ultra Pima. I'm liking 3/4 length sleeves right now; they seem fresh.

Olivia is also new for Spring. I like empire styles in knitting much better than sewn versions, simply because the fabfic drapes closer to the body eliminating the dreaded "pregnancy pouf" that those styles can be notorious for.

I also have designs coming up in the 25th anniversary issue of Cast On magazine and a few books by other authors.
15. Would you like to add anything about yourself?
I don't design anything for White Lies Designs or publications that I don't personally love. A trip through my website is a peek into my brain. I see myself as my very first customer and if I wouldn't buy it, spend my precious free time knitting it and then love it to bits, how in the world would I expect that anyone else would?
I am also very careful to present something for everyone, no matter what their size. Petite to plus, all sizes of bodies are beautiful and I want to give knitters permission to express their beauty through what they make and wear. It makes me sad when larger ladies say that they only knit for other people, but it's a great thrill when one of these same women tells me that the very first garment they've ever made for themselves was one I designed and that they love it. That, my friend, is my definition of success!

FG: Joan, what a pleasure to have you here. Thank you for sharing with us your lovely designs. I am looking forward to seeing many more of them.

TODAY'S GUEST: KRISTIN OMDAHL

2010-06-27T10:24:00.000-07:00

Kristin Omdahl is a well-established crochet and knitwear designer. Kristin is best known for her crochet designs, which reflect her fascination with geometry that she is masterfully combines with her skillful and very interesting techniques. Her designs are fresh, contemporary, well-designed mathematically and visually , beautiful and very intriguing. As Cari Clement, the director of Fashion & Design for Caron International, said: "Her circular motifs are her signature and her lace crochet is becoming legendary. Kristin’s designs keep us all fans of knit and crochet lace." I agree with Cari and if you are not familiar with Kristin's work yet, I would encourage you to check her Ravelry page where you can find 163 designs both for knitting and crochet. Kristin is the author of three books and is working on her fourth one. Her other work can be found in such major publications as Interweave Crochet Magazine, Crochet! Magazine, Vogue Knitting, Knit N Style Magazine, Knit.1 Magazine as well as in some collaborative books and on her website Styled By Kristin. You might have seen her in the public television show called Knitting Daily TV as the show's "Crochet Corner" expert. There are some promo videos of that show on U-tube. When I met her in real life I thought that Kristin is very easy to get to know and a lot of fun to talk to. Get to know her better by reading her answers below.

1. When did you start knitting (crocheting) and who taught you?
I taught myself to crochet while pregnant and living in Israel—my mother would send me pamphlets in English in the mail, and there was one small yarn shop in town where I could choose from an assortment of colors of worsted weight acrylic yarn imported from Turkey. I practiced crochet for a solid month before teaching myself to knit, too. I have been knitting and crocheting daily every since.

2. When did you begin publishing your designs?
When my son was two years old, I needed to go back to work because I divorced his father. I wanted to create a business knitting and crocheting so I could stay home and raise my son at the same time. I submitted one knit and one crochet proposal in the Fall of 2005 to publications in the United States. Each was accepted and my design career began.

3. What is your most favorite knitting (crocheting) technique?
That is a tough question! I enjoy many knit and crochet techniques. Lace would be at the top of my list for both crafts. I also like reversible patterns in knitting and motifs in crochet.
Interestingly, I enjoy exploring and experimenting with techniques from one craft and trying to apply it to the other craft. Currently, I am working on a knitting book that explores unusual techniques that are crochet inspired.

4. When you are thinking about some new design, what inspires you the most? Is it different every time? Could you give us some examples on inspiration for some of your designs?
I find inspiration everywhere I look! I am inspired by the tropical foliage of the area I live: Southwest Florida. I am inspired by the beautiful orchids, hibiscus and dragonflies in my back yard. Many of the designs in Crochet So Fine are specifically inspired by my tropical surroundings.

5. What does your studio look like?
My studio is all white. The bursts of color come from the projects I am working on. I like to keep my studio neat and organized. I believe I think better when everything is in order. When I get really busy, the chaos ensues and it takes a while to reign it all back in. Funny enough, when friends come over they tell me it doesn't look messy, the yarn is too pretty!

6. What is your most favorite place to knit (crochet)?
I have a lot of favorite places to knit and crochet. I love working in my studio, and I have a beautiful orchid garden in my backyard that is perfect for stitching! There are several local cafes that have pretty outdoor seating. I enjoy the people watching when I stitch there. One in particular has a waterfall that is so pretty and soothing.

7. Do you spin your own yarn?
No, I don't spin. I think it is interesting and almost hypnotic to watch someone work a spinning wheel, but I haven't felt the desire to learn... yet.

8. Do you belong to a knitting group?
Yes. I frequent a weekly knitting group and enjoy the friendships I've made through the meetings. I am also a member of TNNA, CGOA and KGOA.

9. Are you in touch with other designers and how do you communicate with the knitters who knit your designs?
I have made many wonderful friendships in the craft industry, including other designers, through the trade shows we frequent throughout the year. Thanks to email and forums, I have had the opportunity to "meet" many of the wonderful people who have made projects from my designs. I especially love to receive photos of their projects.

10. Where can we see your published designs?
My work can be seen in "Wrapped In Crochet" (Interweave 2008), "Crochet So Fine" (Interweave 2010), and “Knitting Wrapsody” Innovative Designs to Wrap, Drape and Tie (Interweave 2011). My designs have been featured in many magazines including Interweave Knits, Interweave Crochet, Knitscene and Vogue Knitting. I also have a self-published pattern collection on my website Styled by Kristin.11. Do you teach classes? If yes, where do you teach?
Occasionally, I teach at my local shops and when I travel during trade shows and book signings. My schedule is available on my website.
I also have a workshop DVD called Innovative Crochet: Motifs . It is a 64-minute crochet workshop DVD where I teach how to make motifs, how to read charts, how to join motifs with several techniques, how to use motifs as design elements and much more.

12. What would you like to tell knitters who are timid and do not believe they are skillful enough to knit some of your designs?
There is a learning curve to everything. I believe if you can practice and believe in yourself you can learn anything! My patterns range from beginner to intermediate level. I have extensive glossaries for both knitting and crochet on my website, and I am happy to help if you have questions. Please use the Contact Me button on my website if you have questions about my patterns.

13. What are your plans in the near future?
Knitting and crochet design, of course! I am currently working on a knitting book and DVD where the unusual knitting techniques and esthetics are crochet inspired.

14. Can you share with us some of your latest designs?

My Spring 2010 Collection of self-published knit and crochet designs are Vinga Belted Cape (crochet)

Deco Skirt (crochet)

Sarita Sweater (knit)

Aloha Orchid Scarf/Flower (crochet)

Barefoot Beach Shawl (knit)

Captiva ballet wrap (crochet)

Tiers of Joy evening purse (crochet)

all of which can be found on Ravelry.com or my website Styled by Kristin.
Check back for more knit and crochet patterns coming soon!
I am the Crochet Expert on Knitting Daily TV, which airs on PBS nationwide. Please check your local listings for dates and times in your area. If it is not showing in your area and you wish it was, please contact your local PBS station and ask them! They only broadcast what they think their viewers want to watch.
In season 400 (which is airing now), I have a segment on each episode called "Crochet Corner" where I demonstrate a new crochet stitch or technique every week, starting from the very beginning and expanding thereafter. Each episode includes a free pattern that links from the website , which features the stitch I demonstrated in that episode.
Wisteria Shawl, Interweave Crochet Spring 2010
Lace Tunic (name TBD), Interweave Crochet Summer 2010

15. Would you like to add anything about yourself?
I am passionate about creating with my hands. When I am not knitting and crocheting, I can be found fishing with my son, running, whipping up healthy original recipes or learning to play guitar.FG: Oh, wow! This is wonderful! Thank you, Kristin so much for sharing your beautiful designs with us. It seems like these designs are pouring out of you. They are all different and technically interesting. I also have a copy of your Crochet So Fine and will be posting my review of it very soon. So, people, stay tuned for another glance on Kristin's designs. I will come back here and give you the link after it is done. Post your comments, please.

TODAY'S GUEST: MARIE GRACE SMITH

2010-06-19T16:31:00.000-07:00

Marie Grace lives in rural Pennsylvania on a farm with her family. Her 4 kids are often her wonderful models that we can see when we are browsing her website called Marie Grace Designs. The majority of Marie Grace's patterns are for children sizes ranging from 2 to 14. Since Marie Grace mostly self-publishes her designs we can find them on her webpage and at Deep South Fibers .
Below are the answers that Marie Grace provided for the Designer's Studio.

1. When did you start knitting (crocheting) and who taught you?
My great-aunt taught me to crochet when I was about 9 years old. I spent countless hours making little blankets and pillows for my dolls out of any scraps I could get my hands on. I didn’t learn to knit until I had kids of my own. Many people told me it was very difficult to learn to work with 2 needles after becoming so used to working with one hook but a friend showed me how to cast on, knit, and purl, and that was it. I’ve been knitting ever since. I do still crochet occasionally but mostly just small things or borders.

2. When did you begin publishing your designs?
In 2006, I believe.

3. What is your most favorite knitting (crocheting) technique?
I don’t really have a favorite. I like to do everything. Part of my drive to design is that I like to know how to do every technique I can figure out and to be able to choose what I want to do rather than limit myself to what I already know. I am fond of seamless knitting and particularly top-down raglans but I’ll just as easily work pieces that need seamed. I also enjoy color-work, textures and cables, and embroidery on knitting.

4. When you are thinking about some new design, what inspires you the most? Is it different every time? Could you give us some examples on inspiration for some of your designs?
Inspiration comes from different things. Sometimes its a yarn I want to use or a shape I doodled in my notebook. I do tend to be heavily influenced by classic and heirloom sewing styles as I’ve been sewing longer than I’ve been knitting and I’m very fond of heirloom sewing. The same shapes and details seen in heirloom sewing often surface in my knit designs.

My “Darling” pattern was inspired by the long wool coats I’ve seen that are to be worn over little girls dresses. I figured a knit wool coat was just a wonderful as a sewn wool coat and I took the opportunity to sneak in some embroidery.The idea for “Sparrow” came from a Japanese sewing book I have. I love that Japanese style sewing is so simple and understated. “Sparrow” is made from 2 simple pieces and seamed together just like the sewn version of a blouse I made for my daughter. I added the texture to the upper portion to help carry a very basic design a little further.5. What does your studio look like?
I don’t actually have a studio. I have book shelves and storage bins in several places throughout the house. I keep my favorite books and my design notebooks and binders on the main shelves in the living room along with yarns I’m working with at the moment. More yarn (and fabric) is stored in cabinets downstairs. My laptop makes it possible for me to move around the house as need be but my usual place is the island in the kitchen.

6. What is your most favorite place to knit (crochet)?
I normally knit on the sofa but when the weather is nice I love to sit out on the deck.

7. Do you spin your own yarn?
Nope. The last thing I need is another craft to be distracted by.

8. Do you belong to a knitting group?
Not on a formal basis. When we lived closer to the city I was a regular at the Knit Night at Colonial Yarn Shop. I do miss going to the group but I’m too much of a home-body to make the hour drive on a Friday night. Sometimes we get a small group together here at the local library and I’d like to see that become more of a regular thing.

9. Are you in touch with other designers and how do you communicate with the knitters who knit your designs?
I am a member of a few online groups of designers both on Ravelry and elsewhere. Knitters who knit my designs can find me on Ravelry and can also contact me directly by email or through my blog.

10. Where can we see your published designs?
My self-published designs can all be found on my blog. My Ravelry page lists all my designs including the ones seen in various publications such as Twist Collective and Living Crafts magazine.

11. Do you teach classes? If yes, where do you teach?
Right now my only students are kids in our local 4H group. We’re getting ready to start a new season as soon as school is out!

12. What would you like to tell knitters who are timid and do not believe they are skillful enough to knit some of your designs?
Its a great time to be a knitter, even a newer knitter. There is more information available than ever. Books, blogs, online tutorials and message boards are all chock full of information and lessons to be learned. Furthermore, yarn is just yarn. It can be un-done and re-done and fiddled with and experimented with and after all that, its still just yarn. The world will not stop spinning if a knitter does something incorrectly with a strand of yarn. So many knitters are less than fond of swatching but really swatches are awesome learning tools. When trying to learn a new stitch or technique the best way to go about it is to make a sample swatch. It completely takes away all the stress of worrying about messing up a larger project. Once someone has gained a little confidence with a harmless swatch they can go on to tackle something more substantial.

13. What are your plans in the near future?
Right now my plan is to just keep working on the things I have in progress and see what happens. I like to feel like I’m always moving forward so I have a few designs in progress all the time. Though I do set goals for myself I need to stay flexible. There’s a million things I’d like to do but my family takes a lot of time and energy. I’d like to eventually have the opportunity to publish a book and I’m moving toward that goal though there’s nothing definite at this time.

14. Can you share with us some of your latest designs?
So far this year I’ve released 3 new designs.
“Sparrow” as I mentioned earlier was inspired by a Japanese sewing pattern and is available in children’s sizes 2-12.

“Reese” is a top-down round yoke with color-work in sizes 2-12 and is great for boys and girls.

“Wintersweet” is a top-down raglan with a pretty collar and optional embroidery and is sized from 2-12.
You’ll also see some new designs in summer publications but you’ll have to wait for that.

15. Would you like to add anything about yourself?
Really, I just want people to know that I see myself more as a knitter than a designer. I love to communicate with other knitters and sewers especially but often feel intimidated around other designers. I get a knot in my gut every time I release a new pattern or send a submission to a magazine. I like to answer questions and write tutorials and share ideas. I like to see what others are knitting whether its one of my designs or not. I love to see knitters and crafters try new things and succeed.

FG: Thank you, Marie Grace and good luck to you. You have such beautiful kids and we can see that they enjoy modeling for you as much as you enjoy designing for them and other kids.

TODAY'S GUEST: RICK MONDRAGON

2010-05-24T11:43:00.000-07:00

We all know Rick as the editor of the Knitter's Magazine as well as the creative director of their Design Team. For many years now we associate Knitter's Magazine with his work as a designer. Looking at Rick's signature pieces in colorwork I always admired the construction of his projects. It is so clever and innovative that you remember his designs for a long time.
What is even better, Rick does not mind to share his secrets and experience with anyone who wants to learn from him. If you are at Stitches, TNNA, or some other place where Rick is teaching do not miss the opportunity to take a class from him. His enthusiasm in the classroom has been known for many years. Rick's creative life started very early and he says that he cannot help himself when the materials are available. He has to create something out of them. The example of innovative nature of Rick's techniques can be illustrated by his Sliding Loop Vest pattern in Knitters magazine. In one article I have read that Rick said: "Knitting...became a way to soothe my heart and soul." I think it sums it up, don't you think? So, below are the answers Rick gave to DS.

1. When did you start knitting (crocheting) and who taught you?
I started to crochet at age 4. I remember this as my older brother started first grade and my poor mother needed to find something to keep me busy. I made granny squares and loved it…. I always made them “backward” because I am a lefty. My maternal grandmother and great Grandmother’s were very supportive in keeping me supplied as my skills progressed.

Knitting came about age 13-14, I taught myself with a 4-H book that I stole from my sister. I really became a knitter during my college years, sewing most of my wardrobe including sweaters.

2. When did you begin publishing your designs?
My first published work was an article Knit In Blocks of Color - Without Bobbins with the subtitle Adding color, one block at a time, takes the headache out of intarsia knitting
in Threads #57 (March 1995) on the sliding loop. I was fortunate to get the cover photo and from there I started submitting designs to Knitter’s and teaching for Stitches.

3. What is your most favorite knitting (crocheting) technique?
I love intarsia. I love color. I find that playing with the color keeps my interest throughout a project, as I am eager to work trough the next color change. And for crochet I swear by the double crochet stitch.

4. When you are thinking about some new design, what inspires you the most?
I am ever conscious that each design has to have its own integrity—what it will be and how it will be used. I usually work best if I set parameters for myself.
Is it different every time?
It is different many times. I am inspired by everything and anything—it depends on what my goal is— magazine, personal, or gift.

A lot of the ideas come in dreams; my subconscious seems to have a way of solving dilemmas when all my senses have been quieted. I keep a sketchpad and crayons at my bedside to record those ideas. It isn’t unusual for me to be doodling in a meeting, at lunch, while watching television. If needles aren’t available a pen or pencil better be, and often those are the beginnings of the next design.

Could you give us some examples on inspiration for some of your designs?
The cover sweater of Threads #57 was based on a painting by Helen Hardin, I saw it for just a few seconds as I was delivering a package to a client’s home. The next morning I was sketching like a fool, the front was completed a couple days later. Photo by Yvonne Taylor.

The cover of Knitter’s #63 features designs using my Sliding Loop technique, and was inspired by Noro Kureon yarn and knew it would work with the sliding loop techniques.

A lot of the last few garments have been inspired by yarn.

5. What does your studio look like?
It is a bit of a shambles, with all the different things I do with fiber, there are on going projects setting around in wait. I am an avid collector of yarns, books, fabrics, and tools... need I say more?

6. What is your most favorite place to knit (crochet)?
I don’t really have a favorite place to knit. I knit everywhere, and whenever.

7. Do you spin your own yarn?
Yes, spinning is a true passion; I love making yarns that I cannot get from a commercial spinning company.

8. Do you belong to a knitting group?
I do not at the moment, but I am a board member for a Local Fiber Association that sponsors a gathering each year in South Dakota—North Country Fiber Fair.

9. Are you in touch with other designers and how do you communicate with the knitters who knit your designs?
Through the magazine, Stitches, and TNNA, I have regular contact with knitting teachers, designers, and students, readers and knitters throughout the whole knitting spectrum.

10. Where can we see your published designs?
My work has been seen in Knitter’s Magazine for the last 10 years. Before that I had a few designs in other publications and designed for a few yarn companies.

11. Do you teach classes? If yes, where do you teach?
I teach a bit for TNNA (trade), at Stitches ETC, and I also teach for the Local Fiber Association

12. What would you like to tell knitters who are timid and do not believe they are skillful enough to knit some of your designs?
Most of my designs have a twist that makes them a little different, but the detail is explained and pretty much accessible to most knitters. All it takes is a bit of trust and adventure.
13. What are your plans in the near future?
There is a lot going on in our offices, but nothing I care to share at the moment.

14. Can you share with us some of your latest designs?
Watch for the summer issue of Knitter’s, there are a couple of fun projects that are developed from the same stitch pattern, you would never know it as the two silhouettes and final fabrics are so different.

15. Would you like to add anything about yourself?
I don’t think so…did I leave something unanswered?

Photos are courtesy of Knitter's Magazine, photographed by Alexis Xenakis.

FG: Rick, thank you very much for letting us see your designer's point of view and what is behind your beautiful creations. It is very clear that each of these pieces are labor of love and it took a lot of talent, taste, planning, sketching, choosing the right color, using the right technique and many hours of knitting and writing. I am looking forward to many more of your designs. They inspire others and show the possibilities that one can see and from which we all learn. Thank you.

TODAY'S GUEST: EDIE ECKMAN

2010-05-11T09:24:00.000-07:00

Edie Eckman is a well-known name in the fiber world. She is one of those people who can do it all and make it look very easy. She is a teacher, a writer, a knitting and crochet designer, and a technical editor. Edie teaches at Stitches, TNNA, guilds, and shops all over the country. On her website she says: "I love knitting AND crochet; please don't make me choose between them!" If you never took a class from Edie, do yourself a favor - take her class. I did. She is very organized, very logical, and a very knowledgeable teacher. The amount of publications that Edie has is an achievement on its own. Most of her books are reference books that you keep forever on your shelf. There are too many to mention here, so please go to Edie's website or to her Ravelry page to see the list. You will also see her numerous designs there. Here is the Santa Fe Shawl that was on a cover of the Interweave Crochet, summer 2008. Edie Eckman is also a terrific editor. I was fortunate to work with her for my designs for Claudia Hand Painted Yarns and let me tell you - she is great. I would love to work with her again. I can go on and on here, but I need to let you read her interview. So, here is Edie Eckman.

1. When did you start knitting (crocheting) and who taught you?
I was lucky enough to have a grandmother living with me when I was a child, and I learned to knit and to crochet from her. I think I was around 6 years old when I started knitting; I remember the first scarf I knit for my father was a wobbly striped affair that was about 4" wide and 20" long.

2. When did you begin publishing your designs?
My first design was published in about 1996.

3. What is your most favorite knitting (crocheting) technique?
Oh, what a difficult question! I end up having new favorites as I concentrate on different things. Lately I've been doing a lot of playing with 3-D embellished crochet fabric. In knitting, I take great pleasure in learning—or figuring out—tidy little techniques that improve the look of the finished piece.

4. When you are thinking about some new design, what inspires you the most? Is it different every time? Could you give us some examples on inspiration for some of your designs?
I tend to design on the needles/hook, so I never know exactly what's going to happen when I pick up the yarn. However, I love to go to art museums and galleries, and I tend to be inspired by textures in everyday things. Once when I was on a vacation in San Diego with my family, I came out of the public restroom and asked my husband for the camera. I needed to photograph the lovely mosaic tile on the floor of the bathroom. As a matter of fact, I realize that most of my vacation photos are as likely to be closeups of interesting textures and colors as they are of people!

5. What does your studio look like?
I'm extremely lucky to have a studio with windows on three sides for plenty of sunshine and a view of my backyard. I've got filing cabinets and cubbyholes and bookshelves which are reasonably well organized. Here are a few pictures, taken right after I did a major cabin-fever-induced cleanup this winter. (Note the record snowfall!)
I should admit that, although I am extremely organized in my personal and professional life, “organized” does not mean “tidy”. The level of tidiness seen in the photos is not typical of what my studio looks like all the time. At any given moment, I’m likely to have several works-in-progress/magazines/sketches/swatches scattered over any available flat surface, including the floor. In addition, in my basement I have plastic bins full of yarn; I’d tell you how many, but I don’t really want to know myself.

6. What is your most favorite place to knit (crochet)?
I like to sit on the love seat in my studio and look out the window and listen to a good audiobook. Alternately, I have a comfy spot on the couch in the den in front of the TV.

7. Do you spin your own yarn?
No, but I've considered it. I’m afraid to start because I’m afraid I’d like it too much. Then I’d have to find time for spinning and space for fleece. When you give a mouse a cookie…

8. Do you belong to a knitting group?
Not at this time. I have belonged to a group in the past, and from time to time I stop in at a local group.

9. Are you in touch with other designers and how do you communicate with the knitters who knit your designs?
I am in touch with many other designers; we see each other at various events, and I do tech editing, so I meet designers that way (virtually, at least). I always answer emails and queries sent to me at edie@edieeckman.com and through my website and I'm edieeckman on Ravelry.com.

10. Where can we see your published designs?
Lots of places! My newest book is Around the Corner Crochet Borders (Storey Publishing). The book includes 150 crocheted borders appropriate for knitted, crocheted or woven items. The instructions are written in both chart and text form, and each border is engineered to go around a 90-degree corner without a break in the design. I’m so excited to be offerring fiber artists a way to edge afghans and cardigans without having to figure out how to get that corner to lie flat!

Although it doesn’t contain patterns, The Crochet Answer Book is a good resource for answering those questions that you didn’t even know you have, and Beyond the Square Crochet Motifs is another of my recent books, loaded with motifs for afghans, garments, and other projects.

Some of my other designs include the Santa Fe Shawl (see photo above) that graced the cover of Interweave Crochet Summer 2008,
and the Painted Turtle Afghan in Interweave Crochet Winter 2009. Check out the free pattern for a fun spring wreath, cotton tank and tote at universalyarn.com. Thousands of knitters have been introduced to sock knitting through Learn to Knit Socks and How to Knit Socks: Three Methods Made Easy (both from DRG). You can also find my designs in many magazines, yarn company publications, and book collections.

11. Do you teach classes? If yes, where do you teach?
Yes, I teach at some of the national fiber events like Stitches, The Knit & Crochet Show, and The National Needlework Association. I also teach for yarn shops and guilds across the country. You can find my teaching schedule and a list of classes online.

12. What would you like to tell knitters who are timid and do not believe they are skillful enough to knit some of your designs?
First of all, most of my designs are accessible to the knitter or crocheter with advanced beginner or intermediate skills, so they shouldn’t be too intimidated.

Having said that, I’m a firm believer in encouraging knitters and crocheters to attempt anything they want to stitch. Just because a project or technique may be beyond your current skill level, that’s no reason not to do it! Indeed, that may be just the encouragement you need to gain new skills. The more you know, the more you want to learn. Unless you do some research, you don’t even know what you don’t know! Take a class, go to your local yarn shop, ask a more experienced friend, buy books (or check them out from your library), and of course, search the internet. There are SO many ways to pick up new skills, there’s really no excuse not to be learning new things all the time.

Knitting and crocheting are supposed to be fun. There’s no room for fear!

13. What are your plans in the near future?
I’m going to spend some more time focusing on new designs. I’ll continue to teach and design for magazines and yarn companies, but I’m also starting to delve into self-publishing. And, of course, I’m always thinking about another book!

14. Can you share with us some of your latest designs?
Seems I’ve been on kind of a scarf kick the past few weeks. I’m so completely addicted to the knitting rhythm that occurs with my ZigZag Eyelet Scarf that I can’t stop making them. Another easy-to-wear summer project is the Flower Frills Scarf. The linen content offers excellent drape and makes the scarf totally comfortable for a warm spring day.

15. Would you like to add anything about yourself?
I live in a beautiful part of the country, but I love to travel to new places and see new things and, of course, meet new people! I'm a live theater/music fan.

FG: Edie, thank you very much for such an informative interview. I know that this is just a very small portion of what you do, but it gives us a very good understanding of your work. Thank you for letting us see your great studio with a view of your yard covered in snow. What a cozy feeling it must be when you look out the window. This on its own can be an inspiration for a designer. Best of luck to you. I hope to work with you again in the near future and I will see you at TNNA.

TODAY'S GUEST: KRISTEN TENDYKE

2010-04-29T20:05:00.000-07:00

Kristen TenDyke is a talented designer whose name shows up so often in many publications that you get used to it. Looking through her creations you will quickly realize that you will never be bored with her designs. Kristen's imagination is unbounded in a way she brings different stitches together, constructs the project or uses the colors. It is obvious that she loves what she does and her designs reveal that to us. Many of her designs are very feminine and young. There is lace, cables, color work, crochet. Nothing stops her and nothing keeps her for too long. When you are browsing through a magazine with her publication in it, you will sure notice her design. For example, in Vogue Knitting, Spring/Summer 2008 Kristen had this beautiful top. It is one of my favorite Kristen's designs.

There is much more to learn about Kristen, so here is her answers to my questions.

1. When did you start knitting (crocheting) and who taught you?
My mom taught me to crochet when I was very little. Once I learned how to do more than hook a mile-long chain, I began designing things (I say things because I wouldn't necessarily call them clothes) for my dolls, then graduated into making slippers to fit my own feet. I played with crochet, on and off throughout high school and college, but never really made anything significant with it, since I couldn't read a crochet pattern for the life of me. In 2005 my boyfriend's sister gave me Stitch & Bitch Nation, and from that I was able to teach myself to knit—and read knitting patterns.

2. When did you begin publishing your designs?
The first design I had published was the red Woven Trellis Scarf that was featured on the cover of Vogue Knitting Holiday, 2006 issue.

3. What is your most favorite knitting (crocheting) technique?
This changes like the weather… Right now, I'm in love with the pearl brioche knit stitch.

4. When you are thinking about some new design, what inspires you the most? Is it different every time? Could you give us some examples on inspiration for some of your designs?
It's different almost every time. Sometimes the yarn speaks to me, sometimes a stitch pattern screams to be used, other times the silhouette of the garment comes to me first.
The Crochet Motif Cardigan was inspired by crochet snowflakes. I was going through a phase of making crochet snowflakes from various patterns, and was inspired to try my hand at creating a square motif that used some of the techniques I learned from making the snowflakes. Once a square motif was created that I loved, I was eager to form it into a sweater shape that worked well.
Sarabande began with a shape. I knew I wanted a yoke, with a fair isle band around the lower section, stockinette stitch below the band, and something more textured above the band, but I wasn't sure exactly what. I drew my idea, then began swatching. There were 3 different Classic Elite yarns that I had in mind for the project, but as I began swatching it was easily narrowed down to Kumara.

Many different swatches were made for this design, testing eyelets and bobbles for the center of the fair isle pattern, and garter stitch and seed stitch for the textured upper yoke.

The Fraternal Socks were born from a concept that I was introduced to in an elevator. I saw a pair of socks that were mismatched, but used the same colors in different places, so in a way, they matched. From that concept I created some colorwork charts, then found the yarn and crossed my fingers that something spectacular would come of it.

5. What does your studio look like?
It's an organized mess. There's a bulletin board with swatches pinned to it, overlapping pieces of paper with inspirational words and drawings. There are piles of papers—drawings, notes. There are boxes of finished garments from publishers, ready for tech editing, and bags of yarn waiting to be played with. It's a *very* small space…

6. What is your most favorite place to knit (crochet)?
Oh, I enjoy knitting and crocheting anywhere.

7. Do you spin your own yarn?
Not yet. I do dream to someday begin spinning… but at the moment, I don't have the space or the time to become interested in any more new hobbies.

8. Do you belong to a knitting group?
No. I'm somewhat of a hermit… and often feel awkward in real-life social situations—less so when there's yarn involved, but awkward none-the-less—so I tend not to get involved with groups of people who all already know each other.
I worked in an office at Classic Elite Yarns for a few years. That's probably the closest thing to a knitting group that I belonged to. We didn't knit together much, but there was always talk of knitting, and yarn, and works in progress were shared and contemplated.
9. Are you in touch with other designers and how do you communicate with the knitters who knit your designs?
I'm on Twitter, Ravelry and Facebook, and talk to many knitters and designers through those means.
10. Where can we see your published designs?
Classic Elite Yarns often publishes one or more of my designs in each of their seasons. There are some new designs coming out soon in Interweave Knits, Spring 2010 issue, as well as some designs in various upcoming Interweave Press books.
There are many self-published designs available on my website and there is also a gallery section on my website showing existing published designs from books and magazines.

11. Do you teach classes? If yes, where do you teach?
I do not currently teach any classes.

12. What would you like to tell knitters who are timid and do not believe they are skillful enough to knit some of your designs?
I learned everything I know about knitting by continuing to push myself outside of my comfortable knitting zone. Whenever there is something I'm not sure of, there is always someone online who has gone through the situation, and can help walk me through it. The designs that bring me the most happiness are the ones I need to research a little. I remember when I wanted to learn about cables. They baffled me, so I looked around online and found a little information about how to make them, and that they're made with this tool called a cable needle. I purchased a cable needle, then knit a little swatch of cables. I LOVED them—so I designed a baby sweater for my expecting cousin that was FULL of cables, then promptly began knitting.

I learned short rows in a similar way. They scared me. I had avoided patterns with short rows until one day I was reading through one of them and I decided that I was no longer going to live in fear of them! I picked up some needles and yarn and began practicing wraps and turns on a little 4" x 4" swatch until I felt comfortable with them—then I designed something to use them—The Broken Rib Tank.

Also, don't hesitate to contact people. If you're working with a pattern and come to a snag, find someone who can help you—even if that means e-mailing the designer. I occasionally get an e-mail from someone who has a hard time understanding something. Often times I can easily resolve their problem by explaining how to do it in a slightly different way. No need to feel intimidated by contacting the designer with a question—we're all human after all :)

13. What are your plans in the near future?
My boyfriend and I are going to be moving to the Austin TX area with our little house… I'm hoping to submit some more designs to upcoming magazines, and I'll continue working as the technical editor for Classic Elite Yarns. Other than that… I like to leave life open to see opportunities as they present themselves.

14. Can you share with us some of your latest designs?
My most recent published pattern is in Classic Elite's Spring 2010 line, in their new 100% organic cotton ribbon yarn, Katydid. The skirt on this top is knit side-to-side with dropped stitches creating horizontal bands—I love that feature. I think it really shows off the yarn.
Sarabande, and the Fraternal socks are some other relatively new patterns.

15. Would you like to add anything about yourself?
I live in a tiny house on wheels, with my boyfriend and our two kitties. I'm a solitary person, and find a lot of joy sitting at home playing with yarn, sticks and hooks, or by bringing more serenity into my life through yoga.

Tiny house

FG: Thank you, Kristen. It was very interesting. Good luck on your relocation and your upcoming publications. I am looking forward to seeing your many new and exciting designs.
To a reader: If you want to hear more about Kristen, you can listen to Getting Loopy podcast with Mary Beth Temple. There are many Kristen's designs that are not mentioned here. Please go to her Ravelry page to see them all. Join our group on Ravelry where you can talk to Kristen and other designers.

TODAY'S GUEST: LAURA ZUKAITE

2010-04-17T13:44:00.000-07:00

If you have read my review of Laura's book Luxe Knits, you know you are in for a treat today. This time I am focusing on Laura Zukaite, the designer. The more I look at Laura's designs the more I admire this young lady. She managed to accomplish so much in such a short time with the level of sophistication and maturity in her designs that inspires many of us to strive for more. She has many years ahead of her and I am sure we will see some amazing and exquisite designs from Laura. Let me start with her background which is a part of her making as a designer.
Laura was born and raised in Klaipeda, Lithuania. In addition to going to a regular school, Laura was attending the Gymnasium of Arts where she was studying painting, sculpture, ceramics, drawing, etc. She also took her first fashion design class there. Laura says:" I’ve been in love with it [FG: fashion] ever since." Laura's family moved to the US when she was 18 years old. Her parents and two younger brothers settled in Philadelphia. Laura has decided to move to New York City to go college. Her choice was the Parsons School of Design where she received her BFA in Fashion Design in 2007. Luxe Knits was a project of her last semester at Parsons that came to life last August.
Here is Laura's work for the 2007 Senior Thesis Show of the Fashion Design department at Parsons.

Laura has been working in sweater design in fashion industry since graduation. Currently, she is an associate designer of men's and women's sweaters at Polo Ralph Lauren.
Having said all this about Laura Zukaite, I am thinking it is time to let you read what she says herself. So, here is her interview for the Designer's Studio.

1. When did you start knitting (crocheting) and who taught you?
I always say that my mom probably taught me when I was about five (and honestly- I do not remember). It seems like I’ve been knitting and crocheting all my life…

2. When did you begin publishing your designs?
My first designs were published in Fall/Winter 2006 with Vogue Knitting, Interweave Knits, and Knitty.com.

3. What is your most favorite knitting (crocheting) technique?
I like working with stitches and textures… I do not have one favorite technique of all times, but I rather go through modes: one season I like to work on complicated lace patterns and the next season I can not get enough of Stockinette Stitch…

4. When you are thinking about some new design, what inspires you the most? Is it different every time? Could you give us some examples on inspiration for some of your designs?
Interesting that you ask, because inspiration to me is one of the most important parts of design. In my book, Luxe Knits , I describe that the sources of my inspiration mostly come from visual imagery…It could be an old tree, or a modern piece of furniture…but mostly I am inspired by what I see around me…

5. What does your studio look like?
My Studio is where I live and where I design (I rarely execute there…but I will talk about it later)…It is quite a small studio with two exposed brick walls and very tall ceilings & windows…and it does inspire me to create…

6. What is your most favorite place to knit (crochet)?
I am “on-the-go” kind of knitter. I rarely knit at home…unless I am starting a new piece or finishing it… I always carry a project with me wherever I go. I have done knitting on the subways, in the car, at the café shops, in the parks, waiting on line to buy museum tickets, during the opera intermissions…you name it…

7. Do you spin your own yarn?
No…

8. Do you belong to a knitting group?
No- most of the time- knitting is my time with myself…

9. Are you in touch with other designers and how do you communicate with the knitters
who knit your designs?
I am on Ravelry.com and created a blog where people can reach me. Every now & then I get emails from knitters that have questions… I welcome any form of communication from other knitters …

10. Where can we see your published designs?
Vogue Knitting, Interweave Knits, Knitty.com, Lace Style, Reversible Knitting, Classic Elite Pattern Books and of course my new book Luxe Knits…

11. Do you teach classes? If yes, where do you teach?
Sticks & Strings in Scarsdale, New York- the nicest little yarn shop!

12. What would you like to tell knitters who are timid and do not believe they are skillful
enough to knit some of your designs?
Practice is everything! Always challenge yourself and try things that are just above your skill level- soon you will see that the things that looked intimidating at first are not that difficult after you actually try them…

13. What are your plans in the near future?
I am pursuing my career in the fashion industry…and have the second book coming out in August… It is going to feature Accessories and present the same aesthetics as Luxe Knits…

14. Can you share with us some of your latest designs?
As I have mentioned before I just finished working on my second book, which will showcase accessories. It is a continuation of the first book, Luxe Knits, and will have the same feeling and design aesthetics.
I also have worked with Classic Elite Yarns on their Fall’10 line- so you will be able to see some of my designs there pretty soon…

15. Would you like to add anything about yourself?
My lifestyle? I like to stay active all the time…I bike crazy mileages when it is warm and ski whenever I can during the winter… I am also training and planning to complete my first Triathlon this summer. My first race this year is coming soon: New York City Half Marathon…

FG: This was wonderful, Laura. Thank you very much for this interview and the inspiration. We will be looking forward to your next book and new designs. Good luck with your fashion career and new publications. I hope to see you again soon.

TODAY'S GUEST: NANCY MARCHANT

2010-04-04T19:02:00.001-07:00

I was looking forward to this interview for many reasons. One is that I love Nancy's work and sense of aesthetics in her designs. Another one is that we share love for brioche family of stitches. Nancy lives and works in Amsterdam the capital of Netherlands (Holland). Europeans use brioche stitches very often. Once you learn them, you love them and do not consider them difficult. In fact, for me basic brioche was the third pattern stitch I learned at age 10. I first learned about Nancy through her very informative website called...The Brioche Stitch. You will find there all kinds of information about brioche stitches. Although Nancy specializes in Brioche, she has many different publications in number of books and magazines using other techniques as well. The photo on the right is of Amsterdam from my trip there. Below you can read the answers to DS questions by none other than
as she refers to herself on her website.

1. When did you start knitting (crocheting) and who taught you?
I started knitting when I was probably 8 or 9 years old. My mother taught me.

2. When did you begin publishing your designs?
In my early twenties, I won 3rd place in a national contest (I think Nicki Epstein won 1st place in the same contest). There were 25 3rd place winners and I won a set of crochet hooks because my winning jacket was free-form crochet. One of the judges of the contest was Lola Ehrlich and she liked my jacket so much that she published it in Ladies Home Journal Needle&Craft where she was editor. That was in 1974.

3. What is your most favorite knitting (crocheting) technique?
Without a doubt, the brioche stitch.

4. When you are thinking about some new design, what inspires you the most? Is it different every time? Could you give us some examples on inspiration for some of your designs?
I have a fascination for patterning/pattern repeats, color and ethnic textiles, especially Japanese. At the present time, I have been experimenting with developing new brioche stitches that I translate into a shawl, scarf or garment.

5. What does your studio look like?
It is completely full from top to bottom with yarn. I keep having to create new spaces in my house to work because I keep filling up the space where I have just been. I really do need to de-stash.

6. What is your most favorite place to knit (crochet)?
At home in my “knitting chair”.

7. Do you spin your own yarn?
In college, I worked at a textile arts store and we were required to know how to spin. I tried and tried and just couldn’t get it. I love the different textures and color combinations that you can get when you spin your own yarns but I am someone who will have to rely on others to do that for me. I do like to dye yarns, however. Here I have to say that I do simple dyeing - nothing like the beautiful indie dyed yarns on the market.

8. Do you belong to a knitting group?
Yes, a wonderful Stitch ‘n Bitch group in Amsterdam. We meet every Monday night at Cafe de Jaren.

9. Are you in touch with other designers and how do you communicate with the knitters who knit your designs?
Yes, I have many designer friends. I communicate with most knitters through the internet.

10. Where can we see your published designs?

My most recent work is in my book Knitting Brioche. I am currently working on a brioche lace stitch dictionary and am not sure what form that information will take - maybe another book, maybe pdf download. I have been published in Vogue Knitting, Interweave Knits and Knitters Magazine in America. In the Netherlands I have had designs in Ariadne, Handwerk Zonder Grenzen and Margriet.

11. Do you teach classes? If yes, where do you teach?
I have all of the admiration in the world for good teachers. I do teach but I like to teach to advanced knitters. I have a “patience” problem. I would love for someone to take all of the brioche information that I have accumulated and turn it into a great class for beginners. Then let me take over after they have mastered the technique so that I could teach them the fun designing part.

12. What would you like to tell knitters who are timid and do not believe they are skillful enough to knit some of your designs?
Anyone can learn brioche knitting. Here in the Netherlands, knitting used to be taught at school so children learned the brioche stitch. It is a very common stitch that every knitter knows. It isn’t a matter of skill, it is a matter of trying it.

13. What are your plans in the near future?
I would like to publish my lace stitch patterns.

14. Can you share with us some of your latest designs?
Here are a few projects from my book:

15. Would you like to add anything about yourself?
I have developed a new set of abbreviations for brioche knitting. I didn’t create these overnight, I worked on them for years. I would like for other designers to use these same abbreviations when they create something with brioche stitches just so there aren’t 900 different versions of saying the same thing. Since this is still such unexplored territory, now is the time to establish the terminology.

I would also appreciate all the good knitting teachers out there to learn brioche knitting and teach it to others.

FG: Thank you, Nancy for this interview and your wonderful work. Good luck with your book and I hope to meet you in person at TNNA. To comment on your last note- I love to design using brioche and it was very helpful for me to consult with your abbreviations. I also teach classes and offer workshops on this topic, so I am one of those who is carrying the flag of Brioche domain in US:)

TODAY'S GUEST: DORA OHRENSTEIN

2010-03-19T11:12:00.000-07:00

If you are a crocheter and follow the news in the world of crochet I am positive that you already know Dora's beautiful designs. Either you are new to the craft or an experienced crocheter, you are in for a treat. I wish you all met Dora in person. She has a personality that makes you feel that you always knew her and always have been her close friend. At least that's what I felt when I met her. Dora lives in NY and has a lot of interests in fashion and arts. She is what I call a typical New Yorker who makes me want to live in New York city with all the exposure to fashion right there on the streets. When I visit NY, my favorite thing to do is to watch people on the streets of Manhattan. Dora gives voice lessons in between her numerous publications in Interweave Crochet and other magazines. She is the author of two books and she has an online crochet magazine called Crochet Insider. I encourage you to check her designs out by going to the links in her interview. She tells her story by answering my 15 questions. So, get comfortable and read below.

1. When did you start knitting (crocheting) and who taught you?

I am a self taught crocheter. My mom was not domestic or crafty at all, though she did teach me how to sew a seam. I started crocheting in 1971, while I was living in a tiny little houseboat in Amsterdam. I was a full-blown hippie and everyone was really into being crafty and creative. A friend had a weaving shop with the most gorgeous colors of yarn, and she gave me some. I started crocheting things for myself to wear -- with no background at all, I figured it must be easy!

2. When did you begin publishing your designs?

I was at my first CGOA meeting in 2003 and Jean Leinhauser was sitting next to me at a class. I had no idea she was one of the most prolific book producers in the field! She saw a cotton crochet top I was wearing and asked if it was my design - I said yes. She then asked if I wanted to earn some money for my designs - duh! At that conference, she and Rita Weiss bought 5 of my designs. These were all things I had made for myself. Jean taught me how to write patterns. Sizing I had to figure out for myself.

3. What is your most favorite knitting (crocheting) technique?

I love all kinds of crochet. Tunisian, slip stitch, regular crochet, whatever - it's all beautiful, and each has its own look, feel, and drape.

4. When you are thinking about some new design, what inspires you the most? Is it different every time? Could you give us some examples on inspiration for some of your designs?

I get inspired by things I see people wearing on the chic streets of New York City. I live in a neighborhood with lots of boutiques and see inspirational pieces hanging in the store windows. I also look at runway shows at style.com, and buy fashion magazines to keep abreast of new trends.

5. What does your studio look like?

My studio is one room where I live, teach singing, and do all my designing. It's ridiculous! Every time a voice student comes, I have to tuck all my work away as best as possible (not very well!) so that the place is presentable. But hey, it's a cheap apartment in one of the best neighborhoods in Manhattan, so what can I do?

6. What is your most favorite place to knit (crochet)?

On my comfortable couch (which is a futon that's also my bed), surrounded by stitch dictionaries, calculator, computer, ruler.

7. Do you spin your own yarn?

Haven't tried this yet, maybe some day.

8. Do you belong to a knitting group?

I belong to CGOA and the NY chapter of CGOA. Both great groups.

9. Are you in touch with other designers and how do you communicate with the knitters who knit your designs?
I talk to other designers all the time, by phone, email, etc. When people email me with questions about designs, I do my best to help. I love meeting other designers at trade shows, this is where we share all the inside gossip and get to commiserate about our lot in life as designers. That's how I met you, Faina, and so glad I did! Forming new relationships with other like-minded people is one of the real pleasures of this industry.

10. Where can we see your published designs?

My new book: Creating Crochet Fabric, just released by Lark Books. My first book: Crochet Insider's Passion for Fashion. My pattern shop: crochetinsider.com in the store. Interweave Crochet, Inside Crochet, Crochet Today, Crochet!, and Tension magazine.

11. Do you teach classes? If yes, where do you teach?

I have taught at CGOA conference and plan to do so again, and I teach online classes as well. I'll be offering some on line garment-making and designing classes soon: check crochetinsider.com on the Classes page.

12. What would you like to tell knitters who are timid and do not believe they are skillful enough to knit some of your designs?
I'm here to help, don't hesitate to ask questions. If you need to upgrade your skills, take advantage of my online classes, ask at your LYS, or come to a CGOA conference.

13. What are your plans in the near future?

Last summer I traveled to the Balkans, mainly to see what I could find of Old World crochet, and discovered a world that I'd known little about. I was re-bitten by the travel bug, and now that crochet is my focus, it's a way of connecting with women and textile people all over the world. This summer I am planning a trip to Central Asia, where the people of the Pamir region make the most amazing slip stitch socks. The women raise their own sheep, then spin and dye the yarn, and the socks resemble Oriental rugs. I think it's going to be quite an adventure!

14. Can you share with us some of your latest designs?

I'm working on a gorgeous shawl pattern for Inside Crochet out of Malabrigo silk/wool, articles for Interweave Crochet about slip stitching, and a design using that technique too. Also working on smaller projects like hats, neck warmers etc. for self-publishing.
FG: This is Dora's latest design from Interweave Crochet. It is called Kristy Cardigan
And here is another new publication Prelude Houndstooth Skirt by Dora in Tension magazine.

15. Would you like to add anything about yourself?
It's been lovely to have this whole new chapter in my life after having been a touring musician. I love having both things going on in my life now: teaching is very social, designing very private. I am passionate about crochet, and want to be a force for upgrading its image and helping people build skills. That's why I started CrochetInsider.com. The site has articles by many different contributors on crochet history and technique, and interviews of designers, fiber artists, and editors. Our pattern shop is also growing: we are becoming THE place to shop for high quality crochet patterns.

FG: Wow, Dora! Thank you very much for letting us into your world. How fascinating! I want to crochet more after reading your inspiring story and looking at your gorgeous designs. We all want to see more of your future designs! Thank you for stopping by and see you in NY and at TNNA meetings.