Interviews

Robin Hunter interviewed me about being a knitting designer. You can read the interview here!

As part of the Indie designer Gift-A-Long, I am interviewing Indie designers about their favorite knitting and crochet projects, yarns, and gift knitting.

Emily K Williams (Ravelry Name: Flutterby)

If you could only knit/crochet one item type of item, what would it be?
Oh, now that’s a really hard question to start with. I am very much a product knitter, and have a hard time knitting things that I’m not going to wear (though the weather up here does give plenty of opportunity for wearing). It would be a close run battle between shawls, which I wear as scarves a lot of the time, and cardigans. But on balance, I wear cardigans more so they would have to win. There are so many variations and I never get bored knitting them. I have fingering or lace weight ones in the summer, then dk and aran weight for the winter. Then do you make them with fair isle, cables, stripes or just plain old stocking stitch?

What is your favorite splurge yarn or tool?
My most recent and current favourite splurge was on a set of Chiaogoo Interchangeable needles. I have the bamboo ones, which are smooth and light and have just the right amount of grip and the spinny join on the cables is genius. They also come in a lovely case.

What is your favorite workhorse yarn?
My favourite workhorse yarn is probably Jamieson and Smith Jumperweight wool. It’s hard wearing, warm and comes in an amazing array of colours. It obviously works so well for fair-isle designs, but also cables or textured knitting. Some of the heathered shades are so complex that they deserve to be shown off all on their own.

Which of your patterns make for really great gift knitting? 
The patterns I’d make for gift knitting would be either of the shawls – Ruth’s Shawl or Laura’s Leaves. I designed these for my sister and sister-in-law to wear to their wedding, and they both looked so lovely, and appreciated them so much.

As part of the Indie designer Gift-A-Long, I am interviewing Indie designers about their favorite knitting and crochet projects, yarns, and gift knitting.

Ann Kingstone (AnnKingstone on Ravelry)

If you could only knit/crochet one item type of item, what would it be? It would be jumpers (English for ‘pullover’) or cardigans, just because these are what I most need for my wardrobe. I’ve designed quite a few myself now, and am keen to make several of them for me in my size. Alas, all the samples were made to fit smaller models than me!

What is your favorite splurge yarn or tool? Signature needles. I invested in several sizes of these this summer, and have been thanking myself ever since! I used to use cheap needles, and worried about spending a lot on higher quality ones until a fellow designer pointed out that a ‘chippy’ (carpenter) wouldn’t use a cheap drill.

What is your favorite workhorse yarn? I don’t have one! I love using a wide variety of yarns, and since I started using Rowan yarns I have a lovely range of luxury yarns to choose from. I guess if I had to choose a favourite from their range it would be Rowan Felted Tweed as it is so suited to colourwork, and I design a lot of colourwork.

Which of your patterns make for really great gift knitting? I think my best design for gift knitting is the Tess Slippers. Being a small item they are a relatively quick knit, and yet they are a lot of fun with lots of interesting techniques: Judy’s magic cast-on, travelling colourwork, steeking, three needle cast-off, and applied i-cord edging. The Sweet William jumper is also a great gift knit for children, again with interesting techniques: short rows, integral button bands, stranded colourwork, and provisional cast-ons at the underarm. For folk that love giving Christmas-themed gifts my ‘Wesley Bob‘ tree baubles are another fun stranded colourwork design.

As part of the Indie designer Gift-A-Long, I am interviewing Indie designers about their favorite knitting and crochet projects, yarns, and gift knitting.

Jean Clement of Desert Rose Designs  (desertroseknits on Ravelry)

If you could only knit/crochet one item type of item, what would it be?
Sweaters and vests top my ‘recurring’ design list. In some ways, they are very similar projects. A vest can become a sweater by adding sleeves and a sweater can become a vest by leaving the sleeves off. And either one can be a pullover or open front garment.

What is your favorite workhorse yarn?
I don’t really have a favorite brand of yarn, but I do prefer using sport/DK weight for most of my projects. For cold weather projects I like yarns that provide warmth without weight. For warm weather I like hemp/linen blends. You might say that my favorite yarn is the one that suits the project best.

Which of your patterns make for really great gift knitting?
My Reune Fingerless Mitts are great for gifting. They take only 1 skein (270 yds) and are easier to knit than they look.

Diagonal Scarf is fun, easy & pretty quick to knit. Scarves are great for gifting because you can make them as long or short as you want.

Then I have to include my Pamper Yourself Spa Collection.  As a hostess gift, or for someone special – we all need a bit of pampering now & then.

As part of the Indie designer Gift-A-Long, I am interviewing Indie designers about their favorite knitting and crochet projects, yarns, and gift knitting.

Jessica K. Larson of GooseBear Knits  (omarsyarn on Ravelry)

If you could only knit/crochet one item type of item, what would it be?
Shawls! Whenever I travel (fairly frequently), it’s time to start a enw shawl. I pick the yarn that’s speaking to me the loudest and the handiest size needle. Shawls make great portable projects. I enjoy playing with various shapes and construction methods.

Fan favorites include In Flight and Lakewood.

What is your favorite workhorse yarn?
My favorite workhorse yarn would be pretty much anything Malabrigo! I chose Rios for my baby blanket pattern Gathering Family because it’s superwash. It got even softer after going through the wash! For shawls, Malabrigo Sock is my favorite. There’s a special squish quality about it that I can’t resist.

Which of your patterns make for really great gift knitting?
Anoka (scarf) and Drexmore (hat) are both unisex patterns. Anoka uses a 1 row repeat that is easy to memorize, so you just cast on and go. Don’t be scared off by Drexmore’s stranded colorwork hat. The carries are short. Great for using up left over half skeins of yarn. Plus, who doesn’t have fun picking out two contrasting colors for this type of project?

As part of the Indie designer Gift-A-Long, I am interviewing Indie designers about their favorite knitting and crochet projects, yarns, and gift knitting.

Lindsay Lewchuk of Eco Chic Knits (EcoChicKnits on Ravelry)

If you could only knit/crochet one item type of item, what would it be?
Cowls – I love the design process and I find that cowls provide that perfect match between knit time and design time. Even though I enjoy knitting garments and shawls, I find I fill a notebook with more designs than I can publish in the month it takes me to finish knitting the one design I started out to knit. Moving into my publishing future, I will be expanding beyond cowls. However, I will always return to cowls in the end. I even find them a great place to test knit complex design patterns that I want to apply to larger garments, so you may see a few cross overs in the future too.

What is your favorite workhorse yarn?
Just 2? That’s really tough. I have about 5 I cycle through.

I absolutely love Americo Originals natural fiber based yarns (pretty much all of them)- all of their yarns are also socially responsible. Unfortunately it is currently only available in Canada and by mail order, so I’m looking for a US based new workhorse yarn. The Lake Breeze Tank is in this yarn.

For a US workhorse, Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cottons are a favorite. I love the vibrant colors and soft textures. The Southern Christmas Cowl is in this yarn.

Which of your patterns make for really great gift knitting?
As posted above Southern Christmas Cowl makes for a great gift knitting-  it combines beads, cables, and 1 skein of organic cotton yarn. The skinny cotton is perfect for southern climes where you want style without bulk. The undyed yarn and gold glass bead accents add festivity to the design. The large falling snowflakes motif makes you feel the season in theory while the cowl protects you from actually feeling the cold nip of the season.

The City Girl Collection (City Girl Cowl and Northern City Girl Cowl) is another great gift knitting set.  The beaded tendrils are very addictive. Most people who make one have ended up making multiples. Change the yarn and bead colors and you have a gift as unique as the person receiving it. These pleasurable knits are just 1 skein each and come with four you tube video tutorials for anyone new to tendrils and making your own buttons from left over yarn.

As part of the Indie designer Gift-A-Long, I am interviewing Indie designers about their favorite knitting and crochet projects, yarns, and gift knitting.

Sharon Boswell of Sygneture Designs  (SharonB on Ravelry)

If you could only knit/crochet one item type of item, what would it be?
Cowls, I just love them in both knit and crochet and whole heap of yarns. So far I only have my Salvation Jane for sale but there are two crocheted Moebius ones in the works as well as another knitted one.

What is your favorite workhorse yarn?
Malabrigo Rios, I love the softness and the superwash. My first pattern, the Brumby Jill ponytail hat, can be made with less than one skein.

Which of your patterns make for really great gift knitting?
Salvation Jane, as mentioned above is a great 1 skein gift, easy to knit, and appreciated by young and old. Made one recently for my Mother-in-Law as she liked my samples so much.

Jelly Beanie, colourful fun especially for kids, or the Affogato hat for something more classic, both are terrific stashbusters, giving the chance to use up those little leftovers and experiment with colour combinations.

As part of the Indie designer Gift-A-Long, I am interviewing Indie designers about their favorite knitting and crochet projects, yarns, and gift knitting.

Sarah Ronchetti of sezza knits  (Sezza on Ravelry)

If you could only knit/crochet one item type of item, what would it be?
Socks! I’ve only recently become addicted to designing sock patterns, but I feel like I could go on forever! Two favorites: Scott Base and Waihi.

What is your favorite workhorse yarn?
Vintage Purl Sock – My absolute go-to sock yarn.

Which of your patterns make for really great gift knitting?
My Feathered Mitts are a great gift, they use such a small amount of yarn, and you can even use scraps to contrast if you wish.

The Picton Hat is another wonderful gift, with sizes from baby through to Large adult, its written for 3 different yarn weights which means you probably have something stashed that will be perfect.

As part of the Indie designer Gift-A-Long, I am interviewing Indie designers about their favorite knitting and crochet projects, yarns, and gift knitting.

Christine Guest  (ChristineGuest on Ravelry)

If you could only knit/crochet one item type of item, what would it be?
I like making sweaters, even though there are two sleeves. I love playing with construction methods – the Attleboro Sweater starts with a strip from wrist to waist through the underarm and builds to the waist. I wanted to avoid stair step seams at the armhole through the raglan increases. The four seams at the body are all straight lines. The yoke is not, but design can’t all be easy if it’s going to fit around a human.

What is your favorite workhorse yarn?
Quince and Company Lark. My latest version of the Herringbone Scarf is made in it, though I have to remember to mail it to my sister-in-law for photos.

Which of your patterns make for really great gift knitting?
Holly Mittens– a small project that is completely NOT boring. If puzzles keep the brain fit, this should count as mental exercise. Not that it’s really hard, I just needed lots of different increases and decreases to get the fabric I wanted.

Tin-of Tans-I’m told a fast crocheter can make a set in an evening, it takes me more like two, then the gift is good for introducing mathematics, Chinese culture, geometric thinking, and the idea that children should quite while their adult is making diner.

Herringbone Scarf– This one is a good rhythmic knit once the bias shaping kicks in. Three of the men in my family wear these scarves, and my son asked for one this year. The women like them too. I can’t say that about anything else I’ve ever designed.

As part of the Indie designer Gift-A-Long, I am interviewing Indie designers about their favorite knitting and crochet projects, yarns, and gift knitting.

First up- Cynthia Levy of Redtigerdesigns (redtigeron Ravlery).

If you could only knit/crochet one item type of item, what would it be?
Socks, socks and more socks! My grandmother taught me to knit and was a wonderful provider of handknit socks for everyone in the family. I’m trying to carry on the tradition in her memory and have come to truly enjoy knitting and designing socks. One of my favorite original sock designs is Precambrian Cable Socks.

What is your favorite workhorse yarn?
I really love indie-dyed fingering weight yarns and one of most favorites is Barking Dog Achilles from Barking Dog Yarns. Both the stitch definition and color depth are fabulous! Both Penuche Twist Socks and Lychgate Socks were designed using this yarn.

Which of your patterns make for really great gift knitting?
Vertigo Fingerless Gloves make a great gift project. The pattern is interesting enough to be fun to knit without being too difficult.

Hippie Heart Socks would be a great gift for that funky person on your gift list. The pattern is fun to knit even if you wouldn’t wear them yourself!

On Ravlery as redtiger.