I’m hard at work here at the moment, putting together the next issue of Textisles. It is shaping up really well, and I’m very excited about it! Among other things, this issue contains everything (well, almost everything) you will ever need to know about the history of the modern swimsuit, including a guest-feature from the brilliant Susan Crawford on the hand-knitted variety. (If you don’t know Susan, she is a knitwear-history expert, and produces wonderful vintage designs, most recently those included in A Stitch in Time vol.2 ).
The issue also includes the Betty Mouat sweater pattern, and another surprise design, which I will show to you in a few days. I’m hoping to release the issue in a week’s time, around the twenty-first of this month.
For those who are wondering what on earth Textisles is, here are some FAQ:
What is Textisles?
It is a digital magazine, containing original designs and writing, produced and edited by me.
What is in it?
In this issue you’ll find two of my designs, and four substantial feature articles, (three researched and written me, and one by Susan Crawford). If you like reading about fashion and textile history, these features will be of interest to you.
Why is it different?
The content is what is important to Textisles, and the magazine includes no advertising. Each issue is carefully produced around a particular theme. The research, writing, and the designs all speak to this theme, and they also creatively inform one another.
Can I buy the features without the patterns? Or the patterns without the features?
No you can’t. Textisles is available at a flat cost of £3.95 (about $6). You might want to read the features, or just to knit the designs, but perhaps you might be interested in both. This issue will run to around fifty pages. I consider this a reasonable price for the content.
Can I subscribe to Textisles?
At the moment, this is not an option. As you know, it is very important that I work at my own pace, and each issue involves a lot of work! Because I can’t produce issues to set deadlines it would be wrong of me to accept subscriptions for a publication which may not regularly appear. I may reconsider this in the future, but for the time being, each issue will be available on a stand-alone basis only.
More Soon!
KDD & Co 
So happy to see this pattern coming out! YAY!
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Love The Stitch In Time photoshoot vimeo, the knitwear, and everything looked so fantastic.
I remember my Mom making me wear a red knitted swimsuit..I must have been about 4 years old?
Not very comfortable, and I remember it stretched in the straps..I never wore it the second time.
The American swimsuit pic is lovely, but I cannot imagine what it must have felt like to have wet ballet slippers and socks to swim in.
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Kate, a non-sequitur, but I have just read some info on a new exhibition which sounds right up your street: “Nautical knots to knitting needles: an exploration of fisher folk crafts” at the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther – starts today and runs until 13 May of this year. Apologies if I’m telling you something you’ve known for weeks! :)
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My mom used to have a hilarious newspaper clipping about men being arrested for wearing topless bathing suits :)
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Really looking forward to this next treat from you – and the Betty, which I fully intend to knit up. I have a fantastic 1970s book called Everybody’s Knitting which was written by a Swedish woman, and there are a couple of hand-knitted men’s bathers inside, modelled by a pair of Scandinavian hippies – absolutely classic! The book is a real gem in so many ways. All of my children now knitting at storytime before bed (twins are 5, and big brother is 7 – it’s so cute and I am so proud of them…. they knit at school too) I really appreciate the work you put into Textisles, I know it will be worth waiting for xx
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Of course, I will be very interested in the 2nd issue of Textisles !
I am sorry, because I did not pay enough attention to the first issue, so, din’t buy it… And now, I don’t know how I can manage to have it… Is it too late ? If it is possible to dowload one, thanks a lot to tell me how I can proceed for the payment and so on…
Many, many, many congratulations for your so interesting blog. I like very much all its contents, and specially the posts relating to history or crafts… (I subscribed to the newsletter one year ago, or more…)
Sorry if my english is not very fluent, the school years are log away behind me, but I try to do my best… That is why I only read your posts but never dare to let the least comment, except for today !
Best regards, dear Kate, and a cheerfull “au-revoir” from south west of France !
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I can’t wait!! I loved the last textisles and I love Susan Crawford—this issue sounds as fabulous as the last!
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Very excited about the new issue and Betty!
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With regard to knitted swimsuits – a warning! My aunt was a child in Preston and as a fashion-conscious young teenager proudly went to the Baths (swimming pool) in a new swimsuit knitted by her Mother – jumped in, stood up and then realised that the weight of the water had dragged her swimsuit down below her recently acquired breasts! The shame remained with her until her death just a couple of months’ ago at the age of 96.
I have had a lifelong passion for textiles (collecting rather than producing – and those mostly from Africa) and I love reading your blogs.
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Fifty pages! I’d say that’s worth far more than $6USD, but holy cow I’ll pay that and be thrilled. Looking forward to reading the articles. :)
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Just bought your first Textisles now eager for your second installment.
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Yay!!! Another issue upcoming!
Your wisdom astounds me. It took me MUCH longer to understand I could not count on accomplishing things under deadline with my health issues.
:-}
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Great can’t wait for the new issue. I took the first one and was not disappointed. Great work Kate,
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I’m really looking forward to it whenever it is finished. No hurry!
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Really looking forward to the second issue of Textisles….I am standing ready by my printer full of paper!
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Oh! Can’t wait! You are aspirationally inspiring with your prodigious, erudite and knitterly output!
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I enjoyed textisles issue 1 and am about half-way through knitting Warriston. I learnt the story of Betty Mouat when I was on holiday in Shetland, an amazing tale of survival against the odds – looking forward to your pattern.
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Can you imagine swimming in that thing? Holy smokes.
Warriston and Funchal are in my Ravelry queue and I’m very much looking forward to Betty Mouat!
(I have been quietly lurking and enjoying your blog and work for some time. Thank you and hello!)
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I can’t wait!
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Good to her a new issue will be out, I did enjoy your first version. Plus a sweater is a great treat… I would love to make this for a friend, I do not think it would look flattering on me.
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I have been pining for the Betty Mouat sweater the second I saw it. Yay! Can’t wait!
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How wonderful that you are making another issue. And on vintage swimsuits! Looking forward to it. Keep up the good work, you are an inspiration. Thanks.
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woohoo! I think I will buy a copy for my (Scottish-Canadian) mother-in-law and print it all out nicely for her. She has a swimsuit which is fairly vintage, although not knitted. I am happy to think about swimming on a lovely warm day in Madison, Wisconsin!
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Hooray! I am certainly one of those waiting for a new TextIsles!
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Fifty pages??!! Wow, that’s a lot of work!
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patiently waiting! :)
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I have been waiting impatienly for this, good luck and love reading your blog and knitting your patterns.
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Hurrah! How very exciting :-)
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I look forward to the new issue, and meanwhile will read the first issue again. Time to revisit smocking!
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I am Looking forward to it! Did not get the first issue how can I buy it? (Fairly new to your blog) Heaven for bid I miss one of your fab patterns. I also googled Betty Mouat very interesting. Sorry just could not wait.
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The first issue comes with Warriston pattern, here:
https://katedaviesdesigns.com/designs/warriston/
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sounds good to me…
I also note the leers on the men’s faces in the header photo!!
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Fabulous news Kate, looking forward to reading textilses, also the tantalising news that it includes the Betty Mouat pattern has sent my heart beating! I have been admiring this for many months.
Never apologise for working at your own pace, anyone who follows your blog as I do recognises that your health and physical progress are much more important than making up deadlines. I love your work and will gladly wait!
Fleur xx
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That jumper is lovely!
I cant wait for the issue to come out. Reading your blog has got me interested in the processes that come before the knitting, rather than just looking at pretty pictures (not that there’s anything wrong with that). You’ve really inspired me to dig deeper into the craft and find out more about where and how the fibers I use were made. It’s also made me more homesick for the UK – the wonderful textile industry that I didn’t ever think about while I was still there. Reading what you have written about it has me so interested, yearning for more information. Thank you!
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just love the “by the sea shore” …
marvellous
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I am so happy that Betty Mouat is part of the new issue of Textisles. I have fallen in love with it the first time I saw it, and I’ve been dreaming of making it (with long sleeves), even though I don’t know how long it’ll take me. I’m not the world’s speediest knitter. When the design disappeared from your design page, I almost feared that you had decided not to publish it. I’m relieved that this is not the case!
And, being a swimmer, I love that it’s accompanied by articles about vintage swimsuits. From the 1920s, to boot! I can hardly wait. :)
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I am looking forward to the new Textisles! I am still quite busy with your last issue. I haven’t decided whether or not to make Warriston. It seems like the perfect walking sweater. I also do not wear polar/technical fleece, and I find mohair quite excellent for hiking. Hand knit of course. It is called hiking if you walk for 9 days right? The addition of pockets will really enhance my walking experience. There are so many things so perfect about Warriston. The colour – I look great in red, but I don’t have anything in that shade – yet. The wool – Aran weight shetland? Never tried it – about time though. But with this new issue coming out, summer just around the corner and the thrill of the new, I may just have to jump right in and knit some bathing suit inspired number.
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As someone who is often looking to merge a number of interests (academia, crafting, fashion, culture, etc.), the magazine sounds great. However, what I really like is the lack of an editorial calendar that you have to stick to. While I know that the conditions that demand this are not of your choosing, the ‘irregular’ publishing schedule speaks to your needs while appealing to my desire to be pleasantly surprised. Thank you.
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Oh, it looks as though you have been very very busy. What a treat for us all!
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But how do I get the mag? I am very interested!
Karen Sillemann.
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Okay I get it about subscriptions. I am happy to buy each issue of TextIsles whenever you can produce it. I loved the first one; have always been fascinated by smocks and smocking.
Be well
Karen
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I am looking forward to it. And I think it would be a bargain at twice the price.
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Ooh. Yay! I love getting TextIsles.
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Looking forward to it!
(And that’s despite severe knitted-swimsuit trauma – not that I was swimming in the 1920s, but my alternative 1960s ma believed in ‘don’t buy when you can knit’. The horror, the horror….)
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as they say. pictures or it didn’t happen:-B
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PayPal ready and waiting……
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The history of swimsuits sounds a must read- despite being a child in the 60’s I never had to experience swimming in knitwear!
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this is so cool! you are nothing less than amazing and extremely talented
x
Margit
Creative Tail
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Yay! I am very excited to download the next issue of TextIsles.
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It does sound very interesting, I have recently become more interested in textile history and love to learn more.
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Brilliant! I look forward to all of your posts. Peerieflooers is so pretty, and reminds me of all the wildflowers in our fiels and paths in North Ronaldsay. Thank you for all your hard work.
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It can’t come soon enough! It will be a welcome harbinger of spring even though we still have 3 feet of snow.
Cheers and red wine, Hazel.
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I missed the first issue… Is it still available? Can’t wait for your new brainchild…
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Sounds fabulous! Can’t wait.
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Oh, that all sounds very interesting. I have a thing about swimsuits. Particularly old-fashioned kinds. x x x
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Wonderful news! I’m so excited about the second issue – the first one was brilliant. These topics are so fascinating so thanks a ton for the teaser. I’ll be eagerly awaiting the release! Your work is top notch.
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I can’t wait – and will “clear the decks” while I sit down with my cuppa and pour over every interesting tidbit! I love both the articles and the patterns – and the format. If it was printed only in the UK – those of us abroad would miss out. I’m so thankful for the internets ; )
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I am very impatient to read it ! I loved the first issue, which I printed.
Thank you to share your research with us
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I like the name of the top you designed. I live in Australia but I have ancestors who came from the Shetland Islands whose last name was Mouat (Arthur and Martha Mouat from Northmavine; daughter Ursula). They migrated to Sydney in the mid 1800s and I am related through my grandmother. So I like that your top is called Betty Mouat!
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