Kate here! I’ve just about recovered from all our Xpo north fun, and am now back at my desk, finishing work on our latest book project Bold Beginner Knits – a collection of 6 intriguing, wearable, and simply knit-able designs in our beautiful aran-weight yarn Àrd-Thìr – which I created for my friend, and KDD colleague, Jane Hunter.
Jane joined our team just over a year ago, managing our online inventory, and dispatching orders from the KDD warehouse in Clydebank. Many of you will know that Jane is also a talented artist who possesses a whole gamut of interrelated textile skills. Perhaps inevitably, surrounded by yarn, and working with myself and Mel, Jane caught the knitting bug earlier this year.
Equipped with Pompom’s excellent Knit: How book, Jane quickly whipped up an impressive range of accessories – mitts, cowls and hats – which she followed up just a couple of months ago with a successful attempt at my owls sweater.
Jane now had a great set of basic skills under her knitterly belt, and I felt it might be nice to create a collection just for her that would expand her repertoire of skills with a range of designs that she’d really want to make and wear. So I began thinking about the collection with some ideas for really simple throw-on-able designs like Midstream – a shrug-style cardigan formed from an elaborated rectangle that’s easily knitted by any beginner.
Midstream is worked from side-to-side, and my next Bold Beginner design idea was for a garment constructed from the top-down: Downstream.
Top-down garments are great beginner patterns, I think: surprisingly straightforward to make and really good at building knitterly confidence about things like sizing, fit, and adaptation.
The ability to try-on-as-you-go is, to my mind, particularly enabling and reassuring. Is the yoke not quite deep enough? Add another couple of rows. Is the garment not quite long enough? Then why not just make it longer.
Downstream is a classic, simple and infinitely adaptable garment. You might, for example, make a colour-block or single-colour version; create a couple of inset pockets; or add buttonholes and buttons to the rib and i-cord edging. I happily admit that, while developing this design, I actually whipped up three different samples of this cardigan, each of which incorporates some of the variants mentioned here. These garments are now on hot rotation in my wardrobe, and are honestly among some of the most wearable knits I’ve ever made (perhaps I’ll show you my, ahem, three Downstreams another time). Jane knit the lovely sample she’s modelling here herself, and did a superb job with her first cardigan!
While Downstream is a really classic, straightforward design, I wanted some of the other patterns in the collection to have an appearance of complexity that belied their actual simplicity.
and Upstream.
The undulating motif that weaves its way around the Corryvreckan and Upstream patterns is achieved by knitting stripes and slipping stitches: a simple technique that adds some visually appealing texture, while also breaking up blocks of colour. Initially bamboozled by the freaky look of the pattern, Jane found that she quickly and easily mastered the slipped-stitch technique by knitting the Corryvreckan hat that also doubled as a workable swatch for later attempts at the Upstream pullover.
As you know, I dearly love a yoke, and I have to say I love the Upstream yoke quite inordinately!
I also aimed for strong visual appeal when designing the Skep pattern for Jane. In this modular blanket, an appearance of complexity is simply achieved through repetition – knitting a series of hexagonal motifs in Àrd-Thìr’s interesting combination of muted and jewel-like shades.
Though the size of the finished blanket probably appears daunting to a beginner, each hexagon is a mini-project in itself that can be completed in just a couple of hours. Making each motif is both relaxing and absorbing, and working on the blanket gives a beginner the opportunity to improve their range of knitterly skills through repetition.
In knitting her hexagons, Jane quickly familiarised herself with working from a (very) simple chart, knitting garter stitch in the round, working centred double decreases, small circumference knitting, and seaming with the three-needle bind off.
For the collection’s final, and most difficult design, I wanted to include something might enable a beginner knitter to tackle something that ostensibly seems quite tricky – a triangular lace shawl.
Shawl construction can be notoriously difficult to visualise and many beginner knitters find charts off-putting, so I spent a lot of time thinking about these two issues when creating this design. First, I used a stitch pattern that, with only one “different” row, is really simple both to follow and to memorise.
Next, I devised a method of charting in which everything is clearly spelt out in the layout.
And finally, I included a detailed “special techniques” section in the pattern to help with unfamiliar things, as well as creating a couple of detailed tutorials about triangular shawl construction and how to read a chart. And in this pattern, as well as throughout the collection as a whole, I’ve also linked to useful video tutorials that have been developed by our friends at Arnall-Culliford knitwear (whose youtube channel I heartily recommend if you’ve not already discovered it).
I have really enjoyed developing this collection, putting it together, and seeing Jane’s positive response to the designs. Throughout the process, I have been thinking and talking a lot about the kinds of things that it’s useful for beginner knitters to hear, things that might encourage them to be bold. Our tech editor, Frauke Urban, recently said something that really chimed with me: “make what you’d really like to knit, not what anyone else thinks you should knit for the level you are at.” Perhaps another way of saying that is “imagine you could knit anything you wanted to, find a pattern, and go for it.” This is certainly how I approached my knitting as a beginner and I found that simply really wanting to make something (ostensibly beyond my skill set) gave me additional motivation that meant I picked a wide range of techniques up very rapidly.
All patterns are not created equal, though, and some kinds of pattern writing can seem worryingly opaque and deeply off-putting to beginner knitters. With that in mind, I have carefully aimed throughout this collection to make the instructions as clear as I can for someone who is starting out on their knitting journey (having Jane on hand to test all the patterns has proved very helpful with this!) and Tom has aimed similarly in the book’s visual style and layout, which is very accessible and clean. All the designs in the collection are expertly modelled by the Bold Beginner herself!
If you are interested in a copy of Bold Beginner Knits, our special pre-order offer is only available for a couple more weeks. For just £15.00 you’ll receive immediate complimentary downloads of all the patterns, and a beautiful copy of the book (produced right here in Glasgow by our printers, Bell & Bain) with free shipping to any address worldwide as soon as it is published in August. (After the book is published, shipping will be charged at our usual national and international rates). I hope you enjoy knitting the patterns from Bold Beginner Knits as much as we’ve enjoyed making them! Like everything we do here the project has been a real team effort, with important input from everyone at KDD, plus our two editors, Frauke (tech) and Ivor (copy).
Happy knitting, everyone – and BE BOLD.
Kate x
Links
Bold Beginner Knits print + ebook pre-order
Individual pattern downloads
Midstream
Downstream
Corryvreckan
Upstream
Skep
Footfall
Bold Beginner kits from the KDD shop
Midstream
Downstream
Corryvreckan
Upstream
Footfall
My copy of Bold Beginner Knits arrived a few weeks ago and I’m really enjoying it. The book is a piece art! Everything about it is so well thought out. I especially like the easy to read font. Thank you!
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how were you able to join those hexagons together,it look magical to me
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the simple magic of the three-needle bind off!
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I am very far from being a beginner but am finding things to learn from these patterns – I have finally got to grips with magic loop!
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I have been knitting for years but Downstream is the first design I feel I could adapt after I knit the pattern as written. Jane’s photos showing how she tried it on at each stage were really helpful, especially as Jane mentions the sides won’t meet until the bands are knit as I was worried mine was far too small.
I can’t believe I would ever have even thought I could modify a design but this one is helping me understand a lot more without my usual fears of failing. I am planning another one already. Excellent work Kate and Jane
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I encouraged my Mom to buy this (and she did). Her arthritis in her hands has made it so it’s harder for her to knit in anything smaller than worsted weight. She’s been excited when each new pattern has come out and it all being in aran weight beforehand she knew she could do any of them. She has a ton of sock yarn and is hoping to hold it double to make Skep.
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I pre-ordered this book having in mind a dear friend who is new to knitting, but a great soprano and pianist. Knitting was a far better stress killer than any other relaxation technique, so, why not give her such a present? She will have the book, I promise, but I am already knitting my first top-down sweater. Just the right, basic and wearable pattern I needed. You can manage brioche but still need something to wear, right? x
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my feelings exactly!
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I’ve been knitting on and off for decades and shouldnt consider myself a beginner, more a “wimpy knitter”. Watching Jane’s story unfold has been amazing. Not only is Jane fearless, she is a machine. And you, Kate, are a phenomenal designer. I’m buying the book for me. 😊
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Thanks for a lovely book, Kate. I’ve pre-ordered Bold Beginner Knits as a Christmas present for someone who has good basic knitting skills and who will dive in to make these designs – infinitely wearable and such fun. She has looked at my other KDD books and loved them but wasn’t sure she could make one of the Yokes patterns (butI think she underestimated herself!) so this is just perfect for her.
I’m a fan of Jane’s artwork – so inspirational and a unique approach to place. Yay, Jane! I’m not surprised your skill and attention to detail have translated to knitting lovely garments.
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I DO hope you’ll share photos of your various versions of the Downstream cardigan. It might be my favorite pattern in the collection, and I always enjoy seeing seeing how you adapt your own designs. Can’t wait to get my copy of the book!
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As an experienced knitter I still find reading patterns can be challenging, but yours are always understandable. I heartily recommend your designs to many knitters, especially after they’ve become frustrated with other designers. Thank you for the thought and details you put into your all patterns!
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It’s been lovely to see Jane developing her knitting skills here on the blog. And it’s been lovely to see how well she did with your patterns for the bold beginner:)
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I’m not a beginner (and was a “bold” beginner from day one), but this is the ONLY beginners’ knitting book I would ever have wanted to buy. Chic, stylish variety – not a dud in the bunch. I’m sure many non-beginners will be buying this book. Well done!
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What a wonderful collection, Kate…and Jane ! For a beginning knitter, nothing is more frustrating or off-putting than to be limited by either poorly written pattern instructions or discouragement from other knitters. Your patterns are not only beautiful, they are written in a straightforward manner with common sense instructions and plenty of detail. I have been a knitter for MANY years (more than 60 !, ) and i still find patterns which I just roll my eyes at and throw away…due to the lousy explanations of the pattern details. I agree completely with the statement made by your tech editor about making what YOU really want to make, not what someone else thinks you are capable of. Your new pattern book is certainly a WINNER, and I am sure many brand new knitters will find inspiration and motivation within its pages. Welcome to the infinite world of knitting, Jane, I look forward to watching what you create next !
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Love this. Great ideas and nice pieces with which to begin!
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I’ve been knitting about 10 years, so don’t consider myself a beginner, but I saw Skep and was dazzled. I ordered Bold Beginner Knits and waited eagerly for each new release. I’ve never before purchased a book or collection where I wanted to knit practically everything (sorry lace scarf, you’re not my style 😀). I love simplicity and classic looks. These patterns feel that way to me. Thank you for a beautiful collection.
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Thankyou, Elizabeth!
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