Do you become obsessed with sweaters you see in films or TV? I frequently do, and on several occasions these obsessions have developed into fully-formed pattern ideas. Ursula, for example, began life with a very fleeting glimpse of a cardigan worn by a character in South Riding, a 2011 BBC miniseries set in the 1930s.…
Read MoreAs the weather grows more chilly, things are becoming very busy round here — in a good way. I have been knitting and designing and writing for weeks now, in advance of a few new Winter releases. In a few days I will be publishing the next design in my Edinburgh Series of garments (which…
Read MoreI always find it exciting when different iterations of my patterns are posted on Ravelry. This is particularly the case when knitters’ colour choices and personal modifications really transform the look of a design. Some amazing Ursulas have begun to appear which, because they have a completely different feel to my original, and also because…
Read MoreToday I’m very excited to announce the release of the digital edition of Colours of Shetland! This means that those of you who wished to purchase a digital-only copy can now do so here, and that all of you who have already purchased the print edition can now use the ‘unique download code‘ in your…
Read More(image via Morgan Morgan) Number of different countries to which Colours of Shetland has now shipped: 35 Number of US States to which Colours of Shetland has now shipped: 50* Number of pompoms I need to make for my new design samples: 8** Number of stitches I failed to increase when working from my own…
Read MoreHere’s what Mel, Gordon, Tom and I have been doing for the past couple of days. . . . . .when I tell you that this pretty pile is about 10 boxes shy of the total amount of orders we have processed just this weekend, you will have some sense of the scale of operations…
Read More. . . to say that today is the last day to order a copy of Colours of Shetland if you would like it signed by me. I’m very sorry about this, but signing large volumes of books is proving to be extremely physically demanding as well as time consuming, and I’m afraid it can’t…
Read MoreIt is fair to say that I’m feeling a little overwhelmed and humbled this morning — thankyou so much, all of you, for purchasing the book and supporting my endeavours. It is incredibly exciting to see the orders coming in from all over the world, and Gordon and I are now working really hard to…
Read MoreWell folks, let me tell you that this is all rather exciting. I am very happy to report that a muthaload of books arrived yesterday, and that they really do look bloody amazing. Today we’ve been getting a head start preparing for orders. Here I am in Colours of Shetland dispatch central, aka, Mel and…
Read MoreSo, I suspect it won’t be hard for you to guess what provided the inspiration for the last pair of designs in the collection . . . ©John Moncrief Photography These two designs really were an awful lot of fun to work on . . . For what is more fun than a puffin? ©John…
Read MoreIts time to show you another design, from the next of my Shetland ‘colour stories’. This is the Ursula Cardigan. This design is named for writer and naturalist, Ursula Venables, who lived and worked in Shetland during the 1940s and ’50s. (You can read more about her in my book.) Ursula’s writing about wildflowers, as…
Read MorePhew! Things are really busy round here today! There is just time to show you the fourth design from Colours of Shetland – – the Northmavine Hoody. Just like the accompanying hap, the hoody is inspired by the blues and greens of the rocks and water that shape the turbulent landscape of Northmavine. The hoody…
Read MoreHere is the next design from Colours of Shetland — the Scatness Tunic This design was the last in the collection to be completed. For many reasons, it is one of my favourites in the book. Here is some behind the scenes footage from the day that my friends at Old Scatness kindly allowed us…
Read MoreWith massive thanks to Nic, my superb art and production editor, this image shows the cover of Colours of Shetland fresh from the presses! WOOHOO! We really are nearly there now – the bookshop will open on December 3rd, and in case you were in any doubt about the general excitement round here, I’ve created…
Read MoreKate’s new book, Colours of Shetland, will be published on December 1st, 2012 With its beautiful photography, engaging writing, and signature hand-knit designs, Colours of Shetland will inspire you with the varied shades and hues of Britain’s most Northerly isles. FAQ What is in the book? Colours of Shetland contains ten signature designs, five garments…
Read MoreQuite a few of you have been asking about the design depicted in my site’s new header. As there’s not long to go now till my book is published, I thought I’d give you a bit more of a taste of it. This is the Northmavine Hap. It uses one of the most familiar and…
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KDD & Co 