reflections on repeat knitting
Read More
All articles filed in knitters
end of summer knitting
note: links in this post refer back to Ravelry projects and profiles. Perhaps because I worked for so long in universities, September has always had a fresh start-of-a-new-year feel about it to me, and I suspect that might also be the case for anyone who works with (or just enjoys) yarn and knitting. Here at…
Read More
different colourways
One of my favourite things about designing is that, after completing my work on a pattern, I get to see it afresh through the eyes of other knitters who gravitate to different colourways. I love these changes in perspective and often I see a design quite differently when a creative knitter simply reverses the shade…
Read More
Inspiring projects, inspiring patterns
As the summer draws to a close, I thought I’d round up some of the many inspiring projects that have been knitted in recent months from KDD patterns, and show you a couple of new designs in our yarns. Last week, Melanie Berg revealed a stunning shawl in Àrd-Thìr, which reminded me of the beautiful…
Read More
owl stories
You all know that the owl sweater means something to me, and now I know that it means something to you too. Over the past few day, via email, blog comment, or on Instagram, you’ve shared your owl-y stories. I received more than 700 responses across the different platforms and it has been inspiring, moving,…
Read More
Rhinebeck and other sweaters
Isn’t one of the best things about Autumn that it’s sweater weather? I always enjoy seeing knitters around the world wearing my designs, and this enjoyment often comes to a kind of peak around this time of year, when a veritable slew of amazing projects begin to appear on Instagram and Ravelry. I’ve never been…
Read More
winners!
During our West Highland Way club, we ran a couple of competitions: the first for interesting / creative uses of colour, using my Craigallian hat as a template . . . . . . and the second for an original hat design in our new Milarrochy Tweed. This first time I’ve arranged this kind of…
Read More
en-able
I was recently having a chat with an academic pal of mine, who is working on a project looking at changes in the hand-knitting industry over the past few decades. She asked me about how I thought the industry had changed, and what I felt the major differences might be in establishing and running a…
Read More
carbeth joy
I’ve said it before – but really – the best and most rewarding thing about doing what I do is seeing knitters enjoying the stuff that I create. Over the past few weeks, it has been a huge pleasure for me to see women all over the world making and wearing their Carbeth jumpers. The…
Read More
fabulous projects
Inspired by Islay was released a couple of months ago, and it has been making me very happy to see so many new projects from the book springing up on Ravelry, and so many beautiful garments appearing. As you know, I particularly enjoy designing and knitting colourwork, and The Oa is one of my favourite…
Read More
ten amazing knitters (part 2)
Here is the second part of my post, bringing you ten beautiful projects from ten amazing knitters, using my designs and yarn. I think that Georgie is the working definition of an amazing knitter – I love everything she makes and am always happy when she chooses one of my patterns to work on. I…
Read More
ten amazing knitters (part 1)
I am currently unable to knit. A couple of weeks ago I injured my right wrist and thumb while winding yarn, and whatever I did to the tendons has taken quite a while to heal. As I’m in the middle of producing a new collection this is more than a little annoying from a work…
Read More
Miss Rachel’s yoke and gauntlets (a closer look!)
As discussed in the previous post, this design is inspired by an early nineteenth-century shawl, collected by Rachel Kay Shuttleworth, and now part of Gawthorpe Textile Collection. The colourful, ribbon-like bands of the shawl immediately reminded me of one of my favourite colourwork motifs, a small, simple pattern which resembles an interlocking vine. The pattern…
Read More
generosity
What an amazing week I had in Shetland! It was a complete privilege to see and talk to so many amazing knitters, who generously shared their work and thoughts with me. Mary Kay, at the Shetland Guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers, shows us an incredibly fine lace shawl, knitted in Unst around 1930. Joan…
Read MoreShetland days
It is Wool Week in Shetland, and I began it in this cottage out at Vementry. What a spot! It was lovely to take some time out to visit my friend Hazel Tindall. I just love the part of Shetland where Hazel lives, and it was a real privilege to potter about her garden, and…
Read Moredesigning & publishing: part 2
Well, I sat down a couple of days ago and thought I’d write a quick post about the great new books I’d come across, all of which had been either produced completely independently, or had been commissioned from an independent designer. As I reflected on recent directions in hand-knit design, and digressed into my own…
Read More