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Newsletter - July 2012
Welcome!
It now seems abundantly clear that global warming is a fact of our lives. While knitting and crocheting may not be the first thing we think of to cope with the heat, conjure this - sitting quietly on a shaded porch, a pitcher of lemonade nearby, a small project of linen or cotton in hand, and a green landscape to gaze upon. Or even better, move the setting to a cool, dark room, with air conditioning. Whatever you do, leave off the hairy fibres until cooler weather returns.
Happy July!
As always, let us know what you think of this issue. Email me, Gayle Clow, at newsletter.editor@patternfish.com and send any other questions about Patternfish to Phil at support@patternfish.com
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Prime Minister's Choices
I refuse to commit to knitted Festivus presents, because it's just too much pressure at a demanding time of the year. But if we start knitting some of them in July, we can get a huge jump on the game. Good Festivus present knitting is portable (essential on vacation), doesn't have to fit someone very precisely, and can allow you to splurge on a skein or two of something precious.
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I absolutely LOVE this 'Ruff'. If the neck is too long, the piece covers it up; if too short, the Ruff elongates the appearance of it; if the neck is a perfect length, then you just look perfect. Wear with or under anything for a look that's regal but serene. |
And when it's wintercold, you can be reminded of a summer garden with this witty hat. It's great not only because of its looks, but because you can play with the colour contrast without having to devote too much angst to it. Check out the tree-like cabling on the crown! |
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This magnificent bunting is practically a requirement for a baby, with its easy/beautiful gansey patterning and very practical touches. Every baby is a gift, and this is perfect wrapping for it. Deservedly one of the all-time bestselling patterns Mountain Colors has ever produced. |
Garter stitch slippers rarely look sleek and elegant, but Basta's design does. Everything about this is gift-perfect: the look and the warmth for the recipient of course-- but the knitter gets to combine two worsted weights together (fun! thrifty!), and they work up with great speed. |
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A brilliant design from a great teacher, so go ahead-- learn to do entrelac in the round! Anything that knits up at 10 sts to 4”/10cm is almost guaranteed to look great, and this hat looks just as good on a fella as it does on a girl. Adds terrific texture to any outfit, and quick quick to make. |
And for newbies and felting lovers, here's a splendid bag. Great vertical striping, if you want it; the shape is fantastic; and the irrepressible Pace writes a very thorough and amusing pattern. Make a bunch and then have a good long trip to the notions place for the accessories, charms, etc. |
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Editor's Choices
I like the PM’s idea of starting now to create gifts for the Christmas season and I’m happy to get on board. I started my fibre life as a crocheter and added knitting later, but I’ve never forgotten how much less time it takes to crochet an item than to knit it, so I thought I'd devote my choices to crochet this month.
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Here’s a lovely gift for the girly girl in your life. Just imagine this softness and sparkle nestled, first in tissue paper, then gracing a pretty neck. |
This slouchy, warm hat will suit men as well as women, although you might want to omit the bobbles for him. You have the option of two sizes and choice of DK or worsted weight yarn. |
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This vest requires more effort and skill than the other designs here, but it's well worth it for your mom, sister, or best friend. If you have lots of gifts to make and are pressed for time, you may want to omit the lace border. |
Months of labour went into designing this ‘just as comfy as knitted’ toe-up crocheted sock with a choice of two decorative edgings. The crocheted gansey styling needs repetition on a garment, I think. |
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Even the most ardent knitter will admire these cabled fingerless gloves. Ingenious and effective for chilly wrists and fingers. |
Sets are economical. Make several in different colours, then mix and match them. Add flowers made from stash yarn for unique gifts. Nice to have options. |
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In this issue ...From the Prime Minister's Desk
In this summer movie blockbuster season, we can assure you that Hollywood really cares about yarn. Once when I was a Toronto yarn rep, I happened to call on Wendy Mortimer at The Wool Mill on the Danforth. Unflappable Wendy has a long history of working with wardrobe people for films shot in Toronto (there are a lot of them, like Chicago and Hairspray) and arranging appropriate knitwear. “Funny you should come by right now. I'm just waiting on some news which might involve one of your yarns,” she said. Turns out that for the Michael Douglas/Sean Bean/Brittany Murphy thriller Don't Say A Word, the filmmakers wanted to show the pathos of a kidnapped child by showing a close-up of a forlorn little sock on a floor. This, of course, demanded hours of meetings debating the sock style and choice of yarn: how to achieve the most heartwrenching visual effect in only a second or two? Wendy and the wardrobe people decided on a slouch style at a looser gauge, something that would look naturally floppy and hastily-removed; the opposite of a nice tightly-knit grownup affair. She knit three of these in carefully-selected different yarns. And sent them, as instructed, by overnight courier to the studio in Los Angeles, where the final critical decision was to be made. In a truly cinematic moment-- this really happened-- just as she finished telling me the story, her phone rang. It was around 11:00 a.m. EST, 8:00 a.m. in Hollywood. She smiled at me during the conversation and finally hung up. “It's yours,” she said. “It's the Buttons.” Weeks of meetings and phone calls between two coasts resulted in making this critical movie sock out of Naturally Buttons. In red. Colour 875. I'll never forget how much effort and time and expense went into making this one decision-- such a tiny part of a big movie. And what's even crazier is that you can still get that exact yarn in that exact colour, eleven years later. Go ahead, make the same sock that starred in a movie. The prestige, darling, the prestige! Newsletter Archive
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Publisher and Designer of the Month: Annie Dempsey
A word to describe Annie Dempsey’s designs for her label, Oat Couture, is “wearable” followed closely by “useful”. Dempsey will not publish any designs that she wouldn’t wear or use herself and she always designs with real people in mind: real knitters and crocheters at all skill levels, real babies, real men, and real homes. Her designs, like the popular Celtic Cardigan, are well structured classics that will be enjoyed for years. Oat Couture began in the ‘80s with original designs sold in kits. Baby patterns, like the delightful Victorian T-Shirt, dominated the offerings and are still popular. In keeping with Dempsey’s philosophy to design for real people is this cuddly crocheted cardigan, the Lido Island Sweater. An overview of Oat Couture would not be complete without an example of her afghans. This Prairie Blanket says it all about Dempsey: her thoughtfulness for the knitter, the usefulness of the end product, and the beauty of the finished object. She lives and works in rural southern Oregon with her husband, one lively dog, one not-quite-wild-anymore peacock, and an extremely hardy goldfish. Dempsey thinks of knitting, crocheting, and design in just the same way she thinks of life: fun, relaxing, and sometimes challenging. See all of her designs here - and read on- When did you start designing? I began with knits in the late 1980's with a mail-order business named Oat Couture that featured 8 baby sweater kits. By 1995 the business morphed into a pattern-only company and the best selling designs were ones that are still popular today: the Entrelac Purse, the Victorian T-Shirt, and the Crocus Cardigan. With crochet, I created designs from the very beginning. I worked as a fibre artist during the late 70's and early 80's doing craft shows and showing in galleries from New York to LA. I made crochet sculptures - soft, stuffed ones and pieces that involved papier maché. They did well, but people kept asking me for the patterns and that seemed like a pretty good idea. How do you start creating a design? Often I start with an idea for a garment or item, choose a yarn, and then swatch, swatch, swatch. Sometimes I play with a technique and build a design around that. It's a complete melding of the right and left brain - the idea is emotional and visual, then I have to work out how to translate that into a written pattern that someone else can follow. And there's a lot of arithmetic. Which is your favourite design? My favourite is usually the one I'm working on right now because I'm excited about it. There are several that I have made for myself or my husband -the Port Orford Pullover, Oregon Vest, Lido Island Sweater, Knit Ruana, Hairpin Lace Ruana, to name a few. I wear a Nehalem Hat all winter long. I like the Mendocino Sweater a lot and have one in the works. Which are your customers’ favourite designs? Some of perennial favorites are designs that I love best, too, like the Celtic Cardigan, the Knit Ruana, and Oregon Vest. The Ripple Beret & Scarf and Swing Vest are popular, too. I'm happy to be able to connect with so many people with varied tastes on such a fundamental level. How do you describe the way you knit or crochet? One stitch at a time! I'm a firm knitter and crocheter. I like to knit in pieces because I believe that seams are important for the structure and longevity of a garment and I enjoy the finishing almost as much as the actual knitting. There's a great deal of satisfaction in sewing a beautiful seam. What inspires you? What are you passionate about? I find inspiration everywhere – the trick is to just let it into my mind. Aside from the needle arts, I have very strong feelings about equal rights and opportunities for people and I'm nuts about dogs. (We have to ask, “Where’s the dog blanket design, Annie?”) Which designers do you admire? Coco Chanel. Her ease of style and choice of fabrics was so liberating. Also Alexander McQueen for the sheer joy of his work, the courage of his design, and his impeccable craftsmanship. Do you teach? I taught for about 10 years and I loved it. The best part was seeing folks getting inspired by other people’s projects. I had a sort of clinic - I would show people anything they wanted to know about knitting or crocheting from starting from scratch, helping with a project, to finishing. It was great fun to have lots of different projects going on. How do you feel about the business side of being an independent designer? Business is just a part of it. My dad always said, "The dishes have to be washed 3 times a day whether you like it or not". I took it to heart and that's how I approach it. Are there any ways you spend your time that would surprise people? I'm a big fan of kung-fu movies. I studied the martial arts, so I appreciate and enjoy the choreography of the fight scenes. Where do you think the knitting/crochet/fibre world will be in 10 years? I think the fibre world will hold strong. Needle arts are becoming a way of life for more and more people. Each item made by hand is entirely unique - there is not another one like it anywhere! Knitting or crocheting not only gives one a sense of accomplishment, it's also a form of meditation once you get the hang of it. That's a lot of value for the time spent. Find all of Annie Dempsey’s knit and crochet Oat Couture patterns here. |
Our Newest Designers and Publishers
In June we welcomed 3 new designers and publishers.
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Leslie Hamacher of Lavatera debuts with her flattering Beaded Lace Pullover. We are particularly fond of the curve enhancing negative ease and elbow length, scalloped edge sleeves that lengthen and flatter. |
Agnes Kutas-Keresztes, a Swiss resident, launches with her Berry Yogurt Shawl, a confection of cranberries, strawberries, and raspberries. Purling through five stitches on the wrong side creates the roundness of these berries; it's the only challenging component in this pretty and evocative shawl. |
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The Machine Knitting category has been awaiting designs since the beginning of Patternfish and we are delighted that Monika Stramaglia, aka MssRainbows, our first machine knitting designer, has joined us. MssRainbows' first design, the Machine Knit Short Row Shawl, has attractive and intriguing lace patterning and i-cord fringe, beaded if you choose. Make your shawl or scarf on any knitting machine and amaze your friends when you tell them what a short time it took. |
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Collection of the Month
Here’s a skin revealing collection plus a market bag that lets your veggies show.
From the Ambassador's Desk
- Gayle Clow
I offered to knit an afghan for a friend many years back and was happy to make whatever she chose, with the exception of a one square at a time, sew them all together at the end, pattern. “Under no circumstances,” I said. Now I’m eating my words and it has to do with the heat we’ve been experiencing. How delightful not to have masses of knitting in my lap, just one square.
Barbara Walker’s Learn to Knit Afghan Book is a recent find and the 63 different squares, each demonstrating a special knitting technique, are my summer project. It’s not likely that I’ll get them all made this summer, but there will be more summers. The book is a “primer for the real beginner who has never handled yarn or needles before” but it still has its challenges for an experienced knitter.