Brooklyn Tweed Archives

Warmin' the Noggin: Skiff Hat from Brooklyn Tweed

29 January 2019 by Heather Lou Leave a Comment

I am the most flip-floppy knitter. I get so excited to start a project that I inevitably spend a bunch of money on wool and supplies, begin enthusiastically start working on it and then...

*crickets*

Honestly, this happens every. single. time. With the exception of super bulky knit sweaters, two of which I'll be showing you soon, anything even slightly refined (ie. anything that isn't knit on sewing needles the size of hot dogs) is no doubt going to take over a year of constant start and stopping. I am especially bad about taking notes so when I go back to a project after ignoring it for months on end, I have to spend hours trying to figure out where I left off.

Such was the case with this cozy, floppy tuque (that's Canadian for "keep head from freezing").

Last winter I was on the hunt for a super warm hat pattern that would offer a bit of a cabling challenge after the success of my Snoqualmie cardigan (which incidentally, took almost two years to finish). After way too much time spent searching Ravelry (an internet black hole if ever there was one) I settled on the Brooklyn Tweed Skiff pattern. It finally gave me a chance to work with their Shelter yarn, which I've oft fondled in yarn stores.

I started working on this with the same "this time it will be different!" energy I have for every knitting project. Is anyone surprised it lay half finished in my knitting basket of shame for the better part of 2018? To be honest, this poor hat had a lot of baggage. It was what I worked on at the hospital when my Gram was passing. I spent her last night on earth struggling to focus on these cables while she struggled to breathe. When I finally got home I couldn't bear to look at it and into the basket of shame it went.

I finally mustered the energy to finish it in December. My new Pendleton coat needed an appropriately luxurious hat companion, and in the comfort of home, binge-watching Killing Eve, it finally came together. I even made a pom-pom, although I didn't have quite enough yarn to go as big and full as I had hoped.

It turned out a wee bit more floppy than I had hoped, but that hasn't stopped me from wearing it nearly every day, and I secretly enjoy how much of my head I can cover in this very erratic winter we've been enduring (in the past week it dropped to -25C, dumped 30 centimeters of snow, then rose to 2 degrees wherein everything melted into a giant slush lake covering the entire city before being immediately flash frozen into a hazardous icy hellscape designed to bring all Montrealers painfully to our knees). I am firm believer that you can only complain about one season per year, and winter is definitely my whiny pain point. This hat has made it a bit easier.

Does anyone else suffer from knitting distraction-itis? What's the longest it's taken you to finish a knitting project?

My First Project of 2018: The Snoqualmie Cardigan

4 January 2018 by Heather Lou 62 Comments

Some of you may remember when I started my most ambitious knitting project ever because in my overly ambitious way I made a big ol' production out of it and decided the only way I would finish my Snoqualmie Cardigan from Brooklyn Tweed was if I hosted a knitalong to hold myself publicly accountable. That was almost exactly two years ago and I literally just finished it, so I guess you know how that went. It may have taken me about 20 months longer than I anticipated, but the wait was worth it. I flipping love this sweater, and I'm really happy to start 2018 wrapped in its squishy embrace.

Pattern launches are always exciting, and I literally get giddy everytime Brooklyn Tweed launches a new collection, even if 99% of the time it's just eye candy for me, because knitting takes forever and I have a short attention span. Something about the winter 2016 collection actually made me want to do more than drool over my screen; they had just debuted their new chunky yarn Quarry, and I figured if I was ever actually going to complete a sweater more complicated than a couple of rectangles stitched together, a chunky yarn was probably the way to go. It doesn't hurt that the product images for the Snoqualmie cardigan are the dreamiest; it looked like the perfect oversized, cozy sweater for the kind of hell on earth winters we experience up here in the north (I know I whine about winter every year but serious face it's been minus -20 for the past twenty days and if you don't have something thick and woolly on your body at all times you basically just drop dead. It's actually been so cold and brutal I finally bit the bullet and got my own car so I don't have to wear a full-on snowsuit to do the long trek to work every morning. I called my brother because I was nervous about this big step and he was like "Not get a car? As opposed to what, riding your bike in the snow? You're 36! GET A CAR!" So I did. #Adulting).

So why in tarnation did this sweater take me two years? I blame my wax and waning knit-jo. I was super fired up when I started this project and managed to get most of the body done within 3 months or so. And then summer started, and we all know how that goes. The following winter I started the sleeves. And then for some reason stopped right when I was almost done the cap on the second sleeve, and there it languished for another year before I picked it back up again. A hot tip if you're a start and stop knitter like me: leave yourself notes about exactly where you left off so you don't stare at your knitting in mute rage when you decide to finish the damn thing. Once all the body pieces were finally done I thought I was homefree, until I realized how long it was going to take to do the short row ribbed collar. I managed to finish most of that in November, and again she sat sad and neglected until I finally seamed the whole beast together over the holidays. I cannot express how satisfying it was to finally, FINALLY be able to put this baby on my body.

I learned SO. EFFING. MUCH. with this project. It's important to note that I had never knit anything more complicated than a pair of socks before this. First time knitting cables, first time really seaming, first time doing buttonholes, first time blocking and checking measurements. Which is all to say that if you're somewhat a novice like me, you too can take on an ambitious knitting project, especially with Brooklyn Tweed; their instructions are so well written. I think being ambitious is the best way to learn, and even if the final product isn't "perfect" (lord how I loathe that word) it does get you hooked (literally, hardeeharhar) with always having something exciting on your needles. Also, thank you google. Every time I forgot how to decrease on the right side or needed help she was right there with all the answers. No excuses. I did end up posting a few tutorials in my thwarted sewalong, so if you tackle Snoqualmie or other cabled projects, you may find some of those posts helpful:

Interview with pattern designer Michelle Wang
Supplies & yarn
Casting a tubular cast on
Knitting cables without a cable needle

The whole process made me feel way more confident and excited to knit this year. The cable pattern looks complex but it was easy to memorize and knits up pretty quickly, especially with this gauge of yarn. I used my Knitters Pride cubics needles, which strike a good balance between slippy (faster to knit) and grippy (less dropped stitches) because they are chrome plated but cube-shaped. Stitches move easily on the needle but not so much that you're swearing under your breath because you didn't notice a stitch fell off 8 rows back, although I do find them a little squeaky. I am considering upgrading to the gorgeous Lykke needles from Fringe Association but I'm not sure if they will be too grippy for me. Does anyone knit with them?

As far as construction wet, I knit this without any modifications. I chose the third size based on ease, and part of me feels like I should have gone a size down. My gauge was right on and it blocked to the right size with minimal intervention, but I definitely find it on the roomy side. That said, it's so squishy and cozy and I have no problem layering it on top of other things, or under my massive North Face parka. Most of my mistakes are too minor to point out, but I will mention that on one side of my collar you can see where I started my short rows; the wrap and turns are visible on the right side. I'm not sure where I went wrong there so I made a note for myself to make sure it doesn't happen the next time I do a shawl collar like this. I also wish I had blocked the collar with a deeper fold. Looking at the product photos the collar is a little wider; when I wash it again I'll make sure I reshape it a little. The wood buttons are from Etsy. I should also say I really liked knitting with the Quarry yarn. It's spongy and soft, and has a lovely, organic feel. I'm sure it will pill like all chunky yarns but the loft and feel is totally worth it. This is NOT an itchy wool sweater!

I'm also SUPER thrilled that I finally have a good indoor spot to take pictures at our new studio. You'll likely be seeing a lot of this white wall. It was super overcast yesterday but the lighting was just perfect. Which means I have no excuse not to take pictures of the 5 or so projects still kicking around from 2017, right? I even ordered this huge white light reflector to help minimize shadows because if I never have to go outside and strike dumb poses in alleys again while my neighbors watch I can die happy.

What was your first big knitting win? Do you have any sweater projects planned for the new year?

A Rowe Cardigan from Brooklyn Tweed

17 May 2016 by Heather Lou 53 Comments

I am so, so guilty of the cardinal sin committed most frequently against makers, which was asking another maker to make me something. At least it feels a bit like a sin at this point in my life, when approximately everyone I've ever met has asked me to sew them something. I want to get Selfish Sewist tattooed on my forehead just to stop that awkward conversation in its tracks (I mean, I might make you something if its Christmas or you're a cute baby or the love of my life, but that's about it).

So, it was especially rich that I had the gall to ask my beloved Aunt Carol if she, you know, felt like knitting me something? Granted, this is one of my favourite relatives, the only person in the family I can talk books, cats and yarn with, and I asked at a time when my faith in my own knitting capabilities was very, very low. But lets be real; if asking someone to make you a pair of jeans or a swimsuit is a big deal, asking for a handknit sweater is almost as bold as extending a weekend long stay with a friend into a year of couch squatting. But, there's a reason I love Aunt Carol as much as I do. She, unlike me, is not a selfish jerk and is happy to make things for other people. She told me to pick a pattern, and away I fell into the purled rabbit hole that is the Brooklyn Tweed website. I mean, if I was gonna go big, I might as well go all the way to the big top.

Of course, because I wasn't knitting the damn thing myself I gravitated toward those 4/5 and 5/5 cabled projects that give me heartburn just looking at them, and sent Auntie Carol a list of possible options, asking her to choose. She told me to pick the one I really wanted and that she'd figure it out.

So of course I chose Rowe. Because I am a monster.

This is the sweater of my dreams. Intricately cabled with a slouchy, oversized fit, it provides cozy long distance auntie hugs 24/7, and covers my butt, making it the ultimate leggings companion. It also caused my aunt more than a little grief. HAVE YOU SEEN THOSE CABLES? This sweater is a beast.

I'll spare you the back and forth all year long, but needless to say this was a challenging project for Aunt Carol (I don't want to know how many times she had to rip things way, WAY back, or when she reknit the right front because she blocked it with hair shampoo and the wool had a complete temper tantrum). When it finally arrived this March I don't know if I've ever felt the actual, physical weight of love more in my life. I know how much time, energy and handiwork went into making this sweater, and I was so overwhelmed with gratitude that (for once), I was at a loss for words.

Once I got over how beautiful it was and how honoured I was to receive it, I put it on and basically haven't taken it off since. The sleeves are a little long and need to be rolled, but otherwise its the next thing after Harry I'd grab in a house fire. If it wasn't the sort of magical garment that will hopefully last long enough to be handed down, I'd probably want to be buried in it. I'm putting that on the record, just in case.

It was knit with Cascade 220 in.... wait for it... Heathers (the colour is #9401 but seems to be out of stock everywhere I looked). It's the dreamiest sweatshirt grey ever and goes with everything. Here's what Aunt Carol had to say about its construction:

The whole time I was making the sweater I swore I was going to write a blog post with tips to help knitters with moderate knitting skills read and execute more advanced patterns. I searched the Internet for instructions but couldn't find any help so it was a a big learning curve for me of trial and error. The most important thing is to read the pattern thoroughly!! Follow it precisely. Use a counter AND check off the rows on the graph. If you are stuck contact the pattern company - they usually get back to you in a few hours. Check your pattern every few rows to make sure you didn't make a mistake and have to rip back a bunch of rows. At any rate I greatly enjoyed the process and the challenge and the satisfaction of completing a sweater for a dear niece!!

Oh man. I'm the luckiest woman alive. Of course, I'm wearing it here with Morgan Jeans. Next month I'll be wearing it with my swimsuit. You can hold me to that.

And what about you? What's the best thing anyone has made for you? What's the thing you're the proudest to have made for someone else?

Snoqualmie Kal // Cardigan Progress

1 April 2016 by Heather Lou 13 Comments

It's been a few weeks since my last Snoqualmie knitalong post... I was hoping to be a little further along but ran into a few obstacles. I had an impossible time establishing the tubular cast-on for the left front and threw the project down in a snit after a week of stops and starts. I've learned when it's time to take a break.

And then last weekend, we left the city for the country and I was practically ecstatic at the idea of 3 non-stop knitting days by the fire (and possibly in the hot tub if I could figure out how to keep my wool dry), only to discover upon arrival that I had forgot my knitting bag. I almost started crying when I discovered my mistake, and decided to just bake as much as humanly possible so I had something to do with my hands all weekend (#makersanxiety). I have no idea how I forgot my bag, except I was in a rush, and packing for a weekend in the country with a puppy is almost as stressful as doing the same for a baby and it just slipped my mind. I had fully intended to finish up the front and get started on the sleeves but alas.. here I am with the back done and the left front almost finished...

Once you start the back, it's just a lot of straight up cabling with nary an interruption for quite a long time;I found this very soothing and easy to do while watching tv. By the time I got to the armholes, I barely had to glance at my cabling chart since I began to intuitively know what stitch came next. I quickly abandoned my stitch counter and stitch markers as unnecessary, although I did run into some problems as I decreased for my armholes. It seems that for size 45 3/4", the stitch motif runs right along the armscye, to the point where the cable would be sort of half finished on the right side. This didn't make sense to me so I took to Ravelry, where of course some crafty knitter had come up with a solution. Thanks to a note from brittluvstoknit I decided to leave off two rounds of decreases, essentially leaving an extra two stitches on the needles. This let me run the full cables along the armhole, although even with omitted decreases, the cable on the right was one stitch narrower than the one on the left; I think you can barely tell in the finished work. The shoulder will be slightly wider but I think it's worth it to continue the cables uninterrupted.

I'm quite fond of the sloped bind off technique, which essentially has you slipping the first stitch rather than knitting it. It creates a nice soft angle to the decreases.

As I struggled with the tubular cast on for the left front, I did notice a possible issue with the instructions, at least for my size. The instructions calls for you to slip one with yarn in front at the end of Row 2, but I found I had to actually slip two stitches with yarn in front to make it work. When it's time to rearrange the stitches, the instructions direct you to first slip one, then slip a knit stitch. In my case, that second slipped stitch was a purl stitch, not a knit. It's a subtle thing but it gave me a little headache for the left front because I couldn't get the ribbing to work. I can't remember if I had the same issue for the right front or not, although it's entirely possible I screwed up somewhere in the process. Here's what my stitching looked like on the right and wrong side after making the above changes:

I deeply enjoyed how much faster the front took shape once I resolved my cast on issue. The only thing to really stay on top of with the front pieces is a) making sure I remove one decrease on each side so that my shoulders are the same width as the back and b) being mindful to decreases on both sides of the front to begin the neckline shaping.

I'm almost done the left side and will be starting the right shortly; if all goes well I'll be starting on the sleeves next week. This is the part I'm the most apprehensive about given all the shaping that will need to be done, but must say I've been pleasantly surprised by how manageable this sweater has been so far for a novice knitter.

How's your Snoqualmie coming along? Have you run into any issues? Anything else you'd like me to cover about the construction so far?

Snoqualmie Knitalong // Supplies + Yarn

25 February 2016 by Heather Lou 11 Comments

Welcome knitalongers! Before we get started on our Snoqualmie Cardigan, we need to gather some supplies. The nice thing about knitting is that once you have a few key things, you really only need to purchase yarn when you start a new project (granted, yarn is waaaay more expensive than fabric most of the time, but still! Simplicity! Expensive simplicity!) Most sewing projects have a lot more material components so there is something rather nice about only really needing to focus on one thing.

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Snoqualmie Knitalong // Talking to Michelle Wang

23 February 2016 by Heather Lou Leave a Comment

Before we get started collecting supplies for the Snoqualmie Cardigan knitalong, I wanted to talk the designer, Michelle Wang. I'm a big fan of her blog and basically everything she's ever designed, so it felt appropriate to chat with her about this big knit undertaking.

Even before I really got back into knitting, I always gravitated towards the patterns you designed for Brooklyn Tweed. How did you start designing knitting patterns? Do you design for any other publication or companies?

I started designing knitting patterns after sample knitting. An editor at Vogue Knitting encouraged me to submit my own design and it’s been history ever since. Since I’m technically a freelancer, I do try to squeeze in work for other companies and publications including Interweave, Woolfolk, Quince & Co. and The Plucky Knitter. It’s always exciting to try out new yarns and come up with designs with such different fabrics.

Like a lot of people, I fell in love with the Snoqualmie cardigan at first sight. What inspired the design?

The idea for the Winter 16 collection was “basics”. My two other designs for the collection were a bit more literal and then I wanted to design something that had a basic or traditional silhouette, but a more interesting fabric. From there I went with an allover cable to keep it “simple” instead of cabled panels which would look more traditional and aran-influenced. Since it’s part of the Winter collection, I also wanted something the knitter could knit up fairly quickly in the bulky weight. And Quarry in Gypsum just screamed squishy, smooshy cables to me!

Cabling can be perceived as scary and intimidating for novice knitters; what do you recommend for people starting a cabled project for the first time?

First, I would mention that cables are simply stitches worked out of order. That’s it. I particularly love cables because they look so much more difficult to create than they are. I would also encourage knitters to swatch, not only to make sure their gauge is correct, but to practice. Personally, I get a little confused when knitting a lot of cables. My eyes start to play tricks on me after staring at a cable chart. So, I like swatching for a few repeats to make sure it’s clear in my mind.

What other skills should we be brushing up on or practicing as we prepare to start Snoqualmie?

I would say finishing. But what’s exciting is sewers are generally less intimidated by finishing than knitters. When knitters hear words like sew and seam, they freeze. But things like picking up and knitting for the button band and collar may be new to some. I would take a peek at tutorials on that if they’re unfamiliar.

What's your favourite thing to listen to or watch while knitting?

I usually can’t listen to or watch anything while I’m knitting. I can barely knit in public. I’m THAT person - I can’t walk and chew gum at the same time. I really need to focus, and I like taking that time to sit in silence and enjoy the quiet.

What are your secret knitting weapons? Do you have any particular tools or needles you like working with?

My preferred needles are Addi Rockets. I love the finish and the tips are pointed, but not too pointed. The joins are smooth and the cables are flexible - a must! I also use coil-less safety pins to mark and count rows. This is something I learned from Catherine Lowe. It’s a great simple tool. But my favorite thing is probably my spin dryer. After soaking pieces to prepare them for blocking, I gently wring them out and then throw them into the spin dryer to remove excess water. The pieces come out 90% dry and shaves hours off of blocking time. It’s been a life saver when I’ve had to meet a deadline.

Once we master this pattern, what other patterns do you suggest for newbie knitters looking to up their game?

Bartlett is a design created from Arlo, which is for children. It’s similar to Snoqualmie in that it’s an allover cabled shawl-collared cardigan, but in worsted weight. So it’s a bit more knitting. But for those looking for a cabling challenge there’s Rowe and Ondawa. And for those looking for a more straightforward knit, and would like some finishing practice there’s Corvina and Lowe.

Michelle-Wang-sweater-patterns — row one: Bartlett, Rowe, Arlo // row two: Corvina, Lowe, Ondawa

Funny that Michelle recommends Ondawa and Rowe; my aunt has spent the last year working on Rowe for me (I cannot WAIT for that beauty to arrive) and Ondawa is on the top of my must-make list; I suspect it will feel a lot more approachable after finishing Snoqualmie.

If you'd like to keep tabs on Michelle in a totally non-creepy way, you can follow her blog here; she's also on Instagram, Pinterest or Twitter. The knitalong will chug forward Thursday where I'll break down the supplies and wool we'll need to get started!

Announcing the Snoqualmie Cardigan Knitalong

19 February 2016 by Heather Lou 12 Comments

If you haven't noticed, knitting is my jam these days. There is something so soothing about it. Even when it's frustrating. Even when I've dropped a stitch. Even when I'm swearing under my breath - even then. And after a full day of work-related sewing and sample-making, it feels good to use my hands in a different way, while still engaging in the act of self-love and self-care that I associate with making something beautiful, just for me.

Just like when I rediscovered sewing, falling in love with knitting has found me spiraling down Youtube rabbit holes and losing hours (let's be honest, days) searching patterns on Ravelry. But even with all this newfound enthusiasm, I still find myself facing down The Fear. As much as I am longing to tackle more challenging projects, cables make my stomach quiver, colourwork gives me the shakes and anything with a needle smaller than 4mm has me backing away with my hands up.

Which is pretty rich, considering the rousing post I wrote last month about kicking that Fear Voice to the curb and just making it already.

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When Knitting Takes Over Your Life

26 January 2016 by Heather Lou 45 Comments

If you've been following me on instagram, you may have noticed there is a WHOLE lot of knitting spam happening lately. I'm not exactly sure how this happened, but when I scroll through my feed these days, at least half of the snapshots from my daily life involve a cup of tea and some knitting needles (the puppy spam will start in a few weeks when Harry gets home, but until then, #allwoolallthetime).

I taught myself to knit back in the early aughts (thank you Bust magazine, thank you Stitch n' Bitch). I even made myself a sweater in those halcyon days, and while I've knit something at least every year since, nine out of ten times it's a simple and lazy project like a cowl or a Christmas present scarf. I've tried starting a couple of new sweater projects since I started blogging, but both are currently moldering in their project bags. The Brooklyn Tweed sweater from last year is the victim of scratchy, ugly wool I finally renounced this fall (RIP itchy charcoal snoozefest), and the lovely silk and merino project from the year before that is a huge billowy beast on 3.5mm needles that is simply too much stockinette at too small a scale.

But a change is in the air, and how! I've been on a knitting bender! If knitting was booze I'd be passed out in an alley with my pockets turned inside out. I'd smell like rum with trembling hands and bloodshot eyes. As it is, I'm just more annoying at parties (everyone loves someone sitting and knitting instead of mingling!) and less prone to cuddling because it means more dropped stitches (men just love being supplanted by in-progress sweaters).

I think all of this started in October at Camp Workroom Social. Every night after dinner a big gang of buddies would sit in a circle and knit and it just looked so... nice. Also being surrounded by crafty women wearing beautiful hand-knitted things for days straight tends to get the ball rolling, so when I got home I started researching projects.

I wanted to make a sweater that would knit up fast so I'd actually finish the damn thing. I settled on the Cross Country Coat from Wool and the Gang, aka the chunkiest chunk ever (15mm needles!!!) and knit the majority of it over a weekend in Vermont. This was an amazing project because it let me feel that sweet, sweet satisfaction of progress and completion after so much start and stopping.

I finished this sweater in December with a little drama, but I'll leave that story for when I post pictures of it. All I will say about it is cough*swatch test*cough.

Continuing on my chunk spree, I followed up the Cross Country Coat with the James Jacket, also by Wool and the Gang. I juuust finished seaming it and will try and take photos of it soon. It's a very cool "fashion" piece but I think it will be nightmare to wear under my parka. Sweaty city!

After those two, huge, bulky projects, I was kind of over super chunky wool. I was also feeling super ambitious and knitting-ninja-like since I managed to finish two sweaters in under two months.

Enter socks.

I have two people to blame for my current sock addiction: Jen Beeman and her sock porn on Instagram, and my good friend Michelle, who taught me the way and light of toe down magic loop sock knitting. I was terrified of socks for such a long time because I thought I hated tiny needles and also HEELS. But guess what? I took a little of my own Just Make It Already advice and trust me, the water is fine.

Michelle suggested I pick up some Addi Sock Rocket needles and treat myself to some lovely Madeline Tosh wool and it was pretty much love at first stitch. My knitting game was forever changed by the needles because those puppies are FAST. I'd always considered myself a slow knitter, but I was super impressed with how quickly the first sock knit up. I thought I preferred wood and bamboo because of my propensity to drop stitches, but I think I may be a chrome needle convert, so much so that I just invested in my first interchangeable needle set, this cubic/square shaped set from Knitter's pride that I have read nothing but good things about. I loved working with this Madeline Tosh Twist (the colourway is Denim) and am planning several more pairs. The patterns I'm using are all from the book Socks from the Toe Up, which also introduced me to the absolute wonder that is Judy's Magic Cast On Method. Of course the first sock is a little janky, with lots of dropped and later picked up stitches, and weird holes along the increases until I learned how to twist the stitch during "make one" time, but who cares! SOCKS! I'M MAKING SOCKS! FOR MY FEET!

I'm currently working on my second one while waiting on my first order of Brooklyn Tweed yarn to arrive. I'm going to tackle this cabled hat before I start work on my Snoqualmie sweater; after a lot of amazing encouragement on Instagram I feel confident I'll be able to do it, and even if I can't or I struggle, I'll learn and get better. That's the whole point, right?

What I've learned through this whole process is that my knitting progress was being held back by a combination of poorly chosen yarn and pattern. A good, fast beginner project like some of the WATG patterns are great to get your feet wet and your confidence up before tackling more ambitious projects. And the honest truth is that after a full day working and making samples, the last thing on earth I often want to do is stay in the studio and keep sewing (the perils of making sewing your day job). I'm not sure if it's just a phase or the time of year, but I'd much rather be curled up on the couch with the Bachelor ((#teamJubilee)) and a lap of yarn than just about anything else these days. Who's with me?!

Tell me about your knitting journey! What are you making these days? TELL ME ALL YOUR KNITTING SECRETS.

An Interview With Brooklyn Tweed Designer Veronik Avery

12 September 2014 by Heather Lou 46 Comments

The internet is a funny place. A few days ago, Jen at Grainline posted her fall knitting dream list. Jen always seems to be working on beautiful sweaters and I bemoaned in the comments section that as much as I love the *idea* of knitting, it's just not something I've ever been able to stick with (I am still only 20% done the last sweater I started. Ahem. Two years ago. I was mad to use fingering weight for a gigantic drapey sweater).

Well, whatya know, an hour later I get an email from Veronik Avery, a designer for the (incredible, drool worthy, inspiring) knitting company Brooklyn Tweed, encouraging me to give knitting another chance. Veronik is a fellow Montrealer, and as we chit chatted back and forth about the many idiosyncratic knitting store owners in our city (seriously, one of them is so overbearing and aggressive I'm scared to go into his store), it occurred to me that this was a great opportunity to talk to a fellow designer about her process. Veronik designs beautiful, wearable knitting patterns; classic silhouettes with a modern point of view. Check out this gorgeousness:

Knitting patterns by Veronik Avery — 1. Wake 2. Feather 3. Spinnaker
4. Marry Me (I mean Hugo) 5. Zenith 6. Landfall
7. Oblique 8. Edge Hoodie 9. Prairie Tunic

Introducing Veronik!

How did you get your start designing knitting patterns?

I used to sew for hire - anything from costumes to curtains. And I sewed pretty much all the time; when my daughter Oona was born, I sewed anytime she was sleeping. Eventually, she slept less and less but I had to keep my hands busy so I took up knitting. I had fantasized about designing sewing patterns but couldn't quite wrap my head about how to go about it on a limited budget (this was in 2000), but once I saw knitting patterns I knew this was something I could do.

How does your design process work? When you're working with someone like Brooklyn Tweed, do they handle the testing process or do you deliver a fully finished product to them?

I have a fine arts background, so everything starts with a sketch. With BT, we start with mood boards that are distributed to each design team members (we are 4 in-house designers; guest designers submit ideas for the 'Wool People' collections). We then meet to choose which designs will end up in any given collection - there are many B sides!

The process for knitting patterns isn't the same as it is for sewing patterns. Once the pattern has been written, the designer or a sample knitter will knit the sample. In my case, I might ask that a sample knitter knit the pieces so that I can do any finishing. The sample knitter is remunerated and knows to look for any potential errors or whether clarifications are required.

Once done, the senior tech editor will go over the pattern with a fine tooth comb before handing over the pattern to the counter tech editor. Then, it's on to layout where more sets of eyes will go over the pattern.

How long does it take to design a knitting pattern?

It depends on how indecisive I am. I could be less than a day while others will require many, many swatches before I'm satisfied.

Where do you look for inspiration?

I read books and magazines, watch movies, go to museums. I try to internalize all these things in order to make things my own, as much as can be.

What is your preferred yarn and needle size to work with?

Pure wool and 3 mm needles. No superwash!

Where are your favourite places to buy yarn?

Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool, hands down.

What's your ideal "I'm going to knit for the next few hours" routine? Do you watch movies? Listen to podcasts? Enjoy the sweet sounds of nature?

TV shows and movies. We're Criterion collection fans around here.

Do you have any recommendations or suggestions for people new to knitting? Tips they should know or methods or tools that might make the process a little easier?

First, realize that any project is a collection of techniques and do not need to be learned all at once. Anyone who sews has an advantage as they are used to following directions. Pick wool for an early project as it is more forgiving - dk (double knitting) to worsted is best. Read the label and find a wool that knits up at about 4 to 5 stitches per inch.

As far as patterns are concerned, I'm obviously biased towards Brooklyn Tweed and Quince patterns. Raglan and yoke sweaters are a little more forgiving of the fit being a little off. Garments do take a while, so I'd recommend having some accessories on the needles at the same time to prevent discouragement.

You can follow Veronik on her blog here, or her instagram here.

It was all sorts of fascinating to get a glimpse into a different world of designing, and Veronik has inspired me to try to knit another sweater this year (if I can take her up on her offer to learn Continental knitting the next time I have a friendly craft Sunday at the studio).

Anyone else planning knit projects for the fall? What knitting patterns are you obsessed with right now?