One of the many things I like about my knitting enterprise (the design work, website, and blog) is how its "branding" evolves. Over the past 3 years I've changed my website format a few times, which has spawned like changes to my business cards, the pattern font and layout, etc., and each time I'm tempted to go back and change all of my prior patterns (38 published at this writing) to match the new look – but I resist. (Truthfully it's an ongoing internal dialog. I can be that kind of perfectionist.) Such would be crazy work, I tell myself, and would get in the way of my knitting.
The latest in this evolution involves the naming of my designs. Up until now I've used my family tree as source, beginning with my mum – Marlene. By now I'm running out of family names, and since I expect to never stop this work :), I need another plan.
I read recently a blog post by knitwear designer Bristol Ivy (Where the Red-Winged Blackbird Flies) where she recites a Shaker spiritual, "by turning, turning, we come 'round right." She's a wonderful writer and I found this passage particularly poetic. I've thought of it a lot since and as often happens, I notice, when timing is right ideas come together. From this I've decided to name my pieces lyrically while keeping their basis in my history and family story. It feels right, and consistent, hopefully opening up a whole world of naming possibilities – though currently I'm thinking only of the next.
Oh Johnny Lee – mum's first crush, as written in her teenage diary that I found and secretly read as a scoundrel child, then broadcast to the family, as we laughed and laughed. Mum laughed too, though I never saw that diary again. I don't think she'd mind me using the memory.
Launch of Oh Johnny Lee forthcoming.
At last
Today I left my down coat in the closet and went out in Elsie , unzipped, just like this.
Oh happy spring – at last.
When one thought leads to another
I regret blog silence for the past several weeks, January's been a busy knitting month. Submissions to hoped for publications, and my routine monthly self-published piece have taken all attention. And as I await word about the former, for now a word about the latter – Emily, my January offering.
Dear Emily has certainly taken many forms along the way. The fact of her being a vest is the only vestige (smile) of her original self. She started as an idea for garter stitch, in the manner of Mary and Elsie. I am smitten with the silent shaping that this stitch allows. I made garter swatches in Quince's owl, then chickadee, and finally settled on lark as my desired thickness for this chilly weather piece. Then, with deadlines looming, she took a back seat to submission planning that had me scouring my idea stash. By the time I returned to her, rib stitches had seduced me and she was transformed. I do like when this happens, when one thought leads to another. My husband Peter re-collages his artwork, my writer pal Bev erases, cuts and pastes, and I reknit. Emily got shorter, a bit slimmer, and shaping stitches were reconsidered. And although I thought about making her work as she was, I knew I was on the right track when the decision to start over with new-found knowledge was a relief rather than a burden.
I'm wrapping up pattern writing now, checking my math, and will be taking pictures over the weekend. (Thank you Pete for this preview!) With luck my January offering will launch by February 3rd. Close enough :).
Corinne
Yesterday I launched this lovely, leafy, wrap – spawned unexpectedly from some swatching experiments and sparked further by Shibui Knits rich merino alpaca wool. I'll definitely use that again.
I named this piece for my first friend, Corinne, who was lovely too. You'll find the pattern here.
Rockin' a moto sweater named Elsie
Well, maybe I'm not rockin', but if you ask me, Elsie the sweater sure does!
I finally got this moto design out of my head and onto my needles. The resulting knit is quick – aran weight wool, the fabric dense and weighty – all garter stitch, and the zippers substantial and prominent – adding a bit of sparkle. Yum.
Pattern writing is wrapping up now and I plan to launch tomorrow. Just couldn't resist posting this peek – I'm loving this moto!
30 Days of Indy Project
The 30 Days of Indy Project has been organized by In The Loop yarn shop of Plainville Mass to celebrate independent knitwear designers. On each of the 30 days of November, proprietor Cheryl blogs about a selected designer – and happily, my day is tomorrow, November 16th.
To coincide with the event, on my day, I'll offer my Alice pattern for sale through ravelry at 50% off its regular price (use discount code 30dayproject). I'm pleased to participate, and hope you'll visit!
A little hug
Named for my best pal's mum, I launched Charlotte yesterday – a sweet and simple wrap, perfect for tv knitting and, once done, perhaps wearing on romantic evenings. I can imagine that.
It's a little hug. The same little hug I'm sending to my pal and her family, on their first holiday season without her.
Olive is purple
or technically crocus – #115 of Quince's color wheel.
Olive Clough begot Olive Ziegler – aunt and cousin of my grandmother Mildred, who later married Harold – brother of Olive Welch. Olive must have been a popular name back then.
Olive is also a double-breasted cardigan in chunky wool, worn so well by Juliet.
Alice, resurrected
Alice, what a beautiful name. I was pleased to find her among my ancestors in our family tree – Alice May Welch, sister of my grandfather Harold, and of Marjorie. I do love to bring my family members, to life again in this way.
I've had this color-block design in the wings for a few months – since it was graciously declined by the publication to which I had submitted. By that time I had already worked up the prototype to ensure that, if accepted, any related deadlines would be less stressful, and her styling would be just as I imagined. Recently with autumn in the air (at least in my locale) she came to mind and yesterday I posted the pattern to ravelry. I'm so happy to see my ravelry friends giving her thumbs up. Things have a way of working out... as they should? Yes, I think so.
In addition to ravelry, you'll find my Alice pattern for sale on craftsy, also linked from my website, here. Enjoy!
Lacy Lena is launched
July is Lena
I've got my July design nicely underway, named Lena for my great grandfather's cousin. (It's this family line – the brother of my great, great, grandfather who traveled with him from Switzerland in the late 1800's – that eventually marries into my husband's family long before I do, but that's a story for a future knitted piece that I'll get to pretty soon. Sadly I am running out of family names and will eventually resort to assigning design namesakes to those of us who are still living, though this may well please my pals. Family tree research sure has been fun!)
The design for Lena was spawned initially from my search for a lace. I ran across the Double Wing pattern in one of Barbara Walker's books. It's easily memorized (a requirement) with short repeats and I loved that there was both an open version
and a closed one.
Initially I thought they might look cool paired, but after swatching I found the open version more appealing so I stuck with it.
At this writing, Lena's bodice will be shaped, as per my usual, and with a wide scoop neck. Her sleeves will be slightly longer than those for recently published Marjorie. I like this silhouette, and lately like playing with raglan sleeves so I stuck with these design elements too. I'm working the sample with Quince chickadee, also my usual, but in the new-to-me petal color that I've found to be unexpectedly fantastic –
at first glance almost colorless in its pale-ness, but while working it has become nicely saturated. It feels quite rich to me by now, and a favorite.
Also note, I'm tweeting!, turned on to twitter by Juliet who found, to my delight, that fellow tweeters were mentioning my designs. For those of you who tweet too, you'll find me there as @DebHossKnits. I hope you'll follow me as I post regular updates about my knitting progress, and maybe a bit more.
Marvelous Marjorie
I can never forecast which design will be popular and which will not. I hold my breath, hit publish, and see what comes. And though I love them all, some clearly do better than others.
Happily, it's now apparent that my June offering – Marjorie – launched yesterday, is a hit with my fellow knitters on ravelry! What a thrill. I'm not even trying to wipe the smile off of my face. Thank you knit pals!
You'll find the pattern for marvelous Marjorie on ravelry and now on craftsy too, with additional information available here.
Ruth, you rascal :)
Great aunt Ruth married pastor Albert, my grandmother's brother. Word is that pastor Albert enjoyed watching his rascal bride Ruth vacuum au naturel. Makes me wonder how that word ever got out (hee hee!) – but oh how my mum enjoyed this story. I like to think that with her house finally cleaned Ruth might have slipped on this rascally tee to go out on the town.
Thinking of you dear Ruth – with a loving grin.
My Ruth is a cap-sleeved tee covered in scroll lace with back waistband ribbing to accentuate the curves.
You'll find this pattern now published and available from my ravelry shop, and also linked from here.
Glorious grape
Oh I love my work – my play? Absolutely.
Ruth.
Pattern writing is underway.
Lyrical Lillian
Great aunt Hilda's birth certificate shows her name as Lillian Hildagard, though no one ever called her that. I'm not sure why.
She was a lovely lady, hiding her lovely, lyrical name from the world – but not for long.
Here's Juliet modeling Lillian – a shapely, color-block, garter trimmed pullover, with bracelet length sleeves and a circular shawl collar.
For a closer look, you'll find this published pattern available from my ravelry shop, and also linked from here.
In like a lion
March 7th and true to form in Boston where it's snowing a blizzard, March marches in like a lion.
But that's okay. This weather gives me a few more weeks to wear Elizabeth – my latest cozy knitted piece.
Published pattern is now available from my ravelry shop, and also linked from here. Next up, thinking spring.
Revise, reuse
During our last design brainstorm session Juliet suggested using my Grand Loop Jane Cowl as a collar – same wool, color, texture, dimensions – but attached instead. hmmm..
So I did.
And I'm glad. Turned out fun, huh? Pattern writing is eagerly underway. Elizabeth will be published and available soon, on Ravelry.
Lovely Laura
Namesake of a distant paternal cousin (with a special wink to a current day pal) is lovely Laura worn by lovely Juliet. Another delightful collaboration between us has resulted in this sweet design – making me quite ready to rename my enterprise Deb and Juliet Hoss Knits, but how fun is that!
It takes 2 images to show the fullness of this piece – simple in the front and lacy in the back – with garter trimming wrapping it all together. A fitting valentine for my girl.
Jazzy Jeanette
"Fresh and modern" is how one ravelry follower described Jeanette, this latest lacy pullover – thrilling feedback to be sure! And although I'd like to take full design credit, alas, I cannot. This is the brainchild of Juliet, who wears it so well. Truly my muse, my daughter aims to keep my thinking young (while nature takes its course with all other parts of me).
Jeanette is the name of my grand-aunt Margareta's daughter-in-law (and also of her granddaughter) – appropriate namesake for this piece I'd say. With a slightly longer bodice, three-quarter sleeves, and garter trimming Margareta's been jazzed up a bit – much as, I'd like to think, my girl does for me.
Click here for pattern details. You'll find this pattern for sale on Ravelry.
Jazzing up January
Oh the trials of photographing all the details of a black lace sweater in low-light January! But we've made it work I think, I hope.
Jazzy Jeanette pattern coming soon.