Meet the Designer: Claudia Donnelly

Claudia Donnelly
claudiadonnellydesigns.blogspot.com

Claudia Donnelly just released her newest pattern, Riverton, in Anzula Lunaris in Frankie. Cue gratuitous pattern pictures!

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Riverton by Claudia Donnelly

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Riverton by Claudia Donnelly

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Riverton by Claudia Donnelly

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Riverton by Claudia Donnelly

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Riverton by Claudia Donnelly

Isn't it just beautiful? We thought it was a good time to spend a little time getting to know her! We hope you'll enjoy our chat. (If you like cats or yarny tattoos, I recommend reading to the end).

1) How did you discover Anzula Yarns?

I was in Columbus, Ohio for my 25th HS Reunion in October of 2015 and had set up a time to do a trunk show at “Yarn It & Haberdashery” yarnitanddash.com  in Grandview, OH while I was there. It was at Esther Hall’s lovely shop that I discovered your yarn. She had lots of it there and well, some of it had to come home with me! With red (in every shade) my favorite color, this was what came home with me!!

Anzula Dreamy in Madam, Claudia Donnelly

2) When did you start knitting? How did you learn?

I grew up in a house where fiber was everywhere in just about every form. My mother was a knitter, spinner, and natural dyer. Even though I grew up surrounded by fiber, the knitting bug didn’t bite me until much much later in my life. When I moved to Albuquerque, NM from Tucson, AZ in June of 2008 I approached my Mom about teaching me how to knit. I had been hearing about the groups of women that she knit with on a regular basis and the incredible friendships she had built that had helped her through good times and bad (the sudden death of my only brother) and I really wanted to be a part of that. I knew nothing about how to knit but I knew it was something I wanted to share with my Mother. I wanted to have something that she and I could do together. 

3) What was your first project? (bonus points if you have pictures)

My first project was a scarf. Mom and I decided on a scarf because it was a small project I was certain I could achieve success with. Mom gave me some of her lovely hand spun yarn, and she cast on my stitches for me on a set of Brittany Straight Needles (which were incorporated into my knitting tattoo that I would get years later). Mom taught me the knit stitch. I practiced it over and over again with her until I was certain I had it right. Mom told me “just do this over and over again. Don’t worry about trying to purl right now. Just practice the knit stitch.” My Aunt Betty was there at the time and unbeknownst to my Mom, she slipped me a beginners knitting book. When I got home that knit I continued knitting, just using the knit stitch. I didn’t even know the term “garter stitch” yet, even though thats exactly what I was doing. I woke the next morning and all I wanted to do was knit. I couldn't remember the last time something had this kind of hold on me, but I was drawn to it like nothing else before. I picked up my knitting  to continue the knit stitch but I found that I was quickly getting bored of this stitch. I opened the book that my Aunt Betty gave me and taught myself how to purl. Now things were cool! I had two stitches I could do! My mind instantly went to…”what if I combined these stitches in a way that makes a cool design?” I called my Mom (this was day 2) and told her I needed more yarn and a couple different colors if possible. She quickly brought it over to my apartment and didn’t ask any questions. I ripped out the knitting that I had done back to the cast on. I had no idea how to cast on so that had to stay put. I quickly put a design together in my head and tracked it on post it notes. I didn’t know it at the time but what I was making was a basketweave scarf with alternating colors for each row. I didn’t know how to properly join yarn or change colors so I completely winged it and it worked. I had this idea that I didn’t want the first thing I knit to be something I couldn’t actually wear. I wanted it to be something I could be really proud of. It didn’t occur to me until years later, when I started designing, that what I had done from the very beginning was design my own work. Designing for me was a very natural course of progression for me. It was in my mind from the very first thing I knit that I really liked the freedom of doing my own thing. Putting this with that and seeing what I would get from it was something that really appealed to me. It certainly did with my first project! Here is a picture of my very first knitting project…

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First Project by Claudia Donnelly

I had always been a “crafty" person and had designed other craft projects in the past. When I started knitting, it was like finding out I’d always been an artist, yet for the first time, I had just discovered the true medium with which I was supposed to be working in all along. It was a revelation for me for sure.

4) What inspired you to design Riverton?

The front page of the Riverton pattern says…

When the “Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible; 260 Exquisite Patterns by Hitomi Shida” was released in 2017, I could not wait to design a shawl with these perfectly delicate stitch designs. Looking through the book was like looking through a coffee table art book, it was simply stunning. It didn’t take me long to start swatching! A collaboration with Anzula Luxury Fibers, Riverton is my first exploration into using Japanese stitch patterns and variations to create an exquisite rectangular shawl with timeless movement and fluidity.

I knew the second I opened up the book that I would be playing around with and designing pieces using these incredible stitch patterns. Mom and I  had the book on pre-order for 5 or 6 months. When it arrived in the mail it was like Christmas. We each used different colored post its to mark our immediate favorites we knew we would want to play with. The pattern used in the body of Riverton was one of the first patterns I marked. The the stitch pattern used along the long sides of the shawl is generally intended for work that isn’t heavily blocked. I wondered what it would be like to take that pattern, use it, then block the daylights out of it and see what happens. I loved what I  saw as it made a perfect edging. You get a whole different level of results when you take a stitch pattern intended for a sweater or something that won’t really be blocked and use it in lace. I love it! 

When I contacted Anzula and asked if they wanted to collaborate they were excited to do so and asked me to work with their Lunaris base. I chose the color Frankie because I LOVE mossy, yellowy greens. And the Lunaris base has a bit of stellina in it which made it all that much better. I hadn’t yet designed anything with stellina  so I was very excited. When they sent me the yarn I almost couldnt believe just how beautiful it was1 The color easily mimicked the moss and leaves you might see along the side of a little river or brook somewhere in the mountains. Turning to the book, one of the first patterns I marked was the one I knew was perfect for this design and this yarn. Riverton is intended to mimic flowing water and the stellina really adds to this affect beautifully by looking like sparkling water. The marriage of yarn and design were perfect to me. I hope others like it too! 

5) Do you do other fiber crafts?

Oddly enough, not really. Knitting  and designing is where its at for me! I have done some bead work in the past but thats about it. 

6) What lead you to start designing?

My mother had the complete set of Barbara Walkers "Treasury of Knitting Patterns” and I remember going thru the first one  completely wide eyed and in complete awe shortly after I started knitting. I remember saying to my Mom…”you mean you can put this…with this…and this…and design your own piece?” And she looked at me and said “absolutely! You can do whatever you want with them!” The first book in that series sparked something in me. The book is blue and has an AMAZING pattern on the front cover. I’ll never forget that feeling of realizing I could literally do whatever I wanted with design. 

Fast forward a couple years to 2011. After a few years of knitting and posting pictures of finished objects on Facebook I was approached by a friend of mine I went to HS who wanted me to knit a shawl for her and was more than willing to pay a good price for my work. I had been toying around with the idea of starting to design my own patterns but just hadn’t done anything about it yet. My friend Tameron wanted an intricate lace shawl. I  knew  I could not rightfully take someone else's pattern, knit it up and then turn around and charge my friend hundreds of dollars for this as it is against most designers copyright to do so. I took the opportunity to design something for her, and for me, for the first time. For this first design, I looked back on the moment I discovered Barbara Walkers "Treasury of Knitting Patterns.” Especially that first book. As sort of ode to Barbara Walker in thanks of what I now knew I could do, I choose the patterns on the cover of the first book to be my first major design element. Little did I know then that this pattern would be, and still is to date, the most difficult pattern in my collection. Knit in 100% cashmere, I used the frost flowers pattern as the body of the shawl, then added long side edges and a knitted on border and she was done. I was beyond proud of this design. I wanted to thank my friend for kick starting me into design so I named the shawl after her. This is Tameron, my very first design from 2011...

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Tameron, First Design by Claudia Donnelly

7) Who are your favorite designers? Who inspires you? (designers can be knit designers or fashion designers)

My favorite designers tend to be ones who do completely different stuff than I do. Especially garments. I don’t knit garments, except for babies and children, and I certainly don’t design garments! Some of my favorite garment designers are Joji Locatelli, Laura Nelkin, Taiga Hilliard, Carina Spencer, Veera Valimaki, and Thea Coleman. For shawls I really admire Josh Ryks-Robinsky (Geoknittrix designs), Anne Podlesak, Andrea Mowry, Stephen West, and Kay The Arky Designs (Kay Smith…and yes I know she’s my mother) but she and these others I’ve listed do very different things than what I do and I truly admire that. Josh Ryks-Robinsky’s sense of color and texture are really fantastic. I want to knit his entire collection. I can’t imagine how he comes up with his designs! 

Color and yarn are HUGE inspirations for me. I’ve had my head in so many design books that when I see color and different yarns I tend to look at them and think..well, this pattern or that pattern would go SO well with this yarn. But I also love nature and the elements that you can find there too. There are so many things that inspire me from color, to yarn, nature and even emotion!

8) Cats or Dogs?

I have one cat, a rescue, named Audrey Grace. She is a long haired tuxedo girl and is an only cat as she doesn’t get along well with other animals. She was adopted out from the Humane Society twice and returned both times because she was adopted into a situation with other animals. She most definitely needs to be the only princess of the house. And she is! She is absolutely spoiled rotten. But the love she gives us in return is ten fold. She isn’t just a pet, she is a family member. She is a person in a little furry suit. When she sits, she does so with her paws crossed. She is treated like royalty and acts like it in return! 

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Audrey Grace, Princess of the Donnelly Estate

9) Coffee or tea?

I LOVE tea but I tend to drink more coffee. If I’m not feeling well or just really want the feeling of coziness, I will make a pot of tea. We have a lovely tea house here in Albuquerque that I LOVE to go to; the St. James Tearoom. Most of my recent love affairs with tea are as a result of the time spent at the St. James having formal tea. 

10) Cake or pie?

Both. I do not discriminate. I love cake as much as I do the pastry of pie! 

11) Tell us about your favorite yarn shop?

I tend to not discriminate here either. I love ALL yarn shops. But probably my favorite yarn shop is Yarn & Coffee in Santa Fe, NM. Certainly since our home yarn shop, Village Wools, closed a couple years ago after almost 45 years in business. For that homey and neighborhood feeling now, we get that at Yarn & Coffee. You can check them out at yarnandcoffee.com Deborah Grossman, the owner, has such a wonderful selection of anything and everything a crafter could possibly want or need for their crafting needs. From an amazing selection of popular and local yarns, to unique craft bags from www.blueq.com There is plenty of room to sit down on either of her sofas or chairs in the knitting nook as well. Deborah is very knowledgable when it comes to the industry and her shop. She serves coffee and tea up as well, making whatever you are doing at her shop a super cozy experience. She has always been so supportive of my work and has hosted several trunk shows for me, the latest of which was just this past weekend with the release of Riverton. If you’re ever in the area I highly recommend stopping by. There is a special front area which is AWESOME and perfect for trunk shows for designers or yarn dyers! There is plenty of room to set up shop and stay a while! Contact Deborah if this interests you!

Here is a pic of my knitting tattoo. Because knitting and designing is a huge part of who I am and what I do, I had to have it tattooed on me. I have many others on my arms now but my knitting tattoo was the first. In it are the Brittany needles I used in my first knitting project, and red yarn. My favorite color! The wrist says knit and purl depending on how you are looking at it. There are pictures showing each perspective. 

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"Knit" Tattoo, Claudia Donnelly

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"Purl" Tattoo, Claudia Donnelly

We certainly enjoyed our time with Claudia, and hope that you did, too! Please check out her blog at claudiadonnellydesigns.blogspot.com or you can find her on Ravelry as mrsdonnelly

Knit Notes: Hunter Hammersen

Hunter sent me a copy of her book a few weeks ago and I immediately wanted to knit a million socks and decorate my entire home in beautiful rugs. As I got started swatching and reading all the history pages I really wanted to talk with Hunter about knitting socks and the book. I learned so much talking with her that I just had to share it with you (with Hunter's permission of course)! 

Charlie - Attached are a couple photos of the swatch I did. I plan on retaking them in better light for the post. (I didn't retake them and I forgot to attached them, of course).

Hunter - Hmm, the email gremlins ate them, sorry.  I'd love to see them though!

Charlie - Oops, Here they are! I used Anzula Nebula and the recommended needle size. I might need to go up one size, what do you think?

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Hunter - So I am particular about socks and gauge/needle sizes. It's part of the reason I'll give people a gauge, and sometimes a range of possible needle sizes, but I absolutely won't ever tell someone 'just use size X needles.' Because it doesn't matter what needle size you're using, it matters what gauge you're getting!

I know a lot of folks default to 8spi (in blocked stockinette, worked in the round if we want to be super particular). But I feel like, in order to have sturdy, long-lasting socks, you actually want to work a bit tighter than that on almost all sock/fingering-weight yarns.

In this book for fingering-weight yarns, I went with a suggested gauge of 8.5 stitches per inch, which totally gives you a more durable fabric than 8. But there are a lot of sock yarns out there where 8.75 or 9 stitches per inch would be even better.

So my official answer is 'are you getting a nice dense fabric in stockinette with your first needles? If so, you're probably right on target (and remember that the lace will be under tension when you have it on, so that will help show it off in a way that can be hard to see in a swatch). Now, if you're actually getting stockinette that's too dense, the sort where it kills your hands to knit it and it feels more like cardboard than fabric, then totally go up a needle size.

That's hard to judge without actually feeling a swatch of stockinette, so I can't say for sure what you should do. But I see far more folks making socks on needles that are too big than on needles that are too small.

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Ardabil from Silk Road Socks

Charlie – Well, it looks like I'm getting 7.5-7.75 stitches per inch so based on your advice I think I'll swatch one needle smaller and see how it goes. I definitely want my socks to last as long as possible!

Hunter - Yeah, I'm always amazed by just how tiny a needle I have to use to truly get to that 8+ range on a sock yarn.  But I swear it's how you make a sock (especially one in a yarn without nylon) last!

I will confess that I'm a sucker for thick socks though.  Most of the ones I knit for myself are out of dk weight (your Cricket makes a great thick sock yarn, it's a good fiber blend for socks and it has a nice density/amount of twist...just be sure to get two skeins!).  That's a big part of why I included two sets of gauge/sizing information for all the socks in the book.  One is for fingering weight (at that somewhat daunting 8.5spi) and one for sport/dk weight (at a somewhat more relaxed 7spi).

Charlie - I also noticed that my lace stitches are uneven left versus right, do you have any tricks to avoid that?

Hunter - So my first thought is that blocking cures all manner of ills. The very first thing I'd try is blocking your swatch to see if it settles out. If it does, you're great, you're all set. If not, there are more things to try!

Next, I'd make sure that you're swatching the same way you'll be knitting the finished piece. That is, swatch in the round if your actual knitting will be in the round (there's a tutorial on how to do that over here: http://blog.ysolda.com/ysolda-blog/2014/6/5/swift-swatching-in-the-round). This is especially important for stitch patterns that have you doing increases/decreases on every row. If you're working your swatch flat, and you're not as used to doing decreases on the back side of the fabric, that can make things look wonky on the swatch (when they'll be fine on the actual project because you'll always be doing your decreases on the front side there).

Charlie - Yeah, I swatched in the round. Is there anything I can try?

Because you're already swatching in the round, and you're already blocking your swatch, and you still see an unevenness, it's time to get creative. The solution then is usually to change how you're actually making the decreases. There are all sorts of articles out there on how to tweak them, and it's fun to spend some time reading and experimenting to see what works best with your yarn, needles, and style of knitting.

There's a good article here: http://cocoknits.com/tips-and-tutorials/techniques/a-neater-way-to-ssk-2/

and another here: http://techknitting.blogspot.com/2007/09/new-method-for-left-leaning-decreases.html

But trying to change how you actually manipulate the stitches can be a pretty big job (especially if it's something your hands are used to doing on auto pilot!), so I'd totally check your swatches first!

Charlie – I did swatch in the round and I washed my swatch but I didn't pin it out, so it may not be the best point of reference. I'll reblock it with pins this time, (more reminders to do it right the first time). If that doesn't help I am going to check out these resources. TECHknitting is a long favorite of mine and I was introduced to Coco Knits last year by KnitStars.

Hunter - Yeah, try giving it a yank, sometimes stitches just need a little persuasion to line up!  And when they're on your feet, they'll be under a bit of tension, so what it looks like blocked is a pretty good idea of what it will look like on your feet.

Charlie - I've been pouring over your new book and there is so much fascinating history along with the patterns. How did your love for oriental rugs turn from hobby to obsessive study?

Heriz from Silk Road Socks

Hunter - I've actually liked rugs longer than I've liked knitting! I grew up with them (one of my most treasured possessions is a rug that belonged to my great grandfather). And somewhere along the way it became a tradition to get a rug to commemorate big life events (Graduate college? Get a rug. First apartment? Get a rug. Finish grad school? Get a rug. First book? Totally get a rug.)

They're this perfect blend of beautiful and practical (rather like knitted socks!). And they're a marvelous demonstration of how skill and time can turn basic materials into something breathtaking (and something that will last for generations). Add in all the fun history stuff (who makes the rugs? what are those people's lives like? where do rugs go after they're made?), and it's just too much to resist!

Charlie - Agreed! All the pictures in your book show the most beautiful carpets. Where did you start your research?

Hunter - Lots and lots and lots of reading. And it's tricky, because rugs are heavily romanticized, so you have to be careful to find books that are focused on facts rather than trying to tell you a story. But the real history is worth tracking down (and so much more satisfying than the tales).

But, if you want to start learning about carpets, your best bet is to actually go to a good store and lay hands on them. Look for a shop that's been around for a while (avoid anywhere that's constantly having going out of business or moving sales) and spend some time just looking. You'll know pretty quickly if they're something you want in your life!

Joshaqan from Silk Road Socks

Charlie - Where is your favorite place to knit?

Hunter - Is it shameful if I admit I'm a TV knitter? I mean it would sound so much more romantic if I described some perfect scene of a roaring fire in an alpine hunting lodge...but mostly it's me tucked up at home catching up on Netflix!

Charlie – Not shameful. At. All. I confess to watching a lot of Netflix, and Hulu, and Amazon Prime while knitting. Lol! So we know you love rugs and knitting, what are your other passions?

Hunter - I am such a homebody! I love cooking and playing board games. But let's all pretend I said something exciting like ice caving or sky diving!

Charlie – Ah, just like the rugs, the reality is so much more interesting than the fantasy. Just for fun name a favorite recipe, favorite game, and favorite show (I have a hundred favorites and know it's hard to choose, so maybe just the ones you're really into right now).

Hunter - Oh let's see...so there are few things in life better than a roast chicken.  It makes your house smell amazing, and you've got built in leftovers.  I really like the Jamie Oliver Milk Chicken recipe (you can find it over here: http://www.thekitchn.com/jamie-oliver-chicken-in-milk-best-chicken-recipe-all-time-80388 . 

For board games, I'm a fan of the 'let's settle in for three hours and really do this' style, so I'm a big fan of Agricola. 

And as for tv?  Well let's just say I'm very much looking forward to the next season of The Walking Dead!

Charlie - Do you consider yourself a dog or cat person?

Hunter - Kitties all the way! We have two now (and have had several more over the years), and they are totally in charge around here.

Charlie – I love cats! What are their names? 

Hunter - This is actually a pretty accurate reflection of my world most days...you've got Levon there in the front being attentive, and Douglas in the background plotting something nefarious.  Plus tea...and both rugs (very likely in need of a vacuum) and woolly blankets (in a shamefully untidy state) in the distance!

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Charlie - How do you take your coffee or tea?

Hunter - Tea all the way...super strong but with lots of honey and half and half.

Charlie - If you could go anywhere, where would you go and what would you do there?

Hunter - So we're in the middle of moving from Ohio to Maine (as in, I'm surrounded by moving boxes as I type this...remind me not to bring out a book and move at the same time ever again!). So right at this very moment, I desperately want to be in my new house, snuggled up on the deck, staring at the ocean (very possibly with some sort of hot chocolate beverage in hand).

But once we're all settled in there (and I've had a bit to catch my breath), I very much want to plan a trip to Iceland. I've never been, and it's at the very top of my 'I really need to see that' list!

Charlie – I hope your move goes well and nothing, especially your yarnie stuff, goes missing!

Hunter - Hah!  Does it make me crazy that all the trunk show samples and all the pieces for next year's book that I have already are going with me in a suitcase in the car?  I mean I can buy new pots and pans or lamps if one of those boxes goes missing...but the knitting is irreplaceable!

Charlie - Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me in the middle of this crazy time in your life. I love your new book and can't wait to dig in deeper. 

You can find Hunter's new book on Ravelry and Amazon.

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You can keep up on all things Hunter Hammersen on Ravelry and on her website. 

Find a shop near you on our shop list or shop map. You can see online shops here.

 

Pattern Spotlight: Ecliptic

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Hello everyone out there! I am very excited to be guest posting today about my pattern, Ecliptic, which happens to be the cover shawl on my new book, A Garden of Shawls!

Before I get started on the shawl itself, I thought it might be fun to give you an intro as to where this self-publishing thing came from.

When I first started as a designer in 1998, my goal was to eventually end up with my own company producing books. Little did I know the internet would be what it is now! :) At that same time I had met my favorite designer, Terry Kimbrough, who had been at that point designing for many years (she actually started in her teens). She and I had talked a lot about how self-publishing was the way to go. She already back in the late 1990s could see the way the industry was trending. And I did self publish patterns back then. I would publish patterns that weren’t picked up in magazines, and I actually self-published 3 books myself in 2002-2003 - which you can see here.

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I got a little sidetracked in the early 2000s and started designing primarily for books and magazine companies, but what I discovered over the years is that I like to do what I want to do. I don't like to be given a theme, or colors of the season. I prefer to design what is coming out of me at the time. I guess you could say I like having control over the entire process! :) In the last 2 years, I determined that this was the time to refocus and go back to my dream. In September 2016, I launched to the world Occhi Blue Press - my new book imprint. The first book, A Garden of Shawls, started pre-sales March 1st, just in time for National Crochet Month. And you will notice I am releasing far more indie patterns starting this year. I am shooting for 2 a month!

I have so many ideas in my head and on paper that I will be busy for years to come!

Let’s talk a little bit about Ecliptic! If you know anything about me and my background, you already know that I learned to crochet from my Italian grandmother, who learned to crochet from her grandmother in Italy. I have a strong background in crocheted Italian laces and for this book I really wanted to go back to my roots and use lace in new and interesting ways.

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Ecliptic crocheted in Anzula Breeze, colorway Persimmon.

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If you are not a lace person, consider this - you don’t have to use tiny thread and hooks to create late. In fact, in my beginning lace classes, I recommend using worsted weight yarns and a J or K hook to get started so that you can get a feel for it.

Ecliptic is born out of that idea. Sure, Anzula’s Breeze yarn is considered lace weight but I used a 3.00 mm crochet hook (between a C and a D) which is considered a much larger hook that a standard lace hook - usually is a size 6 steel at 1.75 mm. So right there I have removed one of the biggest fears crocheters have with lace. The hook is almost double the size!

Ecliptic is worked from the top down as most triangular shawls are. You start with a shell in the middle of the top edge, and then you gradually increase as you go. The entire shawl consists of triple crochet and chain stitches. Triple crochets are heavily used in Italian lace, and I used a simple shell motif that is just a 4 row repeat - one you can memorize easily! And the best part? If you want to make the shawl smaller or larger all you have to do is reduce or increase, respectively, the number of repeats before you make the edging. And the beauty of the edging is that it mimics the shawl pattern, but it isn't the same. More openwork shells as in traditional Italian laces are used to finish the shawl off. And the edging is just one last row! Easy-peasy!

If all that doesn’t convince you - there is a section in the book that explains how you can use heavier weight yarns for ANY of the patterns in the book. So is Squishy more your speed? You can make this shawl using Squishy. Or what about It Could Be Worsted? You can use that too! You have options!

Ecliptic is one of my favorite shawls in the book. Why? The yarn. Who wouldn't want a spring shawl in a linen/silk blend? Breeze is so smooth and easy to crochet with. The stitch definition is beautiful as you can see from all the photos. And the best part is that even with a shawl made out of a dense crochet stitch, the shawl weighs next to nothing! Ecliptic will be the perfect topper for a summer night. Persimmon was my color of choice for this shawl, but with Anzula’s line up of colors you can chose your perfect color.

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A Garden of Shawls is now available on my website. You can also purchase the book on Amazon.com (print and Kindle) iBooks, Kobo, and Barnes and Noble.

I hope that I have inspired you to make your own Ecliptic shawl. And if you do, let me know about it! I would love to see your finished project on Ravelry or you can always contact me anytime over at at my website!

-Karen