Authors & Artists: Hello Astrid

When I grew up my best friend was called Astrid. I don't know if she were named after Astrid Lindgren (I suspect as much) but I do know that I loved reading books by someone called the same as my best friend. Then Astrid moved schools and met cool girls who liked clothes and makeup way more than books. Heartbreak is really hard (especially when you are a kid) but books get you through. Yesterday I released the Astrid hat.

When I released the Lindgren mittens back in December, I had a slew of people asking about a hat. As it happens, I had left-over yarn from the mittens - and I also had cold ears. You can see where this is going. Yes, this is a companion pattern.

It became very clear during the design process that I didn't just want to take the colourwork pattern from the mittens and slab that on top of a generic hat. I just don't work that way and I wanted something that had its own identity whilst still calling back to the mittens. Instead I took the pattern from the thumb and opened it up across the top of the hat. The lower rim has the same pattern as the mittens but I love how the hat plays with "open" and "close" patterns.

The pompom is striped - Katya Frankel has a neat little tutorial on how to get a speckled pompom. To get a stripe you simply add more layers of your contrast colour before going back to the pompom's main colour.

We had the first photo shoot on Boxing Day on the beach in my favourite Scottish fishing village. The weather was horrendous. I had sleet flying in my face and the wind was blowing a gale. I was so happy to be wearing my cosy mittens and hat. The weather did not make for great photos, though.

The next day we went back as the weather had cleared. We had a lovely time climbing the rocks, watching the surf and strolling down the coastal path.

And I felt much better about having a camera pointing at me.

As Dave was taking photos, I thought about my life and the things we go through that make us the people we are today. As a lonely child, I found solace and strength in books. As an adult I do the same - but I also find strength and joy in making things, sharing my makes with other makers, and in walking down steep coastal paths with my best friend who understands silence and everyday beauty and me.

2016: New Words & An Almost Blank Slate

2016. I start the year with a spring in my step. I gave myself real, honest time off and I cannot believe the difference it has made to my general state of mind. I did a touch of dress-making, I watched a lot of films, I went for long walks with D. and I finished some work knitting. I also had a lovely Christmas in Aberdeenshire and I spent New Year's Eve in Glasgow. Oh, and I saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens twice because I am a nerd. So, 2016.

I sat down this morning and made a quick list.

While I am not one for inspirational quotes, I found having a word lodged at the back of my mind incredibly useful last year. I also think we all have a word or two guiding us throughout our lives ("family" and "money" are two such words I have encountered a lot). It's just nice to sit down and really have a think about what I have to have a guiding principle - and this year it is joy.

I struggle a lot with perfectionism (like many other creatives do), work/life balance, and my desire to say yes to everything. By asking Will this job bring me joy? Does designing this fill me with joy? If I go to this event, will I enjoy it? I hope to have a tool that will cut through a lot of the noise. Will it work?

Well, I ended 2015 looking like this. Yes, it's a hat to match the Lindgren mitts. Yes, the pattern is forthcoming. Most importantly, I look happy and relaxed. Here's to joy in 2016.

2015 - A Year In Knitting

2015 was a terrible year, generally speaking. It was a year that seemed to bring out the worst in people and the world appeared to be heading towards darkness, fear, and hatred. I finally stopped watching the news this year (and I'm a total news junkie). Instead I tried to find beauty wherever I could find it: art, literature, and kind gestures. But I am also a knitter and knitting brings solace (even when I'm stressed out of my skull over deadlines, I love knitting).

So, I'm going to spend this post looking back at my year in knitting (and crochet).

2015 was my first year of being fully self-employed. I made the big leap in 2014, and 2015 was a year of me realising what that meant. I got used to a full inbox and I learned big lessons on Saying No to Things. I travelled a lot and I met so many brilliant, talented, wonderful people.

I taught so many workshops all over the UK - from the buzz of Hackney in London to the quiet, quiet countryside of Northern Ireland. Bikes, busses, trains, and ferries. Astounding views ranging from the Lake District, Scottish glens, the flat streets of Cambridge, and the strange aircraft hangar feeling of a giant exhibition hall.

Design-wise, 2015 was another busy year.

I released three Authors & Artists patterns: Byatt, Mahy, and Lindgren. I had a few patterns published elsewhere: the Chard top in Knit Now and the Swale hap in the wonderful Drift book by Eden Cottage Yarns. I also had three sock patterns released with Old Maiden Aunt yarns, and the Crosstown Traffic released as a Malabrigo Quickie pattern. And I released the lovely HYGGE collection: Fika, Top Hygge, Skovtur, Brygga and Tryghed.

14 designs in one year - that should be grand, right? I feel quite bad about the low tally but I also know how much I ripped out and how hard I've been on myself (..may 2016 be the year of less perfectionism). I also worked on a few things that are yet to be released. I also knitted myself a comfy jumper with no pattern to show for it.

I went on three knitting retreats.

The first one was in February in Dunoon and had amazing views. I hung out with my Glasgow posse, watched Labyrinth & Flash Gordon for the first time, and knitted myself a Hetty cardigan.

The second was a combination knitting retreat/hen party for one of my dearest friends. We stayed in a fabulous farmhouse in the Yorkshire Dales. We watched cheesy Doctor Who episode, ate cheese, and I played the worst round of pool ever seen. I also worked on the Mahy shawl constantly.

The third knitting retreat was in Lancaster at the Crawfords' farm. A handful of designers camped on site and we spent a very fruitful summer weekend learning from each other, working on various future designs, and cooking amazing food. I was working on something that is yet to be released. Here's a photo of some yoked jumpers/cardigans we were sporting.

(photo by Katya Frankel)

And then there were events. Three in particular stand out for me:

The Edinburgh Yarn Festival was such momentous event for me personally. I tend to sit on my own and work - and suddenly people came up to me and chatted. You are real! There are people out there! I had some thought-provoking, smart conversations and I got to spend time with some very special people. EYF 2015 was the event that made me realise that it is all real. You guys exist and you are awesome. Also, there was much yarn.

Yarndale 2015 was a mad lark. I said hello to so many people, talked so much, and did so many things for one very short day that I had to take a short holiday afterwards. Most of all, Yarndale was the day of the Scollay-along meetup and I got very verklempt.

And In the Loop 4 was fantastic. An inspiring three-day conference on all things knitting & textile. I gave a paper on Faroese knitting and the idea of tradition. Three days in the company of some of the brightest thinkers on knitting culture and knitting history. It really made me think hard and restored some confidence in my ability to think. I am eagerly awaiting the next ITL in 2017.

(photo by Jeni Reid)

Looking back, 2015 was probably the year of meeting people. I am a natural introverted hermit who lives in her own head, so it was a challenge for me at times, but I learned so much from each and every one I met.

2016 looks to be busy in terms of me being on the road talking to fabulous folks, but I have blocked out several weeks of me-time. I think I need that in order to be able to work. I am looking forward to seeing new faces and go places I have never been.

Thank you for 2015. It's been a tough year out there in the world, but thankfully there has also been knitting and good people.

A Little Something

I've begun looking back at the year now almost over. I'll be writing about all my knitting adventures soon, so stay tuned for that. However, 2015 was a hard year in many ways that has nothing to do with knitting, friends, or family. It was a year that worried me and made me want to spread kindness and beauty. And so as we make our way towards the shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere, celebrate the return of light and look towards a new year, I thought I'd do something a bit unusual (for me).

I don't usually do sales and discounts - I don't like buying something only to find it cheaper the next day and I'm not a fan of the whole "tag five of your friends, follow me on 17 different social media accounts and tell me a secret about yourself" spiel. I am too old and grumpy for that! However, I do want to celebrate we are nearing the end of a tough year. So, without any further ado..

The first pattern is Chinese Kites.

I won't be updating this blog everyday with the new patterns and codes, so keep an eye on Facebook and Instagram. You don't need to follow me as such. I am just posting the pattern names and codes those two places. If you do follow, it makes it easier to keep up with the annnouncements (and I would love for you to say hello too if you are a long-time lurker).

'll be back soon with my look back at 2015 and a sneak peek at what 2016 will bring. I'll also share my favourite makes of 2015, designs that caught my eye, and what I hope 2016 will bring (apart from kindness, light, and open hearts which I definitely think we all need).

Wear What You Make - Building a Handmade Wardrobe pt 1.

Over the last couple of months of using Instagram regularly I've noticed something. I feel happier and relaxed when I wear something I have made. And so my thoughts turn towards the fabric stash and wanting to make things that will continue to make me happier and more relaxed. Reader, I bought a  sewing pattern with a view to make some wardrobe basics that'll keep me as happy as my knitted items. But what about knitting?

A photo posted by Karie Westermann (@kariebookish) on Oct 15, 2015 at 2:58am PDT

Knitting is my first love and I am so lucky that I get to design what I want to wear - and share it with everyone! Wearing what I make is the best feeling (and I've started using #wearwhatyoumake as my own personal hashtag to track my handmade wardrobe adventure) and it's something I'm thinking hard about for 2016 too. Simply put: I want what I design & make to be easily integrated into an everyday wardrobe.

I recently spent some time going through my clothes. It's a good exercise that keeps me aware of what I own, what I treasure, and what I keep wearing. I do this semi-frequently and I always learn something from doing it.

Observations:

• Colours lean towards teal, navy, mustard, and deep cool reds. Neutrals are navy blue and brown.
• I tend to wear dresses more than anything.
• I wear the denim, skirts and the cord skirts most. Pencil skirts get most wear.
• I own two pairs of trousers (1 pair of jeans, one linen) which I rarely wear.
• Three cardigans get most wear: the Stevie Cardigan (knitted in navy Rowan Wool Cotton) is beginning to show wear & tear; my brilliant Scollay cardigan; and the mustard yellow Hetty cardigan which goes with everything.
• I still wear shawls but I have grown fond of very big shawls recently - I tend to wear Proserpine, Fika (currently floating around Britain as a sample - I miss it), Swale and Kirkja (it's smaller but mustard yellow).
• I shy away from cute patterns (owls, deer, moustaches) but love geometric patterns. Mostly I like to wear things made from plain fabrics.

A photo posted by Karie Westermann (@kariebookish) on Aug 23, 2015 at 5:17am PDT

From the observations, I have learned the following lessons:

• I love bold colour combinations.
• I need more cropped cardigans.
• I need another navy cardigan and another mustard yellow cardigan.
• And a brown cardigan. And a teal one.
• I need to add pockets to skirts & dresses. Pockets are brilliant, yet rarely appear in high street women's wear.
• I need to make myself more skirts (I've said this every year since 1989 or thereabouts).
• Handmade makes me happiest.

Obviously there are problems surrounding a handmade wardrobe: slow fashion takes time, money, and skill. I am privileged because I can devote time to building a handmade wardrobe (and can justify it by calling it work). Not everybody can do that and that is okay. A good place to start is to wear what you make (and think about whether you'll wear what you are making) - but that is something I'll explore in the next instalment!

Happy November, everyone!

A photo posted by Karie Westermann (@kariebookish) on Oct 11, 2015 at 5:03am PDT

Going Old Skool: Here's What I Am Making

Sometimes all you need is a toasty jumper. Earlier this month I decided to grab the nearest yarn and turn it into a cosy winter jumper for myself. No pattern to grade across multiple sizes, no tinkering with spreadsheets, no charts to haul about, and no worries. Just a plain, cosy jumper.

Last year my gran gave me twelve balls of Drops Air in a soft green shade. I am going to be honest here: I would not have bought this yarn myself. It sits on the wrong side of fashion yarn for me with a slightly too-novelty construction. The yarn is basically a very delicate nylon tube filled with alpaca and merino fibres (I think you can juuust make out the nylon netting on the left strand in the photo above). The result is a very lofty yarn with no fibres escaping. As a Continental knitter, I find it quite hard to work as the tip of my needle keeps catching on the netting. I spend a fair amount of time fiddling with my needles when all I want is to knit smoothly in the round.

But knitted up, it does look exceptionally cosy and it feels great against the skin. It just isn't my preferred knitting experience.

I decided to do a very simple top-down raglan for my toasty jumper. I decided upon a broken rib as the sole decorative element and I've added short-row shaping to the back neck (better fit) and lower back (I'm always cold there).

I've just begun my sixth ball out of the twelve. I'll have enough for quite long sleeves .. and then maybe a cowl for those extra cold days? I'm using a 5mm needle for the main body (as recommended by the ballband). The resulting fabric is quite thick - for extra drape I would probably have used a 5.5mm but I wanted cosiness rather than drape. The ribbing is done on a 4.5mm - less rigid than a 4mm would have been (4.25mm would have been optimal but where do I get such a beast?).

I've taken this project everywhere with me and it's so mindless I have been working it through meetings, mornings, and headaches.

I have an actual pile of things I need to make - ranging from exciting new collaborations to class samples - so this will be put on the backburner a bit. But this winter I'll have a new cosy jumper which doesn't need to be anything but a jumper. And this makes me happy.