Ysolda Teague, Edinburgh-based knitwear designer, is our interview guest on Episode 36 of the Fruity Knitting Podcast. Ysolda captured the attention of the knitting world whilst still a teenager and is now an established name. We stay in Scotland to meet Shona as our guest on Knitters of the World. Anne Hanson presents her pattern Violet in New Releases. We have an update on Andrew’s brioche adventures and the #fruitybriochekal, and some exciting Fruity Knitting News.
Ysolda Teague – Interview
Ysolda Teague captured the attention of the knitting community whilst still a teenager after submitting a pattern to online magazine Knitty. Her pattern was not only accepted but made the front page, and Ysolda soon found, somewhat to her own surprise, that she was able to make a living as a designer.
Ysolda mentions in the interview that she gained much of her early knowledge of knitwear design via a James Norbury encyclopedia of knitting. Although more a reference than a textbook, and not the easiest of reads, it did introduce her to the basics of garment construction. Ysolda has kept her attachment for learning from books. She stocks a range of harder to get knitting books, including several Japanese knitting dictionaries, and has also published several books herself. Collaborations, both with other knitwear designers, and with other professionals such as photographers and graphic designers, have played a key role.
Finding Ysolda
- ysolda.com
- ysolda on Instagram
- Designer Ysolda Teague on Ravelry
Violet, by Anne Hanson – New Releases
The Violet pattern by Anne Hanson is light top inspired by a seventies design. The top can be knitted in a variety of yarns, including several of Anne’s own Bare Naked Wools range, and is an ideal project for warmer climates or warmer seasons.
Patron Discount
Anne has agree to provide a discount to our Patrons. Look at the post on patreon.com/fruityknitting for details.
Finding Violet and Anne Hanson
- Violet pattern on Ravelry
- knitspot.com (Find all of Anne’s patterns, plus her Bare Naked yarns)
- knitspot on Instagram
Shona Mason, Fife, Scotland – Knitters of the World
Finding Shona
- ShonaMCM on Ravelry
- shonamason on Instagram
Music Credits
- Sláinte, Album: Cup of Tea
- The Butterfly. Kid on the Mountain
- Fear a Bhata
- Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0
- J. S. Bach, The Well Tempered Klavier, Prelude No. 3 in C-Sharp major, BWV 848, performed by Kimiko Ishizaka, used under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License
- Beethoven, Symphony No. 3 in E Flat Major Eroica, Op. 55 – IV. Finale Allegro molto, Public Domain
- Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky, Souvenir de Florence, Op. 70, 1 – Allegro Moderato, US Army Strings, Public Domain
Hi Andrea and Andrew, I love your podcast – colorwork, walking, and classical music are three of my favourite things. I just wanted to add a few ideas on knitting comfortably, which I’ve drawn from advice from my cello teacher, some physical therapy I had after shoulder surgery, karate classes, lots of mindful knitting, and trying just about everything. If hope some of this helps.
Everything I do, stems from the most neutral hand position I can come up with. I let my hands flop in my lap, relax them in a ‘mindful’ way and them look at their position. The two things I notice is the angle at which my wrists fall, and that none of my fingers are straight. Every knitting technique I use is as close to this as possible. I work at the tips of the needles and as small as possible, with the tips of my index fingers and thumbs controllling the loops near the tips.
I was having a hard time relaxing individual muscles while knitting – first I would notice my shoulders, then my index finger, then a wrist muscle, my pinky…. and by the time I got through all of those, my shoulders would be tight again. I found that it is much easier instead to imagine I am holding a baby bird in my hands. Some control is needed, but very gentle control. Sometimes I knit and say, ‘baby bird’ to myself at each stitch to remind me.
I also try to convert all movements into circles or ellipses or loop de loops. Stopping hard and reversing direction takes more effort and strain and loses momentum. Converting to circular motions keeps everything fluid.
I am a continental knitter, so I run into the purling problem you mentioned in the podcast. I have three solutions I use. For purls on the right side, I (1) use either the Norwegian method (learned from Arne & Carlos) or (2) the standard method of dipping my index finger, but I keep my index finger bent. Keeping it straight was what was hurting me. (Reminds me of correct hand position on the piano or cello – bent fingers!) (3)If I’m doing a lot of stockinette in a flat piece or short rows, I purl from right side continental style. I suppose some people call it knitting backwards, but it’s not a perfectly symmetrical operation. At the end of a knit row, I don’t turn. (Added bonus, my yarns don’t tangle from turning the work.) I just move the yarn from my left index to my right index. With the left needle, I go through the back loop on the right needle, and pick from under the feed yarn, and with fingers and thumbs controlling yarn, use a bit of a scooping motion to get through the loop. I never move more than a centimetre if I can help it. Broken down, it really is just purling from the front.
I hope some of this helps. I have been stopped knitting several times by pain and it’s just awful.
Best wishes to you both,
Erin
Malvern Hills, England
P.S. One more thing- when I pull slack from the yarn ball/cake, I turn it into a big cat stretch for my shoulders and back. Feels great!
What a great episode Andrea and Andrew! So informative and has helped me feel lots better ? I’ve had (along with half of Australia I think) a very nasty bout of influenza- almost 2 weeks now- so have been at home sniffing, sweating and coughing incessantly- blah! But your podcast cheered me up- also Spring is just around the corner and I’m awaiting delivery of my first kit from Virtual Yarns- so much to look forward to ??
Love, love, love your podcasts. I just started watching them this summer and am going back and watching from episode 1. You guys are such naturals on camera. The little bloopers just make me laugh! Thanks for all the great info, interviews, and sharing your love of knitting.
Thanks, Kelly. We were just thinking of watching some of our earlier episodes – and wondering what we would see!!??
Hi Andrea and Andrew, many thanks for the very interesting Ysolda Teague interview. The most interesting part for me was when it became clear that Ysolda was one of the originators of the idea of providing a wide range of sizes in knitting patterns, Those of us who are outside the narrow scope of the only 3-4 sizes that most clothing manufacturers cater for (which is most women) greatly appreciate the efforts of modern knitting designers to ensure that most people can make and enjoy their designs. The mainstream fashion industry could learn a great deal from this.
Finally there is a podcast that is only about knitting; not any other hobby. I have been knitty since the only sizes available were extra tiny to medium.
Thank you for demonstrating different knitting styles. I knit in the eastern uncrossed style, which upsets others when they see me doing so. But I find it is comfortable, without rowing on the purl rows.
It is the highlight of my world whenever a new podcast arrives. I have become a patreon to help you a small way to continue in your work.
Again,
thank you.