Hinterland: Winter

The third and final Hinterland collection is out!
Introducing Hinterland: Winter.


In the winter, we find ourselves drawn outdoors despite of (or perhaps because of) the cold, icy surfaces, and gloriously wind-sculpted white landscape. 
Enjoying the forest, riverside, and frozen fields calls for a bit of extra knitted warmth; this is where us knitters can shine.

The three patterns in this collection are designed to help you enjoy the subzero temperatures on your excursions into the hinterland.

Drift's Ridge

Drift’s Ridge was inspired by the look and feel of deep winter. Heaps of snow sculpted by harsh winds are tamed into soft, regular scallops; the chill of the season is kept away with a finely-gauged sweater knit in a cozy fibre. This is a knit that you can layer, one that extends down past your wrists into long sleeves and over your hips in a near tunic-length.

Knit from the top down in one piece, Drift’s Ridge features a seamless construction, simple colourwork and long sleeves.
Sizes:
XS (S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL, XXXXL)
29 (33, 35.5, 42, 46, 50, 54.5, 59)” / 73.5 (84, 90, 106.5, 117, 127, 138.5, 150) cm

Hibernation


The critters of the forest might be hibernating, but there’s no reason you have to! These legwarmers can keep you extra cozy whether you’re indoors or out exploring the snow banks this winter. A relaxing knit and purl textured stitch is easily memorized, making this a quick and soothing knit. The I cord and pom poms add a bit of bounce and fun to Hibernation, with the added benefit of a snug fit. Easily adjust the length by adding repeats of the delightfully simple Chevron Texture Stitch.

Sizes:
11.5” (14.5)” / 29 (37) cm circumference unstretched

Winter Coronet

Part cowl part hood, Winter Coronet keeps you warm while outside in the winter. Worn up, the
beautiful interwoven cables are snug around your ears, acting as graceful earwarmers while also keeping the wind from sneaking down your neck.  Worn down, the hood adds plenty of extra fabric around your neck and shoulders; much appreciated when the temperatures drop!
Knit from the top down, Winter Coronet is a seamless design featuring short rows, cables, and gentle increases at the crown for a voluminous hood to warm you this winter!
Sizes:
One size

Hinterland: Winter; A Quick Preview

As this post's title suggests, here I have for you a very quick preview to the three patterns that will be included in the last installment of the Hinterland collection.
This time, it's keep-you-warm-knits for Winter!

Hinterland: Autumn

The air is crisp and your needles are out. It's the time of year knitters revel in, with your hand knits coming out of storage and the pleasant task of picking your favourite to wear each day is upon you.

Hinterland: Autumn is a celebration of this most wonderful time of year. Each of the three patterns is designed to complement your autumnal outdoor experience. Included is Paridae, Soft Rime, and Rustling Ruffles.

all three patterns for $9.99.

Paridae
XS - XXXXL

There’s nothing better than a hooded sweater in the autumn!  Paridae is a comfortable, cozy sweater that wraps you in warmth, with sleeves long enough to pull over your fingers when sipping that hot apple cider, and a hood generous enough to keep your head and shoulders warm without the dreaded hat-hair. 
Knit from the bottom up, the sleeves are attached at the yoke, with decreases leading up to the hood making this a practically seamless sweater!

Yarn
Zen Yarn Garden, Serenity Worsted, 75% superwash merino 15% cashmere, 15% nylon,  175 y / 160 m per hank, Terracotta, 7 (8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16) hanks
Needles
4.5 mm (US 7) circulars (approx 16” / 40 cm length) and dpns
Gauge
18 sts and 24 rows = 4” / 10 cm in stockinette
Sizes
XS (S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL, XXXXL) / Bust 30 (34.5, 38, 42.5, 46, 51.5, 54, 58)” / 76 (87.5, 96.5, 108, 117, 131, 137, 147) cm
Notions
4 1.5” / 4 cm toggles, scrap yarn, stitch markers
Skills
increasing, decreasing, Kitchener stitch, I cord

Soft Rime
Bonnets are cute, quick, comfy, and universally flattering. Wearing Soft Rime will keep your head and ears warm on your autumn walks. Tie up the laces for an extra bit of warmth when the winds start to blow! 
Knit in one piece from the ties up, Soft Rime uses short rows, simple texture, and grafting to finish off this seamless knit.

Yarn
Malabrigo, Worsted, 100% merino, 210 y / 192 m per hank, Natural, 1 hank
Needles
4.5 mm (US 7)
Gauge
20 sts and 24 rows = 4” / 10 cm in stockinette
Sizes
One Size; see Garment Schematic for details
Skills
short rows, decreasing, Kitchener stitch

Rustling Ruffles
Rustling Ruffles will accompany you on all your beautiful walks this autumn! The chill in the air won’t nip at your fingertips as you stroll, the last bits of sun filtering through the last leaves on the trees, and the rest crunching pleasantly underfoot.
Simple increases and decreases create rows of ruffles, and a flip-top to the mitts mean that you can have your fingers free at a moment’s notice! The cuff extends several inches up your arm, ensuring that there won’t be any chill getting between your jacket and mitts.

Yarn
Lorna’s Laces, 100% Superwash Merino, 215 y / 197 m per hank, Monkey Shines, 2 hanks
Needles
2 mm (US 0) dpns
Gauge
30 sts and 44 rows = 4” / 10 cm in stockinette
Sizes
one size
Notions
scrap yarn, stitch markers, stitch holder
Skills
increasing, decreasing, Kitchener stitch


What's in the ebook?
The ebook contains Pariade, Soft Rime, and Rustling Ruffles. It also has complementary information about the collection's inspiration, information about the Carolinian forest zone, and an extensive annotated bibliography.

Prices
The ebook is $9.99 CAD. Paridae is $6.50 CAD. Soft Rime is $5.50 CAD. Rustling Ruffles is $5.50 CAD.

Where to Purchase
You can buy the patterns individually or all together in the ebook on ravelry.

Thanks to my great tech editor, Holly Priestley, and my kind and talented photographer, Mark!  

Hinterland Autumn; Sneak Peek The Second

I can't WAIT to start wearing this; walking through the leaves, happily crunching them underfoot.
Feeling a crispy air and holding a hot apple cider.
Watching the birds migrate and the trees change colour.

The bee-oo-ti-ful yarn is none other than Zen Yarn Garden. I'm sure you're not surprised!
(though my photo doesn't communicate the beautifulness!)

Hinterland Autumn; Sneak Peek

Just a taste of one of the patterns in the upcoming Hinterland Autumn collection!
I can't wait to show you the rest.

Hinterland: Summer

It's here! It's here! It's finally here!
While the summer may very well be winding down, I present you with my first in my Hinterland collection.

This edition has three patterns: Killdeer, Ontario Skies, and Raccoon's Home Range.

Killdeer

The Killdeer Cardigan is for light, bright, breezy summertime walks through the woods. Just enough to keep the sun off your back, the top-down yoked shape dips out gracefully towards softly ruffled sleeve caps, and descends down, with two pockets for comfort and found treasures.
Graceful ties in the front can keep it closed and closer to your body, or open and breezy.

Note: two models shown on ravelry pattern page, each wearing the size Small. Model with glasses is 5’1”, and model with striped shirt is 5’11”.

Yarn
Knit Picks CotLin, 70% Tanguis Cotton, 30% Linen, 123 y / 112 m per skein, Cashew, 5 (5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8) hanks
Needles
4 mm (US 6) straights or circulars
Gauge
18 sts and 24 rows = 4” in stockinette
Sizes
XS (S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL)
Sizing Note
The structure of this cardigan does not rely on your bust measurement, but you should choose the size which is closest to your actual bust measurement. Your Cross Back measurement is the number you will see on the schematic.
For ease of choice, here is the CYC standard of sizing, including the Bust and Cross Back sizes. These are generalized sizes; your Bust and Cross Back measurements may be different sizes from each other. If you would like to measure your Cross Back, you can refer to this link: http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/sizing.html
Skills
provisional cast on, cable cast on, picking up stitches, short rows

Ontario Skies

Ontario Skies is a graceful summer wardrobe staple. The adjustable straps allow you to wear it in a number of ways, and make it very easy to adjust the size to the wearer.
An otherwise continuous stream of stockinette is made challenging by the insertion of a pleat on the back, short rows to form the bust, and short rows along the bottom edge for just-that-bit of extra coverage on your back.

Yarn
Blue Sky Alpaca Skinny Cotton, 100% Organic Cotton, 150 y / 137 m per hank, Glacier, 3 (3, 4, 4, 5, 5) hanks
Needles
3.25 mm (US 3) circulars
Gauge
20 sts and 28 rows = 4” / 10 cm in stockinette
Sizes
XS (S, M, L, XL, XXL)
29 (33, 37, 41, 45, 49)” / 73.5 (84, 94,104, 114, 124.5) cm
Notions
stitch holders and/or dpns
Notes
Choose the bust size that is within =/- 2” / 5 cm of your actual bust measurement.
Skills
short rows, picking up stitches, cable cast on, knitting in the round

Raccoon's Home Range

Raccoon’s Home Range is an adaptable and highly useful knit for your summer spent outdoors. Roll it up and tie it securely for carrying or use as a pillow for staring at the clouds; unfurl and use as a cozy picnic blanket for two; or wrap around yourself (or snuggle close to someone else) around a chilly evening campfire.

Yarn
Knit Picks Billow, 100% Pima Cotton, 120 y / 110 m per hank, Yarn A: Willow (5 hanks), Yarn B: Natural (5 hanks), Yarn C: Clarity (1 hank)
Needles
6 mm (US 10) circulars
Gauge
13 sts and 20 rows = 4” / 10 cm in garter
Sizes
one size

What's in the ebook?
The ebook contains Killdeer, Ontario Skies, and Raccoon's Home Range. It also has complementary information about the collection's inspiration, short "bios" of the raccoon, killdeer, and Carolinian forest zone, and an extensive annotated bibliography.

Prices
The ebook is $9.99 CAD. Killdeer is $5.99 CAD. Ontario Skies is $4.50 CAD. Raccoon's Home Range is $4.50 CAD.

Where to Purchase
You can buy the patterns individually or all together in the ebook on ravelry.


Thanks to my great tech editor, Holly Priestley, and my kind and talented photographer, Mark! 

An Ode to the Hinterland; The Design Process Two

This is the sixth in my ongoing series, documenting the design process for my upcoming collection, Hinterland. 

Close up of a Hinterland Summer design.

Last we talked, we left the process at a tech-editor-ready pattern. This time, I'd like to talk (briefly) about the photoshoot.

There's any number of great photoshoot-organizing tips, posts, and articles out there. Etsy just had a very basic one on their blog recently.

But here, I want to let you know my philosophy going in to the Hinterland photoshoots.

Up until now, the vast majority of the patterns I've published have been exclusively modeled by me. This has its limitations. I've been stuck as the model mainly because I've been a bit shy in asking friends and family to model for me.

Well, that is no more! I can tell you now that I've had great luck in this regard.  Models of different heights, faces, and sizes will be included in the official photos for Hinterland.

Selecting models to represent your designs is always an important (and political) consideration. As I said, I've mainly been limited to myself through a reticence to ask others, but also through sheer logistics. If you have different people, you have to have different sized samples, and locally, so that they can be photographed in whichever setting you've picked to create your pattern/collection's look and mood.

I'll expound on the political considerations in a further post. Which, let me tell you, I can't wait to write, as the strident feminist I am wants to shout from the rooftops about culture and body shaming and sexism.

An Ode to the Hinterland; The Design Process

This is the fifth in my ongoing series, documenting the design process for my upcoming collection, Hinterland.

Sneak peek at one of the patterns in Hinterland.

The process of producing that tech-editor-ready pattern comes in a bunch of steps.

Pen to Paper
Gotta sketch! Very loosey goosey at first, picking any major elements, stitch patterns, etc.

Swatching
Something which I've come to love more and more. Still not my favourite part in the process, but very important. This math/idea testing provides you with the ability to accomplish the next step.

Designing
Referring to the info from the sketches and swatch, a garments schematic is drawn up, clarified with decisions related to any parameters imposed by stitch patterns and sizes. I write up a pattern, then, with my hypothesis of the grading. For it is a hypothesis, and in some cases, needs tweaking after the next step.

Knitting the Sample
Here is where I get to play with the yarn, for real! I usually try to churn out this step as fast as possible, but unfortunately I've found that my right wrist gets easily aggravated, and have to limit myself to only a couple of knitting hours per day.

Testing
There's a variety of opinions out there when it comes to testing. Some say it's important, some say it's not worth the time, money, and hassle. A professionally produced pattern has to go through due diligence. This (for me, and it seems is mostly the general opinion) is, at the very least, having it professionally tech edited. In the case of this collection, there are testers lined up. I'm very excited to work with them!

After knitting up your sample, gathering all the info from your testers, and adjusting the pattern if necessary, you're ready to send off that first version to the tech editor.

For further information:
I've found Craftsy to be a wonderful teaching resource. It has classes that reinforce professional standards in knitwear design, many of which complement and reflect what I've been saying here, including Handknit Garment Design, How to say it: Pattern Writing for Knitters, and Sizing Knitwear Patterns.
There is also the fantastic Knitgrrl Guide to Professional Knitwear Design, which covers topics mentioned in this post and many beyond. It's my rule book.

An Ode to the Hinterland; Harmonious Collection Two

This is the fourth in my ongoing series, documenting the design process for my upcoming collection, Hinterland.  I promised I'd return to a few ideas surrounding the creation of a harmonious collection in this post, and it's some of the most fun stuff: yarn!

Yarn support - hooray!

Bringing together designs that fit your theme and inspiration includes taking into account many factors, including clarifying who this collection is for, determining your available physical and intangible resources, and recognizing the limits and scope of the project.

Resources (just to name a few)

Yarn, baby!
I have myself a not-insignificant stash, but its not all encompassing, and honestly, usually doesn't have what I'm looking for when I get a design idea. This means I get to yarn shop (most often), and in certain cases request yarn support.
I need to have a clear idea of what I want and how it will look together to ensure a harmonious collection. For this, I take into account the types, brands, fibres, colours, popularity, and availability of the yarn used for the samples. These factors make a big difference in the look and saleability of your collection. For example, I understand some knitters are reticent to jump into a pattern that uses discontinued yarns or colourways; some are very keen to use the exact same yarn shown in the samples.

A peek at some of the yarn for Hinterland.

There's also the photographic translation of finished sample-to-computer screen. Not all colours are easy to photograph. It can certainly be done, but the challenge to produce amazing, delicious images is great if you choose certain hues (eg: very dark yarns, certain reds, very light yarns).

And this proves a nice segue into....

Talent
None of us are experts in everything, and it's truly wonderful to have talented people helping you in the production of a knitwear collection. From testers to tech editors to photographers, and sometimes even beyond. Having an established, professional relationship with these people is important to the quality of the finished product.  And this, of course, leads into another resource....

Money
You need to start out with some! If only to pay your tech editor, you'll need a fair amount of capital to throw into the project from the get-go. There is the other considerations of testers, yarn, photographer, advertising, publishing, and so on.

Time
When do I want to release this? How long will it really take me? I'm very guilty of overloading myself with plans and ideas in the past, but this time, boy, this time I'm on top of it! There's no need to stretch yourself and become stressed over a schedule that you have control over. At the time of this post going live, I've already laid out the design/knitting/testing/tech editing/photography/formatting schedule for Hinterland, and am happy to say, I'm still on time!

So here, I'd like to announce that I expect to have the first issue of Hinterland ready for publication in mid-July.

Next post:  the design process!

An Ode to the Hinterland; Harmonious Collection

This is the third in my ongoing series, documenting the design process for my upcoming collection, Hinterland.

Some of the yarn you'll see in Hinterland.

That notebook I talked about in the last post is vital to my ability to (sanely) coordinate all the rushing thoughts and half-thoughts in my head surrounding a collection.

It needs to be harmonious, of course, to be attractive. In an abstract, "gee that's pretty" sense, but also in a marketable sense. Bringing together designs that fit your theme and inspiration includes taking into account many factors, including clarifying who this collection is for, determining your available physical and intangible resources, and recognizing the limits and scope of the project.

I'll go in to just a few of these today.

Who is this Collection for?
It's been a challenge determining my market¹, but I certainly know who I want to design for: young-minded women who want unique, wearable, and fashionable patterns to knit for themselves, their friends, and their family.

Style and Sizing
Women come in all ages, shapes and sizes. A very, very few of us reflect the actual sizes given on charts.
When it comes to the style of knits, I don't design for people's insecurities. I design for their happiness and joy.
By this, I mean that I find it presumptuous to assume that someone with body type X needs to have a garment that covers their socially-determined "flaws". Actually, I find it more than presumptuous, I find it insulting. I have, in the past, written about how demeaning I think many sources are when discussing how to dress yourself. I try to design garments I think are appealing to knit and to wear.  I don't slap a body-type label on them. That's not what it's about for me, and to do that would go against my beliefs as a feminist.
What I do make sure I do is include a significant size range, usually including seven sizes (that is, up to size 3 or 4XL).

Project Complements
I like to have my collections include a variety of larger and smaller projects, certainly when working towards an abstract theme like "the hinterland". I find creating this balance is challenging, because sometimes more ideas appear for a particular type of project than for others. Often, though, inspiration can be distilled into more basic and malleable elements such as a lace pattern or delicious cable, which then has the ability to morph from that initial sweater idea you had into a great pair of socks.
For Hinterland, I began with a vast rush of ideas, all over the place, garments, accessories, items for the home. When written down, I could sort them, and tried to axe some of them.
I instead opted for three collections, each including approximately five patterns.

I'll continue this thought in the next post, where I'll talk about one of the most fun parts of knitting... the yarn!

____________
¹ Check out Market Yourself by Tara Swiger as a great resource for, you guessed it, marketing.

An Ode to the Hinterland; First Steps in a Process

In the previous post in this series, I bloviated outlined some of the very broad ideas surrounding, and direct inspiration for, my upcoming independently published collection.

Here, I'd like to talk a bit more practically about how ideas go from abstract thoughts to the concrete-on-paper.

Every designer has a different process. I personally like to use a new collection idea as a splendiferous excuse to get myself a new wee notebook to devote to it.

In this case it was one of these guys. The cover gives me the ability to stamp the title on, and is just the right size for a collection of about 20 or less patterns.
I like blank pages instead of lined ones for the ability to sketch clearly (my printing, on the other hand....)

A frontpage and table of contents is created, and then usually some general key ideas, set down as word clouds/webs. And this is just stuff that pops in to my mind when I think of the look and feel of the collection. Where I want to go with it. This one, for example, has keywords including harvest / thick cables / tone-on-tone / hills / natural colours / warmth / September.

I also usually include a page for jotting down more specific ideas and questions, with things such as release dates, number and type of garments, photoshoot locations, and so on.

In the case of the Hinterland collection (working title!), it really was the location that first generated the idea. So, I'm hoping, pretty hardcore, that I can get me and my models out to this ideal location for the shoot.

But that's a ways down the road!

The notebook then has a couple pages devoted to each garment, with room to sketch, jot down notes, and preliminary techniques, yarn ideas, and possibly gauge swatches. Very little math is happening now.

It's this notebook that helps me clarify the collection, keep my ideas and thought process together, and arrange a collection so that all the pieces are complementary and thematically harmonious.

Before I go, a bit of fun: Hinterland Who's-Who.

An Ode to the Hinterland

I've been flooding the blog as of late with book reviews (very fun to write!) and the weekly Indie Designer profiles, but not so much about what I'm actually working on.

This is the first in an ongoing series where I'll be documenting details about an upcoming independently published ebook.

In this post, I thought I'd give you a bit of a hint to the collection's focus and inspiration.

I grew up very rural. My grandfather had a parcel of land in the countryside, with gloriously ramshackle buildings and outdated, even self-fashioned farm machinery. Being in that place, a place so far away from other people, is like comfort food to me. Being out and away from excessive artificial light, somewhere the stars pop out of the sky in piercing brightness, with the freedom of a nightly summertime bonfire at your whim. Surrounded by hand-fashioned creativity, tall grass, wild animals, woodland and trees, close to the river, with shorebirds and those from the forest edge crying loudly or chirping softly as you realize you, as a human, are definitely the minority.

This backdrop has been used for some of my patterns' photoshoots before, in particular the September's YearLong YarnSong. This idyll is, I'd like to think, more than just a foolish and flimsy romanticization of childhood memories. The expanse of open space metaphorically feels like so much room to breathe, and exist in a place where your relationship with the real is less cluttered with the visual trappings of what people want and what people think.

To be brought into a more direct connection to life outside of humanity, and force outward any excessive introspection¹ is part of what makes experiencing time in a remote place so enticing. Seeing the relationship with why and how we live, which is always and inevitably tied to the geological, and the biological realities of this world; being prepared to experience a quiet walk in the woods, or a cacophonous stumbling upon the flock's whereabouts, that impromptu picnic and starlit bonfire, and even the precise moment when the summer ends and the crispness begins.

I don't want the animals to be strangers, and their existence to be an intrusion. I want to be warm and free and viscerally joyful.

And of course, I want to be wrapped in hand knits that complement, or even enable, this experience.

In the abstract, these are the the ideas surrounding my upcoming collection.

____________
¹ Posited by some modern scholars as the source of our contemporary malaise and continually oppressive desire for more.