Gift-a-long Designer Interview: Ashwini Jambhekar

I think I mentioned last week that one of my favorite parts about the GAL is getting to know other designers. We interact a fair bit in the designers groups on Ravelry, but usually our discussion tend to me about design-specific stuff -- how to word something or how to represent something in a chart, for example. During the GAL, though, we're all chatting as we're working on a holiday knitting, so it's almost like a vacation from the design business.

One of the designers I knew a little bit through our earlier interactions on the forums is Ashwini Jambhekar (she's AshwiniJ on Ravelry). I was delighted to get to interview her for the blog and learn a bit more about her background and design process. I think you'll enjoy getting to know her as well!

How did you start designing? What inspired you to start? Tell me a little about your first design.

I started designing when I was in grad school in San Francisco. Up to that point, I had mostly shopped only in big box yarn stores, and had worked only from patterns published in women's magazines or LeisureArts leaflets. Needless to say, none of these was particularly attractive to a young 20-something, and I actually didn't do a whole lot of knitting in college or early grad school. In San Francisco I discovered a wonderful LYS called Artfibers (which sadly closed about a year ago). Their yarns were amazing, the staff was helpful and knowledgeable, and the shop samples were to die for. And if you purchased their yarn, they would use their sweater design software to help you create a pattern for anything you could dream up! Kira Dulaney (kirakdesigns on Ravelry) was the manager then, and I definitely picked her brain about the design process. This was the first time I realized that knitting didn't have to be frumpy sweaters sized to fit the whole family! I finally found the freedom and skills to create what I wanted. That being said, I don't even know what to call my "first" design, because I started by gradually adapting existing patterns. One of the early "designs" just involved substituting one lace panel for another in the center front of a sweater. I gradually started substituting yarns with different gauges and recalculating the pattern, or changing the construction method, until I was finally making truly original work.

My first published design happened by fluke. One of my fellow dancers discovered that I knit (I had posted some photos on Facebook), and she referred me to her mother-in-law-to-be (Vicki Stiefel, LaidBackKnitter on Ravelry), who was working on a knitting book. After a chat with Vicki, I agreed to recreate an existing design for 10 Secrets of the LaidBack Knitters. It took me a while to discover Ravelry after that, but I did eventually. And it even took me some time after that to start designing more regularly. But I'm very glad to have finally stumbled upon this path!

Cranberry Brioche Sweater

You have an interesting background in that you're a scientist and also have done professional ballet dancing. How do you feel that these interests have influenced your knitting and designing?

I think in all three areas -- science, dance, and designing. What I enjoy the most is using a defined framework to create something unique, interesting, and possibly beautiful. So far these three areas haven't melded together in any tangible way, but one of my dreams is to design a ballet-themed ebook, with dance shots interspersed with garment photos. I discovered that garments don't photograph well in actual dance shots, so I'll probably keep the two separate. I just have to find the time to make it happen!

My science background has definitely helped with the technical aspects of pattern writing. I've become proficient at writing complex instructions in a rigorous manner, and making sure all math is correct. I'm also proficient enough with image editing and graphic arts software (mainly the Adobe Suite), so that also helps. I see how much of a struggle writing and photo editing can be for other designers, so I'm always grateful to have had formal training in these areas. Getting good photos in the first place, however, has been the most difficult aspect of designing for me (and my husband, who plays photographer).

What is your favorite type of item to design and knit?

Sweaters for sure. I like my creations to be front and center, and to steal the show! Additionally, I like that sweaters provide a huge canvas to explore a variety of ideas, such as different types of shaping and the interplay between different stitch patterns.

Ocean Wave Top

What (if anything) are you knitting for gifts this year?I always make something for my mom and for my husband (my mom generally supplies my dad with a hand-knit, so she has that covered). This is the first year that my holiday gifts are coming from other designers' patterns. My mom is getting Lingerie socks (designed by Maria Naslund), and my husband is getting a Sandpoint Pullover (designed by Elizabeth Morrison). I originally knit the socks for myself, but they fit my mom so much better that I'm giving them to her. In both cases, the recipients know what to expect. In fact, my husband practiced casting on and knitting for the first time with the pullover, so he has actually contributed to his own gift! The socks are finished, but I'm not sure the pullover will be done in time for the holidays -- I'll be knitting like crazy during the last week of December to try to make it happen.

What can we expect to see from you, design-wise, in 2015?

I think I'd like to try out different sweater constructions. All my sweaters are worked flat, bottom-up, and seamed, with set-in sleeves. There are so many possibilities to explore in this format that I don't think I'll ever run out of ideas. But I do want to try some other types of construction, like top-down or sideways. It will involve stepping out of my comfort zone a little bit, but I think I'm ready to tackle a new design challenge!

Thanks so much for taking take to answer my questions, Ashwini!

You can see all of Ashwini's published designs on Ravelry here. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

Gift-a-long Designer Interview: Stefanie Goodwin-Ritter

One of my favorite parts of the Gift-a-long is discovering new-to-me designers and browsing their patterns. This year, I happened across Stefanie Goodwin-Ritter (who goes by stefaniegrrr on Ravelry), and she was kind enough to let me interview her for the blog. Stefanie is lucky enough to work in the fiber biz, and I think you'll enjoy getting to know her as much as I did!

How did you get into designing? Tell me a bit about your first design and what inspired it.
I got into designing when I was working at Lorna's Laces in 2007; my first design was the Side Swipe Sock, which is now available for free on Ravelry. Basically, I was asked if I wanted to design a sock for a new color of yarn, and that's what I came up with!

I see that, like me, you love to knit and design socks. What is it about socks that you find so appealing?
I've always been drawn to sock knitting (and designing) because it's so utilitarian: you can never have too many wool socks! While I love knitting other projects such as shawls, cowls, and hats, I find that I tend to favor just a few to wear each season, and the rest sit in the bin of hand-knits, unused - it seems like kind of waste! However, I wear all of my wool socks thoughout the season, and that's great motivation to make more. My favorite kinds of socks to knit are those that are simple enough to work on at knit night or while riding the bus or train, but with elements of interest to keep the knitterly part of my brain engaged.

Do you have a favorite design or one that you're most proud of? Tell me about it!
I'm most proud of the ebook I published this year, Conversation Socks. The premise is quick-to-knit socks using sport weight yarn with unisex appeal. As my time for gift knitting shrinks each year, I am always looking for ways to make my family the hand-knit socks they love, and sport weight socks seemed like the obvious solution. I found that a lot of the existing designs in that weight of yarn were either not "unisex" enough for my taste, or too complicated to knit while on-the-go. Each of the 5 designs in Conversation Socks is designed with these constraints in mind. Unfortunately, ebooks aren't eligible for the Gift-a-long discount, but I have set up a coupon code for listeners of the Prairie Girls Knit & Spin podcast for those wishing to save 25% off their ebook purchase.

What would you say are your main influences when you design?
Necessity! I design the things I want to make, which I haven't seen published elsewhere. Then I hope that other people will want to make them, too!

What can we expect to see from you in 2015?
Curiously, I have mostly toys or non-sock accessories in my design queue at the moment. I would like to publish more crochet designs (so far I just have a free pattern out for a Crochet Button Bunny), and I am also thinking about another ebook of some sort, but that is very early in the planning stages!

Thanks so much for chatting with me, Stefanie!

Stefanie has some great quick-to-knit patterns in her Gift-a-long bundle, so definitely give them a look if you're still in search of holiday knitting patterns. Remember, all these patterns are 25% through 11:59 p.m. EST this Friday, November 21, with the code giftalong2014.

Giftalong Interview with Cynthia Levy

We're on day 4 of our vacation and I've almost lost all sense of what day it is, but I remember enough to remember that it's almost the end of the Indie Designer Giftalong on Ravelry (it ends tomorrow at midnight!). Recently I was able to interview fellow designer Cynthia Levy (who goes by redtiger on Ravelry) about her designs and design process, and I'm happy to share that interview with you here.

How did you get started with designing?

I started designing socks just a challenge to myself. I was getting bored knitting plain socks, but love having them to wear, so I decided to add texture and interest to them. Then I became addicted and kept on designing more!

Ribbed Rope Socks

I've noticed that the vast majority of your designs are socks. What is it about socks that you find so compelling?

Socks are one of my favorite projects, both to knit and design, because the projects are so portable and the product is practical. I travel a lot with my day job so it’s nice to always have a small project on hand.

Tundra Trails Socks

Do you have a favorite design in your portfolio? If so, what is it and why?

One of my favorite designs from my portfolio is Snow Flurry Mittens. They’re cozy and cute and the design incorporates few clever techniques such as knitting inside out and varying needle sizes to balance out varying gauges from different stitches.

Snow Flurry Mittens

What can we expect from you in the new year?

I’ve got lots of ideas for new designs in 2014. I’ll be contributing sock designs for several Ravelry groups and I’m also hoping to release more fingerless mitt and hat patterns.


 Thanks so much, Cynthia! I really enjoyed looking through all your designs and getting to know you a little better, and I can't wait to see what you come out with in 2014!

Giftalong Interview with Sara Peterson

As I'm sure you're aware (if only because I've mentioned it quite a few times here), the Indie Design Giftalong is in full swing over on Ravelry. Seriously, if you haven't peeked in on the group, you should -- there are lots of gorgeous gifts being whipped up. In any case, part of the reason for starting the Giftalong in the first place was to promote indie designers and encourage knitters and crocheters to use indie patterns for their holiday crafting needs. I have to say that for me, even though I usually try to keep up with the patterns that are being released, it was a real eye opener -- I've seen so many amazing, beautiful, creative patterns that I wasn't aware of before. And while most of the design-related talk on this blog is about my own designing, I wanted to use the Giftalong as a good excuse to introduce you to some other indie designers whose work you may not have seen before.

Today, that designer is Sara Peterson of knottygnome crafts. I've "known" Sara (as least as much as you can know someone from interacting with them online) for several years now, and she has some beautiful knitting designs and a really inspiring blog. Sara was kind enough to answer a few questions about her design process, and I'd like to share her answers with you.



What’s your design process like when you’re coming up with a new pattern? Do you start with an idea for a finished product, for instance, or does the design take shape as you’re swatching and knitting?

I admit to being a selfish knitter and I'm most inspired to design when I want something specific but am unable to find a pattern that is just right. I'm a visual person and I often make charts for both color and texture patterns on my computer in my spare time. I do a lot of interplay between charting and swatching until I find the combination of pattern and yarn that sings to me. Then I apply it to the garment, but I don't plot out everything in advance. I try to leave room for flexibility in the actual knitting. When I was designing Jane, I knew I wanted a stranded yoke, but I decided later on that the white sweater needed more visual interest. So I added colorwork bands to the sleeves.

I like sweaters but I love to design accessories the most. There's something about starting with a small basic structure and finding unique ways to express yourself within those limits that i find very appealing. Plus as someone who always wants to move on to the next fresh idea, I like to make things that I can finish before I get bored with them!

You spin and quilt in addition to knitting. How do your other hobbies influence your designing?

My design inspiration often comes from other crafts. A space-dyed wool top might influence a color palette for a quilt or a stranded knit design. I would say that color play translates the easiest from one craft to another. I love putting together color schemes whether it's for a handspun yarn, a quilt, or a plaid woven scarf.

I've also experimented with using classic blocks in quilting for colorwork charts. For example, even though the Norwegian star in Tindrer is a classic stranded pattern, I was drawn to it for its similarity in shape to the Lone Star block.

What’s in the designing pipeline for you?

I took a long hiatus from knit and crochet design to focus on other things, but I'm happy to say that I'm back to pattern writing. There's something about winter that makes me want to cozy up with wool. Right now I'm working on the sample for a pair of colorwork mittens and I'm swatching for a cabled hat. Naturally both of these ideas came to life because the weather is getting colder and I need a new hat and mittens for the upcoming winter season. I'm hoping to self-publish both patterns before the end of the year.


Thanks so much to Sara for sharing some insight into her design process. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next! In the meantime, do take a look at her Ravelry pattern shop to see the other designs she has available. You can also visit her blog for an interview with me!