Introducing: Amy Christoffers
I am sooooo excited to be bringing you this interview today! When Amy Christoffers agreed to appear on Truly Myrtle I think I may have "whooped", pumped the air like my five year old and spent the rest of the day grinning ....
Amy lives in Vermont, the home of perfect knitwear weather. She's had a bunch of fantastic patterns published in a variety of magazines and also self-publishes under the label Savory Knitting.
I've made no secret of how much I love Amy's patterns. Amongst other things, she designs lots of beautiful cardigans, a garment very close to my heart :) I tried one of her bag patterns for Outfit 3 and I have to confess to stashing another few of her patterns away too ... You saw the cardigan for Outfit 4 yesterday - yip, more Amy Christoffers. Addicted.
So, without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to Amy Christoffers, the very talented designer behind Savory Knitting ...
Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got to be a designer?
I learned to knit in college, from a book. I was in art school at the time and I think knitting appealed to me because it was grounding, creative but more solid than “Art” so I did it more and more until it took over my whole creative life. For a long time I knit from patterns in magazines but I’m rather tall and had a lot of trouble finding patterns that worked for me and that reflected the way I wanted to dress. I inevitably ended up having to re-write every pattern to fit me or to work with the yarn that I had found that was never the right gauge… So I just started designing and writing my own patterns. Then the knitting boom started and suddenly there were ‘indy designers’ and all these new influences. I was too chicken to submit for a L-O-N-G time but one day I just decided to commit, and see how far I could go with it. That was about 3 years ago! I am amazed every day that people like and knit my patterns. It gives me so much joy, it's indescribable.
You design lots of (very fabulous) cardigans - are they your favourite thing to design? And wear?
I love love love cardigans. So easy to wear, so much design potential. I think if you’re going to spend hours and hours knitting on something you want to get the most out of it and cardigans are perfect for that… But hats are my favorite thing to knit, to design and to wear.
Lots of your patterns include set in sleeves - what’s your favourite method of construction?
Set in sleeves are great because I think they hold up to wear better over time. Bottom up raglan is a close second.
Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere! In anything! Books, movies, fashion magazines, a hike in the mountains… Mostly its just what I want to wear but sometimes a design starts with a “I wonder what happens if I…” or something like that.
Set in sleeves are great because I think they hold up to wear better over time. Bottom up raglan is a close second.
Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere! In anything! Books, movies, fashion magazines, a hike in the mountains… Mostly its just what I want to wear but sometimes a design starts with a “I wonder what happens if I…” or something like that.
A little birdy has told
me there’s a book on the horizon… are you allowed to talk about it?
I am working with Interweave Press, it’s hopefully going to be out in 2014… Lots of sweaters. I think that’s as much as I can say right now. ;-)
I am working with Interweave Press, it’s hopefully going to be out in 2014… Lots of sweaters. I think that’s as much as I can say right now. ;-)
Thank you so much Amy! I for one can't wait to get my hands on that book.
If you want to see more of Amy's patterns you can find her on Ravelry and on her website Savory Knitting. If, like me, you covet every one of her patterns - you might like to join the Savory Knitting Addicts Ravelry group. You'll feel right at home amongst the other addicted Savory Knitters.
Today's interview was the second in my brand new "Introducing...." series. I thought it would fit today's KCBW topic of "something new" because it's part of my new (and super exciting) series. Stay tuned for more very fabulous guests throughout 2013! :)