I Heart Kate Gilbert

Thanks to all the folks at Knitting Daily who invited me today to have a chat with Kate Gilbert -- one of my favorite designers -- about her design the Sunrise Circle Jacket as part of their week long celebration of the Readers' Favorites Awards. 

So Kate . . . I have to ask you the obligatory when did you learn to knit question. So this is it.  You can lie down first if you want to.

Ha. well.  When I was 16, I was flicking through the channels and passed a movie with Cary Grant knitting.  And I thought, "I want to knit"

Cary Grant knitting?  ::excitement :: I'm going to have to look that one up!  (I did. The movie is Mr. Lucky from 1943)

So one day, I went to one of those big box stores and bought needles and yarn. and I went to the library and got out a couple books (which I now realize were EZ and Maggie Righetti
and I taught myself by mostly ignoring what the books said and being too lazy to read them, which is why I knit with one needle under my arm. It was the only way to knit and read the book at the same time.

That's so funny.  I love that: how you were imprinted to knit like a Shetland Islander.

Yeah. I used to kind of rig the armpit of my shirt into a needle belt sort of thing.
I knit really close to my chest still with dpns and circs because you can't stick them under your arm, so I kind of poke them into my chest.  It's only after I moved to France seven years ago that I finally figured out that I didn't knit "wrong" and that I knew what I was doing and that most of the stuff I had figured out out of necessity were real techniques.

And yet you were already designing?

I always designed.  When I was 16, I didn't even know there were yarn stores.  The only patterns I found (knitting wasn't cool back then) were from the 70s, so I had to just make stuff up.  And I didn't understand gauge or yarn weights so I had to make stuff be the right size by changing it. I wrote a blog entry about my first sweater.  It was pretty horrible.

So you have this background in having to figure things out for yourself. Knitting wise.  Which makes sense, because whenever I look at a new designs of yours, the first thing that occurs to me is “How did she figure that out?”  You really play with what has been possible.

Thank you.

So, can you tell me a little about how Sunrise Circle Jacket came to be, where you got the idea?

I just wanted to make a jacket with pieces of circles for the fronts.  I don't remember why anymore, but I have the sketch in an old sketchbook.  It just seemed logical to either start on the edges and go towards the sleeves or start with the sleeves and go towards the edges. I tried both several times. This pattern had me in tears, partly because the knitting deadline was a week or so before my due date. I was afraid I would have a baby before I would have the sweater.

I've seen it done in so many ways: w/ self striping yarn, ruffles . . .

Ruffles? that's a good idea. I don't think I've seen that one.

ioexception Katherine knit it.  Here it is

wow! She had to have about a billion stitches at the end. I'd love to see it on her!  If you are out there, ioexception Katherine, please send me a photo!

And another one I like is Tomoko's with a contrast colour on the turning row.

That's really beautiful.

I remember seeing Katy’s at Rhinebeck in cotton, which really surprised me.  I was surprised that it worked in cotton because of the drape issue.

I think she chose her yarn well.

That's always the key, isn't it?

Definitely.    That was the first time I had seen someone walking around in something I designed.  I am interested to see that people like it to close in so many different ways too.  One closure (mustaavillaa Terhi's), or three (Hope's), or six (like yours).  And it's funny how some people like a huge overlap and some like it more like a bolero.

Like this one, by Hadley ?

That is awesome. Wow: who knew?  I'm a sucker for color. 

Then you'll really like the felted one that Uta did, and there are some other lovely ones I found on her blog that some of her customers have made: Petra’s version in blue: click here
Regina’s version in red: click here

Those are pretty wonderful.

I wanted to ask you something about the popularity of your work. You’ve had a few of your designs really take off, thanks to the internet.  Blogs and chat rooms really spread the word quickly. I don’t remember any knitting patterns having the wildfire appeal that they do now.  When something takes off like that, when you see someone wearing something you designed, it must be when like a rock band hears their song on the radio for the first time.  What went through your mind the first time?

Seeing the Bird in Hand [mittens] all over has been the most satisfying somehow.  I kind of missed the clapotis thing since I was in France and not terribly plugged into the blog-o-sphere at that point. I'm just happy to see people knitting my stuff. Especially when it's a pattern I'm really proud of.

I've knit several of your designs and  always get a charge out of them.  I remember finding the increases in SCJ to be really entertaining.  They made me smile. 

I'm really glad that you liked the pattern. I just want people to have fun knitting and to play with the possibilities, use their own creativity. I mean, that's what handknitting should be about, right?  If it's something I designed that inspired them, then, well . . . cool.

Judging from how people have run with it, I think you've succeeded.  Thanks, Kate.

Want more Kate Gilbert? Here's her blog, needles on fire, and here are her patterns.

…and be sure to check out the other stops on the blog tour!

Monday April 14: Sandi Wiseheart interview on Smoking Hot Needles

Tuesday April 15: Norah Gaughan interview on Lolly

Thursday April 17: Stefanie Japel interview on Chez Aristote

Friday April 18: Evelyn Clark interview on The Panopticon

Comments

[Laurie]

Thanks! All the links really helped show what you were talking about.

[heather]

I heart Kate, too! I could just go all fan-girlie! :) This one is def. in the queue. Thanks for a great interview!

[Carole]

Here's what I love about Kate: she fun, she's talented, she's adorable and she's modest. Great interview, Julia.

[Fran]

Loved the interview and really enjoyed looking at the link pics! Kate is truly amazing. I have been lusting after the SCJ for some time. This may be the kick in the head that I needed. Blog on!

[Mary K. IN Rockport]

Wow, the felted SCJs are really outstanding. I wonder what yarns were used?

[connie]

Thanks for a great interview, Julia. It's so interesting to see what inspires Kate and to see all the interpretations of her designs. She's definitely one talented cookie and you've come up with some great questions.

[jess]

thanks for the interview Julia & Kate! :)

I swear, the more versions of SCJ I see, the more I think I should knit it!

[lolly]

very cool! i am so happy that you provided all of the links to finished versions - nice addition! ;)

[Bookish Wendy]

I heart kate gilbert too. she's a keeper.

[julia fc]

Mary, and anyone else who is wondering: The felted version and the other ones from Uta's circle were all knit with Evilla artyarn, which is similar to the Kauni that Ruth's famous cardigan was knit in. I believe that Uta used three strands lined up and held together for her felted one. Since it is a fingering weight yarn, I bet that would be the method for the unfelted ones as well, to achieve gauge.

[irene]

brava, ladies!!
you're both quite inspiring in my book.
xoxo

[Kathy]

Two of my faves in one post! Great interview, J!

[regina]

I'm with Irene! You're both remarkable women, and I'm proud to know you.

[terhi]

Thanks for the great interview (and for the link :-))!

[Katherine/ ioexception]

Hi, Kate!
There's a photo of me wearing my Sunrise Circle Jacket at http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2049/2419601173_3e3752a332_b.jpg (sorry, I couldn't make a link).

I loved knitting it and it's my favorite thing in the world to wear.

[hope]

What a fantastic post! Kate Gilbert, one of my favorite designers and I am amazed by the creativity and talent of so many knitters out there. I can't even imagine what it took to felt the SCJ. Thanks, too for using mine as an example. I've gotten more hits on my blog in the past two days then I've had in the past two months. Moth Heaven is now added to my list of favorites.

[Lucia]

Wonderful interview! I heart Kate too. I haven't knit any of her patterns -- although now I'm contemplating the possibilities of the SCJ -- but I've found her reversible-cable technique a huge inspiration. I really admire designers who spread the infection of creativity, rather than just churning out patterns for people to copy exactly. Obviously adhering strictly to a pattern can be a learning experience (I'd be much farther along the sweater learning curve if I were more patient with this), and anyone who wants to can adapt a pattern to her own taste, but some designers seem to throw down the gauntlet, or should I say the mitten, and Kate is one of them.

[hadley]

Loved the interview. It's nice to see so many interpretations of the same thing. It really cements knitting as a community art form rather than a solitary hobby. Cheers!

[erin]

I'm so psyched to read this- what a great chat! (Although it just broke down that last bit of self control over waiting until I'd knit down my stash a bit more before ordering yarn for my own Sunrise Circle Jacket!)

Also, how have I never seen Mr. Lucky?

[claudia]

Good job to the interviewer and the interviewee! Thanks for the entertainment.

[shutterhoney]

This was a hilarious interview! I really enjoyed it, thank you so much~