Knit Notes Revisited: Hunter Hammersen

Hunter Hammersen is one of those designers that has an Instagram that you can scroll through alllllll dayyyyyy loonnnnggggg. Her designs, the yarns she works with, and her photos just take your breath away. If I scroll long enough, sometimes I can feel the cold and smell the salt air of coastal Maine. 

Consilience by Hunter Hammersen in Anzula Cricket

Her new cowl design, Consilience, made out of Anzula's Cricket, is no exception to her long line of beautiful patterns. I decided to sit down with her over a cup of tea (with lots of honey and half and half!) to discuss it. Okay, we did an email exchange, but the illusion is much better!

Becca: What inspired you to create Consilience? Tell us a little about its creation.

Hunter: This is actually the second iteration of this cowl.  The first I knit as a present for someone, but it was in an absolutely eye-searing shade of blue.  It was the sort of color that is flat out impossible to photograph, so I didn't do a pattern right away. But I liked the piece enough that I really wanted it to be available, just in an ever-so-much-more-suitable yarn!

I especially loved the shape of the cowl.  I have the best time with cowls that are wider at the bottom than at the top (think upside down ice cream cone with the tip cut off) rather than the ones that are a perfect cylinder.  I love that shape because the taper means it sits nicely on your shoulders and chest, but you don't end up with lot of extra fabric bunched up around your chin.  And it's fun to find a way to incorporate that shaping in the stitch pattern.

Consilience (Short) by Hunter Hammersen in Anzula Cricket

Becca: Simple in the round cowls can get boring, so that shape does sound way more interesting! I also love the math part of knitting, so I'm right there with you on making the stitch pattern work.

I know you've worked with Cricket before to create socks; how did you like using it for a cowl?

Hunter: It's delightful.  It really is one of those super versatile yarns that will do whatever you ask it to do.  It's nice and round and sproingy, so it's going to work for pretty much any stitch pattern. And you can work it at a wide range of gauges and still get a lovely fabric.  It's totally one of those yarns I'm happy to have in my stash, because I know it will work for so many different projects.

Becca: My first skein of Anzula yarn was Cricket in 1 Red Shoe. I frogged it a bunch because I didn't really know what to do with it. It was still wonderful to work with and the kinks blocked out so easily!

Do you have a favorite Anzula colorway? A favorite yarn?

Hunter: I like Cricket best of the ones I've played with so far.  But I've officially got Silken on my list of yarns I want to use in the future.  And have a fondness for those colors that you can't quite place into just one category...like Nimbus or Seafoam.

Becca: I love being able to use one color in several different settings. Those sort-of-neutrals are really fun to pair up with either bright, poppy colors or those darker, sultry colors.

I noticed on Ravelry that you don't have any patterns for clothing, like sweaters. Do you ever dream of designing a sweater or are you perfectly content making accessories?

Hunter: I'm a slow knitter with a short attention span, and I've never managed to actually /knit/ a sweater.  So I sort of suspect I'm not the best person to design them.  But if I ever get a few of them knit, I suspect I'd have fun designing them!

Becca: I know EXACTLY what you mean. I tried knitting a sweater last year... I think I got through 40 rows of a sleeve. I've made lots of hats, shawls and gloves since then!

Last time you chatted with us, you were in the process of moving. How did that go? How is your new place?

Hunter: We're all settled in and I love it beyond all reason.  I'm staring out at the water (and the rocks and the trees  and the snow) as I type this, and it's just beautiful.  Totally worth all the hassle (and all the boxes...so many boxes) to make it happen!

Becca: You mentioned on social media that this pattern is available for free, how can we get it?

Hunter: Yes! People who subscribe to my newsletter will receive this pattern as a free gift. You can sign up here - https://pantsvillepress.com/freebie/

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You can keep up on all things Hunter Hammersen on Ravelry and on her website. 

Find a shop near you on our shop list or shop map. You can see online shops here.

Meet the Yarn: Cricket

Jill Wolcott
passion.fashion.knits

Cricket
80% Superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% Nylon
+/- 250 yd / 228 m
5 sts / in US #6

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I love good food and I love luxury fiber yarn.  The commonality of those two things is that whatever I am eating/using is what I favor right then.  This has allowed me to enjoy all the wonderful Anzula Luxury Yarns I’ve written about.  Another commonality?  I think it is not a luxury if the result you get is pleasurable and gives a great result.  My motto is always “buy the best you can afford” and then make things that are useful to you and fit your way of life.  See justifications below.

Cricket is a soft, springy 3-ply DK weight yarn.  Cricket is 250 yards of 80% super wash merino, 10% cashmere, 10% nylon.  In Stockinette Cricket yields about 20 stitches and 28 rows to 4 inches. It has nice stitch definition and does a smooth and even Stockinette, but also makes a wonderfully textured seed stitch.  In other words, it fits into the Anzula Luxury Fibers line up perfectly.  

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Let’s talk price.  I always compare the prices of yarns when I am looking at using them because I need to think about your spending habits.  Cricket is about $35/skein.  This seems high to many knitters, but I want you to think about price differently.      

Recently a friend was admiring a pair of boots I had purchased.  Although not inexpensive, I did get them 20% off.  She still felt the price tag ($165 with tax) was high.  I countered by telling her that I expected I would still be wearing them 12 to 15 years from now.  My experience is I either wear things out because I over-use them, or I wear them for a very long time.  For clothing/shoes I tend to look at days used, times worn, and pleasure in owning and wearing, rather than the price paid at the moment.   If I own and use those boots for 10 years, my cost per year is $16.50!  Of course I had to have the extra money to buy them now.  If I wear the boots out sooner, it will likely be because I wore them so much, so the cost per wear will be low.   I have clothes and shoes that I have literally spent less than $0.10 per wear!  I admit I am a pretty thoughtful shopper.

Often luxury fibers added in small amounts do not make much difference in the final yarn.  In Cricket you can really feel the softness of the fiber in every stitch you make.  You will enjoy every moment you are knitting with it and want to knit more!  For this review I made my usual exploration swatches, but I also made a messy-bun hat.  It consumed about 28g of yarn (in full disclosure, I also used a bit left over from another project as well).

Here’s why a luxury yarn makes sense.  This messy bun hat is going to be worn by me when I am running.  The fact that I am getting internally heated by running tends to make the extremely sensitive skin on my neck and ears even more sensitive.  Having short hair, my ears can get pretty cold while running during the winter but I am often uncomfortable if the top of my head can’t release heat, so this messy-bun hat will let me pull the soft fabric over my ears and leave my crown exposed for heat release.  Cashmere and super wash wool add to the appropriateness of this yarn in a fairly rugged application: Cashmere likes to be washed!  I’m looking forward to my winter running with soft, warm ear covering.

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Messy bun hat in progress.

This brings me to my—and your—knitting.  I have 25 grams of Cricket remaining or I’ve used 75 grams.  I have spent five evenings using this yarn.  That is usually about 1.5 to 2 hours of knitting per evening, or 8 to 10 knitting hours.  I made my exploration swatches (2 evenings) and the messy-bun hat (3 evenings, including i-cord).  At $35/skein, I’ve used about $26.25 of my Cricket over 10 hours.  This means my knitting cost me $2.625 per hour.  I always relate this to a coffee drink because people regularly buy those.  Where I live, that is about the cost of a single espresso.

I recommend Cricket for more-than-pleasant knitting, but especially for the joy of wearing it.   I am not alone.  There are 1690 projects on Ravelry, a surprising number of the projects made are multiple-skein projects.  There are 1592 stashes containing Cricket —and if you are looking to buy, some are available at good prices. In a time of gift-giving, this is the sort of gift that makes a real impact.  To be truly frugal, you could get two gifts—and hours of your own entertainment—from the investment.  Check the Pattern Ideas   Look on my blog on December 6 for a recipe for making the messy-bun hat.

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I always look up information on the fibers I am writing about and using.  One of my favorite resources is the Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook by Deborah Robson and Carol Ekarius.  I almost always learn something, and this was no exception.  I did not know that Cashmere is not a goat breed, but refers to the under fiber found on all goats, except the Angora goat.  Additionally the amount and quality of this down grown by a goat is related to temperature, which is why the best cashmere is found in cold, mountainous climates!  I always check online as well, because I know so many of you do.  I think the Wikipedia information is perhaps a little too general and if you are really interested in fibers you should check spinning or fiber-related books (always check your local library—they often have or have access to a wide collection of references).  

Here is a link to some fun photos from the 2013 Vermont Goat Show.

Keep up on all things Jill Wolcott:
Contact: jill@jillwolcottknits.com
Blog:  http://www.jillwolcottknits.com/category/blog/
Twitter: @jillwolcottknit
Instagram: @jillwolcottknits
Pinterest: Jill Wolcott Knits
www.JillWolcottKnits.com

Meet the Designer: Ruth Garcia-Alcantud of Rock + Purl

If you haven't heard yet, we are so excited about the booklets coming out from Stitch Sprouts that feature 3 of our most popular yarns - For Better or Worsted, Cricket, and Squishy! Over the next few weeks we will be introducing you to some of the designers who contributed to the booklets. Today's spotlight is on Ruth Garcia-Alcantud of Rock + Purl. 

Ruth wearing Clementine, knit in Squishy, shown in Seaside and Poppy.

What drew you to designing?

A very misshapen sweater following a pattern that I didn't write! I had just taken up knitting again in my early 20s and I realized I could apply my math and dressmaking knowledge to my advantage - from there on, modifications to existing patterns happened first, then designing my own once I had created a “vision” of sorts for my brand.

How do you encourage a novice to take up knitting?

Don’t be afraid! Everyone learns differently - whether it’s from a book, looking at someone else’s hands (maybe YouTube?) or even just hearing what your hands are supposed to do. Find out your learning method and follow through. I believe all teachers should be encouraging and nurturing, not scaremongers that tell you what you’re doing wrong; so if you find yourself not entirely loving whoever is teaching you, move on to someone better!

Ruth wearing Mediterranean, in Mermaid, shown in Cornflower. (As Mermaid is discontinued, try it in Meridian or Milky Way!) 

What's your favorite LYS?

I make a point of doing a bit of yarn tourism when I travel. Since I’m from Spain and visit family there occasionally, and my husband is from England, we have become regulars at some shops in those places! I am somewhat new to the Bay Area, and have found Knitterly in Petaluma, CA, to be an exquisite shop. 

My heart will also have a soft spot for Churchmouse in Bainbridge Island, WA - I had just started designing and the staff were very encouraging and sweet!

Favorite Anzula colorway? Line?

That’s just like asking which one of these cakes you want to try first! ALL OF THEM! I guess my fave fave line is Squishy, or maybe FBOW? Colorway? The brighter the better! Gimme all of them!

Maighdean Mhara, knit in Mermaid, shown in Seaside. (Again, if you don't have any Mermaid squirreled away, try it in Meridian or Milky Way!) 

Do you have other patterns available in our yarns?

Clementine, Mediterranean, Maighdean Mhara, and Rockpool. And there’ll be more to come since I’ve 3 sweater lots waiting to be worked up!

Tell us about your projects in the booklets!

Alexa, knit in Cricket, shown in Poppy.

Alexa is an idea that had been floating on my head for a while - a slight positive ease garment with an A-line body, turned-up hems for stability and beauty, and a diagonal lace panel. It’s worked top-down (which is a true departure from my usual seamed pieces!) in one piece to the armholes, and the lace can be expanded as far as you wish!

Limetta, knit in For Better or Worsted, shown in Seaside and Avocado.

Limetta is a hooded vest with a twist. It features Stockinette and Cables for texture, while relying on dressmaking techniques for the pocket placements and the zipper insertion. The I-cords on the body edges reflect the intarsia stripe edging on the hood… and with pompoms on the hood cords, there’s not a lot you can’t like about this!

Favorite TV show to watch or music to listen to while knitting?

I binge watch shows - I recently revisited The Killing, and am now going through The Good Wife. Music… I tend to listen to music when I’m doing desk work mostly! Right now, Spotify is playing the “Peace” playlist (you can find it under the Mood section). It’s a lot of instrumental, easy listening, calm music!

Rockpool, knit in Milky Way, shown in Slate.

What's the most overlooked aspect of designing or knitting a finished piece?

The finishing. 

I understand knitters want to WEAR THIS NOW. But when you think you’ve spent hours and hours knitting a piece, why would you diss the finishing aspect so much? In a couple of hours you can seam up a sweater with sleeves - they offer better stability, the piece won’t roll around your body and the seams create a better figure. 

And weaving in ends! Change skeins at the edges of a piece to weave them in after seaming, along the seam line - instant invisibility! If you’re working in the round, don’t always change on the same spot! Alternate where your skeins end and use duplicate stitching to make those ends seamlessly disappear.

Do you teach classes? Where?

Right now I’m teaching drop-in 2 hour help sessions at K2tog in Albany, CA. I am lined up to teach throughout the 3 days of Vogue Knitting Live in Pasadena in April 2015! If you’re going, I’d love to see you in my classes/lectures, or even catch up for a selfie along the halls!

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You can keep up with Ruth online on her website, blog, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and in her Ravelry group!  

Thank you to Ruth for the interview! You can get your booklets right now on Ravelry, or soon at your LYS. Watch for more interviews coming soon with some of the other Stitch Sprouts designers who created pieces for the booklets!