I've been knitting about 6 years. In the beginning, I taught myself and knit from a dummies book. Then I knit through the back of the stitch for about a year before I was corrected. Much easier to knit correctly. I've been spinning and dyeing for about 3 years.
When did you start recycling wool from sweaters?
I started recycling wool from sweaters when I was dirt poor in graduate school. I stumbled across two tutorials on-line and I was hooked. It was not only a way to keep knitting with natural animal fibers without having to pay a lot of money, but I also love thrift store shopping. The shoe seems to fit.
When did you start designing?
I first wrote down my patterns and considered it designing after I got the book deal. Before that, I was just being creative and playing with color and texture. Who knew you could get paid for that?
Did you ever imagine you would have your own book?
I hadn't ever written down a pattern, so no. Not even slightly on the horizon. When I got the offer, I had no idea what to do with it. I was busy with graduate school and other things, but my friend Alissa told me that I had to do it, so I did.
What are some of your favorite projects from Knit One, Embellish Too?
This is an interesting question because I think of projects as suggestions for more projects :) rather than as individual patterns. I love the 'patterns' for shapes that I use over and over and never get sick of. But alas, they would not let me write the book that way.
If I had to choose the particular projects that I like today they would be: The All Things Grow Hat, Twirly Girl Bonnet, Night Sky Wristers and The Lake Reflects Trees Hat. The last one mostly because my husband wears it every day and it never fails to make me smile. Realize that depending on the day, this list will change dramatically.
What is on your needles right now?
I just cast off two hats that are samples for a colorwork class I'm teaching. So that leaves socks for my dad. I send my Christmas gifts mid January to avoid stressing during my busy season for craft fairs. There will be hat for my brother soon... as well as a design for an on-line magazine.
What can we expect next from you?
Not sure. Fiber arts, for me at least, is a bit unpredictable. I'm full time designing, spinning, recycling, knitting, and dyeing, so I suppose we'll just see where it takes me. I've done some knitting for a movie, just started doing really big indie craft fairs, and I just finished an article for a knitting magazine. I never quite know what's coming my way next ;)
Right now I'm working towards having a booth of handspun yarn at the Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Festival mid February.
You can check out more of what Cosy is up to here.