knitbot, by Hannah Fettig

1.  Who were you pre-knitwear designer?

Hm.  Undergraduate student in geosciences (at SUNY StonyBrook.)

2. Can you give us some history on your brand – how did Glampyre come about?

The name Glampyre started out as a joke.  A friend saw all of my knits and insisted that I needed a website.  She used my eBay name as the domain name, because at first I didn’t want anyone to be able to figure out that it was me.  I’m not really very goth, but she is!  So…she made this purple website with glam vampires on it and stars.  It was really pretty. Now, I’m so known as Glampyre that it’s hard to switch the company name to something else.

3. How did you end up writing your first book, Fitted Knits?

I was contacted by Shannon Okey (editor of Yarn Forward magazine) whose friend Tricia Waddell (who is now at Interweave) was working at F&W at the time.  She (Shannon) told me that I *needed* to do a book.  And then things progressed from there. I didn’t set out to do a book at all, things just very organically happened for me.

4. Fitted Knits has been a huge success.  Are there certain things you took away from this experience that helped you as you worked on Glam Knits?

I really tried to listen to the reviews that I read about Fitted Knits.  People like the top-down style, but also want a few others to try out as well.  I also wanted to play more with texture, and to use yarns from a wider selection of manufacturers and a wider range of weights and content.

5.  Glam Knits features some of the most beautiful sweater designs I have ever seen.  What are some of your favorites?

Thank you! I think my favorite is the tweed jacket, but I also really like the trapeze sweater.  These were both sweaters that I made for myself and then decided later to add to the book.

6. Many of your designs are knit from the top down, raglan style.  What do you love about these type of garments?

I love  the ease of construction and the straightforward methodology of the patterns.  I also really like that they’re so customizable in terms of both fit and design.

7. What other projects are you working on right now?

I’m working on a book about how to design your own top down raglan sweater, and a few magazine patterns as well.  I’m also the Knitting Pattern Coordinator for Mission Falls Yarns.

8.  Anything else you would like us to know about Glam Knits?

The pattern on page 41 is misprinted.  You can download the pattern for the Lace Panel Tunic here.

I wanted to introduce you to a fabulous yarn that I am working with right now:

I met Ellie at the Nashoba Valley Knitting Guild this past spring.  She was kind enough to allow me to interview her…enjoy!

Hi Ellen!  Can you tell us a little bit about Ellie’s Reclaimed Cashmere?  How did you get started?

One day I got it in my head that I wanted to knit a cashmere sweater. Mmmmmm, cashmere.  Upon researching it I concluded a hand knit cashmere sweater was not in my price range.  Then I read an article about how people in former generation always reused yarn from items that were no longer wearable.  I had a couple of cashmere sweaters, that for a variety of reasons I wasn’t wearing, and I set about taking them apart.  I was immediately addicted and started seeking out sweaters at consignment shops and thrift stores.  By the time I had completed my 3rd sweater I had so much yarn it was a little embarrassing (unless you are a knitter, and then I trust you will find it completely rational and understandable).

 I feel pretty strongly about using what is already out there so recycling my yarn just seemed a natural fit.  The number often repeated is that it takes the fiber from 4 goats to make one sweater.  That just seems like a lot of work for all the beings involved!  And there is wonderful cashmere already out there just waiting to be “upcycled” from its current condition.

We have friends who own an ecofriendly store and they suggested I might want to try selling my yarn there.  That was 4 years ago.  Some days I am amazed that a personal quest to knit with cashmere has turned into a full time business, but I love that it has!

Can you tell us a little bit about your process, from sweater to skein of beautiful yarn?

Once I have bought them the first thing  that happens is that they get a good bath!!  Everything is washed in eco friendly soap before the process starts.  I take the sweaters apart and then unravel the individual pieces and wind them into balls. 

Once taken apart, each sweater goes into a bag until I get ready to use it.  I spend a lot of time knitting up different color combinations until I find a swatch I like. 

 I usually work with 3 or 4 different colors at a time.  I ply the yarns from those 3 or 4 sweaters together.  Then I wind them into skeins and wash them again.  This insures that the yarn is completely clean and also relaxes the kinks in the strands.

 Are you a knitter?

I am.  My mother taught me when I was 8.  I didn’t do much knitting in college (in Louisiana, too hot)  but since then it has been a constant in my life. In today’s world, with everything so technical, knitting is my connection to what I believe is the human need to create things by hand.  It keeps me grounded.

I usually don’t leave the house without something to knit with me.  You never know when you’ll get stuck in traffic, or have to wait somewhere unexpected, or end up at a gathering where others brought their knitting too.  I brought my knitting to vote on Tuesday and was a little disappointed that the line wasn’t long enough for me to even take it out!

What sort of things do you like to knit?

I am a sweater person.  I wear them all winter long, and living in New England winter is long. There is something very cool about being able to create an  everyday article of clothing from scratch.   And scarves.  They make great gifts, are always the right size and don’t require any sewing up!    And swatches!  Since I knit up tester color combinations before plying them, I am constantly knitting swatches.  One day maybe I’ll make a blanket with them.

Are you part of any other fiber or knitting related projects?

 I am a member of a wonderful knitting guild.  It is such a source of inspiriation to see all the different projects and yarns…. different stitches and techniques, ways to create that I never thought of.

 I also participate in a few fiber shows a year.  I always take a break to walk around and see what everyone else is showing.

 And I have a dream of having a fiber studio some day where people can come and create.  But that is a long way off and I really love what I am doing right now.