Tag Archives: Kate Davies designs

Shetland

March 9, 2013 By in design, Kate Davies, Kate Davies Designs, knitting, Shetland Tags: , , , , , , , , , 106 Comments

Recognise the hat?

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Yes! Its my Peerie Flooers!

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This hat, along with a couple of my other designs, will be making their first TV appearance tomorrow in Shetland, a two-part BBC crime drama based on Ann Cleeves’ novel Red Bones. Exciting!

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You can see some more stills and the trailer here, and, if you are in the UK, you can watch the first part of Shetland tomorrow night at 9pm on BBC1.

I’m not very well at the moment, so am unfortunately very behind with many things, including my email. If you have been waiting to hear from me, I’ll endeavour to get back to you this coming week. Apologies xx

we made a book!

December 1, 2012 By in Colours of Shetland, Kate Davies, Kate Davies Designs, knitting Tags: , 111 Comments

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Well folks, let me tell you that this is all rather exciting. I am very happy to report that a muthaload of books arrived yesterday, and that they really do look bloody amazing.

Today we’ve been getting a head start preparing for orders. Here I am in Colours of Shetland dispatch central, aka, Mel and Gordon’s dining room . . .

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. . . I’m signing every copy . . .

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. . . so that they are ready for Gordon to post out to you on Monday.

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With massive thanks to Mel, Jen, Nic, Tom, Gordon, and (of course) Bruce I can now say:

We made a book!

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The bookshop will go live at 8am on Monday morning (UK time).

puffins!

November 30, 2012 By in beasties, Colours of Shetland, design, Kate Davies, Kate Davies Designs, knitting, Shetland, textiles Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , 69 Comments

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So, I suspect it won’t be hard for you to guess what provided the inspiration for the last pair of designs in the collection . . .

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©John Moncrief Photography

These two designs really were an awful lot of fun to work on . . .

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For what is more fun than a puffin?

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©John Moncrief Photography

Um, garments inspired by puffins, that’s what!

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Here we have a puffin sweater . . .

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. . . and a puffin mantle . . .

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Both of which feature the same six-shade garter stitch chevron pattern. . .

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. . . which echoes the colours and texture of the beaks of Shetland’s most beloved summer visitor.

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©John Moncrief Photography

In Colours of Shetland you’ll find several puffin-related treats . . .

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©John Moncrief Photography

Including talented Shetland photographer, John Moncrieff’s, fabulous puffin portraits . . .

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©John Moncrief Photography

. . . and an intriguing, puffin-related MAP that has been specifically designed to accompany my essay in the book. All will be revealed as you turn the pages . . .

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These designs are simple and fun and I love, love, love both of them. Pardon my hubris, but I have to mention that when I’ve worn the Puffin Sweater in Shetland, it is the design that has drawn most comment, from airport security staff who complemented me on my ‘blendin’, to local knitters and designers whose positive remarks really mean the world to me.

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The mantle incorporates further decreases into the pattern to create a neatly-fitting and dramatic-looking wrap.

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We shot the mantle photographs around Lerwick’s lodberries on a quiet, grey sort of day.

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But I love the way the bright colours of the chevron pattern stand out against the stone.

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Yarn and sizing information for the Puffin Sweater and Puffin Mantle can now be found on Ravelry.

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Stevenson sweater and gauntlets

November 29, 2012 By in books, Colours of Shetland, design, Kate Davies, Kate Davies Designs, knitting, Shetland Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , 51 Comments

Ahoy there! I have two complementary designs to show you today — the Stevenson Sweater and Gauntlets.

These designs were inspired by Shetland’s iconic lighthouses . . .

. . . such as the Bressay light, which provides the dramatic backdrop to these photographs.

Seven of Shetland’s lighthouses, including the one at Bressay, were designed and constructed by a pioneering family of engineers — the Stevensons (about whom you can read more in the book).

The golden paintwork that distinguishes a Stevenson lighthouse, together with classic matelot stripes, inspired this pair of quintessentially nautical designs.

With simple shaping, and a single round of colourwork per repeat, these are incredibly easy patterns to knit.

The gauntlets will keep your hands and wrists cosy in chill sea breezes . . .

. . .and the sweater is just the ticket for a windy cliffside walk.

Because I know you like to see my styling assistant — here he is, supervising the progress of the shoot.

And having a nice sit down while I gamely attempt to hug a lighthouse . . .(can you spot the Bonxie / Arctic Skua in this shot?)

Yarn requirements and sizing information for the Stevenson Sweater and Stevenson Gauntlets are now listed on Ravelry.

And I just have to let you know that the books have now left the printers and are actually on their way to me. Nic, my amazing art and production editor, has just shown me a copy of the book on Skype, and, though I do say so myself, it really does look bloody amazing. I’m sure you are getting a sense now of the aesthetic structure of the book — that is — how each of my ‘colour stories’ has its own distinctive palette and theme. In the book, these individual palettes distinguish each section, through the patterns, charts, essays and photography right down to the level of fonts and layout. It looks like it is the truly lovely object I always wanted it to be!! I foresee a very busy weekend signing books (each copy purchased from my online shop will be signed) and then we will be ready to put them on sale on Monday.

Book deliveries permitting, I’ll be back tomorrow to show you the book’s final pair of colourful designs. . . .

Until then . . .

Ursula Cardigan

November 28, 2012 By in Colours of Shetland, design, fairisle, Kate Davies, Kate Davies Designs, knitting, patterns, Shetland, wildflowers Tags: , , , , , , , , 43 Comments

Its time to show you another design, from the next of my Shetland ‘colour stories’. This is the Ursula Cardigan.

This design is named for writer and naturalist, Ursula Venables, who lived and worked in Shetland during the 1940s and ’50s. (You can read more about her in my book.)

Ursula’s writing about wildflowers, as well as my own experience of Shetland’s luminous summer landscape, provided the very feminine palette of this colour story.

While the distinctive zigzagging stitch pattern was inspired by a striking 1940s knitted garment I noticed very briefly on screen in a BBC drama.

This cardigan is probably the most ‘challenging’ design in Colours of Shetland, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be tackled by a confident beginner. It is knit in the round, with steek bridges placed for the front openings and armscyes. After knitting the body, the armscye steeks are cut, and the sleeves are worked top-down in Barbara Walker fashion.

The front steek is cut, and lined with a pretty ribbon trim.

Vintage glass buttons provide the perfect finish. . .

. . .and snaps are used in place of holes to help the button bands retain their shape over time.

This is a classic garment, that, if made carefully, should see its wearer through many summers.

We shot these photographs near St Ninian’s Isle, in Shetland’s South mainland. Every time I look at them, I long to be back there again.

I think I’ll take the Ursula cardigan back to Shetland again next year, to enjoy some more glorious summer days.

Yarn requirements and sizing information for the Ursula Cardigan can now be found on Ravelry.

Northmavine hoody

November 27, 2012 By in Colours of Shetland, design, Kate Davies, Kate Davies Designs, knitting, Shetland Tags: , , , , , , , 39 Comments

Phew! Things are really busy round here today! There is just time to show you the fourth design from Colours of Shetland – - the Northmavine Hoody.

Just like the accompanying hap, the hoody is inspired by the blues and greens of the rocks and water that shape the turbulent landscape of Northmavine.

The hoody uses exactly the same shades, in a subtly-shaded striped sequence.

The hap and the hoody don’t just share a colourway but a functional origin, which I discuss further in the book. . . .

This hoody is simple and classic in construction, and like many of the garments in Colours of Shetland, the pleasures of the design really are in the detail. It features inset pockets . . .

which are lined in a soft angora yarn, as well as turned facings which pick up the colours of the stripes and which are finished with . . .yes, you guessed it – i-cord.

As well as adding further pops of colour, the facings also have a purpose — to enable trouble-free zip insertion . . .

. . . fastening thus. . .

This is a garment designed for casual comfort and ease, to be worn as you will . . .

. . . whether you are out for a paddle . . .

Or enjoying a chilly walk on Ronas Hill

You can now find all relevant yarn, shade and yardage requirements over on the Northmavine Hoody pattern page.

Scatness Tunic

November 27, 2012 By in colour, Colours of Shetland, design, Kate Davies, Kate Davies Designs, knitting, Shetland Tags: , , , , , 59 Comments

Here is the next design from Colours of Shetland — the Scatness Tunic

This design was the last in the collection to be completed. For many reasons, it is one of my favourites in the book.

Here is some behind the scenes footage from the day that my friends at Old Scatness kindly allowed us to shoot some photographs around the site.

Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t the best that day, and the photographs we managed to take in between the squally rain showers were a little grey . . .

. . .but there was a peat fire blazing in the reconstruction Pictish wheelhouse, which meant that we had somewhere to get dry and stay warm, just like Shetland’s early inhabitants.

The following day, in typical Shetland fashion, the weather and the light were totally amazing, and we were able to get out to take these pictures.


The two Scatness designs are all about circles. In the case of the tunic, this means that you knit everything in the round, cut a steek up the middle, and complete the edges with corrugated rib, icord, and neat, lined facings.

The finishing touch to the tunic is created with a set of signature wheelhouse buttons, whose colours pick up the rich shades used in the yoke and ribbing, and whose shape echoes the concentric spoked structure of the Pictish wheelhouses at Old Scatness.

The book includes a tutorial to enable you to make your own wheelhouse buttons. When I was producing this part of the book, I might have got a little obsessed with making buttons . . . they are somewhat addictive.

I love everything about this tunic inordinately: it is a very versatile garment, equally at home as an outdoor windcheater, or taking the chill off one’s shoulders in an air conditioned office. I love the rich autumnal hues of the yoke and the shifting colours in the rib, and for me, there is always something uniquely satisfying in the construction of a yoked garment.

I’ve now added the Scatness Tunic it to the Colours of Shetland collection on Ravelry, and if I get my skates on, I might be able to share another design with you later today.

See you again shortly!

FAQ

November 12, 2012 By in colour, Colours of Shetland, design, Kate Davies, Kate Davies Designs, Shetland Tags: , , 39 Comments

Kate’s new book, Colours of Shetland, will be published on December 1st, 2012

With its beautiful photography, engaging writing, and signature hand-knit designs, Colours of Shetland will inspire you with the varied shades and hues of Britain’s most Northerly isles.

FAQ
What is in the book?
Colours of Shetland contains ten signature designs, five garments and five accessories. Each pair of designs is part of a different Shetland “colour story” which is explored through words and pictures. Situated in the rich context of the Shetland landscapes, wildlife, objects, and people that have inspired Kate, these colour stories bring the creative process of hand-knit design to life in an exciting new way. Alongside unique designs that are a joy to make and wear, Colours of Shetland offers the hand-knitter food for thought and a feast for the eyes.

Where can I buy it?
Upon publication, the book will initially be exclusively available to purchase from the Kate Davies Designs online shop. Each copy purchased from the online shop will be personally signed by Kate. Other retailers will stock the book from early 2013.

How much does it cost?
Colours of Shetland costs £14.99 GBP, plus shipping.

Do you ship worldwide?
Yes, Colours of Shetland can be shipped by airmail to anywhere in the world.

Is the book available digitally?
Kate has designed Colours of Shetland primarily as a printed object, but the price of the book will allow you to access both print and digital versions. Kate has plans to produce Colours of Shetland as an e-book, and in the meantime, each printed copy contains a unique code to enable you to download the digital version when it becomes available. If you prefer a digital-only download, this will also later be available, though not for some time.

Can I pre-order the book?
No — Kate will only release the book for sale once it has been published and copies are in stock. The book is expected to go on sale on or around December 1st.

What yarn is used for the patterns in the book?
All of the patterns in Colours of Shetland are designed specifically for Jamieson and Smith Jumper Weight. This flagship Shetland yarn, with its beautifully rich and varied palette, is Kate’s all-time favourite yarn for colour knitting. You can buy it directly from Jamieson and Smith, Shetland Woolbrokers, as well as from a number of retailers around the world.

What is the size range of the patterns?
Kate’s garments are carefully designed to suit women of all shapes and sizes, and should fit anyone from a 30″ to a 50″ bust.

I’m a yarn store / bookseller / retailer. Can I stock Colours of Shetland?
Of course! Copies will be available for you to stock from early 2013. The minimum order is 5 copies. Please contact Kate for further details: kate@katedaviesdesigns.com

When can I find out more?
Kate will be releasing further information about the designs, together with themed posts and interviews with some of the people who have been involved in the book over the coming weeks. Keep your eye on her blog and find her on twitter (@wazzag)


I’ve now created a separate page for up-to-date information about my book. If you have any other queries that have not been answered here, please feel free to ask them in the comments below, and I’ll update the page.

Do you like the hat on the cover? You’ll hear more about it soon . . .

a taste of Northmavine

November 9, 2012 By in Colours of Shetland, design, Kate Davies Designs, knitting, Shetland Tags: , , , , , , , , , 63 Comments

Quite a few of you have been asking about the design depicted in my site’s new header. As there’s not long to go now till my book is published, I thought I’d give you a bit more of a taste of it.

This is the Northmavine Hap.

It uses one of the most familiar and easy-to-knit Shetland openwork patterns. This pattern is perhaps most often used to add a decorative border to plain accessories and garments, but I love its simple waves and bold stripes so much that I had to feature it all over the design!

Something about the all-over nature of the combination of shaded stripes with openwork makes this hap feel quite fresh and contemporary, I think.

The construction isn’t particularly traditional either, and I suppose neither is the distinctive centre shaping . . .

. . . which is meant to echo the smooth scalloped edges of Shetland’s beautiful and famous neolithic knives.

You may remember that, back in May, I was knitting a gigantic swatch, inspired by the colours of sea and stones. I played around with every green and blue and grey in the Jamieson and Smith palette before settling on the parrticular combination I used here.

I am really pleased with the end result — the hap neatly mixes a number of traditional and contemporary elements and speaks really well to the Northmavine ‘colour story’ it is designed to be a part of.

To read more of that story, you’ll have to wait for my Colours of Shetland book . . .

(not long now! We are almost there!)

Colours of Shetland

October 5, 2012 By in Colours of Shetland, design, Kate Davies, Kate Davies Designs, knitting, landscape, Shetland Tags: , , , 83 Comments

So, here’s a bit of information about what has been occupying my hands and brain for the past few months! I can also tell you that, all being well, it will be published (in print form) on November 30th. Whoop! If you’d like to have a good look at the whole collection, I’ll be taking the Colours of Shetland trunk show to Jamieson and Smith HQ next Monday evening, and then to the Glasgow University Hand Knitted Textiles Public Study Day on Thursday 18th. If you’d like to come to the latter event, please register here (click the ‘public study day’ tab). I’ll also be speaking at the University’s ‘Economies and Cultures of Design’ seminar the following day.

Excitement is definitely building here!! Mel and I will shortly be leaving for Shetland!

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