a three project year

Some years at KDD we complete two projects, and some years we finish three. 2023 has been one of those three project years, beginning with Allover.

Published in early spring, this collection of stranded colourwork designs includes fourteen patterns for pullovers . . .

 . . . cardigans . . .

. . . and vests . . .

. . . alongside a range of smaller projects . . .

Alongside their knitting, members of our Allover club spent several months exploring a range of different ideas about colour and its uses . . .

. . . and as part of our colourful explorations, we worked with knitters to create samples in several different shades and palettes. . . .

. . . a practice we have carried forward into more recent projects!

The summer months were dominated by the production of our Davaar book, a project we’d started work on back in Autumn 2022.

I particularly enjoyed working on Davaar because Tom and I were able to spend time really developing this project together – he focusing on photography . . .

and film . . .

. . . while I researched and wrote. . .

 . . . designed and knitted, in one of my favourite places.

I associate Davaar with my happiest days of 2023, many of which were spent reading and writing, knitting and thinking here in the lookout.

with this glorious ever changing view beyond the window. . .

. . . . or roving on foot about the island, in weather fair and foul . . .

. . . or travelling further afield on long Kintryre coastal walks.

I am very fond indeed of our Davaar book. I love Tom’s photography, and my piece about Archibald Mackinnon’s painted cave is my favourite bit of writing from 2023.

I also confess to a peculiar fondness for these designs, which to me at least, feel very “me.”

. . . and which together display a nice cohesion . . .

. . . which is the happy result of taking forward a few ideas in several different directions . . .

. . . with the help of some great test and sample knitters!

The autumn months of 2023 were completely dominated by Colour Compass. I don’t think any of us realised quite how much work would be involved in creating a knitters’ advent calendar and pattern collection, especially on the product development and packing side. Thank goodness for our dedicated KDD warehouse, team, particularly Kate C and Kendall who really have worked incredibly hard.

. . . and an especial seasonal thank you to Maylin, whose above-and-beyond work this year has included helping Colour Compass knitters to access their ebooks on Christmas Day.

The reward of all our hard work is seeing how much knitters have enjoyed (and are enjoying) Colour Compass. The whole KDD team has been absolutely thrilled by the response to the calendar, both throughout December, as opening each package brought a daily burst of colour joy

. . . and especially now, at the close of the year, as knitters begin to create their own beautiful, colourful projects from their calendar yarn. Happy knitting, everyone!

I should close by acknowledging that 2023 has not, on the whole, been an easy year for me. I spent its first few months struggling with a severe depressive episode, and my experience of the whole year has been somewhat brought down by migraines of the truly horrific, multi-day punishing kind that have made me wonder how on earth migraineur women who do not have the flexibility of managing their own workloads (as I do) get through this phase of life, and keep their jobs. I know I am very fortunate in that respect, as well as in many others, not least in the support of Tom, my wonderful creative partner, and two dogs, whose joyful energy and consistent love of life is very grounding – even on chaos-creating, deadly-nightshade-consuming days (yes BOB – I’m looking at you!).

I’m really looking forward to next year, which (these things being planned well in advance) is already set to involve three very different, highly engaging and super-creative projects about which I am incredibly excited. It will be another three project year for KDD then, but there’s a fourth, purely personal project which fills me with excitement too. Tom and I will be embarking on a big adventure in 2024, about which I can say no more just now, but which you’ll no doubt hear much more of in months to come. My lips are sealed!

Thank you, all of you, for your kind support of KDD’s creative endeavours throughout 2023. And here’s to many good things, for all of you, in the new year that tomorrow brings.

Kate x