Saturday, January 12, 2013

sponsor giveaway ~ classic cable knits

welcome classic cable knits! christina, the lovely knit wear designer of classic cable knits, has generously offered a giveaway. creating knitting patterns is a very special talent (how do they do it?) so i asked christina if she would tell a little about her creative journey...

classic cable knit photo

how you came to knit and then design?
I have an intensely creative mom (for proof you can check out her lovelywatercolors – every time she paints sheep I swoon) and grew up surrounded by art and making things from nothing. When I was about 6 she taught me to crochet. That bug lasted until I was about 13. I rarely used a pattern but would crochet slippers, hats, lace collars for my sisters and mom for Christmas. When I was 14 I decided I wanted to learn to knit a sweater. I saved up my lawn mowing money and went to the local yarn shop where I was guided to a horrible drop-shoulder pattern in bulky yarn. Long story – but it was a horrible sweater to wear. The yarn shop had not been very friendly to a 14-year-old beginner so instead of going back there I went to the library. Guess who I should discover at the library? Yep! Elizabeth Zimmermann. Zimmermann exudes confidence and I soaked it up. I started to knit my own sweaters with my own measurements and my own designs. I still have a black, dk weight cable sweater I made myself. Oh, for teenage eyes! I don’t know if I will ever attempt a solid black sweater now, but I thought nothing of is as a teenager.
Speeding ahead ten + years, when I was married and transitioning from a full-time court reporting career to stay-at-home motherhood I worked at a yarn shop (not the one I went to when I was 14). Not only did I learn a lot at the shop but I found that customers wanted my designs! I was amazed! I never wrote anything down except my gauge and a few numbers so it was a bit transition for me. But the pattern sold well at the shop and I was launched into designing.




classic cable knit photo

your inspiration for patterns?
My inspiration comes from many places – books, stories, something I see in a shop window, the yarn or movies. Rose Petals was a shawl I designed in the summer of 2012 and I drew the inspiration for that from my “New Dawn” climbing rose out my kitchen window. Right now I am smitten by the book,“Call the Midwife” by Jenny Worth and the TV series that accompanies it. I really, really, really want to knit a maroon sweater like the one they wear on the TV series. Whether it will be just for myself or a pattern for others too, we shall see. 



classic cable knit photo

classic cable knit photo
how you go about the process...
Usually my designs start out with a sketch (where I wish I could draw), a photo clipping perhaps, and yarn swatching. Then I write out all my calculations for my size, begin to knit and adjust the calculations depending on if I like how things are coming out. Then I calculate each size on its own. I suppose there are faster ways of doing it but I really like the simplicity of a pen, paper and calculator. 


classic cable knit photo


and of course anything else you'd like to add.
I’m an avid tea drinker –Indian tea with milk, no sugar, please. I love bargain/vintage hunting at local second hand shops – especially when I can find a vintage sweater. And… I love gardening – especially when it comes to roses. Yep, I nurture a compost pile just for my roses.

thank you so much christina for sharing here, your talents are truly inspiring. christina has offered one pattern of choice to 5 readers. go here to see all designs (the above photos are a few of my favorites)  then leave a comment on this post and the winners will be chosen by random number generator saturday, january 19th. good luck to you!

49 comments:

  1. What a coincidence! Your new post came up in my Reader just after reading a post from Christina's sister. I'd never seen all the designs from Classic Cable Knits. She has some beautiful patterns.

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  2. Great designs! Thanks for sharing!

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  3. I have favored or queued her patterns before, and would love to knit the garter leaves shawl. Love the elegant simplicity!

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  4. Ooh - I love her patterns! My favorites are one of her cardian patterns, the shawl pictured here, and the kid's vest.

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  5. How lovely. Christina likes to do all the things I like to do.... tea drinking, bargain hunting in secondhand shops, and gardening. At Christmas my family watched the Christmas Call the Midwife (we haven't read the book, or watched any of the first series). We loved it and cannot wait for the second series to start (and we must read the book!).
    I will go and look at her patterns now!
    Much love.x

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  6. What beautiful designs, each so lovely. I have spent a quiet morning browsing each pattern as I drink my coffee and while I have a few favorites, I really like Greta and would love a chance to win the pattern. Thank you so much for a lovely giveaway.

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  7. What a fun background story. I love how knitters always find a way to prevail. I love the cozy cable top down jacket pattern!

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  8. I'm so impressed that Christina crochet all those early items without a pattern! Lovely designs which I would love to knit!

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  9. oh, to have such a creative gene!! The designs are lovely!!! Thanks for the generous giveaway!!!

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  10. Hi Lori,

    I adore the first design, although they are all gorgeous. would love to win one.
    Thanks for shareing.

    Love susan x

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  11. I don't know how to knit but my friend Pauline does. I am sure she would love the 1747 Lamb's Lace Cardi. Beautiful knitting work. I got here from Andi's blog. http://mysistersknitter.typepad.com/my-blog/

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  12. Beautiful designs! Thank you so much for the opportunity!

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  13. Her patterns are so beautiful! Lovely little interview.

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  14. I'm in love with those designs, they are just gorgeous! The green shawl is just stunning!

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  15. Ah, so beautiful. Thanks for sharing, Inge

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  16. I love her designs! I want to knit the Greta vest for myself. Lovely!

    greyowl60(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  17. The things Christina makes looks lovely. I must admit I am more of a crochet person :-)

    Wishing you a happy new week Lori!

    Madelief x

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  18. They are all so wonderful.
    I think I like the with Love Shawl a lot though.
    msgb245 at gmail dot com

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  19. Beautiful designs! Thank you so much for offering such a nice giveaway!

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  20. Beautiful designs. Thanks for the lovely giveaway!

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  21. I'd love to see the Midwife sweater!

    Thanks for the giveaway.

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  22. Beautiful designs! Garter leaves is my favourite ♥
    Thank you Lori & Christina for the chance to win one of these gorgeous patterns.

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  23. Wow, she has beautiful designs! I love the lambs lace cardigan and the mammas ruffles shawl, I would pick the cardigan though. Thank you so much for the giveaway!

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  24. Ooh Lori I would love to win the pattern for that lovely yellow-green shawl! gorgeous!

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  25. Great designs! Thanks for introducing us to another talented designer!

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  26. Those are some amazing designs! I love the EZ tribute shawl she made. Wow! Have I mentioned before that shawl designers blow my mind? (:

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  27. Christina's designs are lovely, and it's so interesting to see how her early introduction to crocheting and knitting evolved into designing. I've recently been doing some lace knitting so it was particularly interesting to see Christina's patterns.

    Best wishes Lori! xo

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  28. This is such an interesting post, Lori! I loved seeing Christina's lovely designs and reading about her creating them. They are very tempting patterns indeed!
    Wishing you a happy week with lots of cosy knitting!
    Helen x

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  29. What beautiful patterns, I want to try something more difficult so badly and am still intimidated by it but that first shawl is sooo beautiful!

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  30. Garter Leaves is so pretty!

    ~Amy

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  31. Thank you for entering me in this giveaway. I have looked at the lovely patterns and I would love to win one.

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  32. What beautiful patterns!

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  33. Lamb's Lace Cardi is my favorite. They're all beautiful designs! Thanks for the giveaway.

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  34. Have just learnt how to do cables. Looks like a lovely book!

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  35. Very pretty designs. Thanks so much for the giveaway : )

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  36. I love the shawl...it's perfect for these chilly days to be cozy in!

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  37. Mamma Ruffles is my favorite!!!! Thanks for the chance.

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  38. I love her designs! Such an elegant, feminine eye! thanks for the chance to win one of her patterns.

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  39. Oooh lovely! Thank you!

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  40. They're all so pretty! I would love to try--thank you for doing this great giveaway :)

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  41. Really great interview, always good to get to know the designer, I've looked through all her designs and so many wonderful ones. I'm a huge fan of lace and would love the opportunity to win one of Christina's designs. Thank you.

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  42. Lovely Giveaway. These are gorgeous designs and I love hearing about how designers start off and get their inspiration from. I love Rose Petals and Garter Leaves. Mel x

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  43. WOW! So lucky was I to be one of those chosen to win a pattern. Hard to choose and all of them are beyond my capabilities at this point...I think anyway! I chose the lovely white shawl, garter leaves, with the lacework at the bottom but each and everyone of them is so beautiful! Thank you so much to both Lori and Christina!

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xoxo lori