KNITTING for an April baby

Ok, I admit that I'll use almost any excuse to knit for babies. I hear that a friend of a friend is having a baby and feel an urgent need to get out my needles and scour the books for something suitable. Of course, I love it most when someone I know well is expecting - there is nothing nicer than sharing the progress and birth of a new baby, but in truth, even an acquaintance is likely to receive something small, cute and knitted as soon as the baby is here.

Knitting for babies is a rather self satisfactory type of knitting for me - it's quick and provides almost instant gratification. When I cast on something for a baby I can rest assured that I won't be drowning in endless rows of stocking stitch, seaming mammoth pieces together or looking longingly at my next project whilst wishing that this one was over. Baby garments satisfy a good portion of my knitting urges - speedy, easily achievable, ridiculously cute and appealing even on the needles and importantly, they are always well received. There is nothing like the pleasure of gifting something handmade to a new mum and knowing, a little selfishly, that you enjoyed the making of it as much as the giving.

So, you may have guessed that my latest project is for a new baby boy expected in April. Astonishingly, I am well ahead of schedule with one completed item and one drying on the blocking mats, which probably means that I'll end up making something else as well!

The first item is the most perfect little hat. We launched the Smilla Hat last week as the latest free pattern available for download directly from the website, and I instantly knew that I would be making one for the April baby. It is simple in it's construction, but has the added interest of swiss darning (or duplicate stitch) motifs on the brim - and there are a choice of these fun motifs, charted in the pattern.

Knowing that this April baby is a boy has been great - no careful choosing of gender neutral colourways or styles - I've gone all out boyish, choosing putty grey and cobalt. The knitting of the hat is achievable in one evening, and the smallest size takes just 1 ball of yarn with a small amount for the contrasting motif. There is a stocking stitch border or rim and then the main body of the hat is garter stitch with decreasing crown shaping - all knitted flat to make swiss darning the motifs on easier. I thought that it might be useful to share the swiss darning technique in a series of pictures (below) so that you can feel confident to give it a go. The Smilla hats all have small, easy motifs on each hat - perfect for your first attempt at swiss darning!

Count in from both edges and place locking stitch markers to mark the area of the chart.

 

 

Thread a darning needle with your contrast colour and using the chart, count to the first stitch. Come through the knitted fabric from back to front in the hole below the stitch you want to 'duplicate'. Leave a long tail so that you can sew it in later.

 

 

Now put the needle through both legs of the stitch above and pull through - remember not to pull your stitches too tight as this can result in the underneath colour showing through and a puckered finish. Next, put the needle back through the hole you originally came up through to complete the stitch - you have completed one stitch.

 

 

Continue working in columns - travelling up the fabric until the required amount of stitches has been completed.

 

 

Once the first column has the right number of stitches duplicated, move over to the next column and work down in the same way. I am right handed and tend to work right to left, but left to right is also fine.

 

 

You will have noticed that the chart is upside down - this is because the rim will be turned back once the hat is finished. I have turned the rim around in the picture above just so you can see the cute finished elephant!

 

 

This shows both elephants completed and the rim turned back. There will be a few ends to sew in, which I did before stitching the back seam.

 

 

My finished hat will be even cuter when it's on a sweet baby!

 

 

The Smilla Hat pattern will available in hard copy format from all of our stockists in the next few weeks but if you fancy having a go at this adorable hat, then download your copy right HERE. Which one will you choose?

 

 

(posted by Max)

STOCKIST PROFILE - Spins and Needles

I know that I always say we are incredibly lucky to have such amazing yarn shops stocking MillaMia, and that the people who own and run them are some of the nicest people around - but it's true! So, at the risk of repeating myself, Sarah Freeman, owner of destination yarn and stitch boutique, Spins and Needles in Lincoln, really is the nicest lady and her yarn shop is pretty awesome too!

1) Tell us a bit about yourself and how Spins and Needles came to be.

I'm Sarah Freeman, owner of Spins and Needles yarn shop located in the centre of Lincoln. The shop came about when I was leaving my previous job and wasn’t quite sure what to do. Then one morning I thought, “hmmm, I think I’ll open a wool shop” and so I did! I’ve no technical training and like many am self taught and have picked up a lot from my friends, the internet and workshops held in other shops that I attended before I had my own.

2) The burning question that's on every kitters' lips - what have you got on the needles?

Currently on my needles is: Aoibhne Ni’s Pax shawlette in MillaMia, good for travelling with. A pair of Schoppel Wolle socks as my ‘shop project’ which is fairly easy so I can be busy in the quiet periods in the shop, and, I’m about to cast on Tea Jenny by Kate Davies in Rowan Felted Tweed – done my first steek on the tension square. I like to try the yarns in the shop so I can say what I think when discussing them with customers.

 

 

 

3) How do you go about selecting the yarn for your shop with the overwhelming array of yarn available right now?

When thinking about what to buy in for the shop I can be quite eclectic. I like yarns to have a high natural fibre content and good pattern support – this is what first led me to stock MillaMia.  I also have to consider what I already stock and how new lines will fit in. Just before Christmas I realised my penchant for 4ply meant there was loads of very similar yarn in the shop, so I had a big sale and slimmed this down. Boringly price has to factor as well, although I don’t focus too much on this as if it’s beautiful it’s amazing how price doesn’t factor.
 



Inside Spins and Needles



 

4) Do you have a 'go to' pattern that you've knitted multiple times that is perfect for gift knitting?

I don’t really have a go to pattern, I quite enjoy knitting hats, so I would say a chunky hat, or fingerless mitts. I do like the Birgitta Mitts from Country Escape especially as I love knitting cables.

Spins and Needles wall of yarn

5) Describe your ultimate fantasy craft project.

Mmmm . . . ultimate craft project . . . a huge Noro throw – I’m a sucker for their really bright colours.

6) What is your favourite MillaMia yarn colour and pattern?

I do really like bright colours, so I think that Scarlet and Fuchsia are my favourite MillaMia colours, and whilst I’m not a green person I do like Grass as well. I adore the Erika Cardigan, I really ought to knit it up as I know I’d wear it to death, and the brights used in it are fab.

Samples including an Emil Babygrow and Alexander Jacket

7) Tell us something unusual about yourself.

 

Something unusual? Last year I took part in Lipdub Lincoln, where I cycled my yarn-bombed bike up Lincoln High Street singing along to Take That’s ‘Shine’. This was as part of Lincoln Wheelers bike club and organised by BBC Look North (Yorkshire).

 

Sarah (left of pic) on her amazing technicoloured bicycle!

 

You can find Sarah and her lovely shop at 6, Clasketgate, Lincoln LN2 1JS, on Twitter, Facebook and Ravelry. You can even call her on 01522 522865 - she is always happy to help you choose some delectable yarn for your next project!

 

(posted by Max)

LOANI PRIOR . . . talks tea cosies

The Queen of the Tea Cosies herself, Loani Prior has been kind enough to talk to MillaMia about her love of knitting, inspiration behind her incredible tea cosies and life in a never ending tea party! If you haven't yet come across Loani, go straight over to www.grandpurlbaa.com to experience these stupendous works of knitty art and then read on for an interview with this talented designer whose enormous sense of fun is always laced with a healthy dose of panache . . .

 

1) You have published 3 books so far – have you got plans for a fourth collection?

Loani:  Who’d a thunk!  THREE books on tea cosies!  And yes a fourth in the works, about to go to print, release date June this year. Pretty Funny Tea Cosies. But then it turns out everyone loves a tea cosy. It makes a perfect gift. No one has to wear it and it reminds us of our grandmothers. The tea cosy is very Australian. Oh orright, it is very English too.

2)  Why tea cosies?
Loani:  It’s The Bloke’s fault. He took me to meet his family en masse one Christmas and, well, what was one to do but make a big impression with a great display of talent and generosity. I presented 15 stupendous tea-cosies on their pots accompanied by matching eggcosies on their cups all packed the same way all delivered at the same time. How could they not love me after that? And so, the tea-cosy nonsense began.

3) What inspires your tea cosy designs?
Loani: Ideas come from everywhere, always with form and function right at the front of my brain. Yes, others’ knitting inspires, but mostly it is a whole bunch of other things: Lady Gaga, Art Deco lamps, tribal masks, a coral reef, Melbourne Cup Day….

 

4)  I love the interesting structure of pieces like Betty the Burlesque Dancer and Beatrice (above). How difficult is it to convert your ideas into these knits that so perfectly fit the teapots?

Loani: In the beginning, design ideas were few and far between. When it occurred to me that I might leave the shape of the teapot, a light bulb came on and there was a great leap forward in ideas. My knitting skills were pretty limited and each new sculptural shape that appeared in my imagination required a lesson – or three – and a great deal of trial and error.

I reckon a designer needs two qualities above all else and that is the gall to think you can do anything and a strong inner critic to recognise when you aren’t quite there yet.  I have a lot of duds hiding in a deep dark box in my house.  No you can’t see them.

5) Do you favour a particular yarn for your designs?

Loani:  Hmmm . . . I lust after colour mostly and for tea cosies, choose yarns that will hold up well.  Yarns that work beautifully on a garment aren’t necessarily the yarns that work best on a tea cosy, well not one of mine anyhow, though hang on, I did go all soft and fluffy with Beatrice and that gorgeous kid silk mohair.  But it has to be WOOL!  BEAUTIFUL wool.

Betty the Burlesque Dancer would look great in MillaMia merino in fuchsia and pitch black. The pattern calls for a 4ply to fit a 3 cup teapot, but if you knit it on 3.25mm needles as the pattern instructs it would knit up perfectly for a slightly larger teapot (full dimensions are given).

6) Your workshops look like lots of fun! Tell us a bit about what we could expect from spending the weekend with the Queen of the Tea Cosies.

Loani: My workshops ARE a lot of fun, even if I say so myself.  Women bring their inner ‘little girls’ with them.  They want to learn and play and they worry too and then at the end they are so proud of themselves. It is a bloody lovely job, teaching knitting.  I’m holding more and more “At Home” workshops at our Queenslander in the hills of Noosa.  Friends often come together and take a couple of extra days at the beach and in the restaurants. 

What can you expect?  You can expect to be jolted out of your knitting comfort zone.  At the “At Home” workshops you can expect to be fed very well three times each day.  You can expect the cat to prance around your feet at least once and the butcher birds to steal your lunch off the verandah if you don’t stand guard.  And you can expect to take a fabulous tea cosy home with you to wow your friends and family.

7) If you had to pick a favourite of your designs, which would it be?

Loani: They are the ones I wouldn’t change one bit – and that I still love to make – but like favourite children, I couldn’t possibly name them out loud.

8) What is happening for Loani Prior in 2014?

Loani: When that first book was published in 2008, I couldn’t have imagined the Knit Change in store for me. What a lucky life I say, what a lucky life. This year …

April:  Ballarat VIC - teaching at Fibre Arts (full)

May:  LordHowe Island NSW - 2 day workshop (places available)
May:  Noosa, QLD - 2 x 2 day “At Home” workshops (1 place only available)
June:  Australian release - Pretty Funny Tea Cosies, published by Murdoch Books.
June:  Melbourne Craft and Quilt Fair – showing off and signing books
July:  Sydney Craft and Quilt Fair – ditto
July:  Ballina, Northern Rivers Community Gallery – Portraits of a Tea CosyExhibition opening and book launch and 2 day workshop – its all happening in Ballina.
August:  UK release - Pretty Funny Tea Cosies, published by Murdoch Books.
August:  Noosa, QLD - 2 x 2 day “At Home” workshops (dates TBC)

And then there is the Portraits of a Tea Cosy exhibition, a joint project with photographer Mark Crocker.  It opened at the Warwick Arts Gallery mid 2013 and travels to regional galleries for two years. Be sure to go to www.portraitsofateacosy.com for the Who What When Where and Why of it all.

9) What's on your needles just now?
Loani: A stylish jacket, found in last month’s Vogue Knitting magazine, is on the needles. One sleeve to go. I know. I know. Knitting a JACKET in summer. It's smart really. It’ll be ready to wear on the FIRST day of winter, not the last.

Before we go . . .

We'd like to thank her Royal TeaCosiness for granting us such an insightful, interesting and super funny interview!

And as if that were not enough, Loani has very kindly provided the link to one of her FREE patterns. These sweet and cheerful Trumpet Flowers are quick and easy to make (Loani's instructions are clear and precise) and are the perfect way to use up those odds and ends of beautiful yarn.

I made mine in MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino seaside, plum and berry.

Enjoy!

Like every modern knitter you can find Loani on… Facebook, Ravelry and her blog

 

(posted by Max and Kirsten)

A GARMENT TO WEAR

I am all too often a knitter who falls in love with a garment pattern, dedicates many, many hours of patient work on knitting the garment and then . . . just never wears it. In view of this, I have only recently come to the conclusion that I am a 'process' knitter - someone who loves the actual knitting of a thing, rather than the wearing of it. My wardrobe is testament to my passion for knitting 'all of the things', though you are unlikely to find photographic evidence of my wearing much or any of it.

I blame this in part, on my body shape - the classic pear silhouette that is small in the shoulders and 'broad about the beam' - persuading myself it is a difficult shape to accommodate in knitwear even though I am more than capable of adapting a pattern to make it fit my bartlett bottom, so, in truth that really isn't the whole story. I think it also has something to do with my choice of pattern, which is more often than not dictated by some interesting technique, an intriguing stitch pattern or construction method - or by a yarn that is new or wildly variegated and exciting (though probably not remotely practical). I know that I am drawn in by the idea of interesting knitting rather than achieving a wearable garment that actually suits me, at the end of my lengthy endeavours.

Apart from shawls too numerous to mention and a sock drawer filled with handknit delights which I happily wear, I confess there is only one cardigan in my entire wardrobe of hand crafted garments that I will actually put on.
And leave the house in.

And that is my Monica Jacket from High Society. I love this cardigan because it fits me, and is stylish with small elegant details without being fussy. It is a solid black, sensible colour, warm and incredibly comfortable to wear. That is not to take anything at all away from the beauty and sophistication of this design - it is the genius of simplicity in the design that makes it so wearable.

I admit that the process of knitting this garment was easy - there was no intriguing construction, unusual cast on method or intricate stitch pattern to master but that meant that I could knit it in front of the TV or on the train, and so the pieces grew from my needles at a super-charged rate. Before two weeks were up, I had all five pieces on my blocking boards, and the very next day I seamed it, added the edging and collar and it was finished!

It is testament to the beauty and versatility of this cardigan to suit so many different body shapes that my Mum is currently knitting herself a Monica in rich claret (as shown in the pictures above) and our very own Maja has also got one in storm. We are almost polar opposites in shape and in our personal style but this smart and stylish garment seems to effortlessly flatter us all.

I've had many comments on my Monica Jacket, but not for the reasons you might think. I wear it to all the knitting shows and more often than not, people don't really notice it. I know that this is due in some respects to it being a black cardigan - something we all have as a staple in our wardrobe, but it is also because it doesn't stand out as homemade. When I turn to show the lovely detail on the back of my cardigan and tell the ladies crowding around the MillaMia stand that I'm wearing a Monica from High Society, they nearly always gasp and say 'but it doesn't look handknitted - it looks like you bought it from a shop!!'

As a dedicated and passionate knitter of very many years, you may think that I would take offence at this - but I don't. My simply stylish, wearable cardigan fits me and suits my awkward shape and so I smile inwardly and remind myself that this is high praise indeed.

(posted by Max)

INTRODUCING TANYA LESKINEN - new MillaMia intern

The MillaMia team is thrilled to welcome another incredibly talented intern to assist Helena with exciting new designs for 2014. Tanya graduated from Kingston University in 2013 with a degree in Fashion Design, she lives in Northwest London and apart from an obvious obsession with knitwear she likes to go to the gym. Tanya kindly agreed to do this interview for us to give us an insight into her passion for knitwear.

How did you decide on a career in fashion (specialising in knitwear)?

I was working in an estate agents and hated it so much! My family had urged me to get a stable job, and I was working purely for the money - but I’d done an art foundation course and I’d always loved just making things. I did a lot of sewing and knitting in my spare time. So I decided one day that I wanted to make it into a career - the thought of doing something I really didn't like for the rest of my life was awful! I got myself motivated and while I was still working at the estate agents - I spent my days researching alternative careers and courses. I found a short course at the London College of Fashion (Access to HE diploma in Fashion, Media and Communication Course) which I signed up for. I got full marks in every module, resulting in a distinction and was really encouraged by one of my tutors to pursue a career in fashion design. She also taught at Kingston University and so I applied there and got a place.

You were inspired by an unusual source of old photographs for you final collection. Tell us a bit about this.

My final collection is inspired by a book called City of Shadows by PeterDoyle.  It's essentially a book of 'mugshots'  taken by the New South Wales Police Department in Australia between 1912-1960. The pictures were rediscovered in the 80's and collated into a book. I was so taken with this collection of images - the subjects gaze defiantly and nonchalantly at the camera - reminding us of the harshness of reality, that fate can turn on the best of us, at the worst of times. Almost everyone photographed is dressed in what appears to be their Sunday Best - women wear gloves with beaded necklaces, fur coats and high heels clutching delicate Art Deco inspired bags. Their unfortunate circumstances and bleak surroundings don't seem to detract from the need to take a 'good picture'. There is an overwhelming fascination when one attempts to fathom the sense of a woman retaining an image of fashionable elegance whilst standing in a police cell charged with murder and it's this 'sense' that I wanted to explore in my collection.
 
Which designers and brands inspire you right now?

There are so many! I just love the way that Mark Fast uses yarn to really flatter the body rather than just cover it up. I like what Christopher Kane is doing with crepe wool lace dresses and the surprise elements of faces and flowers within the lace. I’ve always admired Craig Lawrence who I interned for, because I’m drawn to all things sparkly and metallic and he uses it totally to excess! Sandra Backlund is another favourite of mine – for the way she manipulates knit into sculptural forms is so exciting and interesting. It always ends up in an eye-catching garment – pieces that I will never forget. If I could afford to wear what I really like – I love Cos, Whistles and Reiss knitwear because they use high quality yarns in a simple and sophisticated way.

Images from Tanya's final collection

 

What particularly attracted you to intern for MM?

The MillaMia stand at The Knitting and Stitching Show really stood out from everything else. I felt that they were one of, if not the only brand offering truly modern, unique patterns that someone even in their 20’s would want to knit! Also Louisa Crompton (former MillaMia intern) and I got chatting at the Show as we were both finalists for the Knitted Textile Awards. She couldn't praise MillaMia enough and offered to introduce me.

What are your future career plans?

I would love to explore couture knitwear. I think my final collection leans more to the couture but at the moment, from a practical point of view I’d like to get a grounding in the commercial knitwear industry. It’s more likely that I’ll get a job that way! If I was aiming high I’d love to design for Celine or Givenchy because they never fail to inspire me.

(posted by Max)

2013 - WHAT AN INTERNATIONAL YEAR!

I realised when reflecting on 2013 in my previous blog post that I only really recapped all the wonderful stuff that had happened in the UK in that year. Despite our worlds feeling more international and global all the time, it is fascinating how easy it is to sink back into the familiar local world isn’t it? And given how vital our international customers and teams are to the ongoing success of MillaMia I thought it would be interesting to dedicate this post to the big wide world outside of the UK where we are based!

 

One of the things we are most proud of here at MillaMia is just how popular and successful we have been in Australia almost from the day we launched. Helena needs to take some credit of course for designing a great product and yarn and colours, but the real key to our success in the southern hemisphere is down to one person – Kirsten. She has single-handedly identified and targeted the best yarn shops across Australia and New Zealand to introduce us to, building long-standing relationships with these yarn shop owners and achieving amazing press exposure for us (with no PR budget - instead using charm and great ideas).


2013 has been another bumper year for MillaMia in this region. The Limited Edition colours proved very successful as we suspected they would be. It is interesting how different regions have subtly different tastes meaning some of our books and colours are more popular in some regions and others in other countries. The most modern and bright of our books and colours have always done well in Australia and I think this was why the brights of Lime and Cobalt were such a hit. Many of our retailers in Australia are also leading the charge with forward thinking social media marketing and knit-a-longs and Ravelry use. I was thrilled to be interviewed by Suzy Hausfrau in Australia for her first ever podcast – have a listen here if you missed it. Equally the knit along organised by Alix of Threads & More using the Stephen West's Safety Scarf pattern and Lime was a great idea to introduce this new shade to their customers.

Our ongoing relationship with Classic Elite Yarns in the USA goes from strength to strength as MillaMia continues to become more and more widely available across the USA. The great sales reps at CEY have done an awesome job once more of introducing us to more and more yarn shops and we get lovely feedback direct from our US customers via Facebook, email and Ravelry. 2013 also saw the first full page MillaMia ad in one of the nicest US knitting magazines - knit.wear – we were so proud when we received our copy! The Classic Elite team have just come back from the winter TNNA show in San Diego, California – which we hope has gone well for them.



 



MillaMia collaboration with Wolle Roedel

We have been thrilled that MillaMia has started to make inroads into Germany as well. It is a nation of avid knitters and we are building up a loyal following through our relationship with a few key shops including Wolle Roedel, Garnwelt and Mein WollShop. Helena even designed a special collaboration project in 2013 with Wolle Roedel to help introduce the brand to their customers – which was a fun process working with new yarns and pattern writers. We cannot thank Ellen Jacoby and her team from Wolle Roedel enough for their support and look forward to more collaborations in the future. 2013 also saw us finalise the arrangement we have with Christophorus Verlag and we are thrilled to announce that they will be publishing our book Wonderland in German in 2014 as a result. 2013 also saw us continuing to supply the Slovenia, the Netherlands and Belgium and introducing sales channels in France too.

 

Finally we have started working with a fantastic distributor – Nordic Yarns - in Canada in the course of 2013. This arrangement is also thanks to Kirsten as she is the one who spent time researching the market, identifying the most suitable people for us to work with, travelling to Canada and getting to know Tina from Nordic Yarns and coming to an agreement with them. After a positive start in 2013 we look forward to reaching far more customers in Canada and making it easier for the shops stocking us to replenish and keep up to date with MillaMia products thanks to Tina and her team.

So many thanks again to Kirsten, the team from Classic Elite and Nordic Yarns and Maja and Max in the UK for their help with all our European customers.  Looking forward to 2014 together!

(posted by Katarina)

2013 UK - WHAT A YEAR!

Both personally and professionally, 2013 was a momentous year for me. The course of the year unfolded in a series of life affirming and highly significant events including having my third child, turning forty, growing the MillaMia team and moving into a new office - it really was quite a year!


We welcomed Johan into our lives at the beginning of 2013, and have made good use of his modelling skills ever since. It was rather fortuitous that he came along just as my other 2 children were beginning to outlive their usefulness as models for our kids books! He featured with the blanket we named for him as a free pattern on the Love Knitting blog which you can download here.

MillaMia provided a few milestones of which I'm particularly proud. The team is now 5 members strong, with Maja effortlessly arranging and managing everything in the office, Max managing our wholesale accounts and social media, Tanya replaces Yumiko as our newest intern (more about Tanya in a future blog), and Helena and I providing the design ethos, and sturdy backbone of our company. It's fair to say that we have been incredibly fortunate to have attracted such a high calibre of intern and staff and we are excited to move forward into 2014 with this super team.

Moving the business from my London home to a new office was a memorable milestone for me too. With MillaMia growing as it had we needed to accommodate our team and found ourselves able to spread out and enjoy the space the office afforded. I still marvel at how far we have come in such a short space of time.

Even more exciting later in the year was the overwhelming response and popularity that our new Limited Edition and core colours elicited. I'm incredibly proud of Helena and the team for getting these shades so right and so completely on trend. Of course, 2014 will see 2 new Limited Edition colours which we are all equally beside ourselves to share with you, as well as a collaboration with Anova Books, and a new collection featuring one of our new core shades - all due a bit later this year.

I think that working with established knitwear designers has also been an unforeseen, but very welcome development for MillaMia this year. In some ways it provides validation for the brand when other well-respected designers are excited to work with our yarn, and it also reaches out to a wider audience. Belesama by Michele Wang was stunning in our Limited Edition lime, and was hugely popular on Ravelry in particular. We look forward to seeing designs from other designers in 2014 including Louise Zass-Bangham.

And finally, the best way that I could hope to start 2014 is hearing that an independent review of our Naturally Soft Merino in Knit Now Magazine scored a fantastic 100%! The reviewers described our yarn as 'beautiful, delicious and smooth', and with the nearest comparison yarn coming in at only 85%, I would say that I'm 100% thrilled with that result.

If you are looking to start your New Year with a MillaMia project, why not take advantage of FREE shipping on all orders until 31st January? Head over to www.millamia.com and enjoy a treat for the start of 2014.

(posted by Katarina)