| Interview with Designer Kristin Nicholas |
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| Written by Deborah Knight |
 Kristin Nicholas is an icon in the knitting industry who has authored several books, served as creative director for one of the largest yarn manufacturers in the US, appeared on numerous television shows, and who continues to write features for many of the top knitting publications. She is a natural born color expert whose home is an explosion of brilliant creativity. KnitchMagazine is delighted to have had the opportunity to interview her.Knitch: Your career began over three decades ago. Can you tell us how you worked your way up to becoming one of the most respected knitting designers in the country? Kristin: I was the Creative Director at Classic Elite Yarns from 1984 until 2000. It was a very small company when I started and I was hired to develop the handknitting market. Previous to my being there, the company mostly sold yarn on cones to handweavers. I developed all the handknitting patterns, designed the advertising, developed the yarns, designed the color palettes for all the yarns. It was such a small company at that point and a very fun group of people. I would make up an idea and everyone would pitch in and add their own two cents. I would delegate projects to different people and everything got done. There was no time to be a diva – every one did whatever it took to get the job done – including stuffing envelopes, running the postage machine, pulling orders and shipping yarn if the shipper needed help in the shipping room. I had to design handknitting patterns to sell the yarn that I bought to sell to the yarn stores. It was out of necessity that I became a “handknitting designer” even though I had designed many a sweater for myself before I began working at Classic Elite. I had to find cheap ways of getting handknitting patterns to market. I would knit the swatches for my designs at night after work. The next night, I would write the pattern out and type it the next day at work. Then I would find a knitter to knit it for me. The other girls I worked with helped me out a lot in the designing of many patterns. Many of them have gone on to have top jobs at yarn companies within the handknitting industry – Linda Pratt and Susan Mills at Nashua Handknits and Cathy Payson at JCA. And we all have remained good friends. Knitch: A lot of knitters will be envious of your career. What would you say to someone who dreams of a position with a yarn company? Kristin: I think that most knitters have a glamourous view of life inside a yarn company. I hate to burst their bubbles but it is SO not a glamour business. But it was a fun job for many years. I got to travel the world, going to mills and tradeshows to find new yarns.  Knitch: Your yarn “Julia” is now part of the Nashua line. Can you tell us about the development of this yarn?Kristin: Through my connections, the Julia yarn happened. After I left Classic Elite, I was approached to do a retail line of yarn by a Peruvian mill I had done business with. I wasn’t interested in warehousing yarn but I did know someone who would be. So I teamed up with Linda Pratt of Nashua and “Julia” the yarn was born. The mill designed the yarn to my specs and I did the color palette. Nashua Handknits takes care of all of the distribution, sales reps, marketing and more. FYI: The yarn Julia is named after my daughter “Julia” who is now ten years old. Knitch: Can you tell us about your newest patterns for Spring 2009? Kristin: I must admit, I mostly design for fall and winter. In the spring and summer I make smaller things that are more accessory related – like hats, mittens, tea cosies and bags. Knitch: Last June, you mentioned a new relationship you were forging with Vogue Magazine. Can you tell us about that? Kristin: Yes, it is very exciting. I am almost finished with a new book which will be coming out in October of 2009. It is called -- tentatively -- “Color by Kristin.” Soho Publishing, the book arm of the folks who do Vogue Knitting, Knit1, and Knit Simple are publishing it. We did the photography here at our farm in November 2008. The photos are fabulous. It obviously is a book about color knitting. I always think my newest project is the best thing I have ever done. This book is much more than just a book of patterns. There is a lot of substance and interesting content in the book – about designing with color and designing colorwork patterns. I can’t wait for it to come out – but it is still a while. I must be patient. The book hasn’t even been laid out yet but I have a vision in my head for what it will be and hope it will live up to my vision. Knitch: Where do you look for inspiration? Kristin: I have a large collection of ethnic textiles which I have purchased over the years. I look to them. I also have a large library of books about ethnic textiles. For color inspiration, I look both to this textile and book collection and to nature and what is going on in the art and fashion world. But I must admit, because I have been doing this for so long, I look to myself and my innate color sense to put interesting colors together that will be appealing for handknitters.  Knitch: Do you have any particular goals when developing a design? Kristin: I think of the knitter first because I am a knitter. I knit every swatch before designing a garment. If I don’t enjoy knitting the particular textured stitch or color pattern, I know a knitter won’t like to knit it. So I go back to the drawing board and try again. I want the knitter who makes my designs to have fun doing it and have a beautiful end-product. I also want them to FINISH the project. Knitch: Do you get feedback from knitters when you release new books or patterns? Kristin: My last book Kristin Knits sold very well and I heard from a lot of knitters who loved knitting the projects from it. I have gotten lots of photos from different people of their finished projects which is very gratifying for me. I did a very cute pair of fingerless gloves with embroidery on them in Kristin Knits and they were extremely popular. Knitch: Can you tell us what you foresee for the future of knitting? Kristin: I do think that in this current economic down-turn you are going to see more people turning to knitting and nesting hobbies. Knitch: You’ve become very well known in the U.S. through your TV presentations, workshops and other personal appearances. Can you tell us what you have planned this year? Where will our readers be able to see you on TV, in person and online? Kristin: This year I will be doing a series of new patterns which will be available exclusively on my website for PDF download. My goal is to do a new pattern a month although I am not sure if I can keep up that schedule. They will be easy and fun projects – mostly for smaller items. The first pattern just went up for a hat and mitten set using my Julia Yarn mixed with Regia sock yarn. I taped two seasons of Knit and Crochet Today (Season 2 and Season 3) in Detroit last year. I think Season 3 is just beginning to air. Knit and Crochet Today can now be seen on PBS’s “Create” channels and it is re-run frequently. I don’t do a lot of traveling because I live on a sheep farm with my family and we have lots going on. It is difficult to leave here. Once in a while, I teach classes in New England. I announce them on my blog. I write a pretty popular blog called “Getting Stitched on the Farm” which I update about four times a week. I have a lot of readers and welcome more, of course. On my blog, I talk about life on our sheep farm in the country. We have 150 sheep and 30 chickens. In January, we have in excess of 150 lambs born and I chronicle what it is like to be a farmer. January is usually the most popular month on my blog because of lambing season. People love lambs – especially knitters! I also talk about writing books, designing sweaters, and having a family. Knitch: Outside of the knitting community, who do you admire most? Kristin: For living people, I think I would have to say my mother. She raised five daughters and did a great job at it. I also admire Julia Child, the cookbook author. She didn’t start writing books until later in life and enjoyed a very long and successful career. I enjoyed her no nonsense attitude seen on her TV shows. For artists, I also admire Henri Matisse, Pierre Bonnard, and many of the Fauve painters. I love to go to museum shows and see their work in person and get inspired by how they layer the paint and combine many colors. Knitch: Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about yourself? Kristin: Most knitters don’t realize it but I have illustrated many of my knitting books along with the best selling Kids Knitting (by Melanie Falick). Besides knitting books, I have also written and illustrated two books on embroidery – Kids’ Embroidery and Colorful Stitchery. I also do decorative painting on walls. When I can I paint pictures with oil and gouache. Knitch: We’d like to thank Kristin for taking the time to speak to us, and we look forward to seeing her new book. To learn more about Kristin Nicholas and her designs, KnitchMagazine readers will want to visit her web site. |
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