Designer Jenise Reid on Knitting for a Great Fit

19JanApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

If I had plans to get 2015 off to a rip-roaring start, 2015 had other plans for me. The past ten days have seen my family dealing with a concussion (not mine), a corresponding trip to ER (all’s well), and four cases of full-blown flu (the real deal: high fevers, miserable chills, night sweats… it’s been just awful). The sicker we all got, the more it felt like everything was slowly grinding down to a complete standstill. And it would have, if it hadn’t been for the awesome SpaceCadet team, who stepped in and took over, keeping everything running at the studio, orders and club shipments going out, …and even collecting my family’s medications when we were just too sick to leave the house. I knew Amy, Jade, and Jill were seriously good folk, but I found out just how great they really are this past week.

One thing I haven’t been able to do while I’ve been sick is get to my computer, so I couldn’t share with you this great interview with Jenise Reid, the designer of the January Pullover, or answer your emails about the KAL. So instead of closing the January Pullover kits this past weekend as I’d planned, I’ve decided to extend sales of the kits until January 26 (click here), so that I have the chance to answer your questions and you can get to Jenise a little better.

An Interview with Designer Jenise Reid

Hi Jenise! Let’s start with an introduction: who you are and how long you’ve been knitting and designing.

Hi! I learned to learned to knit back when I was 18, and really wanted to make a little toque for my nephew. I was using a pretty fingering weight yarn, and was annoyed with how very long it took. I don’t think I picked up the needles again till a couple weeks later, but after a couple projects I was hooked. A couple years later I decided to try writing a pattern for one of the sweaters I had made, and before I knew it I was designing and writing patterns full time! That toque took me maybe 6 hours, and somehow I have come to the place where I consider 30 hours of knitting to be normal amount of time to spend knitting something. You could say I have embraced slow!

What inspires your designs? And which of your designs are your favourites?

Everything inspires me – it really just depends on the collection/design. In the case of January Pullover, early last year I decided I wanted to make a whole collection of sweaters, and I was going to make them exactly the way I wanted them. For me, that means skinny yarn, lots of stockinette, and precise shaping. Fit is important, curves are important, though they do make the pattern a little more complex. I am thankful to be releasing the collection myself – each pattern is on the long side to clearly explain what is going on, and if I sent them in to a print publication, they would either simplify the shaping (which makes them fit so perfectly), or over simplify the pattern and make it hard to use/understand.

I tend to love the one I am currently knitting the most, but Falling Leaves definitely has a special place in my heart as my first best-seller. It was the success of that blanket that convinced me that it could be worth while to give knit design a full time try as a business, so the fact that I am designing today is thanks to it!

Tell us about the January Pullover — what makes it special to you?

The fit. This is the first time I have used bust short row shaping in one of my patterns, and I am really impressed with how much it improved the way the sweater hangs. The pattern includes directions on bust shaping for everyone a “C” cup or above, or the short rows can be skipped. As my sister said when she first saw it, it almost looks store bought thanks to the fine yarn and crisp gauge. But when I compare the fit to any store bought sweater, it is obviously superior. You can’t buy knit sweaters with bust shaping!

I think a lot of the reason why handknit sweaters have such a bad reputation is due to the thought that a knitting pattern should take a minimal amount of pages and words. Yes, it is much easier to follow the pattern for a sweater that is just a rectangular box with sleeves stuck onto the sides. You can fit the whole pattern on one page. The trouble is (as a Home Ec teacher expressed it) “Ladies, we are not shaped like refrigerators!”

If you want your sweater to wrap neatly and smoothly around your curves, you need shaping, you need curves, and you need options. The pattern is longer, and a little harder to follow, but when it comes to a sweater that makes you look great, it is so worth it! I tried to make this pattern simple to adjust, and took a good deal of care on the larger end of the sizes. If that boxy sweater makes a size 2 look like a shapeless mass, there isn’t any hope for a size 26! January will still have a tidy drop sleeve, a shapely neckline, and will glide smoothly over those size 26 curves.

One of the reasons January is so flattering is due to the yarn — SpaceCadet Oriana. I have it in a tight gauge that gives it body, and it does a great job of smoothing over little lumps and bumps. The matte sheen to Oriana also helps with this – no shine to magnify wrinkles!

We created a custom colourway for the January Pullover — what is it that drew you to these colours for it? Do you think the sweater would work in any other colours?

Only recently did I decide I actually liked red again – I hadn’t worn anything red for years! This particular shade is just gorgeous, and goes well with everything from denim to charcoal to browns. I love the play between the maroon and rust tones as they fade between each other. I think January’s deep red gives it a calm air, ready to take on anything. For a more playful look, I think Feather would be delightful. For a flexible look that is easy to dress up or down, Dark Skies is the one!

Personally, when I try to pick a color, I tend to dig through my closet and pick out what I think I would wear with the sweater. If I can’t find anything I think would go well, I decide if I love the color enough that it would be worth it to go find and buy something just to match the sweater, or if I should consider a different color. Being more thoughtful about what colors will actually work with the clothes I *already* own has really increased how much I wear my handknits! I actually have a handful of sweaters I made but never wear just because they don’t match anything, and it really bugs me.

What do you enjoy about running a KAL for one of your designs? And what do you do to ensure your knitters have a great experience?

KALs are a highlight for me – I check in a couple times every day, and it is always a lot of fun to discuss color, yarn, techniques and fit. I don’t know many people who knit locally, and I love talking about it!

There are always those knitters who are not a standard size, and I love being able to give advice on how to work with the pattern to get a sweater that fits YOU perfectly! Besides that it is fun to help, I also consider the KALs to be educational for ME — being in touch with what kinds of questions knitters may have, and thinking though fit issues helps me to write a better pattern next time.

So, you live in British Columbia and I know you guys get a lot of snow. How deep is the snow outside your house at the moment?

This year has been a fabulous snow year – I love it! Two days before that photoshoot, we had the largest dump in 48 hrs since the 70’s, about 2 feet. That is my driveway at home – the plows were too busy on the main roads to get any side roads. I think everyone on our street who tried to get out got stuck, and so everyone was digging everyone else out.

I didn’t try to drive anything anywhere – walking was bad enough! (By the way, while I wouldn’t wear a short sleeved sweater out for a long time, January was warm enough to pop out of the house with a shovel for 15 minutes to help dig a car out). Since then, we have had yet another foot or so, but nothing like those two days!

I am such a fan of Jenise’s work and, if you were a part of her Sari Cari KAL last summer, I know you will be too. I’m delighted she chose SpaceCadet Oriana for this design and asked us to create these beautiful kits and, as I said, we’ll be keeping the kits available until January 26th to make up for lost time. Click here to grab yours and get in on the fun!

If you decide to take Jenise’s suggestion and try the January Pullover in either Feather or Dark Skies and order before the end of January 26th, we’ll make sure to dye your yarn in time for the KAL Cast On. Just let us know in the order notes during checkout and we’ll take care of it!

And speaking of lost time, I am on the mend at last but definitely still under the weather, so I’d be really grateful if you’d keep your fingers crossed that I shake this flu off quickly. And virtual cups of tea are allllways gratefully accepted anytime!

The January Pullover — a Beautiful, Simple Welcome to the New Year

07JanApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

After the all the excitement and fun of the holidays, the first week back to January’s cold reality can come like a slap in the face. No more tree, no lights, no parties to go to… just the darkest days of winter stretching out for months ahead. So what is there to look forward to in the first week back at work? How about a beautiful new pattern from Jenise Reid in an exclusive SpaceCadet colourway…

Conveying a simple and casual look, but with well thought-out details, the January Pullover is designed to create a great fit. I’ll let Jenise explain…

For me, January has always been the month when you can be confident that there will be snow on the ground, and the snow will be there the whole month. (all of February too) It is cold here! So, my January sweater is one that is suitable for wearing indoors. Shorter sleeves so they don’t get in my way when I am doing stuff, and a cozy but not too warm fingering weight merino.

Simple, casual, drop shoulders, right? Not really… a cleanly fit drop shouldered sweater is not a box with sleeves! To fit the body perfectly, you need some curves and slopes and angles. Oh, and if you want the loose body to hang smoothly, you might also need some short rows over the bust. But fear not, all the details are written into the pattern for you and it will be quite simple to knit up a sweater that fits as beautifully as a store-bought one or better.

(See the little stripes running down the back? I love those!)

When Jenise and I first discussed this sweater, I was delighted when she asked if I’d create a brand-new colourway for it. She sent me some images of the colours she had in mind, and I set to work at the dyepots. She was aiming for rich russets, browns, and burnt siennas, the perfect warm shades for cold winter days. Dyed on Oriana, our beautifully draping eight-ply fingering yarn, the result is Caelum (pronounced “see-lum”), which I named after a small constellation visible in the dark January sky.

The January Pullover KAL

And to celebrate the January Pullover’s launch, Jenise is turning it into a fantastic KAL! If you enjoyed her Sari Cardi KAL back in July, you know what a good time you’re in for. There’s great community in the Feminine By Design group, fun prizes, and personal help from Jenise all along the way.

And with a colourway as beautiful as Caelum, we just had to do kits! Custom yarn and beautiful pattern in one neat parcel, it’s everything you need to cast on and knit your own January Pullover just as beautiful as Jenise’s! Click here to grab your kit.

All the Details

The Yarn

Oriana is an sock twist fingering yarn with 8 plies that give extra strength and durability.

Fiber Content: 90% Superwash Merino, 10% Nylon; 8-ply
Weight: Fingering; Each skein is approximately 3.5oz/100g, and the yarn contains approximately 420 yards per 100g

The Colourway

Caelum, pronounced “see-lum”, is a small constellation visible in the dark January sky. Dyed in rich russets and browns and burnt siennas, our kit-exclusive colourway is designed to be wonderfully warm for cold winter days.

The Kits

Each kit includes four or five skeins of Oriana in the custom colourway, Caelum, and a download code for a FREE copy of the January Pullover pattern (the code arrives in the parcel with your yarn).

Sizing Info

The pattern is sized to fit busts 26-30 (30-34, 34-38, 38-42, 42-46, 46-50) inches, using 4 (4, 4, 4, 5, 5) skeins.

The KAL

“Cast on Day” is Feb 23, to allow time for the yarn kits to be dyed and shipped. The KAL wraps up on April 30th. And there are great prizes too, which will be randomly awarded throughout the KAL.

Are you as excited as I am?!? I know that the first week back after the holidays can feel dark and dreary… but with a simple design as beautiful as the January Pullover to cast on, suddenly everything seems so much brighter — a wonderful welcome to the new year!

Pattern Picks for In These Dark Woods, the Latest SpaceMonster Colourway

19DecApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

The December SpaceMonster parcels went out last week and, before I show you Jade’s fantastic pattern picks, I just have to share with you the gorgeous colourway that inspired her and and the fabulous gift that accompanied it.

**Spoiler Alert!** If you’re a SpaceMonster Club member and you haven’t seen your parcel yet, look away now if you don’t want to spoiler the surprise! (And if you’re not a SpaceMonster, there’s only 3 days left to join — click here!)

This is In These Dark Woods, inspired by a darkening wood at nightfall, bathed in the rich and mysterious colours of the dying light, and changing constantly before your very eyes. I dyed them using a freeform technique that allows the yarn to absorb the dye however it pleases, soaking up one colour here and other colour there, and gives a result that is as exciting as it is unpredictable. No two skeins are alike and, while they are all similar, the goal with a colourway like this is not for them to match exactly but to simply go together, each one’s differences enhancing the skeins around it.

But just as much as the yarn, we were super excited to send out the gift that went in this month’s parcel. It was a gorgeous wooden SpaceMonster box, handmade for us by Craig at Turns2Art, and absolutely perfect for holding all those notions and tools that always end up everywhere. And Doug, one of our SpaceMonster members, documented the process as he opened his box and revealed his skein of In These Dark Woods…

But when you’re holding an amazing skein like this in your hands, it can be hard to decide what to make with it. So I asked my assistant Jade to choose a few patterns for this colourway, and she’s come up with some fantastic suggestions. Over to Jade…

Pattern Picks for In These Dark Woods

As soon as I saw this yarn, I knew it was going to be special. And the more I worked with it, the more I loved it – each skein was different but equally stunning. As I twisted and tagged them, I kept thinking ‘oh, now, this one’s my favorite’ and ‘this would be perfect for …’. So many patterns popped into my head that it was hard to pick just three! (Check out our Pinterest boards to see the rest.)

Nola Cloche by Hilary Smith Callis

If you’re like me and need to cast on *right now*, go ahead! This little cloche is instant gratification, and can be made with just one skein of Capella. The smooth stockinette will emphasize the rich variegation of In These Dark Woods and the simple, yet striking, cable twist adds interest and a bit of panache… Perfect for adding a pop of color to dull wintry days.

Yvonne – A Neck Warmer by Quadshotyarn

For those of you that prefer crochet, we’ve got you covered! This month’s SpaceMonster yarn is perfect for you – Capella crochets up beautifully, and the textured stitch pattern of this neck warmer will make the colors ebb and flow into jewel-like pools and pops. It will work with one skein, but to make it extra squashy and decadent, try using two and holding the yarn double!

Gale by Alicia Plummer

And if you love In These Dark Woods as much as I do and just want to wrap yourself up in it, try this stunning winter poncho. It’s pure comfort knitting – simple, with a straightforward construction, but enough texture to keep things interesting – and just the thing to keep you warm as Winter gets going. Since it takes 5-6 skeins, it’s also the perfect way to showcase all the variation in this colourway. Each skein will make the others pop, or you could alternate them for a blended, more nuanced look.

(I’ve got to tell you, it was really hard to pack the skeins into their little treasure boxes and send them off… I really wanted to keep them all for myself! Maybe we could count that a fourth, unofficial pattern pick? All The Skeins, made into a giant smooshy afghan!)

The SpaceMonster Club Closes on Sunday

As you can see, the SpaceMonster Mega Yarn Club is an awesome club. Focusing on smooshy worsted and bulky yarns (and great gifts), it’s a fantastic adventure for these cold winter days — or the perfect holiday gift! The SpaceMonster Club closes on Sunday Dec 21, so click here now for all the details and get in before it’s gone!

Five Fabulous At-The-Very-Last-Minute Yarny Holiday Gifts

16DecApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

The holidays always sneak up on me. Always. Are you the same? And here we are, the shopping days slipping away alarmingly fast, and suddenly realising that it’s really, really late to be starting that gift shopping. What to do?!? Well, as I’m in that same boat trying to think of last minute gifts, let me share what I’ve come up with…

Five At-The-Very-Last-Minute Yarny Holiday Gifts

(to save your bacon!)

Choose a Craftsy Class

For any knitter or crocheter who enjoys learning new skills, Craftsy has a class to suit every skill level. And it’s not just yarny pursuits: Craftsy has classes on sewing, photography, cooking, woodworking, and tons more. With instantaneous delivery, this is a gift you can order on Christmas Eve and still be in the good books, but why would you wait? There’s a sale running right now, so grab a gift quick and save a little extra for yourself!

Click here to give a Craftsy class

Gift a Knit Edge Magazine Subscription

A subscription to Coop Press’s Knit Edge magazine is a delight for any knitter. Not just for the beautiful patterns they’ll receive, but for the all trend-watching and fascinating articles that delve deeper into the fiber arts world we all love so much. Published three times a year, you can give a gift subscription right at the very last minute and the recipient will never be any the wiser. Even better, click here to order, enter the gift recipient’s name and email address at the top, and enter the code LASTMINUTE14 at the bottom of the screen to get a one-year, non-renewing subscription to KnitEdge for the price of one issue. Who can resist a deal like that?!?

Click here to give Knit Edge magazine

Give a SpaceMonster Mega Yarn Club Gift Subscription

Know a knitter or crocheter who just loves big, smooshy yarn in glorious hand-dyed colours? We have the perfect, easy, last-minute gift! The SpaceCadet’s SpaceMonster Mega Yarn Club is designed all around those lovely squishy bulky and worsted weight yarns, with 6 month or 12 month subscription options, the chance to buy more skeins for larger projects, and an awesome gift in every third parcel (we seriously love picking the gifts!). The SpaceMonster Club is open for subscriptions only until Dec 21 so you’ll have to hurry, but we’ll make everything about this gift super easy. Just click here to set up your gift subscription, be sure to note during check out that it’s a gift and who it’s for, and we’ll take care of the rest!

Click here to give a SpaceMonster gift subscription

Send Curls, the Book that Arrives Now and… Later

Hunter Hammersen’s designs are intricate, intriguing, and incredibly beautiful. And her latest book of patterns, Curls, focuses on an innovative wrap design curls around the body with a flattering drape. How does this make a great last minute gift? Well, unlike a regular book purchase, if you buy Curls at the last minute (or, right now!), your recipient will get an electronic copy of the book that they can start reading immediately, plus a beautiful hard-copy in the post that they can enjoy all through the new year. Perfect!

Click here to order Curls

Give a SpaceCadet Sweater Kit

Our Sweater Kits have been flying out the door this holiday season, but we have a few left and, if you order them quickly, we’ll get them in the post to your recipient straight away. Choose a kit in either fingering or sport weight, in colours ranging from the elegant Dark Skies Ombre to the sublime South China Sea kit to the eye-catching When Life Gives You Lavender Gradient Kit. What knitter or crocheter wouldn’t go mad to receive a whole sweater’s worth of gorgeous hand-dyed yarn this holiday season?!?

Click here to shop for SpaceCadet Sweater Kits.

So there you are — five great gift ideas that will make your last minute holiday shopping a little easier. And hopefully allow you to relax a bit in these last crazy days and get back to the things that really matter on these snowy winter days… curling up with your knitting and crochet!

Gorgeous Pattern Picks for Firebrand, the Yarn Alliance’s Latest Colourway

09DecApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

(*spoiler alert* Close your eyes if you don’t want to see the latest Yarn Alliance colourway!)

When I first started dyeing, I worried a little that I might run out of colours. Seriously, I did. I mean, Roy G Biv is only seven letters… There can only be so many combinations, right? And I kind of wondered what happened when you get to the end of the list.

I know. I know!

Five years later and colour is still a fabulous cosmic adventure. Take the latest Yarn Alliance colourway — I knew I wanted to use it to explore reds, but I didn’t want it to be flat or monochromatic. I wanted to let red bloom from pink, from plum, from rust and from yellow. I wanted to let the colour do its thing and just see where it led. And I loved, loved, loved the result! This is “Firebrand”…

Isn’t it gorgeous?!? Now, before we get to Jade’s fantastic pattern picks for Firebrand, let me quickly just share with you the gift we included in the parcel, but I’m over the moon about it. How adorable are these little buttons custom-made for us by Remember Wynn? I can’t wait to see what our club members make with them!

Jade’s Pattern Picks for Firebrand

Speaking of things to make, Jade has put together a fabulous collection of pattern ideas for this yarn. Such beautiful designs! Which one is your favourite?*

Nineteen Twenty Shrug – Liisa Nieminen

With just a touch of lace and beautiful all-over drapey fabic, this pattern is perfect for showing off the Firebrand Colourway of this month’s Yarn Alliance parcel. The glowing ember tones and floaty drape of the Celeste make the perfect fiery cocoon – two skeins will be enough to ward off the winter chill.

Magpie Cowl – Judy Marples

This month’s ISYA colourway was actually a bit of a challenge for me to pick a pattern. The colors are gorgeous and glow-y and vivid, but they need just the right amount of showing off… The Magpie Cowl delivers, with an interesting, but easy, lace pattern to bring out Firebrand’s variegation and the perfect amount of yardage for one smooshy skein of Celeste. (And check out your shiny – it even calls for buttons to close!)

Dark Pearl – Carol Feller

If cowls and shrugs aren’t quite what you’re looking to knit, or you’re more in the mood for a show-stopper, try Carol Feller’s amazing Dark Pearl cardigan. It has it all – a fitted silhouette, smooth stockinette to show off the vibrant variegation of Firebrand, and a stunning lace front panel that can be draped open, or worn closed with your SpaceCadet buttons! And because Celeste has such great yardage, you’ll only need 3-4 skeins for the whole sweater, depending on size.

(*I love all three but I think my favourite is Dark Pearl. Such intriguing construction!)

Want to Get in on the Fun?

If you think being part of the InterStellar Yarn Alliance looks like fun, you are so right! Now, the Yarn Alliance isn’t open again until March but its sister club, the SpaceMonster Mega Yarn Club, is open for subscriptions right now.

And it’s an awesome club! Focusing on smooshy worsted and bulky yarns, it’s a fantastic adventure for these cold winter days — or the perfect holiday gift! The SpaceMonster Club is open until Dec 21, so click here now for all the details and to grab your spot.

Woot! The SpaceMonster Club is Open for Subscriptions!

05DecApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

Woo-hoo! It’s my favourite time of year!!! Well yeah, it’s the holidays but even better than that, it’s SpaceMonster time. We have so much fun putting this club together — finding our colourway inspiration, dyeing those big smooshy yarns, picking the gifts, and seeing what you guys make with them — that I get so excited when it’s time to welcome new members.

The club is open for new subscriptions for two weeks only from today until Dec 21, and spaces always go fast. And the timing couldn’t be more perfect because it makes a fantastic holiday gift — just grab a spot and we’ll send the recipient yarny goodness for the rest of the year!

But, y’know, just because it does make a great gift, doesn’t mean you should deny yourself. I mean, sometimes you gotta take it in your own hands to make sure you receive the holiday gift you really wanted, right? *wink* I can’t think of anything more perfect than a year of SpaceCadet smooshiness!

Well here, let me share all the details…

Woot! It’s SpaceMonster time!

You love big smooshy yarns, doncha?

This is the yarn club for you!

There is nothing in the whole world like a skein of lovely, smooshy, thick yarn to make you want to pick it up, squish it… dive right into it! Big, bulky yarns call out to you, beg you to pick them up and press them against your cheek. And when you cast on, they always work up so fast! Big yarns are gorgeous.

SpaceMonsters, the SpaceCadet’s Mega Yarn Club

Specially designed for those who love working with thicker yarns!

6 months: $99———————————–12 months: $194

So, whaddya get?

As a member of the SpaceMonsters Mega Club, you receive:

a fantastic parcel delivered to your door every other month, containing a beautiful skein of SpaceCadet^® Creations yarn in worsted or bulky weight, hand-dyed in an exclusive colourway* created to bring out the best in thicker yarn
The SpaceCadet’s Log exploring the inspiration for each colourway.
A fantastic SpaceMonsters gift tucked into every third parcel. We’re known for the fabulous gifts we include in our club parcels — and for this club, we’re seriously upping the fab. You’re going love it!

*guaranteed not to be offered on the SpaceCadet website for at least 6 months

But bigger yarns mean bigger projects, right?

Don’t you worry — in this club, you can buy extra skeins! For a whole month after you receive your parcel, you’ll have an exclusive opportunity to order more skeins custom-dyed in the latest club colourway. You’ll receive an email with all the details a few days after your parcel goes out — and then all you have to do is pick your project!

And the price is pretty exciting too:

a 6 month subscription (3 parcels, starting in February) is only $99, and
a 12 month subscription (6 parcels, starting in February) is just $194

…Who do you know who’d love to receive a right-to-their-door supply of gorgeous, smooshy yarn?

But subscriptions are open only until Dec 21 and spaces are limited… so you’ve gotta be quick!

Ready to join the SpaceMonsters?

Click on one of the buttons below to grab your spot in the SpaceMonsters Mega Yarn Club

6 months: $99———————————–12 months: $194

Very Important: if you are giving this as a gift, please remember to include the recipient’s postal and email addresses in the notes when you check out. We gotta have that to send the recipient their parcels!

Six month subscriptions include 3 parcels; twelve month subscriptions include 6 parcels. Parcels will be sent out at the beginning of February, April, June, August, October, and December. Shipping within the United States is included in the price; extra charges apply for shipping outside the US. The first parcel for new subscriptions is the February 2015 parcel. Normal subscription openings/renewals will be available in June and December of each year. All club members are automatically subscribed to the club mailing list to receive email notification of club updates, special offers for extra skeins, and similar stuff. We never, ever sell or share your email with anyone. Because of the nature of the club set-up, we can accept returns or exchanges of club shipments for faulty yarns only. By joining the club, you are agreeing to these terms and conditions. All images here are examples of past yarns/colourways/gifts — please note that new members will not receive the same items, but will receive yarns/colourways/gifts of approximate equal value and fab-ness.

Any other questions? Ask us! info (at) spacecadetcreations (dot) com