This month, I am really excited to get to share my interview with an up-and-coming designer, Kathryn Ware. She lives in Arizona, and her work as a designer can be found at KPC Wear on Ravelry and beyond.
What impresses me the most about Kathryn’s designs are the creativity and amazing intricacy of each design–from cupcake-shaped yarn cozies to amazing colorwork sweaters.
Q: Welcome, Kathryn. It’s so good to talk to you! Can you tell us a little about yourself?
A: Hello! I am a book-loving knitter from Arizona, and I am a Willshaper order in the Knight Radiant (from my favorite book series!). My hobbies outside of fiber arts and books include video games, hiking, ceramics, and learning whatever craft I can get my hands on.
Q: That’s great. Can you tell us how you got started in fiber arts? How did you first learn to knit?
A: I was taught to crochet as a small child by my grandmother because I wanted to learn to make cute little butterfly doilies she would make. I did that on and off for years, and learned to knit as a teenager in Girl Scouts. I never got super hooked (ha ha!) until I moved to Wisconsin, and suddenly crochet and knit accessories were so much more useful! And then even after I moved back to Arizona I’ve continued to love it.
Q: Did you do what most people do and start with acrylic yarn and then move onto more luxurious yarn?
A: I think so. I definitely know my grandma had a lot of acrylic, though when I started buying my own yarn I just bought whatever I thought the project needed, so I did a little of both.
Q: When you’re looking for inspiration for a new pattern, where do you find it?
A: I can’t look for inspiration; it always sneaks up on me. I hit walls when I try too hard. But a lot of my inspiration comes to me through stories, whether stories in books or video games or personal stories.
Q: I love that, and I know just what you mean!
Which comes first? The yarn or the pattern? Do you find some yarn and come up with the perfect pattern to go with it, or do you have a pattern idea in mind and go in search of yarn that would complement it?
A: It really depends! For the Rose Window Tee I’ll be releasing next week, it was absolutely the yarn that begged to be a stained glass sweater. But sometimes I have a pattern idea that I have to hunt down the perfect yarn for.
Q: What’s your favorite yarn weight to work with?
A: Probably fingering because I can actually end up using the finished projects more than six days out of the year!
Q: Ha! Definitely true! Do you have a favorite type of wool or other fiber you like to use?
A: I don’t have a solid favorite, but I enjoy a nice silk-wool blend.
Q: What is your own personal favorite design that you have made so far?
A: Every new one has been my favorite, and this is still true so right now it’s the Rose Window Tee!
Q: Can you tell us about the Rose Window Tee?
A: Yes! My new design is a circular yoke tee or sweater (both long-sleeve and short-sleeve instructions are in the pattern), where the yoke is designed like a stained glass window. Since I saw the base Stained Glass Sock, I had started dreaming up a stained-glass themed sweater. Somewhere there the colorway Paris sparked the thought of Notre Dame and its rose window, and the full design was born!
Q: It’s so beautiful, and I’m so honored that you used my yarn for your stunning design!
Q: Where is the best place to buy your patterns?
A: Right now, Ravelry, but I also have them on my Ko-fi shop, for those that cannot access Ravelry. My username both places is elleldee, though the designer name is Kathryn Ware.
Q: How about social media?
A: I have an Instagram account @KPCWare.
Q: What other plans do you have for the near future?
A: I have another two summery tees in the works and a kindle case that I designed years ago but finally got around to writing out.
Q: I can’t wait to see those too. Thank you so much for joining me today!
I hope you have enjoyed the opportunity to see and hear about Kathryn and her beautiful designs today.
The release date for her new Rose Window Tee/Sweater is June 12th, so be sure to follow her on Instagram and favorite her on Ravelry. She used Paris on Stained Glass Sock as well as Lilac and Little Black Dress on Sock Perfection. I have all three of those colorways in stock as well as lots of other great colorway combinations for this stunning sweater.
Happy fiber artistry!