One of our designer friends, Julie Turjoman (author of Brave New Knits) recently released her second book called Knits That Breathe, and we couldn't be more thrilled for her! We met Julie, by way of Sandy, one of our long-time employees. They used to work together at a yarn shop in the bay area back in the day and are longtime buddies. When Julie released Brave New Knits back in 2010, she came over to Reno to do a book signing and trunk show display at our shop. What a fun event that was!
We are so excited to share Knits that Breath with you, which just came out in print last week and uses tons of great summery yarns including some of our favorites, Shibui Linen and Lorna's Laces Sportmate. We just love this collection of light and summery designs, so we did a quick interview with Julie to find out more about the making of the book. Here is what she had to say:
1. Can you give us a super quick history of Knits that Breathe for our readers who might be new to your work?
All 12 garments in the book are designed with cool fibers that drape beautifully, and have moisture-wicking or breathable properties that help keep the wearer cool and comfortable. Some of the fibers will be unfamiliar to knitters, such as Outlast, SeaCell, milk and soy protein fiber - and others are warm-weather staples such as cotton, linen, and bamboo. All are well worth trying! Sizing ranges from XS to 4XL in some cases to flatter a wide range of figures.
2. What was the inspiration for the book?
At Stitches last year, I overhead several knitters complaining that they could no longer wear their warm, woolly sweaters because they were always too hot, or too itchy. Having suffered from the same problem myself and being equally frustrated by the pile of sweaters languishing in my closet, I was inspired to take up the challenge and come up with solutions. I researched alternative and plant-derived fibers and then designed a collection of tunics, cardigans, tees, and more to give knitters some new options for wearing knitted garments.
3. Do you have a favorite design (or designs) from the book that you’d like to highlight for us? What makes this design(s) your favorite?
The Pacific Coast Tunic (on the cover) was the first project I designed for the book, and it remains one of my favorites. It has wonderful movement and drape, and a flattering A-line shape with raised seams and pleats that make it special. I often wear it with a light tee shirt underneath, and get compliments on it every time. The Tencel Tape yarn from Prism was lovely to work with, and was new to me. Part of the joy of this book was experimenting with new-to-me fibers and blends to discover their cooling characteristics. I also really enjoy wearing the Zephyr tunic made from Lorna's Laces Pearl yarn. The yarn has a beautiful shimmer from the silk blend, and drapes softly. I enjoy designing top-down sweaters because they are nearly seamless, as well as including practical pockets in my designs - so this project is among my favorites because it has both of these features.
4. What kind of knitter would you recommend this book to?
Knits That Breathe is for every knitter who lives in a hot climate, or is sensitive to wool and other animal fibers, or who has an unreliable internal thermostat (i.e. hot flashes). My theory that "it's always summer someplace" is strengthened every time I get messages from knitters in Texas, Florida, Arizona and other hot parts of the country to tell me that they love the book. Of course, I also get great feedback from knitters who simply run hot, or whose hot flashes make it uncomfortable for them to wear designs made from wool, alpaca, or other heat-retaining fibers.
5. What future projects are on the horizon for you?
I'm very excited about my next book, which is in production now. It will be released in late fall, in plenty of time for holiday gift-knitting. It's still in "secret" mode, but I can tell you that it's a collection of accessories with a fun and very stylish vintage theme.
Julie now lives in Chicago and spends her time knitting and designing. You can find out more about Julie's work on her website: www.julieturjoman.com or on Ravelry where her username is "juliebean."
Also, Julie is kindly offering copies of the E-book version of Knits That Breathe to two lucky readers! Please leave us a comment telling us what your favorite design from the book is along with your Ravelry name. Two winners will be chosen at random next Wednesday, July 2nd and Julie will send you a PDF copy of the book on Ravelry. Only entries that include their Ravelry contact info will be eligible.
If you'd prefer a hard copy of Knits that Breathe instead of an E-book, you can purchase them on our website here.
Happy summer knitting!
Kristen
We are so excited to share Knits that Breath with you, which just came out in print last week and uses tons of great summery yarns including some of our favorites, Shibui Linen and Lorna's Laces Sportmate. We just love this collection of light and summery designs, so we did a quick interview with Julie to find out more about the making of the book. Here is what she had to say:
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| Knits That Breathe |
All 12 garments in the book are designed with cool fibers that drape beautifully, and have moisture-wicking or breathable properties that help keep the wearer cool and comfortable. Some of the fibers will be unfamiliar to knitters, such as Outlast, SeaCell, milk and soy protein fiber - and others are warm-weather staples such as cotton, linen, and bamboo. All are well worth trying! Sizing ranges from XS to 4XL in some cases to flatter a wide range of figures.
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| Splash Cardigan |
At Stitches last year, I overhead several knitters complaining that they could no longer wear their warm, woolly sweaters because they were always too hot, or too itchy. Having suffered from the same problem myself and being equally frustrated by the pile of sweaters languishing in my closet, I was inspired to take up the challenge and come up with solutions. I researched alternative and plant-derived fibers and then designed a collection of tunics, cardigans, tees, and more to give knitters some new options for wearing knitted garments.
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| Pochette |
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| A little behind the scenes... |
3. Do you have a favorite design (or designs) from the book that you’d like to highlight for us? What makes this design(s) your favorite?
The Pacific Coast Tunic (on the cover) was the first project I designed for the book, and it remains one of my favorites. It has wonderful movement and drape, and a flattering A-line shape with raised seams and pleats that make it special. I often wear it with a light tee shirt underneath, and get compliments on it every time. The Tencel Tape yarn from Prism was lovely to work with, and was new to me. Part of the joy of this book was experimenting with new-to-me fibers and blends to discover their cooling characteristics. I also really enjoy wearing the Zephyr tunic made from Lorna's Laces Pearl yarn. The yarn has a beautiful shimmer from the silk blend, and drapes softly. I enjoy designing top-down sweaters because they are nearly seamless, as well as including practical pockets in my designs - so this project is among my favorites because it has both of these features.
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| Pacific Coast Tunic |
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| Zephyr Tunic |
4. What kind of knitter would you recommend this book to?
Knits That Breathe is for every knitter who lives in a hot climate, or is sensitive to wool and other animal fibers, or who has an unreliable internal thermostat (i.e. hot flashes). My theory that "it's always summer someplace" is strengthened every time I get messages from knitters in Texas, Florida, Arizona and other hot parts of the country to tell me that they love the book. Of course, I also get great feedback from knitters who simply run hot, or whose hot flashes make it uncomfortable for them to wear designs made from wool, alpaca, or other heat-retaining fibers.
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| Still Waters |
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| Iced Frappuccino |
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| Flutterby Silk Tunic |
5. What future projects are on the horizon for you?
I'm very excited about my next book, which is in production now. It will be released in late fall, in plenty of time for holiday gift-knitting. It's still in "secret" mode, but I can tell you that it's a collection of accessories with a fun and very stylish vintage theme.
Julie now lives in Chicago and spends her time knitting and designing. You can find out more about Julie's work on her website: www.julieturjoman.com or on Ravelry where her username is "juliebean."
If you'd prefer a hard copy of Knits that Breathe instead of an E-book, you can purchase them on our website here.
Happy summer knitting!
Kristen
