Fine Shetland Lace, an Online Magazine
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Fine Shetland Lace Fall 2018 No 1 The Knitter: MoniqueB. The yarn: Jamieson & Smith The pattern: The Second One Shetland Woolweek patron: Elizabeth Johnston Fine Shetland Lace Fall 2018 Content: The Knitter Page 3 MoniqueB Shetland Wool Week Page 6 Information and Links The Swatch Page 7 Screaming Silence... Page 9 A little story on Unst The Yarn Page 11 Jamieson & Smith The Designer Page 14 This year’s Shetland Wool Week patron: Elizabeth Johnston The Pattern Page 18 The Second One The Lace... Page 19 A bit of information A word Page 20 Idea and Publisher, Editor, Art Direction, Layout, Photography unless otherwise mentioned: Monique Boonstra. Cover image: The Second One ©2018 by MoniqueB. Image on this page: Shetland Bound ©2012 by MoniqueB. This is a free of ads publication. You’re NOT allowed to copy this magazine for distribution, handouts, free gifting or ANY commercial purposes. Every part of this magazine is subject to copyright by those mentioned in this magazine and cannot be used without permission. For possible contributions, questions and remarks, please mail to [email protected] Fine Shetland Lace Fall 2018 The Knitter The Shetland Stars Fine Shetland Lace Fall 2018 Tell us a bit about yourself. How do you feel about the so called controversy of “dumbing down” patterns for knitters? I’m Monique Boonstra, 48, married for 24y, 3 children. I work as a mail delivery person 4 days a I see myself as a pretty advanced lace knitter. I love week and I design Fine Shetland Lace. I also spin fine open work (patterning on both sides). But that corner yarn. I live in The Netherlands. of the (lace) knitter market is very small. So, my designs in that section sell only a few copies. Technically, for me, it’s not as easy as one might think. You have to make sure the pattern gives clear instructions, gives a clean design of which many people will think: “Hey, I can do that!”. With all my designs, I haven’t managed to land one in the Top 20 of Ravelry. On the other hand; with Ravelry being over 6 million users, the number of simple lace patterns is overwhelming. It’s really hard to stand out from the rest with a simple design among hundreds of others, released every day. Potential buyers can be picky. How many sample/test knitters do you have working for you or do you do it all yourself? I am very fortunate to have people wanting to test for my designs when I call out for them. I have the luxury Where do you find inspiration? to even have a choice in this. At first I had around five Old knitting books, shapes of the shawl-to-be, test knitters for one project. Life happens, so some constructions, stitch patterns or repeats. I work as a dropped out. In addition to all that: I often have test mail delivery person ("mailman") and while I’m knitters in two languages; Dutch and English. walking, I think of stitch patterns, repeats and shapes. Or I make a sketch and try to come as close as I can “...In all cases: I knit the design knitting that. myself. Sometimes more than Do you look at other designers’ work or are you afraid that you will be influenced by their designs? once. Why deny myself the Yes, I do look at other designers. But more often than pleasure of a new project with not to see what has already been done. So I don’t come up with something that has just been designed sometimes a brand new yarn to by someone else. Sometimes I look to see what colours are hot (or not) and see how they have styled experiment with?...” it to sell. When I see something I like, I always work hard to give my own interpretation of it. Or give it a Do you have a business model that you have twist with shaping. For instance: I had seen the Cockle emulated? Shell pattern, but only in a rectangle version. I When I started knitting lace, I wanted to knit shawls to thought: I could be the first to give it in a triangular make people happy with something handmade. Now version! That meant that it had to be a shawl that that I’ve learned to knit finer lace, there is a part of needed to be designed bottom-up. Which presented a the history that comes with that. I’m trying to pass whole set of challenges and pattern combinations. It’s that on, so that it doesn’t get lost. That wasn’t why I my best selling pattern so far. got into this, but it is now. Thanks to knitting, I’ve met a lot of very nice people, I’ve learned how to run a business and pushing myself to get better at it. Fine Shetland Lace Fall 2018 Do you use a tech editor? occasions but also for every day. I want to tell knitters to invest in good quality material to work with. All I don’t make enough to pay a good one. My test that hard work (knitting lace patterns) in a luxury knitters help me out with things I have overlooked. yarn, will make you want to wear it every day. My Sometimes a (knitter) friend will help with spelling. specialty is Shetland Lace. The finer, the better. I (can) recreate shawls from pictures I took or have seen at How do you maintain your life/work balance? the Shetland Museum and Archives website. It’s like When things need to be done, they get done. I am reaching through the glass of the Museum (Unst, of somewhat famous for making the deadline. I’ve course) and touching it, recreating it, wearing it. I truly missed only one out of 79. I have 1 teenager, 2 young hope knitters will get interested in the finer lace adults and a husband that is away from home a lot. I designs. am a night person, so knitting gets done in the evenings and nights. When the children do their hobbies in the weekend, I get more knitting done. How long did it take for you to be able to support yourself? I can’t support myself with knitting. At first, I had a lot of commissions. I was able to go to Shetland Wool Week from that in 2012. The crisis hit, I had been giving workshops and people can knit their own shawls now. So, income has been transferred to giving workshops and making designs. My record selling pattern has sold 200 copies over the past three years. I average 10 - 12 sold patterns per design. Compared to the amount of work a design takes, that is not enough to support myself as a business. What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue a career in knitting? Make sure you have your client at heart, what do you have to offer that they would like to see and want to wear. I’ve noticed that personality comes into running Find MoniqueB here: a business too. It’s the way you present yourself, your designs and your skills. That is makes your designs www.kantwerk.nl stand out from the rest. A business ethic is also very www.apassionforlace.com important; correspondence (don’t keep the client https://www.instagram.com/apassionforlace/ waiting for an answer to their troubles) administration https://www.etsy.com/shop/APassionForLace?ref=si_ (on both paper and digital) is crucial. Keep track of shop what you’ve done and have planned. Do what you know, and know what you do. Believe in yourself, set a goal and work towards that. Reached your goal? This interview was initiated by Robin. Thank you. Find Make a new one! her blog here: What’s next for you? http://knittingrobin.blogspot.com/ I’ve been lucky to have made designs for some very kind people, shops and brands. Lace can be for special Fine Shetland Lace Fall 2018 Shetland Wool Week 22 - 30 September 2018 ©AmmerinsMoss picture This year’s Shetland Wool will be held in the last week But... because this issue is coming out Sept 1st, it’s of September. Activities all over the island can keep highly likely a lot is booked, sold out or not available you entertained. Spinning, knitting, felting, weaving, anymore. It is merely a taste of the happening, a jewelry, lectures, sculpting, talks, trunkshows, temptation to go next year... museums, teas, bears, sweaters, hats, shawls, yarn, http://www.shetlandwooladventures.com/ is an wool, colours, shows and fun. http://www.shetlandwoolweek.com/wp- option to see Shetland any time of year. (Shetland content/themes/ShetlandWoolWeek/events_search.php based) is the site where you can find all the information. http://www.theshetlandtrader.com/shetland-trips/ is an option to travel to Shetland too. (USA based). Fine Shetland Lace Fall 2018 The Swatch Yarn: Jamieson & Smith 1/16NM Gossamer Left over or approx. 45 – 55 yards. (I dyed it in “Goudsbloem” / Calendula). Needles: 2,0mm or US0 Size: To fit a “Dove” Beauty Cream Bar (soap: 8 x 6 x 2cm) Notions: Ribbon 5mm wide and 16” or 40cm long (or (for contrast) a coarse piece of rope), tapestry needle to weave in ends. 1 Beauty Cream Bar van “Dove”, suitable detergent for this yarn and a towel, T pins. Instructions: 1. Knitted Cast on: 30 loops. Leave a tail of 16”, use that later to close a side. 2. Turn work and start with the Chart.