photo copyright Claire Slade
If you're looking for Christmas tree decorations that are a little out of the ordinary you could try these Animal Balls by Claire Slade (VerilyV on Ravelry). With a robin, bear, penguin, hedgehog and sheep all included in the pattern, you could make a set of matching baubles or make the whole woodland for a fun animal-themed tree.
I wanted to know more about this different take on Christmas decorations, so I decided to ask their designer Claire about this design, and about her knitting designs in general. Here is what she said:
Me: The Animal Balls are great Christmas tree decorations with a difference. Where did the idea for them come from?
Claire: Animal balls happened because I wanted a woodland theme for my own Christmas tree last year, I wasn’t originally planning on releasing the pattern, but am glad my family persuaded me to.
Me: How did you start designing patterns?
Claire: I started designing because my then-three-year-old son requested a hat with trains on and I couldn’t find a pattern so I created my choo choo beanie.
I wanted to know more about this different take on Christmas decorations, so I decided to ask their designer Claire about this design, and about her knitting designs in general. Here is what she said:
Me: The Animal Balls are great Christmas tree decorations with a difference. Where did the idea for them come from?
Claire: Animal balls happened because I wanted a woodland theme for my own Christmas tree last year, I wasn’t originally planning on releasing the pattern, but am glad my family persuaded me to.
Me: How did you start designing patterns?
Claire: I started designing because my then-three-year-old son requested a hat with trains on and I couldn’t find a pattern so I created my choo choo beanie.
photo copyright Verily V
Me: Which is your favourite design so far, and why?
Claire: My favourite design so far is probably my midnight owls hat, I love colourwork and I’ve received so many nice comments from knitters who have made one.
Me: What type of item do you most like to design, and why?
Claire: What I like to design goes in phases, recently it has been hats, but at the moment it is lace shawls. What I love the most is texture and bright colours.
Me: What do you plan to design next?
Claire: I currently have a sketchpad full of colourwork sweater designs that I am hoping will come to fruition next year, I’m quite excited about these and I’m hoping to get started after Christmas.
Claire: My favourite design so far is probably my midnight owls hat, I love colourwork and I’ve received so many nice comments from knitters who have made one.
Me: What type of item do you most like to design, and why?
Claire: What I like to design goes in phases, recently it has been hats, but at the moment it is lace shawls. What I love the most is texture and bright colours.
Me: What do you plan to design next?
Claire: I currently have a sketchpad full of colourwork sweater designs that I am hoping will come to fruition next year, I’m quite excited about these and I’m hoping to get started after Christmas.
photo copyright Claire Slade
Thank you, Claire, for answering my questions. So some interesting new colourwork designs to look out for from Claire Slade in the New Year then, hopefully.
Enjoy the rest of the Gift-A-Long!!
Enjoy the rest of the Gift-A-Long!!
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