The next Gift-A-Long pattern I'd like to feature is a sock pattern by Amy Kenagy (KnittingAmyK on Ravelry), a designer who hails from Spokane in the Pacific Northwest of the USA. I do like patterns that allow multicoloured sock yarn to shine. It's so easy to be tempted by the beautiful colours of the yarn in the skein, the bright rainbows or the exciting hand-dyes, but then it's not so easy to find a pattern that doesn't disappear into the colours or make them look like brightly-coloured splodge.
| When I saw All of my Ducks in a Row I knew it would be perfect for some of the multicoloured Wollmeise Twin skeins that I love to admire but rarely knit with because, you know, clown barf! There's only so many plain vanilla socks a girl can make from loud sock yarn! The pattern uses slipped stitches to bring to mind the mother duck shepherding her babies in a row along the pond, leaving a trail of little bubbles in their wake. |  photo copyright Amy Kenagy |
I wanted to know more about the designer who had created this fun sock pattern, so I asked Amy a bit about herself and her designs.
Me: How did you first start designing knitting patterns?
Amy: I first got into design when I had first started knitting and couldn’t find a baby skirt pattern that fit my needs. Having only boys and not wanting to pay for something that wasn’t quite what I wanted for a gift, I knit and wrote my Girly Girl Skirt pattern. Being a math teacher, I love the logical and mathematical side of knitting so it was fun to combine that with creativity.
Me: How did you first start designing knitting patterns?
Amy: I first got into design when I had first started knitting and couldn’t find a baby skirt pattern that fit my needs. Having only boys and not wanting to pay for something that wasn’t quite what I wanted for a gift, I knit and wrote my Girly Girl Skirt pattern. Being a math teacher, I love the logical and mathematical side of knitting so it was fun to combine that with creativity.
photo copyright Amy Kenagy
Me: Finding inspiration for multicoloured sock yarn can be tricky. Where did you get the idea for All of my Ducks in a Row?
Amy: I am always finding myself attracted to multicolored yarns but don’t always love the way they pool. I wanted something that had cool texture but would work well for both variegated and semi solid yarns. This fit the bill. At first I was thinking it reminded me of flower buds but then the idea of little ducks zigzaging in the water with the little bubbles behind them seemed more appropriate.
Me: Which is your favourite of your designs, and why?
Amy: I am going to take the cop out answer here and say that I love all of my patterns for different reasons. I love the practical Bubbly Scrubber or the stylish Broken Up Boot Cuffs for a quick gift. I love my When You Wish shall for sentimental reasons. I adore the All of My Ducks in a Row for the textures. Each pattern has a texture I love or is a quick knit with a practical use or has a mathematical approach that I appreciate.
Me: What is your favourite type of item to design?
Amy: I love making my patterns a teaching piece. I want them to be approachable for all knitting levels and try to incorporate quicker ways of doing common techniques into my patterns, like cabling without a cable needle, short rows with no wraps and turns, etc. So I wouldn’t say I have a favorite item, but more a passion for passing on discoveries I have made that make knitting easier or yield a cleaner, more finished looking project.
Me: Finally, any sneak peeks of your future design plans?
Amy: I am the technical editor for 6 Bits Storybooks, which is a beautiful new knitting publication. I will also be a design contributor for the issue coming out this Spring. It will be an accessory that I am still working out the details for but I am honored to be included.
Thanks, Amy, for telling me about yourself and your designs. Now I must be off to wind some sock yarn ready to cast on for All my Ducks in a Row!!
Amy: I am always finding myself attracted to multicolored yarns but don’t always love the way they pool. I wanted something that had cool texture but would work well for both variegated and semi solid yarns. This fit the bill. At first I was thinking it reminded me of flower buds but then the idea of little ducks zigzaging in the water with the little bubbles behind them seemed more appropriate.
Me: Which is your favourite of your designs, and why?
Amy: I am going to take the cop out answer here and say that I love all of my patterns for different reasons. I love the practical Bubbly Scrubber or the stylish Broken Up Boot Cuffs for a quick gift. I love my When You Wish shall for sentimental reasons. I adore the All of My Ducks in a Row for the textures. Each pattern has a texture I love or is a quick knit with a practical use or has a mathematical approach that I appreciate.
Me: What is your favourite type of item to design?
Amy: I love making my patterns a teaching piece. I want them to be approachable for all knitting levels and try to incorporate quicker ways of doing common techniques into my patterns, like cabling without a cable needle, short rows with no wraps and turns, etc. So I wouldn’t say I have a favorite item, but more a passion for passing on discoveries I have made that make knitting easier or yield a cleaner, more finished looking project.
Me: Finally, any sneak peeks of your future design plans?
Amy: I am the technical editor for 6 Bits Storybooks, which is a beautiful new knitting publication. I will also be a design contributor for the issue coming out this Spring. It will be an accessory that I am still working out the details for but I am honored to be included.
Thanks, Amy, for telling me about yourself and your designs. Now I must be off to wind some sock yarn ready to cast on for All my Ducks in a Row!!
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