From Stage to Stitches: The Jetty Cardigan Designer, Cheryl Toy
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Moon Phases Shawl with Adella Dutra
With the release of the stunning Moon Phases Shawl, we speak with designer Adella Dutra about her design process and the importance of choosing the right yarn!
When The Fibre Co. team first laid eyes on the stunning Moon Phases Shawl in our DK-weight yarn, Arranmore Light, we instantly fell in love with the design. The finished piece is a warm, large shawl that is like wrapping yourself in a warm embrace, the perfect winter warmer! In this interview, we speak with designer Adella Dutra of Wool Made about what inspired her most about the design.
Could you tell us a bit about yourself: how did you get into knitting and designing knitwear?
“I started to knit when I was 12 years old. I followed patterns for a short while, but at some point I found myself adapting every single design I was making. In one project I would substitute the yarn and have to learn how to do the math to make it work, on another I would switch to a different stitch or I would change the fit of the design. It became something that just happened naturally out of the desire to create something that was my own.“
Tell us about the inspiration for the Moon Phases Shawl.
“The moon phase shawl is an oversized shawl that is designed to wrap around you. It is hip length but has a wide wingspan. The idea of the shawl comes from the different colors of the night sky during different phases of the moon and Arranmore light had a beautiful array of gray to blue tones that helped to create this phased out feeling from the lighter center to the darkest outer edge. Arranmore light is also a yarn that is hardy but offers beautiful drape.”
What makes your design special?
“I prioritize comfort in the designs I create and there’s nothing quite like an oversized shawl to give you just that. The moon phase shawl hugs you all around, you’ll never want to take it off.“
The Moon Phases Shawl, designed by Adella Dutra, is a full crescent shaped shawl worked in simple but effective stockinette stitch, beginning with just few stitches in the heart of the shawl in the lightest colour and growing outward, increasing in size and depth of shade to the long external edge and darkest colour.
Made with 5 rich shades of Arranmore Light, this generously proportioned shawl wraps around you like a warm embrace and provides hours of soothing, meditative knitting.
About The Almanac Series
The Almanac Series is based on the original farmer’s Almanac guide to the seasons, this collection acts as a seasonal guide to knitting with The Fibre Co. and celebrates each month of the year with an ascribed Yarn of the Month, paired with a new design launch in that yarn. For this year’s series, we looked to the heavens for inspiration, letting the beauty and grandeur of the night sky guide us. In the first half of this year’s series, we cover the Autumn Winter season, where each month’s yarn has been specifically chosen for its qualities to compliment colder conditions in the northern hemisphere. Erika Knight’s Zodiac Sweater was the first design in The Almanac Series II collection, in which you can read our interview with Erika here.
What inspires and influences your designs?
“What most inspires my designs are garments that I want to add to my wardrobe. I design what I want to wear and what makes me happy!”
What is your favourite type of knitting project?
“My favourite type of knitting project has changed over the years but currently I am in love with socks.”
Could you share your design process with us.
“It happens in different ways. Sometimes I will have an idea or sometimes a company approaches me with a sort of outline they’d like me to follow. But from that idea I create a sketch and draw out the measurements. With the sketch in mind and what type of garment I will be making, I then select the yarn and create a few swatches to see what I like best. I’ll decide on the size needle that produces the best gauge for the project and I start to do the math for the foundational stitch count. I’ll then begin the sample and as I am knitting the sample I’ll take notes. During this phase there’s usually a lot of frogging but I don’t mind it! It’s all part of the process!“
How does the yarn influence your design?
“The yarn I use completely influences my design. I think yarn is incredibly important when creating a design because it defines what season the garment will be intended for, it defines what kind of drape the garment will have and what kind of stitch you’ll use for the garment. “
What is your favourite knitting technique and why?
“My favorite knitting technique is the “knit in the round”! No seaming when you’re done!“
What is your desert island knitting project?
“I already used this in one of the other questions but I’ll have to use it again! Socks!“
What’s your first knitting memory?
“My favourite knitting memory is even before I knew I was expecting my second child, I knit her a romper. My body and mind was trying to tell me something and it manifested in my handiwork. She wore that romper quite a lot her first year.”
Knitting the Moon Phases Shawl?
If you are knitting the Moon Phases Shawl, please do share it with us!
We would love to see it. If you are sharing on social media, please use the hashtags #MadeWithTheFibreCo and tag us @thefibrecompany so we don’t miss it. You can also follow us on social media by clicking the icons below.
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