Jen Lucas, Author and Designer
Jen Lucas, Author and Designer, took time from her busy schedule to visit the Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird.
Jen called from her home office to share with us what is new and happening with her! She shared her beginnings: she and a friend decided they wanted to learn to knit, about ten or eleven years ago. Her friend gave her a learn-to-knit booklet. She felt she was learning to do her own thing, but also took a class with Stefanie Japel, about designing. Jen began publishing patterns on Ravelry, and submitted a book to Martingale which became Sock Yarn Shawls.
One of the things she found helpful was to work with yarn companies, creating designs for their yarns, then when she started submitting to the publishers, she had some self published and then some that were published elsewhere to show them. Understandably, you have to search out these opportunities, because, as she cautions ‘if you’re waiting for them to approach you to publish your patterns, you’ll be waiting a very long time.’
Her recent publication Sock Yarn Shawls II included shawls of different shapes and sizes. Sierra was inspired by a pattern she found in a Japanese stitch dictionary, she loved the peaks and valleys. Earth and Sky was created with yarn she had on hand from Fiesta Yarns that she had kept separate. Inspiration came when she put them together. Demeter was her first pi shawl design after Jen took a class with Myra Woods. This half-pi’s lace patterns went together well for her. Daylily is a full pi shawl, incorporating a wavy lace of feather-and-fan style patterns.
It was just recently that Jen was able to go full time with her design work, after this second Sock Yarn Shawls book. She has books in the works (she says Sock Yarn Shawls needs to be a trilogy, like ‘Hunger Games’!) so watching her website, Facebook page, and of course Ravelry has wonderful list of her designs. One thing you’ll see is that she has been self-publishing a series (four have come out and two more to come in April) of Gradient Shawls. Jen did a really inventive thing by offering the e-book at a lower price and with each pattern as they were added, the price for the e-book went up, making it a deal to get in on that offer at the beginning.
Categories: Podcast
This podcast was wonderful! Thank you for designing and for all of your work and designing with gradient yarns. I am looking forward to knitting one of your designs using gradient yarn.
I absolutely love gradient yarns. My favorite is to knit them into shawls. I enjoyed the podcast!
Once again I learned more about the industry by listening to the podcast. I’m still not clear how a free pattern on a sight with ads brings in money. If just clicking on the pattern causes the person to earn more revenue, I’m happy to do that. Thanks for helping those of us just on the consumer side better understand the producer side too.
I checked out Jen’s ravelry patterns while listening. Wow, what beautiful shawls! I had never heard of gradient yarn, but it looks like something I will have to try.
Jen’s gradient shawls on ravelry are beautiful and I need to make the Jessamine. I am now thinking I need to attend Stitches Midwest and take one of Jen’s classes.
I indulged in some gradient yarns at Stitches West, and would love to try one of Jen’s shawls. Going to look at her e-book now!
I finally listened to a current podcast (I’m working my way through the back catalogue) and what a great one it was. I love Jen’s designs! I have not yet worked with a gradient yarn, but it’s on my ‘to do’ list. Thanks for the podcast, Marly!
I enjoyed hearing about Jen’s business acumen. She is so inspiring and generous in her advice. I have been intrigued by Gradient yarns. Indeed to purchase Jen’s book so I will know what to do with them.
Shelly
I love the gradual transitions of gradient yarns and am looking forward to working on some more shawls with gradients. Love Jen’s designs. I see some of her patterns in my tea leaves!
I was listening to the podcast as I was knitting on my second scarf from sock yarn shawls I book. I love gradient yarn and plan to choose an appropriate pattern from the book for my next project using some. Pretty patterns.
I have been looking at all the shawl patterns on Jen’s ravelry page. They are all so pretty! I do not have any gradient yarn, but I have seen it in the yarn shops. I would love to knit one of her shawls and try out a skein of gradient yarn. Thanks for a great show.
I would love to make one of Jen’s patterns using gradient yarn. Love the idea of sock yarn for a shawl. Loved listening to Jen’s success story!
I have just found my passion for knitting shawls. I love using gradient yarns. I am going to look into Jen’s book. Thanks for introducing us to Jen
Very interesting discussion today. I haven’t used gradient yarn yet, although I love the look of them. Jen’s designs are beautiful! I hope I win 🙂 Thanks again for a great interview, Marly.
Hello, gradient yarn keeps catching my eye but I haven’t used it yet. I can’t wait to look up Jen’s shawls on ravelry. Thank you for your company today. 🙂
Thank you so much for the show, love it. Love gradient yarns, haven’t knit any of Jen’s patterns yet but I will.
I love Jen’s designs. Right now I have two projects on my needles from her new Gradient e-book: Bandwagon and Saffron! I’d love Sock Yarn Shawls II.
Great interview, as always, Marly!
I own some gradient yarn but I haven’t knit with it yet. I’m anxious to use it. Thanks for the great interview.
Lmecoll on Ravelry
I am intrigued by gradient yarn. I have several braids of gradient fiber to spin, and am always looking for patterns. Love your show.
llamaleader on ravelry
I have been following Jen’s emails and have one of her patterns in progress using Zealana yarns. However I would like to do one in gradient yarns. Sunshine Yarns in Colorado makes beautiful gradient yarn.. I would love to win Jen’s 2nd shawl book. I have her first one.
Thanks for letting us know about Sunshine Yarns Barbara!
PS Good luck ☺️
Enjoyed and learned much from the podcast. Two ladies who have great business smarts and generous in helping others who want to get into the fiber business.
Shawls are such a great project for gradient yarns. I checked Jen’s book out of the library about a year ago but that’s as far as I got. It was great getting to know more about her and where she gets her ideas and inspiration.
I recently bought a gradiant yarn kit done by Frabious Fibers, so I will getting the new e book. I already have Jen’s first Sock Yarn Shawl book and had the pleasure of attending a book singing party at the LYS that unfortunately closed. I am so glad to see her career continue to blossom.
Valerie
I just checked out Frabjous Fibers…they look amazing!!! Thanks for sharing Valerie!
Good luck ☺️
I love Jen’s books and I love gradient yarns. They look great in shawls and sweaters.
Bandwagon is my favorite shawl on Jen’s Ravelry page. i have some gradient yarn that would look great knitted into this shawl!
I too like Jen love a good sock yarn. Variegated, solid, semi-solid, and gradient yarns, gotta catch ’em all!
Great podcast! I’m am a little afraid of having more than one color in my knitting but there are a lot of wonderful gradient yarns so maybe I should conquer that fear 🙂
I love love love gradient yarns. They are my knitting chocolate.
gradient yarns certainly make the grade with me!
I enjoyed listening to Jen and Marly today. I also recently discovered KnitCircus’ Gradient yarns and love that Jen has an ebook for these gorgeous yarns. I also belong to several geeky yarn clubs and have a ton of sock yarn so I will definitely check out Sock Yarn Shawls II.
I checked out some of the patterns in Ravelry with gradient yarn and I love them!!! Can’t wait to see the patterns in the book!!!!
Good Morning!
Thanks for your advice on getting published and self publishing Jen…all great tips!
I’m excited to see your shawls patterns using “GRADIENT” yarns. Also, thanks for letting us know about another fab yarn producer… Knitcircus.
For those of you who are interested, another super fab gradient yarn producer out there is caterpillargreen yarns. They are AMAZING!!!
Happy Tuesday!
I would love to knit one of Jen’s shawl patterns in a gradient yarn, I think it would be so amazing. Summer is coming so I might have more knitting time….thank you for your podcast.
Jen is amazing, if I am not lucky enough to win this book will definitely purchase it. Gradient is interesting in knits.
Loved the podcast! Jen is awesome! I was checking out her designs while listening and I just love her stuff! I really love the way she uses gradient yarns! So yummy!
Wow, Marly! I really learned a lot from today’s broadcast with Jen! Gradient yarns are new for me and am looking forward to trying some! Thanks, again, for introducing me to so many new things!