Knitting Expert Sally Melville
Knitting Expert Sally Melville started knitting in Brownies and without any advanced help, started designing at 10 or 11 she guesses. She focused on Fashion Knitting and found her niche, as most knitting was for Art or Craft. She was teaching at a University when her teen-age daughter asked her to make a sweater for her boyfriend. As a single mom, while she was working on that sweater, it came time to renew her contract with the university.
She realized that she needed to be home with her children. At the time she was entering the fiber field, it was generally thought interest was dying out. She wondered with Elaine Rowley at XRX how successful she would be when she started with a book
The Knitting Experience: The Knit Stitch, Inspiration and Instruction. (Amazon Link) https://www.amazon.com/Knitting-Experience-Book-Inspiration-Instruction/dp/1893762130/ref=la_B001K7WH3K_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405621119&sr=1-3 This book led to the next and the next and the next…
Here is the Amazon link to her latest book Knitting Pattern Essentials: Adapting and Drafting Patterns for Great Knitwear
https://www.amazon.com/reader/ASIN/0307965570
She loves to do classes, like the Knit to Flatter and Fit, Essential Skills…. She’s cut back to 5 or 6 workshops a year, including a cruise or the bigger events to spend more time with her grandchildren. She has a Craftsy Class on Intarsia (Here is the Marly code, please use it so that Craftsy knows Marly sent you!) https://www.craftsy.com/ext/MarlyBird_496_CP There is another class filmed, we will keep you updated and share that with you when it comes out!
Don’t forget to stop by Sally’s website: https://www.sallymelvilleknits.com/ Also, if you’re on Ravelry, check out her list of designs and patterns available there. https://www.ravelry.com/designers/sally-melville
Categories: Podcast, Uncategorized
I loved hearing Sally’s story of how she got started in the industry. It takes courage to follow your heart. I’m dying to know how the sweater for her daughter’s boyfriend turned out (did he like it?) and whether her daughter married him (I bet that all hinged on the success of the sweater!). I’m looking forward to Sally’s new Craftsy class so I can learn the skills needed for fashion knitting.
Really loved the show and I wish to enter the word being Fashion.
Sally gives us the skills to create our own high fashion couture knitwear.
Marly, I loved the show as always. Sally, I’m excited about this new book! I never pictured myself as designing fashion, but maybe I could do it. I hope you might get to do a Craftsy class on it. I’ll be watching for your latest one that’s coming out too.
Wonderful interview and information on the Podcast! I too am curious about the boyfriend sweater. What a great way to get to use your stash! I hope it was the fashion to wear handknits at the time. -Jennxpt on rav
I love fashion, and I loved listening to Sally’s interview. She’s tempting me to take her intarsia class!
Fashion is part of how we present ourselves and this looks like a great way to incorporate our own ideas into something other than scarves.
Great show, ladies! I have been a Sally fan since her Knit Stitch first came out and have worn her designs for years. Loved the idea of knitting’s purposes–art, craft, or fashion– and had never looked at it that way.
I would love to win Sally’s new book. I love fashion and will look forward to her new Craftsy class also.
I’m moving from accessories to fashion. Sally has done so much for the industry, and I look forward to learning more as I expand my knitting skills.
Great show as usual. Always want to improve my skill in knitting and feel comfortable in the fashion of handmade knit garments.
Nice show today, Marly. I really find it interesting to hear how people got their start and Sally’s work with fashion knitting has been interesting. Her new book sounds like a good one to have.
Intarsia is the latest knitting fashion!
I am a first time listener and I really enjoyed your show. I love fashion and incorporate in my knitted projects.
The interview was great! People who do not knit make comments about our “hobby”. I have never thought of it as a hobby, but as a fashion statement. Thanks for having Sally on the show and sharing it with all of us.
I wish that there was a way for all my unfinished works to be considered as a part of fashion. I have a tendency to start…..and then to get distracted and then start something else.
I enjoyed the interview with Sally very much – I think I have all of her books except the newest : )…so pick me! My favorite part of the interview was her class with paper dolls. I so need to take that class! I keep knitting & knitting but I don’t wear much because I don’t want my kids to think I’m a fashion disaster.
Wow! It was great to hear your interview with Sally. I have knit an Einstein Coat/Sweater and just love how it wears. It’s comfortable and warm. I have admired Sally’s work for quite some time. She has an eye for fashion and I admire her style. I’m beyond intrigued by her method of measuring something in my wardrobe and knitting a piece based on those numbers. I feel like I would benefit from Sally’s “Duh” class as well as some of her other craftsy classes. I’ll be adding a few to my wish list so I don’t forget about them.
I am definetly checking out Sally’s Craftsy classes. The interview was great, very inspiring. I am thinking more and more about “knitting fashion” as I have made several sweaters in the last two years. Knitting is no problem but I need help with my fashion sense. Thanks for everything.
I love Sally’s attitude about fashion. I am an avid crochet and a complete beginner at knitting. I think I will take at least one of Sally’s Crafsty class. Big FUN!
Loved the show and the stories. I can relate. (I entered the working world when careers for women outside the home consisted of teacher, nurse, store clerk, or secretary. I majored in a subject considered a men’s subject and heard the – “You are taking up a spot a man should have.” NOT! We just must have the courage of our convictions and risk dreaming and set out with determination. There are choices in this life and what is right for one may not be for another. We should not do what is “fashionable” but create our own spot. Thank you both for your contributions! [You go girls!!!]
I would love to knit more fashion projects but I am never happy with how my sweaters fit so I tend to stick to accessories. Would love Sally’s new book so I can learn how to make pieces I will actually wear!
I really enjoyed listening to Sally Melville on the show, and hearing about knitting as fashion. I would love to win her book! I would like to start designing my own patterns and making clothes that fit better. Thanks again Marly for your wonderful interview- listening to your show helps to brighten my day!
I am not a Fashionable person… but I want to be 🙂
Another great interview, Sally I love fashion and I Will love one day to be able to create my own
Sweater or jacket. Thank you!
I daydream about creating my own designs. Fashion is not my strong point, but it could learn a lot from this wonderful sounding book.
I would love to try some fashion knitting
I have not knit a sweater for myself yet, but with Sally’s fashion design tips I would feel confident in doing so! Great show, as always!
It was very enjoyable to listen to another grandmother discussing this season in her life. I too have made changed by becoming obsessed with knitting fashion the past year since I took up needles since childhood. Can’t wait to begin designing my own sweaters based on Sally’s guidance. Share the same love for Craftsy that both of you do.
Thanks for the great interview with Sally Melville – her books, her teaching, and her sense of fashion are all wonderful!
This was a fun show for me since I just stumbled upon Sally’s knitting needles. I was on a vacation and had a DPN emergency. I found a cute little shop and selected these beautiful colored bamboo needles and had no idea who Sally was.
I don’t consider myself fashionable and able to spot what is in fashion, but I believe anything that I feel fashionable in….is fashion. Sorry to OD on the keyword, but that is what it means to me. Thanks Marly and Sally!
What a great interview! I would love to learn to create my own fashion in knitting.
I need a lot of help with my fashion, so I can’t wait to check out this book and Sally’s work. Thanks again for a great podcast!
Thank for this great podcast! Fashion forward designs are what our new generation of bicrafters are all about! It is an exciting time to be in!
This was a great show. I haven’t designed things yet but I love fashion. This book would be great to make the patterns I have for better and to make my own things. Thanks for a great podcast!!!
Enjoyed podcast with with Sally Melville very much. She is inspiring and opens your doors to fashion! Thank you so much!
Great show, Marly, again as always! Fun to hear how Sally got started and her perspective of fashion and all the techniques, especially intarsia!