Hunter Hammersen, author of CURLS, visited us in HD today on the Yarn Thing Podcast with Marly Bird. Everybody sounded wonderful!
Hunter says she has some guilt about having to give knitting more than one try before she was hooked. First try in colllege, nope, a couple of years later, no again, again in 2007 with a pair of socks began the dawn of understanding.
She almost immediately began tweaking her work, then after being requested to write the patterns down, she did. In 2009, Hunter began posting patterns online in Ravelry, she says she posted about 14 patterns, knitting till it hurt. Her first book, out in 2011, the next year her first self-published books, CURLS is her seventh self published and another will be out this fall, with a sequel to CURLS out next summer. SO VERY EXCITING for fans of her beautiful designs.
Writing CURLS came about because she created a swatch that she liked the shape of, appreciated that it could be made with many different yarns into a really pretty, wearable accessory. The gauge issues is non-existent, because if you create a swatch and like how the fabric looks, you’ve got gauge. You can create really big or small as you prefer, if you’re petite and just want something to wrap around your neck or tall like Marly and Hunter feel the need for more cover — Go For It!
Hunter says she can’t imagine knitting a sweater, that her attention span isn’t great enough. Shawls work for her, especially the less fussy the better. Choosing yarns for CURLS was eclectic, so that knitters could see that THEIR favorite yarns could work they range through all the yarn weights, then the colors (all the names are based on colors) so everyone sees the stitch definition. (She’s promising to make the names easier from now on!) Hunter also makes the cast-on easier, with just a few stitches rather than many hundreds to mess up!
Nacarat was the one that Hunter knit herself and has fallen in LUST with, as it seems to fit her and her wardrobe. Icterine is another that she is admiring whole-heartedly, for the color and giant cables.
When Marly asked if she is being tempted with knitting these designs again, Hunter gave us glimpses to look forward to, in that the sequel she mention will be done in all grays (but not the same gray!) which many find is easier to imagine in your beloved colors. She learned so much when putting together Knitter’s Curiosity Cabinet (another Ravelry link), that she’s taken down her earliest patterns and recreating them, keeping in mind as a knitter, what would she hope to see in a pattern.
I can find two episodes that Hunter Hammersen was on Yarn Thing before (and today is not the last time either) if you’d like to hear them, here is the link to her visit in October 2013 and earlier the link to her visit in August 2012. Follow Hunter at her website www.violentlydomestic.com and she has a Ravelry Group.
If you missed getting to hear this live, it can still be heard as an archive: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2015/07/14/hunter-hammersen-author-of-curls
Lover Hunter’s ideas and creativity! I have only followed a few of her patterns in two of the KCC books, but used her ideas in many other ways. I just got the Curls book and knit a shawl used one of the charts, but did my own lace pattern. It is on the blocking table right now.
What a great podcast! Several of my knitting friends are deeply immersed in multiple Curl projects – one just finished a spectacular Filemot. We are planning to do our own private KAL using one of Hunter’s many gorgeous sock patterns. It was fun to listen to the 3 way conversation between Marly, Tammy and Hunter. Listening to Hunter today gave me a new appreciation for the color orange! Thanks as always for a quality show!
Orange you guys cute with your “tall girl” talk. I’ve been 6′ tall since I was 12 years old. I have a daughter who is 6’3″ we call the daughter that is 5’10” “Shorty.” Love Hunter’s designs and have been following her for several years. Always look forward to her next book. So creative.
I’ve got some gorgeous burnt orange fingering weight yarn that is begging to become a curl. I’m a fan of Hunter Hammersen’s!
Really enjoyed the show. I love several of the projects from the Curls book. I love that the shawls stay on the wearer’s shoulders. I would have to immedietly cast on at least one project from the book after getting it. I like the color orange and wish I could wear it.
What a fantastic and fun podcast. I laughed out loud several times as I too battle the shawls though I love them to pieces. Just had a chance to look at the patterns and can’t wait to use the orange yarn I got a few years ago.
I really enjoyed listening to the show today!!! I have just awed over your Curls! I think the orange one is one of my favorite!!!
I would love to cast on one of Hunters patterns in an beautiful orange colorway!
Love the podcast with Hunter. Happy to hear that I’m not alone in make more than one attempt to knit. I have not been brave enough to use orange yarn but I’m Now going to give it a try with one of the lovely Curls designs.
Orange is not one of my favorite colors, but Hunter Hammersen is one of my favorite designers. I loved listening to the podcast!
Lmecoll on Ravelry
I Enjoyed this podcast immensely and will definitely be going back to listen to the earlier podcasts with Hunter. I was surprised to discover that orange and gray are a favorite color combination but I’m smitten to see how the new shawl book will showcase all the shawls in gray. That is a stellar idea.
Sounds like a book that I need to take a close look at! Orange and grey combined sounds lovely, I like orange and blue for a bit more spark.
What a great podcast. I am awed by Hunter’s book’s cover project photo! I can imagine it would look great in various shades of orange. Prior to this podcast, the only item I have knitted using the color orange was a child’s pumpkin shaped hat. Onward to more orange knitting!
The new sound system is great for hearing the guests better. So many shows I’ve struggled to listen over the road noise in my car. Orange!
What a great episode! The sound quality was excellent and much easier to hear as I was driving. I also really enjoyed hearing Hunter talk about the process for developing the curl patterns. I’ve been hearing about this book for a while now and am interested to check it out. Maybe I should make an orange one, since that is my husband’s favorite color 🙂
I have been eyeballing this book at my lys. I would love to knit several of these. I would even like a gray and orange color scheme.
Orange. Of course even if I don’t win I’ve got to have this book; it looks and sounds like so much fun!
Orange is one of my favorite colors from burnt orange to neon. I loved listening. I’d heard many podcasters mention they were knitting the curls, but didn’t know much about them. I can’t wait to try one since I also have trouble with getting shawls to stay put.
Orange is pretty fabulous.
It also took me a few tries to become totally hooked on knitting. I was busy with needlepoint and crewel and crochet. But exactly half my life ago I became a knitting addict. I live in upstate NY where the fall is so gorgeous. I am always drawn to yarn that has orange in it during that season. Once again, I loved the podcast and want to say that the volume of all speakers was very even. It hasn’t been in the past and in order to hear the guest, I would have to crank up the volume and Marly would be screaming at me. It drove my husband crazy but it was worth it!
HEY, what rhymes with orange? Teeheehee…what a wonderful chat. Hunter sounds lovey and her shawls look great to wear. Keep up the good work ladies…BIG FUN…everytime!
I have been drooling over all the patterns in Curls since I first saw them. I am having a hard time deciding which I would do first, but for sure I know it will be orange. It’s one of my favorite colors, too.
Damnit, I’m gonna have to learn how to knit! Orange may not be my favorite color but I do like grey…. =)
Oh my goodness, I have been wanting a copy of Curls! The patterns look challenging, but gorgeous! I love using orange as an accent color ~ I may have the perfect yarn in my stash: purple with an orange fleck/tweed! Thank you for another wonderful blogcast interview!
What a beautiful book and interesting podcast! And, it does seem true that many of us are drawn to a particular color and its various hues, but sometimes, too, it seems like we go through stages with that. I’ve gone through the purple stage and also the orange stage, now the greens seem to be drawing my attention. Thanks for a wonderful show, Marly!
So great to hear there’s a sequel coming! Red-orange yarn is my personal kryptonite. I’m definitely planning on knitting up some curls in handspun.
It was so fun to listen to Hunter’s podcast visit. I worked on Ianthine while I listened. However, I am knitting it in a beautiful blue, not orange!
I love hearing Hunter talk with marly. So, will the next book be all orange?
Loved the show and I’ve been wanting to read this book. Can’t wait to see these shawls and try one out in a great orange yarn.
I love orange, so glad you picked it as the key word. I’m looking forward to seeing the shawls. Happy knitting…
hotknitter on rav
Thank you for the show. I’m a crocheter and weaver who just learned to knit, inspired by Marly Bird and her guests talking about all the wonderful knitting projects out there. I would love to learn some new skills and work up something from Curls in orange!
Having lived in Tennessee, you KNOW I love orange! And, I’m so excited about checking out Curls. Isn’t it amazing how in the world of knitting we still keep coming up with new designs and ideas? Inspiring! Enjoyed the podcast – thanks for giving us inspiration, and positive thoughts for our days.
Hunter’s designs are so beautiful. I really enjoyed the podcast and look forward to trying these designs. I also love the colors orange and grey together…so much so that that, along with tan, is the main color scheme throughout my main living areas.
I loved this interview. The way Hunter’s career as a designer grew so organically was really fun to listen to. I also love the book. I’ve heard about it on several podcasts but this was the first time I actually sat down to look through it…now I must knit all the things. Maybe I will knit them up in orange, or while eating an orange, or both!
I have never knitted a shawl, but these photographs and patterns are stunning. I really want to try one now. Maybe even the orange one! Thanks so much for sharing!
Hello! I am a new listener, and I find your talk show refreshingly different! I have been meaning to get my hands on Hunters book “Curls” for awhile now. I think that any of them would look great inTeal, which is my favorite color, though I have been noticing over the last year how well teal and orange go together. I hope I’m not too late for the giveaway, but I thought I would try. Tina
I think I will eat an orange while looking on Ravelry at the patterns from the Curls book
Always a pleasure to learn what Hunter is up to! She is such a creative force and lovely person. Although, Orange is not my favorite color I love other shades such as burnt orange, pumpkin, or any fall color.
Really enjoyed the podcast. Love knitting shawls especially in fall colors – orange in particular.
Oh how I love shawls!!!! And grey seems to be my most often used color! But I think I might be willing to try some orange! Loved the podcast!
I really enjoyed this interview! Now to go see what I have in the stash that is orange.
Hunter was delightful. Her paterns in the curls book are so unique whether in orange or any other color. I will look forward to the new book done in grays.