Thursday on the YarnThing Podcast: Kristen TenDyke!
Kristen TenDyke joins Marly to talk about how she got into knitting, crochet, designing, and publishing (don’t mind the snoring puppy!).
Kristen began as a graphic designer who learned to knit after seeing a newspaper ad for a graphic designer who knew how to knit. This inspired her to learn how. After teaching herself from Debbie Stoller’s Stitch and Bitch Nation, she saw the add again, applied and got the job as the graphic designer for Classic Elite Yarns. She eventually became one of their technical editors as well and began to design her own patterns.
Kristen has been published in Interweave Knits, Interweave Crochet, Vogue Knitting, Knit Simple, Twist Collective and Knitty.com as well as with with various yarn companies such as Quince & Co., Berroco, O-Wool and Classic Elite Yarns. In addition to her individual patterns, Kristen has one book in print now, Finish Free Knits (my mom is making the sweater on the cover, it is awesome!).
She is also in the process of self-publishing her newest book, Knitting Maine. This book will be available this fall both in print (the publishing make possible by a successful Kickstarter campaign) and as an e-book. You can find both on Kristen’s website.
In addition to designing and tech editing, Kristen is learning to become a yoga instructor. Check her out if you are in her area soon!
Let’s not forget the giveaway! Leave a comment, making sure to include Kristen’s keyword, for a chance to win your very own copy of Finish Free Knits!
You can find Kristen on: her website, Ravelry (where you can get any of her patterns), Facebook, and Twitter.
Let’s give some love to our sponsors!
XRX Books, Knitter’s Magazine, STITCHES Expos
Indian Lake Artisans
Fiesta Yarns
Drew Emborsky
Love of Knitting and Love of Crochet
Bijou Basin Ranch
Oh, if life was as seamless as Kristen’s designs. Love her work!
This was a great episode and goes right along with all my goals of getting things knitted seamlessly, when it’s done, it’s DONE! PS the snoring pup was my favorite!
Loved listening to your interview with Kristen Tendyke. I can’t wait for her new book to come out, Knitting Maine, My grandparents lived in Newry Maine and we used to go up every Summer, so I will be very interested in seeing about all the local yarn I missed all those years. When I knit I prefer to do seamless knitting. I do not like to have to put garments together when finished.
Thanks for another great episode! I love the concept of seamless knits. I already enjoy this technique in crochet with putting pieces together and think that this is great to apply it to knitting as well! Can’t wait to see this book, the patterns look great! Thanks for the chance to win!
I’ve been looking for some beautiful seamless patterns! Your collection is amazing!
I hope Kristen’s crochet patterns are as SEAMLESS as her knit patterns!
(I have admired them since she was with Classic Elite. 😉
I enjoyed the interview with Kristen. While I appreciate seamless knitting and hate to do finish work, I do prefer the structure of seamed set in sleeves. One thing I really don’t like to wear are raglans, which are simple to knit but look terrible on me.
hotknitter on rav
I grew up knitting sweaters in pieces but I love the convenience of top down seamless construction. My mother says knitting has changed incredibly in the last few years. She was once a prolific knitter extraordinaire and passed on her love of knitting to me. I’m lucky. I grew up knitting and don’t remember a time when I wasn’t knitting. I entered a cardigan in the state fair when I was only 9 and won. It was not seamless.
I haven’t learned how to seam sweaters yet so seamless construction would be wonderful. I really like Grace Cardi.
I love seamless patterns too! Beautiful patterns.
oh to be able to knit and design seamlessly
It was wonderful hearing about Kristen’s career progression and her approach to knitting and crochet. Like many, many knitters, I am not very confident in my finishing techniques, and would love her book on seamless knitting.
I’m a little bit jealous of how Kristen got into the business! I’ve made more seamed things than seamless, but I wouldn’t mind giving it a try.
Loved hearing this podcast. Seamless is the way to go for me. Can’t wait to see the knitting Maine book, too. Thank you!
Loved the podcast as always!! I love seamless designs and hers are seamlessly wonderful!! Thank you for the chance!
I love the idea of seamless designs! Kristen designs look amazing!!!
Loved hearing from Kristen. Seamless sweaters are way more fun to make, becuase when you are done knitting, you are done, no awful seaming involved.
I enjoyed your interview and the discussion of Kristen’s new book. I wish I didn’t eschew finishing as much as I do. That’s why seamless construction appeals to me so much.
Since I’ve started knitting I’ve made 2 scarfs, a pair of cuff down socks, started a sample pair of toe up socks and would just love to try a sweater, even more a seamless sweater.
I love Kristen’s seamless designs!