Lost City Knits’ Denise Bell with new book Ultima Thule visited the Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird. Such lovely 
knitted lace closes out August and all it’s delightful adventures.
Denise Bell began crafting with embroidery (at about age 6) and cross-stitch. About eleven years ago, her friend Danny learned to knit and came home to share with Denise. They went to a shop in downtown Tulsa, OK and were encouraged to keep going. At the time, she and her husband, Christopher, grew lavender on 250 acres and sold at farmer’s markets and festivals. She attended the Taos Wool Festival and time spent learning more about dying yarns at Georgia O’Keefe’s Ghost Ranch, at first for herself, but after a time, she put a basket out when they were at the farmer’s markets. The basket was often emptied and she received requests for her hand-dyed yarns.
www.LostCityKnits.com
When Denise dyes yarns, she likes mostly solid, deep colors. As she loves knitting lace, most of her yarn weights do not get heavier than fingering weights. Her husband continues to assist her with Lost City Knits, manning the booths (usually in a kilt!) with her. At Stitches Events, she also teaches and Christopher takes over on the market floor. She enjoys getting to teach what she loves, that lace knitting on the skinny yarn is not scary (I’m sure her enthusiasm would get the hardest to convince to give it a try) lace with the traditional elements like nupps and how to make them look good and with consideration for the right and left-handed knitters.
Ultima Thule by Denise Bell & Chris Dykes
Ultima Thule: Patterns Inspired by the Shetland Islands (pronounced Thu-Lay) came about after they traveled to Scotland in 2014. In planning, Denise thought it would be fun to also get as far as Shetland too, was invited because of the times they would be there by Hazel Tindall (we’ve heard this name before — Hazel is considered to be the World’s Fastest Knitter) to attend the local weavers, spinners and dyers guild meeting. Thule is Latin and means the furthest out, in this case the islands furthest out of Shetland. While they were on the adventure, they also enjoyed hiking, kayaking and Christopher was out taking pictures in the area.
@Chris Dykes, Lost City Knits
When they got home, Denise was so inspired, she began to create patterns based on the things they saw. The cover shawl is called the Kishie Shawl, it’s based a basket that folks in Shetland used to carry around with them, a utilitarian device used for fish, or peat and on market days. Denise begins this design with a woven texture and the main body of lacework depicts fish in the water. Imagine creating this shawl with 100% silk fingering weight yarn’s drapey luxury, it’s really not hard to imagine Denise’s fun in putting these projects together. The book is a treasure, a knitter’s travelogue with Chris’ pictures included, like this beautiful fishing boat and rainbow image.
Denise Bell can be followed through her website: www.LostCityKnits.com, the Lost City Knits’ Facebook page and Ravelry page. Just for fun, if you can be at Stitches Texas in just three weeks (Sept 22 to 25) Denise is teaching classes and Chris in a kilt will be in the booth! She also gets to teach at Camp Stitches in New Mexico. Ultima Thule can be purchased as a hard copy (a book) through this link, the e-book is available through Ravelry. If you purchase the book you will also get a link so this can be an extra value!
If you missed getting to hear this episode LIVE you can still listen to it as an archived episode where it aired originally: https://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2016/09/01/lost-city-knits-denise-bell-with-new-book-ultima-thule or with your favorite podcast catcher like iTunes or Stitcher Radio. There is also Marly’s behind the scenes video posted as a Facebook Live cast to check out.
It’s never good to be first, but here goes. I enjoy knitting with skinny yarn. I’ve made lots of socks and several shawls. I’d like to make a pullover or cardigan out of skinny yarn some day.
I met Denise 4 years ago at Stitches Midwest and bought some skinny yarn, a beautiful pewter-colored silk, to knit Layla. I love Lost City Knits!
Love Denise, her skinny yarns, fat yarns & patterns!!! Miss your face, happy to hear your voice
-Yarn Sniper
I’m looking forward to buying some new skinny yarn at my local Fiber festival next weekend!
I also knit with a lot of “fat yarn”, but it is my dream to knit a beautiful shawl with skinny yarn. Denise’s book, Ultima Thule, would fulfill my dream to knit a beautiful lace shawl in skinny (fingering) yarn. Thank you.
Because I started knitting as a child and my mom picked out patterns and yarn I grew up knitting with skinny yarn. Even today it is still my preference. Most of the sweaters I knit are fingering weight and I love the wearability that skinny yarns create. It was a wonderful interview with Denise and I loved hearing the background of “Ulitmate Thule”.
I have discovered that skinny yarn make crochet even more beautiful then I could have imagined. Stitch definition and drape are enhanced wonderfully. Great podcast ladies. Please keep ‘um coming!
I had the pleasure of meeting Denise at Houston Fiber Fest this summer. I loved all the colors of the skinny yarn she had at the Lost City Knits Booth.
I enjoyed listening to Denise’s adventure to Shetland. I love skinny yarn too – my fave. I have yet to knit a skinny yarn sweater and to crochet a skinny yarn anything. Some day!
Denise eats, breathes, dreams and lives lace….
I love me some skinny yarn! I started as a crocheter but I love the look of knit lace so much I’ve finally started learning to knit. I just cast on my first “real” project with sock yarn. And I bought the beginning lace class off Craftsy with their sale going on. I’m going to have to buy this book if I don’t win it. Already queued the Kailyard shawl; love it!
Totally enjoyed the podcast today. I love knitting lave patterns with skinny yarn. Most of my stash is skinny yarn actually. Need to use up some of it with these gorgeous patterns
I love skinny yarn! I prefer to knit with lace or fingering weight yarn. This podcast was so informative…can’t wait to get the book…it sounds beautiful in every way.
Very informative and it is great to knit with skinny yarn!
Skinny yarn and lace patterns have been difficult for me, but I want to improve. I loved the rainbow picture, hearing your story, and can’t wait to read your book and see your patterns.
I love knitting socks and shawls with skinny yarns. I love all the patterns in “Ultimate Thule”. I want to knit them all.
Skinny yarn is the only skinny in my house. Choose to spend my time knitting instead of other activities. Especially love the magic of lace knitting.
Lace knitting is my favorite. I love skinny yarn. I will have to try Lost City Knits yarn soon
Lost City Knits looks like they have wonderful yarns in gorgeous colors that I can’t wait to try. I feel the need to purchase more skinny yarn! Denise has done some wonderful patterns too!
My fiber addiction seems to be skinny yarn. I am immediately drawn to anything lighter than a DK. Doesn’t mean I can’t find a worsted or a bulky if a pattern calls for it, just means my stash us mostly sock or fingering weight yarn. Great interview, thanks for another fun lunch break.
Like Denise I prefer to knit with skinny yarns. I also like to make skinny yarns. I scrolled through the photographs on her web site for Ultima Thule and they are gorgeous. I would love to have a copy of her and her husband’s book.
My stash is full of skinny yarn! The pictures are beautiful and I will most likely get a copy of this book for myself.
Denise and Chris are so warm and friendly, I love shopping at their booth and seeing (and purchasing) their beautiful skinny yarn!!
Hellooooo Ladies!!!
I too have used “SKINNY YARN” to knit my first lace shawl! I am eager to knit up some more lace!
Denise’s new book would be the perfect resource in helping find my next project!
Thank you for all your hard work Denise! And thank you Marly for having yet another fab guest on your podcast!
Cheers!
Rose
I love skinny yarn! I have one shawl on the needles and one to go!
Skinny Yarn is really my favorite! I fall in love when I see a pattern with beautiful lacy details.Your Kishie Shawl is simply beautiful!
I am enchanted with your story and pictures from Shetland. I am looking forward to seeing your beautiful designs – I love skinny yarn!
Lace projects are magical because they transform that skinny yarn into something amazing AND the skinny yarns provide such bang for the buck.
I’m currently working on a shawl using skinny yarn. It’s been a challenge but I will finish it. It may be my only truly skinny yarn project as I like the feel and ease of working with sock weight yarn better.
I love how flattering garments are with skinny yarn. When I have patience, I knit with skinny yarn, when I want instant gratification, give me some bulky yarn =) Great podcast and gorgeous book.
I enjoy skinny yarn – and getting frustrated doing lace shawls with it. However, my cat Okin enjoys skinny yarn even more especially when she can get her paws on a ball upstairs and bring it downstairs…..and everywhere in between.
Your skinny yarn is beautiful AND SO ARE YOUR PATTERNS.
My mom brought me some skinny yarn from her trip to scotland. I loved the way it smelled as I knit.
I love knitting with all kinds of yarn, skinny yarn included, to become shawls & sweaters.
I am currently working with “skinny yarn” to create the Featherweight Wrap. It is so light and fluffy when using the skinnier yarn. Love the podcast!!!
I like to make shawls and wraps with skinny yarns because they have such a nice drape. Thanks for another great podcast!
If I knit with skinny yarn, will I get skinny too?!
I’ve been knitting tons of socks lately (quick easy and small are all I have time for lately). The skinny yarn is wearing me out though and I’m itching to make something in worsted lately
I love all yarn. Skinny yarn, fat yarn. No size shaming here. All yarns are beautiful and lovely when used in the right way.