My friend, Angela Tong, designed a few pieces in the new book. Today, I thought it would be fun to do something a little different and chat with Angela about her design career and her patterns in the book!
Jen Lucas: How did you get started designing knitting patterns?
Angela Tong: I started designing patterns after I took Stefanie Japel's online class, "Design Your Own Shawl Class". By the end of the sessions, I learned to design a shawl and write up the pattern. It was a great class and it turned on a light bulb in my head. Ideas started flowing and it hasn't stopped.
JL: You designed a few different pieces for this book. Do you have a favorite and why?
AT: If I had to choose, it would be the Garter and Lace Diamond Shawl. Although, I have to say that the Lace Beanie is a runner up for my favorite, too. This is my first time designing a square shaped shawl and it was a lot of fun working on it. I added tassels on opposite corners so when you fold the shawl into a triangle to wear, it adds an extra detail.
JL: Noro is known for the long color-changes in their yarn. How did the yarn play into your design ideas for the shawl and scarf (which use long color-changing yarn)?
AT: For my Noro Yarn designs, I tend to use simple repetitive stitch patterns. I want the yarn to be the star of the project and I find keeping it simple is key. Busy or complicated stitch patterns won't show up well.
JL: Do you have a favorite stitch dictionary or where are your favorites places to get inspiration for stitch patterns?
AT: I don't have favorites, but I have a healthy library of stitch pattern books. I find that I use the older ones the most, like Vogue Knitting Stitchionary and Interweave's The Harmony Guides.
JL: Anything new coming up you'd like to tell us about?
AT: Look for more Noro Yarn patterns coming from me this year. I love designing with Noro Yarns!
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Thanks, Angela!
I know that so many of you reading my blog love quick accessories projects (just like me)! I think you'll really enjoy this book.
From the publisher:
Every knitter loves stylish patterns, quick projects, and stunning colors. This collection of Noro knits has them all! Want more accessories to knit? This gorgeous entry in the Knit Noro series offers 30 brand-new designs that incorporate fun techniques—cabling, mitered squares, short rows, corrugated ribbing, slip stitch, and more—while still remaining accessible to knitters of every skill level. The projects make the most of Noro Yarns’ vibrant hues and bold self-striping patterns, and include gloves, socks, hats, shawls, ponchos, and more—all selected specifically for the ways in which they show off those trademark colorways and luxurious fibers.
There's tons of accessories to chose from in this book. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry. Angela's really are some of my favorites. Here are the patterns she mentioned in her interview:
Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. I received this book for free in order to review it. My review is 100% my honest opinion. I did not receive any payment for this review nor did I agree to publish a positive review. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
