I love a good lace book, but I especially love when it's unexpected lace. Yes, lace shawls are fantastic and so much fun to knit, but I like seeing lace in hats, shrugs, sweaters and socks (to name a few) - something other than a shawl.
My friend Heather Zoppetti just released her wonderful new lace book, Everyday Lace (Interweave, 144 pgs). Heather and I met in person while filming Knitting Daily TV and bonded over internet quizzes, Lancaster chatter and you guessed it - lace knitting. She was kind enough to sit down and answer a few questions for us...
Tanis Gray (TG): Were you drawn to lace knitting immediately or like many knitters, did you shy away from it at first?
Heather Zoppetti (HZ): I was immediately drawn to lace. In my learn-to-knit pattern booklet, I wanted to jump ahead and make all the lacy things instead of the traditional "beginner" patterns.
TG: what's your favorite type of lace to knit?
HZ: The more complex, the more I like it. I love how changing the order or combination of yarnovers and decreases can manipulate the fabric in various ways.
TG: What inspired the book?
HZ: Honestly, the inspiration for Everyday Lace came from a tiredness of shawls. I mean, I love knitting shawls and I love designing shawls, but I'm tired of them. I want knitters to realize that lace can be more than an edging. It can be used on all types of garments and accessories.
TG: Do you have a favorite pattern in your book?
HZ: My favorite is Narvon. It's fun to knit and it looks great on all body types.
TG: What message do you want to convey to knitters with your book?
HZ: Lace can be applied to everyday wear and doesn't need to be confined to the edge of a shawl.
TG: Any advice for someone who is about to jump into lace for the first time?
HZ: Be fearless! Many knitters are afraid of lace. My hope is that this book will inspired enough people to give it a try. I offer various information and tips that will help even the novice knitter get started knitting lace.
TG: Is lace knitting your first love or do you like another technique even more?
HZ: I'm in love with learning, so I love learning about all different techniques. However, with designing, I always seem to return to lace. If I had to choose another technique, I'd say my second love is cables...watch for more on cables from me in the future ;-)
TG: You have your own yarn line and I just used a hank of it for my Smithsonian Luce Cowl design! Can you tell us about it?
HZ: Yellowstone by Stitch Sprouts is my newest creation. It's a deliciously soft sport weight 80/20 wool/silk blend. It's perfect for everything and comes in nine colors inspired by the beauty of the American wilderness. It's available now, so ask your local yarn store to carry it!
Ok, for those of you following along for Heather's Everyday Lace scavenger hunt, here are the questions (the first one is from Heather, the second one applies to me. Read here about the Scavenger Hunt)...
1. What's the title of Chapter 3 of Everyday Lace?
2. What is the title of the book coming out in October by Tanis that Heather has a lace design in?