© Ambah O'Brien
© Ambah O'Brien
© Ambah O'Brien
A few weeks ago the stunning Venation Shawl was published by Ambah O’Brien, in collaboration with us at Koigu! This stunning shawl is knit using one Koigu Pencil box, specially curated by Ambah herself (The Venation Pencil Box). The pattern uses a simple eyelet stitch, designed in a triangle shape. It uses all 10 different colours of the Koigu Pencil Box, making for an ever interesting knit project as you watch the colours unfold.
© Ambah O'Brien
Since this is our first collaboration with Ambah, I decided to ask her a few questions to get to know her designing background!
How long have you been designing for?“I've been designing knitting patterns for over 6 years now, my first was published early 2013.”
How did you start knitting?“My mum taught me garter stitch at around 6 years of age. I would get her to cast on and off and made some very wonky blankets for my toys. Purl stitch was a great mystery to me. Over the years I watched my mother and grandmother create stunning garments but didn’t pursue it further.
Years later I was resigned to the fact that I would never become a knitter although I always loved and appreciated hand-knits. In 2011 a friend of mine opened her LYS with stunning hand-dyed yarns that were a revelation to me. I purchased some and admired them for awhile. She told me about Ravelry and I joined as a very rudimentary crocheter.
A year later in 2012, my son was attending a Waldorf School and had learnt to knit among other crafts, and I asked him to show me how. He was nine and made an excellent teacher, regularly inspecting my work and making me rip it out if there were any mistakes. I discovered the wonderful Baktus scarf pattern and made four in quick succession, using the gorgeous yarn I had purchased a year earlier. That was it. I was obsessed and started to make myself garments and scarves and a fast rate!”
What was your biggest inspiration for this design?”This was such a fun project. I have long admired Koigu yarn in knitters projects and was thrilled when invited to do this collaboration. I was sent a gorgeous selection of yarns and started by creating my own pencil box palette. I was drawn to the Autumnal colours and decided to plan for a northern hemisphere fall inspired design. From there I started to think about leaf skeletons and creating a shawl inspired by this structure; so strong yet so delicate. The name Venation refers to this inspiration.”
What is your favourite Koigu colour?
”Oh my, only 1? It is really hard to choose, they all look so amazing. Nope can't choose - so for now I'll say the Venation pencil box set!”
At the shop we loved the box so much that three members of the Koigu team knit their own shawl, in various colours!
Venetian Shallowing in the colour Sea Breeze
Venetian Shallowing in the colour Sunflower Sky
Venetian Shawl in the colour in Shadow Spice
The following LYS’s carry the Venation Shawl Pencil Box, and/or the above alternative colour options.
Marji’s Yarncraft - CT, USA
Yarnscout - MT, USA
Jimmy Beans Wool - NV, USA
Rustic and Refined - PA, USA
Needles n’ Pins - WI, USA
Yarn Glorious Yarn - AU
Woolbearers - NJ, USA
Sue2Knits - ON, CA
Soper Creek - ON, CA
Mont Tricot - QC, CA
Shall We Knit - ON, CA
Michigan Fine Yarns - MI, USA
