New York, NY Books |
Mosaic Magic, Afghans Made Easy, The Urban Knitter, Knit and Crochet with Beads", and "Couture Crochet Workshop
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| Specialty |
Total designing, from stitch to fabric to silhouette to details and construction methods. I'm probably most known for innovative techniques and applications thereof (like reversible cables), though I'm also known for advanced shaping and engineering. I'm very proud of my teaching abilities as well as my writing. Oh, and my outrageous outfits that I wear personally, like at Stitches banquet.
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| Contact Information: |
2 Grove St #5A New York, NY
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| Favorite Knitting Book |
Deb Newton's
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| Favorite knitting reference |
BGW is God !
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| Favorite Cast-On |
Long Tail, Crocheted Chain
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| Favorite Knitting Tip |
Use stockinette st selvedges
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| Classes |
There are more than 40 offerings of 3 and 6 hour classes as well as some specialty 2-3 day intensive studies. They range from Reversible Cables to Earnest Hemming Ways to Elements of Design. They are not so much basic "how-to's," more like my takes and innovations on better or improved methods and approaches. I'm most notorious for the homework I assign and the tons of sample I bring in.
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| Biography |
Named a "Master Knitter" by Vogue Knitting magazine, this NYC native has been involved in some aspect of the fashion industry since age 13.--------------------
I design for magazines and yarn companies and do fabric development (come up with stitches) and knitdowns (make samples) for Seventh Ave,from the Gap to Diane von Furstenburg.--------------------
I write the "On Designing" column for Knitter's and the annual "Focus on Fibers" report for Knit 'N Style.--------------------
My workshops, lectures, and seminars on hand and machine knitting and crochet are conducted throughout the U.S. and Canada.------------------
In early `94, I served as an international fashion and design consultant to the Indonesian Textile Association in Bali and Malaysian manufacturing concerns in Kuala Lumpur.
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I design many things for the Vanna White name, including afghans for both her books.
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In Oct '99, my first book on colorful crocheted afghans was released by Oxmoor House. My line of patterns for Fiber Trends debuted June '99. The Urban Knitter came out Feb '02.
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I won the "World's Fastest Crocheter" competition Oct '02 & got on the David Letterman show as a result (as well as Caroline Rhea's talk show).
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I've been featured and cited in several newspaper articles across the US, including the NY Times, the Washington Post, USA Today, Newsday, the Chicago Tribune and the NY Daily News for bashing the 'granny'image of handcrafts. Other newspaper credits are very numerous (Dallas Morning News, Denver Post, Hartfort Courant ... )
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I've been seen on cable TVs Handmade by Design on Lifetime, HGTV and on CNN as well as several news segments around the country (KPIX, KRON, WNBC) plus CBS' Morning Show nationally. Radio credits include the BBC, KPFA public radio & Tom Pope's Powernomics show (syndicated). I was also in the Sunday funnies with "Ripley's Believe it or Not!"
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My work has been on the backs of the likes of Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Raquel Welch, Vanna White ....
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| What is your knitting mantra? |
Swatching is your Friend.
Steam the daylights out of it.
If I can draw it, I can knit it
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| What inspires you? |
EVERYthing, from RTW clothing to art and architecture to furniture and, yes, even bathmats! I enjoy reading lots of psychobabble design theory tomes like "Visual Form and Language" and I am even inspired by computers! Yarn inspires me a lot, so I must get more of it - hee hee.
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| Confess - when it comes to hiding your yarn, what are your secrets? |
Lily Chin's Top 10 Ways to Hide the Stash
1. Tape a bag of yarn to the underside of all the chairs - who'll know???
2. Put a slipcover over a bag of yarn, stick it on the couch, call it a
pillow.
3. Remove the cushions of the couch, stuff with yarn instead.
4. There are narrow books that don't reach all the way to the back of the
bookshelf. That dead space behind such books is good for several skeins.
5. Do you wear ALL your shoes at the same time? No, stick a skein of yarn
in each unworn shoe (boots are great for this very reason).
6. Everyone has clothes in the closet that are never, ever worn. Sew up
the bottoms of the garments, insert yarn. Do not forget to sew up bottoms
of sleeves. There's enough in each sleeve for more than a bag's worth.
7. Never cook, only order take-out or go to restaurants. You've now got
the whole oven!
8. Look to the china cabinet. That large soup turrine? Maybe a bag.
Large teapot? A few balls. Covered dish? The same.
9. The freezer is advantageous for fuzzies such as angora or mohair. Make
sure to place in plastic bag first. This is known as the high-fiber diet!
10. Get a really large box and fill it up with lots and lots of yarn. Put
a tablecloth over it. Voila, instant dresser (but you can't get your feet
underneath it).
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| What is your idea of knitting heaven? |
Money in the bank, 52 hours in the day, all the yarn in the world and I do as I please.
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| How many UFO's (Unfinished Objects)do you have going at once? |
It's no doubt nearing 3-figures at this point.
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| My yarn stash equals the GNP (Gross National Product) of ... |
Europe and the United States !
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| Whom would you like to see accept an Academy Award wearing your creation? |
Mike Myers in drag or Darth Vader
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| What knitting commandment do you most like to break? |
Though shalt not tie knots.
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| What frequently-asked knitting question do you hate to answer? |
Any that requires more than 25 words of explanation
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| What is your most dog-eared knitting reference? |
Barbara G. Walker rules!
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| When and how did you learn to knit? |
Mom taught me the basics when I was 8 or 9 - about 20 years ago :-) I got the rest from books and magazines from Woolworths.
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| What is the most unusual place you've ever knitted? |
Hanoi, Vietnam. Riding horseback in Chilean Patagonia. The Great Wall in China. On a boat up the Amazon. During a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon (kept me from getting too nervous).
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| How long can you last without knitting? |
2 hours, tops, and only if I'm held down. Thereafter, I am in no way responsible for any of my actions (very much like the Twinkies defense).
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| If you were stranded on a deserted island, what one yarn, book, or gizmo would you want along? |
Tom Cruise, he's there to hold my yarn. Were he not available, it would be my *electric* yarn winder (provided I have electricity :-/)
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| How many hours have you knitted non-stop - and why? |
3 or 4 days straight, deadline - of course!
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| What do you want your knitting epitaph to say? |
The creative has gone to the creator.
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| Who would you like to greet you in knitting heaven? |
Mary Thomas and maybe Mrs. Montague of stockings-for-Queen Elizabeth fame
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