Kirsten R.M. Cowan
Toronto, ON Canada
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Books |
I played a major part in Patons' new book, "Foreve
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| Specialty |
I'm a knitwear designer whose work has been featured in lots of magazines; I also do freelance designing for the major yarn companies. But the work that's closest to my heart is the designing I do for my own label, Kirsten Cowan Needleworks. I think I'm quite a versatile designer: I love doing women's, men's and children's sweaters as well as afghans and small projects, and I work with a broad range of stitch techniques.
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| Contact Information: |
153 Roselawn Avenue Toronto, ON Canada
kcowan@interlog.com
Kirsten Cowan Needleworks
(1-800-203-7985)
www.interlog.com/~kcowan
StitchesMarket.com Not yet!
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| Favorite Knitting Book |
Whatever's my latest acquisition!
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| Favorite knitting reference |
The Barbara Walker Treasuries
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| Classes |
I teach knitwear design at Ryerson Polytechnic
University's School of Fashion, and I also teach knitwear design and computer applications at the Academy of Design in Toronto.
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| Biography |
I'm pretty much a self-taught knitter, though a relative attempted to teach me one day while we sat on the boat dock at the family cottage. I was a hot-tempered six-year-old and when I got frustrated, I threw the knitting into the river! Cousin Sue gave up on me after that...
Eventually I went to fashion design school after a detour at university, and picked up knitting again along the way. My work experience included
a stint as designer at Canada's largest ready-to-wear knitwear company. Gradually, I moved from fashion knitwear into handknitting, so I've come
full circle., though I no longer hurl my knitting around.
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| What is your knitting mantra? |
Get it done! (I'm always keen to try out the next design that's percolating in my brain.)
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| What inspires you? |
Everything, as designers are wont to say, but especially: fashion; nature (I'd put leaves on everything if I could); the beautiful traditional knitting patterns; and antique textiles.
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| Confess - when it comes to hiding your yarn, what are your secrets? |
Since I have my own knitting kit business, I can legitimately display all the yarn I want.
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| What is your idea of knitting heaven? |
Sitting on the aforementioned boat dock with a new project on my needles and the sound of the river to accompany my thoughts.
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| How many UFO's (Unfinished Objects)do you have going at once? |
I'm obnoxiously disciplined, really- only one. I like to finish one project before starting another. (Hence my knitting mantra, above.)
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| My yarn stash equals the GNP (Gross National Product) of ... |
Thanks to my knitting kit business, I do have a lot; it must be approaching the GNP of the G7 by now.
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| Whom would you like to see accept an Academy Award wearing your creation? |
I don't admire actors so much-can I say any Nobel Prize winner?
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| What knitting commandment do you most like to break? |
There are knitting commandments?!
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| What frequently-asked knitting question do you hate to answer? |
"Did you make all these?" (When people see my designs in my booth at a craft show. How many sweaters can one woman knit? They are of course, all my designs, though.)
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| What is your most dog-eared knitting reference? |
My Barbara Walker Treasuries are held together with duct tape and baling twine.
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| What is the most unusual place you've ever knitted? |
In a cavernous, echoing airport lounge in Tai Pei, decor circa early James Bond movie.
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| How long can you last without knitting? |
When I finish a new collection, I'm all knitted out for a while. I need a break of a few weeks to recharge the creative batteries.
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| If you were stranded on a deserted island, what one yarn, book, or gizmo would you want along? |
A strong cotton yarn, so I can knit a sail to go with my jerry-rigged raft.
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| How many hours have you knitted non-stop - and why? |
For my first magazine commission, I knitted for hours on end- but I had a broken ankle, so what else was I going to do?
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| What do you want your knitting epitaph to say? |
Can I get back to you on that? I've got decades of living and knitting to do yet....
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| Who would you like to greet you in knitting heaven? |
My husband, whose presence at my side in the evenings makes knitting even more of a quiet pleasure.
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