Christine Stiles Bylsma
Madison, WI USA
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Specialty |
I enjoy combining fibers, textures, gauges, colors, and finding ways to create fun, wearable knits. I especially enjoy teaching when the "light bulb" goes off and knitters learn to discover and trust their own creativity. It's so exciting.
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| Contact Information: |
734 Miami Pass Madison, WI USA
608 233-3967
chrisknit@aol.com
Chris Bylsma Designs - patterns and workshops
free lance
chrisbylsmadesigns.com
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| Favorite Knitting Book |
Vogue Knitting Book
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| Favorite knitting reference |
Vogue Knitting Book
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| Classes |
Crayon Box Jacket; Finishing with Flair; Edges and Extras; Madly Plaid Vest Workshop; Deliberate Drops - Designing with Dropped Stitches; Bridging the Gap - Knit Weaving; Stashology 201.
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| Biography |
My grand mother taught me to knit when I was seven. I am the youngest of three girls and we all knit. When we were teenagers my father wanted to encorage us to "follow through" so he offered to pay for the yarn of any project we finished. Poor Dad! Three strands of mohair, big needles and quick knits were in (sound familiar?) so we showed him no mercy! I continued to knit off and on as I pursued my career in marketing and advertising starting with a short stint in bank marketing. I am definitely not a pin-stripe type and I have long arms so I resorted to knitting my own designer suits (St. John knits for the financially impaired) that were presentable in the stuffiest of boardrooms yet were comfortable and travelled well. I became more daring with age (purple is my neutral) and others took notice and commissioned knitting. When I left the coprporate world a few years ago I started teaching classes close to home, then far. Now I publish my own line of patterns, Chris Bylsma Designs, that are available at yarn stores.
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| What is your knitting mantra? |
Knitting is not construction. You can explore and make mistakes and change your mind and enjoy what you are doing.
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| What inspires you? |
Nature - her wonderful colors and combinations, textures, shapes. And simply need - I design to fit a specific need in my wardrobe, such as the "Door County Cable" sweater when I wanted a warm yet breathable summer sweater.
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| Confess - when it comes to hiding your yarn, what are your secrets? |
I'm convinced high four poster beds and dust ruffles were invented by a creative knitter. Bins and bins of yarn are so much better than dust bunnies under there! Although I've heard there is a lot of wasted space in the spare tire well of your car....hmmmm.
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| My yarn stash equals the GNP (Gross National Product) of ... |
Liechtenstein. Quality, not Quantity. And I keep using it!
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| What knitting commandment do you most like to break? |
Any that get in the way of doing something easier or more enjoyably. Knitting should be fun!
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| What frequently-asked knitting question do you hate to answer? |
What color should I use next? I want knitters to discover and trust their own creative spirit.
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| What is your most dog-eared knitting reference? |
Vogue Knitting Book
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| How long can you last without knitting? |
Last???
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| If you were stranded on a deserted island, what one yarn, book, or gizmo would you want along? |
"Knitting Sails with Palm Fronds" by Robinson Crusoe
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| How many hours have you knitted non-stop - and why? |
Toooo many. Deadlines.
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