Small Business Saturday, plus An Interview with GAL Designer: Gabrielle Danskknits

A quick little bit of a Trappings & Trinkets appetizer this morning before we get to the main course....here in the US, today is known as "Small Business Saturday".  This idea began as a push to get people supporting locally owned and run brick & mortar stores as opposed to the big-box and ecommerce stores they more likely shopped at on "black friday", the big shopping day that follows our Thanksgiving.  But many of us like to lump independent crafters and designers (and really, anyone who is out there creating their own small business) into that group as well, since we are typically individuals who are trying to either support ourselves or contribute to our family's income with the things we produce, often with our own hands.  If you are out supporting a small business today, I thank you!  If you would like to support my small business, I'd like to give you a 50% off code as a thank-you in advance!  Just enter the code SBS2015 at the Ravelry check-out and you can take 50% off of any single pattern you would like!

Gabrielle Danskknit

Ok, on with our show!  This week's interview with a participating Indie Design Gift-along designer is with Gabrielle Danskknit, who goes by "Danskknit" on Ravelry.

Gabrielle is a Canadian designer who shares my love of Grey's Anatomy, and also loves all things outdoors - jogging, swimming, camping, kayaking, oh my!

She also has an enormous brain that has already earned a degree in biomedicine and is now studying medicine.

When Gabrielle is not busy at her university, she likes to relax with her knitting, and since she started writing knitting patterns for publication about 2 1/2 years ago, she's managed to release 58 of them.

Obviously, this woman doesn't do a lot of sleeping....  :)

Pacific Coast © Ravenesque

• How did you become part of the knitting community?
I heard about Ravelry from a friend. I didn't feel like giving my email and waiting for a sign up link so I forgot about it. Then a few months later I rediscovered it. I just enjoyed all the patterns I could discover. Then I start swapping, etc.

• Is there a knitting resource that you would recommend to others (a book, video, pattern, tutorial series, podcast, etc)?
I don't have a favorite one! I just google what I need and then pick the one that looks prettier! I do have many books at home too. I'd say my favorite ones are old and were given to me by my grandmother and her sister.

Colin © Ravenesque

• What motivated you to begin publishing patterns for others to use?
I always felt like something was missing in the patterns I was knitting at the time (mostly French patterns). I wanted to take a little bit of this and a little bit of that, knit in the round, etc. Plus, my gauge was never right. So I started creating things just the way I was imagining them. Then I thought, I might as well share what I do!

• In 3 words, describe your design style.
Easy, texture, vintage

• What is your favorite knitting trick or tip?
I love doing the kitchener stitch grafting!

• What knitting notion can you not live without?
My row counter! 

Bergen Snowflake © Gabrielle Danskknit

• Many of your patterns like “I Nut Squirrels”, “Quadrainbow”, and “Elephant Sanctuary” have a fun, child-like quality, even though they are sized all the way up to adult sizes. How do you decide which designs to size up to adult sizes and which ones to just do for children?
Good one! I think it really depends. Sometimes I feel it's too much trouble for a pattern that looks more childish. Other times, I fear I won't get testers for a size. It can also be because it's too complicated to offer in some sizes, etc.

• Most of your garment patterns are only available in children’s sizes. Will we see adult size sweaters from you at some point, or do you intend to keep your focus on children’s knits?
I think we'll see adult size sweater the day I decide to design one for myself!! So far, my attention span is so short and my time so limited with medical school, I try to work mainly on small items. I do dream of knitting a sweater for me, but not at this moment!

Turnbridge © Inkyarnholic

• Do you have a favorite design (of your own)?
At the moment, it's Tunbridge. It was designed for me, it's made of Malabrigo yarn and I wore it during a road trip to Tunbrdige, Vermont, to see the Wool and Sheep Festival.

• Do you have an under-appreciated design?
I think Bergen Snowflake! It's a pattern I love but I feel like it hasn't gotten as much attention as I thought it deserved. 

• What was your favorite thing that you knit in 2015 that you did not write the pattern for?
A scarf for my boyfriend!

• What is your knitting or designing resolution for 2016?
Make a designing group on Ravelry! Knit and design more things I can wear.









10 Quickie Questions:
Neutrals or Brights? Neutrals
Metal or Bamboo? Meral
Felt-able wool or super wash? superwash
Color work or cables? cables
Solids or tonals? tonals
Fun fur or ruffle yarn? none!
Self-striping or variegated? self-striping
Scarves or shawls? scarves
Garter or Stockinette? garter
Dpns or magic loop? dpns

You can find Gabrielle on Ravelry and on Pinterest!  Thanks so much for the interview, Gabrielle!