Interview with Gudrun Johnston + A Shetland Trader Giveaway!

Meet Gudrun Johnston.....

 Gudrun is the author of "The Shetland Trader," a self-published book of ten knitting designs, many featuring lace. I met Gudrun through the world wide web. I got an e-mail from her a couple of years ago when I was sharing photos of a litter of Lily Pons' kittens. She and her family were moving back to western Massachusetts, not far from where I live. They wanted to adopt one of the kittens on the occasion of her daughter's 9th birthday. I love being able to place our kittens with knitters. On the appointed day, Gudrun, her two beautiful children Maya and Sage, and her novelist husband David Anthony Durham, arrived to pick up Persy. Julia wasn't home but she knew one of the kitties was leaving that day to go to live with a family whose Mom was a knitwear designer. She was okay with this. I watched Persy grow into a full-grown beautiful cat on Gudrun's blog. How nice to see one of our kittens all grown up as an adult. 

I check in on Gudrun's blog every once in a while. I marvel that she is able to homeschool her children and be a prolific knitwear designer, much less self-publish her first book. Gudrun and her family are packing up to move to Scotland where she grew up. And Persy is going with them. Who would have thought that one of Lily Pons' kittens would be moving to Scotland. Lucky Cat! Lily Pons would be proud of him.

I thought it would be fun to interview this up and coming talented knitwear designer here on my blog before she moves across the pond to her home country. By the way, all of the photos were shot on Shetland by Jared Flood. They are extremely gorgeous - lovely light and colors. Gudrun and I are also hosting a Giveaway of "The Shetland Trader." At the end of the interview, I'll tell you how to enter. Enjoy!

KN: I love the introduction you wrote.            

From the Foreword ... The Shetland Trader, Book One

            “I was born in a wee cottage beside the beach in Levenwick, Shetland in 1974. As was the case with generations of Shetland infants before me, I was wrapped in a traditional hap shawl moments after inhaling my first breath. Wool and lace, family and home, peat fires and a silly red setter....”

It goes on beautifully from there - lovely descriptions of your family’s story. I know your husband is the novelist David Anthony Durham. It seems his love of words has rubbed off on you. Do you find that there is any connection between writing and knitting?

GJ: David and I often find ourselves comparing our respective crafts. Both knitting and writing require a creative mind, one that is inspired by the daily goings on in life and one that needs to be flexible to the changes that will take place during the design process. He admits to stealing from the things he sees on a daily basis and using them in his writing. He has his ear out for inspiration; I have my eye out.

    I also think there are similarities when it comes to the nuts and bolts. We both have to deal with getting on with our work when resistance strikes, and we both have to keep an open mind about the success/failure of any of our pieces. 

KN: This book is a lovely collection of lace designs - from small (some fabulous hats and leg warmers) to a gorgeous skirt and some sweaters. Do you work exclusively in lace?

GJ: I don’t work exclusively in lace. I would say that the majority of my designs so far have made use of it. I have particularly enjoyed exploring the lace designs that come from Shetland and seeing how they can work in a more contemporary context.

KN: What do you find so appealing about knitting lace?

GJ: Sometimes it’s just the challenge of working the lace itself, keeping track of all those symbols in a chart and making sure they all line up as they are supposed to. Seeing the shapes appearing, especially after blocking, is also very satisfying. I’m not all that attracted to knitting very complex lace designs on a large scale but I’m certainly very impressed with those who do. I’m definitely more intrigued by seeing how lace can be used in non-traditional ways.

KN: Did you knit as a child? Tell me about the first thing you knit?

GJ: I didn’t knit as a very young child. I think I first learned around the age of 10 or so. The memory I have of my first piece of knitting is a rather nasty pale green vest, which thankfully I didn’t keep! I do however own some beautiful Fair Isle sweaters that my mother designed and which my siblings and I wore over 30 years ago. Those sweaters were passed on to me by my mother and worn by my own children. I’m very glad to have those and not the vest!

KN: I have met your beautiful family. I’m wondering if either your son or daughter are interested in taking up knitting?

GJ: Maya and Sage both know how to knit. I taught Maya a few years ago and she takes sporadic (but intense) interest. Sage learned when we spent some time in Shetland a few years ago. The kids went to school there for about 12 weeks and had their very own knitting teacher. I believe Sage completed a little knitted worm during that time which he still treasures!

KN: The colors in the photos are so blooming gorgeous. Do you think growing up on the island of Shetland has influenced the colors that you use in your work?

GJ: I do think the colors in a Scottish landscape have influenced my personal palette. I find I’m usually drawn to more natural or muted shades. Getting the right colour for a design is almost as important to me as the design itself. Often I’ll see a particular shade of yarn and know it needs to come home with me and make it’s way into my designing!

KN: The index of the book has a beautiful photo of sheep amongst the fields of the island. Are the sheep an important part of the commerce of Shetland? Do farmers (I think you may call them crofters) still earn part of their income from sheep farming or is a world that has disappeared?

GJ: Although there are still many more sheep than people in Shetland they don’t really provide much of an income for crofters anymore. Crofter’s are heavily subsidized by the government and owning a croft is really more about keeping a way of life going.

KN: There are many photos of heather blooming in the book. Do the sheep eat the heather? Are there any traditional uses for the heather?

GJ: Yes, the sheep do eat the heather! As they are out on the hillsides all winter long it’s their main winter fodder.  I’m not aware of any other uses for heather in Shetland though. I’m told by my father, who is a naturalist, that heather in Shetland is living at it’s climatic extreme!!

KN: I know that you and your family are moving back to Scotland. Do you foresee that the culture and knitting landscape will change your work?

GJ: I actually don’t think it will change my work. I’m already so heavily influenced by it that being back in Scotland is… well, it’s going home.

KN: You write that your mother had a knitwear business called The Shetland Trader back when you were a child. Now that you have revived that business, do you have any future plans that you would like to let us in on? More books? More patterns?

GJ: Hopefully, I’ll always be adding more patterns to my design portfolio. They won’t always exclusively have a Scottish/Shetland connection, but that will continue to play a big part I’m sure. I’m giving serious thought to another collection, but I’m not certain yet what form it will take. I know I want to add more books to the Shetland Trader series but I’m also interested in doing something on a larger scale.

KN: I have been on many photo shoots over the years and I know they are grueling but fun and creative. Can you let us in on a funny story of the behind the scenes on your trip to Shetland?

GJ: I have to say that nothing about that day was grueling for me! I had so much help and things went very smoothly. Jared did get us up very early so he could shoot in the morning light; we had plenty of sheep poo to avoid; there was a little weather to contend with later in the day; we nearly lost a light deflector over a cliff; and models were at chilly at times! However the day ended with a delicious meal of Cullen Skink made by my dad and David, whiskeys all around and a slide show of some of the images captured. It’s a day I will always have very fond memories of. I hope all my photo shoots go that well!

KN: Well, that does sound like a fabulous end to a busy day. I think my favorite project in the book is the scarf design called “Shoormal.” I like the chunkiness of the yarn mixed with the lace stitch. Do you have a favorite design from the book?

GJ: I was very pleased with the results of all of the designs but I’m definitely partial to the cover design, Laar. It was one of those designs that really held true to the initial sketch I had for it. I love the lace-weight yarn worked on larger needles. It produces such a beautiful fabric that almost feels like a second skin. I like too how the delicate details of this design, the lace, picots and scoop neck, are subtle in their beauty. It’s a garment that looks equally good with jeans as it would over a summer dress. As someone who doesn’t dress up much this versatility appeals to me! However, the sample doesn’t fit me so I need to re-knit it sometime.

Thanks so much to Gudrun for taking the time out of her extremely busy life to answer my questions. You can buy The Shetland Trader directly from Gudrun via her website where you can see all of the beautiful designs. Gudrun also has many single patterns which are available for PDF download.

To enter to win Gudrun's printed book, answer the following question in the Comments section. And please, as always, leave an easy way to get a hold of you.

Q? What is your favorite knitting technique? Lace? Cables? Colorwork? Stockinette? And why do you enjoy knitting it?

Contest closes Friday at midnight. I will post the winner's name and contact them by Monday morning.
Contest is closed! The winner is Connie who wrote: I usually love whatever I'm knitting at the time. Most of the time a new project involves something I haven't done before, but lace has been a favorite from the beginning! Congratulations Connie.