Sarah Hatton is the design whizz behind the Something to Knit Together collection. When we started our Something to Knit Together knitalong, lots of A-C Knitwear knitters went off to check how many of Sarah’s patterns were in their pattern libraries and found they had well over 100; to say Sarah is a prolific designer is a huge understatement! She has well over 1000 patterns on Ravelry, and her work has appeared in some of the most recognisable publications in the knitting biz, including The Knitter, Simply Knitting, Vogue Knitting and Knitty (and that’s just in the last year!). She was also a contributor to both A Year of Techniques and Boost Your Knitting! I’ve really enjoyed getting to hear more about her career and design process during the Something to Knit Together Zoom calls and am happy today to share a short chat with her for blog readers!
KR: Could you start things off by telling us a little about your inspiration for the Something to Knit Together collection – what was your starting point for the designs?
SH: My starting point is always a panicked self doubt! I really wanted to do my best for Jen as she is such a good friend. I wanted to produce modern designs with lace that weren’t too twee or over the top to keep the pieces really wearable but also have enough interest for the knitter. The biggest challenge designing handknits is always that you are designing a finished piece but also an experience which should be pleasurable. There is no point designing a really beautiful piece if the knitter is cursing their way through making it.
The Bonhomie Shawl, designed by Sarah for Something to Knit Together. I think this is a great example of how Sarah thinks about not just the finished knitted item, but the experience of knitting it. The interesting construction and varying stitch patterns keep the knitting engaging, meaning it knits up quickly for such a big piece! Image © Jesse Wild.
KR: You're such an amazingly prolific designer! During the Zoom earlier this month, you shared a little bit about how you became a hand knitting designer and the different kinds of industry experiences you've had – I wondered if you might do the same for our blog readers?
SH: After finishing my degree in fashion I went straight to work at Sirdar. Loads of my university friends thought I was crazy going into something so old fashioned but I had always enjoyed knitting and it turned out to be the best choice I could have made. I was lucky enough to have lots of pattern writing training within my job, but it was also very high pressure as at the time we were producing about 400-500 designs a year between three people! So my design rate has definitely slowed down as a freelancer!
Errigal by Sarah Hatton, knit up in Coop Knits Socks Yeah! DK. Image © @ImmediateMedia.
KR: You seem to be living many knitters' dream as a full-time knitwear designer who has worked with some of the most well recognised brands in the business. With knitting as your job, do you also knit for fun? And if so, what kinds of knitting do you do in your downtime?
SH: I appreciate what I do every day - I keep waiting for someone to realise I am not good enough and make me do something else, but lucky it hasn’t happened yet and fingers crossed it doesn’t.
And of course I knit in my spare time! I really enjoy knitting other people’s designs as a way to see new ways to do things and everyone loves some simple therapeutic ‘telly’ knitting
KR: Since you do so much knitting, how do you keep "knitting fit" and protect against knitting-related injuries?
SH: I try to keep two projects on the go at a time, so one on straight needles and one on DPNs as it means you are using different muscles. I also try and remember to take breaks and use a massage ball on my hands to ease the muscles, but obviously when you are on a super-tight deadline, with an epic tv show on the go, slowing down can be hard!
Gabriel’s Wharf by Sarah Hatton. Image © The Knitter.
KR: We've talked a lot on the blog recently about finding joy in other crafts, like sewing. Do you you do any other crafts/art in your downtime?
SH: I really enjoy cooking, so like everyone else I did lots of baking bread and also gardening earlier in the year. I had had an Emily Peacock kit on the go for about five years and I managed to complete it during lockdown. I really enjoyed it so I am on the lookout for a new one to do, but deadlines are looming at the moment so that might have to wait.
Thanks so much Sarah for taking the time to chat with us today. You can find Sarah on Instagram as hattonknits and see her amazing pattern repertoire on Ravelry. Don’t forget, if you’ve purchased the Something to Knit Together eBook, your Welcome pack pdf includes a discount code for Sarah’s patterns (and if you’d like to get your copy, you can buy it now in the online shop).