Interview With Debbie Bliss of Peter Rabbit™ Baby Knits
With the release of Peter Rabbit™ Baby Knits right around the corner, we sat down with talented author Debbie Bliss to pick her brain on how she developed these timeless designs, what her biggest inspirations are and her predictions for the future of knitting.
Tell us a little bit about yourself?
I studied Fashion and Textiles at Art College and went on to specialise in knitwear design. I am the author of over 30 books of hand knit designs for both adults and children, and in 2000 launched the Debbie Bliss luxury yarn brand which is now owned by LoveCrafts. I have lectured and held workshops globally, particularly in North America which has given me the fantastic opportunity to meet crafters from all over the world. In 2015 I was awarded an MBE for services to the craft and knitting industry.
I live in the east end of London with my husband Barry and two dogs.
Tell us a bit about Peter Rabbit™ Baby Knits?
I was delighted to be given the opportunity to work on a book of Beatrix Potter inspired baby knits as her characters and illustrations were so much part of my childhood.
Designed as heirloom pieces the designs are grouped together in 5 layettes as I have always loved the idea of small collections with an unifying theme.
I chose my favourite characters to feature - Peter Rabbit™, the Flopsy Bunnies, Jemima Puddle-duck, Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, Squirrel Nutkin and Tom Kitten. I wanted to inject into the designs the same magical quality found in Beatrix Potter's wonderful illustrations and for the knits to tell the story through colourwork and stitch.
What is your favourite project/pattern featured?
I think it has to be the Peter Rabbit™ layette ! He is such an iconic figure and I am a great fan of the Flopsy Bunnies. The set includes a patchwork sweater and blanket, a bunny ears beanie, cute bootees with radish ties and Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton - Tails red capes. I am going to be a granny for the first time in December so I have already made the smallest size of the Flopsy cape, perfect for a Christmas baby.
What was your route into craft
Quite a strange one! After leaving art college I started making 3D knitted plants, daffodils, tulips, cacti etc and sold them in stores such as Liberty - I even made a giant lurex cheeseplant which was bought as a gift for Elton John. Through publicity for this I was asked to contribute designs to magazines and to a book called Wild Knitting where the designs I created included cocktail hats made out of bin liners, knitted insect brooches and sardine tin ties. After having my first child Will, my thoughts turned to stylish but practical outfits and my first book Baby Knits was published.
Where do you look for inspiration: other designers, Pinterest?
The world around me continually inspires me. A friend recently told me that he was surprised my phone still worked considering the amount of photos I had on it! Our annual family holiday in Corfu never fails to make me want to capture the beautiful blues of Greece, and a walk down the busy market in the multi-cultural part of London that I live in makes me marvel at the clash of colours in the sari and haberdashery shops. Having a camera on my phone has meant I no longer have to take sketch pad around with me or grab a paper napkin in a fish and chip shop as an idea starts to form.
What is the most challenging thing about being a designer/knitter?
Personally, I have been designing hand knits for over 40 years and I want to make sure I keep my ideas fresh while still maintaining the aesthetic that the brand is known for. There are lots of challenges in terms of pattern writing and grading to ensure that all the sizes work really well and I have always been intimidated by maths. Proportion is key to me so a knitter’s tension/gauge if altered from that quoted in the pattern can change the look of the design and lead to the maker’s disappointment.
What makes up for the challenges?
So much ! The sheer joy in the early stages of designing when a swatch works well and you feel the excitement build, a design back from a knitter that looks exactly as you wanted it to look, and at the end of the creative journey the photo shoot where we all work as a team to bring the look alive. Working from home can be isolating and I love collaborating and art directing on the shoot day with the photographer, stylist and model.
What do you think the “Next Big Thing” in your craft will be?
Not exactly a new concept but I think there is going to be even more research into the benefits of making for mental health and that process based and meditative crafts such as knitting and crochet will become even more popular. I am co-founder of a group called The Walthamstow Welcome where we host people from all sections of our local community with referrals from Social Prescribing, Adult Care etc and have seen first hand how craft can combat loneliness and social exclusion. Makers are kind and generous people so it is the perfect place to meet new people and forge friendships.
How big a part, if any, does sustainability play in your work?
I think sustainability is key to hand knitting. It embraces slow fashion, which values quality and longevity, hand knits are made thoughtfully with knitters enjoying the process as well as the finished project. I love knowing that many of my baby knit designs will be handed down to other children rather than discarded and hope that the Peter Rabbit™ knits will be in circulation for a long time and passed down through the generations as Beatrix Potter's books have been.
Who (dead or alive) would you invite to the perfect knitting retreat?
This is a difficult one, I have many wonderful friends in the knitting community and I would want them all to be with me. For those who are no longer with us it would have to be my mother who first taught me to knit. All of us on the retreat would value her patience and encouragement.
What advice would you give to your beginner self?
Have more confidence in yourself and don’t be afraid to say no.
In one word, how would you describe this book?
Enchanting.
Ready to step into the enchanting world of Beatrix Potter with these timeless knits? Peter Rabbit™ Baby Knits is available for preorder today at the link here - not long now until it will be with you!
About the Author
Debbie Bliss
Debbie Bliss is one of the foremost designers and authors of hand-knitting patterns in both the UK, the...