I am working on a new book and have been plotting, planning, and designing for it to become a reality for almost two years. Seriously, you knew I could keep a secret after I didn’t reveal my last pregnancy online until his birth, but two years is a long time to keep this fun project hush-hush. Well, today, I’m letting the cat out of the bag. It’s very exciting to finally share it with you and launch a Kickstarter campaign to help fund it to completion. Introducing…
Ultraviolet Knits
Since February 2017, I’ve been fascinated by yarns which glow under black light (ultraviolet light). The deliciously rich colors of the yarns I’m working with are vibrant in natural light then shift to glow under ultraviolet (UV) light, creating another world of possibilities.
The Patterns
Each pattern was inspired by the overall theme of my collection – the night’s sky. I now have 12 knitting patterns written, including shawls, cowls, hats, fingerless gloves, and additional accessories to showcase the UV-reactive yarns I’ve chosen to work with. Half of the projects are inspired by enjoying the night’s sky here on Earth, such as star-gazing from a porch swing, while the other patterns pay homage to astronomy. Every detail of each pattern is fuelled by my admiration for the reactivity of the yarn, the rich patterns stitches can create, and the wonders of outer space and our own back porch.
The Hand-dyed Yarns
I’ve tracked down a collection of stunning wools from over one dozen hand-dyers to design patterns spotlighting their glowing properties. Some of the yarns react to black light, while others are rich and moody to offer a contrasting rest for the eyes. I’m including hand-dyed yarns from: Bear In Sheep’s Clothing of Northern Ireland, Eve Chambers Textiles of Republic of Ireland, Martin’s Lab of Poland, My Mama Knits of Scotland, OlannGra of the United States, The Wool Kitchen of England, Uschitita of The Netherlands, and more. To better explain the reactive properties of the yarn, I asked Eve Chambers to describe the process a bit more:
“A black light gives off concentrated ultraviolet light, but humans can’t see this part of the spectrum. When the ultraviolet light is shined on a fluorescent or phosphorescent substance, the fluorescent absorbs the light and casts it back immediately, creating a longer wavelength of light. This makes it visible to the naked eye, causing it to glow. My dyes have this as an additive.”
– Eve Chambers
Publishing
After my successful 2013 Kickstarter campaign, I founded my own small publishing imprint, Anchor and Bee. I published my first book, Bake Knit Sew, as well as two other books through this publishing company, which already has a block of ISBNs. Ultraviolet Knits will be published under the Anchor and Bee imprint. The individual patterns will also be available digitally on Ravelry a few months after the book release.
Each pattern will be accompanied by a natural light photo of the item and a UV light photo of the item, so show how the design appears with the reactive yarn under both conditions.
Update: Published!
Where to Buy the Book
Individual patterns from Ultraviolet Knits are available on LoveCrafts and Ravelry.
If you wish to purchase the entire book, it is available as a digital download from Ravelry or in print from a range of bookstores and retailers. I’m including a partial list of online retailers selling the book, though you can likely provide your local independent bookshop with the ISBN and they can order it for you.
- ISBN: 978-1-910567-06-7 (paperback)
- Price: $24.50USD / €22.00EUR
- Trim Size: 8.268” x 11.693” (A4)
- Page Count: 50
- Illustrations: 63 color photographs and illustrations
for individual patterns or the complete ebook with all 12 patterns
Don’t forget to leave a review on Ultraviolet Knits – GoodReads.
Challenges
As with any project of this scope, there are challenges. The most challenging element of this will be the photography in UV light to show the stitchwork and finished patterns in as much detail as possible. Challenging, but not impossible.
Join Me In Making This Happen
This is where I need your help to complete and publish this knitting pattern collection. I invite you to consider backing my project. I’ve created some thoughtful rewards in the hope you will join me in bringing this knitting pattern collection to completion.
All backers, no matter the level, will receive regular updates and special Instagram story sneak peeks because this isn’t just about the funding, but also about community support.
The funds will go toward completing the book. This includes buying any additional materials to complete the knitted samples, hiring a professional knitting pattern tech editor, compensating any sample knitters, print set-up cost, hiring a professional photographer for the black light shots, buying ads on Ravelry/Facebook/Instagram to promote the book at and after launch, and paying to rent a location or equipment for special black light photography. I have estimated this will all cost €3,500, but have chosen to try to raise €2,200 on Kickstarter because it is an all-or-nothing campaign and if I aim too high and don’t reach it, that would be disappointing. If I raise more than needed, I can hold a book launch event and hire someone else to help with marketing the book. Because I will do the natural light photography and all book layout and design myself, this reduces the expense of producing the book.
About Me
I’m an American knitwear designer and craft blogger based in Cork, Ireland. I am the Blog Awards of Ireland’s Best Arts & Crafts Blog Gold winner for 2014 and 2017 and Bronze winner for 2018 for my crafty lifestyle blog, EvinOK.com. I have many knitwear designs already available on Ravelry. By day, I am a freelance content marketing and storytelling professional, working to help people and businesses develop content and publications.
Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to me explain my project. I look forward to telling you more along the way.