Linda Courtney’s love of knitting started with a gift for a friend. She was twelve at the time, and she really wanted to knit a sweater for her best friend who was moving away. She hasn’t put down her needles since!
As a designer, Linda continues to find inspiration in creating gifts for others. But her newest pattern, Earbuds, is a rare gift to herself! Unlike most winter headbands, it narrows at the top, for minimal hair mussing. The sides are still wide enough and warm enough – knit in our Peruvia Quick yarn – protect your ears. My favorite part is the texture, which is created from a few well-placed increases and decreases among the garter stitch and ribbing. It’s a quick and easy knit that would make a great last minute gift, for a friend or yourself!
How did you come up with this design?
I really wanted a way to keep my ears warm without flattening down all my hair with a hat. I have curly hair and it really suffers in the winter!
Any interesting stories about your process?
Sometimes I sit down for fun and look through stitch dictionaries for inspiration. I was playing with a particular stitch pattern and I liked the back of it, so I made some changes and noticed that I could make a fabric with a slight cupping to it – perfect for covering an ear! The stitch looked like little buds on stems – so Earbuds seemed like an appropriate name for a few reasons!
How did you decide on the yarn?
I liked the Peruvia Quick because it’s warm, I had a great color on-hand and, well, because it is quick! I thought that would be important for this design, since it makes such a nice gift. One skein of yarn will make 2 or 3 pairs depending on the size knit.
What’s your favorite project you’ve ever made? Why?
This is an impossible question to answer, kind of like asking a parent who their favorite kid is!
If you could knit something for anyone in the world who would it be?
I would say my granddaughter. Now, I don’t actually have a granddaughter, yet. I have a fourteen-year-old grandson, who outgrew the cute little sweater stage long ago. I fantasize about someday having a little girl in the family to knit for again.
What’s your favorite thing about knitting?
I love the coziness of the activity, the creativity of it, the way it can relax me or stimulate me depending on the project. I like the portability of it – a way to keep my hands busy in all sorts of situations. I will also say that I love identifying myself as a knitter. It has been a constant in my life since I was a girl. It is part of who I am. I have never met a knitter I didn’t like, and I am proud to be counted among the ranks!
Want to make your own Earbuds? Join the Indie Design Gift-A-Long and you could win a prize!