Tot Toppers by Kate Oates was the topic of the Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird today. Mostly just the ooo and aaah that comes with ‘cute’.
Kate says she learned to knit in middle school. As the oldest of three, feeling competitive, her sister learned to knit from an aunt and Kate felt compelled to learn, too. She says her sister is an awesome knitter and sews. Her boyfriend (now husband) loved to watch football so she did an big afghan, which was not a stretch in techniques. When she was pregnant with her first son, she learned more techniques and it became a hobby which morphed to designing.
Kate says the aunt that taught her, gave her the basic stitches but the majority of what she’s learned in techniques is from books. She started publishing her first pattern in Ravelry, but it’s all kind of a blur with her each family addition! Her patterns focused on her own needs, creating patterns for boys that people would want to knit and the wearer would want to put on. In fact, her four handsome young men often are seen modeling the pieces in the patterns.
Knits for Boys was kind of a dream book for Kate, that she envisioned for a long time as ‘something that needed to be made’. She included a Grow With Me section, so that modifications can be made as the child grows, she mentions things that can be done if the child grows while the project is in progress. That book is published through Stackpole Press as of just last spring.
Since then, two booklets, available through her website, New Girl and New Guy, are layette collections for brand-new additions to your family. She also creates designs for adults, too, which are just as fun and cute without being childish.
You can follow Kate Oates at her website www.tottoppers.com where she has a blog, too, also a page in Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and be sure to check out her designer page in Ravelry. There is also a Ravelry Group for Tot Toppers.
You can listen to Kate’s previous visit to Yarn Thing podcast in 2013.
If you missed getting to hear this live, it is available as an archive where it aired originally http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2015/10/08/tot-toppers-by-kate-oates or in iTunes.
I was watching that Clemson game! I’m sure the Notre Dame fans were feeling lugubrious when their team failed to make a comeback after all. I’m also excited about the new book, because my husband and I are expecting our first kiddo — a boy — next month 🙂
I’m sure Clemson fans would be lugubrious if KU ever beat the Tigers in football. While this is unlikely, the reverse would be true in basketball. Needless to say, much knitting can be accomplished during any sporting event! (Go Royals!)… Thanks for another great interview and podcast. I have 5 grandchildren, 2 boys and 3 girls, who could enjoy some knitted love!
I will stop feeling lugubrious if I win a prize today! Go Clemson!!!
Lugubrious – Clemson…interesting combination there… Lovely podcast! Thank you.
I agree that Lugubrious – Clemson are an interesting combination! Another great podcast–very interesting to listen to.
I have no idea what lugubrious means, but I can certainly get behind the Tigers! Loved the podcast, love Marly Bird, can’t wait to start knitting my grand babies some Kate Oates!
I am not a football fan (said in a lugubrious manner), but I would even cheer for Clemson if I got to knit some of Kate’s patterns!
I’ve made each of my boys a Diplodocus, which is just a terrific pattern, and I am working on my second Military jacket from the book Knits for Boys!
Rav ID =Jennxpt
Toronto was rife with lugubrious moaning yesterday. 🙁 Hope the Clemson Tigers fair better!
Lugubrious – I learned a new word today! Very interesting podcast – Love Kate’s patterns. Clemson is playing Georgia Tech today. Go Clemson!!
Lugubrious – what an interesting word. I don’t watch sports, but, Go Clemson!
I was lugubrious when my LYS stopped carrying my favorite yarn. I love Kate’s designs though, those make me happy!
I hope we don’t feel lugubrious next week again BC. Go Tigers! One day Kate I hope we get to actually see you at the game. In the meantime, I always enjoy seeing you and your boys at the gym!
I would be lugubrious if I couldn’t knit another Tot Toppers pattern! I love them! And hearing Kate was just delightful. Go Clemson!
MuddyMoose on rav
I needed to wait to make sure I was spelling lugubrious right…Hope the Clemson fans don’t have to feel lugubrious much more this season.
My sister friend moved to Anderson several years ago…she always plans things to do whenI visit, and the first thing we did was visit the Clemson stadium! She and her husband are now avid Clemson fans. I am sure this keeps her from being lugubrious. Loved the podcast and I wish my boys were still little!
Lugubrious and Clemson great key words. I am really not a big sports fan but I do love to knit and crochet for babies. I can’t wait for someone to tell me that they are expecting so I can start working on projects for the upcoming baby. One of my favorite gifts that I like to give is a year of baby hats.
Lugubrious and Clemson are crazy, cool words to use! Thanks for a wonderful interview. I have one grandson who would be BIG fun to yarn craft for.
I’m never lugubrious when listening to your podcast, Marly (I just started listening two weeks ago)! I especially loved this episode! I have several friends expecting children right now that I’m excited to start knitting for!
I agree that Lugubrious and Clemson are an interesting combination!
Great podcast, very interesting.
I couldn’t agree more! So lugubrious, so Clemson. Go Cubs! Great interview—and I knit for boys!
The Texas Longhorns, unlike the Clemson Tigers, have given cause for much melancholy and lugubrious thoughts. Happily they may have turned a corner with last week’s win. Great podcast and wonderful designs. Your boys are adorable! How do you even find time to do any knitting or designing?
As the father of a preemie, I was especially touched by Kate’s story of how the “New Guy” collection came to be. Looking around the NICU, there is many a lugubrious face, and I’m sure that the love that is knit into a sweet layette goes a long way to counter that. It’s especially awesome that those patterns are sized all the way down to Preemie — finding patterns for the tiny babies is always a challenge, and when you’re wrapped up in the world of a brand-new preemie, doing knitting math to convert other patterns is pretty much the last thing you want to do.
While baseball is my sport, I’m a fan of people enjoying their sport/team of choice, and it was really cool to hear Kate’s excitement around her Clemson alma mater and their success on the field. Just another example of why Yarn Thing is such a fun podcast — how many other fiber-related podcasts pull back the curtain on sports from time to time? 🙂
–KnittingDaddy Greg
I love Kate’s sense of humor, lol. It was great to hear from someone who designs for buys, I really liked getting her perspective. Lugubrious is a favorite word of mine because of the musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. I’m sure Kate doesn’t feel too sad and gloomy about being a Tigers fan though!
Another vocabulary building opportunity! However, no Clemson Tigers fans need be lugubrious! Thanks, Marly, for this great interview and podcast episode.
I doubt that I will remember why I have written down Lugubrious and Clemson – but know that I will remember that I need a grandchild so that I can justify knitting one of Kate Oakes patterns!
I didn’t know Kate was a Clemson fan but the worse thing ever would be to see Clemson fans with lugubrious faces. I have heard Kate interviewed before and I bought her Math for Hats book which is great! I bet this new book is tantamount in its wealth of knowledge for growing boys.
I know that the keyword is Clemson, unfortunately I have absolutely no idea about anything to do with college sports. Or maybe that is fortunate. I live in Louisville Kentucky and the competition between UL and UK is unbelievable here.