We are so excited to be sharing our Designers’ Dogs collaboration with you today! Please check out all of the posts here: https://knittedwit.com/category/designers-dogs/.
The collaboration can be found on Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/designers-dogs. You can purchase the entire collection for $33 through 4/4/20, or you can purchase individual patterns from each designer.
10% of each skein sold will be donated to the Oregon Humane Society, which is one of the best humane societies in the nation.
And now, without further ado, let’s meet Kirstan Graham…
A lover of greyhounds and that kid that stopped to pet every critter (ok, still true, just add yarn) – Kirstan is the artist and maker behind DKGraham, turning her whimsical illustrations and yarn parodies into fun and functional notions for knitters & crocheters. A fusion of fandoms and fiber, this yarn geek is always excited about sharing her many passions and geeking out together!
BEEZLY’S GOTCHA STORY
Hi, my name is Kirstan and I’m a dog person. Since before I could walk my bestest friend ever was always a dog, firstly a farm dog named Petey, then pretty much any dog I met! I’d loved all my family’s dogs growing up, but when I was old enough and allowed to finally choose a dog of my very own I knew without a doubt I wanted to adopt a greyhound, but it was Trixie that chose me. Hounds have had me ever since.
Later, after years of growing up, moving out into the world and adulting long days in corporate America I was worried Trixie was lonely so we got a smaller hound to be her buddy, a whippet named Qeynos. Sadly, my girl was already an older dog then and after a few years when she left us I was so very sad, but Qeynos was devastated and simply wouldn’t go on without her. So, we got him a friend, another whippet – Beezly!
“The Boys” were inseparable for years, they did everything together. We had grown as a family and added a baby human to our pack. I’d battled cancer and won. It was a full and busy time in our lives. So when my sweet little mammas boy Qeynos said goodbye, I was devastated, but just couldn’t imagine adding another dog to our pack. Beezly cried and cried, but eventually adjusted to the perks of being an only dog – extra treats and walkies, and getting to go on trips two dogs just couldn’t manage. But I was struggling, (I’d also lost my dad that same month) and just couldn’t put the pieces together. I’d stopped knitting, stopped making, just stopped.
I had to do something to snap out of it. So, even though I didn’t feel creative or inspired I got on Instagram and started challenging myself to make something, anything, everyday. Photography, hand lettering, illustration – all the skills I always admired but never thought I could do. I drew a lot of dogs. Slowly it started being fun again, I started knitting again, and then by chance I shared an illustrated map of Rose City Yarn Crawl that I had made in a workshop – which led to a whole new world of fiber fun and community! We invested in a laser engraver so I could turn my yarn parodies and whimsical illustrations into pins and notions, and I just couldn’t stop making geeky goodies and connecting with fellow makers and new fiber friends. When I was asked if I’d be interested in being part of a collaboration of designers and thier dogs I couldn’t imagine a more perfect project to work on – Sadly, my Beezly boy has since passed away, before this project was complete. But my heart was comforted by all the amazing dogs in this collection I’ve been honored to work with, that now each feel like a part of an extended pack of furry friends! It is as if my life has come full circle – It was the love of dogs that led me to art, and now my art has led me to dogs that have led me to love again… I hope you enjoy this collection as a celebration of everything we all love about dogs & yarn!
