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The last word
We chat to Kate Oates, the designer behind
adorable baby knits range, Tot Toppers...
Who taught you to knit?
My aunt – I was in middle school, and
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quite jealous and so she was kind enough
XSXEOIXLIXMQIXSXIEGLQIEW[IPPCould you tell us about Tot Toppers?
I started Tot Toppers when I was
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a graduate student, after my second
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school, so we were both students and
knitting was actually something that I
was encouraged to do during some of
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though, like so many other knitters realise,
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time-consuming and I transitioned my
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designing cute baby hats, but it didn’t take
PSRKJSVQIXSEHHMRKEVQIRXWDescribe your design style...
;IEVEFPIƥEXXIVMRKXMQIPIWW[MXLEX[MWXWhat are you working on right now?
I’m taking some of the pieces from my
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so I’m trying to go in order of popularity!;LMGLƤFVIWHS]SYPSZIXS[SVO[MXL#
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always got to be some wool in there!What inspires you?
Nature, my kids, sometimes it will be
something in my own closet, a set of
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can’t be on a weekly or monthly basis!;LEXHS]SYHSMJ]SYƤRH]SYVWIPJ
with knitter’s block?
I take a break and don’t feel bad about
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usual, in case the mood would strike, but
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back, it came back so hard and I made up
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needed to take that break and now I’m so
much more ready to get back into all my
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as a designer?
Self-publishing and printing my book,
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them all, but doing all of it from start to&Y]TEXXIVRWERHέRHSYXQSVIEX
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different thing!What do you enjoy about designing and
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They are so darn adorable no matter
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into through the years – little things like
making a hem that can be worn in a
couple of different ways, so that a sweater
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On the needles right now is a really fun
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taking things one at a time right now,
enjoying hectic mom life at my four
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too much design pressure on myself,
because I also think I do my best work
when I let the ideas come naturally!Welcome a baby girl
with Kate’s Darling Hat
and Squishy Warmers66 03:)/2-88-2+The adorable Baby
Tee and Joggers are
seamless and snuggly