Pattern Scout
Handknit and Handpainted: Kaffe Fassett
We don’t remember what led us to Amy Routman’s Instagram account, but ever since we found it, we’ve been entranced by her watercolors, which are drawn from the worlds of art, design, and especially fashion.
Wouldn’t it be cool, we thought, to see iconic knitwear through Amy’s eyes and brush? As it turns out, Amy is local to Kay, so a coffee date happened. We are thrilled to welcome Amy to these pages with this celebration of the work of handknitting’s living legend, Kaffe Fassett.
Among his many other accomplishments, Kaffe has designed for Rowan Magazine, appearing in every issue since its inception 40 years ago. We present Amy Routman’s interpretations of a few of his designs as a happy birthday greeting to Rowan and a love letter to Kaffe. (We leave it to knitters to figure out the patterns that inspired Amy. Get out your Rowan collection!)
—Kay and Ann
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I see the tumbling blocks sweater, which I knit in the 1980s. What fun!
Thank you for introducing me to this artist – just followed her on IG. Beautiful work.
These are fantastic paintings. Thanks for posting.
Having just paged through his recent sweater pattern book, it struck me from Amy’s beautiful paintings that Stephen West is Kaffe Fasett’s natural heir. I love them both!
A typo. That was two s’s for Fassett. Sorry, misspellings annoy me, even if most of the world doesn’t even notice.
I finally gave away the tumbling blocks pillow kit I received for signing up so many years ago. It just didn’t go with all my other needlepoint pillows…
I still have that kit in the bag mostly unused, including the cotton fabric for the backing! I scavenged a small amount of the yarn for a hat for a friend years ago. Maybe I should unearth the kit and actually make it.
I made that kit! It was the 25th anniversary subscriber gift, so it’s now officially vintage. My holes at the joins were ghastly, so I felted it, and still use it as a massive coaster. Do you remember it came with a piece of quilting cotton fabric for the backing? #goodtimes
Kay, I never thought of felting needlepoint! Truly an adventure into the unknown. Wow!
Thanks for look a Amy’s art. You always inspire me and I can definitely use it this rainy Friday morning
My mother gave me Glorious Color (and later he signed it for me) for Christmas the year it came out, along with a bag full of odds and ends of many colors of yarn from her own collection, and that of her weaving group. I read it over and over for about six months before diving in and making one of those enormous coat sweaters, complete with hand knitted shoulder pads. I wore it till it was threadbare, and then it became a very exotic house sweater, till it could be mended no more. I took a class from Brandon and Kaffe in the early days of their teaching tours. In those early days it was all far more improvisational: grab a handful of colors and knit what you see. I don’t think any other single knitter has influenced me more.
Ellen, I bet your Kaffe coat was magnificent even as a threadbare house sweater. I don’t wear a lot of Kaffe but I have enjoyed knitting a few pieces, and he is in my head constantly.
I love her watercolors.She sets a mood.
Lovely watercolor illustrations. The Kaffe, he would be pleased.
And she’s a Beatlemaniac to boot! What a fine addition to the Team!
Aren’t these beautiful, both the knits and the art. Kaffe Fassett is a genius with design and color. There are many I likely couldn’t wear, though I love them, but many I could.The Garden Party Striped Tee in cotton!
The Romeo and Juliet coat featured in the Victoria and Albert museum exhibit is indeed a museum piece.
Not shown, but a pattern I love is his Earth Stripe Wrap in 10 shades of Kidsilk Haze…to die for.
Off to ogle Amy’s Instagram.
Beautiful interpretations! I have a number of Kaffe Fassett’s books and often take them out as inspiration and an eye candy treat. I have yet to take the plunge on knitting any of his designs, though.
I love them! Really beautiful 🙂
These made me smile
Thank you for the link to these lovely watercolour renditions of textile arts ! I love looking at Kaffe’s work for inspiration – quilts, needlepoint, knitting, love it all. immersion into colour and our surroundings. Gorgeous.
Thank you for the tip! I love Amy’s instagram – such fun to see every day.
❤️
Kaffe Fassett has been a favorite of mine ever since I went back to knitting after a very long hiatus. Couldn’t believe the gorgeous colors and designs. ‘I’m gonna make lots of that stuff!,’ says the new acolyte. I bought as many of his books as I could at the used book store which was when I saw how you made the patterns. I thought I could do a Foolish Virgins Sweater. Ha! I’m too scared to do a Foolish Virgin Scarf!! I’m in total awe of the lady who did an ENTIRE COAT!!! Well done, my friend, well done!!!