First Person
Thea Colman: Designer, Bonne Vivante
Thea Colman likes certain things.
She likes cables.
She likes textures.
She loves classic sweater silhouettes, and loves twisting them around, too.
And she has had a ton of fun in her 13-year-long journey designing wearable handknits.
With more than 200 designs to her credit, Thea Colman creates patterns that are fresh, distinctive, and a blast to make. When you get lost in TheaWorld over on Ravelry, it’s one of those experiences where you just keep saying, “I want to make that.” “And that one.” “That one’s good too.”
For MDK Field Guide No. 8: Merry Making, Thea has created what we think of as Thea snacks—her signature love of cables and texture patterns writ small, in projects that we finish in a snap and make us feel really clever. Palate cleansers, Thea 101—however you want to think about them, these gifty patterns are such a delight.
We caught up with Thea the other day.
Lightning Round with Thea Colman
First yarn you ever knit with?
When I was a kid, I was taught on my Grandma Pearl’s 1970s acrylic, most likely in pink. The first yarn I bought to knit with as an adult was a terrible mistake—a lace ribbon yarn, which I worked in garter stitch onto metal straight needles. It’s a wonder I ever picked it up again.
Knitwear designer you’re watching right now?
I think everything Sylvia McFadden touches is gorgeous. (She’s @softsweater on Instagram.)
Most recent TV binge?
Succession, the HBO series about a family-owned media dynasty. It’s about a family of horrible people figuring out what will happen with the family business, and jockeying for power, and I just can’t look away.
Advice you gave your kid that you actually believe?
Words are a good beginning. Follow them up with actions.
First pattern you put up for sale?
Alene’s Wrap. It was my take on a wrap I found at Lord & Taylor that was $150 and acrylic.
(It’s not available on Ravelry.)
Your prettiest design?
Either Fog Cutter.
Your most unusual design?
The most unusual shape I’ve published is the Pike Stout Poncho.
© Karen DeWitz
There was a short period where I thought about designing a pair of knit culottes (is that how you spell it?) but the desire passed. And I’m not sure the market really exists for them.
The design you thought you’d never finish writing up as a pattern?
I knit mine from the top down, but decided to write the pattern bottom up, so the notes I took were useless. And it’s a complicated cabled sweater.
The design you’re most proud of?
Right now, my Water Hat, because it’s making a difference in the world.
All proceeds go to charity. I’ve managed to send over $8,000 to Pack Your Back, which not only provides Flint, Michigan, with water but also provides needy kids there with backpacks and school supplies. In addition to the donations, we are knitting Water Hats for the kids in Flint, and hoping to get 600 hats delivered before the end of November—we have 200 already, and if anyone wants to join in, there’s a thread about this in my BabyCocktails Ravelry group.
What you do when you’re not knitting—you know, your hobby?
I don’t have a single thing I do, but I try to leave the house WITHOUT knitting at least once a week. I’ll hike, or go for a run, or go kayaking if it’s nice out. I’ll go the art museum or hit up a few of my favorite thrift shops, or just bum around the city if the weather’s a little less cooperative. I guess I actually leave the hobby/craft world when I want to take a break!
Most memorable place you’ve had a cocktail?
A friend of mine rented out Hearst Castle for his wedding. There was a ’40s swing band and cocktail hour on the stairs right above the famous Greek statue swimming pool—with a view of the valley in front of us and the mansion behind us, and there were no other people at the castle but the 100 wedding guests. It was incredible, like going back in time.
Favorite cable stitch?
Right now, I’m loving honeycomb. But I’m not using it in anything that’s on my needles . . . I’ve just finished up four pretty heavily cabled designs and my next thing could just be stockinette. But after that, some HONEYCOMB.
Your go-to cocktail when you just ran out of juniper syrup or lingonberry aquavit or whatever?
I’m often making up stuff based on what’s in the fridge and bar, so, my go to “formula” would be:
- Open fridge, see what’s on hand. (Extra points if you can use something that means you finish the bottle and gain back fridge space.)
- Which spirit does it go with? Add 2 ounces of that spirit.
- 1-2 ounces of fresh citrus juice.
- Some bitters.
- Shake with ice.
If that fails, beer or wine are always a good idea.
You began your blog, BabyCocktails, in 2005. (“First Entry!” answers the burning question of why Thea named her blog BabyCocktails.) How has your blog evolved over time?
HA! I actually went back and read a bunch of these to answer this question and spent Saturday night tormenting my girls by sending them some prime photos from those first few years. As you can see, I used the blog a lot in the beginning to just share what I was doing and kind of yell in the void so I wasn’t alone with my kids. Apparently I thought I was pretty funny, too.
Around 2010, it began to morph into a more organized place to talk about knitting and drinks and I used it a place to communicate and grow my business. For a few years, it happily stayed there, but as people stopped reading blogs and the comments really began to dry up, it’s now become less conversational and more focused on my knitting news, as I really tend to go to Instagram for most of my social media now.
Prime Posts from BabyCocktails
All about Stillhouse, the turtleneck Thea is wearing in the photo up top.
Scenes from My Office, aka the room where it happens.
How does Thea pick the names for her drinks and patterns? “Introducing Plum Wine” is a sweet story.
And, planning ahead: a drink for Thanksgiving.
Meet Thea at Rhinebeck!
We are already wound up about Rhinebeck, can’t wait. Come meet Thea Colman at a Field Guide signing.
Where: the mighty Merritt Books booth.
When: Saturday, October 20, 11:00 am.
We’re trying to figure out how to smuggle in a punch bowl of Thea’s Merry Sangria. It may require an alpaca.
I look forward to meeting this knitwear designer at Rhinebeck!
How can you tease us with that gorgeous Alene’s Wrap then tell us it’s not on Ravelry?! WHERE CAN I GET THAT PATTERN, I am starting to obsess and sideeying my stash.
I’m so sorry! it wasn’t really an ORIGINAL design, since I copied something from a store – and since it was one of my first designs, it wasn’t written to the level of what I’d want out there anymore. However, it was a BCBG wrap from Lord & Taylor, I wonder if you can’t find it on E-bay or something?
But it is! Check here: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/alenes-wrap
ERROR: not true. I jumped to happy conclusions when I found a Rav page for Alene’s Wrap. Although it was once available, sadly one cannot buy the pattern anymore.
I found a wrap with a similar concept from Berroco. In looking at the views of it on Ravelry, they styled it by pinning the long front ends in back. It could be a starting point. https://www.berroco.com/patterns/Juliana
Looking forward to seeing you all at Rhinebeck! I will be bringing my field guide (which arrived over the weekend!) for Thea to sign!
Oh what fun at Rhinebeck! I already purchased my Field Guide at my LYS – do you think we can take a group photo instead? My photographer (husband) will be with me and he can take it.
Ah, yes…got lost in Thea World on Ravelry over the weekend. Have narrowed my next project down two 2…or 3
Just popped over to Rav to buy the Water Hat pattern. Such a great idea. I love it that buying the pattern is already a donation to Flint, even before I start the hat! (But do plan to have one on its way by Nov. 30)
Thank you!!
People aren’t reading blogs anymore?? Say it isn’t so! I start every morning with them. Next thing you know they will stop making Keurigs. What’s a happily-ensconced-in-my-routine-septuagenarian to do? (Thea’s White Sangria is one of my favorites. I have the yarn for it. Just need the time.) Chloe
I totally agree! I start my day reading blogs…and really lament the fact that so many blogs have dried up or are inactive. Some of us are just not “commenters”…but we are still out there reading!
Thank you for this wonderful post/interview with Thea Colman. She is one of my favorite knitwear designers, but sadly I did not know that much about her. I fell in love with Stillhouse the moment I saw her wearing it in picture at the top of your post, and now I’ve purchased the pattern.
My question is how in the world can she dream up and knit these beautiful pieces whilst sipping on her signature cocktails??? LOL
Where’s the pattern for the vest she’s wearing in the opening of this post? Beautiful!
A link to the pattern, Stillwater, is in the post, under the header “Prime Posts from BabyCocktails.”
I love EVERYTHING about this post! Cheers to @babycocktails!
Such beautiful cables, Thea! But your design that I knit was Vodka Lemonade, which despite the lack of cables, is very cute. Just shows that you are versatile!
I still read blogs; my trusty blog reader (feedly) keeps serving them up to me. There are a lot fewer, yes, but I love them even more. And I’m still blogging, too. There’s nothing like a good long form blog post to really dig into a topic!
My book arrived today, so great timing with this post. Love that first wrap too (along with many others). Maybe one day I’ll get to Rhinebeck.
I just want to thank Thea for her lovely designs and well written patterns. And for answering a query I sent her via Instagram about an instruction I was being a bit dense about!
Fog Cutter! Made as a vest! In an ancient inherited last-of-bag Spinnerin fisherman natural wool (70’s vintage), looking very similar to the yarn in the photo, but knitting up very bouncy and cushy. I’ve been wondering what to do with this, started something else, but these cables are perfect, not too twisty for this wool. Thanks, Thea.
Is there a way to contact Thea? I have a problem with one of her patterns and am totally stumped…
surely like some tutoring with your Stillhouse Vest. I have taken it apart 4 times. Could use some direction on following this pattern. I live in Alberta, Canada.
I need some tutoring for your Stillhouse Vest pattern. It is difficult to follow. Elaine Selman