curious about Outlander knitwear designers…

[pamelamama]

Dear Terry and Friends,
Hello! My first post here. 🙂

I am so curious about the knitwear designers whose work is featured on the show. How are they feeeling about the wave of inspiration they have created? There are hundreds of knitters and crafters seeking to recreate their designs for personal use and for profit. Are the designers thrilled or miffed? Do they feel respected or ignored or something in between? Terry, would you consider writing an article about this for your blog? I think it would be a fascinating read, and you have the insider connections in place to ask the right people the right questions…

Thanks!

Topic

[Terry Dresbach]

Hi Pamela, I saw your post over on Ravelry about this.
I have no idea how any of the craftspeople feel about the knit pieces on the show. I only know the name of one person I bought from. It is common practice for Costume Designers to purchase items of clothing. They walk into Barney’s or Saks Fifth Avenue, buy clothing that works for the characters on the show and never have a conversation with Ralph Lauren or Stella McCartney about it. So when we BUY goods, we don’t discuss it with those we are buying from.
Now if designers GIVE you clothing, then that is product placement, and they benefit just by having the actors seen in it, in this celebrity obsessed culture that is a plus.
If you hire someone to make things for you, then there are contracts that have to be drawn up.

Not really interested in writing anything more about knitwear. It is a topic that has been covered and covered. I am currently working on Season 2, much of which takes place in the French Court and Parisian Society. Not much need for knitwear there. Very different place than Scotland.

What is your interest in this, if I may?

[pamelamama]

Thank you so much for the reply Terry. I know next to nothing about the costume design industry and find it fascinating. I’ve dabbled in knitwear design and have been an Outlander fan lo these many years.

I guess my interest comes from a romantic curiosity about the designers. I’m imagining them in their homes watching the show and feeling amazed to be included. And I’m imagining how I would feel in their shoes with legions of fans clamoring to recreate their work. If it were me, I’d be so excited to be part of the conversation. I think it can be easy for the general public to forget that there is a creative human who put her (?) hands and imagination into creating this stuff. Who is she!? Or maybe I’m wrong to think it is a single person?

Thank you for bringing the beautiful Outlander world to life with your vision, and thanks for taking time to respond. I think there must be someone out there with an interest in writing the story of the unknown knitters behind the scenes – if that story does exist. I bet I’m not the only knitter who would be compelled to read it!

[Terry Dresbach]

No Pamela, there is not one knitter, there are many. We did hire one amazing knitter who did do knit some of the costume pieces, but she knew about the show, and we had frequent consultations.
This business is a lot of things but I am not sure it is romantic.

The great thing though, is that none of us, the crew who works on the show, nor the general public forget about all the creative individuals who have helped weave the fabric of Outlander. We have talked a lot about trying to include the local craftspeople, in interviews and with fans directly.
I think everyone thanks THAT part is pretty romantic.

Remembering back about a zillion years ago, and I was doing handpainted leather clothing, long before I got into the business. I sold a few things to a couple of shops, and one day I was in a movie theater and one of my pieces walked across the screen on a BIG name actress. I came unglued, I was so excited!

[pamelamama]

Since the rise of Ravelry, knitters and designers can have conversations like never before — for better or for worse! I wonder if the knitters/designers who were featured on the show think about jumping into the fray or if they are staying away on purpose? As so many knitting fangirls (fanwomen? fanknitters?) work to reverse engineer the patterns, I would have loved to hear the voices of the original knitters chiming in. Ralph Lauren or even Debbie Bliss might not jump into the conversations, but with the “small world” that knitwear design has become, it seems possible that some of the designers might have joined in.
The story of you seeing your work on the big screen captures the exact moment I was wondering about. It’s fun to imagine these designers being thrilled by their impact on hordes of enthusiastic fan knitters. I wonder how close my imagination comes to reality… I am completely delighted to be able to have this conversation with you! Thanks again for creating this forum.

[Terry Dresbach]

I am completely new to this knitting world. We work for giant corporations and they won’t approach a small craftsperson any differently than a huge designer. It is all legalities and contracts.

I am not even sure how many of the people we bought from even know about the show. Maybe they will at some point!

Welcome aboard!

[pamelamama]

Thanks for the kind welcome!

[inneryarnzen]

[quote quote=2443]Hi Pamela, I saw your post over on Ravelry about this.
I have no idea how any of the craftspeople feel about the knit pieces on the show. I only know the name of one person I bought from.
I am pretty impressed you have been reading ravelry! Terry is everywhere!

[/quote]

• This reply was modified 7 years, 7 months ago by inneryarnzen.

[inneryarnzen]

as we discuss knitting, my mind jumps to your hobby Terry? you draw like a mad woman, but do you have something you do? paint, sew, etc that guilty pleasure you partake in that lets the dishes set in the sink and dust bunnys run rampit

[Author]

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