Meet the talented designer from Washington State, USA
DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT
Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? “Absolutely! I live in Washington State, in the beautiful US region known as the Pacific Northwest. I started designing knitwear in 2010, after my then online yarn shop customers encouraged me to start publishing my own designs. I have since published 36 patterns, with four more in various stages at the time of this chat, and many more ideas that I can’t wait to get on the needles!”
How would you describe your design style? “Visually, I’d describe my design style as bold yet classic, with an emphasis on texture - especially cables and lace! Anyone browsing my portfolio will find tailored garments and polished accessories sprinkled with lots of small details.
“But the way I design and write my patterns is very much centered on teaching, helping, and empowering other knitters. It’s my goal for every pattern that the knitter walks away not only with a beautiful, well-fitting finished item that they can be incredibly proud of, but also with increased confidence in themselves, and knowledge or skills that can be transferred to any other patterns. To that end, I do everything I can to make my patterns accessible to as many knitters as possible. It is also very important to me that my sweater and cardigan patterns are size-inclusive, and I take great care in grading them to fit all bodies properly.”
Where do you find design inspiration? “I find inspiration everywhere, even in very unexpected places, so I’ve built quite the collection of photos, notes, and sketches! I never try to force an idea, though, and I treat this collection as more of a repository that I can tap into whenever I’d like to get my creativity flowing.
“When I want to play or think outside the box, I may look to TV shows or movies for ideas. For example, my ‘Farpoint’ shawl was inspired by Star Trek: The Next Generation and, apart from featuring lots of texture, it is unlike anything else I’ve ever designed.
