Our next designer is Katherine Poole-Fournier. She’s been a knitwear and crochet designer for just over a year at Yarnspirations. Don’t let her short time at Yarnspirations fool you; Katherine used to work at a boutique yarn store and has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to yarn and both knitting and crochet. She is also a great teacher, you can often find her working on her own knit and crochet projects during her lunch break and is always ready to offer up insightful information on what she is working on, from the skills and techniques involved or the yarn she’s using. She does a great job of helping beginners understand both crafts. Katherine has also completed her graduate research in politics and aesthetics. We’re guessing that the knitting and crocheting definitely helped de-stress while being a graduate student! Other than knitting and crocheting Katherine also likes to sew and quilt. She is a crafter at heart! On days when she’s not crafting you can find her at the dog park with her adorable pup, Scylla, who has made a few appearances in our pet pattern photography. Most notably, Scylla modeled Katherine’s favorite and original crochet pattern, the Crochet Burger Pet Bed. Another of Katherine’s favorite designs which she created is the Pastoral Lace Knit Shawl. You can check out the inspiration behind this knit pattern in our blog post here. Learn more about Katherine below and check out her advice for anyone new to yarn crafts. More of Katherine's Knit & Crochet Patterns #1. What types of yarn crafts do you participate in? Which one is your main go to craft? I knit and crochet; knitting has historically been my default craft, as it’s what I learned first! #2. Where do you find inspiration for your projects? I draw a lot of inspiration from other crafters; seeing great designs and clever techniques encourages me to push myself harder during the design process. #3. What was your introduction to yarn? Both of my grandmothers worked with yarn (one was knitter, and the other was a crocheter) and my mother is a knitter. Yarn has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember! #4. What benefits do you find in being a yarn crafter? Other than being a great creative outlet, I find that the yarn arts are also great for managing stress and anxiety; knitting is probably as close to meditation as I’ll ever get. #5. What advice would you give to someone looking to take up a yarn craft? Don’t be afraid of learning new techniques--or, to be more truthful, don’t be deterred when you make mistakes while learning new techniques. It took me a great number of spectacular failures to become a confident knitter! Stay tuned for next week's designer spotlight! You can follow us on Facebook or Instagram and updates on our latest Meet The Designer series.
