My life in stitches
Knitter, designer and blogger, Julie Crawford, and cats. creative life, family tells us all about her
Step into Julie Crawford’s knitting world.
Your home life I live in Toronto, Canada with my husband, our two kids (Lila is 5 and James is a year and a half), and our two cats, Gatsby and Yarn. We have a teensy townhouse which is perpetually a mess! Dream knitting day With many mugfuls of tea, coffee and hot chocolate all day long, and a project that is going so perfectly I don’t have to rip back even once. Best knitting companion ! Netflix Happiest knitting memory Impossible to pick just one, but I would say each friend I’ve met through knitting is a wonderful Non-negotiable not Favourite driving, knitting pattern I need time memory. to So be hard for knitting. knitting to choose! Long Of car my journeys. own, Solaria If I’m is my Knitting favourite. inspirations Of others, Ravelry! Golden I’m Hour endlessly by Suvi dazzled Simola. by the limitless creativity of other knitters and the amazing projects and modifications i find there. Knitting mantra Perfection is the enemy of joy. Prized possession I have a felt needlebook that my aunt made in Brownies when she was a little girl. I still use it. No one knows that… I secretly enjoy doing laundry. Guilty knitting secret i think creative wet blocking can fix a world of problems wi a finished knit. First knitting project It was a white and purple striped garter stitch scarf that I made when I was about seven years old. I wore it for ages. Top newbie tip Start with a garter stitch cowl in a yarn that you absolutely love to touch. There’s no point knitting something if you aren’t going to wear it. Knitting hero So many! Fiona Alice, Michelle Wang, Tanis Lavallee… I love designers who create wearable garments. On your needles I’m knitting an incredible cable sweater in baby alpaca for the fall… I can’t wait to wear it. Where do you keep your stash? I had some storage custom built into a dead space under the stairs, and it’s bursting. I also have some stashed in my bedroom, in drawers, and there’s even some in the boot of my car. Favourite book The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Chapter 4 – the party scene – is the best written party scene in the entirety of English literature.
The best thing about knitting is… It can be anything you need it to be. relaxing and zen a muscle memory moving stitches along or it can be as complex as a chess game. with crazy new stitches and loads going on at the same time.
Your finest knitting hour? When the kids actually want to wear something I’ve knitted it feels like a total win!