Meet Lana Jois

Lana is our Knitting Designer of the Month for August 2021. To celebrate this, we're offering two of her amazing lace patterns to CraftWorld Premium members for free - find out more here.

Hi Lana! What are you up to today?
I have to see the dentist today. And I’m swatching for a summer top with a delicious cotton wool blend. I bet you can guess which one I’m excited about!

How did you get started in knit design?
My making career began with sewing, actually. I’ve made my own clothes through my teens and college. Knitting came much later. The portability of knitting made it the perfect hobby (imagine having to carry a sewing machine around). Just a few projects in, I realized I wanted to make my own stuff, clothes I visualized and wanted to wear. Writing patterns and getting published were things that followed naturally. Knit Now was the first magazine to publish my designs. I still remember that first acceptance letter!

What do you do outside of knitting?
I crochet and sew. I’m a doctor by profession, so there’s that. I grow beans and tomatoes in pots in my balcony. (Actually, they grow on their own with no interference from me and I just get to tell everyone I grow them). I try my hand at baking now and then and some things do make it to the dining table. And I love crossword, especially the cryptic variety.

What makes you excited to work on a new design?
Lace! Any project with lace gets me excited. Also trying out new techniques and construction methods. And I love shiny new yarns!

What’s been your proudest moment in knitting?
Untangling 1200 meters of hopelessly tangled lace weight yarn. Seriously, though, my proudest moments are when I see a project made from one of my patterns and the knitter has nice things to say about it! Every single time!

And what’s been the biggest challenge?
Staying focused on one project when ideas and yarn for a new project start to beckon. Deadlines are extremely useful things. They’re the only reason my house isn’t covered with WIPs.

What’s the best piece of knitting advice you’ve ever been given?
This is knitting advice I wish I’d been given....just keep knitting. There’s no right way or wrong way, just your way.

There’s no right way or wrong way, just your way.

Which are your favourite yarns to work with?
As a lace lover, I adore yarns that block and drape well. I also love rustic yarns. Sock yarn from A Little Bit Sheepish and yarns from Triskelion Yarns were an absolute pleasure to work with.

Who are some other designers you think we should follow?
Ashwini Jhambekar and Nadya Stallings. They’re both such marvellous sweater designers.

Any exciting plans in the pipeline you’d like to share with our readers?
Oh, yes, I do have exciting things coming up this year. New designs, new techniques....I hope you’ll stay tuned!

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