This month's featured knitting designer is Lesley Anne Robinson, the creative mind behind KnitGraffiti. Her first book, which is an exploration of the brioche knitting technique for knitters of all skill levels, is due to hit the shelves soon - so we sat down with her for a chat.

EXCLUSIVE EARLY ACCESS!

Lesley and her publisher have very kindly allowed us to share a sneak preview pattern from her book, the Sharp and Graphic Shawl, for our CraftWorld Premium members. Find out more about CraftWorld Premium and how to start your free trial here.

Reprinted with permission from Brioche Knitting for Beginners and Beyond by Lesley Anne Robinson, Page Street Publishing, Co. 2022. Photo credit: Lesley Anne Robinson.

Hi Lesley! What are you up to today?

Hello, CraftWorld! Today I am catching up on some emails and taking it easy while finishing up a new design. We just moved into a new home, so it’s been quite busy over here setting it all up! Working at home is quite amazing, but it can be distracting sometimes too. Like, wow I need to finish up this new design because I am releasing it in a couple weeks…but wait, I need to hang my new draperies!

Can you tell us a little bit about your path to becoming a knitwear designer?

My path to knitwear design was quite slow! I fell in love with all things fiber when I was going to the College for Creative Studies for Interior Design. Getting my hands dirty with dyeing yarn and different types of fiber, weaving on gigantic floor looms, and of course, knitting. After I graduated, knitting became a hobby for me that I dappled with here and there. You know, making things for friends and family, and sometimes myself. I followed patterns, and also made up a lot as I went along. It wasn’t until 2015, when I discovered brioche knitting, that I become obsessed with knitting and design. Brioche knitting was just becoming popular, and I was fascinated by it! The vertical stripes, the twists and turns of the fabric, almost like drawing with knit stitches. It was my fascination with brioche knitting that brought me into the wonderful world of designing knitwear! I had very specific pieces that I wanted for my own wardrobe, and so I started to experiment with the fabric. I am still obsessed with brioche, I hope it never goes away!

Your new book is just beautiful – can you let us know how it came to be?

Thank you so very much!! This book is my dream come true, honestly. It is my first book, and I hope the first of many. A couple of years ago, I began creating my online course, Mastering Brioche with Knit Graffiti. It was my goal to teach the world brioche, to simplify it and make it approachable to any level of knitter. Page Street Publishing approached me about developing and writing a book version of my online course, and Brioche Knitting for Beginners and Beyond was created! It is quite different from my online course, with 16 brand new knitting patterns. But the idea is the same: teaching brioche from the very beginning.

Which of your designs are you proudest of?

My Sizzle Pop shawl, that is my ultimate favorite design. It used a stitch pattern that I developed for my Pop Fizzle hat, and I wanted to incorporate it into a triangle-shaped shawl (there is also a square shape included in the pattern). It took a lot of work, research and development, to really perfect the design. That is one of the best aspects of design work: the sketching, charting everything out to make sure it works, swatching with new yarns and then finally seeing it all come together. Sizzle Pop was the first time that happened for me.

Do you find that knitting affects your mood?

Oh, most definitely. Knitting has gotten me through some tough times, as well as happy times. When I hold my knitting in my hands, whether it’s a new design, or knitting someone else’s pattern, it brings me such comfort. While we were selling our first home and purchasing our new one, knitting a mindless one-color brioche shawl helped to de-stress me at the end of the day. It helped so much, I actually knit 3 samples of the same design, my Honey, I Shrunk the Stash shawl! But I think the most important example of my life (so far) is when my grandmother passed away in 2014. I published my first pattern on Ravelry the night before her memorial service, and I haven’t put my needles down since. Knitting helped me in my grief, and I am so grateful to have this craft in my life.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced with your knitting and how did you overcome it?

Definitely writing a book during a global pandemic. Because it was my first book, there was also a learning curve. I also knit all the samples myself. I had so much help from my editors at Page Street Publishing, but also at home. My husband was a huge support and help, giving me the time I needed to get it all done. I couldn’t have done it without the help and support of my publisher and family.

Do you have any advice for knitters like me who have never quite got the hang of brioche?

Oh, brioche is not for everyone! I like to think that if any knitter tried brioche, they would become obsessed with it like me. The pressure can be real to try new things, and it can also be very rewarding. My new book is meant to be a low-key, low-pressure way to try brioche. With fun new patterns, it makes learning exciting! I truly feel it’s about finding the perfect pattern, the one that you know you can’t live without, to help you want to learn brioche. There are so many wonderful resources out there to help you learn, including my book and online course. I hope you can find something helpful for you!

What’s the best piece of knitting advice you’ve ever received yourself?

When I was getting ready to knit my first sweater (not my own design), I was terrified of short rows. They just sounded so intimidating! Well, I took a Craftsy class on short rows taught by Carol Feller, and one of the things she said in the class was, “It’s just knitting”. That has changed my life. Whenever I feel frustrated learning a new technique or found that I’ve made a mistake in a project, I say these words to myself. It’s just knitting. It’s so easy to rip it out and start over, or rip back and fix that mistake. Maybe not easy if you’re feeling frustrated, I understand that. I often will set my work down for a time out. But I always come back to it later with fresh eyes and can fix my mistake, conquer that technique, and move forward.

We’re becoming a lot more eco-conscious with our crafts. Do you have any thoughts on greener knitting?

Isn’t this so important? I have had this mindset from the very beginning of my knitting career. There are so many ways we can make more conscious decisions about our craft, whether it’s knitting, crochet, sewing or embroidery. The number one thing I think is trying to stay as local as you can by supporting local yarn shops and dyers. I know that isn’t always possible, especially since I don’t even have a local yarn shop here in Corpus Christi, where I live! But there are so many Texas yarn shops that I like to support. Maybe it’s finding the yarn shop that’s closest to you and ordering online if that’s an option. Yarn shops carry so many different types of yarn that you’re bound to find something that works for you and your next project.

What would your perfect day of knitting look like?

Give me some two-color brioche that’s easy to memorize, a strong cup of hot coffee with some peppermint almond creamer, curled up on the sofa with my favorite movie (The Fifth Element, The Empire Strikes Back, Amélie) and snow falling outside. Take away the movie and throw in a good knitting friend to chat with, and it would be absolute perfection!!

Do you have any big knitting plans coming up?

I am currently planning my book tour!! Starting in January 2022, I will be traveling all over the country to different yarn shops for book signings and workshops. Be sure to keep an eye on my website for all the dates and locations. I seriously can’t wait to get out there and share all of the samples of the patterns in my book, and meet lots of people who are excited to learn brioche!

Where can people find out more about you and your work?

My website, knitgraffiti.com - there you can read about me and my work, check out my online course, download all my knitting patterns, head to my Ravelry shop, sign up for my newsletter and read more about my new book, Brioche Knitting for Beginners and Beyond! You can also find tons of links to pre-order my book, which will be published in early 2022.

Credit for all images: Lesley Anne Robinson

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