Today, I’m really happy to share an interview with Aimee Alexander, a knitting designer, publisher, and local yarn shop owner. Like me, Aimee is also participating in the Indie Design Gift-a-Long. You can find Aimee online on Ravelry (as getknitty, through the
Polka Dot Sheep Publications and the Knit ‘n Needle Yarn Shoppe groups, and through the Aimee Alexander designer page and the Polka Dot Sheep Publications patterns page), on Facebook, her blog, and the shop’s website.
Underground Crafter (UC): How did you first learn to knit?
Aimee: I became interested in knitting at a young age when watching my mother knit. I’d help her ball yarn and learned soon after. She taught me the basics, but then dropped me off at our LYS and the owners there shared what they knew.
UC: What inspired you to start designing?
Aimee: I own an lys and started designing when I couldn’t find patterns for things my customers were interested in knitting. This, of course, was long before the Ravelry In-Store sales program. We don’t have that problem anymore, but I found I really enjoyed designing and I continue to do so.
I also edit and publish other peoples patterns. No long ago, I created Polka Dot Sheep Publications to encompass the addition of designers. Ravelry members can read more about it here.
UC: Most of your patterns are for children’s items (and hats!). What do you enjoy about designing these types of projects?
Aimee: I have three small kids, ages 6, 5, and 3…
UC: Several of your patterns are published through the Knit n Needle yarn shop. Tell us how that collaboration began.
Aimee: I own Knit ‘n Needle Yarn Shoppe/PolkaDotSheep.com in Whitefish, MT. It’s a brick and mortar LYS. We just celebrated our 10th anniversary.
UC: What’s your favorite knitting book in your collection?
Aimee: Just one?
UC: Tell me about a designer you discovered through participation in the Indie Design Gift-A-Long. What attracted you that designer’s work?
Aimee: I really admire Jean Clement of Desert Rose Designs. I’ve had the splendid opportunity to moderate a Gift-a-Long thread with her and have appreciated getting to know her more. Her patterns appeal to our customer base, too. We’ve had some success with her Treyi Vest without having knit a shoppe model.
Thanks so much for stopping by for an interview, Aimee!
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