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We're starting off the new year with a new Maker Spotlight, this one shining on Susanne Sommer of SOSUknits! Susanne's use of color and texture make her knitwear garments and accessories absolute showstoppers. Ginny Bandana Cowl Q. Your knitwear designs are full of gorgeous textures and colors, and some have unusual construction methods. Where do you draw your inspiration from when you're working on a new design? What aspects of the design (color, texture, construction, something else?) do you start with first?) I’m a maker. I love the act of creating something, of dreaming it up and making it a reality. And I think my inspiration comes from the act of making itself. The inspiration comes either from a yarn I want to make something with, a particular project I want to make, or a fun or unusual way of making something. So, each project or design has a different starting point and inspiration. I used to just cast on and see where the journey took me, but I’ve learned to sketch, swatch, and plan a project. But sometimes, I still just let inspiration take me where it may. And luckily, yarn is incredibly forgiving when the first (or second or third) try does not quite work out. What this looks like is that I sometimes start with the yarn, either because I just fell in love with it or because it’s a collaboration with a dyer. I’ll then play around with it, which sounds more fun than swatching, but really, I just swatch until I find the perfect fit for the yarn, and it tells me what it wants to be. Or I have an idea for a fun construction, want to use a technique or stitch pattern, or there is a cardigan-sized hole in my wardrobe that needs to be filled. In that case, I either have a yarn in mind that could work, or I get to hunt and gather the perfect match for my idea. So, my inspiration comes from the yarn itself and the act of knitting. I usually have the best ideas for a new design while knitting on something else. Cloudwatching Q. If you could plan your dream project, from collecting the fiber (plant or animal) to finished object, what do you think the process might look like? The sky's the limit!  I love combining my love for knitting and yarn with traveling, so my dream project starts with a trip. Yarn is the best souvenir, and while I love visiting yarn stores wherever I go, I would love to be involved in creating this dream yarn somehow. Maybe I get to visit the farm where the sheep roam free and then dye the yarn, preferably in the relaxed company of lovely people from far and wide who get together for a few days to play around with yarn and colors and enjoy each other’s company. Inspiration would strike, and I’d know exactly what I’d knit with this magical yarn, and without much fuss, I would get gauge, and all the maths would fall into place. My magical dream cardigan (you can never have enough cardigans!) would be such a joy to knit that it would be done in just a few days without my hands hurting from the strain. There would be no ends to weave in, and it would block in minutes and fit like a dream, even years later. And I would find the perfect buttons in the treasure chest I inherited from my gran. Baseline Cardigan Q. What is your favourite of all your designs and why? Is there one that holds special meaning for you? My favorite usually is the one I’m working on right now or the one I’m dreaming up. There’s a memory attached to each design, either because it’s a collaboration with lovely people, I got the yarn on a trip, or the design is connected to a time, event, or people.The Baseline Cardigan immediately comes to mind. I love a good wardrobe staple, and this design is incredibly versatile. It’s knit sideways in Garter stitch and comes with mix-and-match sizing options, different necklines, and, of course, pockets. I’m always contemplating another version. Baseline Cardigan The Shusui Shrug is one of my most popular patterns, and seeing so many happy knitters in their versions is magical. I even made a new version of the original design because it’s such a fun concept and shape (the new one is called Base Camp Shrug). This was one of my first Brioche designs, and I’m still absolutely obsessed! Shusui Shrug My last two MKAL designs, Brioche + Mystery and Brioche Mode, certainly make the favorites list not just for the design but because mystery designs are such a fun experience for knitters and designers. Brioche + Mystery My advent calendar designs (Earth, Wind & Fire, Travel Mode, and Good Things, the latest one) for German dyers Frida Fuchs hold a special place in my heart. They are designed to be knit as an MKAL, which creates complexities and restrictions that I have to work within, which makes me stretch to create a cohesive, fun, and colorful design. Each one is a bigger challenge, making me love them even more. Travel Mode The Gridlines sweaters (the original and the bulky version called Winter Grid) are among my favorites and most worn sweaters. I love all things grid, gingham, plaid, and check, and the modular construction and sizing make it such a versatile design. Gridlines  This brings me to one of my latest designs, the Ginny cardigan, which combines my love for this geometric pattern, colors, and Brioche. I’m currently working (again) on a project I started many years ago, a knit dress. It’s taken me forever to get it just right (for lots of different bodies, not just mine), and now I need to finish my sample and get the pattern ready to share. It’s a call-back to some of my first garment designs, but for me, it really shows how much I’ve grown and learned in the past ten years. And, of course, it has pockets! (Pockets!) We're so grateful to Susanne for sharing her creative process, inspirations, and passion for knitwear design with us. Whether you're drawn to her versatile cardigans, intricate brioche patterns, or bold modular designs, there’s something in her collection for every knitter. Be sure to follow SOSUknits on Instagram and Ravelry for more inspiration, and don’t forget to check out her latest patterns to add a touch of creativity to your next project! Love,

Silbia Ro is the color curator, dyer, and hand-spinner behind Camellia Fiber Company, and we're delighted to feature her beautiful work in December 2024's Maker Spotlight.

We are so excited to feature Ana-Maria of Crochet Highway for November 2024's Maker Spotlight! Ana-Maria's eye-catching designs are a gorgeous blend of color, texture, and style, turning crocheted garments into magic.

We are so excited to feature Pacific Knit Co. by the fantastic Jamie Lomax for March 2024's Maker Spotlight! Known for her cute colorwork motifs, interchangeable designs, and all the customization your heart could desire, Jamie has a special place in our Insta feeds.

Known for her cozy designs, stunning colorwork, and equally stunning backdrops, Weichen Chan, of The Petite Knitter, has a special place in our hearts.

Have you heard of Lavanya Patricella? She's the designer of gorgeous knitwear that challenges you to step out of your comfort zone and into the daring and fabulous world of colorful brioche. 

Today we get to introduce you to Megan Gonzalez of Nurture Knitwear, who is not only to an awesome knitwear designer, but also the newest member of our team here at Thread & Maple. She's known for her relaxing-to-knit but stunning-to-wear designs--one of which we get to share with you today! (Click to learn how to grab a free pattern!) So check out what Megan has to say about how knitting can empower women in tough situations, her #1 tip for learning something new, and exactly how crazy she was last year (hint: it involves a lot of sweaters). 

Known for his phenomenal photos, hilarious reels, and poignant posts, Christopher Lewis of Flannel & Purls has a special place in our hearts. We're thrilled to share his fabulous advice on style, knitting newbies, and what would happen if you threatened his stash with a flamethrower.

The December T&M Maker Spotlight is on the talented crochet designer behind Visuvios Crafts. We met Vincent at Rhinebeck and were instantly drawn in by his warmth and friendly nature. His crafting style is so unique, using rich vibrant colourways and incorporating inspiration from nature, African beadwork, music and emotion. He is a truly inspiring maker and we are really excited to share his story with you this month! We are fortunate and honoured to have connected with Vincent who has kindly shared some insightful Q&A's with the community. Q1: Where do you draw your inspiration when working on a new design?    I love to source my inspiration from everything around me. Of course, I love finding visual inspiration from shapes, colors, and forms in nature. However, I really love drawing inspiration from a sound, scent, or feeling. To translate those intangible items into a physical storybook, aka knitted/crochet design, is one of my favorite parts of what we do.Q2: What resources would you recommend for someone wanting to learn to knit or crochet? What are your favourite podcasts/blogs/books to learn new techniques?    If you enjoy learning through video format, I recorded an almost 90 minute Knitting 101 course with Skillshare and my friend Toni Lipsey recorded a wonderful Crochet Essentials course. Both of those full comprehensive classes will get you on your feet and stitching with confidence at whatever pace you'd like to work at, ie. don't be afraid to hit that pause and rewind button over and over again.     As a knitter, I've really enjoyed learning new skills from Staci of VeryPinkKnits on Youtube and Toni of TLYarnCrafts' Youtube channel has a ton of tutorials, vlogs, and honest product reviews. As for books, I have always shouted from the mountaintops that Modern Crochet by Teresa Carter (designer behind DeBrosse) is the crocheter's holy grail. Q3: What has been your hands down favourite project recently and why?    I have loved, loved, loved working on my Undulate Shawl because it has the best of both worlds; a mindless knitting section, but also a section that lets any colorway shine on the fabric. The shawl has been designed with dk weight yarn from LolaBeanYarn Co. and the colorway feels like all of your favorite things about autumn.   ------------------------- Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us, Vincent! We're so excited on our upcoming collaboration with you! Vincent is helping us design a crochet page for our Needle Binder! If you crochet, please take a minute to leave us your feedback here, we'll be incorporating suggestions from all our crochet enthusiasts!Stay tuned for next month’s edition of Maker Spotlight!

The July T&M Maker Spotlight is on Karina Moore, creator of @louielolayarns in Tasmania. Karina brought Thread & Maple to knitters of Australia and we've developed a long-distance, yet close friendship since :)  Karina not only runs her own LYS, she also dyes an exquisite palette of complimentary tonal and variegated colourways on a range of gorgeous bases, including our fave Merino Silk Yak Fingering which we couldn't resist carrying in our own shop. She's recently had her first release of hand dyed spinning fibre as she continues on her fibre craft journey, learning to spin, weave and crochet. Karina is a true inspiration for us, as she is a talented creative spirit, skilled businesswoman and local community icon. L&L have been selected as Australia Post's Local Business Hero for 2022! Together with Tracie Millar, we have collaborated on two breast cancer fundraisers, which has been a true highlight for all of us. Karina brought together the Australian fibre arts community to raise over $20,000 for breast cancer research! We are fortunate and honoured to have connected with Karina has kindly shared some insightful Q&A's with the community. Q1: What advice would you give to someone starting to learn the dyeing process?Most definitely it would be to take detailed recipe notes for your colourways.  Whilst there's certainly creative value in dyeing just for fun and and by feel (and these can always be one-of-a-kind skeins) - it's often those OOAK colourways that you love the most and want to repeat, but without detailed notes they can be a challenge to replicate.  I think it's also about getting to know your dye pigments intimately.  One of the best pieces of advice I received from Hannah of Circus Tonic Handmade who taught me how to dye, was to stick with one dye brand and get to know how the strength and properties of each dye.  Every pigment will have it's own concentration and special properties.   Some will be more granular and others more powder like.  Some will be more concentrated and others easy to 'break', whilst others not so much.  It's about getting to know how each of your pigments will behave and which ones will be better for certain dyeing techniques such as speckling.  Developing an intimate understanding of your dye pigments will help in developing new colourways and achieving the results you are after.  I think it's about having fun and developing your own dyeing style & colour palette.  Dyeing what you love and what you are proud of is also important - you can't be everything to everyone, so getting to understand your own style is important and will bring you more creative fulfillment. Also appreciating that it's a creative journey, that there will be mistakes and that you'll evolve and change over time.  I look back now at some of my earlier colourways and ask myself 'what was I thinking' - but we all start somewhere and it's only through learning and spending time on developing our craft that we can later step back and appreciate the evolution in your own work and dyeing style.Q2: What do you find most rewarding about running your own business?I would say a couple of things.Firstly, it would be having the freedom to set my own creative direction and establish business processes that work best for myself and my customers - such as having fortnightly shop updates where I focus on dyeing up a complementary palette on one main yarn base, alternated with yarn club dyeing and dyed to orders.The other would be developing friendships and gettting to know customers, suppliers and others in the fibre community.  Given how passionate we all are about our crafting and the fact that we're located all over the world and what we've been through over the pandemic - having the opportunity to make online connections in the fibre arts interaction is more importrant now than ever.  Despite living and working from home in North West Tasmania, it's great to feel more connected than ever with our community and hearing that our yarns have brought enjoyment to people's projects and crafting is definitely the best part of being an indie dyer for me.Q3: What has been the biggest challenge for you and how have you tackled it?Trying (and failing) to teach my partner how to skein yarn, LOL!  Let's just say we gave up on that idea after a few weeks!Actually it was probably convincing him to let me take the plunge of quitting my full time job - to being self-employed and focusing 100% on Louie & Lola Yarns, but we got there in the end!It has also been learning to balance the demands of a small business with also setting aside 'off' time for myself.  When you work from home it can be all too easy to let your business take over your entire life, as there's something to be done - your to-do list is always there.I guess particularly in the early years when trying to build the business and get into a routine, my biggest challenge was learning to manage my time effectively - whilst also ensuring I set aside 'creative play time' in the dye pots and also time for my own personal crafting projects. ------------------------- Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us, Karina! We’re so happy to have had the opportunity to get to know you and work with you, you’re a true inspiration!Stay tuned for next month’s edition of Maker Spotlight! Meanwhile, check the L&L blog for our Q&A in reverse with Karina, where she turned the spotlight back onto us!

One of the most rewarding things that we've been lucky enough to experience in our journey as Thread & Maple, is connecting with so many talented makers in the fiber arts community. There is nothing like seeing our creations play a supporting role in all the beautiful needlecraft projects in the hands of knitwear designers, indie dyers, test knitters, teachers and fiber enthusiasts all over the world. We feel deeply grateful for the opportunity to be part of your creative process, your commitment to self-care, your artistic expression. While perusing all the beautiful photos that you've all shared using our items while creating, we had this concept of a "Maker Spotlight". The idea is to connect with a maker who really inspires us and share their story with the community. The first person who came to mind is CeCe @stitch.witch.craft, who has taken our Needle Binder along on her crafting journey in the recent debut of her video series "Letters". This is a small excerpt of her absolutely stunning videography and storytelling.   View this post on Instagram A post shared by Thread and Maple (@threadandmaple)     She has mastered the art of communicating the calm, connection and appreciation that stems from the creative process. Take a look for yourself on her YouTube channel Stitch Witch Craft We will be featuring CeCe’s selected works throughout the month of June, along with a Q&A where she will share her story. During the month of June, we will be sharing CeCe’s answers to some questions on her creative process to provide some advice and inspiration for fellow makers in the fiber arts community :)Q1: What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone starting out on a new project or creative endeavour?“Focus on what you need and on how you want the creative process to feel.I often have a specific creative mood I want to dig into (ex. romantic, bold, comforting) and I use that feeling to guide what I cast on. For example, what does a project that feels “romantic” look like? What kind of drape does the fabric have and what kind of yarn do I need to achieve it? Am I looking for the project to feel challenging and engaging as I work through it or do I need something slow and meditative? Asking “how do I want it to feel” when I wear a piece and as I make it helps align my creative drive with the project I am working on. It prevents me from feeling as if I am forcing a WIP that isn’t working for me. Be inspired by our broader knitting community but don’t knit something just because it’s new or trendy - knit what you need. “ Q2: What tools are indispensable for you in the art of making?“To be indispensable (for me) means that a tool minimizes barriers to my creative process. My big three tools are my needles, needle binder, and my yarn swift/winder. Together they decenter feelings like frustration or overwhelm and free up space for joy. I knew I needed an upgrade when I realized that most of the knitting frustration I experienced was me fighting my needles - poor quality cords and unreliable connectors took so much joy from the process. I found a set that worked for me and I’ve never looked back. My needle binder is part of why I’ve been able to do that - great needles don’t help much when you can’t keep track of them. My binder keeps everything organized and it is versatile enough that I can pull a page out to take my craft with me wherever I go. I love the confidence it gives me.Finally, someone once told me I should buy back time where I could afford to and that advice has been pivotal throughout my life. Having a swift and winder helps to protect my limited crafting time. I want to invest my energy in what fulfills me most. Between these three I worry less about “do I have enough time,” “where is that cord I need,” “is my needle disconnecting again” and more about “is this project fulfilling?” Crafting isn’t meant to be easy or perfect but I want my challenges to come from tackling a new technique or design - not my tools.  “ Q3: Where do you get your inspiration? Do you have a favourite trick or hack when brainstorming or ideating your next creative project?“Nature, always. I love how it is such a contradiction - delicate and strong, subtle and flashy, nurturing and challenging. I want to be as surrounded by nature as I can be and that’s where a lot of my creative drive comes from. I’ll watch the sunrise through the trees and think “it’d be so awesome to be wrapped up in this color” or see a fern and then end up at home looking up at lace patterns trying to find one that captures that look. I love the idea that even when I’m stuck indoors I can carry that connection to nature with me. But I am also trying to learn to respect the process. My biggest “trick” may seem a bit counterintuitive - but respect the ebbs and flows. With creativity or inspiration to craft - it’s natural that there be lulls at times. The worst thing I’ve found is applying pressure or guilt when you feel like you’re in a rut. We’re not meant to be endless sources of production or art. Let go. Rest periods are normal - and feeling like you’re in a rut is a signal that right now your job isn’t to produce art but to maybe…rest? That inspiration and creativity will come back, I promise. So respect the ebbs and flows.  “We are deeply touched and thankful for CeCe and all of you who have invited us into your home, your creative nook, your comfort space. ❤️ Thank you and stay tuned for next month's edition of Maker Spotlight!