Michelle!

In my last post, I introduced you all to Lorajean Kelly of Knitted Wit. Today, I want you to meet Michelle Miller, the brains and talent behind Fickle Knitter Designs. Both Michelle and Lorajean will be giving a talk and doing a trunk show at K2Tog on Feb. 22 at 6 p.m. – the night before Stitches West, where both will be making their first appearance. This is your chance to come and hear these young yarn divas talk about their design process and small businesses AND GET FIRST PICK OF THE GOODIES – YARNS AND PATTERNS – THEY ARE TAKING TO STITCHES.

Ellen and I first met Michelle at TNNA last June. We were so impressed with her patterns – gorgeous lacy shawls, scarves and shawlettes made with one skein of luxury yarn. Her patterns are well-written and clearly explained with superb charts and written instructions. I have knit a couple – Jade Sapphire and Flambe – and been super-impressed with their clarity. I like that Michelle’s patterns only seem simple – they are easy to execute but look much more complex than they are. And they are damn pretty, too! And we were also impressed with Michelle – her background in physics gives her patterns a mathematical precision lots of other designers should envy. She has a pattern in Iris Schreier’s new book One + One and will debut a new shawlette pattern made with Knitted Wit yarn at our store on the 22nd. Michelle lives in Southern California.

I asked Michelle a few questions about her work . . . .

Kimberly: What motivated you to start your business? How long ago was that?

Michelle: I started Fickle Knitter Design in 2008 when I was staying at home with my daughter Maya. I was inspired to start my business because I wasn’t getting much adult interaction and chasing after an 18 month old all day wasn’t mentally stimulating. Right before I started my business I read an interview by Meg Swansen saying that if you’ve conquered knitting lace the next frontier is design. I took her on her word and began writing, editing, and selling my patterns for the first time. It was a big personal leap for me but I’m so glad I did it because being a small business owner has really changed my life for the better.

Michelle's creative space

Kimberly: What do you most love about creating the things you eventually sell? What is most satisfying to you and why?

Michelle: I like solving puzzles and designing, knitting, and writing is like solving one large, very complex puzzle! I’ve worked a lot of complicated problem sets over the years as a physicist and while working on unsolved physics problems I’ve found that writing a successful knitting pattern is just as rewarding. I love hearing positive feedback from knitters on my work and love to see what other people are knitting with my patterns.

Kimberly: Tell me about one item you sell that is most special to you, or that you are most proud of.

Michelle's First Book!

Michelle: Leaves, Fickle Knitter Design, Volume 1 is my very first book and I’m so proud of it. My family really came together to allow me the time and resources to complete my first body of work. I particularly enjoyed working with the photographer and graphic designer to make my dream a reality! The book has eight knitting projects all using 395 yards of yarn or less which is perfect for the busy 21st Century knitter. The book features patterns using lace weight, fingering weight, dk weight and aran weight yarns in a variety of styles with most patterns requiring only one skein of yarn. [Kimberly says - we have copies of the book and Michelle's patterns in stock, and she'll be bringing more to the trunk show on Feb 22]

Kimberly: How long have you been knitting? Who taught you, or how did you learn?

Michelle: I’ve been knitting since 2004 and I taught myself in graduate school as a way to cope with a family member fighting terminal cancer. Knitting has brought me such serenity in my life when chaos has tried to take over. Of course at times I feel frustrated, but that’s when it’s time to pull out a simple stockinette piece or hand spin some yarn to knit up. Knitting is my touchstone and my life wouldn’t be the same without it.

Kimberly: Who most inspires you in what you do? Why?

Michelle: I’m inspired by all of the women-owned businesses in the knitting industry. It’s a place for us to work in an area we love. I make a special point to seek out other knitting businesses who are women owned and based in the US or Canada when I can. I love my work and even though it can be difficult at times to be away from my family it refreshes and recharges my life. I’m a better person because of knitting.

Kitty in Fickle Knitter Designs