Meet Daniel!

We have recently had some staff changes here at the Knit Picks office. It took a few months to find just the right person, but we are happy to introduce. . .me!

daniel_kp_profile-copy

I’m Daniel, and I am the new Administrative Assistant for Knit Picks. I’ll be around to do the fiddly, little things that no one else has the time (or inclination) for. In addition, I am the new Coordinator for our Independent Designer Partnership Program, so if you are one of our Independent Designers (or would like to be!) you’ll be working with me.

Knitting

I’ve been a knitter since I was 16, but off and on over the years. Only in the last few years have I found a regular knitting group and really started challenging myself and growing my skills. So, I’ve yet to make socks, and I’m currently working on my first ever sweater (in Knit Picks’ City Tweed).

Knitpicks.com City Tweed DK, Enchanted colorway. Pattern is Little Wave, by Gudrun Johnston.

Mostly I like lace, which came as a surprise. But colorwork drives me crazy, and simple stitch patterns don’t keep my attention (which results in many mistakes). Lace is a challenge and takes a certain level of engagement at all times. And it’s so pretty!

A modification of a pattern by Herbert Niebling. Sorry, not a Knitpicks yarn.

Not Knitting

A lot of my spare time not spent knitting goes to reading or cooking and baking. I probably follow more food blogs than I do knitting ones. (New knitting projects only come up every few weeks, if not months (I can be kind of slow. . .), but I need to make food every day!) I love to bake from scratch and knead dough by hand. A lot of my professional background is in bookselling, and I probably read at least a book a week. It would solve a lot of problems in my life if I could read and knit at the same time! I have managed it, but it was a very basic brioche stitch and a book that I was mostly skimming just to get through, so I’m not sure it really counts.

I’ve dabbled in different crafts: spinning, sewing, leatherworking, woodworking, papermaking, beading, welding and metalwork, gluing random things together (that’s a craft, right?). Whenever I see something neat, I have this unfortunate habit of thinking to myself, I could make that, and then actually trying to (with varying levels of success). Eventually, I would really love to learn to bind books by hand. One of my crafty pipedreams is handmaking bespoke books (the main other one being a fiber farm).

I’m very excited to be working at Knit Picks, though a bit surprised at how mellow everyone is. Not that it’s a bad thing! There’s plenty of enthusiasm and excitement in the office, it’s just a strange experience for me not to be the most introverted person around. Now it seems obvious that everyone would be so laidback and warm and welcoming, because yarn people are obviously the best people.


23 comments

  1. Molly / November 11, 2016

    Congratulations! I understand what you said about colorwork and lace… 🙂
    Can you tell us what pattern that lace circular shawl is?

  2. Barbara / November 9, 2016

    Welcome, Daniel! Your knitting is beyond amazing, simply beautiful! You’ll be quite an inspiration!

  3. Jane in FL / November 9, 2016

    Welcome! That was a great introduction and it is always so nice to meet those I interact with on the internet so often. My sister kept raving about audio books and how much quilting and knitting she could get done while still keeping to her stack of books to read. She kept saying she was sure I would love them but I listened to one, didn’t care for it and never tried again. Then I got a job that had a lengthy driving commute and loaded up on a variety of audios from the library. And fell in LOVE! So give audio books another try. Some books I can’t imagine reading, such as when the author reads them. They put the emphasis on everything as they meant it to be. I belong to an audio book club where I get 2 books per month and it’s wonderful. I have been knitting almost every day since the late 60’s and is my first love of the needle arts although I also enjoy spinning, rug hooking, quilting, any type of needlework and basket making. I love it all. I hope you have a wonderful experience with Knit Picks! Try audio books again please! I can remember sitting in my car once I reached my office, listening to the end of a chapter and not wanting to go in to work!

  4. Kathy Withers / November 9, 2016

    So excited for you. Tonia showed me the lace piece you did. I was seriously impressed, since lace drives me nuts. I am Kyle’s mom, to give you a reference.

  5. Tanya / November 8, 2016

    Congratulations to you. I wish I could find group here. I can knit but there so much more I would love to learn the cable knitting socks to name a few. Enjoy what your doing.

  6. Jolene / November 8, 2016

    Danielllllllll!! They are so lucky to have you!! Love you.

  7. Yvonne / November 8, 2016

    Yay…….!! A man in the house! I love that so many males are knitting, crocheting, etc. It’s good to have your ‘energies’ swirling around ours. Welcome, Welcome, Welcome!!

  8. Sue / November 8, 2016

    LOVE Redwall Series! Also I listen to audio books all the time do that I can knit and “read” at the same time ????

  9. Amanda / November 8, 2016

    Yay! Welcome! What a wonderful post!

    My husband is currently finishing up his PhD in History (and correcting essays where students had to write about witches in Early Modern Europe) so the book you mentioned above that you’re reading right now sounds intriguing!

    Also, just curious if you’ve ever tried weaving? I started knitting when I was 8, but last year tried my hand at sewing and quilting (I LOVE quilting right now), and one day I would love to try weaving. I’ve also dabbled in some wordworking.

    Thanks for sharing! 🙂

    • Daniel K. / November 8, 2016

      I find weaving intriguing, but have not tried it. And I learned from my dabbling that you have to draw lines somewhere. When you try to do all of the things, you can end up actually doing none of them (and when you do, not necessarily very well. . .). For now, the space and time investment for weaving has deterred me.

  10. Laurie / November 8, 2016

    I too have tried to read and knit with little success. Books just don’t stay open. Propping up an IPad or Kindle works ok. Have you tried audio books?

    • Daniel K. / November 8, 2016

      I have always found audio books a very different experience than reading, and not one I generally prefer. Maybe for some things, if I knew of more quality narrators?

  11. Lise V. / November 8, 2016

    What a pleasure to read this!!! Welcome!!!!

  12. Helen / November 8, 2016

    Welcome! I love Knit Picks and find their yarn to be both lovely and affordable. Welcome to the team 🙂
    PS I have the same “I-can-do-that” disease!

  13. Charlotte / November 8, 2016

    Socks are actually very, very easy. I believed all the hype on how difficult they were until I actually made my first pair. My first knitting project a few years ago was Knit Picks’s Sheldon, the turtle & done on toothpicks, since I wasn’t sure I wanted to really knit. Compared to trying to understand the applied i-cord section without looking up additional information, the first pair of socks were a breeze. 🙂

    • Daniel K. / November 8, 2016

      I don’t expect too much trouble when I get around to them. Partly it’s apathy, I just haven’t been too interested; partly it’s obstinance, since everyone is always trying to get me to make some. I’ll get there eventually. 😛

  14. Mary-Jo / November 8, 2016

    Hi Daniel…my dad taught me to knit in 1961..he and his brothers learned it as kids from their mom in the very early 1920’s. What got you started knitting?

    • Daniel K. / November 8, 2016

      The short version is that I wanted a scarf and couldn’t find one that I liked (not a lot of Winter accessories selection in Phoenix, AZ). I asked my mom to teach me on Christmas Day.

  15. Sue / November 8, 2016

    What’s going on with those sleeves in the picture? Knitting two at once on circular needles? Can’t get my head around that…

    • Daniel K. / November 8, 2016

      Two-at-a-time Magic Loop. It can be a hassle to set up, but saves you from second (sleeve/sock/glove) syndrome.

  16. jenny / November 7, 2016

    what are you reading?! and welcome!

    • Daniel K. / November 8, 2016

      Right now, I’m rereading Brian Jacques’ Redwall series, Peter Beagle’s new book “Summerlong”, and a history book about male witches in early modern Europe.

  17. Wendelika / November 7, 2016

    It’s nice to meet you, Daniel – although we’ve kind of met through the IDP already. It’s nice to know which face fits the guy behind the emails.

    Btw, I completely understand the desire to see if you can pull off a new craft.