Category Archives: behind the scenes

100% American-Made High Desert Yarn

In 2020, Knit Picks began looking for more ways to support local fiber by creating a 100% American-made yarn, and we found the perfect partner incredibly close to home. Just 120 miles east of Knit Picks’ Vancouver, WA offices is the Shaniko Wool Company, located in Oregon’s high desert region. The Shaniko Wool Company was founded by rancher Jeanne Carver and is a collective of ranches that raise Merino and Rambouillet-Merino sheep to produce Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) certified wool. The RWS certification process confirms a fully traceable and sustainable wool supply and helps ensure responsible animal and land management. “I saw this partnership as a valuable opportunity to bring [Knit Picks] its first yarn from ...

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Where does Knit Picks alpaca fiber come from?

At Knit Picks, we love to have a close connection with our sources of beautiful yarn, and we view it as one of the many benefits of cutting out the middleman. Our hands-on approach starts from the beginning of the manufacturing chain. Our Peruvian partners have the highest values of sustainability and a focus on community which is evident in their work. Their dedication to their flocks, shepherds, and sustainable practices are woven into the yarns that are sold to you. One example of the efforts made by our Peruvian partners is the ...

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Episode 353 – Say Hello to Alexis Again!

Changes have been happening at Knit Picks this summer, and we’re excited to reintroduce Alexis Wilson-Castaldi, who is now the Knit Picks Brand Director! You may remember her from when she previously was on the podcast while working in various positions, including in photography and purchasing. She shares a few of her favorite patterns to knit, as well as her favorite yarns. Alexis also tells us about bringing back features like our Yarn of the Month promotions and pulling some yarns marked as discontinued back into the regular selection! Alexis with her stack ...

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Take Your Dog To Work Day Shenanigans

We LOVE our pets at Knit Picks! We couldn’t pass up the chance to celebrate Take Your Dog (and Cat) to Work Day on this toasty Monday in Vancouver, WA. We’re sharing some of the silliness and shenanigans which have ensued over this past year of working at home; yarn and pets can be a troublesome combo. We even found a few of the cutest pattern collections, which are shared below. Please keep the ohhhs and ahhhs to a minimum, since we’re workin’. Kate Millard – Merchandising Coordinator:

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Happy World Wide Knit in Public Day from Knit Picks!

Knit Picks would like to wish you a very happy World Wide Knit in Public Day! Like much of the world, we spent the past year working remotely. So it was great fun to host our own KIP (knit in public) at Knit Picks HQ and reconnect as colleagues with projects! We enjoyed the opportunity to gather safely and celebrate #wwkipday2021. We hope you get the chance to join other knitters and yarn crafters today with ...

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A baby sitting on a blanket on the floor in front of the Mexican flag
Meet Cathy, our Marketing Manager

Here on the blog, we love the chance to introduce the people behind our brands. We live our mission daily; to help crafters do what they do best: create, by supporting each other in our crafting adventures. Our Yarn Division has a new sock lover, aka our new Marketing Manager, Cathy Hut. Cathy brings a wealth of knowledge in her professional craft as well as in her textile crafting. With 30+ years’ marketing experience gained in a variety of industries including tech, professional association and healthcare sectors, plus a stint as a newspaper editor in Texas, Cathy is already our go-to wordsmith and marketing guru. She earned an MBA in marketing from the University of Colorado, and undergrad degrees in journalism and political science from the University of Kansas. We are happy to have such an accomplished lady leading our team! Cathy describes herself as “a lifelong knitter of middling skill, taught ...

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Podcast Episode 332: Your Favorite Sock Yarns Explained

Felici Yarn Today, we’re dedicating an entire episode to the subject of sock knitting! Whether you’re a seasoned pro and socks are your very favorite thing, or a new knitter contemplating casting on for your very first pair, this episode is for you!  Lee and Hannah spend time talking about all of the sock yarns they’ve developed over the years. Colorful, hardwearing and in a range of lovely fibers, sock yarn is one of our very favorite things to develop behind the scenes. Listen along as they compare and contrast soft Stroll lines with Hawthorne’s rugged and complex colorways. You might even discover a new-to-you skein to try! Stacey invites Rosalyn Keys (you may know her as Rozknitz on Instagram) on to the podcast ...

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Podcast Episode 324: Launching New Patterns & A New Brand

Today we’re talking about HOW things are made but, it’s a twist! Instead of the act of knitting or projects, we’re going to be sharing how patterns are designed and how our sister company, WeCrochet was born!  Stacey and Lee have spent years designing patterns and working with designers on the behind the scenes process of pattern creation. Whether you’re interested in dipping your toe into the design world or want to gain new insight and appreciation for the complex and beautiful work that goes into pattern creation, this segment is a must listen.  We invite Sara Dudek, the brand manager from WeCrochet on to our podcast to talk about our brand new sister brand! Knit Picks has long been a ...

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"Producer" Sarah Headshot
What’s New From The Knit Picks Podcast

Hi, I’m Sarah! I started with the Knit Picks Podcast as their newest producer in October of 2019. I come from an audio and a video production background but also am a seasoned knitter. I was beyond excited by the opportunity to work with Knit Picks. I see the podcast as an opportunity to really dive into a specific topic within yarn culture and grow with the larger craft audience. I’m a big podcast lover and feel that there is a deep connection that happens when someone listens to a show. It can feel personal.   The challenge to this podcast (and many other podcasts) is that we’re having to discuss topics that are traditionally ...

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Staff Projects: Hats for Days – Part Deux

We are expected to have our first snowfall of the season next week here in the Pacific Northwest. While this may not come as welcome news for some people in our neck of the woods, folks around the KP office are excited at the prospect of putting our most recent labors of love to work, keeping our heads toasty and warm during this potential snowpocalypse (we don't get a lot of snow around here). In the spirit of bundling up, we're sharing several of our latest FOs, all of the chapeau variety!

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