It's time to meet this month's reader who loves yarn as much as books. DestiKNITters, say hello to Juli McDermott!
Juli, what are you working on right now?
I’m working on a shawl for my best friend, who is going through a tough time. I want to give her something that will feel like a hug when I’m not there. I'm using this pattern.
What feels like your favorite/greatest crochet accomplishment?
My biggest accomplishment was probably my first lacy shawl. I had mostly done baby blankets, afghans and stuffed animals before that. Intricate work felt beyond me, and I was thrilled when I succeeded. That’s the work that’s pictured, the Gathering Leaves shawl.
What feels like the worst crochet mistake/foible/wrong choice you’ve ever made?
My worst crochet mistake was when I lost a pattern over the side of a boat – plop into the Oxford canal. It was an afghan with a fairly simple (I thought) repeating pattern, and it was the only project I’d brought on holiday, so I just kept working without the pattern. When I got home and laid it out on the bed, I realized that I had been doing increases without matching decreases, and I had a Y-shaped blanket! I ended up ripping out more than half of my work.
Do you have a favorite yarn you like to work with?
I recently made a cowl out of baby alpaca that was the softest, most cozy yarn I’ve used. I am all about texture.
Metal or wood crochet needles?
Metal, but with rubber or bamboo handles. I need a larger handle to grip.
White chocolate, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate?
Any or all, but dark most of the time.
Coffee or tea?
Both!
What’s your favorite Allie novel?
My favorite so far is The Doctor’s Undoing. I really liked Ida Lee and her desire to bring more color to the world.
What are you reading now?
I’m currently enjoying a re-read of the Guardians series by Meljean Brook. I’m a very heroine-centered reader, and her heroines are wonderful.
Do you have a favorite stitching character from a book, movie, or television show?
I love Abigail from Rachael Herron’s How to Knit a Heart Back Home. She has been though trauma, and knitting is how she finds peace. I read that book when I was still a crochet novice and my father had just died, and it inspired me to use working with yarn as a way to comfort myself and others.
Give a shout out to your favorite local yarn store:
Knitterly
1 Fourth Street
Petaluma, CA 94952
As her prize for being featured, Juli chose a copy of A Heart to Heal for herself and, thanks to our friends at Cascade Yarns, 10 hanks of Cascade 220 in Glamour. For her friend, Juli chose a copy of The Doctor's Undoing. If you'd like to be featured on Readers Who Knit/Crochet, email me at allie@alliepleiter.com for details.
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