Hello Eat.Sleep.Knitters! It’s time once again for your favorite blog series: Meet the Staff! It’s pretty close to wrapping up so we’ll have to devise another delightful series soon! Pressure!

Today we introduce the mysterious Lindsay, Queen of Shipping, who ships packages so fast you wonder if she’s superhuman (even after all these years, we’re still not sure)! 🙂 Alas, Lindsay isn’t a knitter, so we changed up our interview questions a little:

Has working in a yarn store gotten you interested in learning to knit or crochet?
Yes. I did try it out for a little bit to see what all the fuss was about. I heard that it’s very relaxing, but I’m just too impatient and too much of a perfectionist for it.

What has been the most surprising part of working in a yarn store being a non-knitter?
The variety of projects. Y’all don’t just make scarves (as many non-knitters believe). There are patterns out there for shoes, skirts, pet costumes, lampshades, you name it. It’s absurd!

What’s your favorite type of project?
Fair isle sweaters. They just look so sweet and cozy. (Like Umbrellas, Grettir, or Chickadee)

What’s your favorite part about the job?
Imagining the beautiful projects people are making from their orders.

What’s your favorite shipping box?
How could I possibly choose?

What’s your favorite color?
Purples: plum, violet, lavender, orchid, magenta….

What’s your favorite yarn that we carry?
SweetGeorgia yarns – the colors are so bright and cheerful!

What’s your favorite season?
Spring. Some people argue that autumn is the most beautiful in GA, but I believe it’s spring. I love all the flowering trees and the smell of fresh-cut grass.

What’s your favorite sports team?
Atlanta Braves. My husband and I try to go to opening weekend every year. I can Tomahawk Chop like a pro! I can’t wait for the new season to start – another reason to love spring.

What’s your favorite movie, TV show or music?
For movies – I love anything from my childhood. Movies from the 80’s and 90’s.  When it comes to the radio, I prefer to listen to talk/news radio. I feel like I’ve heard every song a few too many times.

Since you don’t knit, what’s your favorite hobby or past time?
I like puzzles and I read a lot. My husband and I really like hiking. We also have 3 tiny dogs that take up a lot of our time.

Where is your favorite vacation destination?
Jekyll Island, GA. My husband and I just eloped there in August. It was beautiful. We’ll be going back for years.

Also: In cast you haven’t heard – we’re going to have our inaugural Eat.Sleep.Knit Night this Friday evening 5-7pm!! If you’re in the area, please join us! If you aren’t, join us in spirit! We’ve got some wonderfully comfy couches and a need to socialize while working on our projects! 🙂 We’ll have water, tea, coffee and some kind of snacky-snack to share.

We’ll be running the Knit Night each Friday in February and if interest is high (as in enough folks join in the fun) we’ll keep it going! So be sure to stop in, we’d love to see you!!

Aren’t we done meeting the store staff by now? Not yet! 🙂 There are still a couple of lovely ladies to go and we hope you enjoy getting to know each of us a little better! Today we’d like to introduce our sage Saturday star: Jackie!

What type(s) of crafting do you do?
Knitting, crochet, cross stitch, sewing, have tried painting and drawing, needlepoint, and other crafts over the years. I taught myself to knit and crochet, which are my main crafts nowadays. My mom could cook, but she was not a crafty person.

What’s your favorite color?
Life is in color, therefore I love all colors! One week I may lean toward red, blue, green, purple, hot pink; whatever catches my eye at the time.

Where do you find inspiration?
All over! Life, friends, yarn.

What’s the Finished Object you’re most proud of completing?
A Kollage sweater pattern I have been working on for a while and a sweater I made for my husband. Also a shawl pattern for the Think Outside the Shawl Contest where I won second place in my category. {Editor’s Note: Jackie doesn’t have a lot of projects up on Ravelry yet, but we love the Shibui Cliff Hat she made!}

English vs. Continental?
English, I’m left handed and learned by looking at books and magazines (before the internet).

What’s your favorite “advanced” technique?
I enjoy doing colorwork but also enjoy cables and lace and trying new techniques.

What’s your favorite knitting resource?
There are a lot of good resources; and, after completing levels 1 and 2 and working on level 3 of the TKGA Master Knitters Program, I try to utilize them all.

What’s your favorite entertainment?
Changes with the times. But, Scooby Doo has always been a favorite and Jonny Quest.

What’s your favorite non-yarn-related hobby?
Riding my bike on the Silver Comet Trail. I love being outdoors.

Where is your favorite vacation destination?
I have always enjoyed going to the mountains, so I would have to say Gatlinburg TN.

Hello again ESK-ers! These last few weeks have been quite the whirlwind around here what with getting yarn restocks aplenty and kicking off the 2014 Yarnathon! We’re all having a great time getting to know our teams and getting into the Quarterly Challenges and KAL projects. We hope you’re also having lots of fun with it (and if you’re not sure what I’m talking about, click here and read all about it!)

Lest you think we were done introducing all the ESK staff, there are still a few more of us hiding out waiting for our turn! Today I introduce myself – Emily, the Social Media Maven 🙂

What type(s) of crafting do you do?
Knitting. Although, I’m finally giving my best efforts to learn crochet for the Q1 Yarnathon New-To-You KAL!

How long have you been knitting and how did you learn?
About 10 years ago, my sister and mother started knitting this really gorgeous blanket pattern for various friends and family members. I asked them to make one for me, and instead I got a “Learn to Knit” kit and they spent Christmas Day teaching me the basics. I never did make that blanket!

What’s your favorite color?
Purples, Rainbows, and recently Teals

What’s your favorite type of project?
I love making shawls but I don’t understand fashion well enough to actually wear them and look cool. So now I’ve started filling my house with cowls I wear a little more frequently.

What’s your favorite yarn that we carry?
I don’t think I can pick just one! But I do love Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted – so soft and so many gorgeous colors!

What’s the Finished Object you’re most proud of completing?
My double-knit Totoro Scarf – it’s so snuggly soft in BSA Sportweight.

English vs. Continental?
After a quick google search, it appears I knit Continental. 😉

What’s your favorite “advanced” technique?
I love a moderately complicated lace pattern.

Who’s your favorite designer(s)?
Thea Coleman of Baby Cocktails, so many gorgeous sweaters to pine after!

What’s your favorite non-yarn hobby?
An array of activities which I’m constantly trying to do *while knitting* – including playing board games, watching corny movies on Netflix, and reading (thank goodness for e-readers!).

One more thing: Go Team RoboKnits!

Is everyone having a good holiday season? Things seem to be settling down around the shop – as far as settling down goes what with trying to restock all the shelves in the Post-Black-Friday-Haze! 🙂

So naturally it’s time to get back to introducing the wonderful staff who work so hard to get you that perfect skein (or three)!

Today, it’s time to meet Jessica, the Yarn Slinger!

What type(s) of crafting do you do?
Knitting, sewing, and I’m also learning to crochet and weave.

How long have you been knitting and how did you learn?
I’ve been knitting since 2010! I learned by watching YouTube videos.

What’s your favorite color?
I love red!

What’s your favorite yarn that we carry?
Malabrigo! So many fun colors and bases to choose from!

What’s the Finished Object you’re most proud of completing?
My Mary Mary Cardigan

English vs. Continental?
Mostly English, but Continental is fun sometimes!

What’s your favorite “advanced” technique?
I really enjoy knitting cables!

Who is your favorite designer?
Tiny Owl Knits and Andrea Black

What’s your favorite non-yarn-related hobby?
Video games!

Where is your favorite vacation destination?
Anywhere with a beach (or a tiki bar)!

It’s time once again to get to know the staffers at the greatest yarn shop! We’ve been so busy lately with restocks, new yarns, and new developments for 2014 that I almost forgot to post another interview! Lucky for you, I remembered just in time.

So today we introduce Jenny the Graphics Guru!

What type(s) of crafting do you do?
Paper crafting, painting, knitting, and hot-gluing stuff to other stuff

How long have you been knitting and how did you learn?
Just over 2 years. My best friend took me to a class as a birthday surprise because it was something I had always wanted to try. Two months later I got a job here at Eat.Sleep.Knit. and moved to Atlanta!

What’s your favorite color?
Rainbow

What’s your favorite type of project?
I love hats because they’re quick and I have a good head for them.

What’s your favorite yarn that we carry?
Malabrigo Worsted and Twist

Where do you find inspiration?
Anything that makes me laugh!

What’s the Finished Object you’re most proud of completing?
My bunny slippers that I wear almost every day. Technically only one of them got bunnified, but at this point, that’s as finished as they will ever be. {Editor’s Note: I was going to link to these as they are super-cute, but Miss Jenny hasn’t added them to her Ravelry page! For shame! The pattern used was Hopsalots.}

English vs. Continental?
Both!

What’s your favorite “advanced” technique?
Untangling wads of yarn.

Who is your favorite designer?
Tiny Owl Knits

What’s your favorite knitting resource?
I don’t really follow knitting much, so I just trust the advice and suggestions of my savvy co-workers.

What’s your favorite non-yarn-related hobby?
Painting and photoshopping peoples heads on stuff.

Where is your favorite vacation destination?
Sanibel Island!

It’s time for another installment of Meet the ESK Staff! We all hope you’re enjoying getting to know us a little better. 🙂

Today, meet Wendy the Wool-Winder:

What type(s) of crafting do you do?
The one with 2 pointy sticks.

What got you into knitting?
Growing up, I was always mesmerized by a neighbor who knit.  When I finally took lessons in 2007, I was rather enthusiastic, but only had enough patience to stay for the cast-on and knit stitch.  Although I never finished the 4-class series or that particular hat project, I was completely addicted!

I recall being shocked that the project required TWO sizes of needles. I couldn’t imagine why I wouldn’t knit everything with one set, as two sets seemed absolutely excessive! Now, with two dozen needles in my possession, I have to laugh at the naivety of that first month.

What’s your favorite color?
Blues and purples, except in pastel hues.

What’s your favorite thing to knit?
I seem to have an annual knitting “obsession”. It started with scarves, and Every Single Person I knew got one for Christmas that year.  It then progressed to shawls, cowls, fingerless mitts, and at the moment I’m obsessed with socks!

What’s your favorite yarn that we carry?
Yarn Love’s Elizabeth Bennett – it is the perfect year-round yarn in both weight and fiber, and the colors are so unique… it is totally irresistible.

Where do you find inspiration?
Google Images. I never know what I’m going to find in a search. Even better, it constantly changes, offering new ideas over time.

What’s the Finished Object you’re most proud of completing?
My first Clapotis, using the no-longer-produced-yet-still-makes-me-weak-in-the-knees Schaefer Nicole yarn that also happened to be my very first yarn purchase at ESK.  It took me almost six months of studying the pattern for it to actually click, but only 7 days to knit those 800 yards!  The yarn-pattern combination is gorgeous.

English vs. Continental?
As an engineer, I have a difficult time speaking English correctly, let alone knitting it… Continental all the way for this left-hander.

What’s your favorite knitting resource?
The TECHknitting blog.

What’s your favorite non-yarn-related hobby?
Baking… with help from my hand-made wool potholders, cotton towels, and re-usable Swiffer covers (to clean up after my enthusiasm).

Where is your favorite vacation destination?
The entrance to a yarn shop I haven’t visited before… oh, the possibilities!

Another week, another staff member to introduce from your favorite yarn store! Meet the Queen of Color: Tiffany!

What type(s) of crafting do you do?
It would be easier to ask what types of crafting I don’t do- under water basket weaving? Truthfully, I haven’t taken up weaving yet, but I would like to learn!

Crafting has always been in my family, both of my grandmothers would do arts and crafts with me while I was growing up and I remember my mother was always tatting. I finally decided to learn how to crochet from my Grandmother in 2002 (I was hooking in high school! ::snickers::). I taught myself how to knit in 2004, but didn’t realize until I met up with a local knitting group that I was knitting all my stitches through the back loop! I continued my fiber obsession in 2011, when I picked up spinning both with a drop spindle (or 5) and a wheel. Now I can’t imagine leaving the house without any sort of woolly WIP!

What’s your favorite color?
Any green or blue shade, especially in jewel tones or neon brights

What’s your favorite type of project?
I wouldn’t say I have a specific favorite type of project, but I love knit accessories in general, especially the thick and quick projects because I tend to lose motivation about halfway through my larger projects. Sadly, it’s a bit too hot to wear most of my items except for a few weeks a year!

What’s your favorite yarn that we carry?
I’m a huge Malabrigo Junkie; I love the variety of super soft bases and the vibrant colors. I keep trying to use other yarn brands, but I keep coming back to Malabrigo!

Where do you find inspiration?
Anything obscure and nerdy/geeky/dorky. I try not to knit the patterns that are constantly “Hot Right Now”, however sometimes I just need to be caught up in what everyone else is doing- especially when a new two- or three-colored high contrast shawl comes out 🙂

What’s the Finished Object you’re most proud of completing?
I have two: my Caladan, which is my first finished beaded lace project and my Sproutlette Dress that I hand spun the yarn and then knit for my daughter.

English vs. Continental?
Ok, here’s what I do: I hold the working yarn in my left hand, I don’t secure the yarn around any of my fingers, I just kind of grip it and I still ‘wrap’ or ‘throw’ my yarn around the needle. Weird, I know but it works!

Who is your favorite designer?
I love Woolly Wormhead’s hat patterns! They are so fun and quirky- I expect to be making several patterns from her Bambeanies book this winter! I also enjoy Stephen West’s early designs that are simple and dramatic.

What’s your favorite entertainment?
I’ll watch and listen to just about anything. If I don’t like what is currently on, well, luckily I usually have a WIP nearby to distract me and pointy needles usually do a good job of persuading others to watch something else.

What’s your favorite non-yarn-related hobby?
When I’m not doing anything fiber related, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. As a renowned picky eater, my new hobby is going to new restaurants and trying out new foods!

We here at Eat.Sleep.Knit. have a great time helping customers find the perfect yarn, but what else are we up to? If you’ve ever wondered who’s on the other end of the phone, email or shipping invoice, now’s your chance to find out!  For the next few weeks we’ll be introducing the amazing staff of your favorite yarn shop – starting today with the woman who started it all: Erin!

What type(s) of crafting do you do?
What type of crafting haven’t I tried, ha! As a kid, I was into pretty much anything involving a glue gun – I’ve made quite a few hair bows in my day. Then my mom taught me how to crochet, and I dabbled in that for a few years but fell mostly off the crafty bandwagon in college. Then, I met my now-husband, who really brought out the crafter in me – I took up cross-stitch, painting flower pots, latch hook rugs, sewing those little felt Christmas ornaments, and I was even pretty into stained glass for a while. Once I learned to knit, though, which was about 10 years ago, I’ve pretty much abandoned everything else.

What got you into knitting?
I taught myself to knit in December of 2004 mostly using internet videos from Knitting Help. I wanted to recreate my family’s heirloom Christmas stockings for new family members. I watched the cast on and knit stitch videos over and over and wondered how anyone would ever describe this as relaxing. In fact, I found it so frustrating that once Christmas had passed, I think I didn’t pick up a knitting needle for nearly a year. The next time, though, it all made a lot more sense, I dove in head first and haven’t looked back.

What’s your favorite color?
You can’t ask me this question; every color is wonderful. I tend towards a more autumnal palette, but rainbows are one of my favorite things.

What do like knitting most?
Sweaters galore! Sit me down with a sweater pattern and I can have a medium-sized women’s sweater done in 2-3 weeks. Hand me a sock pattern and two months later, I’m probably still whining about having to make a second one. It definitely does not help that I’m possibly the loosest knitter of all time – I knit worsted weight on US 2.5-4 depending on the required gauge.

What’s your favorite yarn that we carry?
Reeeeeeally?? You know I chose all the yarn, right? I’m borderline obsessed with all of it. Lately, I’m really into ShibuiKnits – I’m knitting Concord Jacket out of their new Pebble yarn held double, and it makes me deeply happy.

And as always happens when I’m asked about my favorite, my mind is now full of “oh and also!!” Pretty yarn is pretty. But can I also mention, another yarn I LOVE knitting with that I think gets overlooked a lot for the next “ooh shiny” is Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sport. I knit up a Cria in The Bean colorway and the yarn is so unbelievably nice to knit with, the color so even, the stitch definition so pleasing.

What’s the Finished Object you’re most proud of completing?
Any pair of socks, hahaha. Actually, that’s probably true. I love these Pucker socks, even though I gauge-failed big time and ended up gifting them to my mom.

English vs. Continental?
Continental! No fewer than 20 people have shown me how to purl English-style and I still can’t figure it out.

What’s your favorite knitting resource?
Hands down, the Barbara Walker stitch dictionaries. Every knitter should own them! And any other stitch dictionaries. So inspiring and fun!

What’s your favorite non-yarn hobby?
Oh god, this is so nerdy – jigsaw puzzles. I love jigsaw puzzles. I own a gajillion. I’m planning a “puzzling corner” in our new house. (Lots of natural light!)

Where is your favorite vacation destination?
My husband and I took a trip to Costa Rica last summer that was the most wonderful vacation either of us had ever been on. We spent part of the time in the mountains close to San Jose, at an elevation of over 10,000 feet, and the second half of the trip at sea level in a little villa overlooking the ocean, and we’ve been talking ever since about when our son Levi will be old enough that we could go back.