Getting to design a pattern for Anna’s book is an honour. Anna and I first met in Vancouver around 2008, where we did anti-poverty and harm-reduction work together. After a few years Anna decided to open a yarn shop and hired me on to be the manager of the shop for her—even though I didn’t really know how to knit! To be fair I was a crocheter, weaver, felter, and dyer at that point… but knitting hadn’t become a big part of my life yet. Anna taught me how to knit from a pattern, how to do increases and decreases, and I figured the rest out under her guidance. I truly wouldn’t have become a knitwear designer without Anna, so writing this pattern to accompany her incredible writing is a knitting highlight for me.

I wanted to design something that is reversible, in a pattern that is easy enough to memorize, and that could be worn as a shawl or used as a blanket. I was told I would be using Disdero Ranch yarn and it got my mind racing. I have worked with their yarns extensively and they are some of my all-time favourites. Laurie is the person behind Disdero and the moment I met her I loved her. Hearing her speak about her animals and the land she raises them on is exactly what you would hope for from a good farmer—she has love and respect for the animals and the land and she’s great at what she does.

I hope that when you knit this pattern you can feel the joy I felt writing and knitting it, and if you get a chance I encourage you to look up Disdero Ranch Yarns, because it’s some of the best yarn in the world.