Knit Club 2019! Q&A with Marinda Lariz!

Behind every yarn and pattern we feature in our clubs there's a dyer and a designer; they are all incredibly creative, hardworking individuals and we want to give you the chance to get to know them a little bit better!

This week, we interviewed Marinda Lariz of Meraki Knits! Marinda designed our Q1 Knit Club project and we are so happy to be working with her! 

Why did you start designing patterns?

I actually started designing by accident. I found that I was altering patterns every time I would start a project and finally realized I would be happier with the result if I just started from scratch and wrote my own. 

What was the first pattern that you designed? 

The first pattern I designed is called Kasen's Earflap Hat. I set out to make a simple hat for my son with only two requirements, stripes and earflaps. Self-striping yarn took care of step one but the earflaps took a bit more work. I made it my goal to figure it out on my own and not reference other earflap hat patterns. There was a bit of trial and error involved but eventually it all came together and came out just how I pictured it.

Where do you find your inspiration for your patterns? 

I find inspiration all around me all the time! I really love color and texture and often come across ideas where I least expect them - even at the grocery store! Sometimes a simple combination of colors will inspire me and other times another piece of knitwear will light the creative spark.

Is there any particular pattern that has a special meaning to you? 

I have two patterns that hold a lot of meaning to me. Kasen's Earflap Hat and Cabled Teddy Hat. These were each created with one of my children in mind and they each fit their personalities perfectly! Cabled Teddy Hat was the first pattern I created that really guided me towards my overall vision for my patterns by incorporating texture along with unique design elements (hello bear ears!).

Would you describe how you feel when you see someone making/wearing your designs?

Excitement! I have a deep passion for knitting and fiber arts and am elated when another person knits and wears one of my designs. My greatest hope is that they have found as much joy in the process of creating their project as I have in designing and writing the pattern.

What are some signature features of your designs? 

You will almost always find a combination of color and texture in my designs. I really like projects that have multiple design elements. Not only does this help keep the knitter engaged but it also produces a finished project that is interesting to look at.

Are there any “rituals” that you might have while designing patterns? 

I always sit down with a cup of coffee or tea when I design. Something about sipping a warm beverage helps to relax me and get my creative juices flowing.

 If you could partner with any dyer, who would it be and why?

There are so many amazing dyers out there! I love indie dyers who use quality yarns and take the time to set the color appropriately. Right now, I really love House of A La Mode. The yarn is so soft, well saturated and consistent between skeins, and knits up beautifully!

Are there any hints you can give about upcoming designs? 

I have a few things in the works! I'm really enjoying brioche right now (texture + color = win!) and am working on a new design incorporating this as we speak. I'm also looking ahead to the summer months and am finishing up a fingering-weight shawl design that will be released early this spring.

What’s on your needles/crochet hooks now? 

Right now I'm designing a pair of fingerless mitts and simultaneously working on Andrea Mowry's The Shift cowl. I love to have two or three projects going at a time. It helps keep my mind from getting creatively burned out and grows my knitwear wardrobe at the same time!

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We hope you enjoyed getting to know Marinda a little bit more, but we urge you to head over to Meraki Knits to see all of her beautiful designs!