S3 E8: It’s Not Brain Surgery, with Charlotte Stone

This week, I’m joined by Charlotte Stone, better known as StoneKnits, the designer and author whose wonderfully playful colourwork socks have become instantly recognisable.

Charlotte didn’t set out with a strategy to become “the sock designer”. She simply kept knitting the things she loved, sharing them online and responding when people asked for the patterns. Then her toadstool socks took off, a Bernie Sanders-inspired pattern reached the top of Ravelry and a publisher came calling.

We talk about finding the kind of knitting that suits your brain, building a creative niche and the strange pressure to repeat a viral success. Charlotte also explains why she disagrees with some common advice about catching floats in colourwork socks, and what she discovered when she finally found the guidance that supported her approach.

We also discuss designing garments, abandoned projects, test knitters, Stephen West shawls, transparent boots and my complete inability to enjoy knitting socks.

Along the way, we establish that there probably isn’t very much you can do “wrong” in knitting. It is a hobby, after all. It isn’t brain surgery. Especially if you’re doing it with knitting needles.

A warm and very funny conversation about colourwork, creativity, confidence and finding the people who love the way your brain works.