Designer Spotlight: Jennifer Steingass

If you’ve knit any colorwork yoke sweaters, then I know you have seen Jennifer Steingass’ beautiful work. Her patterns are stunning, and I hope you’ll enjoy learning more about her today. (Pattern links go to Ravelry, yarn links go to The Loopy Ewe.)

Loopy: Hi Jenn! Thanks for being in our Designer Spotlight today. Tell us, how long have you been a knitter and who taught you to knit?

Jenn: Hi Loopy! I’ve been knitting for almost 10 years now. My mother in law taught me the knit stitch and I learned the rest from youtube and knitting blogs.

Loopy: She must love seeing all that you have accomplished from her beginning lesson! What is your favorite type of item to knit?

Jenn: Colorwork yoke sweaters!

Loopy: I can tell that. 🙂 You do such beautiful work. What is the most challenging thing that you have knit to date?

Jenn: A seamed, all-over cabled sweater for one of my sons. It was small but it still took me quite a while to knit.

Loopy: You know, cables really do take some time. Especially when it’s an all-over design. When did you start designing, and what spurred that interest?

Jenn: I started improvising knitted garments for my kids pretty soon after I started knitting.  A few people on Ravelry saw my work and encouraged me to publish patterns. I knew very soon after I learned to knit that I’d like to design someday, but their little bit of encouragement definitely helped me get started! I guess what spurred my initial interest in designing was that I didn’t like stopping to read patterns while knitting.

Loopy: That’s a funny prompt – not wanting to slow down to read the pattern! And it’s also a good reminder to people that encouraging others really can be the spark that they need to move forward. Do you have a favorite pattern that you’ve designed?

Jenn: Yes, I think Goldwing.

Loopy: I like that one, too. What is your favorite part of your designing? And your not-so-favorite part?

Jenn: I absolutely love designing my colorwork charts on graph paper. My not-so favorite part? Being in the pictures for my patterns and Ravelry.

Loopy: Your photo shoots always look great. People are immediately drawn into the unique patterns. Do you do this business full-time, or on the side?  And is that hard? Do you have other jobs outside of pattern designing?

Jenn: Yes, I do this business full time, and I have no other jobs outside pattern designing. I’m also the sole breadwinner for my family.  It’s hard in the sense that I know I have to repeatedly come up with new ideas, and that the response to those ideas will always be unpredictable. I’ve been very fortunate with how it’s gone so far.

Loopy: That is hard. You’ve certainly made a name for yourself in the knitting world, and I hope that continues to grow in the years to come! Does anyone else in your family knit? Would you like to tell us about your family?

Jenn: My mother in law knits.  Sure! I’m a mom to 2 boys, 10 and 8 years old, and we live in coastal Maine. 

Loopy: You need warm sweaters in coastal Maine! Are there other hobbies that you enjoy?

Jenn: I love plants and listening to music, also I love to research so I’m often googling new things I want to learn about. 

Loopy: What would be your favorite way to spend a day off?

Jenn: Going on a spur-of-the-moment road trip while listening to my favorite music on full blast!

Loopy: That sounds fun! Last question: Morning or Night person? Coffee or Tea? English or Continental? Solids or Multicolors? 🙂

Jenn: Night person! I don’t drink coffee or tea. English knitter. Solids 🙂

Loopy: Thanks again for being with us today!

Jenn has set up a code for 20% off her patterns from her Ravelry Pattern Shop (and she said you can use it on as many patterns as you’d like!) The code is: LOOPYEWE and will be valid 1/29-2/5/2021. I hope you find something fun!

Sheri