Thanks to your enthusiasm for Knitbot patterns, and the overwhelming response to Coastal Knits, I have someone to introduce you to today.

Meet Deirdre Kennedy! She's going to be assisting me here at Knitbot. If you write in with a question about a pattern, or are a yarn shop placing an order, you will most likely speak with her. Deirdre has been working for me as a sample knitter for the past few years. She's knit a good number of Knitbot designs! She's very qualified to help you if you are having trouble figuring out a pattern.

Let's get to know her a little better:

Where are you from? I have lived most of my life in the Twin Cities in Minnesota. I moved to southern California four years ago for grad school and now I live in San Diego.

What's your knitting background? I taught myself how to knit in 2005 after a coworker mentioned her knitting and recommended the Stitch n Bitch book. I have been knitting ever since. Right now I share my enthusiasm for knitting by working at my LYS: Two Sisters and Ewe in La Mesa, CA. I get to teach classes, help people tackle knitting problems, and I'm surrounded by beautiful yarn all day. What could be better than that?

I know both your brother Peter and your mother Barbara also knit. What's it like being part of a family of knitters?

I have three other sisters who knit as well; one older, and two younger. It's great having that many people to call when I get stuck or have questions. I come from a large family so we have several other siblings who do not knit but are always requesting projects--it's very nice to be able to "share the burden". LOL

What are your favorite kinds of knitting projects? I like to knit sweaters and lace most of all. The toughest part about living in southern California is that we don't get as much sweater weather as most of the rest of the country. I love chilly nights when I have an excuse to pull out the wool sweaters.

What's the craziest thing you ever knit? A few years ago I started a tradition of knitting crazy birthday gifts for one of my brothers. I've done a couple of wigs, some bearded helmets, and this year I crocheted a giant, neon afghan. It's fun to do something silly once in a while.

If you were going to design your own yarn line, what would it be like? Ooh...good question. I like natural fibers, in solid or semi-solid colorways. I would probably design a line of plied, dk-weight wool/silk blends with deep colors.

What's your favorite color? Do you find yourself knitting in this color a lot? I'm always drawn to greens and purples but I try to vary what I knit with so I'm not always using the same color. Oddly enough, I seem to use gray most of all. I know...it doesn't make sense to me, either.

What's on your needles right now? What's next in the queue? Right now I'm working on a baby blanket for a sister of mine. Then it's back to sweaters! I'm looking forward to casting on for a Water's Edge cardigan from Coastal Knits, then I'm hoping to make a swirl jacket from Sandra McIver's book 'Knit, Swirl'. I'm looking forward to knitting both of them. :)

You can find more of Deirdre here, on twitter: @deirdreknits, or e-mail her at info@knitbot.com. She's starting a Water's Edge Cardigan knit-a-long in the Coastal Knits group on Ravelry. If that's in your queue, come join us!

Leave a comment below to welcome Deirdre!