Richmond-based knitter Cara Corey has been selling her hand knit hats, scarves and rope baskets in the shop since we first opened. Now she regularly teaches workshops, including our popular hand crochet blanket class, rope basket making, and our new knit a chunky scarf workshop. O and you probably recognize her face because she even works at the store once a week!
Cara describes her line, Mary Marie Knits, as simple and modern, and she gravitates toward chunky yarns and large-scale knitting. "I try to pick styles that are timeless, so you can wear them year after year," she says.
Get to know Cara with our Q&A below.
The seed stitch cowl comes in two lengths: single and double loop
Where do you draw inspiration? Or who inspires you?
I draw a lot of inspiration from Scandinavian design. It has always been easy to find chunky wool yarns in Europe. Only recently have they become popular and easy to find here. I will try knitting with anything, including rope and my own felted wool cord.
I am also inspired by the handiwork of my grandmother, Mary Marie Mason. She passed her love of crafting on to my mom, sister, and I. So I intend to pass it on to my kids.
Crowns are available in child and adult sizes.
If you could eat at any food truck, what would it be? And what would you get?
My husband and I frequent the old-school taco truck that's parked outside of the Hotsy Totsy Club in El Cerrito. I usually get tacos al pastor.
What do you like most about the maker community?
Most of us did not come from a business background (I started out as a journalist.) So I think there is a spirit of community and helping each other succeed that doesn't exist in other fields. Every time I attend a maker event, I meet more amazing people, and I have been blown away by how kind, accepting and supportive they have been.
Where is your favorite place to travel?
That's a tough one. I don't travel as much now that I have little kids and I miss it! I have a sweet spot for Boulder, Colorado, where I used to live. A few years ago my best friend and I took a Mediterranean cruise. I would love to go back to just about any of the places we stopped in Greece, Italy, France and Spain. I would also LOVE to go to Australia someday.
What do you want for your next birthday?
A shopping spree at gather! Seriously, I have about 50 items on my wish-list right now.
What does your work space look like?
I have a little cottage behind my house that was just a dirty garage when we moved in. My husband and his dad decided to finish the walls and make it into a studio for me. It was a dramatic transformation and I feel so lucky to have a place for my many, many yarns.
