Jamie Lomax took up knitting in 2020 as a COVID hobby. She was working as a senior project manager for a large retail and food service company in Seattle at the time.

“We all got sent home, and I was on Teams calls all day every day. I have ADHD so I was struggling to keep my focus. My sibling taught me how to knit, and I started knitting during those conference calls.”

“I started with very basic things with a lot of stockinette, but pretty soon I was changing so many things in the patterns, that I started to write my own and published my first pattern in July of 2020. Then in November, I published my first doodle pattern, the Holiday Doodle Cowl.”

“Doodle” has now become the term that Jamie’s patterns are all associated with. They incorporate micro charts intended to be used as mix-and-match colorwork motifs throughout the project, to truly make it your own.

Her Holiday Doodle cowl was inspired by Christmas sweaters, wrapping paper, and Starbucks holiday cups. 🥰

Then about a year later, Jamie published her second doodle pattern which was autumn-themed, “and it started to snowball after that.”

Next, she came up with the absolutely brilliant idea to create “doodle decks” with cards for each of the motifs.

“By enabling all the possibilities, it really starts to feel like you’re doodling with yarn,” Jamie said. “This constant shift between easy-to-memorize motifs keeps a knitter on their toes, while supplying them with micro wins at each chart completion, creating a project that’s impossible to put down.”

“It’s truly a ‘potato chip project,’ or one where you just need to knit one more row. The best part is that every one of my Doodle series colorwork patterns is designed to work together, so it really is “endless customization” – literally. You never get bored because it’s different every time!”

There are now 5 full-size core Doodle Decks available – Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, and Basic – as well as 11 thematic “expansion packs,” like “Ocean” and “Desert.”

I asked Jamie which theme is her favorite. “It’s a running joke with my husband that my favorite project is always the next one I’m working on,” she laughed. “So right now it’s the Fantasy and Dino doodles that are coming out this September.”

“These kinds of patterns set me in a flow state – it’s that perfect happy medium. They’re symmetrical and geometric, which creates a predictability in the chart so the brain can see what’s coming next. You get quick wins – it’s that ‘just one more row’ kind of knitting, plus the creativity to play a little bit,” Jamie said.

This year, Jamie was able to quit her corporate job and design patterns and doodle decks full time. She sets up “Doodle Bars” at local festivals, collaborating with yarn dyers Yarnaceous Fibers and Fangirl Fibers, all around the Pacific Northwest area where she lives with her young family, and her Doodle Decks are now available at 200 local yarn stores nationwide, as well as on her website PacificKnitCo.com.

Oh, and she’s also got her first book coming out later this year! The “Doodle Knit Directory” will have 200 charts and 9 patterns.

Jamie with a new friend at this year’s PNW Yarn Crawl.

If you’re doodle-curious but not sure where to start, you can go to PacificKnitCo.com and download this Free Doodle Workbook.

If you create your first Doodle design, we’d love for you to tag us @knitstars and @pacificknitco on Instagram. Can’t wait to see your creations! 🤩

xoxo,

Did you know, the number-one Google search about knitting is “Can I take my needles on the plane?”

When I heard that, I thought…I have SO MUCH to say on this topic. For the last 10 years, I’ve been flying all over the planet to film Knit Stars Masterclasses. And let me tell you…I’ve had every travel horror story under the sun (said while knocking on wood, so as not to anger the travel gods…)

This year alone, I’ve had to take apart my suitcase while going through Paris and was yelled at by a grumpy French traveler…had my supposedly security-safe scissors confiscated in Ireland…and added a new bit of “liquids” know-how in Toronto.

I decided it was high time for me to share my hard-earned travel knowledge with my fellow Yarnies in a free webinar! I’ll be getting very specific with my packing system, travel tips, “notion commotion” and ideas for making the most out of your making journeys. Plus I’ll have a sneak peek and prize or two.

The Travel Tips for Yarnies Webinar is happening live at 10 am Central on Saturday, August 3rd. It’s all online and it’s free – just be sure to register here.

This week, Star Guide Amber messaged, “That Framed sweater pattern popping up all over Instagram is  🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥”

So naturally I had to go down the rabbit hole…so come along with me!

Andrea Mowry’s Rhinebeck sweater design for 2024 celebrates traditional handcrafts in a modern pullover. Framed by a bold hem, neckline, and cuffs, it’s knit from the bottom up and adorned with puff sleeves.

The body is worked in the round until the divide for the yoke. The remainder is worked flat, shaping the shoulders with German Short Rows and then finishing using the 3 needle bind off. The sleeves are then picked up from the body and knit in the round down to the cuff.

I predict a major Framed Sweater meetup on the hill this fall!

Image and recipe from Sugar Spun Run.

Thumbprint Cookies

We asked Jamie for a favorite recipe, and she sent us this one…YUM! She said, “So good! Especially when I use my mother in law’s homemade jam!”

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
• ⅓ cup (70 g) sugar
• ⅓ cup (70 g) light brown sugar, tightly packed
• 1 large egg yolk
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 ¼ cup (280 g) all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup sugar for rolling (optional)
• ⅓ cup (105 g) jam or preserves flavor of your choice

Instructions:

1. Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (you may instead use a large bowl and an electric hand mixer) and beat until creamy.
2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add sugars, and beat, gradually increasing mixer speed to medium-high until ingredients are well-combined (about 30-60 seconds).
3. Add egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat well.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt.
5. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients until completely combined.  This dough will seem very dry and crumbly, so be sure to pause occasionally to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.  If it starts to strain your mixer you can use your hands to finish working the dough together.
6. Scoop cookie dough into 1 Tablespoon-sized balls and roll very well (so that the dough is round and there are no cracks/seams in the cookie dough — this will help keep your thumbprints from cracking).
7. Roll in granulated sugar (if using) and place on a wax-paper covered plate or small cookie sheet.  Use your thumb or the rounded back of a teaspoon to gently press an indent in the center of the cookie dough.  Repeat until all of the dough has been used.
8. Transfer cookie dough to freezer and chill for 30 minutes.
9. Once dough is done chilling, preheat oven to 375F (190C) and place your jam in a small microwave-safe bowl.  Heat briefly (about 5-10 seconds) or until jam is not hot but is no longer firm and is easy to stir.
10. Spoon jam into each thumbprint, filling each indent to the brim.
11. Once oven is preheated, place cookies at least 2″ apart on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and bake on 375F (190C) for 11 minutes or until edges are just beginning to turn golden brown.
12. Allow cookies to cool completely on baking sheet before enjoying.