Lauren, the knit designer behind “A bee in the bonnet,” is the perfect designer for all the stressed knitters who need to relax, for the overwhelmed knitters who have trouble focusing, and for the fidgety knitters who want to knit and watch a movie.
If you search for the most easily memorized and super soothing patterns, you need to add Lauren to your knit designer favorite list.
I love the patterns she creates, not only beautiful but also very easy to follow, well explained, and unique. So yes, I was eager to learn more about her journey as a knit designer!
Please find out more about Lauren at abeeinthebonnet.com and enjoy learning more about her journey as a knit designer in my interview.
1. Could you introduce yourself to my readers?
Sure! I’m Lauren Rad. I design soothing, easily memorized knitting patterns for knitters who want to unwind. I’m based in a beach city in Southern California, where I live with my husband and small child.
2. What moved you to start your adventure as a Knit Designer?
I took up knitting in law school, and it became my favorite source of stress relief. I knit all the way through school, the bar exam, and eight years of practicing law. Knitting is a source of deep comfort for me, and I love sharing that with others.
3. What inspires your design style?
I draw inspiration from a lot of places, but most of it is historical. I especially love details pulled from Edwardian fashion, early 19th century home decor, rococo art and churches, and roses. Minimalism is not my thing. I describe my aesthetic as “everyday romanticism”–just enough whimsy to feel playful and soft, not so much that it becomes impractical.
4. What is your favorite part about design patterns?
I love getting to the end and seeing what everybody else makes from my patterns! It always feels like magic. When you think about it, it’s pretty incredible that we can get an idea in our heads, write it out in a shared language, and share that written document with someone else who will use it to make their own version of the thing that started in our heads. Amazing.
5. Do you have a favorite pattern of yours?
I love a lot of them! But the Creme Brulee Socks hold a really special place in my heart. I wear the Victoria Sponge Hat the most when it’s chilly out, and the Geniality Sweater has gotten a lot of wear these past few months, too.
6. How did you get to be interested in knitting, and what spurred you to become a knit designer?
I’ve always loved making things, but nobody in my family knits, so I didn’t have a chance to learn until one of my law school classmates offered to teach me. Designing came slowly. For the first decade or so, I was perfectly content to follow others’ patterns, but eventually, I started to realize that there weren’t that many patterns out there that matched my preferred aesthetic. I decided to make my own.
7. Whatโs in store for the next season?
Fall is going to be all about warm browns, rusts, and oranges. I’ve got a cowl, a pair of socks, and an asymmetrical triangle shawl in the works, plus more that’s gotta be kept secret for now.
8. How do you like to spend your time outside of your work?
I spend a lot of time with my daughter, who’s 5 years old and will be starting kindergarten this fall. This last year at home together has been a special time for us to go beachcombing, sew clothing, bake cakes, and read silly stories (she loves Captain Underpants). I also love gardening, especially roses and dahlias. I drink a lot of tea, watch a lot of BBC costume dramas, and read lots and lots of romance novels.
9. Where can we find you?
I’m all over the internet! But the best places to find me are at my website (abeeinthebonnet.com), where I blog about knitting, home decor, and gardening; my Instagram (instagram.com/abeeinthebonnet), where I share daily updates about designs in progress, my roses, and more; and my shopfronts on Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/abeeinthebonnet), Payhip (https://payhip.com/ABeeInTheBonnet), and Ravelry (https://www.ravelry.com/designers/lauren-rad)
