Here at the Knitter’s Planner, we are suckers for a beautiful skein of yarn.
There is nothing like knitting up a project in a color that uplifts and inspires. And when we can’t be knitting, we appease ourselves with pictures of lovely yarn! We know you feel the same, so we made sure to fill our section tabs not only with photos of our pattern samples, but also with photos of stunning yarn skeins that make us want to find the nearest pair of knitting needles and get to work!
For 2023, the skeins we photographed were five colorways from AT Haynes House Yarns. AT Haynes House Yarns is a hand-dyed yarn company owned by Terri J. Haynes, located outside Washington, DC. It is a Black-owned, family business creating vibrant colorways and project bags from the fun things that happen at Haynes House.
They have an amazing selection, so it was hard to choose which colorways to put in the 2023 Knitter’s Planner! We finally settled on That Red Tree, Pocketful of Leaves, Flag on Play, Group Hug, and A Reputed Beauty. You can also see Perfectly Amiable and November Baby in the Perfectly Amiable Cowl Designed by Jessica Brist (found in the 2023 Knitter’s Planner).
To see the rest of what AT Haynes House has to offer (it’s a LOT!), visit them at www.athayneshouseyarns.com
We wanted to get to know a Terri a bit better, so we sent some questions for her to answer. We hope you enjoy getting to know her better too!
What type of yarn are you drawn to?
Because I love color and texture, it might be easier to tell you what yarns I’m not drawn to. My stash has no rhyme or reason except that I liked it. I have tonals, brighter colors, and speckles. I buy a lot of sock yarn even though I just recently started knitting socks. The yarn I’m going to avoid is mohair (I’m allergic).
Would you say you have a distinctive style?
No, I wouldn’t but I am probably too close to my own thoughts to answer that question. I’m sure someone could look at my style and say I have one, but I feel like it’s a little all over the place- Side effect of having broad interests.
How and when did you start knitting?
Around 11 years old. My childhood friend’s grandmother taught me. I did some of my earliest knitting with pencils because when Miss Ola taught me and my two friends, she only had one set of knitting needles for us to use.
Tell me about a favorite project you’ve made.
That’s a tough question. I have a few. I knit a Moon Link Cowl by Tif Neilan. I have knit several of her patterns and loved them all. I also knit two Dirty Martini cardigans by Ele Torrente. I knit the first one size too big and then knit another one. I love them both and am planning to knit a third. My husband and I recently knit a Clayoquot Hat by Tin Can Knits which was really fun.
Is there a knitting-related charity or organization that you contribute to or feel strongly about?
I am the newest board member for Project Knitwell (www.projectknitwell.org). Its mission is to provide therapeutic knitting for people in high-stress situations and promotes wellness through knitting. I experienced the power of therapeutic knitting when my sister was going through her cancer treatment and believe in the mission of this organization.
Where in the world are you located? Can you tell us a bit about how your area inspires your work?
I live in Fort Washington, MD, located on the East Coast of the United States. I am 15 minutes from Washington, DC, and Old Town in Alexandria, Virginia. Although this is considered a metropolitan area, there are lots and lots of trees. And all kinds of trees. I find their colors regularly slipping into my work. I am also near the Potomac River, so water and sky play another important part in my work.
Tell us a bit about where you do your knitting.
Naughty me, I do most of my knitting in bed. I knit when I wake in the morning and often it’s the last thing I do before I go to bed. I do have a chair that I knit in, but it is not the most comfortable thing you’ve ever sat in. I am currently on a quest to find the perfect knitting chair.
What are your favorite knitting techniques?
I guess that would be flicking, a modified English throwing method. It allows me to get a good rhythm going and is less stressful on my hands than throwing. I can continental, throw, flick and knit Portuguese style, and there are occasions to use all those methods.
What are you making now?
This question feels like a confessional. Too many things. Almost all of my projects have a WIP in them. I’m actively working on another Tiff Neilan pattern, A Break in the Tide. It’s a shawl knit with fisherman’s rib. I am also knitting the second sock of our Dress Right Dress pattern. It’s a pattern my husband designed a few years ago. I am also in the process of designing a shawl pattern.
What is the one knitting notion you can’t live without?
Stitch markers. First of all, I lose about 10 a day, LOL. Second, I tend to lose count a lot. I’ll be knitting and daydreaming and all of a sudden, I don’t know how many stitches I’ve knit.
What is your top knitting tip or time saver?
I have two. Number one: don’t knit while you’re tired unless you want to redo it. Nothing saves time like only knitting the row once. Number two: knit in the way that works for you. I often hear people say they “need” to learn another method of knitting. No, you don’t. The only reason why I would suggest someone learn another method is if the method they are currently using isn’t working.
Tell us about your other hobbies.
I am a published author and it is very much a hobby now that AT Haynes House Yarns had taken off. I have a book, Passages of Hope, releasing November 1st.
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