This is the first in a series of blog posts featuring the fabulous featured designers of Indie Untangled, taking place on October 16, 2026, in Saugerties, NY. Tickets are available and selling fast!
We’re trying something new at Indie Untangled this year! So much of what makes our fiber community special is the talented designers who dream up the things we can make with all our beautiful yarn. Our new Featured Designer program gives you a chance to meet some of them and see their work in person.
Throughout the day on Friday, October 16, eight knit and crochet designers will be hanging out with us at Indie Untangled. You can meet them, admire their samples up close, snap a Designer Friends Selfie and collect stamps in your Featured Designer Passport. Collect three stamps and you’ll be entered to win a prize! Learn more about the Featured Designer program and Passport here.
One of the designers joining us is Mary Annarella, whose designs include everything from beautiful shawls and sweaters to mystery knit-alongs with fun themes and plenty of camaraderie as everyone knits their way toward the big reveal. Mary loves playing with interesting stitches and construction while creating pieces that are easy to wear.
We asked Mary a few questions about her design process, inspiration and what she’s looking forward to at Indie Untangled. Read on to get to know her before you meet her in October!
Tell me about how you got started knitting and crocheting.
I crocheted as a kid but started knitting in college because I wanted one of the Icelandic round yoke sweaters, but was a poor college student and couldn’t afford one. I figured knitting one would be more affordable (which it sort of was back then!). I went to a local craft supply and bought yarn, but forgot to buy needles. When I got home, I ended up practicing with a set of chopsticks instead.
How did you come up with the name Lyrical Knits?
A friend on Ravelry suggested it since they knew I was already giving some of my early patterns names with musical references.
What was the first knitting pattern you ever created?
It was the Inaugural Sweater–named because I’d first cast it on on Inauguration Day in January 2009.
What inspires your knitting patterns?
Lots of things! Sometimes it’s what I want to wear, sometimes it’s a particular stitch pattern that I want to play with, and sometimes it’s a deadline for a pattern I said I’d have ready by a certain date (nothing like a deadline to motivate things along! Killer Queen Cowl (shown below) was one such pattern, and it turned out to be so fun to knit that I turned it into a sweater as well.
When it comes to my MKAL shawls, I love to play with construction and geometry a lot (see the photo of Who Ya Gonna Shawl? below). With non-mkal things, I’m often inspired to create some patterning to show off a variegated yarn, for example, but with sweaters, I generally like to focus on construction and shape.
Do you have a favorite type of pattern (hat, shawl, etc.) that you like creating?
Sweaters are always dear to my heart, but I have so much fun designing and writing an MKAL.
What tips do you have for someone who just picked up their first knitting pattern and may seem a bit overwhelmed?
Take it slowly and mark off each direction as you work it. There are so many lovely patterns for beginners out there, but if you’re inspired to knit complex colorwork for your first knit, go with that. Sometimes that’s the inspiration that makes you want to stick with a new skill.
I see you are on Substack! How did you get started writing on there, and would you recommend it to other pattern designers?
I moved to Substack mostly for its newsletter-sending features, but it’s turned into a place where people can read all of their blogs in one place, and I love that. I enjoy both publishing there as well as discovering new-to-me writers.
For our future knit pattern designers, do you have tips for them who want to start writing and selling patterns?
An excellent tech editor is absolutely essential to the work, so don’t ever skip that or put that expectation onto test knitters. Read a lot of other patterns so that you can get a feel for what works for multiple learning styles–charts and written directions are like creating code, but not everyone uses both or even scans things the same way, so helping with readability is important as well.
Don’t skip marketing! If a knitting pattern falls in the forest, and only 20 people on Instagram have seen it…did it make a sound, haha?? Use social media, newsletters, blogging, paid ads, rinse and repeat.
Can you give us a sneak peek at what your plans are for Indie Untangled this year as a featured designer?
I’m hoping to wear a newly released sweater pattern (see the photo below) that people can shop for yarn for during IU. It’ll have a couple different neckline options as well, and I’m so excited about this one.
What’s currently on your needles?
A trianglular shawlette/scarf that’s a surprise pattern for a Making in Michigan knitting retreat next month. The pattern writing is nearly done, but the knitting is not. But the pattern will be out in time for IU/Rhinebeck weekend!
