People of Unwound: AJ Olson

AJ Olson has been coming in the shop regularly for as long as I can remember. She knows more about the stock than I do! So she's the perfect first interview for our new series, People of Unwound!

Heather: The ubiquitous question: When did you learn to knit, and who taught you?

AJ: I was taught to knit as a teen by my “big friend“ Jeane. Jeane was my daycare mom starting when I was just nine weeks old, and we remained close until she passed away a few years ago. I think she has a lot to do with the love of crafting I’ve had all my life.

Heather: What made you decide to visit Unwound yarn shop in La Crosse for the first time?

AJ: I came to Unwound looking for help with a baby blanket I was making for a friend. Me and my cheap acrylic were welcomed with open arms. That baby is 18 month old now, and that blanket is still on needles. To say I’ve been distracted by ALL.THE.YARN. is a bit of an understatement.

Heather: What do you enjoy doing when you are not knitting or petting yarn?

AJ: A perfect evening would include delicious take out, a drink or two, and board games with friends. My cats (Razzle, Naiya, and Ewok) and all things cat-related are also favs.

Heather: What yarn-y tool do you find most useful, other than needles?

AJ: I’m going to go unconventional with this one and say a Post-It Note. I prefer to work from a printed pattern, and I use a Post-It to keep my place. I also add tally marks/notes when I’m repeating rows.

Heather: What is your favorite knitting resource? (Book, web site, person, etc.)

AJ: There’s seriously been no problem that the ladies of Unwound can’t solve (sometimes they’re not even knitting-related), so my answer is: you all. I’ve also found friends at the shop! The knitting is really just a bonus...

Heather: And finally, what are you knitting right now?

AJ: Knit-a-longs keep me motivated, and right now I’ve got Stephen West’s “Smock It!” on my needles. It’s a pretty tame pattern as far as he goes, but I went wild with my color choices. (Link: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/smock-it-2)