So I've wanted to share this for a while, but I'm anxious that this is going to be taken out of context. I in no way want to minimize what is happening in the world and I'm not narcissistic enough to believe that what I'm about to say isn't problematic and privileged in a big way. Hopefully, you all know my heart by now and know where I'm coming from with this. 
I am an extroverted introvert. It was a term that I first heard a few years ago and the second I heard it I was like "yep, that's me!". An extroverted introvert also known as a social introvert is often confused with being an extrovert. But for me being in highly social situations drains my tank. For example, after VKL NYC this year it took me about a month before I felt like myself again. Being in social situations takes a lot out of me but while I'm in those social situations I can come across as a more extroverted personality, particularly when I notice others in the group might be m…

Namaste bagsare the affordable Birkin Bag of the maker community. I first heard of them a little over a year ago when I noticed a knitter carrying the backpack at one of my knitflix nights. My eyes widened when I realized that it was a bag specifically designed for makers. Since then my obsession has only deepened as more new styles get released. BUT with that said for me I don't care how popular an item is. If it isn't a good product, in my opinion, you won't hear about it on this blog. It doesn't make sense for me to recommend something that doesn't work. This is the story of how I joined the cult of Namaste.


(I do want to add a note that all of these pictures and most of this post were taken and written before the craziness that is the world right now.)

As some of us cope with recent events by grabbing our crafts and rocking back and forth in the corner others have decided to take a much more productive approach to the lock-in. For the last few days, I've been in group A. Knitting away on a security blanket and obsessively checking twitter. But being in group A is no longer working for me. I need to do more to keep myself sane. So I'm going to try harder to be in group B from now on. 

There are a few thoughts that can instantly bring a smile to my face. The first of course is the idea that somewhere out there Keanu Reeves and I are looking up at the same moon. The second is the knowledge that one day someone realized that if they tied point A to point B they could make magic and then they decided to share that idea with those around them. Whenever I get stumped on a stitch I take a step back and remind myself that at the end of the day it's just a series of knots.

There are fashion icons who come once in a generation, making an impact so great that they will be remembered for all of time. I'm talking of course about the flashy girl from flushing (bump, bump) the Nanny, named Fran. As a child, my parents refused to get cable. It wasn't until I went away to college that my parents decided to get a cable box (still bitter). There was one month when in middle school my parents announced that we suddenly had cable. My sister and I took full advantage of this. Watching every second of cartoons that we could until at the end of the month my parents told us that it was just a trial and the box was going away. A crushing blow. Is it really any surprise that I decided to start a business where I can get paid to watch my favorite shows? Wow, that got off track quickly and is probably best left for my therapist.

Getting back to my point. Since we didn't have cable, network shows became my bread and butter. Sister Sister, Sabrina, and of course …

Over the last month, I've started and stopped a new post a million times in my head. I never planned to take such a long break from posting. I launched this blog in July of last year and since then I've posted 2-5 times a week. As many of you, who have been around here for a minute, know I have the "too much gene". Meaning that when I have an idea it can't just be a passing thought with zero effort. It has to be epic. The epicness of an idea can create magic, but it can also drain me. I'm not someone who checks in with myself. I can work for hours before I realized that I haven't eaten or stood up all day.

I'm not entirely sure when I realized I was doing that with Bobble. But I decided to take a step back and planned to take two weeks off for the holidays. I don't think that I realized how exhausted I was until I stopped. Kind of like the first time you wear a new pair of boots. You are so excited about them and wear them all day. It's not unt…

“I was raised by highly creative women, who, at some point earned a living from their crafts. There was always some knitting or sewing going on at home"

Sam: Where are you from and where are you currently based?

Noma: I am based in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Sam: Have you always been a creative person?

Noma: Yes – I was raised by highly creative women, who, at some point earned a living from their crafts. There was always some knitting or sewing going on at home, so I learnt early.

Sam: What is your craft of choice?

Noma: Definitely knitting!!!

Sam: Where do you think your love of crafting comes from?

Noma: I love creating something new and different that has never existed before - that’s the most thrilling experience ever.

Sam: When did you decide to start creating your patterns? Was that an easy jump for you to make or did it take a little convincing?

Noma: I had always created my own patterns even as a child. Somehow, I struggle with following instructions, so it was easy for me to do …

I have a confession: I am not a knitter.


Though there have been many attempts at becoming a knitter, it has never quite stuck for me. My mom has tried to teach me to knit multiple times in the last 29 years, but it has never blossomed into a hobby as she would have hoped. My mom is a self-taught knitter. She grew up in Northern Ireland in a family of nine children where knitting and sewing her clothing was a necessity, but also a creative outlet she truly enjoyed. She still furiously knits to this day.


Throughout my childhood, she would teach me to cast on and cast off on a set of pink needles with leftover balls of yarn from her various masterpieces. I would do a few rows and lose interest shortly thereafter. Usually, I would only get to the point of making a little swatch of stitches. Then I would put it down and forget about it. When I would come back to it, I would get to exactly the same point each time. I suppose I’m a stop-and-start sort of knitter. We tried needlepoint as well. …