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No Time to Prepare: The Sudden End of De Minimis
by Olga Paskalenko on Aug 31, 2025
The sudden removal of the U.S. de minimis exemption has blindsided many of us with devastating ripple effects. If you’re a customer, this could mean delays, higher costs, or paused orders from many small makers you love. I want to lay out what’s happening, why it matters, and how we can try to navigate it.
Maker Spotlight: Yamagara Knits
by Amy Dzura on Aug 29, 2025
We’re thrilled to share the full Q&A with Bernice, the creative mind behind Yamagara Knits. She's been kind enough to share with us a behind-the-scenes look at her design process, favorite projects, and the little details that make her patterns so thoughtful and engaging. From yarn-inspired ideas to clever stitch tricks and projects that surprised her, Bernice shares insights, inspirations, and stories that knitters of all levels will enjoy.
Q. You’ve mentioned that many of your ideas begin with a yarn and its story -- is there a moment you can share when the yarn itself inspired a design, and if that story might have influenced the final design?
Indeed, many of my designs begin with the yarn itself. The ZZ Bag, for example, came to life simply because I saw "felting instructions" on the Zealana Tui yarn label and felt compelled to explore intentional felting. The bold zigzag chevron pattern plays with the black and white colourway I chose, while also subtly referencing the letter Z—for Zealana and New Zealand, where the yarn originates.Another memorable instance is the Luminos Tee, inspired by the dramatic "Squid" colourway from Hedgehog Fibres. It reminded me of hotaruika, the bioluminescent firefly squid that lights up Toyama Bay in Japan each spring. To echo that deep-sea shimmer, I paired Squid with HHF’s blackest shade. I was thrilled with how the colours evoked bioluminescence. Taking the idea further, I added decorative crochet lines along the shoulders, connecting with thin stripes on the front and back. Together, they suggest the shape of the Chinese/Japanese character for light or fire, 火. Can you see it?
Q. Your designs include thoughtful details like box pleating in Himmel, and the double-waistband in your Two in the Afternoon skirt; is there a favorite “clever detail” you love that knitters might miss, or one you hope they notice?
It’s interesting that you mentioned box pleating in Himmel. The neckline shaping was actually achieved through the natural structure of the chevron stitch pattern. The box pleat at the hem started as a practical solution to straighten the bottom edge of the chevron stitch but ended up adding visual interest and fun to the knitting process. Since then, pleating and chevron patterns have become two of my favourite design elements. You’ll find them, in various interpretations, in Lapis, Manis, Luminos Tee, Shophouse Tee, Wild Forests, Taihi Cowl, A Chic Scarf, ZZ Bag, and Solarae Top. I’m continually exploring new ways to incorporate them into my work.
Lapis
Back to Himmel, perhaps only those who have knitted the design know this. Instead of purling in the round, the reverse stockinette stitch on the hem is worked by knitting in the round on the wrong side. This is not a new trick but there is a neat little detail to doing this without leaving a gap in the fabric when you turn your work to the wrong side and continue knitting in the round. The answer is a double stitch at the beginning of the round, similar to when working German short rows, then working the double stitch as one knit stitch when you come back to it. Perhaps this too isn’t a new trick, but I was very pleased to come up with this solution when I came across the problem.
Q. Can you share a favorite project you’ve worked on that surprised you -- either by how it turned out, or how others responded to it?
One project that truly surprised me was New Terrain, an updated version of my older Terrain Tee, originally designed in collaboration with We Are Knitters for their 2021 Makers Around the World collection. I did not expect much attention. After all, it was a refresh of an existing pattern, but the response was overwhelmingly positive.
Perhaps those who support New Terrain appreciate that it is more than just a rename. It features thoughtful improvements: it’s now seamless, worked top-down in the round, with added shoulder short rows for a better fit, a wider size range, and a refined cropped silhouette. I was delighted by how well it was received and excited to see knitters making it their own in different yarns and colours.
Q. What part of the design process do you find the most satisfying? Is there a part that you secretly dread (but power through anyway)?
I enjoy every part of the design process, but the most satisfying moment is putting on the finished sample for the first time and showing it to my husband and daughter. Getting their nods of approval always feels special. Grading was a real challenge when I first started designing, but over time, it’s become something I genuinely enjoy. The only downside is the physical strain from spending long hours at the computer writing and grading. I have to remind myself to take breaks and stretch!
Chorus Wrap
We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know Bernice and her thoughtful approach to knitwear design. From clever stitch details to projects that delight and surprise, her work reminds us that every knit has a story -- and a little bit of magic. You can cozy up with Bernice’s latest creations by following her on Instagram or exploring her patterns on Ravelry.
Thank you for joining us on this Maker Spotlight journey, and we can’t wait to see how Bernice’s designs continue to inspire the knitting community.
Love,
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