Designing since 2016, Rachel Brockman has a stunning portfolio that includes a wide variety of patterns. You'll find everything from beginner friendly blankets and accessories, to intermediate lace work and intricate cables on hats, socks, men's and women's garments, home goods, and more! Her style spans the bold, bright and fun to the classic, earthy and sophisticated. After spending a number of years with Universal Yarn, life has brought Rachel to Expression Fiber Arts, and she is thrilled to be a part of the fiber community!

Beyond her fiber activities, Rachel is happiest being outdoors, bird watching, taking photos, bouldering, and exploring oil painting. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two beloved dogs. (A note from the author that her dogs are exceptional models and may be the only things that could upstage her designs!) You can find a collection of Rachel's patterns on Ravelry and follow her designs and photographs on Instagram.

Rachel is one of the featured designers in Laine's 10th Anniversary issue! She was gracious enough to answer some questions for us about her design process and connection with Laine. We hope you enjoy the interview shared below.

MFY: For you, what typically comes first? A yarn that sparks a design? Or a design that begs for a specific type of yarn?

Rachel: Typically, the yarn comes first, but that’s not strictly a rule. Since much of my background involved working for a commercial yarn company, I’ve often been asked to design for specific yarn, so that’s just how I’ve gotten used to working. I ask myself about the yarn's qualities and brainstorm the stitch patterns and silhouettes that would pair beautifully with it.

Of course, I work in the opposite manner as well – and love to create charts and explore what yarns are best suited to them. For the Pinaceae Hat, I reflected on the original sweater design and knew I wanted to choose a finer weight to accommodate the larger motifs, while keeping a similar texture. So, in this case, the design begged for a specific type of yarn.

MFY: You've designed a little of everything, but we see a lot of textured stitches and colorwork in your portfolio. Where do you find inspiration as you create new patterns?

Rachel: Oh yes – I have a large portfolio that spans everything from garments and accessories to homewares and even toys. Hopefully, this doesn’t sound too cliché, but I find a lot of inspiration in nature and my surroundings. I look toward lines and small details and try to capture those in the overall design. Perhaps it’s the texture of tree bark, as was the inspiration for Pinaceae. Or it could be the ways colors dance together across a landscape. I also find inspiration in fabric swatches and ready-to-wear fashion. Whenever something captures my attention, I try to snap a photo and think about how I can translate it into something new. 

MFY: What is something makers might be surprised to learn about your design process?

Rachel:  That’s a tough question! It could be that many of my designs start with hand-drawn charts in a little graph paper notebook. I could spend hours upon hours just charting out various ideas. I know it’s a little more streamlined to start charting in computer programs, but as a knitter, I love the tactile aspect of pencil and paper. A bunch of those ideas have come to life in long car rides to visit loved ones in my hometown – the perfect time to swatch! I also ask my husband for his feedback throughout the process. His opinion means a lot to me, even if he’s a bit biased. He’s learned a lot about knitting through me over the years, and I think he understands my process better than anyone. 

MFY: What do you hope people feel when they cast on your contribution to Laine's 10th Anniversary issue?

Rachel: Put simply, I hope they feel so much joy. I hope they relish the details and stitch pattern, and perhaps if they have also knit the sweater, they feel a touch of nostalgia, too. I put a lot of love into this design, and appreciate all the hands that went into making it a reality. I also hope that they feel free to tweak it to make it their own – whether that’s color and yarn choices, or modifications that fine-tune everything to their individual desires. Joy and freedom to create are what knitting is all about!

MFY: This will be the fourth time you've worked with Laine. What does this connection mean to you?

Rachel:  I have contributed to the magazine three times now, including this Anniversary issue, and also contributed Crosshatch to 52 Weeks of Shawls, which is one of my favorite and most-worn designs to date. To my complete surprise, it also made the cover of the paperback version!

Pinaceae sort of nods to both the original sweater and this shawl, because I chose the same yarn featured in the shawl. I’ve loved working with Laine. Each time I’ve received the news that my design has been selected, it feels like the greatest honor and surprise to be included among so much incredible talent. The team is an absolute pleasure to work with, and I’m so grateful they’ve given me these opportunities. Everything always comes together so beautifully and seamlessly. I’m incredibly grateful.   

Give Rachel a follow on Instagram for more dog and knitting content, and then hop over to Ravelry to see her wide variety of patterns! 

For more Laine content you can shop our collection of Laine publications, follow them on Instagram at @Laine_Magazine or @Laine_Publishing, or visit their website!