Kirsten Hipsky is a professional pattern designer from Western Massachusetts. She has been designing, writing, and editing patterns professionally for over 15 years and designing her own garments for over 25 years.

Though she learned how to knit in early childhood, her knitting career began in earnest at age 11 when  her parents bought a small craft store in Southeastern Wisconsin. There among the yarn and needles and fabric, she nominated herself to be the in-house R&D department, and quickly learned how to spin, weave, crochet, tat, and embroider when she was supposed to be counting inventory.

After trying to knit a few sweaters from patterns in magazines, she grew frustrated with messy directions and ill-considered design choices. When she read Knitting from the Top by Barbara Walker, everything changed. A whole new world of seamless, thoughtful, hand-knitting-centered design opened up to her, and she never looked back.

You can find her design portfolio here.