My Life In Yarn: Cassandra King

My name is Cassandra King, and I live in Indianapolis, Indiana.

My favorite Lion Brand Yarn is a 3- way tie! I love the Wool-Ease line (both worsted and super bulky), I love Jeans, and I love the Basic Stitch line. Truly, if I’m purchasing yarn at a big box store, I typically reach for Lion Brand.

I learned to crochet when I was 7-years-old by my great-grandmother. Due to my mom’s frequent, debilitating migraines and depression, I spent a lot of time with her. I was bored to tears, and she needed to keep me busy somehow. My early lessons consisted of, “Stick the hook here, then wrap it, then stick it here.” Lets just say my instruction was quite informal. I made a lot of scarves and afghans throughout the years, picking up some yarn here and there, but I was never very serious about it. Fast forward to my adult life as a young, married mom. I kept seeing gorgeous crochet magazines at our grocery store, and I fell in love with hats. However, due to my “informal” training, I had no clue how to even begin. YouTube wasn’t a thing yet, and my local library had very few materials, least of which were trendy or anything I would want to wear. I ended up with a gift card for Christmas to our local bookstore where I purchased a kid’s learn to knit kit, and I devoured it. Something about knitting appealed to me, and I decided that because I didn’t know how to crochet a hat, I would learn to knit one. I then went to my local library and picked up a kid’s learn to knit dvd. I fell in love! Shortly after I began my love affair with making tons of hats, I was diagnosed with Papillary Thyroid cancer. At the time, I was very sick, and I didn’t know what stage my cancer was at. I had 3 little girls at home, and I felt very alone. I started knitting increasingly difficult items to keep my mind distracted and my hands busy. After surgery and radiation, knitting helped me cope with the drastic changes in my hormone levels. I learned to knit “blind” and would keep a ball and needles right next to my bed so that when I awoke with crippling panic attacks, I was able to knit away until I, quite literally, fell back asleep. I had another child after, and I have been a knitting addict ever since. I enjoy knitting everything and anything, from socks to shawls, simply to complex lacework. I decided to revisit crochet after I learned to properly knit, and that world opened up to me as well. I couldn’t believe these 2 yarn crafts were as simple as unlocking a key! I crochet lots of afghans, and I have crocheted many shawls, hats, and even sweaters. I really enjoy both, but knitting is my dear friend. It got me through so much, including babies, cancer, divorce, remarriage, and life in general.

I’m a musician as well, and I find if I’m not playing and performing, I have to keep my hands busy. Of course, the thing I most enjoy creating is hats. I’m constantly trying to design knit-look crocheted hats and have really enjoyed the face lift crochet has received in the past few years. I love the look of classic knitting as well and will always have a sweater, socks, mittens, scarves on the side ready to go. I love box stitch and double knits, so I do a lot of that in knitting.

The first project I ever knit was a hat from Susan B. Anderson’s “Itty Bitty Hats” book. It was the cute birthday cake hat for my daughter’s 1st birthday. I love Lion Brand Yarns because they are consistently high quality. The colorways are always on trend, even the economical line (Pound of Love) is super soft and durable, and the range of economical to luxury keeps me busy with any and every project.

I have shared my love of knitting and crochet with all of my daughters, including my bonus daughter through remarriage, as well as my mom, family members, friends, scouting troops, church groups, and even my husband, who rather enjoys crocheting and whipped up a lovely hemp hanging plant holder the same day he learned to crochet. I knit (or crochet) everywhere and every day, and I love sharing my love for such a therapeutic, rewarding skill with anyone and everyone I know.

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