If your idea of Irish knitting is a traditional fisherman's sweater, you haven't visited Maggie Jackson's Web site. At MaggiKnits.com, the County Antrim–born knitting designer shows off some amazing garments, some of which look like a mermaid or a spider might wear them, others as elegant as an evening in Paris.

The author of 17 knitting books, including “Maggie's Ireland” (XRX Books, 2004), and until recently the proprietor of a flourishing design studio in Northern Ireland (now, she tells us, “I live in a cave in Spain!”), Jackson is an honored guest at the Minnesota Knitters‘ Guild‘s monthly meeting in August. (See the MaggiKnits events page for the workshop she's giving that week at Three Kittens Needle Arts, as well as other Midwestern engagements.) And come early to the MKG meeting (Aug. 21 at 7 p.m.) to be sure you get a seat!