Welcome to our new column where we feature some of the great members of the Guild! For our first post, we're featuring the vibrant and amazing Deepa! If you want to be featured in a future column (or have a member to suggest) reach out to Jess Dahlberg!

Name: Deepa Nirmal

Ravelry ID: deeni

Instagram (if applicable): n/a

Years Knitting: Lots! Learned as a kid but got back into it after her mother passed away.

Years in the Guild: Joined in 2016 

• What is your favorite Guild benefit? 

All aspects. I really enjoyed some of the demos and classes we’ve done, like the one on natural dyeing (lecture & hands on). I really enjoy the hands on stuff and love that we have a group of people with that much expertise. Always enjoy the show and tell -- easy to be inspired by expertise and hopefully inspiring others. The competitions are great too -- I’ve learned a lot from the constructive criticism during judging!

• Are you a swatcher? 

Very seldom. I have a very consistent gauge, know my own gauge for weights and needles. Tend to not swatch. Maybe for expensive yarn, or tricky construction. Never done a fingering sweater -- would do it then since that’s an epic amount of work and I wouldn’t want it to come out wrong. 

• Favorite place to knit? 

Have bag will travel! No watching TV without busy hands either.

• Do you knit mainly for yourself or for others? 

As time has passed, I have became more cautious for knitting for “muggles” (non-knitters). Handknit items are expressions of love, but not everyone speaks that love language. I make a determination if the recipient will really love it and take proper care of the item. Babies are always fun and easy though! Generally family, friends, and other knitters. I really admire people who do charity knitting. Not quite in that phase myself, but maybe one day.

• What yarn weight do you use most? What color(s)? 

Huge sock yarn stash -- I knit a lot of shawls. Sweaters tend to be DK yarn and up. Really enjoyed some of the lace projects lately. Haven’t done true cobweb yet. Very varied in colors. Really like colorful things -- gravitate towards more colorful. Haven’t done speckled yarn, but really eclectic otherwise.

• What project are you itching to cast on? 

Over a 1000 items in my queue. Going to decide on a small project for the fair (graciously, she offered to knit my little one an Ironheart sweater! It won a third place ribbon at the Fair!). Never tried designing, but perhaps interested to start trying!

• What's a new skill or technique you've learned lately? 

I’m always looking to learn new skills and techniques. Patty Lyon’s ssk. Icelandic bind off. 

• What's a new skill or technique you're hoping to learn this year? 

Maybe brioche. Tried for the Flames hat a while back, but it was a humbling experience! Didn’t go very well -- I didn’t give it the proper attention!

• Any knitting goals for 2019? 

Project monogamy. Finishing sweaters. Pretty good about not abandoning a project -- goal for 2019. No new UFOs. 2020, going to look at the UFO pile. Finish or frog.

• It's the middle of winter, how many hand-knit items can you be found wearing? 

A lot. Hat, scarf/cowl, mittens, socks. Sweaters. This winter I made a concerted effort to wear handknit sweaters.

• Coffee or tea? 

Tea. I grew up drinking Indian teas, Assam and darjeeling. Loose leaf only and it has to be properly brewed. Cut out the sugar sadly, but still need milk.