Originally from Belgium, I learned how to knit from my Great-Aunt when I was about 8 years old. As an older teenager, I completed a few sample knits for a well-known knitting store in Belgium, after studying textile design at L’Institut Bischoffsheim in Brussels. In 1988, I came to the United States as an au pair. Soon after I met my husband and we moved to Maryland and started a family.
In 2002, I met the owner of Woolwinders and when my daughter started kindergarten in 2007, I began working at the shop. And it wasn’t long before I began teaching classes.
By 2014, I was teaching classes full-time, and by the end of 2019, I was teaching seven classes a week! These classes, called “safaris,” provided an opportunity for students to work on their projects. As a teacher, my goal was to help my students navigate patterns, mistakes, and modifications in order to make their projects successful.
While teaching at Woolwinders, I continued taking classes myself —at festivals, retreats and workshops by renowned knitwear designers, including Lori Versaci, Joji Locatelli, Veera Välimäki, Stephen West, Nancy Marchant, Franklin Habit, Arne & Carlos, Mary Jane Mucklestone, Olga Buraya-Kefelian, Sally Melville, and Maggie Jackson, to name a few. Subsequently, I began doing test knits for a few designers, including Thea Colman and Lori Versaci.
My passion and love for knitting has continued to bloom and grow throughout my life and, after a lot of encouragement from customers, family and friends, I am excited to share my passion with you through knitting classes, finishing work, personal shopping and more!