First as a freelancer for yarn companies and knitting magazines then as the design director at JCA, followed by a nine-year stint as the design director at Berroco where she headed up the design team and published sixteen eponymous booklets. While immersed in both art and needle arts from an early age, Norah also maintained an intense curiosity about science and the natural world, going on to earn a degree in Biology/Art from Brown University.ĭuring the years that followed she concentrated on her greatest love – knitting. Norah’s father, Jack Gaughan, was a well known science fiction illustrator in his day while her mother Phoebe Gaughan illustrated how-to books and magazines in the home and crafts fields. Norah was raised by artists in the Hudson Valley.

Please join us as we chat about life, knitting and the funny coincidences that she and I have switched places– after years of living in Providence, Norah is now in New Hampshire and after 17 years in New Hampshire, I now make my home in Providence. We are genuinely thrilled that Norah will be joining us in September and offering a class straight out of her newest book that won’t be available until October 2016.Īs she mentions in our conversation, her new book, Norah Gaughan’s Knitted Cable Sourcebook, draws upon 30 years of knitting, and will include all sorts of stitches - over 152 stitches in this book! - that she is sharing for the first time so that you can make them your own. (Published by STC Craft, an Imprint of Abrams, (on right) Norah Gaughan’s Knitted Cable Sourcebook

“I want the pattern to be an interesting shape, fun to wear and, modern.” (on left) photo by Chris Vaccaro, copyright Berroco She will also be teaching at a number of retreats in 2016 (including with us at Squam) so check links below to read more about that. Today, we get to chat with Norah and hear about her latest projects now that she is based in Harrisville, NH.

I honestly can’t imagine what it would be like to see ALL of her work lined up in one place as a quick stroll through the internet will overwhelm you with the sheer quantity and variety of what she has created over the years. What dazzles me so truly is the depth and range of the designs that Norah produces. (*NOTE: to Ravelry, shouldn’t there be one by now?) In fact, if there were a knitters hall of fame* surely Norah would be one of the first inductees. Photo above courtesy of creativebugFor anyone who knits, there probably isn’t a time when you didn’t know the name NORAH GAUGHAN.

Vogue knitting norah gaughan