Meet Wrinkle: the sidekick you didn't know you needed
Where did Wrinkle come from?
Sometimes when you’re working at your desk, all by yourself, you need company. Someone to sit beside you while you wrestle with designs and gauge swatches. Someone to witness the moment you realise you have to frog 15 rows because you counted wrong (again). Someone to talk to, but who isn't focussed on their own work. Someone to keep the energy alive when your own motivation has fled to somewhere sunnier.
Let me introduce you to Wrinkle.
She's 18 centimetres tall (to the tips of her unruly magenta hair). Her body is roughly 19 centimetres around (because even thistles need comfort). She wears a grey knitted Sophie scarf, which she's convinced makes her look sophisticated. She has opinions. Lots of them.
And she's officially part of The Wrinkled Thistle now.
Why a Wrinkled character?
I could have continued the safe route. No characters, no voices, no personalities interrupting the knitting talk. But here's the thing: knitting isn't just about stitches. It's about people. Stories. The quiet moments when you're alone with your needles and your thoughts and maybe a cup of tea that's already gone cold.
In future blog posts and social media, you'll see her pop up from time to time. I might even interview her for a Q&A. I'm sure she'll critique my work. Sometimes she'll just be there, sitting beside the knitting, being herself.
Welcome to Wrinkle. She may be opinionated, but she's a little bit of whimsy and we all need a bit of that.
Why are we doing this? Who are we making this for? Why does traditional craft matter in a world of fast fashion and instant gratification?
Wrinkle isn’t afraid to ask. And sometimes they're questions I don't want to hear, but they’re the questions I need to answer.
The magenta hair came later. It was a vivid purple first, but that, for me at least, was just too much. The magenta is also a bit more on brand. And because if you're going to be a business mascot, you might as well have flair.
Unofficially? She's become something I didn't quite expect. As she’s been sitting there, casting her googly eyes over everything that’s going on, her voice emerged and suddenly she wasn't just a character, she was a perspective. Someone to ask hard questions of me when I'd rather not answer them myself.
What's next for Wrinkle?
Plenty, I'm sure. She's already told me she wants to contribute to the forthcoming Gansey Diaries (which I've accepted as a demand, not a suggestion). She's offered unsolicited advice on yarn stash organisation. And she's expressed strong opinions about the state of my desk.
For me, that companion became a crocheted thistle named Wrinkle.
She started as a silly idea. Then I picked up a hook and created. The scarf had to be Sophie, and I have many different sizes of googly eyes, but these just made sense!
What does Wrinkle do?
Officially? Nothing (but don't tell her that!). She's a crocheted figure who sits on my desk and judges my choice of beverage. And has opinions on knitting.
Wrinkle captures that spirit. She's the part of the creative process that's playfulness, curiosity, and yes, a little bit of mischief. She reminds me that this work doesn't have to be serious all the time.
She also reminds me to breathe. When I'm stressed about timelines, deadlines, pattern designs, course creation, social media algorithms — she sits there on the desk with those enormous eyes and somehow makes it all seem manageable.
If you want to keep up with what Wrinkle is up to, sign up to my newsletter. She's got plenty to say and is currently in charge of subscriber discounts!
The Wrinkled Thistle
Heritage Ganseys | Modern Knitting
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