DIY Network

Australia-born crafter, needle artist and design diva Allison Whitlock has been dabbling in all things needle since the ripe age of 4, when she first became mesmerized by the click-clack of metallic knitting needles. Taught by her relatives, friends, neighbors, teachers and anyone who had a skill and five minutes to share it, she has a deft hand at fiber arts including crochet, embroidery, cross-stitch, quilting and sewing. A passion for contemporary design and a love of popular culture led Allison on a career path in design and television. She moved from Sydney to New York City, where she worked as a writer, stylist and producer for cable programs Sheila Bridges' Designer Living, A Swell Holiday and the modern design must-see Dwell. In her twenties, she put down needles in favor of more powerful tools and renovated two Sydney homes, the second watched by a few million Australian TV viewers. She then began to focus on interiors, taking on small design consultations. A move to New York and a chance meeting with Stitch 'N Bitch author Debbie Stoller took Allison back to her roots. She rediscovered knitting and crochet and found a way of combining her passions for contemporary design and fiber arts. Her favorite projects are those that incorporate the clean lines and minimal simplicity of modernism with the intricate detail and cultural significance of old-fashioned needlecrafts. See what Allison knits next as the host of Uncommon Threads.