DIY Network

DIY Women: Sahara Briscoe

One look at the pit bull prancing about in a multi-colored sweater, and it’s clear that Sahara Briscoe is no ordinary knitter. It’s a passion that’s been flowing through her for 19 years now. And between Della, Briscoe’s fashionable canine, a knit-loving Harlem community and a web site dedicated to the craft, she’s spreading her love like wildfire.

(Sahara's story is continued below.)

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	Spunky, creative knitter, Sahara Briscoe
	Media Watch Sahara as she shares a simple knitting technique.
	Media Take a look at Sahara's unique placemat design.

"At 7, my mother taught me how to knit and crochet to keep from bothering her," says the lively Bronx native, who comes from three generations of dressmakers. "I was one of those kids who always needed something to do." She caught the creative bug, and continued to hone her skills in high school and college.

After graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, Briscoe took on a job giving knitting machine lessons. Forget that she’d never laid eyes on one. She learned how and has been addicted to knitting ever since. Eventually, Briscoe found her niche in the fashion industry, developing fabric swatches and patterns for design companies, which she still does today through a side business, Super String Theory. She also gives private needlepoint and beading lessons, and whips up special orders such as a mink-trimmed coat and bodysuit for a Chihuahua named Lola.

But Briscoe’s heart and soul is volunteering with The Harlem Knitting Circle, a community of veteran and novice knitters she started with a year ago. Each Saturday, she spends three hours sharing her know-how with members of the circle who range in age from 5 to 80.

"I work primarily with middle-aged and senior women," she says. "They’ve given so much all of their lives, so it lifts their self-esteem to learn they can make something for themselves."

Initially, Briscoe popped her head in to simply knit with others. But the growing popularity of the art form called her to educate instead. Giddy about the rebirth of her favorite pastime, especially in African-American communities, Briscoe nurtures new knitters every chance she can get. In addition to volunteering, she manages an online knitting blog – yes, a knitting blog – where visitors can enjoy her humorous knitting diary, click through a detailed swatch library, share tips and post to her message boards.

"I get a lot of enjoyment out of teaching," Briscoe says. "It’s really important to for us to create as opposed to just accumulate. We need to go back to fostering that creativity."

This season, she’s promoting summer knitting projects for her students. In place of typical starter projects like scarves, Briscoe entices beginners to try making dishcloths, hand and bath towels, place mats or even a trendy tube top. In the studio set up in her Bronx apartment, Briscoe proudly shows off a vibrant green and yellow bath sheet and a clever cutlery holder that doubles as placemat.

"I believe the mundane should be beautiful," Briscoe says. "My goal is to help people make things that look complex but are easy to work with. You get the most out of doing the least."

So when does Briscoe fit in her personal projects? She manages. In fact, Della will be getting a fancy new sweater any day now.

Have we piqued your interest in knitting? To start, Briscoe offers the following advice:

• Find a good instructor by checking with yarn shops or other knitters.
  
• Make sure you find a patient teacher.
  
• Be prepared to pay an average fee of $30 an hour. Any fee over $50 is considered expensive.
  
• Expect the first lesson to be free.

Visit Briscoe’s blog at www.sistahcraft.typepad.com

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