Life Is Cozy

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modern knitting patterns and tutorials Knitting has always been very special for me. I knit to relax & express my creativity.

It makes me happy to know that my tutorials and patterns help people to discover new dimensions of knitting. This is my main source of motivation. I always try to design items that I can wear myself. Experiments with colors, forms, and patterns don't allow my passion to fade. I find inspiration and ideas in travels, in movies, and in walks along the streets of San Francisco.

10/10/2026

Just a week left until Rhinebeck! See you there?

I’m very excited to hold a signing for One Skein Knitting at NY Sheep and Wool this year! Please come find me in Building B, at Merritt Bookstore + Toystore with David and Charles 💛 I’ll be there both Saturday and Sunday, 9:30-12:30.

We are bringing all the exciting things:
⋆ Of course, books! get yours signed for yourself or a friend, or two, or three (holidays are coming 💕)
⋆The original book samples to get inspired for all the festival shopping!
⋆ The newest one-skein-perfect project bags I’ve developed to match your books perfectly - with signature golden tassels, of course 🌟
⋆ Our limited-edition yarn-a-longs by the wonderful HapBee Creative Studios by Tracy designed for the book release
⋆ My handmade natural gemstones and pearl stitch markers perfect for all the textured patterns you’ll find in the book
⋆ The most popular item of this release (after the book 🙃): shawl rings! These little cuties take the styling of your single skein projects to the next level and so much easier, too.

And the most important thing - please come say hi! Seeing you in person is the highlight of these events.
Also, if you see my pink ponytail bobbing around after signing hours or at A Woolen Affair - Catherine Clark on Friday, don’t hesitate to come by! Can’t wait for all the hugs 💕

10/08/2026

GIVEAWAY ♡

To celebrate the new pattern for Cyclamen Mini Scarf, we’ve teamed up with Spincycle Yarns for a fun giveaway! Two lucky knitters will each receive everything they need to make their own scarf: the pattern + a skein of Dyed in the Wool in Soft Power, the color used for the original sample ☀️

Here’s how to enter:
◦ follow Ksenia Naidyon and Spincycle Yarns
◦ like this post ♡
◦ comment below, tagging a knitting friend and telling us a color combination that always makes you happy (you probably can guess mine 💗💛)
◦ each comment counts as an entry!

Giveaway is closing at midnight PT on October 11. We’ll announce the two winners on October 12.

Good luck! ☀️

10/01/2026

She’s here: say hello to Cuore Poncho 🌿

I worked on this design mostly in Italy this year, hence the name: it’s a modern take on a heart motif, and “cuore” means “heart” in Italian 🤍

A few pattern highlights:
- DK / worsted / Aran weight yarn: choose depending on how dense you would like the fabric to be for anything from a lightweight cover to a warm winter cocoon. I used Dunescape Universal Yarn from my local Blick Art Materials
- The poncho is worked flat as a rectangular panel, then folded in half widthwise and seamed at one shoulder.
- It can be worn two ways: with the seam on the shoulder as an asymmetrical piece or with the seam at the back.
- Instructions are both charted and written out.

The pattern is now live and you can use the code 20off for a 20% intro discount both on Ravelry and PayHip! Links will be up in stories and in bio.
Love, hugs, and knitted hearts 🤍

09/26/2026

Another love post for Cyclamen Mini Scarf and making things your own 💖
When I started working on this project, I had a vision for it becoming an easy accessory that will do all the work in simpler outfits. So of course there had to be tassels! I wanted to add a little something extra to them, and that’s how the golden hardware comes into play.

Today I will be spotlighting my amazing testknitters’ projects in my stories. Have a look at how each of them made Cyclamen their own and maybe get inspiration for yours?
There’s still time to use the code 20off for a 20% intro discount until the end of Sunday!

If you want to repeat my tassel craziness, it’s easy! First, I hid the thread that was used to tie the tassel and was at the top of its bobble by just pulling it inside with a crochet hook. Then, I used three split rings to attach the tassel to the scarf tip. And when I felt that wasn’t enough, I used a few more split rings to “wrap” them around the bobble wraps for a small golden accent there as well.

For the tassels, I used leftover Seismic Yarn from my Koa Shawl and it was a perfect match for colors. When working with a gradient skein like mine Spincycle Yarns for the main body, it’s hard to preserve the colors for the tassel unless you want to cut out sections of different colors as you knit (which I didn’t). So scrap yarn for the rescue!

09/25/2026

Pattern spotlight and KAL check-in 💛

Today I wanted to spotlight two designs from One Skein Knitting: Verba Cowl and Camassia Shawl, and the lovely yarn companies behind them who are also sponsoring two of the gifts in our One Skein Knitting Knit-Along!

It’s been lovely seeing all your gorgeous projects using the book patterns come to life. Don’t forget to post on the KAL Ravelry thread or tag me for a chance to win one of the prizes.

Now, to the designs!

💛 Verba Cowl is a pure celebration of texture. It is worked from the tip up first flat, then in the round, and can be adjusted to pretty much any height and available yardage. I used Flaxen Silk Fine Felicia from SweetGeorgia ✨ to highlight a non-wool yarn and let me just say - the sheen and stitch definition are absolute perfection. Sweet Georgia is contributing a $25 gift card to our KAL prizes!

💖 Camassia Shawl features my signature V-shape, is very light and has a wonderful drape. As it is worked from the top down, the pattern can be easily adjusted to a different yardage - simply stop when you are happy with the length or run out of yarn. My sample was knit with Felix Aimée Gille | La Bien Aimée which I chose for the fantastic crispness of the lace and, of course, Aimée’s magical pastel neon colorways. La Bien Aimée had kindly offered a €50 gift card as one of the KAL gifts!

Are you working on a pattern from the book? What are you making? This is the most exciting part of the publication - seeing the designs come to life on your needles 💕

09/24/2026

Please welcome Cyclamen Mini Scarf 💖

This was my dopamine knit during the book release. Such a satisfying project and an absolute delight to work on, too! The stitch pattern here is mostly composed of simple lace, with dip stitches forming the flowers worked once in ten rows.

It is very versatile for using up partial or smaller skeins in your stash - anything from sport, DK, or worsted yarn would work great! I used a skein of gorgeous Dyed in the Wool Spincycle Yarns that I got at Flock Fiber Festival this year 💕

The pattern is now up with a 20% intro discount! Use the code 20off on Ravelry and PayHip (links up in bio and in stories).
P.S. As always, directions are both charted and written out, video for dip stitches provided.

Can’t wait to see your versions!

09/22/2026

Today is 14th anniversary of Life Is Cozy 💕
I am so lucky to have this career. Thank you all for being a part of it!
It was fun to scroll back and find some photos from different stages of this rollercoaster of a job 🙃

In order of the carousel:
- Working on bulky scarves for my Etsy store, Kyiv, September 2012
- My first published pattern: Stormy Sky Shawl! It is forever free on Ravelry; yarn Mirasol Yarns
- Worldwide Knit in Public Day picnic in San Francisco this year with more than 100 attendees 💕 Wearing Vita Cami with Seismic Yarn
- My most successful pattern: Filoli Cowl, designed for San Francisco Bay Area Yarn Crawl with peninsulayarn
- My least successful release this year: Milk Bun Shawl, yarn Retrosaria Rosa Pomar - no idea why it’s not doing well, but I really love this design and wear it a lot!
- Cinna Top love modeled by my most amazing friends 💛 my sample yarn is Knit Picks
- Vesna Tee, a design which was heavily influenced by Cinna; yarn peninsulayarn
- Sock workshop for Crafter. we worked on in 2020!
- And, of course, my book and my wonderful Book Launch Team in the midst of packing preorders this August 💕

09/17/2026

Sweater Weather is upon us 🍁
Let’s make new beautiful things together!

♡ Enjoy 30% off all of my self-published cardigans and pullover patterns with the code SweaterWeather both on Ravelry and PayHip until the end of Sunday. Links in bio and stories.
♡ I would also like to gift a pattern of your choice to three of you. Leave a comment with your favorite design and a color you’d make it in, choosing from the ones listed here or in the Ravelry bundle and I’ll pick the winners on Sunday!

Featured patterns:
• Star Jasmine Cardigan, DK weight, yarn Knit Picks
• Bindweed, fi*****ng + fluff, yarn KNITTING FOR OLIVE
• Kviten Sweater, sport weight / lace held triple, yarn Rowan Yarns
• Florentine Cocoon, worsted, yarn Rowan Yarns
• Sycamore Cardigan, worsted, yarn John Arbon Textiles
• Cloud Slipover, bulky weight, yarn We Are Knitters 🐑✌️
• City of the Sun Sweater, fi*****ng + fi*****ng or DK, yarn Purl Soho
• Alder Cardigan, DK weight, yarn KnittedWit (Lorajean)
• Evanescence Sweater, worsted, yarn John Arbon Textiles
• Scrapdigan, worsted, a variety of scarp yarns
• Rainbow Mist Sweater, fi*****ng + fi*****ng, yarn Knit Picks
• Star Jasmine Pullover, fi*****ng + fluff, yarn We Are Knitters 🐑✌️

09/10/2026

Call for testknitters - Cyclamen Mini Scarf 💛
It’s a super fun little thing for using up your partial or smaller skeins of yarn.

Highlights:
- Sport / DK / worsted weight yarn, anywhere between 100-200yds. I used a skein of Spincycle Yarns Dyed in the Wool 💖
- Both the scarf’s width and length are adjustable.
- You can add tassels to the tips if desired - I know I will!
- Directions are both charted and written out, video for dip stitches provided.

For all the details and to apply, please check the testknit thread in my Ravelry group. The link will be up in stories!

09/08/2026

Have you been interested in learning how to knit the fun textures I often use in my designs? Did you miss the in-person book signings during the launch week?
Here are the classes and events we are preparing in the next month!

💛 September 12th - All About Texture workshop (my most popular class on nupps, Estonian braids, Japanese stitches and more), trunk show, book signing, and Life Is Cozy merch at Fiber Circle Studio

💛 September 18th - The Art of the Unusual Stitch: A Knitter’s Texture Toolkit (an exclusive class featuring a blend of my favorite textures and the ones tailored to the book, like knitting cables without a cable needle and different kinds of wrapped stitches), book signing, and Life Is Cozy pop-up at avfkw

💛 October 3rd-4th - four classes at Lambtown Festival !
- All About Texture (sold out)
- Single Skein Strategy (a lecture-style workshop on finding a perfect match for that special single skein)
- Dip Stitches (a new class on directional dip stitches, combining them into repeating patterns, and using multiple colors)
- I-Cords: Edges, Finishes, And Flair (a workshop covering sleek built-in i-cord edges, i-cord bind-off and a paired Judy’s magic cast on, and creative ways to use i-cords as decorative elements).

Hope to see you at one (or a few) events!
Projects on photos, all from One Skein Knitting:
- Ilex Shawl, yarn Wonderland Yarns & Frabjous
- All four cowls from the book, yarns tagged on the photo
- Gypsophila Shawl, yarn Magpie Fibers
- All five shawls from the book, yarns tagged on the photo
- Vitis Scarf, yarn avfkw

Address

San Mateo, CA
94401–94404, 94497

Website

https://lifeiscozy.com/

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