Press Releases and Media
As an internationally recognized hand knitwear designer...
Shirley Paden’s designs and articles have appeared in magazines such as Interweave Knits, Interweave Crochet, Vogue Knitting, Knitters, Family Circle, and Knit it! As well as in the collections of leading yarn companies. She has taught and lectured on various aspects of hand knitting and crochet over the past 23 years. In her book, Knitwear Design Workshop, She brings to life in print, her most popular class, Knitwear Design for all those who want to explore designing their own garments or altering commercial patterns. Shirley has been featured on HGTV and Knitting Daily TV as well as in designer interviews in the leading knitting magazines. The British magazine, The Knitter has listed her in their “Who’s Who in North American Knitting.” She is also the owner of Shirley Paden Custom Knits located in New York City where Shirley designs an exclusive line of custom knit clothing.
Shirley is a builder, teacher, and innovator. She left the corporate arena and took an uncharted path by venturing into the 2,000-year-old cloth making art of hand knitting. Through her book Knitwear Design Workshop, Shirley envisions to spread this unique knowledge in the modern world to anyone who wishes to excel in or pursue a career in creating handmade artwork. Among all hand-knitwear designers globally, Ms. Paden is known for being unique and efficient. She is completely self-taught, and she thinks out if the box.
With her masterpiece, Knitwear Design Workshop, her online Handknit Garment Design Class, her Design App, and her travel and lecture series (where she teaches 18 different classes), Shirley Paden creates a foundation for knitters and aspiring designers to perfect their craft and bring their projects to a plane of excellence.
After a long career in sales and marketing in the Information Technologies Industry, an unexpected illness and subsequent surgery were the catalysts for Shirley’s changing her professional direction. When recovered, she left the corporate world and launched an enterprise that allowed her to pursue a passion that had captivated her imagination since early childhood. To get a glimpse into the workings of her creative approach, Shirley’s Portfolio takes you through the fascinating steps of her Design Process.