Kalurah Hudson is a talented knitwear designer, known for her intricately textured and cabled patterns. We are delighted to have chosen Kalurah's gorgeous Mirkwood Shawl as the featured pattern for our Winter 2026 Giving Project. A portion of proceeds from yarn purchased to knit our Winter Giving Project will benefit the nonprofit organization Moms for Moms NYC.
Read on to learn about Kalurah's passions and how she started on her fiber arts journey.
How did you get started crocheting, knitting, and designing?
My sweet mother-in-law, Charlotte sat me down early on in my marriage and taught me the basics of crochet. She was patient and kind and the experie>nce alone is one I will cherish forever. It led me to eventually take up knitting and since we lost her to Alzheimers in June of 2020, I will always think of her fondly when I pick up a hook and yarn. From there, I began to notice the intricate nuances of knitted cables and they absolutely fascinated me. I strived to learn the craft of knitting just so I could create those stunning cables. An inexpensive “Learn to Knit in a Day” kit from Walmart a
nd several YouTube videos later, I learned the basics of knitting and soon taught myself to knit Continental style. I began buying knitting patterns and quickly discovered that I wanted to off-road my way through them. As this happened, I would jot down my detours in little notebooks that were very quickly filled to the brim. I soon realized that I could create my own patterns and just maybe, other knitters out there would like to knit the patterns I was creating. I discovered Etsy and Ravelry and the rest is history!
From where do you tend to draw inspiration from your designs, and in particular, what inspired Mirkwood?
I oftentimes look to nature and film for inspiration. Long autumn walks through sunlit trees, watching an early winter sunrise wash over the nearby mountains. Seeing the colors and the shapes painted along earth's canvas brings a world of ideas to my head. Period films are also an amazing catalyst for sparking design ideas. Seeing the different elements and techniques used in historic knitwear is always eye opening and inspiring.
It’s probably obvious to many that I was inspired to design the Mirkwood pattern after watching Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings. The grand landscape of mossy trees within the realm of Mirkwood brought visions of a hooded Elven maiden. Gracefully floating through the forest, wrapped in a wooly cabled scarf. All I needed to dress this maiden was a selection of cables and stitch patterns, wool and needles.
What are some of your other interests (crafty and otherwise)?
My biggest passion before knitting was Photography. I was always that girl holding the camera and shooting the fog at the local cemetery. Or snapping artsy shots of my friends at the coffee shop. This eventually turned into taking portrait photos of all 3 of my children as they grew into adults. And now, I photograph all of my designs, which are modeled by my oldest child, Zoe. I’m also a dabbler in sewing, painting and love to cook, bake and hike.
If you could sit and knit anywhere in the world, where would it be?
My absolute favorite place to be in the entire world is the ocean. Growing up, it was always the Oregon Coast but my dream is to one day visit Japan, where my father and his mother were both born. Knitting in some Japanese coastal village while sipping green tea would be heaven.
What’s on the horizon?
I’m always open to collaborating with new yarn companies, especially small, woman-owned yarn dyers. I love working with new people and discovering new-to-me yarns. My favorite things to design are accessories, so naturally, there will be more scarf, hat, mitten, and sock designs to come in the next year. Stay tuned!
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
l'd like to encourage knitters to look outside the box, as it were, of the more popular, trend-setting designers who appear at the very top of your social media feeds. Explore the lesser-known designers, the up-and-comers with new ideas and a fresh perspective. These designers are hidden gems with amazing talent and they deserve just as much attention.
Be sure to check out Kalurah's website, whiletheyplaydesigns.com, and follow Kalurah on Instagram @whiletheyplaydesigns!
Kalurah is the featured designer for The Endless Skein's Winter Giving Project. Your purchase of yarn to knit Kalurah's Mirkwood shawl will benefit Moms for Moms NYC.
