about us

Gardiner Yarn Works is the creative outlet for former software architect and company founder Chrissy Gardiner. After learning to knit from her grandmother at age 10, Chrissy dabbled in the fiber arts (including knitting, crocheting, cross-stitch and needlepoint) for years before discovering her local yarn shop and the lovely luxury yarns therein. Knitting became her new obsession after her kids were born, she left the corporate world for good and, thanks to her LYS, discovered that wool is not always scratchy.

Chrissy's designs can be found in many past issues of Interweave Knits as well as various pattern compilation books, knitting pattern websites, sock clubs and yarn company pattern lines (click here for a more detailed listing of her designs). She published her first book, Toe-Up! Patterns and Worksheets to Whip Your Sock Knitting Into Shape, in the summer of 2009 and released Indie Socks - Knitting Patterns and Dyer Profiles Featuring Hand-Dyed Yarns in 2012. She decided to take a short break from socks in 2013 and is currently working on an e-book titled Indie Lace, now available for preorder.

Chrissy lives with her husband, Bill, and their two children in a hundred-year old house in Portland, Oregon. She also tends to a small menagerie including three cats, a rabbit, a hamster and some fish. She loves having a job that she can do while attending soccer practice, piano lessons and birthday parties at the pool.


Gardiner Yarn Works co-owner Donna Arney is a relative newcomer to the art of knitting, having learned in 2005. However, she has taken to it like a fish to water and can no longer remember what she used to do for fun. Now, all of her friends either knit or have to listen to her rattle on and on about it. Most have found it easiest just to learn to knit too.

Donna was president of her local knitting guild in 2008 (this is where she and Chrissy met) and has, on occasion, taught classes at All About Yarn in Tigard, OR. She has worked in the Computer Software industry since 1995 and brings to Gardiner Yarn Works the benefits of that “real world” business experience in addition to her naturally amazing people skills.

She is also mom to two beautiful daughters and wife to one wonderful husband, a jewelry designer with whom she runs a successful shawl pin business, Plover Designs. And no, she doesn't sleep!

about our patterns

All Gardiner Yarn Works patterns have been tested by multiple knitters and professionally tech edited by two different editors. If you ever find an error in one of our patterns, please let us know. Errata will be posted on the website as needed.

Patterns can be found in both print and pdf formats at various online and brick-and-mortar yarn shops, or as instant pdf downloads powered by Ravelry. To find a shop near you, please visit our retailers page or request any of our patterns from any shop who participates in the Ravelry LYS Pattern Sales program.

contact us

Please feel free to contact us with questions or concerns about any of our products. If you are a retailer interested in carrying our patterns in your shop, please e-mail us to request a current catalog and order form.

You can also get support for our patterns via our Ravelry group (free Ravelry account required).

Mail: PO Box 13607, Portland OR 97213
Email: support@gardineryarnworks.com

Thanks for visiting our site! Enjoy your stay.

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