Karen Gielen

Karen Gielen

I am an artist and a designer. Ever since I was very young I’ve had an intense desire to create. My family can tell stories of all the “messes” I made while I was deep in creative bliss. I was always off in a corner somewhere drawing, cutting, gluing, melting, molding or doing something creative with my tactile starved hands. Things have not changed. My environment is covered with creative projects and art supplies, materials, crafts, design prototypes, etc. I attended college first to pursue a fine art degree and then I changed it to a degree in graphic design. I have a scanner type personality and get bored with focusing on one area. I often say I have dabbled with every art and craft known to man…almost.

I learned to hand knit and crochet as a child and I taught myself how to hand spin on a wheel and drop spindle as an adult. I live on a ranch in central Minnesota in the United States where I raise alpacas. I love to hand spin the alpaca fiber, lovingly harvested from my alpacas. I also enjoy hand knitting, loom knitting, and crocheting this buttery soft yarn into exquisite shawls, scarves, various apparel and household items. Thank you for checking out my designs!

original designs

Songbird Dishcloth
Creative KJ's Patterns
Formal Lace Loom Knit Gloves
Loom Knitters Circle Magazine, Issue 9, Spring/Summer 2009
Felted Loom Knit Earmuff Covers
Creative KJ's Patterns
Family of Loom Knit Gloves
Creative KJ's Patterns
Flip Flop Dishcloth
Calendar of Hope 2009
Bunnies in Love I
Creative KJ's Patterns
Bunnies in Love II
Creative KJ's Patterns
Loom Knit Beer Cozy
Creative KJ's Patterns
Monkey Face Dishcloth - Loom Knit
Creative KJ's Patterns
Typing Gloves
Creative KJ's Patterns
Loom Knit Toe Socks
Creative KJ's Patterns
Cabled Coffee Cup Sweater
Creative KJ's Patterns
Knifty Knitter Gloves
Creative KJ's Patterns
Loom Knit Gloves with Fingers
Creative KJ's Patterns