Chris retired from a career in marketing communications and advertising to pursue her artistic passion – knitting and textureplay. Today, she teaches workshops coast to coast for knitting guilds, The National Needlearts Association, conferences and retail shops and in her hometown, Madison, Wisconsin.

Taught by her grandmother to knit at age seven, Chris was encouraged in her knitting thereafter. When she was a teenager, her father offered to pay for her knitting yarns so she would follow through and complete her projects. He soon regretted making this offer!

Of her career life, Chris says, “I continued to knit off and on as I pursued my career in marketing and advertising starting with a short stint in bank marketing. I am definitely not a pin-stripe type,” though. “I have long arms so I resorted to knitting my own designer suits that were presentable in the stuffiest of boardrooms yet were comfortable and traveled well.” Chris continues to design to fill a specific need in her wardrobe.

"I became more daring with age (purple is my neutral)" and others took notice and commissioned her knitwear. When she left the corporate world a few years ago, she started teaching classes locally, first and now nationally.

In her teaching role, Chris’ reward is when the "light bulb" goes off and knitters learn to discover and trust their own creativity. Among others, her classes include finishing techniques, knitting “disaster” management, and special knitting techniques, such as the dropped stitch. In her classes, she encourages knitters to “color outside the lines” - where it’s more fun!  Chris firmly believes that knitting is not construction. Knitters should explore and make mistakes, feel free to change their minds and most of all, enjoy what they are doing.

Christine Bylsma Designs are notable for their ease, clever constructions, and fresh, surprising looks.  Her Crayon Box Jacket and inventive Ladder Scarf and Ladder Shawl designs are two of the most notable. Since Chris finds inspiration in nature’s colors and combinations, her knitting designs reflect her pleasure combining fibers, textures, gauges, colors, in ways that create fun, wearable knits. Some of her designs are featured below and the others can be seen on her website Her patterns are available through our studio. Call 510.525.9276.