Cara is a knitwear designer working in Asheville, NC. Every garment she creates is handcrafted from start to finish and her vision is founded in the Japanese wabi-sabi aesthetic. Here’s a little more about her craft and her daily routine :)
I design and make artisan knitwear in my River Arts District studio. The clothing reflects a very simple aesthetic using natural fibers and a subtle palette. I use mostly yarns from Japan and Italy. I love to make crumpled looking sweaters using merino wool and silk-wrapped stainless steel.
I like to cleanse my face with Everyday Oil. Sometimes I put that in a hair mask with a bit of apple cider vinegar and honey, too. Being over 50, I have a lot more silver hair now, so hydration is imperative. I make many of my own face concoctions mostly using jojoba oil. They change with the season generally. I am a bit obsessed with rose mixed with a woody oil like cedar or sandalwood right now. I always love rose geranium, too. It is a happy scent to me.
I get up at 6 a.m. It’s pretty early, but that’s my time. I love the quiet of morning. Lately I have been drinking a lemon detox concoction**. Then I meditate for 30 minutes as the sun is coming up. There is usually some kind of workout in the morning - trail running, yoga. I just added a couple of HIIT workouts a week to build up some more strength. If I don't sweat once a day, I will become very melancholy. So, I really haven't wavered too much off the exercise for over 25 years. I used to be kind of a gym rat, but I prefer exercising outdoors now. I trail run once a week with a dear friend. We call these dharma runs!
I was running and walking through the chaos of 2020, mostly listening to news and podcasts like Bad Faith and Citations Needed. I admit that I am now weaning myself from listening to too much lefty news. To come back to my center, I am usually reading something dealing with Eastern philosophy and/or Buddhism, Taoism. Pema Chodron is my favorite. This grounds me & calms me. I often listen to podcasts or books while I am knitting.
**detox drink
Blend 2-3 cups of water with half a lemon (including skin and seeds) and a tablespoon of olive oil. Sweeten with maple syrup if wanted. Strain pulp and enjoy! So simple and so refreshing!
Thank you, Cara! Please check out her creations at Cara May Knits ❤️
