Today my Grand Rapids Press art & craft column is about Sierra Cole, a fiber artist I mentioned in a previous post. Here’s a preview to get you started…

Sierra Cole might be the fastest knitter I’ve ever met.

Her metal needles moved with near-lightning speed as we chatted about how she landed a great gig that involves designing and knitting stylish wool hats and handbags while sporting PJs in front of the TV.

“I just get so much more work done when I just get out of bed and get going,” she said.

To those of us who change into less comfortable clothes and head to work for The Man, this sounds like a dream job. But the tradeoff for Cole, 31, of Grand Rapids, is she doesn’t appear to ever stop working, not even to meet the press.

As we chatted in her living room, a red hat rapidly took shape on her needles as if it was growing on its own.

Click, click. Click, click. Click, click, click.

Cole’s ability to hold up her end of a conversation and knit super-fast — without looking at her hands — is very impressive.

“Do you ever drop a stitch?” I asked.

“Sometimes, but not very often,” she said, smiling.

It’s true. I think I saw her back-track only once during an hour of rapid-fire stitching.

Click here for the rest of Sierra’s story…

West Michigan readers will have a chance to meet Sierra this weekend. She will be selling her handbags and hats from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Sixth Street Bridge Clay Studio Holiday Sale, 820 Monroe Ave., Suite 44, Grand Rapids, MI.