Later that autumn, while traveling for work and spending time with clothing designers, the desire to do something creative resurfaced, carrying with it memories of the sweaters my grandmom once knitted for me. Those garments were never just clothing, they were acts of devotion, made to endure. What followed was a season spent learning the craft properly: weekends devoted to yarn, structure, and refinement; knitting for our daughters; and developing a deeper respect for the materials themselves. The search for better tools led my children and me to create snagless stitch markers, and I released my first beanie pattern under Derek Douglas Designs, marking the beginning of a more deliberate path.