Rae first discovered knitting from her Grandmother in the 4th grade. 

While going to school for degrees in Classical Art and Technical Theater (her specialties were pastels as well as lighting and costuming design) Rae rediscovered her love for knitting and found it an excellent medium for her creativity. In 2004, she opened Rae’s Yarn Boutique and started dyeing yarn and designing under the name Extravayarnza.

Rae has been teaching in the Lansing, MI area since 2004 and recently Rae has begun teaching at events such as TNNA and Knit Michigan. Her classes have been very well received and she has sold out her classes at TNNA for two consecutive years.

Rae loves teaching and believes classes should be fun. Knitters take a knitting class not because it’s forced upon them, but because they want to be there. Rae’s goal is to provide an enjoyable education experience and to have her students leave with a smile on their face.

As a designer Rae loves playing with color, texture, and unique construction. Her designs are aimed at making the best use of the yarns chosen in a way that gives the knitter confidence. Her patterns include clear instructions & photo tutorials on techniques where appropriate.  Some of Rae's designs have been published by South West Trading Company, MagKnits, and many of her designs are currently distributed by Interlacements.