Jennifer Jackson

Born and raised in Iowa, Jennifer first left Iowa in high school to be an exchange student to Sao Paulo, Brazil. After learning to speak Portuguese, she returned to study at the University of Iowa. It was during a spring break visit to her grandmother, that she first learned to knit. She made a hideous hot pink vest, which she still owns to this day for sentimental reasons.

A few years later, with a degree in hand (B.A. in Portuguese and Linguistics) Jennifer departed Iowa and spent the next 4 years on active duty as an officer in the United States Marine Corps in Virginia, North Carolina and California.

After her contract ended with the Marine Corps, Jennifer moved with her family to New York City where she pursued a career in the financial world. With her growing family and her daily commute into the city, Jennifer easily found the time to continue her passion of knitting. She made several sweaters for her sons, nieces, nephews, and friends over the years.

Continuing in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Jennifer was mobilized to Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps in Quantico, Virginia, for one year immediately following the events of 9/11. This time away from her family proved to be another opportunity to spur her to even greater knitting heights. She met other women in the Marine Corps who shared her interest in the craft, and began a twice-weekly knitting bee - in the general's office, no less!

Back home now, Jennifer continues knitting with the same level and intensity as she did in Quantico. She formed a weekly Saturday morning knitting bee, dubbed Saturday kNit Live ("SNL") in Westport, CT, publishes patterns, hosts the Major Knitter blog, and sells finished products all while serving as a Board Member for the Jackson Recovery Center, being a mother of two, volunteer, Marine Corps Reservist, and Scoutmaster for her son's Boy Scout Troop.

Jennifer was recently featured on Fox News Dec 2007; The New York Times; and also in an article that started it all entitled "Major Knitter" in the Spring/Summer 2004 issue of Family Circle Easy Knitting.