E. J. (Joy) Slayton learned to knit from her grandmother at age 9. Her serious involvement with knitting and designing came after encountering Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Busy Knitter series on PBS. Since then, she has studied under Elizabeth and her daughter, Meg Swansen, Nancy Bush, Lily Chin, Sally Mehlville, Mary Walker Phillips, and Alice Starmore, as well as Paula Simmons and other well-known instructors.
Joy’s designs have appeared in many publications, including Vogue Knitting, Knit ‘N Style, Knitter’s, Creative Knitting, Knitting World, Knitting Digest and Crafting Traditions. Manos/Fairmount Fibers, Brown Sheep Company and Plymouth Yarn Company have featured her designs in numerous pattern collections, including “Serendipity Tweed Cardigan” for Brown Sheep, which also appeared on the runway of the fashion show at TNNA in June 2007.
She shares a home in the Missouri Ozarks with her husband (52 years and counting), 1 dog, 2 cats and way too much stash, and publishes her own line of booklets and stand-alone patterns, Joyknits designs, including Ribbing – Plain & Fancy, which can be found on her website, www.joyknits.com
Joyknits! 
February 27, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Joy, it is a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for leaving a comment on my blog… I’m still surprised to see that someone even looks at it. I have subscribed to yours thru my Google Reader and will keep tabs on you. The Missouri Ozarks are a beautiful place, I have been there in the Rolla area and once thought to retire there. Cheers,
Roberta
March 17, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Your blog may be new(ish), but your name is familiar. Probably from various knitting websites. Hello & welcome.
August 8, 2008 at 1:12 pm
I finally made it out here. You were right the flowers were beautiful and it’s a shame they were flattened by the storm.
January 3, 2009 at 9:44 am
I recently found your free pattern for the Little Christmas Stocking. It is adorable! I would like to make them for NEXT Christmas. What type of yarn (size) and size needles would you use to make these. I don’t knit enough to know how to figure that out.
I too learn to quilt and embroider from my great-grandmother and treasure those memories. I have had the oppotunity to share all these including knitting with my daughter and daughters-in-love. Thanks you for your help.
January 3, 2009 at 10:42 am
Thanks for stopping by – I’m so glad you like the pattern!
I love “daughters-in-love” – what a neat way to say it! One of our daughters (who’s also taught some knitting classes) and the oldest granddaughter handknit; the other daughter and her kids do some loom knitting.
The Little Christmas Stocking pattern will work for any size yarn, just use needles that give you a fabric you’re happy with. I usually use Size 1 (2.5mm) needles for sock weight yarn, probably 3 (3.25mm)-4 (3/5mm) for sport, and 6 (4mm)-7 (4.5mm) for worsted weight, but I’m a fairly loose knitter. The size of the stocking will change with the different yarns, but you’d use the same directions. Happy knitting!
April 3, 2010 at 7:52 pm
Happy Birthday, Joy!
Sorry, I’m a day late. I had a great celebration. All my sisters, my daughter, and my niece from Seattle showed up on my doorstep when all I was expecting was a few local friends.
I see you’re getting a new kitchen, etc. It looks wonderful. I’m still struggling with the design for our re-do. Our kitchen is too small, and I’m not up to pushing a wall or two out. I think I’ll knock out the wall between the kitchen and dining and put in a breakfast counter there.
I hope you had time to sit down and enjoy your birthday, but it looks like it was mostly kicking up dust.
Jim
April 16, 2012 at 2:41 pm
Hi Joy,
I have a bit of a dilemma. I have a pattern that was designed by you that was in the September 2004 Creative Knitting Magazine but I am missing the second page or finishing of the Flap on a Mini Beaded Bag. Is there any where that I can find this last bit of the pattern. I have made this bag for several people and they love it. Especially the teenagers for their cellphones. I would be very grateful to you. P.S. Love your cat. She is beautiful.
Dianne in Massachusetts
April 17, 2012 at 8:57 am
Glad you like the bag! I’ve forwarded your request and they should be able to send you the last page of the instructions.
Guess you know the cat thinks she runs everything around here 😉
April 17, 2012 at 9:57 am
Thank you so very much. I know what you mean about your cat. I have one who thinks she is the queen of the house. But she’s also an invisible cat because she will not come out when strangers are in the house.
I’ve been making her some felted catnip mice and people started asking me to make them to sell so I have been selling them in bright colors. You can see them on my facebook page. Just look me up at Dianne St. Laurent.
April 17, 2012 at 9:59 am
Also, I wanted to add that my Grandmother also taught me how to knit at the age of 9. I’ve been knitting ever since. My yarn shop of over 27 years has brought me an abundance of joy.
Dianne
May 28, 2012 at 11:26 pm
Hi Mom! Now I’m trying to remember how old Mar & I were when you taught us to knit. I think we were knitting socks for one of the cats. Lily got another couple of balls of yarn out of the closet and strung up the stairs and under the bed, the brat! I’ve got to batten down the hatches a little more securely. She always finds the ones that are left unguarded.