Hello! I'm a writer, crafter, and programmer living in New York. Starting in the fall of 2024, I’ll be getting a master’s degree in creative technology at NYU’s ITP program.
I most recently worked as the senior editor in charge of Vox’s vertical for service journalism, Even Better, and was at Racked and BuzzFeed for a decade before that. My work has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, NPR, Apartment Therapy, Polygon, Vogue Knitting, and The Hairpin, among other places; I've also done segments for The Today Show, Good Morning America, and a whole bunch of local and national television and radio shows.
My first book, The Curse of the Boyfriend Sweater: Essays on Crafting, was published by Flatiron / Macmillan in 2018, and my second, Knit a Hat: A Beginner’s Guide to Knitting, was published by Abrams in 2020.
I run an occasional newsletter about making and playing video games, and where those interests overlap with crafting and creativity more generally.
I’m open to collaborations and projects of all scopes. Email me at alanna.okun@gmail.com, or find me on Twitter, Instagram, or itch.io.