Knitting Help

Every crafter learns their craft from somewhere, either at a young age or, if you’re like me, learning as an adult.  I started over the Christmas period 2009 when, in a rare turn of events, I found myself with some down time.  I started with the absolute basics – a pair of mini knitting needles (designed for children!), a children’s knitting book, a very gaudy ball of wool and a lot of determination. 

I then took my needles and ball of wool everywhere, asking any likely looking individual if he or she would be able to help.  Even at the hairdressers, I accosted an older lady and she showed me the art of picking up a dropped stitch – but her hands went oh-so-fast that I was grateful for her help, but still none the wiser!

Living a long way from my mum makes it tricky for me to ask her when I need help.  Dropped knitting stitches are more visual than a phone call!  So, I resorted to the internet for help with learning new skills.  The cable stitch demo video and I got on like a house on fire – it was constant stop/start/freeze frame and repeat for many hours!  YouTube is great place to hang out.

I then looked further afield for some like minded people.  This was when I came across the international online knitting community that is a one stop shop for help and all knitting-related chat.    www.knittinghelp.com – is the place and the name really does say it all.  If you’re a knitter, do drop by to say ‘hello’ on the forum – it’s a really friendly and supportive place.

Do you have an online community where you chat about your own craft?  If so, do get in touch with your craft and the website link.  It’d be great to start a list of all these treasure sites so that there’s a personally recommended resource that crafters can use.  Send me your thoughts.

Introductions......

RedBirdSupplies, who also has a shop on Folksy - www.folksy.com/shops/RedBirdSupplies - featured an interveiw with Annie from Mosaic Tree and it seemed to present the perfect opportunity to do some introductions. 

To read the rest of RedBirdSupplies blog please go to www.RedBirdSupplies.blogspot.com).

 

This weeks featured seller is Annie from the Mosaic Tree. 

Tell us a bit about yourself - (where do you live, what's your name etc..) 
I’m Annie and I hail from Somerset and moved to this beautiful part of the world in 2008. Family life is full on as my partner and I have two children. We enjoy a work life balance by both working part time and then indulging our coffee habit whenever we get the chance! We’re living our dream now (albeit on a shoe string!) as we thought that we’d rather do it this way than wait until we retire. 

What do you make? 
One day, I plan to make a wide range of items using lots of different craft techniques…..at the moment I knit! I make baby hats, beaded knitted necklaces, spiral brooches and covers to keep your mobile, blackberry or iPod looking both cool, snuggly and scratch free. 

Why do you use that medium? 
Its partly for purely practical reasons – knitting fits in well with the general hubbub that is family life. I wanted to work with cotton rich wool as it is easy to work with and tends not to go ‘bobbly’ over time. It also come in a fantastic range of colours. 

When/ how did you start crafting? 

What do you love about your medium, what do you hate? 
Can I have 2 ‘loves’?! I love being creative and using colours as my inspiration…..and the feeling when someone loves what you’ve made. And I hate dropping stitches – it makes me mad! 

Where do you get your inspiration from? 
What to make is more straight forward – the necklaces started as I wanted to make a birthday gift for my sister, the first blackberry cover was a request. Inspiration for colour is more complex – a sunset sky, for example. Or it can be mundane – one colour theme that I use was the colour scheme in a holiday cottage that we stayed at! 

What is your favourite music to craft to? 
Its not my favourite piece of music…but the Eastenders theme tune does tend to crop up rather frequently! 

What is your favourite piece that you’ve made? 
This varies as it tends to be whichever baby hat the teddy (borrowed from my daughter!) is modelling. He always gets extra points for looking cute! 

Where do you do your crafting?
The sofa, the car on long journeys, waiting rooms – it is truly portable!

Christmas 2009. – My daughter had been given a children’s kniting book, a pair of half pint knitting needles and a ball of wool. I had a few days off and decided that now was the time I was going to teach myself to knit. Its grown from there. 

When did you start selling your stuff - where do you sell? 
I started selling on Folksy during 2010 – and I sell a few bits to family and friends. It’s mainly a hobby for me.