What do you make?
Funky crochet fashions!
Your favourite materials, tools and processes?
I love to use large plastic crochet hooks! – they help make things up just that much faster. I love smooth, silky, heaven to the touch type gourmet blends that glide through your fingers and over the hook or basically yarns or wool/wool blends that crochet up fast and make crocheting blissfully enjoyable (more so than usual that is). Favourite processes? Uh, I just try to think of things that I would like and that I would wear – oft times I make things that I have been looking for in stores and unable to find, I simply get tired of looking and decide to make it myself!!
How did you learn to crochet?
My husband’s Grandmother taught me to crochet and had me crocheting peggy squares the very same night and so for quite some time afterwards I was convinced that crochet was the easiest thing ever to pick up (with the help of a great teacher of course!).
I then set to work crocheting up a storm following all sorts of funky patterns that I sought out in crochet books from the library and from opshop bought stitchcraft magazines – mostly from the 60s and 70s. Along the way I started going to a market at the insistence of a friend, and eventually after a while discovered that I could not only figure out how to make things from pictures but could even make up my own patterns which is what I do now. I also never write down any of my patterns – all in my head!
Its funny to think that I used to ring Grandma for help with crochet queries and now she often rings me! (Incidentally she is very proud of me and loves to brag to all her friends about me).
What inspires you?
Flowers – icons of the South Pacific! And their colours – surprising – surprising colour combinations that work, unusual, bright! Nature – green foresty colours, earthy browns, rusty reds, colours of the Sea – blues, greens, turquoise. Asiatic themes, colours and fashion trends.
– also whats happening in my life – making a few more baby things at the mo for instance 😉
And of course…all the usual influences – music, current fashion scene, tv, movies etc….
Describe your workspace:
Just about anywhere that I can (and am allowed to) crochet really but basically – somewhere that’s comfy to sit and has good back support.
Five words that describe your mind:
Super-Busy, multi-tasking, Creative, Thinks out of the box (in terms of fashion) – and I’ve by far exceeded my limit so I’ll leave it there!
What are you currently listening to?
Ribbon in the Sky – I’m an old skool gal.
Recommend an album:
Practically any of our highly talented kiwi artists or…anything by Jill Scott…
Your favourite childhood book?
I think it was called Book of Brownies by Enid Blyton
Your hero/heroine:
Kim Hill – its the only time I have ever heard Winston Peters speechless.
Patricia Grace and Margaret Mahy – such awesome home grown writing talent!!
Grandma (my hubby’s) – she just keeps on going!
A favourite quote:
God put me on this earth for a purpose – right now I am so far behind that I will NEVER die!
Do you have any pets?
No and neighbours pets who use your property as kitty litter doesn’t count does it?
