#GAL2016: Meet Ella Austin

The Indie Design GAL continues on Ravelry until the end of the year; if you'd like to join in, head over to the Ravelry group.* Today I am joined by another GAL designer, Ella Austin.

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Ella Austin lives in Devon, UK, and primarily designs toys and accessories, with the odd item of children's wear or garment included in her portfolio. Ella's standout designs are stranded colourwork and I love her fairisle toys, especially Tawny Owl. Ella's most recent collection is called Colour and Line and is a beautiful selection of accessories featuring small colourwork sections that make them very distinctive.

Tawny Owl by Ella Austin. Image copyright Ella Austin

Delta Mitts by Ella Austin. Image copyright Emma Solley

Venn by Ella Austin. Image copyright Emma Solley

 

When did you learn to knit?

I learnt to knit from my mum and grandmothers as a small child - probably around 5 years old. I have always knitted ever since, although I feel that I only flourished as a knitter in my mid twenties!

How did you getting into designing and pattern writing?

I got into pattern designing by thinking of ideas that I couldn't find patterns for. I started figuring things out for myself and making notes as I went along. I quickly found that I loved designing!

What designs do you have in the pipeline?

I've just released the final pattern from my Colour and Line collection. At the moment I'm mostly thinking about celebrating and enjoying it's completion - but there definitely are plenty more designs in the pipeline!

What's your favourite knitting technique?

Stranded colourwork! I absolutely love it - so relaxing and rewarding!

Which other GAL designers have caught your eye?

I'm pleased that Suzanne Stallard is joining in this year - she's a wonderful designer. Her Alfredo Gloves introduced me to stranded colourwork.

Alfredo Gloves by Suzanne Stallard. Image copyright Suzanne Stallard

 

Do you knit Christmas gifts? What are your favourite gift knits?

I only knit a very few Christmas gifts, not nearly as many as I would like to. My children always plead for more knitted toys!

Ella can be found on Ravelry, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. She also blogs at https://bombellablog.wordpress.com/

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*Note that you will have to signed in to Ravelry for this link to work. Joining Ravelry is free and Ravelry is an excellent resource for knitters and crocheters.

#GAL2016: Meet Christa Veenstra

 The Indie Design GAL is now at the end of it's second week, and the Ravelry group is getting busy! There are still lots of ways to join in; if you'd like to, head over to the Ravelry group.* Here's the fourth of my series of interviews with GAL designers.

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Christa Veenstra is a crochet designer based in the Netherlands. Her designs are inspired by 1920s Art Deco, and feature striking motifs worked in bold colours. Her designs are beautiful, and can be used as bunting, interior design details or on clothing.

Thank you so much Vikki for having asked me to be part of your interview series. Let me start by introducing myself briefly. My name is Christa and I live in the northern part of The Netherlands. I studied English Language and Literature and I used to be a University teacher specialising in academic writing and presentation skills. I’m still using and working with the English language every day though. I translate and edit crochet patterns for publishers and of course I’m part of a wonderful international crochet community. Just over two years ago, I started designing and pattern writing, which very quickly led to my own crochet business TheCurioCraftsRoom. I love having my own business and I’ve met some wonderful, like-minded and generous people through it. It’s such an amazing community.

Crochet Peacock Tail Feather Coaster, image copyright Christa Veenstra

When did you learn to crochet?

I can’t remember not being able to crochet. I learnt it at a very young age from both my mother and grandmother. My grandmother especially was always crocheting, knitting or sewing. Just always making things and I can remember being spellbound by how quickly she could make a set of new clothes for my favourite doll. So naturally, I wanted to be able to do all that too. I can sew and knit but crochet is the craft I love most of all.

How did you get into designing and pattern writing?

A few years ago I had a burnout (or rather, to speak with Brené Brown, I unravelled to be able to have a spiritual awakening) then I lost my job and took all of that as a sign that I needed to change direction. So after a lifetime in academia, I switched to something unknown and uncertain. First I trained people who were overstressed and highly sensitive to become more mindful but then I felt it was important for me to make things with my hands. I picked up a crochet hook (again) and just thought let’s try and make a peacock feather. I’ve always liked the shape and colours and I have a bunch of them in my living room so I just designed one or two motifs. I listed the finished items in an Etsy shop and received many requests for the patterns so I started making those. And then I couldn’t stop designing peacock-inspired items. I guess I’m the peacock lady now here on Ravelry and on Etsy. I’m so grateful for all the lovely feedback I get on my work and for having been able to set up my own design business.

What designs do you have in the pipeline?

At the moment I’m looking into designing larger items like shawls or throws. I’d love to expand the range of patterns I sell and not all of them need to be peacock-inspired. I’ve almost finished a pattern for a scarf with join as you go motifs and I’m working on a commission, which I can’t tell you about yet because it’ll be published in the spring. I can tell you it’s something completely different and out of my comfort zone because it has a zillion non-peacock colours in it. Of course there will be new small peacock items too, like a pincushion and another large single feather motif.

What crochet techniques would you like to try in 2017?

I’d like to become more experienced in overlay crochet. I find that my long front post stitches could be a lot neater so I have to practise making those. And it would also be great if I could design some overlay crochet myself. Learning tapestry crochet is also on my list. I haven’t tried it yet but I’d love to learn how to make beautiful “drawings” with it.

Which other GAL designers have caught your eye?

You just have to have a look at the work of Tatsiana Kupryianchyk, the wonderful overlay crochet queen behind lillabjorncrochet. I know her personally and she is such a sweet and talented lady who always amazes me by the rate at which she published new designs. They’re always so beautifully executed and original.

Spanish Mandala Pillow, image copyright Lilla Bjorn Crochet

Christa can be found on Ravelry as ChristaVeenstra. Christa blogs at thecuriocraftsroom.blogspot.com and can also be found on Facebook (facebook.com/thecuriocraftsroom) and Instagram (@thecuriocraftsroom).

Peacock Feather Motif, Bookmark, Garland, "India", image copyright Christa Veenstra

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If you want to find out more about the Indie Design GAL, start by reading my blog post on the event, or head straight to the GAL group on Ravelry.*

*Note that you will have to signed in to Ravelry for this link to work. Joining Ravelry is free and Ravelry is an excellent resource for knitters and crocheters.

#GAL2016: Meet Jenny Vangy

The Indie Design GAL is in full swing over on Ravelry. As part of the GAL I am interviewing a selection of my favourite participating designers. Here's the third in the series, an interview with Jenny Vangy.

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Jenny Vangy is a mum of 5, who designs adorable knits for children, with the occasional knit for adults as well. Her designs are simple, with little touches that make them really special, such as a lace panel, or a little frill. One day I will get round to knitting myself her After the Ball cardigan as it is a such a versatile garment. She has also released a couple of hat patterns (The Reindeer Paw and Oh Christmas Tree) for charity, both of which would be perfect as last minute Christmas gifts.

After the Ball, image copyright Chloe Taylor

Reindeer Paw, image copyright Jenny Vangy

Oh Christmas Tree, image copyright Jenny Vangy

 

When did you learn to knit? 

Both my grandmas and my mom were avid crafters, and although I don’t remember learning to knit, I do remember knitting with all of them when I was very young. I crocheted a lot as a teenager, and really picked up knitting when I had my second son in 2010.

How did you getting into designing and pattern writing? 

When I was pregnant with my third son in 2104 I was sitting in church and the girl in front of me was wearing a darling blouse with ruffled sleeves. I sat there staring at it for the whole hour, and in the end decided that I could totally knit that, and thus Edith was created. Once my third boy was born I realized that the options for boys were limited, and my best bet was designing exactly what I wanted for my boys.

Edith, image copyright Jenny Vangy

 

What designs do you have in the pipeline? 

I’ve got a bulky collection in my mind that I want to create, knit all with local, hand dyed yarn. Other than that, I always have a bunch of patterns I want to create, but usually just pick the one that is appropriate for one of my kids at that moment.

What’s your favourite knitting technique? 

I don’t know that I have a favourite technique, but I do always love learning new things. Lately I’ve been trying to choose projects specifically so that I can try out new techniques, whether it’s as simple as a new cast on, or as complicated as a new sweater construction, or colorwork method.

What knitting techniques would you like to try in 2017? 

I’ve never done double knitting or brioche, and I plan to do at least one project of each this year.

Which other GAL designers have caught your eye? 

Oh, the GAL is so tempting to me. Every year I’ve stuffed my library full of new designs. This year I intend on knitting Kate Boswick's They’re Paisley.

They're Paisley, image copyright Kate Bostwick

Do you knit Christmas gifts? What are your favourite gift knits?

I have 7 sisters, and each year I knit a sweater for one of them. Besides that, I don’t always do a lot of Christmas specific knitting, I just knit a lot, all the time. If I don’t need the FO for a sample of a pattern, and it doesn’t fit one of my kids, I usually give it away to one of my 30 nieces or nephews.

Jenny can be found as JennyVangy on Ravelry and on Instagram as vangyknits. Jenny blogs at vangyknits.blogspot.com and has her own Ravelry group, http://www.ravelry.com/groups/vangy-knits-by-jenny-wiebe*

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If you want to find out more about the Indie Design GAL, start by reading my blog post on the event, or head straight to the GAL group on Ravelry.*

*Note that you will have to signed in to Ravelry for this link to work. Joining Ravelry is free and Ravelry is an excellent resource for knitters and crocheters.