Blog Hop

I’ve been noticing this blog hop going around creative blogs.  Just this week, the lovely Michelle from Sewnhenge nominated me. Seriously, she’s sweet and has the best smile ever.  She makes darling clothes for her two kids and is fearless when making her own clothes.  She has such a friendly, easy-going writing style that just makes me want to have coffee and brownies with her.

So let’s get this show on the road, shall we?

Why do I write?

I may have mentioned before that I used to study textile when we were in Montreal.  And that I loved it.  I felt like I had found my place.  Talking to people there, seeing what they were doing, showing them what I was doing…  It was the best sort of community.  Then we moved.  NYC might have given me the same sort of community but we moved to the suburbs.  And I was isolated.  I had to find community elsewhere.  I found one for hand knitting on Ravelry but sewing?  And here I started reading sewing blogs and I saw that there was a community there, a community that I wanted to be a part of.  Actually, that I needed to be a part of.  So I jumped in and started writing and showing what I’d made.

And you know what? Despite being a total introvert, I do want to talk.  So I talk.

What am I working on?

Project Run & Play!  I love it.  The themes really challenge my creativity and the 4th week, signature style, always pushes me to work on my machine knitting.

I’m always thinking of the next project as well.  Kids Clothes Week is coming up and I’m planning for that as well.  And always – always – something for me.  I have some wool begging to become a skirt and some other wool just waiting to be turned into Peony…  And then, there’s the hand knitting.  I’ve just started working on a scarf for souricette 1.

Me? Too many things going at once? Honestly, that’s when I’m happiest.  Creating stimulates the creative part of my brain.  Ideas fuse all over the place.  And getting one to completion satisfies my love of solving puzzles.

How does my blog differ from others in its genre?

I think the combination of machine knitting and sewing is what makes me unique.  Not in the sense that I do both but in the sense that I combine them.  Like this little sweater.  It’s machine knit but assembled on a sewing machine.

Or this dress where I went so far as to simply machine knit two big laces panels that I then cut into and sewed up (that was nerve wracking).

I originally wanted to do lots of tutorials and book reviews but those features end up being so much work.  Getting those pretty pictures for tutorials takes time.  Have you seen the ones I did make?  Ouch.  But I’m leaving them up there anyway.  I will probably do more features like book reviews and shopping guides (I still haven’t done the sustainable hand knitting yarn buying guide!) but only once in a blue moon.  I would really rather focus on the creative stuff, you know?

How does my writing  process work?

I try to blog at least twice a week so I do sort of plan out what I’ll post.  Just the subject.  When it comes time to write, I just kind of let it flow organically, as if I was talking.  I edit myself a little because I tend to ramble and take off on a tangent and no one has time for that.  Seriously, I can talk to myself for hours, starting on one subject and ending with something completely unrelated.  You don’t want to read that.  Once I’ve said everything I wanted to say, I add pictures and hit “publish”.  Wait, no.  I hit “schedule”.  I like to post at 8AM Eastern.  Yes, I like a schedule.  (My parents would say that’s an understatement.) So I write my posts up ahead of time and schedule them.

And now, for my nominations! I was so happy when I got positive answers from these two women!  They both do some fantastic work.

Lori B. blogs at Frivolous at Last. She’s smart and fun.  She sews and knits and creates jewelry…  Even a light up skirt! Come on, you have to admit that’s all sorts of awesome… Check her out!

And then we have Make & Wear. (I’m not giving her name because it isn’t on the About page and I don’t want to violate her privacy.) She’s into sewing and knitting like me but she’s a much better sewist!  I love the tips she shares.  They’re different from what you usually find.  Which reminds me that I need to pin the loop and button trick…

Make sure to read these their blog hop posts next Monday!  I can’t wait to find out more about them.