Girl Crush ;)

Genevieve says I have a "girl crush" on her.  I guess she's right!  When you hear about her giveaway, you will too!!
So, you know about my Adorn Atelier, right?  Yoola Falk is teaching her unique wire crochet technique, 4 beautiful classes.  She is extremely accomplished, a designer who has a great eye for simple exquisite design.  ANYWAY... she is giving away a spot in her class! $170 worth of giveaway.  I talked to her before this generous giveaway and want to bring it to you.  make sure to see her here and here.

Q: Your work is beautiful and executed with such precession. When did you start crocheting and was crochet your first hand-crafting love

Thank you :) what a way to start an interview...

My grandma taught me how to crochet when I was little, maybe five ? I can't recall exactly, and all through my childhood and youth I experimented in many techniques, so it was only natural that I decided to study design as a profession.
Q: What aspect of your work do you enjoy most?

I enjoy most the exploring, thinking of new ideas and trying things that don't need planning, I'm very much a design in motion kind of person.


 

Q: What aspect of your work do you enjoy the least?

Trying to figure out how I did something that I was sure I would remember when I do again but didn't.... and also the whole pricing thing, keeping track of costs etc., yuckkkkkk!

I wish I lived in the Middle Ages and had a patron to cover my expenses in return for my work :)


Q: How long have you been crocheting and designing?

I've been creating ever since I can remember myself .... but you won't believe this fact .... I'm not a big crocheter, I hardly even know the names of the various stitches.

Q: Are you one to sketch, plan, design in advance or do you just grab your material and begin creating?

Since my day job is all about planning, my wire work is all about experimenting. 

Q: Where do you create? Do you have your own workspace? Is it at home or in a studio?

I used to do my whole Yoola thing at home, in a small corner in between the kitchen and the living room, but lately I moved it to my design studio, which is just 10 minutes by bike from home. We hate traffic.

Q: Are you a neat or messy creator and once you begin a piece, are you always one to complete it? (i.e. do you have a box full of unfinished designs?)

Are you serious? You want everyone to know this now ? sigh.... OK, I'll tell. I'm horribly messy, tons of unfinished work to inspire me, but every now and then I do put things in order and then it is so enjoyable to find things I totally forgot I had once started.

Q: If you couldn’t crochet, what would you choose to do? Do you see yourself seriously experimenting with other art or types of craft in the future?

I LOVE metalsmithing, I could totally see myself doing that, if I was 20 again I would probably learn this instead of industrial design. I also LOVE working with porcelain molds. I took a 3 day class a couple of years ago in Lausanne, and ever since its on my to do again list.

Q: When asked what you do professionally, what do you say?

LOL....ouch... well I'm still first of all an Industrial designer, but I'm also a wire knitter (if that's a profession at all )....

Q: What inspired you to teach?

I had many people write to me, telling me how much they liked my work, and would I explain how to make it themselves. At the beginning I thought, you are kidding right? How do I explain? But then I started publishing PDF, photo based, tutorials,  followed by VIDEO tutorials, followed by KITS and now I'm here :)  It turned out to be a big success.   People send me photos of what they made by following my instructions. I got addicted :)

Q: What is it that you enjoy most about teaching?

The feed-backs, and hearing both my online students and my offline ones telling me its been a long time since they enjoyed something that much :).   Since I felt the very same way when I started with the wire work, I understand how they feel.

It may sound silly, but in a way I feel that I help spread happiness.

Q: If you were giving advice to someone trying out crochet for the first time, what would you tell him or her was the most difficult aspect of knitting? What might this newbie do to overcome this difficulty and not give up?

I always tell my students, talk to the needles or the hooks, talk to the wire, don't force anything, relax and let your hands "play". i also have this crazy method with closed eyes... but thats for another time.


And a few from the famous line of Bernard Pivot questions… I LOVE THIS :)

Q: What is your favorite word?

yes

Q: What is your least favorite word?

no

Q: What is your favorite noise?

silence

Q: What is your least favorite noise?

mosquitoes