Featured Crafter - Knit Frekkles

I met this fantastic knitter in the etsy listing club, and just love her work. She can't cast a stitch wrong as far as I'm concerned. I tried knitting once, failed miserably, and now leave it up to the mother in law to knit the girls jumpers as she's brilliant at it. I am so in awe of people who can knit.

Anyway, I caught up with Nichola aka Knit Frekkles and asked her a few questions... (click on the scarves to get more info from her etsy shop!)

Tell us a bit about yourself:
My Name is Nichola I was brought up in the countryside in the North East of England and now live in Manchester with my boyfriend.

What do you make?
I’m a knitter, and at the moment I make scarves but would like to move in to garments in the future.

Why do you use that medium?
I’ve always been good at Art for as long as I can remember. I discovered knitting at school but didn’t take it up seriously until my Degree in Textiles when I was 25 (wow that was 10 years ago!) I love to weave as well but a loom is harder to house, knitting needles store easily…although yarn sometimes gets out of control!

When did you start selling your stuff, where do you sell?
I only started selling in January this year; I’ve tried a few times but never plucked up the courage to take the plunge until now. I currently only sell through Etsy, although I hope to open up on Folksy soon for those Brits who don’t want to make currency conversions when they shop.

Do you also have a day job, or is this your main job?
Since childhood I’ve been sporty, you know the type, I was in every team at school, loved sports day and only slightly minded the airtex and knicker shorts. I joined a gym as soon as I left and shortly after the owners asked if I would like to train as a Fitness Trainer and Aerobics Instructor, I did and have been teaching ever since.

What do you love about your medium, what you hate?
I love creating fabric from thread. The story of knitting reaches further back in to history than we will ever be able to prove. I love that knitting is used in medicine to save lives, those same continuous loops make swimmers go faster, keep climbers warm, keeps us all in underwear…whats not to love!
I hate that one missed stitch and a whole garment can be gone, its completely infuriating.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
I find this hard to pin down. I find inspiration everywhere. It could be a book, a magazine, a film, a website or catwalk collection (I loose hours on Style.com - its a great site). Quite often it’s patterns and colours in the natural world.

What is your favorite music to work to?
Well call me weird but I don’t listen to music (other than when I’m teaching) I’m a film fan so I put them on in the background instead. I love a good thriller or period drama (doesn’t every girl) and I could watch Jaws, Pride and Prejudice or Sherlock Holmes every day…don’t get me started!

What is your favorite piece of your own?
The garment I’m most proud of is the garment I made for my MA. The dress told the story of Cinderella figuratively and literally. Embroidered words in Sheltandic overlay threads with the memory of Fairisle patterns still held within them, underneath is a  layer of metallic, satiny yarn turning a once traditional, practical, functional craft into Couture.
 
Where do you do your work?
I knit everywhere. Mainly in our front bedroom as it has the most light, Sometimes on the sofa, in the back yard, or even at work when its quiet (shhh)

Thanks Nichola for letting me be nosy and answering all my questions..... you make fantastic stuff!!!