{Crafter Interview} Esther of Happy In Red

We are kicking off our month long crafter interview series with Esther from Happy in Red!

So settle in with a cuppa and get to know Esther a little better x

I am: Esther

Blogging over at: Happy in Red (http://happyinred.blogspot.com)

Living in: Utrecht, The Netherlands

Working: as a journalist

Married: to Paul!

When did you start crafting?

I love crafting for as long as I can remember. When I was little I was always coloring or doing origami. When I was 6 the girl next door taught me how to knit and I really loved that too. Unfortunately, my mum, dad and sister are not really crafty so it wasn’t really encouraged in our house and we ended up doing lots of other stuff as a family. I didn’t start to crochet and sew until 5 years ago when I was having a really tough time at work. I’m a journalist and things get get really stressful at times. I taught myself to crochet with some library books and Youtube videos and soon I was hooked! Not long after I bought a sewing machine and started to take sewing lessons. Because I found so many inspirational blogs online I decided to also start my blog Happy in Red and I’ve never looked back. Crafting has brought me so much. I’m inspired every day by hundreds of people allover the world and I have even made new friends through crafting. It’s great.

If you could only pick one craft to do for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Probably crochet. I love the endless possibilities of crochet and you can pretty much crochet anywhere you like. Plus, I have an incurable yarn addiction! I’ve launched the hastag #crochetonthego last year as I love crocheting when I am traveling for work (and that’s quite frequent). So I crochet on trains, in planes and in hotels and find the most lovely yarn shops wherever I go.

What is your crafting “style”?

I never considered myself to have a typical style, but people do tell me I have one. I have a good sense of color and I don’t go for the regular color combos. I love mixing and matching bold colors and more traditional colors. A lot of people love my crochet blankets as they’re very gender neutral and that’s exactly what I go for. Why settle for pink or blue when there are so many other colors available? Why not spice the pink up with some red and orange and green!

What is the main source of inspiration?

Oddly enough… tablewear! I love those vintage 1960’s and 1970’s European plates, cups and pans with those bold floral prints. There are so many nice designs from Scandinavia and Germany from those eras. The designs and colors are quite daring and bright, I love that.

What is the best advice someone gave you about crafting?

To block my crochet. Honestly, as a sewer you wouldn’t dream of not ironing your fabrics, so as a crocheter I’ve really learned to appreciate blocking my items after they’re done. The blocking has a wonderful effect on the fibres and gives my crochet a kind of professional finish. It’s worth the extra step and the wait. Also, talking to women in wool shops and yarn manufacturers I have come to appreciate more expensive yarn over cheap acrylics. There’s a time and place for acrylic and I really don’t mind, but there is so much more yarn out there. Combos of cotton and acrylic, merino yarn, milk fibre cotton… it’s just waiting to be discovered.

What tips would you give a beginner?

Don’t be afraid to invest in more expensive materials. Like many of us I started to crochet with cheap acrylic yarn and mercerized cotton, but I see so many crafters not get beyond these materials. I know that proper wool or a mix of fibres is more expensive, but it’s definitely worth it. When you crochet items you’re making heirlooms. You want them to last.

What is your must have crafting tool?
It’s not really a tool. It’s a chest. My husband inhereted a big wooden toolbox from his grandfather who was a carpenter on a shipyard. The chest was in horrible shape when my husband took it home, because of all the dirty tools, and the wood was looking horrible. But he fixed it all up for me and painted it white. Now it is in our livingroom and holds most of my yarn. There’s nothing better than ‘diving into the chest’ and fishing out some yarn I’d like to use for my next project.

Where do you craft? Dining table, own dedicated craft space?

Oh, how I wish I could tell you have I a swanky craftroom… but in all honesty, I just craft sitting on my couch watching Netflix, like most of us. It’s just so relaxing to crochet on the couch while watching the news or a documentary. Sewing is done on our dining room table and I will literally ‘shoo’ my husband from the table when I need it for my sewing, poor thing!

How many WIPs do you have on the go right now?

Actually I have just finished a WIP that had been laying around for over 2 years! It’s a lovely crochet throw made from hexagons. I’ve worked on the hexagons on many of my travels as they’re so easy to take along. I picked a combo of pastels and bold colors like bright blue and deep purple and I am so pleased. There’s also a scarf that I am working on in an alpaca yarn. It’s quite a fiddly yarn, as it’s a lace weight, so it goes quite slowly, though I really love how it’s working out.

What would be on your crafty bucket list

I haven’t made any garments yet and I would love to crochet myself some nice cardigans or sweaters. I’m very hesitant in starting as I’m so afraid of messing up. Also, I’d like to sew myself some more garments too, like dresses and skirts. But again… so afraid to fail. However, I really want to give it a go this year.

Do you listen to music when you craft?

Most of the time I have the radio on when I’m crafting, or I’m watching tv.

Tea or Coffee – which do you prefer?
Wine, actually! Haha… well, on weekends. On weekdays I am a coffee kinda girl, strong black coffee in large cups please! Not after noon though or I won’t sleep at night! So in the evenings and in the afternoon it’s green tea for me.

Favourite TV show?
Now that’s a tough one. I love shows like Suits and White Collar, I watch those together with my husband. He can’t stand shows like Call the midwife or Downton Abbey, so I love watching those when I crochet on the couch. Also, I have just heard Netflix will be airing a new season of The Gilmore Girls, which was my favorite show when I was in college. So that’s excellent news. Also, I can’t wait for new seasons of Ripper Street and Copper.

What non-crafting related item can’t you live without? Why?
My laptop! I’m a journalist and I have my own business since 3 years, so I spend a lot of time working from home or working on location. All my blogging is done with it and when I’m traveling my laptop is how I keep in touch with my husband, over Skype. Very essential.

Do you have any news that you would like to share with our readers?
I am working on some new crochet and sewing patterns as we speak, and these will be launching before spring! So keep an eye out on Happy in Red.

If you like you can hop on over to http://sohappyinred.etsy.com and check out some of my work and patterns. Especially for the readers of And Sew We Craft I offer a 15% discount on everything, with coupon code ASWC2016HAPPY.

Thank you for reading all about me! Happy crafting!

Actually Amy (1140 Posts)

When Amy is not blogging here on And Sew We Craft you can find her over at Actually Amy where she blogs about her life and other things.