Robynn Weldon, Indie Design Gift A-Long 2019 Interview
Contents
- 1 Robynn Weldon, Indie Design Gift A-Long 2019 Interview
- 1.1 How did you get into knitting/crochet and who taught you? What made you want to start designing?
- 1.2 What’s you favourite part of the design process?
- 1.3 What inspires you?
- 1.4 Are you a full-time or part-time designer and how does that fit into your life?
- 1.5 Do you have a favourite thing to design and why?
- 1.6 Do you have much time to make things for yourself or for gifting?
- 1.7 If someone knitted or crocheted a gift item for you, what would you love the most?
- 1.8 Do you have a favourite yarn and why?
- 1.9 What’s your favourite of your own designs and what do you love about it?
- 1.10 Is there anything new you can tell us about or a recent design you’d like to chat about?
- 1.11 What’s your favourite colour?
- 1.12 Have you been a participating designer in the Indie Gift Along before and what do you love most about it?
- 1.13 Which Gift Along 2019 designers inspire you and why?
- 1.14 How do people get in touch with you or see more of your work?
Today we’re chatting to a good friend of mine, Robynn Weldon, whose designs range from cute and simple baby accessories to elaborate lace and brioche.
How did you get into knitting/crochet and who taught you? What made you want to start designing?
Everyone in my family does needlecrafts (even my dad had a knitting and sewing phase), so it was something I more or less just absorbed through osmosis. But it was only in high school that I got completely hooked, using it to stave off the boredom of boarding school. At the time I didn’t have much access to good patterns, and in any case improvising our own designs was exactly how the rest of the family did it, so it never really occurred to me to knit or crochet any other way.
From the time knitting started going online I was keen on putting my designs out there, but between work (including running an online yarn shop!) and babies, it was a long time before I actually got around to making it happen.
What’s you favourite part of the design process?
What inspires you?
Are you a full-time or part-time designer and how does that fit into your life?
Do you have a favourite thing to design and why?
Do you have much time to make things for yourself or for gifting?
If someone knitted or crocheted a gift item for you, what would you love the most?
Probably toys! There are so many ridiculously cute designs out there (like this sloth https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby-sloth-2) but I hate making toys – so fiddly. Or socks, for a similar reason. They’re so lovely to wear but I’m pretty bored by knitting socks.
Do you have a favourite yarn and why?
What’s your favourite of your own designs and what do you love about it?
Is there anything new you can tell us about or a recent design you’d like to chat about?
My last design, Games Night, is a super fun spiral construction; I’m working on my fourth right now (since I didn’t keep the samples but my kids are mad keen on it) and it’s not boring yet. The way the yarns are magically tidied away as you go makes me feel super clever. Although the colour blocks are a big part of the design, I’m curious to see a version in just one, variegated colourway. You’d just have to use stitch markers to keep track of the blocks, instead of colour changes.
I’d also like to mention Mokita, which I released in April – this was a very emotional design for me. I originally knit the aran version for my mother, and then the lace-weight version became a way of grieving for her and working through some very complicated feelings. I donate all proceeds from this shawl to the mental health charity Mind. You can read about why on my blog. http://www.studio-miranda.com/blog/2018/12/the-truth-that…
What’s your favourite colour?
I tend to love colours in combination, more than singly, but I wear more teal than anything else. Teal with chocolate brown, with red, with grey, with green and purple… teal is my personal neutral!
Have you been a participating designer in the Indie Gift Along before and what do you love most about it?
Which Gift Along 2019 designers inspire you and why?
What a tough question! There are so many hugely talented designers in the GAL. Sarah Schira’s endlessly charming gnomes blow me away (and make me reconsider my anti-toy-knitting stance). I love Paola Albergamo’s unexpected colourwork and high-energy photos. And I’m in awe of my friend Emily K Williams, who creates such consistently strong (and well-written), original patterns with a very coherent aesthetic.
How do people get in touch with you or see more of your work?
Blog and website: https://studio-miranda.com
Ravelry pattern store: https://ravelry.com/designers/robynn-weldon
Instagram: https://instagram.com/studiomirandadesigns
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/woollythinker
Quick links to our shop
Austermann Yarns, Baby Yarns, Debbie Bliss Yarns, Lanas Stop Yarns, Araucania Yarns, Schoeller & Stahl Yarns, Felting Yarns, Noro Yarns, DK Yarns, 4ply Yarns, Aran Yarns, Fur Yarns, James C Brett Yarns, Lion Brand Yarns