Blogger of the Week

I want to thank Jo from the blog Blogger of the Week for the nice interview she published this week on the blog about myself. I am very glad to show and share my jobs with all of you and also for the opportunity I had to know you and visit your blogs.

https://ourbloggeroftheweek.blogspot.co.uk/2018/04/irene-from-little-stitches-art.html

Thank you Jo and all the people who left comments in the post.

The Blogger Behind..... The World According to Agi

Agi (Agnes Palko) is an hungarian lady living in Sweden. She is cross stitcher but also does other type of embroideries. In her blog The World According to Agi you can see all the techniques she uses as patchwork, quilting, knitting, blackwork,.... She is offering also an important quantity of freebies (I stitches already couple of them, thank you Agi).

She sells some items in her Facebook page as toys and ornaments made on felt as well as cross stitch pattern.

Let's know a bit more about Agi.

Why did you start writing this blog?

I started the blog in 2011. By then I had already been doing lots of knitting and cross stitch embroidery, and I started to get interested in other forms of needlework and textile crafts as well. I was following some blogs about these and I thought perhaps it might be interesting for others to read about how I am learning new things. I also started to design simple cross stitch patterns and wanted to share them. 

What is this blog about?

 It is mostly about how I am trying to develop my skills in textile crafts. I show what I work on, what are the new things I am learning. Recently I have been doing lots of experiments, and I share those too.

In what environment do you write your blog?

When I started, I was working as an English and Hungarian teacher, was very busy, and it was only a hobby, a small part in my life. Now I work as a textile teacher and I basically spend most of my time with textiles. This should mean that I write more on the blog but unfortunately it is not so. Doing embroidery, sewing, knitting etc is quite solitary, so the blog is supposed to be a way of communicating. I should spend more time on it.

Who do you think would love to read your blog?

People who are afraid to try themselves in new things. For me it took a long time to admit that I want to become a textile artist. But now I understood that it is nothing to be afraid of, or ashamed of. Perhaps there are some people out there who will use my example  and will gather the courage to do what they love to do, learn new things, try things and see where they lead. Ten years ago I wouldn’t have believed that one day I will live my life like this. But hey, it is possible.

Why should people follow your blog?

Most of my followers like to come back for the free cross stitch patterns. Which is fine, cross stitch is still one of my biggest loves, and I enjoy playing with the pattern making program. However, if you are learning to quilt, like I do, you can follow me and learn with me. Same about eco-dying, recycling textiles or creating art and finding your own language. For me, following other crafters blogs was a great inspiration, and I hope to become inspiration for others, too.

How and when did you start crafting?

I was embroidering a lot as a child, and then came back to it about 12 years ago. I have knitted almost all my life, for about 35 years. I learnt to weave when I was 23 but didn’t do it for a long time. And a lots of other things, like crochet, sewing, patchwork I only learnt in the last 10 years.

How often do you craft?

All the time. Almost every day. If not, I feel empty. :)

Where do you get inspiration?

 I love folk art, I look at old textiles and old clothes a lot. I also love Pinterest and other peoples craft blogs. And nature is a never-ending source of inspiration for me.

Why do you craft?

Crafting for me is a way of relaxing, a way of finding myself, finding peace with myself. People often ask me how I find the patience to do this. I usually answer I don’t need patience for crafting, just the opposite: crafting gives me patience to endure the rest of life.

How did you learn?

Some things I learnt from my grandma, my mum and godmother. Other things I learnt from books, on courses and recently, from the internet. I love watching Youtube videotutorials.

What do you do when you are suffering a creative block to unblock?

I sort my yarns or embroidery threads. Look through my books or magazines. Or just do something less creative, like knitting socks or a scarf. I get back to my project later - it is all right for me, I usually have lots of things on the go at the same time.

What are the crafting tools that you cannot live without?

This is difficult. It depends. Mostly I am quite all right with a needle, thread and a pair of scissors. I love embroidering, sewing by hand, I have even tried to learn hand quilting. But of course, I would be devastated without my beloved sewing machine or my knitting needles. I have lots of toher things, but these are the most important ones. 

Thank you for letting us know more about you and congratulations for your nice jobs. Hope you continue with your blog soon.

The Blogger Behind...... Lord Libidan

Lord Libidan is a cross stitch designer. His designs are very contemporary and it is not very common to find designs of the style Lord Libidan does. He published in his blog Lord Libidan where he publishes very interesting articles which can teach you a lot about cross stitch art. One of my favourite is the story of the needles, not very easy to find the information. He has also published more than 500 free patterns designed by himself related with video-games, TV  and anime. I especially love the Pokemon serie. But let’s know Lord Libidan a bit more.

1. Why did you start writing this blog?

I first created my blog to show off my own cross stitch, however as time moved on I realised there wasn’t many places answering the questions cross stitchers had.

2. What is this blog about?

Cross stitch. We offer guides, reviews, free patterns and roundups of great cross stitch, focusing on a contemporary and modern feel.

3. In what environment do you write your blog?

I tend to throw ideas around my head whilst driving, however once I have a good title/topic I write in my lunch times at work. It’s a very corporate atmosphere, so I like how I can concentrate all of my creativity on my writing.

4. Who do you think would love to read your blog?

Anyone that likes embroidery and cross stitch. We answer questions, give tips and work with the community.

5. Why should people follow your blog?

Unlike a lot of craft blogs, we make sure we create content you’ll want to read. We only feature curated content and answer questions every stitcher might need answering.

6. How and when did you start crafting?

Back in 2009 I picked up a small cross stitch highland cow kit to fill my summer holiday (it was a typically wet English summer). From that point on I’ve been hooked. I moved onto creating my own patterns and designs in 2011.

7. How often do you craft?

I tend to stitch every day, even if it’s only 10 minutes (you can start and stop cross stitch without issue). On weekends I tend to spend more time on it.

8. Where do you get inspiration?

I tend to get a lot of inspiration from art works. I visit a lot of galleries and museums, and like to take an existing artwork and change it up to fit my style and theme.

9. Why do you craft? How did you learn?

I’ve always been artistic, however I’ve lacked the devotion to draw or paint. I started working on pixel art a long time ago, and whilst I gave it up, cross stitch uses a lot of the same skills to create patterns.

People mainly cross stitch to de-stress, however I much prefer to run the stress away. Instead I cross stitch to forget about work, deadlines, and other boring things.

10. What do you do when you are suffering a creative block to unblock?

The worst thing you can do when you’re in a creative block, is think about the block. I put cross stitch down and do something else; watch movies, play games, go out with friends. After a while I’ll see something and suddenly the creative block is gone.

11. What are the crafting tools that you cannot live without?

Organisation. Whilst tools help you LOADS, being able to just pull the right thing out at the right time is a massive help. I organise everything, from needles in size tubes to threads on skeins, to aida fabric in boxes.

Thank you very much, Lord Libidan, for letting us know a bit more about you. I am sure people will enjoy your job as much as I do and I can promise I am going to make some of your Pokemon designs……..

The Blogger Behind.......Ipnot

When I saw first time this blog I was impressed and still I am every time I visit it. It is amazing how with only French knots Ipnot can do so realistic things as a pizza, a tomato, etc.

I decided that Ipnot, the blogger behind the blog with the same name, Ipnot, was a very good starting point for my new interview section, The Blogger Behind.

Tell us something about you.

I am Japanese embroidery artist. I am making embroidery works with the French Knot stitch only. As in the art of stipple painting, I use my needle like a paint brush and I stitch one knot at a time.

How and when did you start crafting?

I have been making handicraft arts for 5 years already. But only about 4 years ago I started to make embroidery.

First I wasn’t into embroidery. Instead, I made clay accessories. But 4 years ago I saw an embroidered bear in a magazine. Then I told myself I will make one. I want to try embroidery because when I was a child my grandmother liked to do embroidery. Then I saw how to do it and I was curious about it. After seeing the embroidered bear in the magazine, I tried it. I really had a lot of fun and I decided to stop doing clay accessories and just focus on embroidery.

How often do you craft?

I craft almost every day. But sometimes I can’t embroider engaged with another job. Since I am the happiest when I am embroidering, I want to embroider as long as time permits.

Where do you get inspiration?

I can get inspiration anytime anywhere. I always keep my eyes open. I touch a lot of arts in libraries, museums, solo exhibitions, art works at SNS, art related TV and so on.

Why do you craft? How did you learn?

Embroidery is my life work. I have spent my childhood surrounded by very creative and crafty people who have inspired me. I was drawn to embroidery because my grandmother used to do it and made it look very relaxing and enjoyable. So I tried it and enjoyed it myself. Since then, I started my own projects and it doesn’t feel like work.

I learned embroidery by myself.

What do you do when you are suffering a creative block to unblock?

If that happens, I go to a museum to appreciate art and I get creative input. And then, I keep doing embroidery without thinking deeply.

What are the crafting tools that you cannot live without?

The crafting tools that I cannot live without are needles and thread.

Thank you Ipnot for your time and all the best for your future projects.