Today I present to you an interview with Linda Marveng! Check out her blog here or her Ravelry store here.
(c) Michael Marveng-Puckett
1. How did you come to knitting?
I learnt at school at the age of 10 but needed a lot of help from my mum. As a teenager I realized the potential knitting had, and embraced it fully. I did try out both crocheting and sewing as well but they did not catch my attention as knitting did. It was many years later when I began working for Rowan Yarns in London that I found my yarn heaven.
2. How did you come to designing?
I began designing in 2008, after tweaking so many patterns to make them fit me. Shortly afterwards I was asked by a Norwegian publisher if I wanted to make a knitting book, and that was a great challenge for me. The publisher had heard that I had worked first for Rowan Yarns and then for Loop in London, as well as translating patterns into English for Norwegian yarn companies.
3. What inspires your designs?
I am inspired by fashion designs but also by architecture and sculptural lines as well as nature itself. I find inspirations in magazines, books and just by walking around observing.
4. What is your design process?
My design process is not as organized as I would like, especially when it comes to the pattern writing. My aim is to calculate the full pattern before I begin knitting, but I tend to be so eager to start that I cannot wait. I love the swatching and the planning process that can be quite time consuming.
5. Do you have a favourite fiber?
I would pick wool even though I do enjoy working in different fibers such as silk, cotton and tencel too. Wool, because it is lovely to knit with, gives a great stitch definition and it has a bounce. In my native Norway it is a fiber you can wear nearly all year around too.
6. If you could only knit one type of item, what would it be?
It would have to be jackets or cardigans if you like. I prefer calling my cardigans jackets since I try to make them more elegant, than an everyday cardigan. You can still wear it everyday, but I try to make them equally perfect for a party or a special occasion.
7. Which of your patterns make a really great gift knitting?
I would pick one of my scarf patterns, and my current favorite is Scarftex, due to its lovely reversible cable texture, yarn combination and tweed look.
(c) Kim Müller
8. Do you have any new patterns coming out during the GAL that you want to talk about?
I am releasing two new patterns during the GAL: Hennika a short lace bolero with a scarf collar and Bech a set of a shawl, loose sleeves and a belt. I had planned to add them to my GAL bundle but realized to late that it is not possible instead I will give them both an introductory price.
(c) Eivind Røhne
(c) Eivind Røhne