Friday, 31 August 2012
Friday, 24 August 2012
Our Featured seller this week is Knitwear Designer Lorraine Hearne who goes by the username of Belleflower on MISI...
Let's find out a little more about her.
What is your shop's name and how did you decide on it?
How did you get started in your particular craft and how long have you been doing it?
Well
I started knitting when I was 5 would you believe. I was a hypo active
child and I used to love watching my mother knit so it was only a
matter of time and I was knitting my school cardigans at 8 and then I
had the bug.
My
career was in Finance but I was also working Freelance as a pattern
writer, photoshoot garment knitter and maths checker for various yarn
companies as I was saving for IVF treatment at the time and loved
designing. When my daughter arrived I really wanted to stay at home and
watch her grow up. Finance really wasn't for me as I was too creative
and I decided to diverse my career and work from home and focus on
designing and started my own company.
Are there any negative aspects to doing your craft and if there are how do you work around them?
What tips would you give to anyone thinking of starting your craft?
.
What is your favourite item in your own Misi shop?
Oh
no, now you have me there. Each design has a story about how I came up
with the idea but I have to say "Stables Shoot" and "Woburn Shoot" e
books. Not only because the books are for charity but the themes and
the heart that went into the designs in making them knitter friends and
adaptable but I do like the Horseshoe Adaptable Jacket which is on the
front cover of the "Stables Shoot"
but its hard to choose a favourite because the story that goes behind
the ideas of the design.
What is your favourite shop on Misi (besides your own)?
What is your favourite shop on Misi (besides your own)?
You have got me there too. They are all brilliant so there is no particular
favourite.
We heard a rumour about an awesome pattern book? Please tell us more about it.
The
Aspley Collection Book 1 is the main collection. We decided to split
this book into 5 seperate e books as the book is set in 4 themes,
"Woodland", "Stables", "Allotment" and "Woburn". and then you have the
main e book. "Aspley Collection Book 1" which will be available
too in the next couple of weeks. Aspley Guise Lower School have a
massive £80,000 to raise for a new building. Its becoming really hard
for schools to raise this kind of money due to self funding and the
children really wanted to play a part including my daughter Beth who
attends the school which gave me an idea so I joined forces with Rico
Design and Cascade yarns who have been absolutely fantastic in providing
the Ecological yarns which I wanted to use as the children are very
keen on Environmental Issues. It didn't stop there. Glady's the pug
pup got jealous and wanted to join in the fun. So she modelled to.
We heard a rumour about an awesome pattern book? Please tell us more about it.
I
wanted to the book to not just be a book on knitting patterns but to
have a heart and to show what it was like for me when I was little
growing up in this area and I wanted the children to experience it too
so I themed the book in 4 sections to demonstrate things I used to do.
I played in the woods so "Woodland Shoot" came on board, I ran around
on farms therefore "Stable Shoot", I was really naughty on allotments (I
have grown up since then) but I did swop those lolly sticks around so
"Allotment Shoot" came along and I always used to love going to "Woburn
Abbey" and play rounders and visit the safari park and have picnics in
the grounds so "Woburn" shoot came on board.
We
received wonderful support from local celebrities. Jacqui Dankworth
was contacted about the project and herself and Becci Stevenson (Cleo
Lane's) secretary joined in the fun and modelled with the children at
Radwell Farm for the "Stables Shoot". James Frost, owner of the Frosts
garden chain group was very sporty and also modelled with the children
for the "Allotment Shoot". Then the Duke and Duchess of Bedford and the
staff at Woburn Abbey rallied around and Hollywood animal star "joey"
otherwise known as "Warhorse" was transported to Woburn Abbey and was
shot with the children for the last photoshoot.
The
children were the real stars of the show. I wanted real children of
all different shapes and sizes and different characters. Some of these
children had no confidence and I really wanted to give them their
confidence back and they really shone. They were all incredibly nervous
and they worked so incredibly hard and they were all so patient.
Award winning photographer Karen Parker jumped on board and produced the wonderful photographs of the children.
The
scope of the project has been incredible from de skeining yarns,
designing, swatching, grading, pattern writing, maths checking, proof
reading, photography, photoshoot logistics and Marketing.
Even through the designs are modelled by the children we have graded all of these designs for adults too.
Tell us a few Random Facts about you:
Oh no, well basically I am completely mad, some people used to call me a modern day Bridget Jones. I am quite bubbly
I love spending time with my family and I love what I do.
What is your favourite season and why?
What is your favourite food?
Everything.
I am a nightmare. I love Thai food. I love my carbs (bad thing I
know). Trying the Dukan Diet
at the moment. Working on the book unfortunately has made me pile on
the pounds a bit so I am on a DEFLUMP mission so wish me luck but its
all been for a good cause.How many DVDs do you have?
Well Fraser has a lot of them and I pinch a lot of them. Hundreds. I don't have a favourite as I like to listen
to all kinds of music depending on my mood.
What is your favourite animal?
What is your favourite animal?
Penguins, I love the way they walk as it makes me giggle!
What actor/actress would you NOT kick out of bed?
What actor/actress would you NOT kick out of bed?
Thats a secret!!!!
Thank you for chatting with us Lorraine.
Don't forget to stop by her shop for stunning patterns.
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