The Knitting Club

When and how did the idea of creating your social media and website to share your work come about?

Well, it happened naturally. In 2010 when Instagram emerged, I was living in Sweden and was one of the first to create an account, sharing my life. When I returned to Spain, my life revolved around studying and knitting, so I shared my books and projects. I had a couple of blogs before (I won't mention what they were about, I'm a bit embarrassed), and I decided to create a blog with my designs. To this day, I still update it and that's where I upload most of my free patterns. Everything just "rolled" along, so to speak, it became professionalized naturally. I try not to lose that naturalness and freshness from the beginning, although it's quite difficult not to lose that "professionalism."

What do you like most about being a designer?

Being able to achieve something I "want" in my mind, making it material, an idea or a desire. And that moment during the process when you see your small idea evolving into something material and tangible. And since people started knitting my designs, the feeling of gratitude and happiness when someone you don't know spends time knitting something you've designed and then wears it... it's indescribable. One day I was walking down the street and I saw a girl with one of my shawls. I didn't dare say anything to her, but the surge of happiness was amazing.

Additionally, designing is an escape for me, like painting watercolors or writing; it's my way of escaping and giving wings to my need to create.

What inspires you when creating new products?

Well, I don't think I have a fixed source of inspiration; it's an "all-encompassing" thing. Basically, I'm inspired by everything around me. As I spend my day studying for the museum conservator exams, my inspiration comes from my subjects: art, history, painting, archaeology, and anthropology. I think that's why all my designs are so different from each other; I don't have a defined style. It all depends on my mood at the moment and what I feel like wearing and what I'm reading/studying at that time. For example, right now I only design wide, flowing, basic, and "sweet" things because at this moment my life is a "cozy style" all day at home with the little one or studying, but I want to look "cute" if I have to open the door for the delivery person or take the little one for a walk. So this season, everything is going to mohair, to dusty colors, grays, beige, off-whites, and obviously pinks... and most likely summer will be all about kimonos, huge, flowing, and simple shirts/blouses...

What is your next challenge?

I would love to be able to create my website, to achieve a clearer design line, but that will be difficult because my designs represent me, my mood, my moment in life, and that changes more than the waves of the sea. I would really like to enjoy designing again without it feeling like "work."

An anecdote?

Once, waiting for the AVE train in Barcelona, a lady was crocheting in front of me. I was also crocheting. What were the chances that in 14 carriages, we would end up sitting together? Well, we did! We looked at each other, smiled, and started chatting and crocheting at the same time.

I have that one and the one from my assistant exam. I was ready to take the exam, seated, all prepared, focused... and I saw a girl walk in with a most wonderful Cherry Shawl (from susimiu), and I spent the entire exam wondering who she was, hahahahaha. I posted about it on Instagram and today we are friends, crocheters, and fellow exam-takers! Now I want to knit it in that color, but I don't have time.