Sarah London's Granny Square Love
Australian designer Sarah London's new book Granny Square Love, is just in time for the trendiness of granny squares on the runway. The book focuses on items for the home, and has a wonderful color palette. Our new Assistant Editor, Ami Adler, interviewed Sarah by email.
AMI: How and when did you learn to crochet?
SARAH: My Grandmother taught me to crochet at an early age, I first learnt to hook granny squares with scraps of brightly colored yarn and then progressed to crocheted roses.
AMI: What are your favorite fibers and tools?
SARAH: I'm more attracted to color than composition, I don't particularity favor one brand of yarn over another. Many pieces of my work incorporate 100% wool and acrylic yarn. I am currently loving Susan Bates crochet hooks, I love the colors of the anodized aluminum hooks and I find them comfortable to work with.
AMI: You state that "granny squares, to me, are the foundation of crochet". In what way are they foundational to you?
SARAH: Granny squares are a firm favorite when learning to crochet. They are the staring point when embarking on your crocheting journey. They are rhythmic and versatile.
AMI: What do you think of the catwalk trend to have monotone/muted colors instead of vibrant/lively colors in granny squares?
SARAH: On the international catwalks I've seen both muted and lively colours. In my opinion, Kane took a more refined approach and played it safe with muted colours, whilst Holland went all out, bold and bright. Whilst both designers were inspired by the humble granny square, Kane's collection oozed sophistication whereas Holland's collection appeared more playful and fun. Garments from each collection will appeal to different demographics; it basically comes down to each individual's personality and their preferred sense of style. Granny squares are trending, vibrant or monotone, the choice is yours.
AMI: In your book you write, "don't be afraid to tweak my instructions to make a project your own" . Do you find it difficult to convince crocheters that they can adapt your patterns?
SARAH: I'm stating that you don't have to rigidly follow a pattern in regards to dimensions, suggested yarn and crochet hook size. I encourage people to experiment with different yarns and hook sizes to create a fabric of their own preference.
AMI: Your color palette is so vibrant and yet well balanced. I love the "color commentary by Sarah London" interspersed throughout your book. How did you develop your color sense? Do you have any rules that you follow?
SARAH: When it comes to color, one word, intuition! Although I appreciate the color wheel, I don't follow any hard and fast rules, I'm actually a rule breaker. I find when collecting colours for a project that I respond to each colour, I guess the only way to describe it is like a sixth sense. I'll be auditioning colors, one by one, and I'll know immediately whether to include a certain color or not. For example if I'm making a multi-colored granny square blanket I'll surround my-self with as many colors from my stash as possible. Then the process begins: I'll begin with the color closest to me, then I'll randomly reach for the next colour for the next round, instantly I'll respond to the colour, sometimes it gets tossed back into the pile and I'll draw another color, this process continues until I visually like what I see.
AMI: What kind of training have you had in art/design/fashion? Do you work with the fashion industry?
SARAH: I've had no formal training, I do occasionally attend fashion events if that counts!
AMI: What is your design process? Do you begin with a sketch, a swatch, or something different?
SARAH: When I'm beginning a new project, I'll visualize how I wish the finished article to look like in my mind, and that's where it remains, I don't spend time sketching, I'm usually too eager to begin hooking! I begin with any oddment of yarn and work a few stitches and work out the math, at this stage of the process I'm scribbling down notes as I go. Once I see the idea taking shape I then begin to audition colours one by one. Once the colors are chosen I swing into production, once completed I then return to my scribbled notes and write up the pattern.
AMI: What is inside "Hip to Hook"? How do you find time for a monthly publication?
SARAH: Hip to Hook comprises of a motif of the month, a stitch of the month and a novelty project. I like to encourage people to explore different patterns and be adventurous with color!
AMI: What aspect of your business do you find most challenging?
SARAH: Time! I always have a hundred and one ideas floating around in my head and just not enough time to bring each into reality.
AMI: What advice would you give a new designer?
SARAH: Crochet has gained immense popularity over the last few years, it's the new black! The advice I'd give for any up and coming new designer is, if you can dream, you can do it. We create our own destinies. If you'd like to share your patterns with the crochet community and perhaps have your patterns featured in magazines, then make it happen, submit your work! If you'd like to write a book, then write a proposal and send it out to publishers. Be confident! Wise words once told to me were, feel the fear and do it anyway! You'll be surprised at the happy coincidences that come your way. We all have one life to live, so I say live it! The crochet community is waiting to hear from you!
AMI: What should we look for from you in the future?
SARAH: I always seem to have many things in the pipeline that I'd like to see come to fruition. In the not to distant future I'd really like to see my own line of yarn enter the market place. A palette of vibrant saturated color!
Sarah's website:
http://sarahlondon.wordpress.com/
Her monthly magazine is here:
http://sarahlondon.wordpress.com/hip-to-hook/