I got to interview Cristina Ghirlanda, Minimi on Ravelry
You as a designer questions:
What is your design process?
My design process usually starts with an idea. I always keep a sketch book with me. Once I have decided on a design, I begin looking for the perfect yarn for it.
What influences your style?
Mostly what I see people wearing on the street. There is just something special seeing knitwear worn on live people.
What about designing and producing patterns are you most adept at, what
parts are you most fond of, and what parts are challenging? (Pattern
Grading, the last week of editing, coming up with a name for a project,
self promotion?)
My favorite part is the knitting and seeing my idea comes alive. I find tedious the process of publishing and promoting a pattern.
What do you find most important in photography?
Lighting.
You as a Giftalong designer:
What have you learned from the promotion?
A small idea can lead to a big thing.
You as someone who likes to make things questions:
What is your usual process on a fiber project, for instance, do you
start with a yarn, a cute pattern, a need you’ve noticed, something
exciting you saw in a movie you want to copy, or a technique you want
to learn – then what do you do next and then what?
When it comes to knitting, it is usually originated by a need. Strangely enough, those typically end up being my more popular designs.
Does anything intimidate you in knitting or crochet?
Intarsia and steeking.
When you want to learn something, do you look it up in a book, on U-
tube, or seek a real person to teach you?
I just google it, usually I prefer photo tutorials.
What makes you buy a pattern (lovely photo, the story of the project,
it looks do-able, it looks slightly challenging…)
A lovely photo is what gets me click on the buy button. Sometimes I also buy patterns just for reading, especially when it comes to unusual construction.
Thank you Cristina!