she creates handcrafted knitwear from upcycled materials.
Q: Tell me a little bit about yourself.
A: I live in Dansville in the Finger Lakes area with my husband. I work for the City of Rochester at the Hemlock Filtration Plant as an administrative assistant for 18 years. I am very grateful for my day job, but I look forward to retiring so I can create full time. I like to experience new things, and create from the ideas in my head. I enjoy quilting, knitting, crocheting, and so much more. Handcrafting the ideas I have in my head is fun, and my way of connecting with myself. I create these pieces in a little house located in the Finger Lakes Region in Upstate New York where I live with my husband, two dogs, and a cat. I am a certified yoga instructor, and practice regularly. I recently gave up teaching to have more time to create. My own regular practice keeps me centered! I am Reiki certified, and work with healing energies. This training has also helped to keep me centered, and balanced.
Q: How did you get your start in designing upcycled products and what have you learned over the course of being a designer?
A: I have always expressed my creativity in different ways, because I love new things, and experiences. I found an idea on the internet on how to create little Christmas trees with unwanted wool sweaters, and made them that year for family and friends. I continued to explore the different ways to re-purpose materials on the internet, and got hooked on creating with a serger. This machine is so cool, and I love working with it. I just purchased another serger that offers a little more in what it can do. I love having all my materials around me, and picking out the ones that will be the next piece. I can visualize it, and then I begin designing and creating. I have found it is easy for me to put together the colors, textures, and fabrics to create a one-of-a-kind piece. I enjoy the whole process of creating these designs. I think it works for me because each piece is a new idea, and is a unique way of putting it together. I love experimenting with all of it.
Q: What inspires you?
A: The feeling I get from creating is what inspires me. There is nothing better than being in the present moment, and when I am designing and creating these pieces, that is where I am. It is similar to doing yoga, or anything else that you love to do. It's all about being happy.
Q: How did you come up with the name "Kreationality?"
A: I was driving to work one day, and I was thinking of how fun it was to be designing and creating these pieces, and I was smiling and just being silly happy, and grateful for everything in my life, and I thought of it. I pulled my phone out to record it on my recording app (because I forget everything with so many thoughts in my head!!) and I yelled ....."the new name of my business is Kreationality, Kreationality!"
Q: If you could sum up your look and aesthetic in three words, what would they be and why?
A: UNIQUE - because the pieces are one-of-a-kind, and no two pieces are alike. BOLD - the style is going to be noticed. The design is different than typical clothing, and the colors put together are always pleasing. DISTINCTIVE - people either LOVE my designs, or are indifferent. I love that!
Q: What materials do you enjoy working with most?
A: I like working with wool blends because they can be manipulated into new pieces easier than 100% wool. The 100% wool works well for totes because it shrinks up pretty thick. Although the serger and I fight over the thick wool. I get requests for non-wool pieces, but I don't enjoy working with cotton or acrylic as much.
Q: What do you love most about living and working in Rochester?
A: I absolutely love Rochester, because I have a great job with the city, but also, this city offers so much in the arts and entertainment. There is always something to do in Rochester and the people are amazing.
Q: What is your studio or workspace like, and how do you work in your studio? Tell me a little bit about your creative process.
A: I have two rooms in our home that I use for right now. I am also taking over the laundry room, and, on occasion the living room. I have sweaters everywhere! I have them in piles: plain, print, button, etc. When I wash and dry the sweaters, I take note as I lay them out flat as to what I think I can put together with what. I have a treadmill in one of the rooms, and every morning I run for a half hour and come up with my best ideas as I look at my piles of sweaters. I have a pad next to the treadmill so I can stop and jot down the ideas, or pictures I am thinking.
I have my two sergers, and one regular sewing machines set up in the other room where I put the pieces together. It may look messy, but I know right where everything is. I design the piece with sweaters I pick out that I think will match, and work together. Of course, that can change drastically as I play with an idea. I have a template and rotary cutter in the living room where I will cut the rectangles I use for the arm warmers. I usually set aside material after making a sweater, and use that material to cut up for arm warmers.
Q: How often do you release new pieces?
A: About every two weeks.
Q: Upcoming events? Where can people find your work?
Q: Anything else you'd like to share?
A: I am soooo inspired by the people I interact with at the festivals! It's new to me to do them, and I love it !! I am so pumped to create after a festival from all the positive energy and feedback I get!!!! I really enjoy the interaction with people about what I do!
And since Karen is so awesome, she is giving away a pair of one of her best selling items: arm warmers! The perfect layering piece for this time of year! Go green and look fabulous! So fun!
These babies could be yours:
a Rafflecopter giveawayBest of luck lovelies!
xoxo
Jenny
The Flower City Fashionista
