FAST Member Interview- Melissa of Rainy Day Art

If you’re a member of FAST and would like to be featured in the weekly interview, visit this thread in the yahoo group to get the questions, then send your answers (and a picture or two if you’d like) to me at merigreenleaf[at]yahoo.com (or a convo to merigreenleaf). These will be posted in the order I receive them.

What is your name?
Melissa

What is your Etsy shop? Does your shop name have a meaning?
http://rainydayart.etsy.com I spent a lot of time thinking of possible names for my shop. I wanted something that was broad enough for all the things I do, but still sounded like me. I was living in Seattle when I started my shop, but I don’t know how much that influenced the name.

Besides your Etsy shop, do you sell anywhere else? Do you have a website or blog?
I have an ArtFire shop: http://rainydayart.artfire.com
I also have a blog: http://rainydayart.blogspot.com

How long have you been making art/crafting? What was the first thing you remember making?
I’ve been creating since I was little. My sister and I would make monster costumes out of paper grocery bags.
Knitting was the first fiber art that I started and its what got me into the others. I think the first thing I knitted was a scarf, and I remember selling them at this fair we had in 7th grade.

What kind of fiber arts do you do?
I knit, spin, felt, dye, crochet, and sometimes sew.

What’s your favorite thing to make?
I can’t pick just one! I love variety. One moment it could be felting soaps and the next it could be lace knitting, or spinning bulky yarn.

(Click the below link to read the rest of the interview and see more pictures)

What do you think is the strangest or most unusual fiber arts item you have made or been asked to make?
I crocheted and fulled a teapot and mug as a fine art piece. I haven’t had that much interest in them though.

Where is the craziest or most interesting place you’ve ever crocheted, knitted, felted, spun yarn, etc?
I don’t think this is that crazy, but I’ve spun yarn at an airport before. I was waiting for my flight.

What is your favorite color? Do you tend to work with that color, or do you find yourself working with other colors?
My favorite color is purple, and I do work in cool colors a lot, but I know that’s not everyone’s favorite color so I work any color.

Do you prefer a specific type of fiber?
I like to work with protein fibers because that’s what I’ve been dying, so a lot of wool. I like spinning and knitting alpaca too.

Is there any other kind of art (fiber-related or not) that you’d like to learn?
Soap making, I’ve read some about it and it sounds really interesting and reminds me of my high school chemistry classes. Chemistry was my favorite class in high school.

Tell us a bit about yourself- where do you live, what’s your job, do you have a spouse/children/pets, any other hobbies, that kind of thing.
I have a soon to be husband and troublesome kitty. I like to do lots of stuff: ski, kayak, read, hike, etc.

Tell us one quirky thing about you (or one thing no one knows about you).
Hmmm. I only had 2 wisdom teeth.

Do you have any advice for other fiber artists? Have any craft room, storage, or other tips?
I know its hard sometimes, but keep your stash together and organized, so that you can find the thing you’re looking for. If its spread out over the house you’ll forget what you have.

Tags: etsyfast, member interview

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