FAST Member Interview- Kelsey of CaffeinatedFrenzy

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?
Kelsey.

What is your Etsy shop? Does your shop name have a meaning?
My shop’s name is CaffeinatedFrenzy. It’s a pretty accurate description of myself and I hope it adds to the fun, funky quality I want my shop to have.

Besides your Etsy shop, do you sell anywhere else? Do you have a website or blog?
I began selling my work at a local boutique. Right now I’m looking into other boutiques to consign/wholesale with.

How long have you been making art/crafting? What was the first thing you remember making?
I began teaching myself how to knit when I was ten. It was an on and off again process, and by the time I was in high school, I considered myself knowledgeable about the craft. My first project, still undone and sitting at the bottom of my tote bag, was an extra thick scarf. It has dropped stitches from when I first began learning, gauge changes when I gave up and picked it up again months later, and hideous stripes of every color imaginable because they no longer make the yarn I began the scarf in. I absolutely treasure it and it’s the one thing I’ll never frog.

What kind of fiber arts do you do? If different from the previous question, what was the first fiber art thing you made?
Just knitting. I can’t crochet to save my life. I would love to learn spinning someday.

What’s your favorite thing to make?
You know, it changes all the time. I think my favorite thing to create is a new design.

(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’m still working out the details of my cupcake stand: http://www.flickr.com/photos/caffeinatedfrenzy/3417386624/. I pride myself on being a little bit weird. This sleep mask gets a good amount of attention for being unusual as well: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23377798

What inspires you? Where does your inspiration come from?
I used to be inspired by the yarn itself, the color, the texture, the thick or thinness. But now it’s all sorts of things. Trees, butterflies, stories, coffee. You name it.

What is your favorite color? Do you tend to work with that color, or do you find yourself working with other colors?
I find I get myself into ruts where I’m only creating in one color. When I opened my Etsy shop, it was olive green. I offered green scarves and green gloves. Later it became light pink.

Do you prefer a specific type of fiber?
My all time favorite yarn is 50% merino wool 50% silk. But I work with all types, aloo, corn, cotton, acrylic, alpaca. I must admit, plarn stumps me. I can’t come up with anything with it.

Is there any other kind of art (fiber-related or not) that you’d like to learn?
Spinning, definitely.

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’m a college kid studying education. CaffeinatedFrenzy profits are set aside to go to my traveling goals, which are quite extensive. I work in fast food by day. Before a knee injury, I studied dance. I love to move, I love to be busy and always have something to do.

Do you have any advice for other fiber artists? Have any craft room, storage, or other tips?
Experiment lots. Teach yourself new stitches and skills. I think when people recognize they still have plenty to learn and have confidence they can learn it, they improve enormously.

Tags: etsyfast, member interview

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