Etsy Knitters and Crocheters on Parade

Anne Flood's shop Ennadoolf has colorful hand sewn doll clothes, beautiful prints of her flowers, a journal and corking sets, as well as, her knitted scarves, bags, hats, and cup sleeves. It definitely has something for almost any taste.

When and how did you learn to knit and sew?

I learned to sew on the Pfaff machine my mom brought to Canada from the Netherlands - she packed her belongings inside the cabinet along with the machine. At first I had lots of practice "sewing" a straight line without any thread and using lined paper. I still use a Pfaff now - and my mom still has that first machine.
I learned to knit in Brownies! Of course, every time I wanted to start a new project I had to ask my mom to cast on for me. That's changed now, and I'm trying new ways to cast on as well as being experimental in my knitting stitches and patterns.

Did you make your own doll clothes a child?

oh yes! And always for Barbie. I have no idea if my baby dolls or other dolls had much of a wardrobe, but Barbie had lots of creative styles that we sewed - I remember sewing with Dawn who lived on the neighbouring farm, as well as with my sisters and mom. The very first dresses and tops were the basic squares of fabric with holes cut for the arms. I don't remember if Barbie even got a button on those first dresses.

Besides your love for knitting and sewing, I notice that you have prints for sale also. Are you a shutter bug?

I am now. I never could figure out f-stops and shutter speeds on my 35mm camera and even though I tried to get creative with my shots, I often wasted lots of film. Digital has changed that and I am enjoying photography now. I've only got a small camera and I'm not sure yet if I want to go back to a bigger and better one. But it would mean getting those shots I can't get now - like when we hiked to the local bald eagles' nest. A better camera would result in much improved photos of those majestic birds.

You have several prints of flowers in your shop. Do have an extensive garden?

[sigh] I have many gardens. I love my flowers. I love the variety of plants and flowers we have. I just don't really enjoy gardening all that much. If only the flowers would do their thing and the weeds would simply stay away. From a distance my gardens look great...please don't look too closely because you're sure to see a few weeds sneaking around in there. [smiles]

Which of your crafts do you enjoy the most?

Oh, tough question! I think it changes as my needs change. I've been doing a lot of knitting lately and it seems to be the current favourite. I think I prefer it because I'm able to knit while I watch tv and I'm addicted to a few shows (like Canada's Next Top Model - my nephew helped to edit it while completing a work term for school so his name is in the credits! how exciting is that?). I can also take my knitting and work on it pretty much anywhere. I'm still working on a few sewing projects though, and dabble a bit in paper crafts and other crafts as well.

Do you sell at craft fairs?

Not too often. I don't really do too many since they don't fit my schedule very well. The part of them that I love is chatting with the other vendors as well as the customers and visitors.

Have you ever considered knitting doll clothes?

Yes. I still have a red knit dress from when I was a girl and I'd like to try some of the knit doll clothes patterns I have. I'm getting better at knitting with finer yarns and smaller sized needles, so the dolls will have to wait a bit longer - I don't have the patience for these projects right now as I find they are more time consuming.

Do you have any new plans for your shop?

There are so many plans swimming in my head! My mom was visiting a few weeks ago and I was telling her about some of the ideas I had for things to make and such. She laughed and said I sounded just like her years ago. I definitely take that as a compliment. But I know what she means ... I have to make sure I keep time for family and friends and not get completely caught up with crafting. Not everyone wants to see me knitting while they are visiting - and I'm okay with that. Not every idea in my head will be completed. I'm okay with that too.
Thanks so much, Dianne, it's a pleasure "chatting" with you.

And thank you, Anne. This really has been an interesting chat. Fiber artists are anything but boring. Check out Anne's shop at http://www.ennadoolf.etsy.com
Oh, Anne, what does Ennadoolf mean? Please leave us a comment telling us.