Etsy Knitters and Crocheters on Parade

Suzette Lenzen is an enthusiastic knitter, who makes the cutest hats and accessories. After felting many of her items, she uses inspired embroidery talent to make them exceptional. Check out her shop KNITANDCURL by clicking on the title Etsy Knitters and Crocheters on Parade.

Your profile says that you were six or seven when you learned to knit. Who taught you?

Mom mom taught me to knit when I was six or seven.


What was your first project?

My first project was a potholder, then I made doll blankets and Barbie clothes. My first project for cash was a red-white-and-blue jumper for my seventh grade teacher's daughter. It took me three weeks to complete and I got a check for $25.00. I was hooked!


What is your first priority in life?

My first priority in life is God; my husband and family are second. If I have those things in order, everything else falls into place in my life and things go more peacefully. If I'm out of whack - life is chaotic and stressful.


What would you do if you if nothing in the world hindered you?

If nothing hindered me, I'd go back to school and finish my degree.


Where do you see your shop in five years?

In five years, I'd like to be able to quit my regular day job (medical transcription) and only work part-time so that I could devote the rest of my day to creating beautiful things to sell in my etsy shop.

Suzette says she used to marvel at people who said you never work a day in your life if you love what you do. And now she's found it! She loves making things by hand to sell to others. "What a rush when I have a sale and get good feedback. It makes me want to stay up all night and finish my latest project so I can list it right away." I think that would describe most of us knitters. We love what we do, and certainly so does Suzette.

Etsy Knitters and Crocheters on Parade

Jennifer Smith of JayCee Originals makes gorgeous baby clothes and sports them on models that grab your heart. After you have met Jennifer please click on the title Etsy Knitters and Crocheters on Parade to check out her shop and her models.

You knit beautiful baby clothes, are your three sons your models?

I discovered Etsy in the months following the birth of my youngest son Steiven and while considering what to put in my store my Mom suggested that I photograph him in his home-knits and replicate them as a base stock for my store. Sometimes I think it can help a potential buyer to visualise an item of clothing better if they can see how it wears. My second son, Nicholas lent his cheeky grin to the hooded afghan. Unfortunately for Michael, at the grand old age of 5 he is far too big to model any of my current lines (although he tries very hard to prove that he could model for me by squeezing himself into his younger brothers’ sweaters). Hopefully, safe arrival permitting, I will have another little model in around 5 weeks.


What kinds of things do you do to get such great happy photos of them?

The little ones are all fantastic, they seem to have been blessed with amazing self-confidence, and it’s not necessarily that the camera loves them but they certainly love the camera. There is never any need for bribery or distraction, they were born to pose. Nicholas in particular is very charismatic and flirts constantly with anyone and everyone – just a momentary glance, the hint of a smile and perfect strangers are instantly smitten!


Tell us how you came to learn to knit?

I learned to knit from my Grandmothers and my Mom initially and was confident in the basics (cast on, knit, purl, cast off) by the age of around 4. Needless to say my dolls were always the best dressed “babies” in town! As soon as I was able to read, I was following patterns and plagued relatives and friends with various knitted gifts and ensembles, in addition to beginning to support charity knitting projects. I took something of a well-earned rest from my mid teens until first falling pregnant in my early twenties during which time I focused all of my energies on cross-stitch and needlepoint (in addition to the whole school – college – university thing of course). Craft and creativity is a fantastic juxtaposition to formal academic study because it maintains focus while at the same time providing the brain with some valuable down-time!

Having filled the wall space of my own home and that of my parents with beautiful needlecraft creations including a beautiful baby afghan and birth sampler for the imminent arrival, I returned to two needles in preparation for a December baby. Since then I have had great fun playing with knitwear design and learning as many new techniques as I can find. About 6 months ago I finally got around to figuring out how to crochet and am getting plenty of practice creating hats for preemie baby charities. My “Knit List” of important things to do includes taking the time and effort to transcribe and test some of my favourite design ideas into marketable patterns. Despite always beginning a project with good intentions of writing EVERYTHING down I never quite manage to get past the completed garment accompanied by some half-hearted instructions which in no way could be of use to anyone trying to recreate my design (and in some cases I get sidetracked and never actually reach the completed garment stage).


With three boys, I would like to know how you find time to knit. Do you have a secret way to keep them busy?

My trade secrets are routine and of course prioritising. Despite this, it’s a painfully slow process updating my stock! With three (almost four) children so close in age there is no chance for knitting during the daytime hours. While they all play so well together and help to occupy each other, my full attention and input is still demanded at all times. Even now at 8 months pregnant I still have to run around the park kicking a soccer ball just as lively as ever! If the younger ones take a nap I catch up on study and household chores but bedtime is 6pm for all and is strictly observed. We have tried to treat the boys to late nights on occasion but the fall-out the next day makes it a waste for them as they really don’t cope well with over-tiredness. By the time I have cleared away after dinner, there is precious little time for relaxing but I look forward to that well-earned evening break with my needles and yarn.



Beside raising boys and knitting, what is your passion?

Ooh, excellent question! I love life, there is so much to learn, so much to try – I am never at a loss for something to do and it never ceases to amaze me how many people waste precious time waiting for life to come to them when all along they could have been out there doing something. The dominant factors in my life besides my family and knitting are a love for learning and cooking. I hold two Degrees in Medical Physics, have had my associated research published and hold all manner of other qualifications including a Diploma in Egyptian Sugaring! I am currently writing a thesis to complete my Diploma in Life Coaching and will eventually return to full-time study in pursuit of my Doctorate. Food-wise I love to grow it, cook it and of course eat it. I have an enormous collection of recipes and am constantly inspired by food (note the food-themed names for many of my knits). Cooking and baking are great family activities and help the children to appreciate not only the origins of their food but also how the combination of different flavours and ingredients come together to create delicious dishes.

Jenner also has a gift bag shop, Jaycee Thoughts. You can check it out here. http://www.etsy.com/shop/jayceethoughts

Etsy Knitters and Crocheters on Parade

Missy Littell has had her shop Littelme and My Knitting since November 1999. Her shop has truly unique knitted jewelry, as well as, scarves and other items. I was captivated by her and her items. To browse her shop, just click on the title Etsy Knitters and Crocheters on Parade.

You have been knitting for four years. What motivated you to learn to knit?

Actually, a library conference. I'm a part-time children's librarian, and at this conference there were several knitters. I don't know how many people would go to a library conference, see some librarians knitting and think, "Oh my gosh, I must be a part of this," but that's what happened to me. The portability of the craft, the idea that what started out as just a ball of yarn could be turned into something useful, wearable, beautiful--a creation that would probably outlive its creator. I was hooked. I didn't know any knitters at the time, so when I went home checked out a knitting DVD from my library and would use online video demos whenever I got stuck on a particular stitch. Within weeks, I had produced my first scarf.

Where did you get your inspiration for your beautiful knitted jewelry?

Books. As a librarian, I have immediate access to the newest, most modern knitting titles as well as the knitting classics. I find them in catalogs, put them on hold at the library, pour over them, save away patterns to make later, make little tweaks here and there. I also have a lot of knitting friends I have made in the past few years that will e-mail me new patterns or drop off knitting patterns at work for me. In this way, I am able to find a lot of unique patterns and ideas.

Any recommendations?

I've been really impressed by the "One Skein Wonder" series. They have lots of patterns that are easy to make, but the end outcome is really unique. I like anything by Debbie Bliss, I think she is an amazing knitter. For some lighter reading, "At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much," was great, even made me laugh out loud! All knitters will relate. I also checked out "A History of Hand Knitting" by Richard Putt. It was quite texty, but full of interesting knitting history and just a fascinating read. There was a photo in that book of a sock that was dated back something like 1500 years. All I kept thinking was, I wonder what this knitter would think if he/she could have known that 1500 years after creating that sock, a girl would be sitting on her lunch break eating a sandwich and reading about it!

Your bio says you love crafting. What other crafts do you engage in?

My aunt taught me to cross-stitch when I was 5, though I pretty much folded that away once I began knitting. I sew and do scrapbooking and I dabble in writing and photography. I am currently teaching a series of classes on digital photography for my job. It's kind of a compulsion for me--I simply have to be creating something at all times. I taught myself to knit without looking at my project so that I can knit while watching TV or in a dark theater or a long car ride. While I was in the early stages of labor with my son, I knitted a scarf, which is no small feat with an IV in your hand. The hospital staff must have thought I was out of my mind.

If you could have anything you wanted, what would it be and why?

Well, with a part-time job, a husband who is a minister, a private voice lesson business and an active toddler, my first inclination is to say "a good night's sleep." But I guess what I really want is more time. More time to spend with my family, more time to serve in the church, more time to learn to be a better mother, wife, friend, worker, teacher. More time to live a healthier life and take better care of myself--and, of course, more time to knit! I don't know if this is normal, but the older I get the more I feel like I am capable of accomplishing anything, if only there was enough time...


Where do you see your shop in five years?

Hopefully an expanded version of what it is now. I am dying to add more items to my shop, but as I have already expressed, my time is limited and I do the best I can with the time I have. In five years I hope I will have discovered new and amazing treasures to add to it, or made up something entirely new and different on my own.

Etsy Knitters and Crocheters on Parade

Are you a native of the U.K.?

Yes I was brought up mostly in Scotland but lived in Iraq, Luxembourg and Kenya in between due to my Dad's job. He was an engineer and was working for the UN in Baghdad at the time of the Iran-Iraq war so bad timing there, my Mum and I were evacuated to Jordan in a truck.

Alona Kemmett has had her Etsy shop since July of last year. As always, to visit her store just clicke on the title above. I have enjoyed all of my interviews with Etsy fiber artists, but I especially like to interview someone outside the U.S. because there is always a chance that I will learn something new culturally. Alona Kemmett is not only outside the U.S., but has lived in many places.

Your Etsy profile says that you like natural fibers. Are they more popular than synthetics in the U.K.?

I wouldn't say so, there're still a lot of knitters who won't use anything but synthetics but I prefer to use wools that have been hand dyed and spun due to quality, softness and colour depth. Especially on Etsy there are so many amazing fiber artists who do wondrous things with yarn in both colour and texture...major kudos from me to hand dyers and spinners!

I do use synthetics but only if they look good and not too artificial - I use a lot of Lang and Lanartus ladder yarns in my necklaces.

You learned to knit when you were five years old. Who taught you?

My Mum taught me. I remember the first pair of needles were short and I think probably a 4mm and I did lots of mustard coloured hot pads! I found them years later so I guess she was proud! On her side of the family there were a lot of knitters - my Aunt was always sending me wool for various projects so I was always knitting as a child, some worked; a lot didn't but it was great fun.

We knitters always want to know how someone else does it. Do you use the throw the loop method or continental and why?

You know, I had to google this one...I only use continental as that's the way I was originally taught and wasn't really aware of the loop method.

What items do you enjoy knitting the most?

Anything for my children - I have 2 - Joe, 4 and Matilda, 18 months, unfortunately I don't have enough time to do everything I'd like for them. I love knitting soft squidgy yarn - its the best feeling!

Where do you see your shop in five years?

Using my experiences to add more interesting designs and being able to grow it to be in a position to do this full time! I work part time from home as a freelance internet marketing consultant so it would be great if I didn't have to do that!

What captivates you outside of the knitting world?

Arthouse cinema, travelling, my husband, my children, animals (3 cats and a dog), my garden, my house. Mickey, my husband is a house husband and he looks after Tildy whilst I'm working and Joe's at school, does all the cooking and also does amazing things in our veggie patch - even though this summer we've had more rain than we needed but even so its very abundant.