Interview by Sharon Riggs
Rosemary
Hill is a polycrafter. She’s delved into multiple arts, drifted with creative
ebb and flow from one craft into another, and even blended a few together like
a master perfumier. Blogger, humanitarian, purveyor of Designs by Romi, and
architect of the Leyfi Pullover (Interweave Knits Fall 2010), Ms. Hill
steps off the Rosemary-Go-Round for
a minute to answer a few questions.
Rosemary
Hill wrapped in her Merope shawl from 7
Small Shawls to Knit (eBook, self-published)
Q: Your blog says
that you knit, crochet, bead, paint, design, and spin. Which is your favorite?
Is jewelry design your “real” job?
I
am really loving designing knitwear! It started out as a little aside to my
shawl pins, but it's become an obsession. I find myself thinking of stitch
patterns, yarns, and different constructions all the time. Spinning is my
relaxation; it's a meditation to me. I do still love the metal working, but I can
no longer say it's my “real” job. In the past year, I've started a shawl pins
& lace club and an eBook subscription (I'm designing and knitting 10 shawls
in 2010 and 7 are going into the book!), as well as designing for publication.
I've been spending much more time designing knitwear than anything else! And I
don't even remember the last time I picked up a paint brush. One of these days
. . .
The
Leyfi Pullover, Interweave Knits Fall
2010
Q: Where did the
inspiration for Leyfi come from?
I
was looking at a cowl design—I don't recall the particulars at this point—and I
started thinking how cool it would look as the top part of a sweater. I love
unexpected lacy details, and in unexpected weights of yarn! As I was trying to
work out the details in my mind, I had a sort of minor brainstorm in the realization
that it could be shaped with increases within the lace like a doily. Then it
occurred to me that, if I used a round yoke, it would look like a lace version
of an Icelandic sweater, and the geeky side of my knitter's heart rejoiced! It
sounds like a really simple shaping to do, but I ripped the top of that yoke
countless times! It had to be just right. In the end, the proportions worked
out great! I'm really really happy with the result. I almost couldn't part with
the sweater. I now have yarn in stash to make myself one, which is completely
unheard of. Usually, I can't wait to get on to the next thing and leave the
finished projects in the past.
Q: Please tell us
more about your Brandywine shawl/Doctors Without Borders project.
When
Haiti suffered its devastating earthquake, I was so impressed by the instant
call to action in the knitting world. People were donating pattern proceeds and
more and it just gave me the warmest and fuzziest feeling! As a native of
California, I went through the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, and I felt a
particular sorrow for and kinship with those poor people. I could only imagine
what they were going through, trying to survive the aftermath of a devastating
earthquake without the amazing infrastructure we are lucky enough to have in
the U.S.
Although
I wanted to do something to help right away, I also knew that Haiti would need
help far into the future. I set about to design a special one-skein shawl to
sell for Haiti relief, and that shawl became Brandywine. (My husband thought of
the name and I loved it!) I wasn't sure how many I could sell, but I tried to
make it a fun and fairly simple project that would appeal to many people, and
then I set a high goal for pattern sales: 10,000. $5 of each sale goes to
Doctors without Borders, so the goal was to donate a total of $50,000. As time
passed, I looked for other worthy charities that were helping Haiti's people
and I just couldn't find one that impressed me as much as Doctors Without
Borders does. So far, with the help of some truly amazing knitters out there, I
have donated $14,000! And I'm still working on it. I will keep donating until I
reach my goal!
Q: When and how did
you start blogging?
I
started blogging in September of 2006. My first post was a tutorial! I was
really enjoying other people's blogs, and I wanted to share in the community.
Q: Tell us
something about yourself we might not expect.
That's
a difficult one! I'll give you a few random items to choose from. :) I love the
smell of silk and I always sniff my yarn. I have an undergraduate degree from
Eastman School of Music in French horn performance and a graduate degree from
San Francisco State in Radio and Television. Before I transferred to Eastman, I
went to Carnegie-Mellon (with the current conductor of the Boston Pops) where I
was in a sorority. I can coordinate and match colors from memory.
I
don't know if any of this is unexpected!
Q: What do you hope
to be doing in another twenty years?
I
hope to be in good health and surrounded by loved ones. Other than that, we'll
see where life takes me. :)
Q: And finally:
cake or pie?
Cake,
all the way! Rich, moist, chocolate, decadent.
Maia
Shoulderette shawl from 7 Small Shawls to
Knit (eBook, self-published)
Fiori
di Sole shawl from Rosemary’s Pins & Lace Club; self-published