Meet Tina of TLK Knit n Sew!!

Welcome to Knitting Week!

All this week we will be focusing on CREST knitters. To kick things off, today we bring you an interview with inspiring CREST member, Tina Kudlick. Please check out Tina's beautiful creations at her Etsy site, TLK Knit n Sew, and if you have questions or comments for her, please leave them in the comments section.

Q: When did you start knitting?

A: I started out knitting when I was a little girl and have been interested in knitting since then.

Q: What inspires you?

A: Inspiration comes from various colors combinations, various knit stitch patterns and researching knitting designs. I will then bring forth my ideas by knitting a piece from what I have in mind and create the design free style or I will draw a design and calculate my stitches in order to bring forth various designs that are in need of calculating my stitches to produce my product.

Q: What was your first creation?

A: I remember creating a small handbag for my Barbie dolls. The bag was pink and yellow with a knitted handle.

Q: What is your favorite thing to make?

A: I enjoy creating knitted clothing and cable accessories. I have loved designing and creating designs since I was young and pursued my education for fashion design in college. My major was knitwear.

Q: Is this your full time job? If not, how do you balance a full time job with your Etsy Shop?

A: Currently I create and handknit and post my knitted products on etsy. I work mainly on handknitting various pieces such as scarves, hats, fingerless gloves, cable accessories and clothing as time permits. I am a mom of one and currently am unemployed therefore I try to balance my tasks accordingly and make a list of tasks that need to be completed as I go along. Being organized and picking up my knitting throughout the day helps get that particular piece completed in a timely fashion. I hand knit all my designs with two knitting needles therefore the time it takes to create certain pieces require commitment to complete a product.

Q: What are you doing to challenge yourself and get to that next level?

A: I am in the process of challenging myself with my fashion design skills and I have been working on my flat pattern blocks to create my clothing line. I also challenge myself with my knitting skills and try out various stitch patterns to create my products.

Q: Do you have any advice for other knitters?

A: Just keep knitting and designing. If you are passionate about what you are doing the rest will come to you.

To learn more about Tina and see some of her beautiful creations, you can follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/tinateee

or at her blog at www.tinteee.blogspot.com