Designer Profile- Alissa Barton the Knitting Fairy

Alissa Barton and I became friends a long time ago, when we ‘met’ on a very neat email group.

The first time I saw her signature, ‘The Knitting Fairy’, I went- WOW! because, way back in 2000, my design for my Knitting Angel Link was featured in Vogue Knitting.  I had asked my son to set up an email addy for it, and he set it up as Knitting Fairy instead of Knitting Angel.  (That email addy is long gone btw)

So, I thought that it was really neat synchronicity that there was another Knitting Fairy out there, thousands of miles away in real time and space, but right by my heart in other (possibly MORE “real” ways! ).

Ah… Synchronicity. It’s so amazing.

Anyhow…. I have been meaning to share my love of Alissa with you for a long time and I have finally gotten around to it!  My questions to Alissa are in green and her answers are in black.

copyright Alissa Barton used with permission

1. How did you come to create your ‘Knitting Fairy’ company?

Knitting Fairy is the name given to me by my friend’s three small girls years ago. I was teaching them how to knit and I would fix their mistakes while they slept. They loved coming to stay at my house because they thought the Knitting Fairy lived there! I started the company a few years later when my students kept asking me to write out the patterns I was making for myself. It’s grown quite a bit since then and those little girls are expecting their own families now.

2. Do you have a favorite product or aspect of all that you do and make with and for ‘The Knitting Fairy”?

I love designing shawls. I don’t tend to go for the Pie in the Sky type designs, I much prefer to design things that are fairly simple, straight-forward shapes that knitters of all levels can make and enjoy. I am also quite well known for my quirky tea cozy designs. I love their whimsical nature.

3. What aspect of being a designer, workshop presenter and artisan is most challenging to you?

The most difficult thing is trying to stay on top of current trends so that I am designing and teaching things that people actually want to make and wear.

4. What part of it is the most rewarding to you?

I LOVE seeing people happily wearing one of my designs, it’s a big thrill!

5. How long have you been designing and crafting your fiber arts professionally?

I have been teaching knitting for about 20 years, I began producing my own designs in 1994.

copyright Alissa Barton used with permission

6. What triggers your creativity? What is most inspiring to you?

I never really know what is going to spark a design or idea. I am always looking at the world around me for new ideas. Sometimes I take an idea that is suggested to me and run with it, sometimes they just rattle around in my brain until I find the time to sit down and let them out.

7. Are the fiber arts your main focus?

Yes. I just love doing anything with fiber. There are times when I wish I could paint or draw, and I try to learn but I end up back with yarn in my hands in order to express myself.

8. What is your favorite way of getting your work out into the world?

I love selling my designs at fiber festivals and shows. It’s a real treat to meet people and discuss their plans for making my designs. I love helping them choose the colors of yarn to use. It’s amazing to me how little confidence people have in picking colors for themselves. People are so afraid they will “do it wrong”, when there really is no right or wrong. What is the worst thing that will happen if you make a sweater in a color that doesn’t suit you? You have to give it away or re-dye it. Even if you rip it all out there is really nothing “lost”, it’s just an adventure and you get to learn new stuff along the way. How can that be bad?

9. Does where you live influence your work in any way?

Absolutely! I live in the Dallas, Texas area. We don’t really have a need for woolens. It might be cold enough to wear a wool sweater 5 or 6 days a year. I make and wear a lot of shawls. Also, we knit and wear lots of cottons and blends.

10. Where can people buy your work?

I sell my patterns through my website www.KnittingFairy.com and in various shops across the US. I also design and sell patterns for Brooks Farm Yarn, these patterns are available from them at shows and on my website.

11. Do you maintain a blog or website or etsy shop? If so, what are their urls?

I have a blog which is at www.knittingfairy.com/blog

12. Do you have a crafting or arts community that influences you and is important to you? (online or ‘real life’). Is it important to you to be in touch with your peers?

We are very blessed in this area to have many local knitting, spinning and crochet guilds. I attend as many meetings as possible. I also meet regularly with my fiber friends to knit, spin and socialize. I am very lucky to work with the fine folks at Brooks Farm Yarns, their beautiful yarns are always an inspiration. I have the best job on the planet!

13. Do you have an all time favorite piece that you designed?

I always have a favorite, usually the most recent design. Today, that would be my Counterspell shawl. My best sellers would be the Triple S Shawl and the Ducky Tea Cozy.

14. Is there a project or product that has ever flumoxed you and just refused to work out?

Always! To knit is to rip, right? To me, working out and around problems is the fun. If it just won’t work, then I learn what I can and move on to the next thing.

15. Is there anything that I have missed that you would like to share with the readers of  Tottie Talks Crafts?

I would just tell people to not be afraid to try something. You never learn anything by doing what you already know. Stretch yourself, try something new! After all, it’s only yarn.