Marie: NYC Designer & Entrepreneur

I am honored to feature Marie Segares on Knit’s All Folks! today. She has been a long time inspiration for me – and her podcast Creative Yarn Entrepreneur taught me a great deal about the knitting and craft industry. Not only is she a fabulous designer and owner of the fascinating blog Underground Crafter, but she also runs a monthly crafty link party that I check out every month! Please enjoy her interview and get to know her a little better, check out her designs (she has over 300 published patterns!), and the very helpful “three-feet rule.”

Has knitting or crocheting got you through a difficult time in your life? If so, how did it help?

I think it’s fair to say that crocheting and knitting have gotten me through most of the difficult times in my life! I use crochet and knitting to relieve stress, to create things that make me feel accomplished, to save money on buying gifts or things for myself, and to express my creativity — all things that are usually needed during difficult times. One difficult time in particular that I can think of was when my maternal grandmother, who actually taught me to crochet and knit, was in the hospital. At that time, I didn’t know how limited our time together on this earth would be, but I knew her condition was serious. I started to make her a pineapple throw and working on it was a great comfort.

[Not familiar with the pineapple motif? Check out Marie’s blog for more info by clicking the image below!]

What keeps you obsessed?

Different things obsess me at different times. Sometimes, I go on a yarn spree and all I can think about is a specific yarn and how to match the right project to it. I’m often knee deep in stitch guides, looking for fun stitches to transform into projects. And, sometimes, certain projects get in my head (right now, it’s softies) and I’ll make several projects of the same type.

Marie’s Gift Pocket Bear Softie Design

What’s your favorite project that you working on right now?

Right now, I’m working on about 10 projects (I have a perpetual case of startitis). I think my favorite is the one I just “finished” (that is, I fastened off but I haven’t woven in the ends or blocked it yet, and I’m still contemplating fringe or no fringe). [Editor’s note: I LOVE THIS DESIGN!] 

What project are you most proud of? Why?

I have over 300 published patterns and probably thousands more projects under my belt, so it’s tough to put my finger on one that I’m most proud of. Right now, I am loving the three patterns I designed for the Hummingbird Hat and Baby Bird Blanket Knit Along. They use the same two stitch patterns in different ways and I love the texture.

What’s the best knitting or crochet advice you have received?

To remember the “three feet rule,” which is that most of your work will only ever be viewed from at least three feet (a meter) away. We tend to be very hard on ourselves and to point out our own “mistakes,” but in reality, many of them aren’t visible to anyone else because they won’t have the extreme close up relationship to the project that we do when working. Once you realize this, it frees you from having to be “perfect.” It makes the projects a lot more fun to make and faster to finish because I’m not constantly pulling out stitches or starting over if there’s a minor slip up.

Does pop culture ever influence your knitting?

Not exactly. I don’t really make character-based projects but from time to time I’ll see something handmade in a tv show or a movie and I’ll save a screenshot for inspiration for a future project. Recently, I spotted a great crocheted hat on Anna in the funeral scene in [the movie] Running Scared. I’m always asking my partner to pause during movies when I see an intriguing project and take a screen shot. (One of his favorites is Mark Lenard’s Romulan commander outfit from a classic Star Trek episode “Balance of Terror.”)

What inspired you to start your blog, and what keeps you motivated after 7 years of blogging?

Follow Marie on Instagram here.

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