Breathless Collection

I’ve had the opportunity to meet many inspiring designers so far and I can tell when I’m speaking to an artist at heart. Someone who can’t help but design anything and everything they get their hands on. These designers would bleed red thread if they could. Their entire world including their home and their clothing is all about their own individual creations. This is exactly my feeling when I met Amy, designer of oblinaknit.

When I first met Amy on twitter (@oblinaknit), I made my way to her etsy site. I was stunned by the shear number of items she had listed…and what was more…they ranged from tote bags, jewelry, patterns, knitted items and fabric! It’s rare that I meet designers who cover such a wide array of different products. I knew that I was speaking with an artist.

Like many “born-again” designers, Amy left her boring desk job to do what she knew was born to do…design! And despite the rather significant pay-cut, she admits it was worth it. I have to include a snippit of what she told me in our interview, because I just can’t do it justice in a recap.

I joined etsy in 2006 after meeting my friend Shelley (@glitteryblue) at a sewing class I was taking to hone up my skills

Breathless Collection

after a LONG break. I had just left my ‘career job’ in science and decided it was time to do what I truly enjoyed - life is way too short, and I am much happier making a fraction of my former salary and sewing and crafting than I was living with stress and bored with my job - sometimes it’s a struggle as it’s only me and my cats - so I am the sole billpayer - ack!

I have always made things - as a child, my friend Sharon and I used to take her mom’s fabric scraps and make halter tops and other oddities for our barbie dolls; and I made a horrid Halloween siamese-twin’ monster outfit with my grade school friend that we had to walk in together - not the most graceful of costumes - I will have to find that picture!
When I was still doing science and living in NYC, my friends and I formed a knitting group and taught ourselves to knit - some had classes, some of us knew how to cast-on, etc, so we combined our knowledge and had fun - we called ourselves the knit wits!

I don’t know about you, but I really hope she finds that picture. I’ve included some of my Oblinaknit faves like her breathless collection shown here (which is true to its name). Find these designs at the Artisans of McLean.

Thanks for spending time with LDB, Amy, and for letting us get a glimpse into your studio.