Name: Natasha
Age: 19 years old
Country: Canada
Instagram: @knottinatti
Facebook: @knottinatti
Website: www.knottinatticrochet.bigcartel.com
Depop: @knottinatti
About the series
The Healing Craft Series features creators sharing their thoughts and feelings on crafting and healing through crafting.
“Make sure you’re balancing what’s in your heart and what you love to work with, because people who like it will gravitate towards you […]“
Natasha, @knottinatti
What kind of craft do you do and how long have you been doing it for?
I crochet and have dabbled in knitting a little bit. I learned how to knit when I was 9 years old, but I stopped for many years in between now and then and I’ve just started to pick it up again. I learned how to crochet amigurumis when I was around 10, but I stopped for a couple years and picked it back up when I was 12. I crocheted my first article of clothing (a cardigan using a pattern from Make and Do Crew) when I was about 13, and I started my small business making custom crochet clothing this March 2020.
What is your favourite place/time of day to craft and why?
My favorite place to crochet is on my front porch in the afternoon sunlight. It feels so good to take a break from my classes and enjoy the weather, especially in the autumn when it’s warm but not too hot!
What inspires you (in life & in crafting)?
I am inspired by the love in the world, and beautiful things and people and souls. My friends and family are the ones who support me the most and help me to see the love around me. In crafting, I take a lot of inspiration from other artists I’ve connected with on Instagram: to name a few, Mati, Visionary Hooks, Bre sells sea shells, Keystrings, Moon Chain, and Meghan H Makes (and many many more!)
I also get inspiration from colour and bright patterns around me, usually in street fashion or plants or architecture or paintings.
How has/is crafting helping you and your mental health?
Crafting helps keep me sane! It’s like a root for me, keeping me grounded and focused with something tangible that I can create. It always is so satisfying to finish a project knowing a while ago what you made existed as only a ball of string and now it’s a wearable piece of art! It is calming for me to be able to read a pattern or watch a tutorial or sketch an idea and just go with it until it turns into something tangible.
What is your advice to other creators (or newly started creators)?
Keep doing what you love, and don’t feel the pressure from social media to do what people want to see! Make sure you’re balancing what’s in your heart and what you love to work with, because people who like it will gravitate towards you and your shop (if you choose to open one).
Anything else you’d like to share?
Sometimes I do get stressed out by my crocheting, because I’ve introduced the element of making money and social media promotion. It feels bad when people don’t react well to something you’ve put your heart and soul and time into. But it doesn’t matter what other’s think, because if you’re crafting for your own wellbeing then as long as the process made you happy then it was worth it!