This month I am introducing you to Kristan MacIntyre. Kristan is a knitting jeweller. Doesn’t that make you want to know more?
These monthly features of other creative businesses are a way for all of us to get to know these wonderful businesses; It has been a long-time interest of mine to explore how other creative people make their way as professionals.
Introducing Kristan MacIntyre, Knitting Jeweller
I know Kristan through Tara Swiger’s Starship but I don’t really know her, so I am as anxious to find out more about her and her work as you are! I am a big heart-er of her work on Instagram.
Q: Kristan MacIntyre, I am so glad you can do this interview. I am anxious to hear how you got to be a knitting jeweller.
A: My friend Caitlin Ffrench! She worked at my LYS when I started getting back into knitting.
She has been a great friend & encouraged me to start making things for knitters while I was still in jewellery school. She is the one I turn to if I’m pondering a new idea. You know the ones that you’re not sure if they’re terrible or amazing?
I love all of her work especially her knitting patterns, natural dyeing and ecoprints.
Amazing eco-prints with leaves & natural dyes!
We can all use someone to touch base with when we get those new ideas!
Kristan MacIntyre: What She Makes
Q: What are you currently making? I know you knit, but what about the jewelry?
A: My favourite thing to make right now are my bronze & copper buttons! It’s kind of funny because the first batch I made actually took YEARS to sell. Now I can’t make them fast enough. I love finding new textures to use. Some of my favourites are made from cedar branches, dill from my garden & an imprint I made of an old crocheted lace doily made by my Great Great Great? (<- there might actually be another great in there) Grandmother 😀
This is how the buttons come out of the kiln, sadly the rainbow effect doesn’t last past the final finishing. The textures here are from the tops of carrots from the garden & some random weeds that I think look much prettier in this form!
Copper buttons textured with the leaves of Cosmos flowers.
Oh I can’t believe I missed these. I am a total button addict and I’m going to have to check your Etsy shop soon!
Kristan MacIntyre: Where Ideas Come From
Q: Where do you go for ideas? I love the texture and variety I see in your work.
A: My favourite places for brainstorming are cozy coffee shops. I’m lucky to have a number of designer & dyer friends. I find some of my best ideas come out of these chats 🙂
Fresh coffee & ideas!
Brainstorming with Sylvia McFadden over coffee.
I have to say Kristan, that my table never looks like that when I go out for coffee! I’m also not sure I ever look so delighted with the gestation of an idea.
Kristan MacIntyre: What Now?
Q: So what is exciting you now?
A: Well, I’m always trying to think up new knitting tools I can disguise as Jewellery as well as other knitting related shiny things. I’m most excited about my recent collaboration with Sylvia McFadden AKA Softsweater Knits. She made a tiny version of one of her early shawls (The Elder Tree Shawl) & I took an impression of it to make onto a Pendant. I am working on more variations on this idea & some more based on others designers favourite shawls.
Why is it that we cannot indulge ourselves? I say this being safe because I usually only wear pins, so that is all I buy! Designers are often flummoxed by the idea of making pins.
Now I am gearing up for a big Christmas show here. (Make It Vancouver).
If you aren’t going to be in Vancouver for the show, you can look at Kristan’s things here. All the important links are below.
Important Links for Kristan MacIntyre
Kristan MacIntyre on Facebook
Kristan MacIntyre on Instagram
Knitdstrbr on Ravelry
Kristan, your work is beautiful! Thanks for showing us what you do.
Isn’t her work fabulous? Love all the wonderful things I find getting to know these creative businesses.