"Color. Mixing colors, seeing how they work together, seeing if they create a lot of contrast or just accent each other. It's all about seeing combinations. Color inspires a lot of what I do in any creative medium. I tend to gravitate towards brighter, more lively colors because I believe it's nice and easier to add a "pop" of color to something simple (say an outfit, room, etc.) than it is the other way around.

When it comes to knitting, the utilitarian aspect is the 2nd characteristic that inspires me. I want to use a fiber that is useful to the recipient so that they can get the most use out of it for as long as possible. In this case, a 100% wool yarn is perfect because it keeps you warm and has high durability in the Fall/Winter. Cotton is awesome for warmer Spring times. The 3rd would be texture and quality. A lovely, soft skein of alpaca yarn just screams to be stroked and you know you want it close to the skin. It's why I love making alpaca knit items when I do get the chance (alpaca can be pricey so that's a con)."

-Jen
mellowbeing