Artsy Wednesday T.8

Interview Marieke

We found this sweet lady while looking at other Home Sweet Home contenders. We are very glad she included the wonderful coffee filter bag tutorial! It’s brilliant! Check out her blog for more inspiring tutorials, recycle ideas and of course her own weekly Home Sweet Home.  

We thank you so much Marieke!

Name: Marieke Kegler
Age: 32
Occupation: Nurse and owner of my own label By MiekK
Country: The Netherlands

Blog: www.bymiek.blogspot.com

1. Tell us why, how and when you started crafting?

I have been crafting all my life! I grew up in a house where my mother’s sewing machine and knitting machine always stood on the corner of our dinner table. I loved to draw and craft as a kid and when I was a bit older I started to sew clothes for my Barbie dolls (by hand and not so pretty). As I grew up I never lost the love for crafting!

2. Why do you love crafting?

I love to be busy with my hands and make pretty things. It’s great to see something evolve and turn out exactly as you imagined it to be.  And if not, you know how to do it better next time! I also love to experiment and try out new techniques or make up new (sewing)patterns.

3. What is your favourite type of craft?

It’s difficult to choose! I think I go for sewing because you get the quickest result. But I also love crochet and making jewelry.

4. What is the most pretty thing you have made?

I love almost everything I make and I try to make everything as pretty as possible. But I think I’m the most proud of the Tipi-playtent I made for my eldest son. It was a lot of work and a lot of struggle with large pieces of fabric in a very hot attic in the summer. But it turned out great and the boys can play in it for years to come.

5. Tell us what makes your crafts special?

I use a lot of old and recycled materials and fabrics like old clothes, sheets, tablecloths and buttons. That’s why my creations are always unique! I also love to combine unusual fabrics and prints, to make my products special. I don’t like to copy other people’s designs.

6. What do you use for inspiration?

I get my inspiration from a lot of things! I cut out inspiring pictures from magazines and keep them in scrapbooks. I also love the new website Pinterest.com. It’s like a digital scrapbook and I’m beginning to get really addicted to it!

And I get a lot of inspiration from nature, other people’s houses, watching television, reading blogs, so really everything I do and see!

7. Would you like to show us were you do your craft magic?

Here’s my craft corner in our attic. I have a big sewing table and some cupboards to store my fabrics, yarn, paper and other supplies. It’s becoming quite full actually ;)

8. Would you like to share/include a fun craft tutorial with us?

This is a ‘golden oldie’ from my blog: make little giftbags from coffeefilter bags:

- Draw a line left and right from the bottom of the coffeefilter with a pencil
- Sew along these lines with your sewing machine
- Cut away the parts left and right to the stitching
- And you’re done! You can embellish the giftbag with a stamp if you want

- Instead of sewing, you can also use Masking Tape to close the sides of the giftbags!

9. What sort of crafting would you still love to try out?

I would like to try screenprinting or printing on fabric with stamps or stencils. To make my own fabric designs, that would be so cool!

10. Have you got any advice for those who would love to start crafting?

Just do it! Don’t be scared to make mistakes because you learn from them. Try new things and have fun!