In the summer of 2020 we posted that we were looking for some part-time help and were thrilled when Charles applied. Charles had taken some sewing and quilting workshops prior to the pandemic and was also an avid crocheter. He also blew us away during his interview with craft examples that varied from sewing to knitting to wood carving!
When did you start making things?
I started crocheting about 10 years ago, and what keeps me interested in crochet is how easily you can influence the structure through alternating different types of stitches. Crochet is still my favorite craft, whether it’s regular, in the round, Tunisian, or double-ended Tunisian.
What's your favorite thing to make?
I love zipper box bags. I learned to sew them at gather here before I worked here, and I still make them sporadically. I think I love the surprise reveal of a lining fabric, and how design can bring the inside and the outside into conversation: constellations on the outside and astronauts on the liner. Or drab dandelions in seed on the outside, and bright dandelions in flower on the inside.
What is the thing you have enjoyed the most about joining the gather here team?
I really enjoy seeing all the creative, unusual things that customers are making — antlers for their pets, or scarves with motion activated lights, and especially their intricate quilt tops.
What's your favorite tool?
I love a hera marker — such a simple concept, but so effective at making a project look 100%.
What do you do when you aren't making things?
Cooking is a favorite pursuit — and this summer, I am part of both a CSA and a meat share, which is a fun puzzle to figure out how to use everything together.
What has been a source of joy during the pandemic?
I learned to carve birds from basswood via the Wendell Gilley museum based on Mount Desert Island in Maine. My favorite part is carving feather groups, where each cut creates the curved plane of a feather, and together they make the bird look natural.
You can check out Charles's makes on Instagram and Ravelry @charleswha