Today we're sharing our interview with one of our favorite designers, Dianna Walla. We were very excited have our first collaboration with Dianna for this issue, and love the bright, mood-boosting Bramble mitts she designed for Issue 21.
amirisu: What was your inspiration for this design?
Dianna: I've done a lot of Scandinavian-inspired colorwork in the past, with only 2 or 3 colors in a piece, but lately I've been enjoying playing around with colorwork charts that are more Shetland/Fair Isle-style, with several more colors in the same piece and a changing background color. These mitts were the latter, and while I love moody shades in the autumn and early winter, by mid-winter I'm craving brighter colors that are a reminder of spring on the horizon.
amirisu: If you were to knit this design in another color, what would it be?
Dianna: With six colors, there's SO much potential. You could use the same six shades in different positions and the whole feeling of the mitts would change! But I think the mitts would also look amazing in six natural shades of white, grey, black, or brown.
amirisu: How did you start your knitting journey?
Dianna: My mother first taught me to knit when I was a child, and as a teenager I became more seriously interested in it. At that time it was the height of craft blogs, and once I joined Ravelry in 2008 I never looked back. I enjoyed modifying patterns and playing around with design, and I released my first pattern in 2009. In 2012 I started designing more seriously.
amirisu: Do you have any favorite stitch patterns that you like to use?
Dianna: I always come back to stranded colorwork, because it's so much fun and I love the look of multicolor patterns. But I love cables as well, and occasionally use them in my designs.
amirisu: Are there any new at-home activities you’ve been enjoying over the past few months?
Dianna: My husband and I did a bit of gardening over the summer, since we weren't traveling, and that was very fun – the main things we had success with were cucumbers, arugula, kale, and even some tomatoes! But rather than focusing on at-home activities, I've been trying to spend as much time outside as possible. We live relatively close to the Trondheim Fjord, and in the summer I would go for swims in the afternoon. My daily walks have also become somewhat of a ritual. I plan to continue spending time outside even as winter sets in – I've put studded winter tires on my bicycle and I even bought studded running shoes for when the snow and ice come. For me, time spent outdoors has been crucial for coping with the pandemic.
amirisu: How did you start your knitting journey?
Dianna: My mother first taught me to knit when I was a child, and as a teenager I became more seriously interested in it. At that time it was the height of craft blogs, and once I joined Ravelry in 2008 I never looked back. I enjoyed modifying patterns and playing around with design, and I released my first pattern in 2009. In 2012 I started designing more seriously.
amirisu: Do you have any favorite stitch patterns that you like to use?
Dianna: I always come back to stranded colorwork, because it's so much fun and I love the look of multicolor patterns. But I love cables as well, and occasionally use them in my designs.
amirisu: Are there any new at-home activities you’ve been enjoying over the past few months?
Dianna: My husband and I did a bit of gardening over the summer, since we weren't traveling, and that was very fun – the main things we had success with were cucumbers, arugula, kale, and even some tomatoes! But rather than focusing on at-home activities, I've been trying to spend as much time outside as possible. We live relatively close to the Trondheim Fjord, and in the summer I would go for swims in the afternoon. My daily walks have also become somewhat of a ritual. I plan to continue spending time outside even as winter sets in – I've put studded winter tires on my bicycle and I even bought studded running shoes for when the snow and ice come. For me, time spent outdoors has been crucial for coping with the pandemic.
Thank you for your time, Dianna!
今日は、この21号でamirisu初参加の、私たちの大好きなデザイナーの一人、Dianna Wallaさんをご紹介します。デザインしてくれたBrambleは、思わず楽しい気分になる明るいカラーワークのミトン。
amirisu: このデザインのインスピレーションはどこから得ましたか？
Dianna: 今まで2色か3色を使う北欧風のカラーワークをよく編んできましたが、最近は色数が多かったり、背景の色が変わったりするシェットランドやフェアアイル編みが楽しいです。今回の手袋もそうですね。秋や冬の初めは暗めのムーディな色に惹かれますが、冬が続くと今回のデザインのような春の訪れを感じさせてくれる鮮やかな色が欲しくなります。
Dianna: 今まで2色か3色を使う北欧風のカラーワークをよく編んできましたが、最近は色数が多かったり、背景の色が変わったりするシェットランドやフェアアイル編みが楽しいです。今回の手袋もそうですね。秋や冬の初めは暗めのムーディな色に惹かれますが、冬が続くと今回のデザインのような春の訪れを感じさせてくれる鮮やかな色が欲しくなります。
amirisu: もう1つ編むとしたら何色で編みますか？
Dianna: このデザインは6色を使うので、組み合わせは本当にたくさん考えられます。サンプルと同じ6色でも、使うところを変えるだけでガラリと雰囲気が変わります！サンプルと完全に違う色で作るとしたら、自然な白、グレー、黒や茶色の6色が素敵だと思います。
Dianna: このデザインは6色を使うので、組み合わせは本当にたくさん考えられます。サンプルと同じ6色でも、使うところを変えるだけでガラリと雰囲気が変わります！サンプルと完全に違う色で作るとしたら、自然な白、グレー、黒や茶色の6色が素敵だと思います。
amirisu: 編み物を始めたきっかけは何でしたか？
Dianna: 子供の頃に母が教えてくれたのがきっかけですが、十代の頃熱中していきました。当時、手芸ブログが流行っていて、2008年にRavelryに登録してから一気に編み物の世界にはまりました。パターンをアレンジしたりデザインで遊ぶのが好きで、2009年に初めて自分のデザインをリリースしました。2012年からはさらにパターンのデザインに向き合うようになりました。
amirisu: つい使ってしまう、お気に入りのステッチがあれば教えてください。
Dianna: 編み込み模様がやっぱり好きですね。編むのも楽しいですし、色とりどりのデザインが大好きです。でも、ケーブル編みもお気に入りの一つで、たまにデザインに採用します。
Dianna: 編み込み模様がやっぱり好きですね。編むのも楽しいですし、色とりどりのデザインが大好きです。でも、ケーブル編みもお気に入りの一つで、たまにデザインに採用します。
amirisu: 最近おうちで過ごす時間が多くなったと思います。何か新しい過ごし方やお楽しみがあれば教えてください。
Dianna: 夏は旅行しない代わりに夫婦で家庭菜園を少しやってみました。胡瓜、ルッコラ、ケールとトマトはわりとうまくいきました！家の中ですることよりも、できるだけ自然の中で時間を過ごすようにしています。ノルウェーのトロンハイム・フィヨルド（入り江）から遠くないところに住んでいますが、夏には泳ぎに行くことを日課にしていました。散歩するのも日課のようになってきましたね。これから寒くなっても外で時間を過ごしたいと思っているので、ノルウェーの冬に備えて自転車のタイヤを冬用のものに替え、雪や氷の上でも歩けるスパイク付きのスニーカーも買っておきました。コロナ禍に対抗するには、外で過ごす時間が私にとって大事なのです。
Diannaさん、ありがとうございました。