Designers Embroidery

Designer Profile: Nicole Vos van Avezathe

October 2, 2017 by melisa No Comments

Getting to know …

NICOLE VOS VAN AVEZATHE

Being European, do you love cosy days inside in winter or do you dream of swaying palm trees and golden beaches in the tropics?

I’m definitely more a fall/winter person. The idea of snuggling under a quilt with a book is more appealing to me than lying on a beach with a book. If I had to choose between seasons and could only keep three seasons, I’d drop summer first.

What’s your idea of the perfect winter’s day?

Waking up to a white wonderland. Maybe going out for a walk and coming home and have a cup of homemade Dutch pea soup. Doing some crafty things and playing a board game with the family. (We have a quite a selection of games.) And eating some more home-cooked food. Stews, pies and Indonesian food are my favourites as well as typical Dutch meals.

How would you describe your particular craft style?

Quirky, cute and dreamy, perhaps?

Did your distinctive style happen over time or was it immediate when you started stitching?

I’d say the themes are pretty similar to when I started. Dreamy, whimsical animals etc. The embroidery is more refined, though, especially in my furry stitchings and my shading pieces. But there’s always room for improvement.

Are you good at all the crafts you have tried?

No. I wish! I’m slowly getting better at knitting but I still have much to learn before I can attempt the awesome knitted cardigans I see on Pinterest and Ravelry. I do find that with every craft I persevere with I got better with every project I make.

My patchwork and quilting have improved a lot over the years. And I’m much better at drawing than I was a couple of years ago. So practice does pay off in the end. I’m always trying to improve on my techniques, especially in embroidery, and I’m quite critical of my own work.

What sorts of crafts do you avoid?

Things with glue or paper don’t appeal to me much. I do love Scherenschnitte (silhouette type of papercutting) but it’s not something I’d attempt myself.

Create the 3D Bright Blooms Crochet Blanket, one of our most popular projects!

Other than crafting, how do you like to spend your time?

I do try to read as much as I can. Novels and historical books mostly. And while cooking isn’t my hobby, I do like really nice food, so I regularly try new recipes. I love going to museums, too, and try and visit a play or concert every now and then.

Is your stitching a great diversion from tasks you’d prefer to avoid (eg: housework)? I’m not very good at ignoring a very untidy house. With two kids (and a husband), things are never as tidy as I’d like, of course. I do have my own space to embroider, so sometimes I just leave the house as it is and do some stitching, but it’s not easy.

If the good fairy granted you three crafty wishes, what would you want them to be? Assuming you mean ‘crafty wishes’? (otherwise, it would be world peace and cures for diseases etc, so I inserted the word ‘crafty’). I’d want to be instantly really good at crochet, have a well-organised, light, craft room with a sea view and have my unfinished quilts finished so I can start three new ones.