WE’RE GETTING TO KNOW OUR GANG OF MAKERS A LITTLE MORE BY SHARING YOUR STORIES AND GENERAL AWESOMENESS IN OUR MEET THE MAKER SERIES. FOR MAY, WE CHAT WITH AROUNNA, THE FOUNDER OF HER BRAND BOOKHOU. CHECK OUT HER INSTAGRAM HERE: @bookhou
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF…
I am textile designer living and working in Toronto, Canada, and I spend my days making work for my business Bookhou with my husband John. I am constantly working on different creative pursuits like the punch needle work. I am a firm believer that spreading your creative interests is important and that your work is not defined by one medium.
WHAT ARE THREE RANDOM FACTS ABOUT YOURSELF THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULDN’T KNOW?
I am a terrible cook and would need my 9 year old to walk me through making mac and cheese. I wanted to join the army as a teen and was in the air cadets for 3 years and was working on getting a pilots license, but failed the weather test and realised I wasn’t cut out to being a pilot. I use to have a career in making sculptures before the work I do now and one of the pieces I was known for was covering copper wire structures with salt crystals.
WHO TAUGHT YOU HOW TO punch needle?
I taught myself by looking at YouTube videos.
HOW DOES punch needle HELP YOU?
I like it because of it’s freedom to create an image and I am not working on a certain type of structure. I also like it because of the colours I am able to use in my work.
what was your first punch needle project, and which project have you been the most proud of?
My first one was a simple little geometric pattern that when I posted a video on Instagram it went viral and has over 500K views. It’s so hard to pick a favourite but I think it would have to be one of my botanical designed pillows.
WHAT’S ON YOUR watg yarn WISHLIST?
I am very interested in trying the Tina Tape Yarn, I like how it’s very flat and the texture will be so interesting to punch.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVe watg yarn to work with?
I enjoy using the Crazy Sexy Wool and the Shiny Happy Cotton – for Crazy Sexy Wool I had to use a rug hook because it was too think for a punch needle but the results were more organic and less uniformed. I really like that look and have gone on to use it for a larger rug. The Shiny Happy Cotton I used to make a pouch and I normally don’t like to use cotton because it’s too slippery for punching, but the way it’s spun it kept it in very nicely and I like the matte quality of the cotton yarn colour.
IF YOU’RE NOT doing punch needle, WHAT ARE YOU DOING INSTEAD?
You will either find me drawing or making bags for my Bookhou business.
WHAT’S YOUR TOP punch needle TIP?
When you design your pattern try to show as little negative space as possible.
WHere’S YOUR fave PLACE TO work?
It would have to be in my upstairs studio – it’s a space separate from my production studio with large windows, so it’s nice to sit there and work.
WHAT’S YOUR fave watg YARN TO WORK WITH AND WHY?
It’s definitely Crazy Sexy Wool.
FLASH ROUND:
Knit or crochet? Crochet
Coffee or tea? Tea
Netflix or Audiobooks? Netflix
Knit or Purl? Knit
Sheep or Alpaca? Sheep
Jumpers or Cardigans? Jumpers
Chunky or Fine? Chunky
Neutrals or Bolds? Neutrals
Knit for yourself or others? Projects for others
Summer or Winter? Summer
Want the chance to be featured in our Meet the Maker series? Simply use the hashtag #woolandthegang when you post pics of your WATG knits and we’ll be in touch 