Interview: Rachel Hunnicutt
Tell us a bit about yourself. Who is Rachel?
I am an artist and crafter living in the southern United States with my husband and three cats. We’ve lived some awesome places (Indiana, Germany, Southern Arizona) and now call Alabama home. I am a knitter, crocheter, embroiderer, pattern designer, and blogger. I also love animals, ride my bike everywhere (we haven’t owned a car for five years now!), and cook delicious vegan meals.
How did you choose the name Cornflower Blue studio?
Cornflower Blue was one of the color names I remembered from my box of Crayola crayons as a child! I always liked the name, and my mom planted Cornflowers in our yard (we called them by the common name “Bachelor’s Button”) and they are such a lovely color.
Tell us about your fantastic goodies? What would we see when we look at your etsy shop?
My shop includes items from all of my arty & crafty interests! My favorite (and most popular) items are hand embroidered notes that I sew to look like notebook paper. Buyers can have their own message custom embroidered onto the note, so it’s a perfect gift. My personal favorites are coral-inspired soft sculptures that I make using crochet techniques and thrifted frames. I also sell my own knitting patterns, drawings, modern cross stitch samplers, hand knit coffee cozies, tiny crochet hearts… if I like to make it, you can find it in my shop!
Where do you find your inspiration? Where do your creative ideas come from?
I get a lot of ideas from reading and watching movies. When I get really into a book, that usually inspires several projects. I love watching movies that have a distinct visual style… like The Life Aquatic, Marie Antoinette, or Bright Star. Sometimes the color palette or one of the characters will give me an idea.
What is your work space like?
My sewing and supply room occupy the space that is supposed to be the dining room in my apartment. I have a long table that holds my sewing machine and cutting mat, shelves to hold fabric and supplies, and my ironing board set up close by. I don’t put up decorations or do anything special in this room, I like it to be as sparse and empty as possible so I don’t make a mess!
Of all the products in your etsy store right now which is your favourite?
The Jane Austen Cross Stitch Sampler is my current favorite. I designed and charted this piece myself and found just the perfect vintage millinery flowers to top it off! I also love the mint green and pink color combination (that is the exact color palette of my childhood bedroom!) and the overall clean and modern look.
When did you start sewing / crocheting / generally making things?
I starting sewing and doing crafts as a child because I had a very crafty and artistic mother. She was a master sewer and could make pretty much anything. I learned to knit from a children’s book about 8 years ago and picked up crocheting after that. Then I added embroidery… I just keep learning new things and adding them to my repertoire.
What is your favourite medium to work with?
Yarn! Definitely yarn. I am so comfortable with it and with the techniques, I think I could make anything anything I needed if I just had enough yarn. If I was stuck on a desert island and had to choose one thing to bring, I would bring yarn.
How long does it usually take you to put together a pattern? I’m sure there is quite a lengthy process that most shoppers wouldn’t realise…
I usually spend about a week testing and writing a small pattern (like a coffee cozy), and two weeks on larger patterns. Once I have an idea and sketch it out I may have a couple of false starts where I realize that I have miscalculated stitches or yarn gauge, that’s the hardest part! Once the item is finished I take measurements and photos, write up a PDF, and create the Etsy listing. It feels great to have a finished pattern after all of that work!
Have you gone to markets and sold your items there?
So far I am only selling online. I have my hands full keeping my Etsy shop fully stocked, but I’d like to try some markets in the future.
What advice do you wish some one had given you before you started your handmade business?
I wish someone had given me advice – and maybe lessons! – on photography. I am entirely self taught when it comes to taking and editing photographs and for a while I had no idea what I was doing. If only someone had said, “You seriously need to edit your photos, I recommend Picnik” that would have saved me tons of time! I also started checking out other shops to see what I liked about their photos and decided that I preferred a clean white background with simple composition.
Do you have any crafty websites you stalk up?
Yes, I love craft blogs! Some favorites are A Beautiful Mess, Emma Lamb, and Posie Gets Cozy.
Last one. If you could be any animal you would find in a zoo which would you be?
I would be one of the smaller cats, like a bobcat or some other type of lynx. They are awesome and powerful, but small enough to remind me of my cats at home!
-3 Comments-
wow, her shop is filled with such cute stuff! shes very talented! 🙂
I know right! Love her work. 🙂
Real artistic work – I love it. It's the sort of thing that should be in a gallery. Maybe she should look into this, not necessarily in the shop but in the actual gallery space. The conceptual side of the work is interesting and her general lifestyle is what the work is about too. I think so anyway. Kindest dotty g.(ultimate drifter)