Looming Design

Hello Blogger World!

This is my first ever official blog so let me introduce myself. My name is Kristen Mangus.  I am a registered Interior Designer in the great state of Texas!  I am a native Texan but well traveled and NO I do not own a ranch or even a horse! I have ridden them; they are amazing and beautiful animals.  I do say all that to dispel a general way of thinking that Texans are that way and rural.  I live in the Dallas - Fort Worth metroplex area, home of the Dallas Cowboys, the Texas Rangers and my alma mater Texas Christian University Horned Frogs, GO FROGS!  I'm also a mom of three, two girls and now a baby boy who will be 3 months this Friday which is also my 10th wedding anniversary! I love my husband, he is my best friend. I love my kids.  They are 4, 2 and of course newborn.  Here is a picture of my son.

I describe myself as a designer who is a Crafter at heart. I've always loved to make things with my hands like bows or anything with a hot glue gun.  My grandmother & mother taught me the basics of sewing but it never really stuck.  Don't get me started on how many bobbins and machines I have tried to sabotage! I really appreciate things that are well made by other creative people and when I think I can learn a new thing I'll dive in.  I want to learn all I can and make something of quality that lasts and others enjoy.  If its useful, holds up well and is pretty I've done my job.  That goes the same for my work as an Interior Designer.  My forte is space planning, you know like where things are placed juxtaposition or related to other things.  How much stuff can I fit in here that is functional & useful that flows well and is beautiful but not cluttered looking? I'm very analytical in my way of thinking about things and I always keep in mind how my clients live in and use their space.  Chatting with other creative and crafty people is always fun.  Learning from others is a joy.

So I recently discovered LOOM KNITTING. I am very excited about it! I've always admired handmade things as you saw above but saw knitting and crocheting as a dying art. I've noticed though with places like Etsy and fine boutiques, that hand stitched items are on the rise and have risen to the times with beauty!  I mean that things made now have a classic touch and don't necessarily have an OLD look to them. This ain't your grandma's knitting! In fact there are several of my friends I've discovered that knit. I've now met many more 30-somethings that knit or crochet. So I set out to learn.  I bought a "I Taught Myself to Knit" and "....Crochet" kits on Ebay with a gift card I had. I went to the store to get yarn and what did I see?  A Knift Knitter Loom Kit.  Knitting Loom?? What is THAT?! Um...would that be easier for a girl with mild Carpel Tunnel? It turns out it IS and it is VERY ADDICTING! What a relaxing craft! Since that early cool day in October I have Googled and you-tubed my way through instructions and videos on how to loom knit and even have started creating my own patterns.  I've even stated selling things I've made with the positive responses I've been getting! You can find my designs on Facebook and currently I'm building my store on Etsy. You can follow me on here or "Like" me on Facebook. Feel free to ask questions or chat about looming at GoodKnitKisses@gmail.com or post them here. I'm also crocheting or rather still learning to do more and improve. I'd love to hear from you!