Staff Feature: Anne Weil

1) What is your favorite color, or colors?

Without a doubt, my favorite color is blush pink. I got caught up in the millennial pink buzz, and I still haven’t let it go. But my absolute, long-term favorites have always been peach and sea green/turquoise. You can totally see this love in my original Flax & Twine logo!! 

2) What was your first-ever fiber craft project? Did you fall in love with crafting right away, or was it a slow build? 

My grandmother, Gertrude, taught me to crochet when I was five, and my first project was a double-thick potholder. This project has so much meaning to me, especially because my grandmother taught me. From that moment on, I’ve been completely in love with making. There was nothing that could quiet my mind quite like making could. I continued to create (cross stitch, rug hooking, knitting, jewelry making, crochet, etc.) throughout my whole childhood. Still, there’s nothing like that potholder. For me, it keeps my grandmother and my inner child alive!

3) Favorite way to unwind after a long day? 

My absolute favorite way to unwind after a long day is Sudoku. Even though crafting is at the heart of my business, I love having something completely different that’s just for me. Number puzzles have become a wonderful escape—a chance to rest my hands and let my mind play. Settling in with a Sudoku book quiets my thoughts and brings me a sense of calm in the most magical way.

4) What do you like to watch or listen to while you craft? 

I love being with my family when I craft, whether we’re watching TV together, in the car, or on vacation. My family lives all over the place now, so doing anything with them is the best place to make. That’s not to say I can’t get sucked into a good Netflix binge, but I don’t have any favorite show. Whatever I can convince my kids or husband to sit and watch with me is my current “favorite!”

5) Where's the most inspirational place you've ever visited? 

One of my favorite places is Grand Lake in Colorado. As a little girl growing up in Minnesota, naturally, I fell in love with lakes and being on the water, but the mountains always called to me. A few years ago, my family started taking trips up to Grand Lake in the Rocky Mountains. I can’t put my finger on what it is there. Maybe it’s the fresh alpine air, maybe the stars, maybe the water, or maybe it's just the dramatic mountain views, but when I’m there, I feel completely at peace and at home. That sense of calm opens up my creative side, and I get filled up with all sorts of new ideas! 

And of course, what are your top 4 favorite Flax & Twine kits/projects?

This is the toughest question yet! I fall in love with all of my projects, each for their own unique reasons. I would say my ABSOLUTE favorite is the Penelope. The texture, the shape, and the light of the natural linen all make me swoon! I also love the Sandy Shores handbag. I named this project after my husband-- he thought it would be our biggest hit! And, I love crocheting rope into something so lovely in just an hour! I love the Jessie bowl as well, which transforms humble material into something so beautiful and modern. Plus, it became my first basket-making hit, so I have a big soft spot for it. Finally, I think my last of the top four is the pumpkins, both crochet and knitting. (see how I snuck two more in there? 😉) It’s such a fun project to make, and in the end, you have adorable, reusable autumn decor! I love fall colors and feelings– back-to-school, firesides, falling leaves, snowfalls, and hot cider – I’m ready!