As many of you may know, we were lucky to host Leslie Scanlon of Mac & Me designs at the shop at the end of September.  One of the things we wanted to focus on when we bought the store was a celebration of local talents and fibers.  Leslie is from Newbury, MA and an amazing talent.  She joined us to talk a bit about her process and how she goes from inspiration to pattern.  It was a fantastic event and all who attended were so thrilled and inspired by her work and her words.  We know that many folks were not able to attend or only visit us online, so Leslie also agreed to do an interview for the blog as well.

Can you talk a bit about how Mac & Me got started?
I started out as just an ordinary obsessed knitter, as a young mom I would knit for Mac then started changing other people’s patterns. It didn’t take long for me to start getting my own ideas, the kids hats were my first creations. I also started to knit for yarn companies and other designers for the experience and to see how other people wrote patterns. As Mac grew so did my designs; things that I would like to see on her, on myself, then also my son. I started writing them down, then went to a few local stores and asked them to see if they would sell. A few tourists came to New England and bought them (you know how knitters are) they took them back to their local yarn stores and I started getting orders from far away lands like Michigan, Ohio and Texas. We then needed a brochure. Then we had a brochure so I had to keep designing…..It has been one decision and one store at a time.

What brings you inspiration?
YARN YARN YARN! Everything about it, color, texture, drape. I love the engineering and architecture of knitting and having a design in mind and figuring out how to express it.

How have your designs evolved over the years?
I have been told they have gotten more sophisticated. The ideas are clearer; what yarns to use, the construction and color. It has gotten easier to know when to stop, rather than throwing tons of embellishments, details, colors and techniques at a single garment I try to reduce it to its purest form, simplify. I think those are the garments you wear to death.

What are some of your favorite yarns to work with?
Blue Sky of course, Rowan’s KidSilk Haze is a problem (almost in need of an intervention) and I have been having a lot of fun with the small label hand dyed sock yarns, but not for socks!

What’s up next?
We are working on 2010 now, more kid’s items, woman’s sweaters and accessories, a beautiful men’s sweater in sport weight alpaca!

Quick facts:

Favorite book:
Just finished “The Help” and loved it!
On your music play list right now:
Classical
Item from your yarn stash you’re dying to use:
Zauberball by Schoppel Wolle that I saw at Seed Stitch during my visit
If you were a yarn, which yarn would you be?
8 ply cashmere
Favorite place to knit:
In my office looking out at the tree tops.
Current project on the needles:
You’ll have to wait and see!

We carry many of Leslie’s fantastic patterns in the store and hope to have them up online soon.  If you haven’t knit one before, you should totally think about one for your next project.  There is really something in her pattern catalogue for everyone.  Thanks Leslie!

See more photos from the event at our Flickr Stream.