Welcome Kara!
Kara and I connected over bicycles ~
she contacted me off-line in the midst of her search
for that perfect bicycle in 2009,
and like any good bicyclist,
I wrote back and rambled on about all things bike.
Not long after Kara landed on a Pashley Princess Sovereign.
Turns out, the Pashley isn't the only thing we share in common.
Kara is a gal after my own heart,
and what forming a community on the blogosphere is all about.
I appreciate that Kara is a crafty bicycle blogger.
I enjoy her posts about her cycling adventures,
but also her accomplishments
on the sewing machine
and with the knitting needles.
Kara also travels, which I love to do too.
And lastly, we both love a good British period drama...
It is always fun to connect with people
with whom you can relate!
You can find Kara at knitting lemonade.
left: Me in a hat I knit and my bike
right: Knits on the bike
Kara:
What is your preferred form of creative expression (i.e. knitting, printmaking, photography, sewing, knitting, etc.) and why?
I am a knitter, sewer, embroiderist, and occasional authoress.
What is your preferred bicycle and why?
I am lucky enough to have two bicycle loves: a Pashley Princess Sovereign and a Rivendell Betty Foy. Each one reflects a side of my personality. The Pashley is old-fashioned and romantic, while Betty is fun, fast, and adventurous.
You are a woman who rides a bicycle who has a creative side. Tell us about that.
I actually learned how to ride a bike 2 years ago. So I came to the joy of biking pretty late. The benefit of this, however, is that I am fully aware of my life before and after bicycling.
Before bicycling, I was always looking for ways to express myself, whether it was choosing a knit pattern that reflected my particular style, teaching myself to play the ukulele, or writing a novel. And when I finished a project, there would be this feeling of “Yup, this is me.” When I discovered bicycling, I felt that feeling again.
What amazed me was how naturally bicycling fit into my life. Like if someone was a knitter/sewer/embroiderist/occasional authoress, OF COURSE they would pick up bicycling next. It hit me like a big “Duh.”
There has been great discussion throughout time of women being creative. I see our current time as one we have taken as our own when it comes to craft, creativity, and being a woman. Much different than say the time of our mothers. I feel the same about my bicycle and why I ride ~ not necessarily out of necessity, but a conscious decision. Do you ever think about this ~ what are your thoughts?
There seems to be a common slogan in the crafting world: “This is not your mother’s [insert craft].” I don’t think it comes from a place that is putting down the women of previous generations. Instead I think it’s more about establishing independence. We practice this “old-fashioned womanfolk” activity because we want to, not because it’s expected of us. And because we do it out of passion and not necessity, the results tend to be personal and full of individuality. I think creativity is the best way that people can share with others who they are. So there is a need to really establish your creativity as a product of your own choices.
I see a clear line for myself that links biking, crafting, creativity, and blogging. Do you see a connection between how you express yourself when being creative, being bikey and blogging?
When I learned to knit, I started knitting lemonade, my blog. It was a way to share this new love and be a part of an online community. When I learned to ride a bike, I immediately turned to blogs to see others’ bicycle experiences. As I did with knitting, I discovered this whole community of women of substance and style that had a passion for bicycling. At that point, I turned my knitting blog into a creativity blog, so it could encompass all my interests including my newfound love for bicycles. By doing this, my blog helped me connect with so many people that I now consider kindred spirits, whether they are bicyclists or crafters. At this point, blogging goes so hand-in-hand with my creativity that it is hard to tell which one is driving the other.
Have you ever practiced your craft whilst riding your bicycle? :)
As a rule, I never knit and bike at the same time (to the relief of others around me.) But a lot of my knits lend themselves to a biking lifestyle. It is not unusual for me to wear something I made when I go on a bicycle ride. For instance, fingerless mitts are just the things for biking to work on those brisk mornings.
What most inspires you?
Others. Whether it is reading loads of blogs for crafting ideas, seeing cute bike outfits on flickr, or just talking with my friends and family. I find in interacting with other people (whether in real life or online), you truly find out who you are.
If you could not ride your bicycle or express yourself creatively, what would you do?
Perish the thought! I guess I would have to turn my attentions to my much-neglected dating life.
Also check Kara out on pinterest and flickr - good stuff going on there!
I feel like I could have written this post myself in many ways,
but not nearly as good as Kara did!
Stay crafty and stay bikey Kara~
ride on...
♡♡♡s
