Melissa Dominguez was one of the very first designers we approached when we started the Independent Designer Program and it’s no wonder – several of us here love her patterns for OpArt and Josephine from Knitty. We all love her new patterns just as much and obviously you all do too, as she’s one of the most popular IDP designers! So I just had to do a little interview with her – enjoy!
How long have you been knitting?
I first learned to knit when I was about 6 or 7, but I’ve taken several breaks, forgetting and relearning since then. I’ve been continuously knitting for about 10 or 15 years now.
What motivated you to learn to knit?
My mom has always been a knitter, so I’d pick it up when she was doing something interesting. My current stretch of knitting was kicked off by me coming across a ball of fun fur, and wondering what that would be like to knit.
Who taught you to knit?
My mom! She patiently taught and re-taught me many times over the years.
What was your first project?
I have no idea!
What is your favorite fiber to work with?
I prefer natural fibers. Cashmere is fabulous, but too expensive and fragile for everyday knitting, so I mostly use wool.
Is there anything in particular that inspires your designs?
I’ve been inspired by movies, toys, and just stray thoughts on occasion.
Who are some of your favorite designers?
Anne Hanson,
Kate Gilbert,
Eunny Jang,
Ysolda Teague,
Jared Flood,
Evelyn Clark,
Norah Gaughan.
I’m also very excited that Gordana Gehlhausen from project runway will be publishing some of her knitwear designs soon.
How long do your designs take to create from start to finish?
From initial sketch, through swatching, knitting up the whole project, and writing out the instructions, depending on the size and complexity of the project it could be a couple of weeks to a few months.
Melissa’s adorable daughter modeling the Iris Dress
Anything else you would like to add?
Ravelry is a fantastic resource that I love to use, not only to find patterns, but to see the results of other people’s knitting. I am ‘melidomi‘ on ravelry if you’d like to see some of my other designs and how other people made them.
Melissa’s stunning new sock pattern – the Inferno Socks
Thanks so much Melissa! Check out all of her gorgeous here and we can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!
