Say hello to Kim (@kimsthreads) - our new Ribblr of the Week and the designer behind [Kims Threads]
Hi! Happy to have you here, tell us a little about yourself.
I’m Kim and I’m from Vancouver, British Columbia. I studied 3D Animation and work as Technical Support for VFX artists in the film industry. I spend a lot of hours on the computer for work so I enjoy unwinding by creating with my hands. Most recently I’ve been making wearable crochet and knit items but I also enjoy sewing, macrame, and weaving, and I document many of the things I make on YouTube and TikTok.
When did you start crafting and how?
I found interest in crochet when I was around 11 years old. After seeing photos of amigurumi online I asked my parents to buy me some hooks and yarn and did my best to follow some amigurumi blogs! I didn’t finish everything I started but I really enjoyed the process.
And how did you start designing?
My dog, Stella, has Alopecia and often likes to be under blankets so I wanted to make her some clothing to help keep her warm.
I crocheted and knit a few jackets custom sized for her. I’d say this is when I first started designing as I was thinking how they would best fit her, ease of wear, and making things to measurements instead of doing things on the fly.
After making clothes for my dog, I was really inspired to start creating and designing clothes for myself.
Do you have a favorite craft type and if so - why?
I like to explore different fiber arts but crochet is one I’ve always returned to. I really like how flexible it can be.
What has been the most memorable project you worked on?
I crocheted Howl’s Moving Castle as a balaclava. It’s always been one of my favorite movies and since the first time I watched it, I thought the castle looked like a helmet so I wanted to try crocheting it for a Halloween costume. This was most memorable to me because I found it so challenging.
There are many small details on the castle so I had to simplify it to its most recognizable features. At some point I was looking at orthographic images of a 3d sculpture to try to get the proportions right. Overall it was an exciting challenge!
What are you currently working on? Be honest - how many WIP do you have right now?
Most recently I’ve been making YouTube tutorials for my Sentro Knit designs. But I plan to make more crochet patterns in the near future! I have a couple planned but I always have an ongoing list of ideas
Which of your makes/designs are you most proud of? Share a picture!
I crocheted a mini functional Dance Dance Revolution mat using an Arduino and conductive thread. I’m most proud of this one because it was my first time using an Arduino and I had to learn some C++ to code it.
What is your usual process of designing?
I usually start by doing a sketch of the idea on my iPad, then I’ll sketch all the components as 2d flatlay objects and decide on the dimensions to suit the wearer. After that I’ll convert my measurements to stitch and row counts and create the physical item. Sometimes it can take a few tries to get right. For both patterns I’ve made, I went through multiple iterations to optimize instructions and the fit.
What inspires you to create/design?
These days I take a lot of inspiration from my childhood favorite films and games but I also like to try and find ways to combine tech with my fiber art. Previously I’ve crocheted scannable QR codes, Spotify codes, and also made AR filters.
Any favorite song, book or movie you would like to recommend?
A song:
Asleep Among Endives by Ichiko Aoba.
A book:
The Hobbit
Share a funny story that happened to you recently!
I accidentally broke the handle off of my I-cord maker but my partner was determined to fix it. I watched him take the screws, pins, and casing completely apart and found myself thinking “I’m not sure if this is coming back together”. I left to run some errands and when I came back I found he had hooked it up to his Milwaukee drill. I was delighted and impressed because I’ve seen people do this with Sentro machines but didn’t know it would work so well for this tiny I-cord maker.
What is your favorite feature on Ribblr?
I really like that you can host pattern tests for your design on Ribblr, it’s a feature that I’m excited to try in the future!
Pay it forward - your shoutout to a fellow Ribblr
Shoutout to these wonderful designers!
Thanks so much for being here this week Kim, it’s a pleasure reading about you!
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Your designs are super creative and interesting! I especially love the qr codes, what an interesting idea!