Enjoy an interview with Anna Graham who designed the Wool and Wax Tote for Making No. 2 / FAUNA!

Tell us how you got started in your craft.

Well, essentially I started sewing with my mom. We would sew dresses for special occasions or costumes for Halloween. I don't ever remember it being anything we agonized over much, but when we wanted something we couldn't find at the store - we made it. My mom was excellent at being flexible and that definitely taught me about a can-do crafting attitude. If something wasn't quite right we made it work one way or another - no frets! I took a break from most sewing and crafting through high school and college. I have a degree in Art, but didn't dabble in crafting during that time. I was having fun painting and print making! When I became pregnant with my first daughter is when I really got back in to sewing. I found that there was so much inspiration for making things for her that once I started I never stopped and that was over ten years ago now!

If you were going to create something just for fun today, what would it be?

Oh I love just for fun stuff. And luckily a lot of the sewing and making I do is just for fun! If I could drop everything (including not having the clean my house or take care of my family) I would start on an Ocean Waves quilt. It's a traditional quilt that's been on my radar for a few years now. I would love to be able to take the time to plot out exactly what I wanted and get started.

Tell us about a challenge in your making that you've had to overcome.

Well, just about anything I make comes with it's own challenges in some way or another. Especially when I'm designing patterns. It very easily ends up taking weeks to perfect the details of what I like and the features of the project. I think it make look easy to some, but each detail is carefully thought out and considered. Sometimes I'll make so many samples with different tweaks that I run out of space in my sewing area! It's also one of the more fun and sometimes frustrating parts for me. But that's what challenges me and makes me keep coming back for more. Another challenge for me is confidence. It's something I wish I had more of. It's really easy to fall down a rabbit hole of self-doubt and feel uncertain about what makes me unique in this wonderful and booming community of makers. It's something I work with and struggle with daily, but I'm slowing finding things that help me balance this crazy life out!

Thank you, Anna!