Creative accessories handmade by Natalia Sinelnik

It's so much fun to come across a truly talented and creative person who makes one of a kind, bright and happy accessories. I stumbled upon Natalia Sinelnik's on-line shop Nathings while looking for bright accessories for spring and summer.



Could you please tell us a bit about yourself?
I was born in a Cossack family at the South of Russia in Krasnodar region. After graduating from a local art and design school with a diploma in interior design I worked as an architect in Adidas in Moscow. That was a great experience but I decided I have to strike it out on my own eventually. I switched to visual arts mostly photography and painting (watercolors). On top of this I knit and sew a lot as it's something I've been doing all my life. I sketch my own designs and hand make accessories for my friends and family.



How did you start?
My wonderful mom knows how to professionally sew, knit and crochet. She taught me all her secrets so that they are not lost eventually. I remember myself operating a small treadle sewing machine at the tender age of 6. What my mom couldn't teach me I learned by reading books and magazines. I've always been making fashion items for myself. But my true passion is lady's hats. Since I was 16 I've been making one or two hats for myself every year. I've accumulated a wonderful collection of beautiful and unique hats at my house.



What are your main sources of inspiration?
I love to travel. Every time I'm in a new place I try to go to all the local museums to learn about local artists. If I cannot take pictures for some reason I always sketch the ornaments and patterns in my sketch book. I love the history of fashion. Early 20th century is my favorite time. I love Art Deco, Russian Modern, Flapper style and the silent movies era. I research millinery (hats' fashion) archives as many of the secrets of the hats' craftsmanship are unfortunately lost. Those who make hats today have to reinvent some of the hat making techniques and come up with their own now hows.



What fibers do you use? For the summer accessories I prefer cotton and linen. For winter items I mostly use silk, velvet and wool. I like to experiment combining different fabrics with hand felted wool, hand knitted and crocheted pieces. It works well to add buttons, ribbons, etc. to accent a piece. I've recently got a new mannequin head for my hat making. I'm in a process of creating my summer hat collection that will be just amazing!

Warm and cozy hand knitted items from Socksandmittens

Winter is approaching and we are all looking for soft and cozy knitted items to keep us warm during this cold and harsh season. I recently came across a wonderful shop on Etsy called Socksandmittens that offers accessories for men and women: wool gloves, socks, wrist warmers, hats, etc. Every piece is hand knitted and unique.
It's a mother daughter team that is constantly working on improving its designs!

Q: How did you start knitting?
Many many years ago a young girl named Valentyna saw a knitted garment on a girl in a street of a small town in Ukraine. She got so interested in how to make one that started knitting herself. Since that day Valentyna continues improving her knitting skills. She cannot let go of her favorite needles and yarns. Valentyna is my mother and I remember her knitting my whole life. She is never alone and never bored because we run our Etsy shop together and she is very passionate about her favorite thing, knitting!

My mom has been knitting for me all my life. Later she started knitting for my son and now, when she is retired, she finally can do this full time. That's how we came up with an idea of an on-line store. We opened our online shop on Etsy in 2009. It's been a success so far!

Her knitted garments are amazing. My mom's inspiration comes from nature with its bright colors. She creates items thinking about people's real needs and preferences. When we create a new design we are always trying to picture a person who will wear it. Is he or she spending most of their time at the office, by a computer desk? Does he or she love outdoors? Is he or she a hunter, a fisherman or stay at home Mom? There are so many different ideas! We make our best to turn all these ideas into beautiful, warm and cozy hand knitted items.

Q: What yarns does your mom use in her knitting?
She loves to work with wool but we are also thinking of people who might be allergic to it, so we are making some of our items from vegan and other natural yarns. I have to say, these other yarns have improved so much in recent years! They are soft and come in a huge assortment of colors and are really easy to take care of!

If you would like to see my mother work please visit our shop on Etsy or follow my blog to receive updates.
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