Interview: Modern Crochet author Molla Mills

Modern Crochet, by the quirky Finnish designer Molla Mills, is a beautiful hardback book which is finally available in English in the UK! It is a fantastic guide to crochet which packed full of great home and accessory ideas, with plenty of clear instructions for beginners.

How did you start learning to crochet?
I’m actually still learning! There are so many awesome and difficult techniques that I cannot crochet myself yet, but luckily we have many talented crafters keeping the culture alive. I hope to keep learning, but for now my crochet style consists of geometric patterns made with the most basic stitches, such as double crochet and double treble. How did I manage to become a craft book author then, if I’m not an expert myself? I simply have the right attitude, and the right amount of time and energy. And I love doing crochet!

What do you love most about the craft?
The freedom to do whatever the imagination brings, or at least knowing there is such freedom. Crochet is creative, and most of all, it’s meditative. I love the engineering part of designing patterns; counting, measuring, making prototypes and simply testing what can be made with the simplest stitches.

What was the inspiration behind the distinctive styles used in Modern Crochet?
In the beginning the book was supposed to look quite different, but it evolved a lot during the process. I also work with a photographer, a graphic designer and the publisher, so of course they left their fingerprints on it too.

The colours are beautiful, why did you decide to stick to such a limited palette?
I wanted to keep the composition of the works in order, so I chose a limited colour theme. I wanted to stand out from other books, to add a trendy aspect to it. Crochet has been horribly stuck in early 90s fashion here in Finland, and I needed to change it. I started making the book in 2011, and at that time I really liked those light pastel colours. My next publications are more colourful!

Why do you love crocheting for the home?
Crocheted products are so durable! They are made for heavy use, that’s why they make sense for household products. Knitting is already so far ahead in fashion, but as a seamstress, I would like to turn my hand to crocheting clothes too.

What is your own home like – are there lots of handmade things, or is it quite minimalist?
For the last few months my home was also my work studio, so it’s just been full of yarns! Now I have my studio in central Helsinki back. I make everything that I can make myself. Handmade carpets, pillows and other home accessories make the space really cosy, so I have a lot of them! I live in a two room apartment in the old part of Helsinki, so it’s quite packed. I dream of having my own house with a lot of space, where I can work from home!

Which is your favourite project in the book?
I have been carrying the crocheted zigzag pencil case with me for about two years now. It’s a really simple pattern, but what makes it so good is the yarn I used. It’s a Finnish cotton yarn called Liina, made by Suomen Lanka. Earlier this year we made a yarn collection called Molla Kalalanka, realising my dream of having my own yarn label! It’s sold in several places in Finland, soon abroad too, and it is one of the best yarns to use in crochet.

Why is crochet becoming so popular?
It’s so easy to take your work with you, as you only need one yarn ball and a hook. I carry unfinished works all the time and crochet whenever I have a spare minute. It usually makes people smile and talk about their own craft projects. Crocheting, like many other craft techniques, is relaxing, it puts you in a good mood. How amazing it is to see what you can make with your own hands!

Book two is already out in Finland. How is it different from the first?
My second book is very very different from the first, but the layout is the same. Book two is more developed, it has more variety, more colours, and it a new technique called Optical Crochet. Now I’m making my third book, which will be for men. It’s coming out in autumn 2015, and I guarantee there will be masses of men doing crochet soon!

Modern Crochet is published by Jacqui Small and costs £20. Get your copy here.