EMMA’S JOURNAL ...from the studio
Emma of Lulu Loves talks vintage romance and staying true to your style
When I started crocheting I remember swooning over delicate lace creations by Emma of Lulu Loves, hoping that one day I’d be able to read patterns and crochet well enough to recreate her beautiful work. What strikes me most now is how very true to her style she has been all along. It’s something I struggle with (I get so easily distracted!) and so to see her elegant colour palette and design style in every aspect of her work is a wonder to me. I was so happy to talk to her about how she manages to maintain integrity whilst continuing to evolve in the ever changing world of crochet. From designing to blogging, to vlogcasting to book writing, Emma manages to inject her beautifully sophisticated style into whatever she does.
FINDING YOUR STYLE
Emma has been crocheting and designing for 11 years and still loves the challenge of creating something she has envisaged and then sharing it with her fans. Her work is soft and delicate with an air of vintage romance but she doesn’t remember this being a conscious decision, just an evolution and expression of the things she loves. For example, she tells me she found after years of experimenting with colours she often wouldn’t use the items she made but instead would have lots of vintage crochet pieces around the home. So at some point she made the move to only make things she was drawn to and loved – the lacy, floral motifs in neutral shades that we know and admire her for. Emma thinks this style comes from her being as she describes a ‘nostalgic dreamer’ and she tries to evoke a feeling or memory with her designs with embellishments and flourishes. She has a rare talent that allows us in to enjoy those feelings and memories through her designs.
HOW TO DIVERSIFY BUT STAY TRUE TO YOU
Not only does Emma create beautiful crochet but she also works to diversify her brand and reach new audiences. Her personal touch is evident in everything she does and she puts this down to staying true and continuously learning. For example her vlogcasts (which I recommend you watch) are a wonderful outpouring of her creativeness on camera. You can put your feet up with your crochet and cup of tea and learn everything about what she has been making, her design process, yarn she loves, books she’s reading and much more. Emma loves the sense of community and considers that she is chatting to her friends, which is clear from her calm and welcoming style. She proves that diversifying is simple and achievable if you share things that you are passionate about.
Emma tries to evoke a or memory with her designs