Friday Focus: Vendula Maderska

Happy Valentine's Day! Yay! I hope you're as excited as I am. Do you have any special plans? Alex and I are going to have a romantic evening at home and make ourselves lemon fettuccine alfredo. For dessert I'm going to make banana bread, stir up some fresh whipped cream to top it with, and then sprinkle it with blueberries. There are nice things about going out for Valentine's Day, but there are also nice things about having a quiet evening at home. :)

I'm really excited about today's Friday Focus. I saw Vendula Maderska's work months ago and loved it so much that I knew I had to save it for Valentine's Day. I'm so happy she said yes and made my vision come true! Her work is so bright, detailed, and whimsical. Whimsical is a word that's a little overused, but gosh darn if Vendula's work isn't the very definition of whimsy! Playful, quaint, and fanciful indeed. I just love it! And so, on this day of love, let us delight in the cuteness of Vendula's wonderful patterns.

Who taught you to crochet? How long have you been doing it?
My mom :-) My mom is a very creative and talented lady. She knit and crocheted for all her life. She wasn't a professional seamstress, she worked in health care, but she created professional fashion for me and my sister. And you know, every little girl wishes to be like her mom. I have been knitting since my childhood. I remember that I knitted my first sweater with black beads, using a Norwegian pattern and lot of colors when I was 12 years old. I didn't crochet, I only knew the basics. But I found the beauty of crochet 6 years ago. And I am absolutely hooked :-) I inherited an obsession with details and colors from my grandfather who was a painter.

Why do you crochet?
I love crochet because of its freedom. You could crochet everywhere and there is huge space for your own creativity, using colors and embellishment... When I am crocheting it is like time stops. The yarn is dancing around my hook and I feel all that energy, you can feel when something is arising. The silence of the night, or the bright day full of colors and different sounds – myself, colorful yarns around me and my hook ...I really love these moments :-) And I cannot forget my greatest inspiration, my two amazing daughters. 

Crochet Favorites
My personal star is a yarn called  Kacenka by Nitarna Ceska Trebova – it is mixture of cotton and acrylic. I love its beautiful colors and it is such a pleasant material. Because I crochet a lot I am using ergonomic hooks by Clover. I have no special books. When I was younger, I collected the Verena knitting magazine, because I did knitting almost all of the time. I am a self-learner in crochet. Crocheting is like every other skill - you have to practice, practice, and practice.. I still remembered the basics that my mom and grandmom taught me when I was a child – and I am very grateful for that. I am very happy that my crocheting became recognizable in this huge world, which is not easy. I am so moved when I read nice messages from all the world with compliments of my work. I am very glad for that. 

A few finished objects...

Hearts Purse in progress 

Owl Pendant

 
Crazy Rainbow Bag

You just have to check out Vendula's other patterns. Looking at her whole collection together really takes you to another world. I love them all, but a few of my faves are her Lighthouse Ruffles Hat and Wall Pocket Organizer. A big thank you goes out to Vendula for sharing her work with us. What a delightful way to spend Valentine's Day! You can find her on Ravelry, her blog, Etsy, Facebook, and Pinterest.