I’m looking forward to knowing Aloisia better.  She’s a creative knitware designer, entrepreneur, licensed reflexologist and by all accounts of those who know and love her, a wonderful person.  When she’s not travelling she can be found knitting at her cabins in Jefferson Maine where she offers Knit and Spa Weekends.  This year she’ll be teaching Broomstick Lace on Sunday at Fiber College.

She answered our interview questions like this:

1. The unauthorized biography of your life is titled:

An Austrian Knitter in Maine

2. If forced to choose, would you be an eraser or a permanent magic marker?

I would be an eraser. In knitting and in life it is easier to start all over again than be permanently locked in.

3. Do you live with any animals?

I live with my cat Heidi who has coonlike fur and shares it with me. I have knit “Heidi” mittens for my daughter which keep her warm during cold Maine winters.

4. What are you currently reading?

“The Help” for my book club and “A Country Year” by Sue Hubbell

5. What is the most surprising response to your art you have ever received?

“I cannot believe you have not been professionally trained in design!”

6. How do you know when your work is done?

When it looks right to my eye and good to my soul

7. What do you listen to while you create?

The waves hitting the shore at my cabins on Damariscotta Lake

8. Why do you (knit, quilt, spin, carve, design…)? What is your purpose?

It is part of who I am and all is right with the world when I knit. My purpose is to make people happy. I love to see the face of my clients when they see the finished garment for the first time and can imagine themselves in it.

9. What do you know that you don’t know?

I don’t know how to name-drop all the important people in the knitting industry.

10. How does, or should, the word “passion” relate to an artist?

Passion is not a concept that can be intellectualized or verbalized. It IS felt in the whole body and is picked up by those we come in contact with

11. Looking back, knowing what you know now, is there anything that you would do differently?

No, because I always am who I am at any given moment, even if that me is flawed and imperfect

12. A lot of artists want to be famous, and some just want to make a living doing what they love. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Still loving what I do now but with a wider network of fellow artisans and increasing my “Knit and Spa” weekends/weeks at my lakeside cabins.

13. If you could give advice to anyone aspiring to work with fibers, what would it be?

Don’t ever be afraid of making mistakes; just unravel and start all over again.

14. When it’s time to “tap” your creativity…where do you go to get the juices flowing?

I go to my stash of yarn and imagine what it wants to be

15. How many projects do you generally have going at one time?

At least 3, one that challenges me and needs all my attention, one to read or watch movies by and one to travel with.