Author Interview: Leanne Prain

I'm Leanne Prain. I'm a writer and graphic designer who likes to make things. I knit. sew, silkscreen, stitch, glue, cut & paste and pixel-push for a living and I like to interview and write about other people who do the same. I've written two books for Arsenal Pulp Press: Yarn Bombing; The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti (co-authored with Mandy Moore) and Hoopla: The Art of Unexpected Embroidery.

 In case someone is unfamiliar with your books, can you give us a brief description of each?

Yarn Bombing is the definitive guide to all things knit graffiti. The book has tips on how to get started as a guerrilla  yarn artist, how to build a crew, and advice on being sneaky.  Hoopla is a book about unusual stitch artists - it includes the work of over 82 artists who do very unusual things with a needle in thread. In the book we discuss embroidery work in relation to subjects as diverse as activism, incarceration, viruses, graffiti, online dating, animation, furniture building, domestic discontent, and poetry. Both books feature interviews, DIY projects, textile history, resources, and technical tips.

I love challenging the notion of 'right' and 'wrong' in handmade. There are many vibrant personalities in the craft communities and in profiling them, I've found  that textile arts can be used as an active medium - to challenge, to defy, or to make a difference. I like to bring attention to people who are doing unusual things and in doing so, inspire readers to try to come up with their own original projects. The craft/maker community is endlessly fascinating - there is always someone new to encounter with an interesting story, and even more interesting work! 

I guess that depends on your definition of rebellious. I appreciate people who have strong opinions and are willing to go the distance (in stitching or in the rest of life) to express their beliefs.