There’s so much to love about the new book: *Happy Handmade Fashion*. It includes both crochet and knitting patterns for trendy clothing and accessories that you can easily adapt to your own taste and size. But besides providing plenty of crafting inspiration, the patterns were designed and created by Lisanne (known from Happy Handmade) and her 97-year-old(!) grandmother! Their love for crafting and for each other really shines through in the book. Yarnplaza interviewed these creative ladies about this beautiful book. Find out everything about *Happy Handmade Fashion*, the book launch, and the bond between Lisanne and her grandmother.
Interview with Lisanne Multem and her grandmother Bastiana about the new book *Happy Handmade Fashion*
First, a tribute to Bastiana! You’re 97 years old—that’s admirable in itself—and on top of that, you knit and design. Wow, that’s amazing. You’re already a source of inspiration to us, Lisanne—surely your grandma is one to you, too? Lisanne: Yes, she definitely is! And she has been her whole life, not just for me but for others as well. Grandma is a real go-getter; she never complains and always goes after what she wants. She thinks in terms of solutions and is very creative. On top of that, she’s also really cool! Luckily, my mom, my sister, and I have all inherited these traits from her. She still inspires us immensely in this area.
Bastiana: I don't really see myself that way, but it's wonderful to be able to create beautiful things together.
How old were you when you started doing crafts?
Lisanne: When I was 8, my 4-year-old sister and I learned how to knit. Grandma taught us. The three of us sat on the couch, each on one side of Grandma, and worked hard together to get the hang of it. And we definitely succeeded. But not long after that, I didn’t use those techniques for years. Until, in 2012, I saw all these beautiful crocheted and knitted chunky blankets and cushions in stores. Interior design is my passion, and I thought, “Couldn’t I make those myself?” So I picked up my needles again and learned how to crochet, too.
Bastiana: I was already learning various craft techniques when I was 6 years old. I was in school at the time, and there I was taught how to knit, sew, and crochet. I mainly made items to wear. Back then, you really just made what you needed, and the choice of materials was, of course, much more limited than it is now. According to my teacher, I was a natural right from the start, and she asked if I’d be willing to help my classmates get started.
Wow, Bastiana, so you’ve been knitting for 91 years—that’s amazing! That makes you a real knitting expert. Lisanne, do you see your grandma that way, too?
Lisanne: Absolutely! Grandma can do just about anything! She can knit a cardigan or sweater with the greatest of ease in a week and a half. The main thing I’ve learned from her is that you have to be satisfied with your work. So if you spot a mistake or something else goes wrong, it’s better to start over so it turns out exactly the way you want it. After all, there’s no rush. Back in 2012, when I was just getting started again and had crocheted a small piece of a scarf with a lot of effort, Grandma took a critical look at it and unraveled the whole thing in a few seconds! It wasn’t neat enough, so I’d better start over, haha! There went my project…
Grandma, what are you learning from your granddaughter when it comes to crafts?
Bastiana: These days, there are so many new accessories and variations on those techniques that I regularly see them pop up through Lisanne. She, of course, often comes across things online, so I stay up to date on everything right away. That’s how we regularly try out new things together. Lies also taught me how to make the magic ring with crochet.
Lisanne, you’re known for your trendy interior styling and for designing and creating charming Home Accessories. You have a blog called Happy Handmade Living, you’re a contributor to the magazine of the same name, and you’ve already published two books full of patterns for home decor. So it’s quite a surprise that you’re now releasing a book with knitting and Crochet Patterns for clothing! Tell us more?!
Lisanne: That’s right—my passion is interior design, but I’ve also been making wearable accessories since 2012. Bags, scarves, mittens, and so on. My grandma has been making clothes her whole life and is really great at it! Since we wanted to create a book together, it was pretty clear that it had to be filled with beautiful fashion items.
How did the idea to create “Happy Handmade Fashion” together come about?
Lisanne: My grandma is still the coolest person I know. She’s up to date on the latest trends and has great taste. Of course, she really is 97, so I thought it would be wonderful to create something together that would last. Something tangible that we could use to inspire many others. And through the process of creating, we’ve made unforgettable memories.
Bastiana: I still really love doing crafts and find it very relaxing—that’s so valuable. I can really contribute to Lisanne’s blog and magazines. It’s so much fun to work on them. Because we share this passion, we’ve been collaborating on projects and ideas for a long time. When Lies asked me if I’d like to co-author a book with her, I was immediately excited. Although I still can’t believe it’s actually going to be out soon. It’s so special!
Just looking at the photos, we can already see that these are trendy and comfortable knit and crocheted clothes and accessories. Where did you get your inspiration and ideas?
Lisanne: I really get my inspiration from everywhere and nowhere. Books & Magazines, the internet—but I also find a lot of inspiration in nature, in stores, and while on vacation.
Bastiana: My mom and grandma were already trendy for their time. I think that’s partly in our genes, too. I regularly visit the fashion stores in the village where I live to see what’s in style. I also enjoy reading magazines and always watch Queen Maxima’s outfits on TV.
What can we find at Happy Handmade Fashion?
Lisanne: Basically, everything you need to create a complete wardrobe on your own. The book is full of sweaters, cardigans, bags, scarves, shawls, a dress, and even a coat. In addition to the patterns for these fashion items, we’ll show you right away how to style them according to the latest trends.
Bastiana: In the book, we also explain how you can adapt the patterns to your own size and preferences. That way, everyone can make the perfect piece. It’s so much fun that you can choose every aspect of a design—your favorite fabric, the color you want, and you can even customize the fit completely.
What's your favorite pattern from the book?
Lisanne: I absolutely love the knitted jacket. It turned out so cool and looks really great! I designed it, but we knitted it together.
Bastiana: the knitted dress and the color-block sweater—I designed and made the dress, and Lisanne designed the sweater.
What did you like best about writing a book together?
Lisanne: The fun—we worked hard for almost a year to create this book, and we had so many laughs along the way. Every week, we got together at least once, but often twice, to go over everything and put it all together. We often met at my parents’ house, which is why it really became a family book. I’ll never forget those days.
Bastiana: I think it’s wonderful that my granddaughter has picked up these techniques too. It’s my passion, and I’ve been doing it my whole life. Now that I see how much she enjoys it too, it makes me so happy. We had a really great time making the book, and I’m so curious to see what others think of it.
How were the tasks divided during the creation of the book?
Lisanne: Grandma knits everything from memory. She knits so easily and so much that it just comes naturally to her. We designed the garments together. We adapt each other’s ideas, and we’ve each come up with about the same number of patterns. Lisanne then wrote out and typed all the text. We also handle the styling, design, and photography together.
How did the collaboration go?
Lisanne: Great! We’ve been working together for many years now, of course, so that wasn’t a problem for us. We’re also very similar in personality, so we just say what we think. And we both want the patterns to be good, which is why we don’t mind if one of us has a comment about the other’s project. We wanted to create a fantastic book together, and it’s working out really well this way.
Bastiana: It went really well—we laughed so much. I’ve never come up with and made so many patterns on my own before. That’s why I sometimes found it pretty hard to write them down, but luckily Lisanne is a pro at that! So we help each other out.
Who is this book intended for?
Lisanne: For women of all ages. Both young girls and older women can use our book to create their own collections. Grandmothers can make the items for themselves or put together a great wardrobe for their granddaughters.
Bastiana: For everyone! The patterns aren't complicated, so anyone can get started. The pieces are trendy yet timeless. The projects are easy to adjust in size and color, so you can create the perfect garments for yourself.
What makes these patterns suitable for all ages?
Lisanne: The patterns are timeless yet trendy. They can easily be adapted to any size and preference. That way, absolutely anyone can get started with them.
Bastiana: It looks good on everyone, and the patterns aren't complicated either. So even if you've never knitted before, you can give it a try.
Your favorite print (leopard print) appears throughout the book, along with beautiful color combinations, your favorite yarns, and unique designs. Is this book typical of Lisanne and Bastiana?
Lisanne: Yes, our tastes are very similar, and that works out really well. It makes it easy for us to decide how everything should look.
Bastiana: We only used our favorite colors. We both love leopard print, and the book really shows that! The gold lettering on the cover is also so us—we love gold accessories. It really turned out to be our book through and through.
So Grandma is pretty hip, too! Who comes up with the most innovative and trendy patterns?
Lisanne: Grandma is very hip, and that’s why we actually came up with everything together, but I usually pick out the yarn and colors. I take the lead on that so that, in the end, everything fits together in the book.
Bastiana: We both know exactly what we like, and our tastes are very similar, so it all works out really smoothly. Sometimes I’ll tell Lies that a design could be a little longer or really needs a collar. That’s where my years of knitting experience come in handy!
What do you hope to achieve with this book?
Lisanne and Bastiana: With our book, we hope to inspire many women to start creating beautiful garments on their own. We show how to style these outfits, but of course, there are many more ways to wear them. We also want to show that age doesn’t have to be a limitation, and we hope everyone enjoys this book. Just as we had so much fun making them together, we hope other families will get creative together, too.
Why does Happy Handmade Fashion make every craftsperson happy?
Lisanne: Because it’s really turned out to be a feel-good craft book. It’s packed with beautiful projects, gorgeous photos, and an amazing layout. You just can’t stop flipping through it.
Bastiana: You can experiment endlessly with this book—turn the long Cardigan into a short one, or vice versa. Knit the dress with sleeves, or switch up the yarn. By using different yarns and colors, you can create a completely new look.
You two are such a fun and creative couple… Why aren’t you both on the cover?
Lisanne: We are on the cover—but on the back. On the front, we wanted to showcase the style of the designs and the book. We don’t really like having our picture taken, haha, so this was intense enough for us. Modeling really isn’t our thing—that’s a whole different profession.
Bastiana: We’re already featured really prominently on the back cover—that was really more than enough, haha. Lies works with some really great girls on her other projects, so choosing these models was a no-brainer. My daughter also modeled for this book—it was so fun to see her in it.
If you had to choose: Crochet or knit?
Lisanne: Oh… that’s so hard—we both love crocheting and knitting. Knitting works better for some projects, while others look better when you crochet them. But if I really have to choose… I’d go with crocheting!
Bastiana: That's a tough one. I guess I'll go with knitting.
If you had to choose: Home decor or fashion design and creation?
Lisanne: Designing and making Home Accessories!
Bastiana: Designing and making fashion!
On February 8, a huge party for young and old will kick off at the Yarnplaza Inspiration Center. That’s when the book launch for *Happy Handmade Fashion* will take place. Why should no one miss this?!
Lisanne: It’s going to be a REAL blast! There are so many fun things to do at our party. First of all, it’s incredibly special that Grandma is publishing a book at the age of 97. We want to celebrate that in a big way. During the party, you can meet us and have your book signed right away. The first 100 visitors who purchase the book will also receive a really cool goodie bag that includes extra patterns, among other things. But you can also win great prizes, get your portrait drawn, ask for style advice, and receive compliments.
Bastiana: Because… we’re playing bingo! That’s another hobby of mine, so of course we couldn’t leave this activity out of the day. And I heard from Lisanne that Yarnplaza is a wonderful place to shop for yarn for our projects right away!
