Van Handmadejolie—that’s the name I use to showcase my crochet work. I wanted something different from just “Mariska.” My children’s names are Julia and Olivier. By playing around with those letters, I came up with “jolie,” which means “beautiful” or “pretty” in French. That’s where Handmadejolie comes from.
That was about seven years ago. When we had just moved to Sweden, I started crocheting. It actually started after a weekend trip to the Netherlands with some friends. They were going to take a crochet workshop on Friday. I was bummed that I’d already be back in Sweden by then, so I joined in via Skype. And I’ve been using a Crochet Hook almost every day ever since.
Natural, calm, and light.
Home decor. And the occasional piece of clothing. Crocheting home decor is a nice, mindless activity. Once you have the pattern, you can just keep going and listen to an audiobook at the same time. I enjoy crocheting clothing for a change of pace. It’s a challenge to create a crocheted garment that actually looks nice. It requires paying close attention and taking lots of notes. That’s why I prefer home decor.
I think it's my Barcelona blanket. I think it's one of the most beautiful things I've ever made.
It’s definitely Sweden where I came to love light, Scandinavian interiors and have also been moving more and more in that direction with my crochet work. I started out with bright colors, but that’s actually not my thing at all. So I’ve gradually shifted toward shades of white, grey, and beige.
First, dinner, then crocheting. Not going out, haha.
Knit. I've been doing more and more of it lately, and I really enjoy it.
Those are my friends, because they all started crocheting after I did. Since I started crocheting, they started too, so I guess they're my biggest fans.
Very occasionally my kids, but it's actually not that bad.
On the couch, watching Netflix, or just relaxing.
I'm crocheting with chain stitches.
Lots and lots of yarn, lots and lots of Knitting Needles, lots and lots of Crochet Hooks… basically, all kinds of things.
My phone with Storytel. I really love listening to books, even while crocheting.
I was at Yarnplaza last summer and hadn’t crocheted a blanket in a while. So I wanted to make a blanket for Yarnplaza. I was—or rather, still am—in the middle of making a cardigan with Happy yarn, and I thought, “That’s a nice yarn for a blanket.” It turned into a stay-at-home vacation project for Yarnplaza. I enjoy combining stitches, but I also like to create a sense of calm. So it turned out to be a bit of a mix, with some glitter.
I always really enjoy attaching a Leather Label or something similar to a blanket or a sweater. It makes the item recognizable and adds the finishing touch. That’s why I follow “De Haakfabriek” on Instagram. She’s very creative herself and often has great ideas for small gifts. So when I want to give a small, handmade gift, I often find inspiration there.
Watch the video interview with Mariska van der Neut here
Crocheting with Handmadejolie
Would you also like to turn your time at home in 2021 into something beautiful and positive, just like Mariska did last summer? Then order her Stayhome 2020 Blanket Crochet Kit and/or the Stayhome 2020 Roll Pillow Crochet Kit. Home Accessories with a “wow” factor, thanks to the use of soft colors, thoughtful accents, and unique crochet stitches. If you’d like to use a bold color as an accent or work with a different yarn, you can also order the pattern for the Stayhome 2020 Blanket or the Stayhome 2020 Roll Pillow separately.
