Jolanda Maas is just as vibrant as her designs. Her designs are never boring, always colorful, and are guaranteed to put a smile on your face. We interviewed Jolanda for the first edition of the “Yarnplaza & … 2020” column. It was a delightful conversation in which we learned a lot about this talented Haakster.
A look at her Instagram account (@_Naald5) says it all. Jolanda Maas loves crocheting and color—lots of color! Whether it’s a throw blanket, a Shawl, or another home accessory. But who is the person behind these cheerful designs? And where does Jolanda get her Inspiration? You’ll find out in the New column “Yarnplaza & ….”
“My name is Jolanda, I’m 34 years old, and I live in Ermelo. You may know me from the contest ‘De Haakster van Nederland,’ which I entered in 2018 and made it to the finals. You may also know me from my creative Instagram account @_Naald5.”
“I think my passion for crocheting started about 14 years ago. I really love colors, and my mom used to crochet, too. One plus one equals two.”
“Colorful, simple, yet challenging.”
“I crochet very loosely. For example, if a pattern calls for size 4, I automatically go half a size or a whole size smaller. If I were to use the recommended Needle Size, I’d quickly notice that my work starts to get baggy.”
“Lots and lots of Acrylic! I actually still have a whole cabinet full of balls of yarn, neatly sorted by color. I’ve also been crocheting a lot with Yarn and Colors Epic lately. Personally, I don’t like crocheting with thin Cotton, which is why I choose the thicker Epic yarn. Another plus: Epic comes in a wide variety of colors.”
“Of course, a Crochet Hook, Scissors, and things like that. But a cup of tea is also an integral part of my crochet time. While I’m crocheting, I like to turn on the TV or radio so I can relax and listen to something as I work.”
“I definitely prefer accessories—both in fashion and home decor. For example, blankets, bedspreads, scarves, and shawls. When I design, I often start with a ball of yarn, work my way to a stitch pattern, and then create a scarf or a blanket.”
“I’m most proud of the three projects I crocheted for the Haakster contest. My Cushion—it was very colorful and cheerful. The triangular scarf with colors that blended into one another. And of course, the piece I submitted to the finals: my rug. As it happens, I just took it out of the closet this morning. It’s crocheted with nice, tight stitches. I’m really proud of that.”
“I really like Studio Hip en Stip, which I follow on Instagram. Just like me, she (Annemarie Huijser, ed.) loves color and simplicity. That makes her projects really appealing to crochet. I also get inspiration just walking down the street—when I see different colors—or in magazines: the colors, compositions, and yarns that are used. When I see a color or a yarn, I think about which stitches would go well with it. And that’s how a new project comes about.”
“Haha, that’s a good question! To be honest, I often go out with my crochet project. There’s a beer bar in the neighborhood where we regularly meet up with friends. When we take our crochet projects out of our bags there, nobody bats an eye anymore. Another thing that happens sometimes is that we crochet after an outing. For example, I recently went to a concert with a coworker, and when we got home, we sat down together and crocheted for a while. At one in the morning, haha.”
“I really love that so many people are interested in my crochet projects and support me—like during the Haakster contest. I can’t single out just one person, but I always enjoy seeing how enthusiastic my colleagues, friends, and family are.”
“Haha, another great question! When I crochet, my boyfriend doesn’t always like it. Not because of the crocheting itself, but because the living room ends up covered in balls of yarn. And because he finds cut-off threads, booklets, and patterns all over the house.”
“Last fall, I was at the Kreadoe fair in Utrecht, right next to the BudgetYarn booth. I already had some of their yarn at home, and when I saw this yarn, I thought, ‘That would look really cool in those colors.’ I pitched the idea to Yarnplaza and then got to work at home with a few balls. Stitch by stitch, row by row, the Power Flower throw took shape. Of course, I unraveled it many times and tried again. The flower petals, in particular, took hours of design work. And so did finding a way to neatly close the open edges of these flower patterns. You want to stay nice and warm under a Blanket, so I used as little openwork as possible. Inspired by the Blanket, I designed the Power Flower decorative pillow.”
“@it.is.a.sarah is really fun to follow. @jennpoort also has some very colorful crochet projects. And @dimequesitejidos is definitely worth checking out. This Instagram account belongs to a Spanish woman. Don’t ask me to pronounce her name, haha.
Watch the video interview with Jolanda Maas here
Crocheting with Jolanda Maas
Inspired by Jolanda Maas’s cheerful personality and designs? Get started on her Power Flower Blanket or Power Flower Cushion. We’d love to see your creations on our Facebook page or on Instagram using #yarnplaza.
