Marie Greene - Russian Grafting Tutorial

In March 2019, Marie Greene was at String Theory to sign her new book and teach a couple of classes. We had a blast!

Of course, I had to include Marie in our Women Making History series. She very graciously answered a few questions between flights, book deadlines and teaching. She even included a tip. Enjoy!

What is your favorite part of the creative process?

My favorite parts are probably the ones that everyone else dreads. I love the very beginning, the swatching, which is filled with the possibility of what's to come, and I love the very end - the blocking. Blocking is the moment when all the ideas and effort finally come together and I can see the results. Blocking has the most incredible effect on a hand-knit garment, and it often turns a "meh" project into one that I absolutely love.

What is your best knitting tip?

I am a little bit obsessed with knitting tips and tricks. One of my favorite tools for knitting is - surprise! - a crochet hook! I use a crochet hook for so many techniques, fixes and shortcuts. Here's one of my favorite ways to use a crochet hook:

How do your values impact your business?

I feel a personal responsibility to leave the world better than I found it, and as my business grows it's given me new opportunities to do that. I feel personally called to nurture, empower and inspire creative people, and this is the "through line" of my work (i.e. the connecting theme). It's a central motivation for the kind of community I've built and in the resources I provide to my audience. I also feel strongly about making a difference in the world at large. Last year I organized an e-book pattern collaboration (called Change Makers) and donated 100% of the proceeds to organizations that are doing the work to support marginalized groups of people, immigrants, women and minority people in the United States. It's work that is so desperately needed and often feels insurmountable.

What are two things you do that are not fiber related?

I love to cook - it's my happy place. It's the only thing I do where I can completely immerse myself in the process and forget the world for a little while. I'll pour a glass of wine, turn on a bit of music and chop, mince and simmer until something wonderful emerges. I also really enjoy block printing; it helps get my creative juices flowing in a different direction.

Any recommendations for what to watch or listen to while we knit?

You know I love true crime, especially podcasts. Lately I've been binge-knitting while I listen to: Over My Dead Body, Bear Brook, The Teacher's Pet, Cold and Case Closed, and was also very fascinated by The Dropout, which is a very compelling story of a recent corporate crime. (I'm convinced that I knit faster when the episodes are a bit tense.)