Interview with Kristy from Fog and Swell - Fiber Artist

Orca Whale No. 4 - Hand Stitched Soft Sculpture - Fog and Swell

I first saw Kristy's etsy shop Fog and Swell in my etsy newsfeed when my friend Chelsea favorited some of her items. I live on the Atlantic coast so it's really neat to me to see all of the cool shells and sea creatures from the Pacific Coast, represented here as three dimensional soft sculptures!

When did you learn to sew, and at what point did you start creating your own patterns?
I don't remember for sure when I learned to sew, but it was at an early age under the guidance of my mom. I think I have been making my own patterns from nearly the beginning (much to her chagrin actually!), be it clothing, accessories, or now creatures.

Green Sea Urchin Shell - Fog and Swell

Do you have a day job too, in addition to your creative work?
I have worked for a number of years as a graphic designer, and I am just about to take on a second part time job doing tourism marketing, so I guess I do manage to keep fairly busy on top of my creative work. I have a hard time being completely idle though, so it's good to always have something going on.

Do you get to go swimming much, or is it way too cold where you are?
I've never actually been a big swimmer - I'm usually happier ON the water instead of IN the water. That being said, I try do a lot of activites on the water when I can - stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, surfing and boating. Swimming or not, the ocean is really only warm enough to go in on hot summer days around here (unless you are a carefree kid), but we also have lots of rivers that can be a bit more approachable. And a full wetsuit can make the ocean not half bad at all when going surfing in March!

Moonglow Anemone - Shore Fragments - Fog and Swell

What are your three favorite pieces right now in your etsy shop?
My three favorite pieces in my shop are:

The sea nettle jellyfish - jellies of all kinds fascinate me, the way they dance and pulsate through the water with those long trailing tentacles.

Moonglow Anemone (pictured above) - This flat stitched piece of a moonglow anemone reminds me of wandering the beach at low tide, spotting them poking out of the sand.

Narwhal No. 3 (pictured below)- Narwhals aren't Pacific west coast animals, but they are fascinating nonetheless. I love this guy's long horn.


Finally, What does your ideal Saturday (or day off) look like?

That's a hard one to answer. I feel like I rarely have days that are completely 'off' since I am generally always working on pieces for my shop when not at my day job. And yet, that's something I've chosen to do and enjoy, so I suppose that is part of an ideal day 'off'. Maybe an ideal day off would have time for a bit of stitching or other crafting, some time spent in the kitchen (I love to cook and bake), plus time to be outside with loved ones exploring on foot, on a bike, on a board...you get the idea. An ideal day off would be one where I have the time to pack in all the things I like to do and yet still feel relaxed and rested (or tired but satisfied) at the end of the day.

Narwhal No. 3 - Arctic Whale Soft Sculpture - Fog and Swell

Thanks so much Kristy! Lovely work - I hope my ocean-loving folowers will check out her shop! - You can find Kristy's handmade soft sculptures and hand-stitched pieces for sale on the web at her etsy shop, Fog and Swell , and you can also follow her on Facebook and on the Fog and Swell blog.