Interview with Quaternion Creations
Let's chat with Maria about pattern design and The Emerging Queendom
Today we're going to meet Maria of Quaternion Creations! Maria is a pattern designer, specializing in samplers with a mythical touch. I found myself instantly attracted to her style, especially when she started designing on themes I connect with. I've had the pleasure of collaborating with Maria in the past on charity projects and I've learned firsthand that her heart is gold and she deserves all the recognition!
So let's go!
A: Hey! So who are you? What do you do?
M: Hi! I'm Maria, I live in the beautiful Tallinn, Estonia, and I create myth and folklore inspired cross stitch patterns.
A: Hi, Maria!! I'm so excited to dig into your designs and art process! How did you get into designing cross stitch patterns?
M: It was a slow process for me. After I did my share of big store bought kits, I shifted into making designs for myself. The next step was sharing my designs in my then active blog, and then it grew to the point when I decided to turn it into something more serious. Fast forward the plague year, and several years after that, and here I am!
A: I bet everyone wants to know... what's your business name Quaternion Creations mean? And how do you pronounce it?
M: Quaternion (kwa-turr-nee-on - although I'm not sure if that's the right way to say it) is a mathematical concept that can be very roughly described as a four-dimensional vector. My business name is an homage to the higher math education that I got at university. One of my customers came up with a hilarious mnemonic rule to memorize it, Quarter Onions - feel free to use it any time!
A: Let's jump into your designing journey! Your design style has definitely evolved since you started! How has this journey been for you, and can you tell us more about your design evolution to where it is today?
M: That's a tricky one to answer! My design style has evolved tremendously from what it looked like when I just begun. As it is with many creatives, it took a while to convince the inner critic that I have the right to make art in any way I please. The biggest leap came to be when I settled firmly on myth and fairytale as my main themes: somehow these stories asked for being both bolder and more authentic.
A: I relate to that so much... and I feel like with your catalogue of designs, everything just fell into place once you settled on myths and fairytales!
M: Oh absolutely! I have always loved the folklore world, and it is a pleasure to incorporate this love in my work!
A: Ok, here's another tricky one! How would you describe your design aesthetic in 5 words?
M:
Magical, intriguing, literary, unorthodox, folk
A: As a lover of myths, I love all your designs. (fangirl!) How do you pick which folklore you design next? And what's a typical design session look like for you?
M: I need to truly fall in love with a character to make a good design. Sometimes that happens when I read a random article, or a piece of new information. Sometimes I would get a request from my customers. In any case before I put my pen to paper (or mouse to screen?), there is a period of extensive research: myths, stories, ancient depictions, clothing, trinkets, color palettes - they all will influence the outcome in the end. For example, for the Odyssey SAL I researched, among other things, how Odysseus' dog or kids' toys would look like in his time. As for the process, I often do a rough pencil sketch before I dive into designing. Then it's usually a creative blur, followed by hours of moving things around until I'm satisfied with the composition.
A: I love that you've been including a bit of background in your patterns about the subject. It makes me fall in love with the designs even more!
M: The stories are an essential part of the whole experience!
A: Now let's talk palettes!! What kinds of palettes are you drawn to?
M: My signature style is monochromatic with one or two contrasting colors. I also love using earthy, warm tones for folklore designs, like Medeina (The Forest Goddess) or Mokosh.
A: A lot of stitchers like changing out the palettes of your designs. How do you feel about people going off key for your patterns? Do you have any favorites that went off key?
M: I love it, and most of my designs are intentionally done in a way that makes changing colors easy. It's hard to pick a favorite really, because of so many awesome variations I see each day!
A: Now let's talk about your latest big release! A REAL BOOK! The Emerging Queendom has 13 new folk tales and accompanying cross stitch patterns. The whole book is absolutely gorgeous and put together so well. Can you tell us how this process of designing was? And how did you keep it a secret for so long??
M: The Emerging Queendom is a collaboration, and having a co-author (the wonderful Paige Baldwin Ando, who wrote the stories for the book) on board was an amazing experience that helped a lot with both the creative and admin sides of work! We would meet every week to talk about the characters and the world they are living in; and when each story was completed, Paige would send it to me so that I could make a pattern for it. It was truly awesome to be able to create it together!
A: This book is so different than all the others that are out there because it has the accompanying stories. Paige also did wonderful work! It's awesome that you have this legacy, this permanence that you created and will continue to live on in the stitching community.
A: I noticed a couple of local needlework shops in the U.S. have also stocked the physical version of the book! How cool is that!! How has the American / Canadian market received your book?
M: Many of the people who supported us in our book endeavor were from the US and Canada, and is so exciting to see our work spread onto several continents. Some if the shops already asked for more books, so it looks like the Stitchers are loving it no matter where they live!
A: You're WORLD FAMOUS!
M: Right???
A: What's the future of the book? How do we get our hands on it? Are there any stitch-alongs?
M: The future of the book looks bright end exciting! We are bringing some copies to this year's Nashville marketplace, where more LNSs would have a chance to stock some! It is also always available in physical and digital form on my website. And yes, thank you for asking - we are running a year long book SAL, stitching and discussing one pattern a month!
A: Oooh! What's the hashtag for that?
M: #theemergingqueendom and #theemergingqueendomSAL. We also have a cozy FB group for the readers with lots of behind the scenes book content!
A: Who are your favorite designers right now? Do you ever have an opportunity to stitch other's designs?
M: Apart from, obviously, you? Because we do design in the same mythology field and I feel that it connects us on a very deep level. I am honored to be part of an amazing group of designers whom I admire wholeheartedly both as artists and as a community! If I had to single out someone, which isn't easy, I'd say that my favorites right now are Iris/Needlelot Designs, Clare/Climbing Goat, Steph/Fine Frog Stitching, but they are just the tip of the "OMG these designers are so cool " iceberg! If I start going through everyone, we would probably run out of web space.
Unfortunately, I am mostly model stitching my own designs. But I hope to do a couple of bookmarks from the previously mentioned collection at some point!
A: We do have such an awesome, supportive community of designers! What everyone creates is so inspiring and makes me want to step up my designing game, too!
A: I watched an interesting Flosstube by CamtheStitcher and they gave their top predictions of what's going to be new and trending in the cross stitch world this year. Do you have any predictions of what's to come in the industry this year?
M: I'm absolutely sure we'll see a lot of magical, whimsical, and overall outworldly in designs this year: helping stitchers find joy when the world isn't exactly going in the right direction. It doesn't matter which style or designer, but we will see a lot of these themes in 2025!
A: So... a lot of themes that help us disassociate, got it!
M: Yes, exactly!
A: What's on deck for Quarter Onion Creations? Any sneak peeks of what's to come?
It's catching up already! In 2025 we will have more mythology, more awesome female deities, more folk stories from around the world, and more patterns showing off each of those! The themes that are on the drawing board and in the works at this moment are Ancient Egypt (cat ladies Bast and Sekhmet), Tristan and Isolda, and Artemis - and there is so much more in the ideas folder!
Thank you so much, Maria, for chatting with me and sharing your process!!
Be sure to follow Quaternion Creations in all the places!
https://happy-stitch.net/
Instagram
What is your favorite Quaternion Creation pattern? Have you stitched any?
So enjoyed this interview. Thank you so much ☺️
Love this! Need to go lookbfor how to get the book now!