Hi my dears,

how are you? What is you summer time???

The middle of the Summer is here and we just returned from our family vacation. As well as last year and the year before we were in same place - tiny town/village in Croatia. But we just love that place very much :-) Those, who are following me on my Instagram saw some pictures already :-) 

You know, that I took a new yarn with me this time .... What do you think, made I some new summer project? For now, I just could say - the work was done! Are you curious? :-)

Lovely time with my beloved ones... and some pictures ... :-)

Face to face to the Mantis :-)

Thank you for reading, my dears :-) And next post will be about my blue summer :-)

a week ago I wrote you about a blogtour of Alla Koval new books - Imagical Seasons /Spring and Summer – Vol. 1 & 2. Aaaand as you know, 21 of July it was my day of this amazing tour. And I was quiet like a fish. I am so sorry, about it, but it wasn't on purpose - all my devices and my internet connection were in strike - one of my nightmares came alive - I guess some of my hair get grey in last days. Today all looks good finally - sooo here it is - my interview with Alla Koval.

Vendulka: Tell me, please something about you?

Alla: Oh, where to start? ;o)

My home city is Poltava, Ukraine; it has long history and many traditions and I love my city; my family is still there and I love to come back to them from time to time. I finished high school over there and moved to bigger city, called Kharkov to study in University. Even if both cities are only 3 hours on the bus apart, I started to live alone and that's a big difference, as you can guess, and I had many friends, memories, stories and adventures and also love that place. After graduation I was working as a software developer for almost a decade.

In 1999 I moved from Ukraine to Seattle and that's where I live with my family in our not big but lovely house for last 16 years and hope to be able to live 100 more years!

Russia and Ukraine, as probably any other country, has knitting and crocheting as a traditional women's favorite hobby so my grandmother and my mother were good in that, and as a girl, I picked that up very fast. Another good part is actually a location - living in a place where European and Asian traditions met each other you see all of them and learn from all of them. Now, with Internet help this is not that important, but 30 years ago it was, and I am glad I was exposed to Ukrainian, European and Asian knitting schools.

Vendulka: What could find the crocheters in your new books?

Alla: I can show exactly! :)

Alla Koval, http://imagicalseasons.com/

Vendulka: Who is your new book suitable for?

Alla: I wrote these books pretty much to express myself to the other crocheters and designers. The main message, I believe, is a language of design and inspiration, which is not only international but targeted all ranges of skills. I tried to express myself in detailed crochet stitch diagrams and schematics, in different approaches how to apply same pattern in different ways to get outstanding results. I see my book to be useful for English readers from US or Europe and for readers with no English at all; useful for crocheters of any skill level - from beginners and to advanced designers; and finished projects to be worn by girls from 2 to 12 years old and some pattern are suitable for adults also!

Alla Koval, http://imagicalseasons.com/

Vendulka: You made wonderful projects now in your current collections, but in past also. What is your biggest source of inspiration?

Alla: Thank you so much Vendula for your kind of words!What is my biggest source of inspiration? Oh, that's easy - a magic and power of COLORS! It’s no secret that I am endlessly inspired by beautiful colors, you just have to take a peek at my portfolio (http://allakovaldesigns.com/) to see that most my designs are thoroughly and obsessively color coordinated.

One of a brightest memories from my childhood was my very first set of 48 color markers. I was super excited to experiment with the colors, and my mom paid attention to how I used them. Later she told me that when she asked why I combined the colors that way, I explained - “They felt happy together.” Well, I still have that excitement about colors, and l am always on the lookout for new color combinations to work with.

Alla Koval, http://imagicalseasons.com/

Vendulka: Please tell me some funny story from designing of last collection - something behind the scene :-)

Alla: I decided to take a little break from books routine and to crochet some swatches for Scarlet tunic (a pattern, which is still on my schedule since last 2 years, uhhh…) and to play a bit with one of my favorite, really gorgeous and versatile lace stitch patterns I used for the tunic…

Alla Koval, http://imagicalseasons.com/

Alla: It's very tough question. I have tons of plans and ideas! I am working on next 2 books - Fall and Winter, both should be finished and printed around New Year! And then few more! Plus I have few new patterns in different stage which I plan to release in nearest months.

Alla Koval, http://imagicalseasons.com/

Do you remember this wonderful tunic Alla designed in 2010. Wonderful piece of art :-) Photo by Alla Koval www.allakovaldesigns.com

Where are you going? Wait! Don't you see, how beautiful I am?

WHAT?! That the true beauty is hidden inside?

Wait, please, stay here a little while with me ...

I, ehm, .... I will learn a humility.

A little bit crocheting, a little bit beading, a little bit of humility and my humble boy was born....

This is the cousin of my humble boy - The King of our ZOO

And the second cousin - the White prince

When we were at zoo, we heard the screaming of peacocks. It was so loud, intense and dramatic. I was so curious what was happened? So I followed the sounds and then I saw these two peacocks looking through this fence and screaming to each other.... I would really want to know, what they were discussing about... :-)

And my humble boy flyied to his new home... ♥ 

Hi my dears,

last days I was trying to working on something, what I can not never understand and I felt so nervous, and frustrated and my little Natalka watched me, came to me and told: "Mommy, don't be sad. Just imagine, that the world is filled by the rainbow. Then she paused a little bit and after then she said: "And I am that rainbow!" Ooooh, how much I love my little rainbow fairies ....

That's why I love the rainbow! It is magical and fragile, like a life.. a love.. a family ..

And then I was thinking, what I will prepare for you as my thanks for your favor - because you are my crochet family and I can not overviewed more the 500 thousand fans of my work on my facebook page, more then thousand readers here on my blog, everyone on my other socials, like flickr, pinterest, instagram, google+, twitter, bloglovin and my others virtual places. You are my shining stars, thank you so much for your favor! :-) And still - I can not belive in it, because I am not any real blogger, and I will never be. I just love the creating, the crocheting, to beeing a part of something real, which creating really means for me. Because creating and designing makes me happy. I see, like my own creativity is naturaly absorbed by my girls. I am always fascinated and gratefull for it! Anytime when I am creating something, I feel like some magic is happen. Maybe it sounds stupid, but I really feel that energy. Therefore - the name of my blog - Magic with hook and needles. Ups, how irony - I didn't took the needles in my hands soooo long :-) But I get wonderful yarn to my Birthday from the friend of mine Josie and definitely, I will knit a cardi using this yarn - but about it in some of my next posts. Today's post is about the great announcement!

Tadaaaaaaah!

The winners of my first giveaway are:

Dineke from Netherlands
Julie from United Kingdom
and Chrissie from New Zealand

My huuuuuge CONGRATULATION, girls !

Thank you very much for took a part of my giveaway. I hope, you enjoyed the fun. Because I did! :-). The total amount of entries was 186 people! Ooooooooooh, thank you! I am honoured! :-) Thank you for following me, making my patterns came alive and making the smile on my face! And next time, what about to make a patterns giveaway? What do you say?

well, as you know, time to time, I am writing about the people, which work I admire. And today, I have a great opportunity to write about Alla Koval - an amazing Crochet Designer. I like her work very much! I am honoured to introduce to you her new books Imagical Seasons /Spring and Summer – Vol. 1 & 2. 

Photo by Alla Koval/ www.IMagicalSeasons.com

Today it is begin! Alla Koval's Blog Tour. And I am honoured to be a part of that great event! If you are interested in sneak peak from Alla Koval's new crochet books, designer interviews and special promotion actions - you could join me and other nine bloggers. My time comes on July 21 :-)

Alla Koval Blog Tour 2015

July 13: Knitting and Crochet – Amy Solovay

July 14: Faina’s Knitting Mode – Faina Goberstein

July 15: Crochet Queen: Royal Ramblings – Gwen Blakley Kinsler

July 16: Crochet Concupiscence – Kathryn Vercillo

July 17: Petals to Picots – Kara Gunza

July 18: Stylish Knits – Simona Dest Merchant

July 19: Craft Gossip – Sarah E. White

July 20: Positively Crochet – Mary Jane Hall

July 21: Magic with Hook and Needles – Vendula Maderska

July 22: Cute Crochet – Jocelyn Sass

P.S.: The winners of my Owl's Giveaway will be announced tommorrow! The owls are packed already.... :-)