Meet the Northside Crafters: Konstant Kaos Designs

Konstant Kaos Designs make a range of crafty things with an alternative edge to them. Margaret is also one of the crafty ladies behind the Northside Makers.

Tell us about what you sell ...

When I first started to make things to sell I started with baby shoes and bibs. My daughter was 9 months old and it was really out of necessity more than anything else. Since then I have made pouches, wallets, bags, pendants and of button hair ties . I tend to go where the fabric takes me. I will buy a gorgeous piece of fabric and then spend days working out what I am going to make with it. I tend to make things with quirky fabrics, I don't sew with natural linens or pastels. Mostly blacks, reds and purples.

What inspires you?

Functionality inspires me. Having a beautiful hand made object that is functional rather than superfluous. So when I make my bags, I make them with a clip for keys and pockets inside. When I make baby shoes, I make them with a little tag to help the parents put them on. I try and develop each product so that I meet my customers needs.

I am currently working on a design for a new wallet, so for a few weeks I will take my notebook everywhere and sketch shapes, textures and ideas for my product. Then I generally work through the design life cycle about four times until I am happy with the product. Then I sew, sew, sew for markets!

What's your favorite medium to work in?

I am definitely a lover of textiles, but I have also done some jewelry and resin casting work. I love the Kokka range of japanese fabrics.

What would you be lost without ....

My stitch unpick! I generally always have pile of things sitting there to be unpicked. Maybe they are prototypes I am working on, or perhaps they are combinations of fabrics that didn't work out too well.

What's your favourite crafty read

I quite like to grab a copy of Australian Homespun from time to time and I love going through older vintage sewing books such as Golden Hands. I am an avid reader of Frankie and Peppermint. I also have a number of blogs that I subscribe to ranging from local gals to international quilters.

What do you like to listen to when you craft?

A combination of music if I am using the machine through to podcasts if I am just cutting things out. Then it depends on whether my daughter is upstairs asleep. Anything from VNV Nation through to Tori Amos

What crafty forums do you lurk in ....

Etsy Forums, Dust team, Craftster, Meet me at Mikes

Whats up next for you on the craft front?

I want to try my hand at some children's clothes, I just have to the momentum up and running. I have done a number of customs so I have patterns that I have developed and graded and they are ready to go, just need the right fabric!

Do you have any UFO's (unfinished objects),what are they?

Many of them. The crafty graveyard is full of embroidery, crochet and sewing projects gone wrong. I have a little bag full of the prototype's for the shoes that I made, I should really take a photo of how far I have come with those.

Where else can people shop for your goodies?

Konstant Kaos has an etsy shop, we keep a blog, we will also be at Northside Makers and Made n Thornbury.