RIOLIS invites to celebrate Easter
Aleksandra answers your questions
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How did you start working at RIOLIS?When I studied, my friend Alina Melenteva started working as a RIOLIS’ designer. She showed me how it’s How long are you working at RIOLIS?When I started part time, RIOLIS celebrated 15 years, so I am here for quite some time – almost 10 years! How is your workspace organized?When I work from home due to self-isolation, it is not well organized, but I am trying to do my best. When I Where do you find inspiration?It is a difficult question. I could talk about birds and clouds but actually it comes from a lot of work. You do |
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Which one of your designs was most complicated to create?The most complicated to create was the trio 1684 Breakfast, 1685 Lunch and 1686 Dinner. In the creative
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Which one of your created designs warms your heart the most?Without doubt, the design that warms my heart is 1861 The Little Prince. First of all, I love Antoine de Saint- |
Which one of your designs do you think is underrated and why?I have one design like this. There is a kit 1648 Sea Buckthorn in our assortment that I created. I also |
What is your dream?I have a dream to travel around the world, but I am not sure how to achieve it. It requires a lot of time and |
How much time does it take to create a design?It’s a difficult question because it can take different amount of time. Some designs take a lot of time in the |
When did you start creating patterns for cross stitch?I started creating patterns when I started working at RIOLIS. I didn’t do it before, but once I saw my friend |
What do you like most about your job?Without doubt, it is positive feedback. Feedback from happy customers, happy people is very important. I |
What new designs are planned for this year?This year we have planned a gorgeous Middle Ages tapestry just like an illustration from an old book. Also, |
Did you receive any of your stitched designs as a gift?No, I didn’t receive any of them, but my grandmother had many of my designs stitched and gifted them to |
What is the most difficult thing to draw?The most difficult is to draw hands and faces, especially from the classical paintings, but I think I manage to |
All your kits are wonderful, but which one is a fairy-tale for you?It’s easy – my favorite design right now is 1861 The Little Prince. However, I would like to create another |
Do you have a picture from your childhood that you want to turn to cross stitch?Yes, as a child I was impressed by illustrations by Ivan Bilibin whose pictures were in a lot of Russian |
From professional view, what directions of cross stitch will be popular in the future?Actually, I don’t know what will be popular in the future, but I think cross stitching will stay popular because |
Do you plan to create more designs like 1324 Scottish Heather and 1404 French Lavender? What inspired
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When did you first realize that drawing is your way?When I was 3 years old, I drew a pirate from a cartoon and since then my mother decided that I can be an |
How are the designs born?We have a plan for half a year which is given to us and we participate in the discussions – if we have an |
Who is your favorite painter?I love Pierre – August Renoir, so I was happy to create a pattern as a reproduction of his painting Bouquet |
Do you have a favorite fairytale?Once again, it is Little Prince and I suggested making a design according to it because you can illustrate |
If you could star in a movie, what genre would it be?I love horror movies or psychological thriller. I like the movies with unexpected endings, so I would love to
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Anna answers your questions
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Where did you go to school and how did you start working in RIOLIS?I went to University of Design and Technology in Moscow and majored in Costume Design. How did you start your creative journey?I started drawing in kindergarten. First “masterpieces” that wowed the adults were watercolor autumn Where do you get inspiration for the designs?The most important part of finding inspiration is to start working! Of course, inspiration requires new |
What is your favorite work from RIOLIS kits?It’s kits from Old Photo series (Letter, Riviera and Waiting). Here everybody can think of their own story. |
What inspired creation of Pastoral?Paintings by Francois Boucher and other artist of that time and style. I wanted to transfer the style and |
What themes are closest to you?Flowers, of course! I love ‘composing’ bouquets in my works and it makes me feel like a real florist. Also, I |
I love your gentle watercolor bouquets. What is your favorite flower?I love many flowers; it is hard to choose one. I think my favorite flowers are the ones that I will draw in the |
Thank you for watercolor series. Will there be more designs like this?I would love to continue these series, so I hope there will be a sequel! |
Do you cross stitch?I cross stitch small fragments while choosing the threads and of course, backstitch on a stitched work. For |
What is your favorite shade of threads that you use?I never thought about it. I guess there are some shades of threads that I subconsciously use more in my |
Why did you agree to work in RIOLIS?Of course, interesting job is important, but the main reason is people. We have a very friendly and kind |
What is your favorite work of literature?My favorite book from childhood is Treasure Island. It was very scary, but also so interesting! I imagined |
Did competitors try to lure you away?Of course, they did! But how can you leave such a friendly and loving family? |
What are you working on now? What new kits can we expect?One more reproduction after artwork of Alphonse Mucha. It is one of my favorites. All work is done in half |
What are the difficulties of creating a design?Each work has its difficulties. Sometimes it is hard to convey a certain detail as we are limited in graphic |
I want your Pastoral. What is romance in our times?Thank you, I’m very happy to hear you like Pastoral! As for the question about romance, I think people did |
Do you plan to make a design after Gone with the Wind (Scarlett and Rhett Butler)?No, I don’t plan it yet. Thank you for the idea, it is worth considering! |
Did you ever have dreams of your future designs?Honestly, I don’t remember. However, I always have quite accurate dreams about the designs I’m currently |
What do you dream of creating?I wish to create something extraordinary and surprise everyone! |
Would you like to illustrate a book? If yes, what book would it be?I would like to create illustrations for novels by Somerset Maugham. I like his characters very much. |
Do you have any hobbies (in addition to work and drawing)?I love sport and traveling. |
How long on average do you work on each design?It differs. It can be a few weeks or a few months. It depends on difficulty of the work, size and many other |
Who is your favorite artist?I love impressionists and many of the modernists. But most of all I am amazed and delighted by an architect |
What was your first design for RIOLIS?It was a lady in a masquerade costume rushing somewhere. Also, one of the first works is Tuscany (field |
What country/city (from those you haven’t been to) do you dream of visiting?Of course, I wish to visit many countries, but right now I dream of traveling to Portugal. I love Portuguese |
Are you an artist or designer of charts? Or both?I think of and draw a sketch which I later transform to a chart for cross stitch. That’s why I am both an artist |
What emotions inspire you for another masterpiece?Inspiration comes from the positive emotions, of course. It is hard to create something that would make |
What design was most complicated to create?It was design Maharaja’s Garden. At first, white peacock was supposed to be on black fabric, but I wanted
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Yuliya answers your questions
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What is your education?I studied at Moscow State Stroganov Academy of Design and Applied Arts majoring in design of What is your professional experience?I work at RIOLIS for about 20 years and overall, my professional experience is about 30 years. Did your interest for cross stitch appear in childhood?I loved drawing since I was little. I went to art school and like many kids, I tried a lot of kinds of needlework: How did embroidery become your professional interest?I chose a major “embroidery artist” at school. This gave me an opportunity in addition to basic subjects |
What did you like about folk art?Each region has its own ornament, its own colors and techniques. At the same time, motives repeat and |
Why do you think needlework is needed today?Like any other creative process, needlework is needed for self-realization. There is a desire to decorate |
Do you think needlework is a form of art or a craft?Needlework is a creative process, and the result depends on effort and skill, even stitching according to the |
Do you like to cross stitch?I do, of course – like many things related to needlework. Now it’s my work. My mother stitches mainly my |
Do you stitch your works?I stitch only fragments while working on a design. I try the threads and alter pieces. To stitch all design |
How long does it take to create a design?For example, it took two years to develop kit 100/044 Rider (already discontinued). It was extremely hard |
Could you tell us more about the creation of one of your designs?I love our village very much. This is where I spent my summers with my grandparents, where my sons spent |
How were the famous designs with ladies 100/027 Velvet Evening, 100/028 Lilac Evening and 100/045
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What are your favorite subjects to work on?Most of all, I like to draw flowers, people and ornaments. Stitched ornaments complemented or replaced |
What inspires you in your work?I think an artist must look and observe a lot: the state of nature, surrounding landscape, architecture, faces |
Do you communicate with the stitchers? Do you listen to their feedback?Almost all my friends and relatives cross stitch. Of course, all of them give advice and all of them ask for |
What are your creative hobbies and activities besides working at RIOLIS?I sew. Also, I paint oil paintings – mostly bouquets and still life with flowers. |
What do you like to do in your free time?I love to read, comfortably sitting where no one interferes. I like watching movies with my family and |
Who is your favorite artist or artistic direction?My favorite artist is my husband Sergei Krasavin and my friends – RIOLIS’ designers. Talking seriously, I like
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Galina answers your questions
more..Galina is RIOLIS’ head designer who has more than 30 years of professional experience and works in RIOLIS
for more than 20 years!
What is your education?
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In what other creative fields have you tried yourself?The art of making dolls is another hobby of mine. I come back to it from time to time. I have participated in |
How did you start working at RIOLIS?I found out about RIOLIS from my professor at Textile Academy N. B. Yakovleva. She cooperated with a then |
Do you have a favorite embroidery technique?Embroidery technique is like paint for an artist or musical notes for a composer – it is a basis for creativity. |
How your cross stitch designs are born?Almost every design has its own story. Artist’s attitude to the subject that is portrayed is always very |
How does the inspiration come to you?I don’t like to wait for the inspiration; I don’t have a possibility to do that as well. I am not an exception: for |
Do you have any favorite artists in the visual arts?There are many: for example, I love impressionists. “Impression” for me is one of the keywords in
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