Daily Inspiration: Meet Danielle Letourneau

Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Letourneau.

Hi Danielle, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I first picked up a crochet hook over 20 years ago, but it wasn’t until 2018 that I heard about amigurumi (crocheted figures/dolls/plush) and fell in love. I made several plushes as gifts and, at the urging of friends and family, opened my shop for orders! From 2018-2021, I worked under my brand of Cuddly Crochet Creations.

The business was slow the first year and it was hard not to become discouraged. However, something seemed to click by fall 2019 and I haven’t slowed down since then, often booking out at least six months at a time. I truly found my niche in making almost exclusively fantasy-related items.

By the summer of 2021, I knew I was ready to branch out and try other things in the world of fiber art. In fact, I had already been dabbling in dyeing, knitting, and needle felting, but my brand name “Crochet” was holding me back. I underwent a brand change to Prismatic Fiber and Artistry.

It was important to me to include a rainbow in my brand as a physical representation of a spectrum, as well as the rainbow infinity sign for Neurodiversity Pride. Being a neurodivergent and disability advocate (and being neurodivergent myself) motivates me to continue fighting for equity in the art world.

On dyeing yarn: well, this was something that had been in my heart for years! I read all about historic methods of dyeing (the pigments, the mordants, the heat, etc) and was just fascinated. I tested out my first yarn dye in 2021 with cheap yarn and RIT dye from the craft store. I was hooked!

After a successful holiday season, it was in the spring of 2022 that I took the plunge into fiber dyeing. It has been one of the most amazing experiences to use my hand-dyed yarn to make fantastical creatures. I recently perfected a colorway called Dragon Scale Original (rainbow, of course) and am now working on variations thereof.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
One of my most beloved pieces made was Lucy the Autistic Faerie Cat Dragon. I even have a book about her plan for the future! I think it was when I made Lucy that I realized how much I loved making dragons and fantastical creatures, more than I loved making anything else. There’s just something special about creating a figure from myth and knowing that you can’t go wrong with whatever artistic decisions you make because it really is up to you to decide how to portray this legend.

More recently, I’ve become known for my Dragon Scale yarn, which is a colorway comprised of a gradient (typically rainbow) with black worked over it to give the appearance of scales. I’ve had wonderful feedback on this yarn. It took months of thinking, planning, taking notes, making mistakes, failing, bleeding (the yarn, not me!), and more before I landed on the proper method. I’m so proud that I stuck with it and didn’t give up, even though I felt frustrated so many times.

What makes you happy?
Keep my hands busy, whether it’s with crochet, knitting, needle felting, dyeing, photographing, or holding the hand of one of my kids. I feel like I always need to be doing something, that I need to be productive. It’s hard for me to relax! Finishing a piece and admiring the results always gives me a rush as well. I remember all the flaws that went into it and then I see how none are visible in the end.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prismaticfiberandartistry/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prismaticfiberandartistry 

Image Credits
Christine Doyle Photography