Something very different for me today! I’m usually the interviewer but this time I’m the interviewee! I had the opportunity to speak to the lovely Kate Heppell from The Crochet Society.
If you haven’t heard of the Crochet Society before it’s a little bit of crochet luxury delivered direct to your door. Every box from Crochet Society is full of a mystery mix of high-value yarn, crochet goodies and highly collectable extras, chosen by an expert design team to inspire new ideas.
I’ve had the pleasure of designing several different projects for the boxes over the years, and it was lovely to have the opportunity to chat about designing, the crochet community, what we are binge watching and more!
The whole chat is 32 minutes long, so the perfect length to enjoy a cuppa and maybe sneak in a few stitches whilst you listen along.
The easiest way to listen to the podcast is via a podcast app on your phone or tablet. The podcast is listed on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify and Google Podcasts, so if you use any of those apps you should be able to find it by searching for Crochet Society. You can also listen via the link on the Crochet Society blog.
Although it’s slightly cringeworthy listening to your own voice back I did enjoy chatting to Kate for the podcast, and I want to thank her and the team for offering me the opportunity to step out of my usual comfort zone!
Crochet Society boxes are available by subscription via the website, and past boxes are available, if there are, from Craftstash (whilst stocks remain).
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected. You can read more about my affiliate links here.
I had the pleasure of actually meeting Catherine at the end of last year, when I was a guest, and she was the guest designer at The Crochet Sanctuary. You will have no doubt come across her work, as I did, on social media and in magazines – she really has an eye for design using colour work and tapestry crochet.
I was delighted to have a go at her methods of tapestry crochet as we worked on her Winter Flora Cushion as our Crochet Sanctuary crochet workshop project. I thoroughly enjoyed making the cushion, and the tapestry stitch technique, so I wanted to find out a bit more about her designing processes and about her in general. Here’s what we chatted about…
Tell us a bit about yourself.
Hi Heather! Thanks for inviting me for this interview. It was great to meet you in November at the Crochet Sanctuary and chat all things “crochet designing” with you!
I’m a crochet designer from just outside London, in the UK. I live with my husband and two daughters. As you mentioned, I specialise in tapestry crochet. I absolutely love designing blankets with this technique although I’ve also produced a number of cushion and accessory designs too.
Yes, I’ve always loved crafts. I dabbled in lots of things as a child and my friends were really arty too so we inspired each other and were always making things. I took pottery classes for a few years, which I loved, and also tried lots of other arts and crafts like Fimo, calligraphy, quilling, painting, stamping, cross stitch… I don’t actually think I was particularly yarny as a child though, although I did learn the basics of how to knit.
How did you become a crochet designer? Do you do it full time?
I guess I fell into it a bit by chance really. I started crocheting when my youngest daughter was a toddler, mainly making blankets (with plenty of mistakes in them!). One day, I saw a tapestry crochet scarf online and I absolutely loved the look of it. I’d never seen that kind of crochet before. I thought it would be fabulous to make a blanket with lots of different tapestry crochet patterns on it. And so I came up with the Geo Georgie Blanket. It got a really great response from the crochet community on Instagram, which encouraged me to keep going with more designs and things just spiralled upwards from there.
Sadly, I don’t do it full-time, although I wish I could! I mainly fit it in during my evenings and weekends, and the odd lunchtime crochet break too!
You really seem to enjoy colourwork and tapestry crochet – what is it about that style of crochet that you love?
I love patterns and spot them all over the place. I find it really exciting recreating these patterns in crochet, and tapestry crochet is the perfect technique for this. I especially love taking a motif, like a square or hexagon, with a colour work pattern on it and repeating it over a large blanket to create an even more striking pattern.
Can you tell us about where you draw your inspiration from?
Some is from nature – I really like leaves and flowers – and some is more abstract like pure geometric patterns. I see a lot of inspiration on textile items or even ceramic tiles, that I then love to try recreating with crochet.
What does your design process look like? Do you sketch things out first, or do you just like to grab a hook and start?
I always sketch first. I use a lot of squared paper as I find this is essential when coming up with a tapestry crochet design. I usually draw out a design on squared paper first and then work up a test swatch or motif from that. Mostly, it turns out a bit different to how I expected once I’ve worked it up in crochet, so I make a few tweaks and try again until I’m happy with it.
Sometimes, I plunge straight into making the project and write it all up at the end. However, recently I’ve been getting much better at making notes and starting to write it up as I go along. That saves a lot of time at the end!
Do you have a favourite creation that you’ve designed?
That’s a tough one! Can I pick two?
My personal favourite is my Clarissa Blanket. Both the colours and the pattern are so me. This was a design that I just couldn’t help but make!
However, in terms of getting me started and known as a designer, then I have to say my Midnight Diamond Blanket. This is by far my most popular pattern and I’m so grateful for the wonderful response it’s had and continues to receive.
How do you fit everything in that you want to? Are you strict with yourself and your time or is it a struggle to juggle?
I never fit in everything that I’d like to! But I just do my best to do as much as I can and never miss an opportunity to work a bit more on a project. I make a lot of lists – I find that helps a lot – and I try not to be too hard on myself at not being able to do everything I want to straight away.
What advice or top tips would you suggest for anyone new to colourwork or tapestry crochet?
I’d say that it’s really not as hard as it looks. Watch or read a tutorial first, to get a feel for it. There are lots out there but I have a video tutorial on YouTube or a step-by-step guide on my blog that are both good places to start. Then just dive in with a pattern. I outlined a few relatively simple ones to start with in a blog post if anyone needs some inspiration.
Once you’ve got the hang of it, if you’d like to design your own, then all you need is some squared paper and colouring pencils and away you go!
What can we expect to see from Catherine Crochets in 2023?
This year, I’ve decided to focus on blankets as I love them and they are also my most popular patterns. I’m working on a new floral design at the moment using hexagons, which I’m really excited about.
I’m also hoping to create a tapestry crochet course with a series of patterns of increasing complexity, each introducing a new skill or aspect. That will be quite a big project for me of course, but I’m hoping to start work on it later this spring.
And just for fun if you could have a superpower what would you choose?
I’ve always loved the idea of the time turner that Hermione uses in the Harry Potter books. It would be great to have the power to turn back time so that I could fit more crochet into each day!
I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank Catherine for taking time to chat to me. I’ve really enjoyed getting a better understanding of her life and designing process and hope you have too.
If you enjoyed this interview you can catch up on all the other designer chats and discussions with other people in the fiber industry. And if there’s any other people you’d like to maybe see featured here on the blog, let me know in the comments and I’ll see what I can do.
Make sure you are signed up to blog (below) and / or my mailing list to get a reminder when new blog posts like this one, discounts or new pattern releases are available.
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected. You can read more about my affiliate links here.
I’m super excited about my next designer interview because I had the pleasure of actually meeting her in October 2021 at The Crochet Sanctuary.
I’ve been following the lovely Esme, aka Red Sparrow Crochet, for awhile, and you will have no doubt have come across her work on social media and in magazines if you are a crochet fan – she’s become kind of synonymous with mosaic crochet.
In fact she has recently written a book titled ‘Mosaic Crochet Workshop’ – which she very kindly signed [my copy] for me when I met her (squee!), and I wanted to find out a bit more about that, about her in general, how she does it all, and her inspiration and designing process.
Here’s what we chatted about…
Tell us a bit about yourself.
Well, after many years of living all over the place- London, Brighton, Madrid- I’ve settled back in my beloved Suffolk in the east of England with my family: one Other Half, two teenagers and of course the world’s grumpiest cat Hank Deluxe. I love Suffolk, it’s so wild and rural, it suits my introverted nature very well!
I work full time as a freelance crochet designer, as an editor for Scheepjes’ YARN Bookazines, and spend any free time hanging out with the kids, playing Scrabble and Risk, walking, cooking lots of exciting vegetarian food, reading…
How did you discover crochet?
Funny story: I actually saw a woman on the beach crocheting and it was one of those wow moments! She was sitting on a deckchair, hooking away, surrounded by loads of kids but so at ease with herself, so calm amidst the sandcastles and tantrums. My kids were very small at that point and I was craving a new skill, having put away my sewing machine due to inquisitive little fingers (my son was one of those danger kids, always found the trouble!). My lovely friend’s mum, Eileen, taught me the basic crochet stitches at playgroup and that was it. I was smitten. Terrible at it but smitten.
How did you become a crochet designer? Do you do it full time? And why is your handle Red Sparrow Crochet?
As is probably the path with many designers, I never intended to become a full time designer, it just built and evolved. I was an English teacher by trade first! I started with selling my designs at craft fairs- I’m the co-founder of an artisan-maker craft collective called The March Hare Collective so I had a ‘natural outlet’ for my work. After a few years of selling finished items (mostly throws and cushions, no surprise there!) I mustered up my courage and asked the lovely editor Claire Montgomerie if she might be interested in my work for Inside Crochet magazine. To my utter shock she said yes, and it was the start of many years designing for Inside Crochet, Simply Crochet, Mollie Makes and Scheepjes. I now mainly self publish my patterns but occasionally take on a magazine design commission if there’s time.
Oh, and the Red Sparrow thing is quite obscure, but the publishing house for Charles Bukowski’s work was called Black Sparrow Press. I’m a big Bukowski fan and I loved the publisher’s name. I have always felt like a little bird, pecking around with bits of fabric and yarn, it seemed suitable. And I was going through a real red obsession at the time!
You have kind of become ‘known’ now for mosaic crochet, what is it about that style of crochet that you love?
It totally makes sense to me, I need pattern and geometric order in my life! I saw a design by Red Heart using the inset crochet technique a few years ago and immediately fell in love with the brilliant yet simple way to draw shapes with yarn!
Where do generally find your creative inspiration?
Oh everywhere, I love seeing shapes in nature, architecture, pavements, anywhere and everywhere! Sometimes I’ll see a gorgeous pattern in my mind before I go to sleep, and even in my dreams too. I then have to try and memorise it till the next day as I’m not organised enough to have a notepad by my bed. My brain likes thinking about patterns while I’m trying to get some rest I think!
What does your design process look like? Do you sketch things out first, or do you just like to grab a hook and start?
Charts, it’s all about the charts. I use Stitch Fiddle (which is a fantastic online tool) to create them as I can set them to the same gauge as the work will appear and choose colours very specifically too. I like to work in a very limited but very specific palette. I currently have 437 charts on the go, many of them will stay as rough ideas which may or may not lead onto finished designs.
Do you have a favourite creation that you’ve designed?
I suppose my first ever mosaic throw design, Diamond Heart, will always be something I’m really proud of. I self-published it, not knowing of course what people would make of it. It’s been a huge seller, unbelievably popular, it blows me away knowing there are countless versions of it around the world. That’s just crazy! But it gave me the confidence to push myself forwards and literally dedicate myself to designing using the inset version of mosaic crochet non-stop. Which leads perfectly onto your next question…!
How did you end up writing a book on mosaic crochet?
So, a few years ago, Ame Verso who is Publishing Director at David and Charles Publishers got in touch and basically told me I needed to write a book of mosaic crochet designs! She’d seen my designs online and must have seen some potential! Once I’d got over the surprise of being approached, I talked to her for a bit, it actually took me two years to agree, but finally I DID agree and Mosaic Crochet Workshop came to life.
Ame and I were supposed to meet for the contract signing but that was in March 2020 and we all know what happened next. So I signed the contract remotely, and spent lockdowns writing the book, doing the day job and homeschooling my son. It’s a bit of a blur now, but suffice to say I’m incredibly proud of the book, the publishers were astonishing in their support and encouragement. All the photography was done under very difficult lockdown conditions, yet the team did an incredible job- the book is more than I ever dreamt it would be. It’s very beautiful and I’m thrilled it’s been so well received.
How do you fit everything in that you want to? Are you strict with yourself and your time or is it a struggle to juggle?
I’m a bit manic, I’m very very organised and disciplined with my work time. It’s not all swanning around all day having lots of coffee breaks and playing with fluffy yarn! I work very hard, I’m extremely focused. I start at 8 in the morning and during busy times will finish at 9-10pm. All creatives will know this (I am sure you know only too well, Heather!) but you can’t switch creativity on and off like a tap. Once you’re on a roll there’s no stopping you is there? So, yes feed the kids, do the housework etc etc but the design work will be waiting to be tackled even if it’s late into the evening.
What advice or top tips would you suggest for anyone new to mosaic crochet?
Oh gosh, just enjoy it and don’t tell yourself it’s too hard to try! I get so many messages from people saying they thought they wouldn’t be able to get to grips with the technique as it looks so complicated… they then try it and are so thrilled they can do it!! If you can make a chain, a dc and a tr (UK terms) then you can follow any of my mosaic patterns! In fact, I give a short step by step tutorial at the start of the book- once you have made the small swatch, you can take on any project. It’s perfect- it looks far more impressive than it actually is! My kind of crochet 🙂
What can we expect from Red Sparrow crochet in 2022?
Oh what a question!! Haha I don’t know is the honest answer! I’ll be editing the Scheepjes’ YARN Bookazines as usual, but am weighing up what to focus on this year. There’ll more than likely be some self-published designs (what with the 437 charts and all that)… and I am toying with the idea of Mosaic Crochet Workshop: The Sequel too!! Let’s see!
If you had to be shipwrecked on a deserted island, but all your human needs—such as food and water—were taken care of, what two items would you want to have with you?
A sheep (can I have an alpaca too so the sheep doesn’t get lonely??) and a sharp knife. That sounds terrifying for the poor sheep, but don’t worry I’m veggie! I’d like to get into spinning wool, and whittling hooks and knitting needles with the knife. I can’t knit for toffee but can just about cast on, so maybe I can figure it out?? Or I’ll just revert to crochet where I’m more comfortable!
Thanks so much for chatting with me, Heather! It’s a pleasure and an honour to share my crochet ramblings with you.
I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank Esme for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer these questions. I’ve really enjoyed getting a better understanding of her life and designing process and hope you have too.
And if there’s any other designers you’d like to maybe see featured here on the blog, let me know in the comments and I’ll see what I can do!
Make sure you are signed up to blog (below) and / or my mailing list to get a reminder when new blog posts like this one, discounts or new pattern releases are available.
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected. You can read more about my affiliate links here.
I’m dead excited about my next designer interview because I had the pleasure of actually meeting her recently at The Crochet Sanctuary – and if you follow me on Instagram you may have seen my fan girl moment in my stories. It’s the lovely Rosina aka Zeens and Roger !!!
I’ve been following Rosina since I was told about her vlogcasts on Youtube. Her down to earth, say it like it is, podcast episodes are amongst my favourite podcasts to listen to and watch.
You will have also no doubt, if you are a crochet fan, have seen her awesome Instagram feed and come across some of her lovely designs in magazines like Inside Crochet. She has also, more recently, branched out (pun intended) into hook whittling in her new collaboration Kirk and Roger creating some beautiful handmade hooks.
With
so much going on I wanted to find out a bit more about Rosina, how she does it
all, her inspiration and her designing process. Here’s what we chatted about…
Tell us a little bit about yourself…
I grew up in Southampton but I’ve spent half my life in Devon. I moved to Exeter in the late 90’s to study Art History at uni and never left. For the last ten years I’ve lived in an old town just outside of Exeter. It’s sandwiched between the countryside and the coast. I love it! I’ve worked at a cinema (I still love the smell of popcorn), in social housing (I was rubbish at it) and in HR (interesting stuff). I still dream about working at the cinema even though it was nearly twenty years ago.
How did you discover crochet?
Let’s not count the failed attempts as a child. Instead, I think I can really only say that it was a year after I had my first baby, so nearly 9 years ago. It’s probably a familiar story amongst crafters. Something about starting a family kick started the creativity again (after years of not doing anything crafty). My baby boy received handmade blankets from my family and I wanted in on the action! I started to crochet because I wanted my children to have things I’d made for them. I bought a beginners book and found a YouTube video that I liked and began to make a very long and very uneven chain.
I don’t remember a time that didn’t have me going “off pattern”. However, the first thing I properly designed was a little granny owl decoration. It was the first time I’d written out a pattern anyway. That was around four/five years ago. I remember fretting that I’d never get another idea again. But the wondrous thing about being a crochet addict is that you always want more! The more you do it, the more ideas you get.
In the autumn of 2016 I sent out a few emails to magazines offering my ideas. I was thrilled that one of my ideas was accepted by Inside Crochet (my favourite crochet mag). It was such a buzz and a huge confidence booster!
Where do you generally find your creative inspiration?
I honestly don’t have a clue half the time. Colour is a biggy as I expect it is for everyone. I’m inspired by what my peers/friends are doing too, I think we’re all influenced by the same trends and it’s fascinating to see how we all interpret them differently. My favourite ideas are often the ones that pop in my head from nowhere. But it might be a holiday, pretty wrapping paper or a bonkers conversation and all of a sudden you’re presented with an image of a thing that you have to make and you have to make it NOW!
What does your design process look like?Do you sketch things out first, or do you just like to grab a hook and go?
It’s haphazard! I don’t have a particular routine but I do like to make sketches. The starting point might be the pretty wrapping paper but it might also be a crochet stitch I’ve never seen before. If I fall in love with it I have to use it in something. Or I might lust after some special yarn I’ve seen, which has to be turned into a shawl or blanket.
Do you have a favourite creation that you’ve designed?
I often end up hating the designs I’ve come up with and can’t wait to see the back of them! (I probably spend way too much time with the frog/rework process to have any love left). It’s not always true though, I do have pieces I’m very proud of. My C2C projects make me happy. All the yarn tangling of Havana Nights was worth it in the end! At the moment my favourites are two shawls, Release the Hounds and Hinterland, mostly for their simplicity. Sometimes simple is best!
I’d seen other crocheters explore the idea and fancied having a hook for myself. I asked my friend, Paul to make one for me as his hobby is woodwork. He showed me how to make them and also suggested selling them. It’s quite addictive but I break a lot of sticks trying to make the perfect hook (and I get blisters!). I really should leave the hook making to him and I’ll stick to crochet! Kirk & Roger is a small sideline for us both, it’s fun and no pressure. I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed working with someone else. We’re a good team!
What made you decide to start your own podcast?
The number one reason was because my friends in real life reeaalllly weren’t interested in hearing me blather on about crochet all the time. I get way too excited about yarn, patterns, design work etc and you can see eyes begin to glaze over. I thought it’d be a nice outlet for me to find like-minded people to engage with. For me it’s easier than blogging; I just sit down and hit record. I’m more of a talker than a writer.
How do you fit everything in that you want to? Are you strict with yourself and your time or is it a struggle to juggle?
I don’t fit everything in. Not by a long shot. I’m a world class procrastinator and am not strict on myself at all. I reckon I could double my output if I only learned how to be more disciplined. It can be very tricky to stay motivated when you work from home. I force myself to sit at the computer and write those patterns! It’s much easier when working to a deadline for a magazine, there’s an end goal… But I’ll still leave it to the last minute.
What advice would you have for any budding crochet designer, small business owner or podcaster who might like to follow in your footsteps?
Just do it. Start today. If you want to do it, just give it a go! I didn’t have a clue what I was doing but I can confirm that there is never a right time. None of what I do ever looks as good as the next person’s, there is always someone out there who does it way better. But I love it, so I do it anyway. I’ve definitely improved since I hit publish on that first episode, but I am always working towards getting better.
Tomorrow you step outside and find a lottery ticket that ends up winning £100 million. What would you do?
Buy a house big enough to have a craft room. Pay someone to write up my patterns and pay another person to sew in ends. I’d also like to have a yarn and craft shop, supporting local makers and creatives. Oh, and it would be amazing to go to all the yarn shops, all over the world. I want to see what’s out there.
I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank Rosina again for taking time to answer these questions. I’ve really enjoyed getting a better understanding of what’s involved with in her designing process and hope you have too!
I’m really chuffed about my next designer interview because I actually had the pleasure of meeting her in person on my recent visit toThe Crochet Sanctuary.
Eleonora Tully is the designer behind the lovely blogCoastal Crochet. You may have seen some of her lovely designs inSimply Crochet magazineor you may already follow her popularInstagram feed. And if you haven’t seen her slowSeaside Stash Busting Blanket crochet-alongthen you should check it out! There’s still plenty of time to take part and it’s going to be amazing when it’s all finished!
When I met Eleonora I thought I would see if she would kindly let me find out more about her designing process, because I always find the stories behind the projects so interesting, and to my delight she said YES! Here’s what we chatted about…
Tell us a little bit about yourself…
I was born in The Netherlands 40 years ago – my mother is Dutch and my father is English but I grew up in England and currently live by the sea on the South East Coast with my husband, three children and our dog, a Miniature Schnauzer called Salty. I’m a registered nurse and at the moment I work part-time as a School Nurse.
Life is busy! There’s always something that needs doing being a working mother but I do make sure that I find time for crochet! I get so much pleasure from being creative…it’s a part of me. I also love being with my family and spending time outdoors… one of my favourite things to do apart from crochet, is to go on long walks in nature with my family and I love a challenge! Give me a trail to walk or a mountain to climb and I’m there!
How did you first discover crocheting?
Crochet has always been a part of me, it really has! My mother crocheted her own wedding dress in 1974 and I was wrapped in crocheted blankets soon after I was born! I really did grow up in a ‘handmade home’ with little crocheted curtains above the windows made by my mother and grandmother (very popular in The Netherlands in the 1970’s), there were crocheted pot holders in the kitchen, my cardigans and jumpers were knitted, school dresses sewn and toys crocheted!
As for my own crochet, I can’t pinpoint the exact time or place when I first held a hook but it was as a teenager, helped by my mother and a good book! I knitted first but crochet soon followed. I made my own wedding dress but this was sewn. It wasn’t until 2014 when I decided to crochet a dress for my daughter that crochet really took over my life! I loved crocheting that dress. It was from a pattern by Lisa Naskrent which I found onRavelry I enjoyed every single stitch and it looked so beautiful when it was finished. It really was a labour of love and from that moment I fell completely and utterly in love with crochet.
How did you become a crocheting designer?
After crocheting the dress for my daughter I knew I wanted to take my crochet skills to another level and start to design and write my own patterns. I discovered theInternational Diploma in Crochetwhich is a correspondence course run by Pauline Turner. Working through the course has taught me so much and given me the confidence and skills I needed to go out and design my own crochet and to write patterns.
Having an online presence through myBlogandInstagramhas also helped me to grow as a Crochet Designer. Writing regular Blog Posts and posting pictures to my Instagram is a huge motivator for me to keep designing. It has also enabled me to share my work and make connections with others which have in turn helped me to get my designs published.
Where do you generally find your creative inspiration?
For me it’s nature and being outdoors. My blog is called ‘Coastal Crochet’ because I live so close to the sea and really do draw so much inspiration from my coastal surroundings. It’s not only the colours, the textures and the themes of the seaside that inspire me, but actually walking along the beach leaves me feeling refreshed and inspired. It helps to clear my mind which in turn allows the inspiration to flow.
What does your design process look like? Do you sketch things out first, or do you just like to grab a hook and start?
I’m a grab a hook and go person! Sometimes I wish I could be a little more structured in my design approach but it’s just not the way I work! I can get an idea in my head at any time (sometimes I get lots of ideas at the same time) and I can visualise them clearly. I’ll then just pick up a hook and some yarn and get crocheting. It’s exciting to see if my ideas take shape.
Do you have a favourite creation you’ve designed?
If you’d asked me this a couple of months ago I would have answered differently but at the moment my absolute favourite creation has to be the ‘Seaside Stash Busting Blanket’ which I’m designing as part of the Crochet-Along I’m hosting.
I’m designing it as we go so even I don’t know what the blanket will look like at the end but I love it so much already! Not because it’s going to be a gorgeous blanket but because of the community aspect and seeing everyone’s different colour combinations. I’m publishing just 4 rows per week and as it’s a stash busting project people are choosing all kinds of colours. Some are random combinations, others are so well thought out – it’s truly amazing to see! And the connections being made between crocheters from all over the world is just wonderful. There are people taking part from over 20 countries and friendships are being made across the globe as people share their progress. It really is so special and the response to my design has genuinely blown me away!
Do you have a ‘go to’ for hooks and yarn?
I was given a set of ‘Tulip Etimo Rose’ hooks for my 40th birthday last year and I adore them. I’ve also tried Clover Amour hooks which are fantastic. Both these Brands are made in Japan so there’s definitely something about Japanese crochet hooks!
As for yarn, I’ll use anything depending on what it is I’m crocheting. From chunky to thin and from cheap acrylic to more luxurious wools. I love using cotton too. I have a soft spot for the brand ‘Scheepjes’ as it’s a genuine Dutch company and their yarns are just so gorgeous. I use ‘Scheepjes Catona’ a lot. It’s a beautiful cotton to work with and the colours are amazing!
Who gets your creations; you, your family, your friends?
All the above! I’ve crocheted for family and friends and of course I keep a lot of my own crochet work too. Crochet is not a quick art form and each crocheted item will have taken precious time to make, sometimes many many hours! So I like to give my crochet to people who will appreciate that.
Where do you work? Do you have a studio space or do you work from your living room chair?
I would love to have a studio space but that’s a far off dream at the moment. There are five of us living in our house and the children are getting big- they are now almost all taller than me! I have a corner on the sofa that I call ‘my corner’ only because it’s next to a light which helps when I’m crocheting in the evenings. But one of the reasons I love crochet so much is because it’s so portable. I can crochet anywhere and it really does come everywhere with me.
Finally finish the sentence … I love crochet because…
It’s a wonderful craft that can be done anywhere and by anyone and such beautiful things are created with just one hook and some yarn!
I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank Eleonora again for taking time to answer these questions. I’ve really enjoyed getting a better understanding of what’s involved with in her designing process and hope you have too.
Until next time; keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
It’s time for my first Designer Showcase of 2017! Even before I started creating my own patterns I was curious about the process of designing crochet patterns and inprevious postsI’ve really enjoyed getting to know some other fabulous fibre artists!
Today I’m excited to be speaking to Irina akaIrene Strange.
It was great to get to speak to her and here’s what we chatted about…
Why are you called Irene Strange?
I used this name when signing up for my first email address all the way back in 2000, my step-dad’s family name is Strange (what a cool name, right?) and Irene is an English version of Irina – we just moved to England and at the time it felt like a fresh start in a new millennium and a new land. I guess it just stuck!
How did you first discover crocheting and amigurumi?
My grandmother taught me to knit and crochet when I was little, I picked it up again when studying for my degree. I was writing a paper on how brands use mascots and characters and came across some crochet toys on Flickr. People kept referring to them as ‘amigurumi’ so naturally I had to find out more about that! I tried making my own, a funny little mouse, and discovered I really enjoyed crocheting toys – from then on I was hooked.
How did you become a crocheting designer? Is it your real job?
To start with I released a few patterns on Etsy just to see what happens, then an editor from a crochet magazine approached me and asked to feature some of my work. Then another editor asked if I’d be interested in writing some patterns to which I said yes, of course! At the time there wasn’t as many amigurumi designers in UK, at least not on-line, so one commission followed another quite fast. For a good few years I was writing as a hobby alongside a day job. After having kids I wanted to focus on crochet more, so now I write patterns in between playing with Lego and watching cartoons.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
It’s quite hard to pinpoint what inspires me most; I collect all sorts of objects, prints and photographs of animals or dolls – anything curious. I have to say seeing what other designers and artists share on Instagram across different crafts is also very inspiring, it is amazing how many creative people are out there.
Tell us a bit about your design process…
When designing something for my pattern shop I might get an idea seemingly out of nowhere, which I will then sketch and mull over for days or even months. I will sketch the design many times, thinking about best way to make it. Then I make prototypes and sometimes get it right on first or second try.
Often a particular project will stay in my head for weeks, almost like an obsession – where I’ll keep coming back to it in-between different makes, trying something out and abandoning it, until I get it right.
Many of your creations are animal themed amigurumis – are they your favourite things to make?
Oh yes, I adore all animals! Growing up in a big city not many people we knew had pets, so encounters with animals became very special. I love watching documentaries about the Earth, it’s simply amazing how many different creatures call it home!
Do you have a favourite creation that you’ve designed?
I’m still exploring different styles and ways to make an amigurumi, looking for a balance of an object that’s interesting to look at but not too complicated for others to make. I think Hopscotch Bunny is the closest to what I like making.
Do you have go to hooks and yarn?
I have a strong preference for natural fibres, especially alpaca and cotton. Cotton is so durable and versatile, but alpaca gives the make a much more natural and soft look. As for hooks, I always use Clover Soft Touch.
Who gets your creations; you, your family, your friends?
At the moment my daughter is very quick to claim anything I make, often even before it’s finished. The rest gets given away to friends and family. If a visitor likes a particular toy most of the time they take it home with them.
Where do you work? Do you have a studio space or do you work from your living room chair?
I’m a bit of a messy creative (just ask my husband!) so things end up scattered all over the house. We share a room as a studio where I have a wall of yarn to inspire me, and a desk for pattern writing and research. Curling up on a sofa with a cup of tea, a sketchbook and a film in the background is my favourite way to work.
What can we expect to see from you in the future?
I’m planning to make many more cute and unusual animals, but also some home accessories and decorations – there’s a book full of ideas just waiting to be made into new patterns.
Tell us a bit about yourself – what do you do when you’re not crocheting?
When I’m not crocheting… I love going riding my bicycle, foraging around local woods for berries, visiting museums and fairs or just spending the day holed up out of the way somewhere reading a good book.
Finally finish the sentence … I love crochet because…
I can make anything that comes into my head with just a thread and hook – it’s a bit like magic!
I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank Irina again for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer these questions. I’ve really enjoyed getting a better understanding of what’s involved with in her designing process and hope you have too. I hope you will pop along to herwebsiteandravelry pageto see all of her great designs!
I’m thrilled about my next designer interview because I actually had the pleasure of meeting her in person!! Kerry Lord is the author of the extremely popular Edward’s Menagerie series which feature her designs of extremelycute animals, Birdsand, in her new book:Imaginarium, all sorts of fabulous creatures. She is also a busy working mum and the founder of British luxury yarn brandTOFTwhich specialises in alpaca yarn.
Recently I attended TOFTfest, which celebrated the 10th birthday of TOFT yarn (which I blogged about here), where I met Kerry and I thought I would see if she would kindly let me find out more about her designing process – to my delight she said YES! Here’s what we chatted about…
How did you first discover crocheting and amigurumi?
When very pregnant with my first child Edward I decided to teach myself to crochet in order to distract me from going back to work. As soon as I had mastered the double crochet stitch an elephant flew off my hook and into existence. I think the Edward’s Menagerie shape had been living in my head for a while but my knitting skills didn’t allow me to achieve them.
How did you become a crocheting designer? Is it your real job?
My real job is running the company TOFT and everything that this involves. Designing crochet animals and clothing patterns is part of this role, but by no means all – I have to source and design the yarns first!
Where do you get your inspiration from?
I get lots of my inspiration from feedback, both from my family, colleagues and customers.
Tell us a bit about your design process…
I usually just pick up my yarn and start making when designing amigurumi. If designing something to wear it’s a far longer process as I sketch and swatch first before doing calculations to work out the pattern.
Many of your animals, birds and creatures have names (like Georgina the Hippo), how do you come up with them? Do you get people requesting names?
Some of them are people I know, whereas others are truly fictional characters. This is the most fun part of my job!
Do you have a favourite creation that you’ve designed?
I am very fond of Blake from Edward’s Menagerie, but Kerry the Chameleon from our recent hand-dyed project makes me feel very proud.
Do you have go to hooks and yarn? I’m guessing TOFT yarn is your favourite; but can you pick a favourite TOFT yarn?
I am lucky enough to design my own yarns and hooks, so of course I choose our own ones. My favourite TOFT yarn to make things for myself to wear is our DK Silver.
Who gets your creations; you, your family, your friends?
The studio!! Most of my crochet goes on display, but every now and again I find the time to make something for my children.
Now we’ve had animals, birds and imaginary characters can you tell us what might be next for Edward’s Menagerie?
I can’t let that secret slip just yet, but book four is well underway!
Where do you work? Do you have a studio space or do you work from your living room chair?
I do have my own room of yarny chaos (and lots of cacti), but more often than that I’ll work from the sofa.
Tell us a bit about yourself – what do you do when you’re not crocheting?
When not at work or crocheting I am having fun with my family. We enjoy muddy walks around the farm and plenty of messy crafts.
Finally finish the sentence … I love crochet because…
It makes other people very happy.
I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank Kerry again for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer these questions. I’ve really enjoyed getting a better understanding of what’s involved with in her designing process and hope you have too.
Until next time; keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
I’m extremely excited about my next designer interview!! It’s with the one and only Lucy Collin!!!
Lucy Collin aka Lucy Ravenscar oflucyravenscar.blogspot.co.ukis well known for her cute fantasy and science fiction themed Amigurumi many of which feature on her blog. She’s the author of the VERY popular bookStar Wars Crochet, which pretty much sold out on Amazon UK as soon as it was listed (thank goodness I got my copy!), and the creator of over70 fabulous patterns. She also published another book called Hollywood Crochet which includes instructions on how to make your very own crochet celebrities like Marilyn, Audrey Hepburn, Leo and Kate in Titanic, James Bond and Elvis and had patterns published Inside Crochet & Crochet Gifts magazines.
Recently I have made LOTS of the fabulous Star Wars characters from her book (which I reviewedhere) and I thought I would see if she would kindly let me find out more about her designing world – and she said YES! Here’s what we chatted about…
How did you first discover crocheting and amigurumi?
I learned to crochet when I was about 8 years old, taught by my grandmother, and I had a go at making a few things, including a cardigan I designed myself when I was about 12. Then I forgot all about it until I wanted to make things for my children’s school Christmas bazaar about ten years ago. I was searching for ideas online when I came across some cute little crocheted animals. I found it surprisingly easy to start crocheting again, and after following a few patterns to get the hang of the amigurumi style, I started creating things myself.
How did you become a crocheting designer? Is it your real job?
The internet has a lot to do with this. I found sites like Craftster where I could look at things other people had made, and share the creatures I made. Then people started asking if I had patterns for them, so I tried writing them out and posted them online. They were very popular, and I came to realise that people would actually pay for amigurumi patterns, so I started to put them up for sale on sites like Etsy and Ravelry. I was doing all this when I’d stopped work to have children, so it was easy to fit in designing and selling patterns around whatever I was doing with the kids. They’re older now, and designing is my job, but it’s flexible enough that I can still be available at home.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
Initially my children, or at least they gave me the impetus to make cute little toys that they would like. I love science fiction and fantasy, so I would introduce them to my favourite films and TV shows, and then they would ask me to make a character that they liked. That evolved into making classic fantasy creatures such as dragons, and creating my own fantastical creatures. I also love animals, so I really enjoy making crocheted versions of my favourite wildlife.
Tell us a bit about your design process…
I have a very long list of ideas that I want to make that I’m constantly thinking about, so first I have to decide which idea I’m going to work on first. Depending on how clear the idea is in my head, I might do a few sketches of how I want it to look, then I start crocheting, writing down every step. There may be a lot of false starts getting the shape and size right, but once I’m happy with what I’ve made I’ll turn my notes into a proper pattern. I work from that pattern and make the toy one or more times until I’m totally satisfied with the design. I tend to like to make quite a few variations, so I might go through the whole process several times.
Do you have a favourite creation that you’ve designed?
One of my first designs, that I made available for free, was the Fierce Little Dragon, and I’m really fond of this design. I love dragons, and he sits on top of my computer screen and keeps me company. What’s really nice is that so many people have made dragons using the pattern, and I love seeing all the different yarns they used to make them when they post photos up on Ravelry.
I’m also very fond of my fantasy character designs, particularly the Dwarf patterns that I finished fairly recently. I ended up making five different versions, both male and female, with different looks, and I really enjoyed the way they came out, especially the female warrior dwarf.
Do you have go to hooks and yarn?
I started off using basic aluminium hooks, the ones my grandmother gave me in fact, but in the last year or so I’ve upgraded to Tulip hooks in the sizes I use most often, and a full set of Clover soft touch hooks. For small amigurumi, and ones with lots of colour changes, like the fantasy characters, I use decent but fairly cheap acrylic yarn, particularly Hayfield Bonus and Robin DK because they’ve got lots of colour choices, and acrylic works well to make toys with. For larger figures, especially animals, I like to use acrylic yarns with some wool or alpaca in the mix, such as Hayfield Bonus with wool, Sirdar Country Style DK and Stylecraft Alpaca DK, which worked beautifully for my Bracken the Fox pattern.
Who gets your creations; you, your family, your friends?
I used to make them for my children, then when I started turning my designs into patterns I would keep the things I made in case I needed to photograph them again, or check them if anyone had any questions. I would give the unsuccessful versions to my younger son, and he would get quite upset when I would refer to them as ‘rejects’! I’ve also made quite a few, especially of the Star Wars characters, as presents for friends and family.
Now we’ve had Hollywood Celebrities and Star Wars figures are we going to see other well known characters in the future?
I’m quite keen to come up with my own designs for patterns to sell online, but I’d love to make more famous characters if a publisher asks me to do another book. It would be great to do Star Wars designs from the new film, and it would be fun to do a book of Game of Thrones patterns.
Where do you work? Do you have a studio space or do you work from your living room chair?
Living room chair, I like to be as comfortable as possible, and I have all my bits and pieces nearby. I’ve recently got all my yarn organised into a spare room so it’s easy to find what I want, and when I start a project I get all the yarn I need and put it in a large bag so I can have it close to hand in the living room. At the moment I’ve got several projects on the go – new patterns, presents, a blanket for my son – so the room is a bit full with bags of yarn!
Tell us a bit about yourself- what do you do when you’re not crocheting?
As I already said I’m a big fan of all sorts of SF and fantasy, so I like to watch films and TV, but I can crochet at the same time, so maybe that doesn’t count! I try to read as well, but it’s difficult to find the time when the crochet is calling me… I love taking my dog for a walk every day, it’s great to get out in nature, whatever the weather.
Finally finish the sentence … I love crochet because…
With just a hook and some yarn I can turn the ideas in my head into reality.
I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank Lucy for taking time out of her busy life to answer these questions, I’ve really enjoyed getting a better understanding of what’s involved with in her designing process and hope you have too.
If you don’t know already Dedri is a busy working mum / crochet artist extraordinaire! She’s not only the author of a popular blog, Look At What I Made, she’s the author of a remarkable book of Anamani Puzzle Balls and the creator of over 60 fabulous patterns – some of which are the most awesomely inspiring motifs I have ever seen such as the Sophie’s Mandalas, Sophie’s Garden and now Sophie’s Universe. Translated into seven different languages crotchet-ers all over the world (including me which I blogged about here) are enjoying joining in with the Sophie’s Universe CAL which started in January and has just finished (though that stage might be a bit longer away for some of us i.e. me!)
Photo credit to Esther from itsallinanutshell.com
Hot off the back of having a go at creating my very own large motif square and with an even greater appreciation of her talents (if that’s possible!) I thought I would see if she would kindly let me grill her on the process she went into when designing Sophie’s Universe – and she said yes!!! I’m super excited to share with you what we chatted about.
What got you started on the Sophie’s Universe?
Sophie’s Universe started with Chris Simon’s Lace Petals Square. When I was making the Lace Petals Square as part of last year’s Block a Week CAL, we were visiting my parent-in-law on their farm in South Africa.
I don’t know if it was the actual pattern or the process of making and photographing it there that made it feel so special to me. I contacted Chris to see if I could modify it and use it to create a mandala. She very kindly said yes. And so I started on my Sophie-journey.
What motivated you to do Sophie’s Universe as a crochet-a-long?
Kimberly Slifer (Admin for the Official CCC Social Group on Facebook and from http://www.justagirlandahook.com/ ) approached me to ask if I would consider “growing” Sophie’s Garden into a full-size afghan for a CAL. I immediately said yes, because I had already been working on the afghan design anyway. The CAL provided a brilliant way for people to tackle the pattern bit by bit, without being daunted by the magnitude of the project.
This is particularly important to me, because this pattern is specifically aimed at beginners (despite its complexity), and had we published it as a complete pattern, a lot of beginners wouldn’t have had the guts to try it.
Do you have testers doing each part as you go along or did you do it all in one go?
Kimberly Slifer tested the whole pattern before we started with the CAL. As I do the photo tutorials (about 10 days in advance), I send them on to the rest of the testers and translators and they then test it again to make sure that the instructions are correct and easy to follow. We change whatever needs to be changed before I publish each part.
Did you have a concept in your head of the finished design or did it evolve organically?
Once I had a square, I still didn’t want to stop, but by this point lots of people had started growing their Sophie’s with optional rounds, so I knew that I would have to think outside of the box if I wanted to continue growing her in such a way that the design remained distinctive.
The actual design sort of evolved organically, but I had a general idea of what I was aiming for. I decided that I would flip the garden into a central diamond. I must admit that I was scared, right up until the CAL started, that I had made a huge mistake in doing so.
About a month before the CAL started I had to frog EVERYTHING back to the garden due to a fatal design flaw. I rewrote the whole pattern. Poor Kimberly had to frog a significant part of her work as well!
What comes first; stitches, colour or yarn?
Stitches and colour happen simultaneously. It is very hit and miss and I spend a fair bit of time frogging and re-making, both with different stitches and different colours.
In this case I made the prototype out of cheap acrylic yarn so that I wouldn’t feel bad about all the yarn I wasted during the design process. Once I’d completed it, I realized that I wanted to use a yarn that would last (and last well) for years. If I was going to invest over a thousand hours in a project, I wanted an heirloom at the end of it. I chose Scheepjeswol for all 3 my Sophie’s.
How long do you think it has taken you to design Sophie Universe altogether?
To date I have spent 1033 hours on this design and the related admin (checking videos, checking translations, designing, making, etc). That doesn’t include the time the translators, testers, Facebook admin, Jenny, and Esther have spent on it.
Do you have a favourite part of the Sophie Universe or a section that you are particular pleased with how it turned out in the end?
The corners in the original garden remain one of my favourite parts of the whole project. I am also very pleased with the central flowers on the “short sides”, the “diamond band” and the Scallops.
My most favourite part, though, and the bit that makes me smile every time I look at it, is the roses. I am absolutely thrilled with how they came out. I think they are well worth the hours (and hours) they took me to figure out.
Where do you work? Do you have a studio space or do you work from your living room chair?
Hehe…I work from my dining room table. My “photography corner” is set up in the children’s playroom (conservatory), which doubles as my “studio” and general dumping ground. In the summer it is too hot to work in, and in the winter it is too ridiculously cold!
Where do you get your inspiration from?
Everywhere and anywhere! Street signs, fabric, tessellations, flowers, photographs (of anything). I always look at things and try to see what I can see in them that other people wouldn’t notice. I like thinking outside the box. Pinterest is an amazing source of inspiration and eye-candy. So is nature!
Now we’ve had Sophie’s Universe are you going to have a rest from large motif’s or do you see more in your future?
I am going to have a good long rest. I have promised the boys that I won’t be spending every Saturday and Sunday “working”. I have promised Christiaan that I won’t spend every evening “working”. So for now I am going to allow myself some time to crochet for fun. In a month or two I will start working on my next big project. I have 3 afghan designs I really want to get done, but before I do, I have to publish the rest of the Little Zoo Animals Anette Bak and I are working on. And hopefully write up a few more Amamani patterns.
I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank Dedri again for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer these questions, I’ve really enjoyed getting a better understanding of the process and I hope you have too!
I don’t know if it was the actual pattern or the process of making and photographing it there that made it feel so special to me. I contacted Chris to see if I could modify it and use it to create a mandala. She very kindly said yes. And so I started on my Sophie-journey.
