My Story
I have always loved creating. As a child I would design my own crochet creations, crocheting little toys or clothes for my stuffed animals. I crocheted every day, sometimes hours at a time, creating and recreating my designs.
As I got older, I became self-conscious of these handmade designs. I hid the fact that I crocheted from others, and limited myself to crocheting “practical and useful” items, like hats and blankets. I didn’t get the same joy that I used to find in creating my own designs, and pursuing original ideas. This judgement of my craft came from myself. Whenever I have shared my crochet passion with others, the response has always been overwhelmingly positive, but I convinced myself that others would judge me for what I loved to do.
In 2023, when recovering from a concussion, I realized that spending my time doing anything other than what I loved and was passionate about just didn’t seem worthwhile anymore. I started to open up to others about my hobbies and passions, share my own patterns online, sell my creations in person, and teach others to crochet.
My Process
When I am designing a pattern, I always start with a drawing. I like to plan out roughly what I want my finished idea to look like and its proportions. I think about what components will have to go into my piece, and whether I want to work all in one piece, or whether I will create different elements to be sewn together.
Then I decide the specifics: What type or weight of yarn do I want to use? What colors do I want to combine? How large should I make the item?
From there, I start crocheting. I take notes as I go, and go back and redo any sections that don’t quite look the way I want. After 15 years of crocheting, I have a pretty good sense of how different stitches will impact the overall look of my item, but I still have to experiment!
Once the finished item is done, I write up an official pattern from my notes, and then I remake the item using my pattern. This helps me to edit the pattern so that it is accurate.
After editing, I recruit some pattern testers to read my pattern and crochet my item. Their feedback is essential in making my pattern clear, easy to read, and free of mistakes. I make all of the necessary edits, and the pattern is ready to be shared!