Friday Focus: Sarah Moss

During my last year of my bachelor's degree I took a painting class just for the heck of it. I've always been pretty bad at painting and I wanted to improve. Part of our third painting assignment was to make a magazine collage and then bring it in to emulate on our canvases. My professor stood looking at my painting for several minutes as I did my best trying to copy my collage filled with flowers, frills, and shiny bits. Finally, she looked at me rather seriously and said, "You like things that are pretty, don't you?". She said it almost like an accusatory revelation. At the time her observation made no sense to me. Of course I liked pretty things, doesn't everyone? Doesn't the word indicate things that are good to look at? Several years have gone by and I think I finally understand what she meant. There is a certain aesthetic that comes to mind when one ponders the word pretty, and it isn't necessarily an aesthetic that everyone can identify with. Soft colors, sweetness, a little je ne sais quoi. If you've ever taken a look at my Pinterest board for crochet you've probably seen what I'm talking about. So yes, I do like things that are pretty.

Pretty is what I think of when I look at the work of Sarah Moss with Momma's Got Mojo. She is a relatively new designer and I think she's got a good thing going. Her patterns capture the chunky and bold style that has become popular recently while also being feminine. She's here with us today to talk about her exciting new love affair with crochet.

Who taught you to crochet? How long have you been doing it?
I was bit by the crochet bug only two short years ago and my hooks haven’t left my hands since. An old friend of mine from college was selling some of her crocheted pieces at that time and I became one of her customers. I greatly admired her abilities and she really inspired me to give crocheting a try. It soon dawned on me that I loved all things yarn so I decided I needed to teach myself. I picked up a copy of the book “Crocheting for Dummies” and the rest is history. I now affectionately refer to my friend as my “Crochet Nemesis.”

Why do you crochet?
I crochet for many reasons, mostly because I seriously go through withdrawals if I can’t get some crochet time in every single day. I believe we all have an innate desire to create and crocheting fulfills that desire in me. I get great satisfaction when a project turns out exactly how I had envisioned it, and I am challenged to improve my skills when I completely bomb a project. It’s also a way to bring in a little extra income as my heart is truly at home with my two young children and my supportive husband. I homeschool the kiddos during the day and I work part-time evenings as a Social Worker. My late nights are busy finishing the occasional custom order that I am roped into against my will by my awesome and loyal customers (unlike most crocheters, I am not a fan of custom orders) or writing patterns which is my true love when it comes to crochet.

Crochet Favorites
I think most women’s purses are filled with items that are essential to their livelihood such as hand sanitizer, make-up, their pocketbook, an ID, cell phone, maybe some tissues. My purse is filled with crochet hooks, yarn needles, scissors, and a measuring tape. I never leave home without a giant crochet hook and some super bulky yarn. I can’t get enough of chunky, squishy, cuddly crochet goodness. I also love incorporating ribbon, wooden buttons, bows, silk flowers, or any other fun and unexpected materials into my crochet pieces. 

What are you working on right now?
I suffer from severe crafting ADD and am usually working on several projects at once. I have a whole notebook full of pattern ideas I cannot keep up with but I take a break from crochet “business” in December in order to make handmade goodies for my loved ones for Christmas. However, I foresee a new year filled with bows and bling as I am currently working with another small-business owner who specializes in handmade bows and flowers that I will be incorporating into my next set of patterns. I’m thinking that some flirty boot cuffs, fingerless mitts, and a new style beanie is just the thing to chase the mid-winter blues away come January.

A few finished objects...
One of my most popular patterns, the Oversized Sweater Shrug, is my kind of fashion and crochet. It’s simple yet stylish, one-size fits all, and so easy to make even a beginner can tackle it!

I don’t have a fashionable bone in my body, so thankfully, many of the pattern ideas I get are a result of a request made by my fashionista sister. The Cables and Ribbons Wrap is one such pattern and was designed after she asked me for a wrap dressy enough to wear to holiday parties, yet versatile enough to look great with jeans.

My Swanky Chicken Trivet Potholder pattern is a great reflection of who I am as a person and crochet designer. Fun, funky, and unconventional, these zany little chickens definitely march to the beat of their own drums and make a welcomed addition to anyone’s kitchen decor.

The Cables and Ribbons Wrap is my favorite of Sarah's patterns, no contest. When I saw it in the search results during one of my usually Ravelry sweeps I practically gasped out loud. It is just. so. pretty. You can check out all of Sarah's designs, from pretty to funky, on Ravelry, Etsy, and Facebook. Thank you so much for telling us a bit about you today, Sarah!