Friday Focus: Sarah Jane Designs

We've reached the end of the month once again. You know what that means... Friday Focus time! Today's featured designer, Sarah Jane, creates really interesting lacy and textured patterns. Her accessories have such a neat Victorian flair. If you're looking for something a bit different yet still elegant and chic, Sarah's got just the patterns for you. She's here today to tell us a bit about her patterns and about her design career.

Who taught you to crochet? How long have you been doing it?
I have been crocheting since I was about 4 years old (if very long chains count!). From memory I was shown the basic stitches by a great Aunt of mine who was actually blind. I only ever saw her the once but she was patient enough with a curious 4 year old and sent me away with a ball of wool and my very own crochet hook. The rest I taught myself via library books and trial and error (lots of error!). My first actual finished object was a hideous cape thing made from any scrap of yarn I could salvage, using only chain stitch and single crochet which were the only 2 stitches I knew at the time (I was about 8 I think)....I wish I still had it.

Why do you crochet?
I need to be creative, it helps to keep me sane in the insanity of a life that involves 8 children even though they are a mixture of children and adults now. I love to crochet because it’s portable and needs minimal tools, I can pick up a hook and work just a few stitches or spend an entire afternoon ‘hooking’. I have done many other crafts but have always come back to crochet which is my first love. With the number of children in the house it’s great to have a craft that I can pick up and put down at will and that doesn’t include copious pins or other sharp implements, also if I lose a stitch it is only one stitch :D.

Crochet Favorites
Magazines, I love all kinds of magazines for crochet and I get a lot of inspiration from knitting and fashion magazines as well. Pinterest is my very favourite place (after Ravelry of course), I can spend hours on Pinterest if I’m not careful. I have a couple of stitch dictionaries but these days I find most of what I need on the internet. Also www.mooglyblog.com and www.undergroundcrafter.com are my favourite blogs both for reading and tutorials and things.

As for hook I use the cheap aluminium hooks that can be bought on Ebay for just a few dollars, I also use Boye aluminium hooks and love them. I seem to prefer the weight and feel of the aluminium hooks over other types and don’t like hooks that have handles because my crocheting style means that the handle gets in the way.I adore colour and texture, I am inspired by the feel and colour of the yarn as well.

What are you working on right now?
I have just finished a shawl that I am blocking and am part way through a submission piece. I also have a few ideas floating around for a couple of collections I’d like to publish next year. I am also working on a hat but am not liking it so much so that one will probably end up in the frog pile.

A few finished objects...
I am very proud of my Hardware Heaven Collection which combines both crochet and steampunk. It’s made in Jilly yarn from Dream in Color and I loved everything about working on this collection.

Soft as Butter was a departure for me as it is a larger item than I usually make. Creating the pattern and charts was challenging but I love how it turned out.

Frostberry Hat is one of my most popular designs and came from a stitch pattern I saw on the internet that I loved and was determined to use in something...The difference in the texture from one side of the hat to the other is my favourite thing about this.

Sarah is so talented to be able to create such unique and different designs. Take a look at more of her work on Ravelry and catch up with her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Thank you so much for joining us today, Sarah!

Friday Focus: Marly Bird

Well friends, we have reached the end of the month once again. It's finally time for the Friday Focus! This month's featured designer is the very accomplished Marly Bird. Marly is both a crochet and knit designer. She is a published author and runs the popular Yarn Thing podcast. Are you ready to learn about this talented, vivacious lady? I am too! Take it away, Marly.

Who taught you to crochet? How long have you been doing it?
My Grandmother taught me to crochet in 1999 and [I]
learned to knit in 2004 from a dear friend.  The moment [I] picked up the hook and needles, [I] knew that [I] had found [my] home, and HAD to be a part of this industry.  In 2006, [I] said “Adios!” to the insurance world, and did just that.

Why do you crochet?
I used to crochet only for the joy of it but I crochet now for my job and for the joy of it! Best of both worlds. I am truly blessed.

Crochet Favorites
I have many favorites: My favorite hook is a Boye hook but more specifically I love my Addi Colour hooks. My favorite crochet designer is Robyn Chachula. My favorite crochet book...I don't have just one...but I do love my Japanese Stitch Dictionaries. My favorite yarn is Bijou Basin Ranch, Lhasa Wilderness (75% yak, 25% bamboo). And I am not just saying that because I am their creative director. Of all the yarns I use/have used it is still my favorite.

What are you working on right now?
I am working on designs inspired by the Outlander book series and I am working on a crochet book for Interweave to be published Fall 2015.

A few finished objects...
Wildberry Wrap: WHY SINGLE CROCHET ENTRELAC? It is no secret that I am a fan of knitted entrelac, I actually wrote a book about it (I Can’t Believe I’m Entrelac Knitting, Leisure Arts 2014). But I had never seen crochet entrelac made without a Tunisian crochet hook. I knew there had to be a way to achieve the same entrelac look with a normal crochet hook and any other stitch.

It became my mission to figure out how to do this. In my research, I came across one pattern that used single crochet entrelac to make a scarf. Well, I was certain I could improve on the pattern and create my own design. Hence, the beautiful wrap pattern you have here.

In this pattern you will find wonderfully written instructions that include placement instructions for stitch markers that act as visual cues of where to put your hook AND FULL CHARTS included at the end of the pattern depicting the different tiers that create entrelac. There will be no excuse at all for you not to understand this amazing technique once you are finished with this pattern!

Garden Party Sweater: Soft cotton and classic shaping form a posh design. The simple double crochet stitch pattern produces an artistic lace for a polished feel, while the oversized scallops add a touch of whimsy for a charming finish.

Goldenrod: I wanted to design a piece that had easy construction and a stitch pattern that was interesting lace. Cardigans are a staple in my closet and living in CO it can go from 80 degrees to 50 degrees in a matter of hours in the fall so it is always nice to have something that can be thrown on over anything. The Goldenrod fits the bill.

It is made in one piece beginning at the back, increasing for the sleeves is as easy as adding ch sts at the beginning and end of a row where indicated in pattern. The pattern st could be a little tricky if the crocheter doesn’t understand that on the first repeat row of the pattern st it is necessary to ch X number of sts then work into those chain sts before you are back to the original piece. The edging incorporates post sts to give texture around some solidity to such an open lace pattern around the body. Plus, the top chain draws the eye linear along the center of the body which is very flattering :-)

When I design, I try to make all my sweaters available in several sizes and flattering for all figures. This one in particular comes in several larger sizes and would fit just about anybody. Also, it is very easy to to customize and make longer if you want. It is as easy as doing one or two more repeats before adding chs for the sleeves (making sure to still end on the appropriate row number) then making sure that the same number of rows are added to the front of the sweater as well. 

 
Amazing! Marly is so wonderfully involved in so many facets of the yarn, crochet, and knit industries. What a well-rounded professional! You can catch more of her on her podcast, YouTube channel, and website. Thanks for sharing your work with us today, Marly!

Special Friday Focus: Ann D'Angelo

Happy Halloween! I hope y'all have something fun planned tonight. I'm excited to dress up as a hippie and dance the night away with my very close friend Nicki. Have you been getting into the Halloween spirit? I've got just the thing to help you out. Ann D'Angelo is an awesome indie designer. I actually had her over for a Friday Focus before, but since today is Halloween and she's so awesomely amazing I felt like sharing more of her patterns with you. They fit the day very well :) Enjoy!

Tapeworm

Jason Voorhees Amigurumi from Friday the 13th

Creature from the Black Lagoon

Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein

One-Armed Voodoo Doll

Edgar Allen Poe

Friday Focus: Susan Carlson aka Felted Button

One of the best things about yarn is that it comes in so many pretty colors. It's so delightful to softly run those colors through your fingers as you make your masterpiece. Today's featured designer, Susan Carlson, is a master of color. Her patterns capture the best face of the yarn with lovely textures. Don't take my word for it! Feast your eyes on the splendor that follows.

Who taught you to crochet? How long have you been doing it?
I was taught to crochet by my left-handed granny. Since I'm a righty, I'm still not certain how she pulled it off with a distracted and squirmy 9 year old, but I'll admit I found the process intriguing. From there I made only one thing that I can really recall...a hideously long, squeaky black scarf for my dad. See, my granny never taught me how to fasten off, so I just kept going until the entire skein was gone. That whole "not knowing when to stop" was a problem I faced in school, too, as my teachers confirmed. Indeed, I immediately got distracted--for over 30 years--with things like running hurdles, teaching high school sciences, and learning a lot about other crafty things. But then, being inspired by a number of crochet blogs, I found the hook my granny had given me and bought A LOT of yarn. Again, not knowing quite when to stop, I made the most ginormous blanket! But I was "hooked" and have been crocheting ever since! 

Why do you crochet?
I have what I call a very "noisy" brain. I crochet because it quiets the noise. And I remember as a child feeling the NEED to create something... anything. With crocheting, not only do I get a quiet mind, but also a wonderful, colorful, original handmade item to enjoy or share. Plus, do you realize how many colors of yarn there are?

Crochet Favorites
COLOR!! Anything colorful makes my wee heart sing! I love colorful yarn and my rainbow set of Clover Amour hooks! I love soft and colorful cotton, colorful feltable wool, and colorful buttons—hence Felted Button! Why designing and writing patterns? To have someone with their own hands translate and make a tangible creation from what started out as only an idea in my head, well, it’s magical!! Plus, I never have to make the same thing twice—it’s that distraction/focus issue again. 

For me, I tend to be more focused on the art of the design than the current style or trend. That’s probably why I am drawn to blankets and rugs as they are essentially a huge canvas on which to "paint" or "draw" with colorful yarn!

A few finished objects...
Like the Painted Pixels Blanket which is made with 7 colorways of a self-striping yarn. This one was taken on as a challenge to myself to see if I could make these 7 disparate balls of yarn actually look good together.

Or the Rainbow Sprinkles Blanket which came to me as I imagined little sprinkles of color falling against a neutral background gaining more color as they fell into a colorful pile of happiness!

Or the Pointillism Posie Blanket which dawned on me while reminiscing upon my sixth grade art class where we learned about pointillism. Each of the 29 colors of motifs—busted from my stash--makes a little spot of color that adds to the image of the huge flower!

Texture and color are vital elements in my designs, but never at the expense of crocheting that is not pleasurable, as I believe the fun is in the action of hook and yarn in hand, not merely the finished product. So I strive to make my patterns friendly for various skill levels with any unusual stitches and techniques shown in detail. It has to be fun to make, right?!

What are you working on right now?

I am adoring this hooky adventure I am on and hope to continue designing, crocheting, and sharing some happy colorful creations with the world. I love meeting other like-minded crocheting fools geniuses like me and am looking forward to challenging myself with new designs and colorful creations! Now if I could only get focused on just one design at a …squirrel!

Find Felted Button colorful crochet patterns on Ravelry, Craftsy and Etsy. Stay in the “Button” loop with me on Facebook, Pinterest or at Felted Button.

Just stunning, Susan! Thank you so much for joining us today.  

Friday Focus: Kimberly McAlindin

How has your week been? Mine's been pretty busy. My dear friend Nicki is getting married on Sunday (yay!) so I've been doing a lot of thinking about and planning for that in addition to all of my crocheting, errand running, and other daily activities. It's fun to be busy, though.

I'd like to introduce you to a very busy and accomplished designer, Kimberly McAlindin. Kimberly is an established crochet designer and author. What an honor to have her with us today. Here's what she had to say about her crochet experiences.

Who taught you to crochet? How long have you been doing it? 
I taught myself to crochet after going to a friend’s baby’s shower, she received this beautiful basket filled with beautiful crocheted garments. I was a knitter first and was always spending months knitting wedding and baby gifts. I went up to Mrs. Vitale and asked her how long it took her to crochet all of those beautiful sweaters and blankets and booties, when she told me should could whip out a sweater in a couple evenings…. The very next day I went to my local Michael’s and bought myself a hook and a Learn to Crochet book. I was literally hooked! That was back in 1997.

Why do you crochet?
I crochet because I love the freedom I feel when I sit down with hook and yarn. I love how easy and portable it is. I love the speed! I love that if you drop your hook you do not have the panic that can sometimes occur when knitting. I find it very easy to translate images I see in nature into crochet pieces.

Crochet Favorites
My favorite hooks are Lantern Moon Ebony hooks… there is something about the smooth feel of the hook that I just love. Before my obnoxious obsession with those hooks I was an all out Bates girl. Every single yarn I come across I love! I find the challenge in putting the right hook and design to each yarn. I prefer to crochet garments for example, in sock weight yarns. I loved reading Lily Chin's Crochet Tips & Tricks: Shortcuts and Techniques Every Crocheter Should Know.

What are you working on right now?
Right now I am working on a knit design for Red Heart and swatching for a few crochet submissions. I love to swatch! One project is with crochet cables and one submission is for hairpin Lace.

A few finished objects...
This was an amazing sweater! Oh I loved the way the yarn photographed – I worked on this in the summer on the beach and everyone that saw it could not believe it was a crochet piece. The top was a cable that I’d seen in a stitch dictionary and the bottom and sleeves were a single crochet, but you place your hook in the center of the single crochet from the row above which gave a knit look. It is called the Frosted Windowpane and was in Interweave Crochet Winter 2010.

The Sidewalk Shawl is one of my most popular designs. It was made with Debbie Stoller’s yarn Stitch Nation Bamboo Ewe and is available as a free pattern on the Red Heart website. The shawl is a simple pineapple stitch and the shawl is worked from the bottom up - the striking fringe is what really makes this a show stopper!

The Moss Fern Wrap was my first design ever published in Interweave in Fall 2009. This design looks difficult, but is a very easy 2 row repeat that even a beginner can master. I have made this design several times and in different weights of yarn. It is a quick shawl to crochet and I often crochet these as gifts.

Such lovely designs! In all their beauty they still only scratch the surface of Kimberly's design profile, both crochet and knit. You can keep up with her on her website, Ravelry, Twitter, and Facebook. Thank you so much for joining us, Kimberly!

Friday Focus: Julie Lapalme

Saturday waits. Sunday always comes too late. Friday never hesitates! That's right, it's Friday, and I'm in love. In love with what you ask? With crochet of course. Did you think I meant my husband? (Yeah, I love him, too :p) I am in a rather chipper mood at the moment. The designs of Julie Lapalme and her brand Little Squirrel Designs just have that effect on me. She's today's Friday Focus designer and she has some adorable stuff to show us. Julie's designs are full of life with a touch of sweetness. I'm really excited to share them with you today. Have a look!

Who taught you to crochet? How long have you been doing it?
Originally, I think my mom taught me to crochet when I was about 8. I had ZERO interest in it and thought it was extremely boring. My sister would crochet all these cute butterflies and I wanted to as well, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I later re-taught myself when I was 19. So, I have been crocheting for 11 years now.

Why do you crochet?
When I re-taught myself to crochet, I was sick and was looking for a way to pass time. I discovered that crocheting was actually relaxing and helped me feel less stressed and anxious. Also, in the end I got something really cool and handmade out of it. Then it sort of became an obsession. Who am I kidding. It’s not sort of, it is an obsession!

Crochet Favorites
My favourite hook/hooks are these steel ones that I taught myself to crochet with. I can’t remember the brand, but they are very basic, cheap hooks. But, I LOVE them. I have tried other hooks and always come back to my steel ones. I actually start to panic if one gets misplaced. I need my steel hooks!

My favourite yarn is anything Vanna’s Choice. Since I design and create things mostly for children, I like to use acrylics. They wash easily and you don’t have to worry about all your time and effort crocheting being ruined by a spill. Acrylics can be scratchy and hard, but I find that Vanna’s Choice is squishy and soft. I have never had anyone complain about the feel of it.

Honestly, I don’t really have a favourite crochet book. I do have many books about crochet and techniques, but there isn’t one I am constantly going back to. 

What are you working on right now?
Right now, I am working on making a whole bunch of butterfly wings and turtle backpacks for a craft show I am attending in the fall. I haven’t been able to design anything for a while due to the volume of items I need to create for the craft show. It’s a little frustrating at times crocheting the same thing over and over, but I love when a child wears one of my items and it makes them smile. The possibility of having many children wearing my items and smiling pushes me through yet another pair of wings. But, I really would like to get creative!  Hopefully by November I will be back to designing. 

A few finished objects...
Little Heart Scrapghan: This is my most popular design. The hearts are an easy way to use up any leftover scraps you have hanging around. 

Little Sheep Lovey: I really love this lovey. I get a lot of requests to make these up for new babies. I love the feel of the Lionbrand Thick N’ Quick. This pattern works up really fast.

Little Owl Baby Blanket: This is my second most popular pattern. It is a lot of single crochet, but if you want to challenge yourself with cables, give it a try.

Such cute designs! I have seen several people on r/crochet make that Scrapghan and folks just love it. My favorite of Julie's patterns is her Big Bag with Fawn Applique. That little fawn is just so sweet! You can check out more of what Little Squirrel Designs has to offer on her website, Ravelry, and Facebook. Thank you for taking the time to visit us today, Julie. Have a great weekend everyone!

Friday Focus: Olka Novitskaya for AradiyaToys

Holy cow, is it really the end of May already? Good grief. The time has just flown by! It's the last Friday of the month. Do you know what that means? It's time for the Friday Focus! I told you it was here to stay in addition to Remix Friday.

I'm really excited to have our featured designer with us today to share her amazing work. Olka's toys are so very detailed and crisp. They look as if they could come alive at any moment! In light of Stacey Trock's important reminder about copyright, I want to tell you something super cool... the game-themed toy designs depicting Plants vs. Zombies characters that are featured in today's post have totally been ok'ed by the game developers. Sweet! Alright, Olka, take it away!

Who taught you to crochet? How long have you been doing it? 
Internet. Everything I know and everything I do was found on the internet. I watched tons of YouTube videos, how-to pictures and then practiced a lot. I don’t have any heartbreaking story behind this :) But to be true, watching videos and surfing pictures of crocheting is only 5-10% of all you need to do. Other 90-95% is practice. I made many different toys before I found my style and learned how to pay attention to the details, that was the hardest thing. I started crocheting at April 2013 and I liked it very much, because I wanted to make toys, but could not choose the right way of doing it, crocheting is the most comfortable for me.

Why do you crochet?
I tried different kinds of handiwork and liked crocheting the most. Before that I did cross-stitching, made flowers and trees from beads, etc. But as I mentioned before, I always wanted to make toys and once I tried crocheting I just could not stop. The other reason is that I like monsters and other strange creatures. I never liked all those crochet glamour dolls or cute puppies :) Also I like playing weird games such as “The Binding of Isaac”. My taste is a little different than other crochet masters have and I’m trying to express my tastes in my toys, for example PvZ ones :) I feel happy when I crochet, maybe that is the main reason why I do this.

Crochet Favorites
My favorite hook is 1.25 mm, I like it because it is small enough to make tiny details on my toys and it is big enough to replace 2.00 mm hook, for example. But usually I work with 0.75-2.00 mm hooks, they do all I need and even more! Talking about yarn, I really love 100% cotton yarn by Kirov Yarn Mills, I love everything about it. But most of all I like its color scheme. That is the most important thing I care about. I love matching colors, maybe that is one more reason why I love crocheting so much.

What are you working on right now?
Right now I have few parallel projects: a toy for my boyfriend’s game, a few mushrooms for my PvZ collection, and an as yet nameless bear of my original design. I’m always trying to make a few projects at the same time, because I spend so much time making every toy, that’s why sometimes I get bored (when I make ten versions of the same toy, until I get the perfect result) and need to shift attention to another toy. That helps me a lot not to give up big projects.  

A few finished objects...
Chomper by AradiyaToys (Plants vs. Zombies)

Peashooter and Snow Pea by AradiyaToys (Plants vs. Zombies)

Monkey Elnino by AradiyaToys (AradiyaToys Design)

See what I mean? Olka's designs are so crisp and the shapes are spot-on. Amazing! Elnino is such a cute little monkey. It will be great to see what original designs Olka comes up with in the future. If you want to learn more about Aradiya Toys you can visit her Etsy, Ravelry, Craftsy, Facebook, and Instagram. Thank you so very much for joining us today, Olka!

Friday Focus Retrospective

It's May. Did you know that the Friday Focus feature began last May? That's right, this month both the Friday Focus and my blog turn 1 year old. Time flies when you're having fun! In the past year I've had 44 amazing crochet designers and artists visit us on Illuminate Crochet. It's been really interesting collaborating with so many talented people. I am so thankful to each of them for taking time out of their busy lives to be a part of my feature. In order of appearance, here is a list of all of the Friday Focus designers who joined us this year as well as what they specialize in (though they often do much more).

Britni Husband - amigurumi
Rose Langlitz - food amigurumi
Carol Ventura - tapestry crochet
Tamara Kelly - accessories, home, baby
Heather Sonnenberg - baby, amigurumi
Joyce Lewis - afghan blocks
Dendennis - amigurumi
Stacey Trock - stuffed animals, baby
Jess Rollar - amigurumi
Elizabeth Ann White - doilies, home
Susan Lowman - home, accessories
Jade Red - accessories, clothing
Trish - clothing, amigurumi, accessories
Gabriele Meyer - hyperbolic art
Justine Gerns - microcrochet
Aeron Aanstoos - ocean amigurumi
Joy Koestner - amigurumi 
Ann D. Angelo - amigurumi
Renate Kirkpatrick - freeform crochet
Lucy Ravenscar - amigurumi
Aaron Matthew - hats
Sonja van der Wijk - amigurumi
Maja Masar - baby
Liz McQueen - hats
Kathy Clark - accessories, home, clothing
Lara Mouttham - nerdy hats and wristwarmers
Norma Lynn Hood - food amigurumi
Sarah Moss - accessories
Lee Mac - tapestry portraits 
Jen Atchison - accessories
Joyce Overheul - amigurumi, hats
Danielle Kassner - colorwork
Maggie Weldon - home, kids, baby
Jean Herman - amigurumi
Vendula Maderska - amigurumi, accessories, appliques 
Tammy Hildebrand - clothing, home, accessories
Maya Kuzman - accessories
Regina Rioux - home, accessories
Stace Clement - hats
Jenn Wolfe Kaiser - accessories 
Marken - baby, hats
Twinkie Chan - accessories, home, amigurumi 
Carol Wolf - clothing, accessories

Oh man, I am so excited about today's post! I've been keeping an exciting secret for a while and now I finally get to share it with you! I am going to be shaking things up on Illuminate Crochet this year. This month I am unveiling a new feature: Remix Friday!

Here's the story behind Remix Friday. I've had such a fun time interviewing designers. However, for every designer there are about a gazillion hobby crocheters out there who are making amazing things as well. I really want to take the time to appreciate all creative crochet folks, not just designers. Remix Fridays will showcase finished objects by everyday crocheters that go above and beyond the patterns with additions or complete revisions. You're going to love what I've lined up! I hope these Remixed objects will inspire you to make patterns your own and try new things. If you love the Friday Focus, don't worry! I'll still be featuring a designer on the last Friday of each month.

Great things are happening here on Illuminate Crochet. Thanks for reading! 

Friday Focus: Carol Wolf

I love how crochet unites people from many different places. I'm not just talking about geographic locations. Crochet unites people of all different ages and backgrounds, too. I've met and connected with so many amazing people through crochet who I never would have known otherwise. There are so many talented people out there! It's incredible. I love seeing what others are creating. It's like a positive escalator of mutual passion that lifts all of us up.

Carol Wolf is a very talented woman. She has 50 patterns available on Ravelry of all different types, from clothes to accessories to home decor. Her crochet work is classy and classic. And guess what? She does it all just for the fun of it. All of her patterns are available for free. It takes a special person to put in all of those hours of work for the benefit of others without asking anything in return. Let's show Carol how much we appreciate her generosity by taking some time to get to know her today.

Who taught you to crochet? How long have you been doing it?
My mother taught me to crochet when I was about 14 years old.  I was immediately intrigued and started making my own patterns for sleeveless tops.

I have been crocheting now for 48 years!  Of course, there were times when my enthusiasm waned a little.  After the big crochet frenzy in the 1960's,  the look simply went out of style.  But when my two girls were small, I enjoyed making little skirt and jacket ensembles for them.  I really resumed my crochet in earnest when my husband and I traveled the country in our RV for seven years.  Crochet is imminently portable and it provided me with a wonderful hobby while traveling.

Why do you crochet?
What can I say?  I am simply a fiber-aholic!  When I was in high school I loved anything that that had to do with fabric and sewing.  I made most of my own clothing.   Once I discovered crochet however, I realized that it was much easier to design in yarn.  It is also much more affordable and satisfies my need to make something with my own two hands.

Crochet Favorites
When it comes to crochet hooks, I have always preferred the Susan Bates metal hooks.  Not only do they come in the yummiest colors, but the in-line construction avoids the snagging that I get with the Boye hooks.  Of course, I've tried many other types but consistently find myself back with Susan!  For Tunisian Crochet, I really love the Denise Interchangeable Crochet Hooks.  These hooks also have the in-line construction that I prefer.

Trying to identify a favorite yarn is impossible!  The market is constantly changing and some of my favorites have long been discontinued.  However, I might state that I prefer a sport or fingering weight yarn.  Crochet has a somewhat bad rap for producing garments that are awkward and bulky.  I find that the thinner weight yarns result in a more attractive fabric for clothing.

My favorite crochet book of all time is Glorious Crochet Sweaters by Nola Theiss.  The patterns and color-work in this book are simply amazing.  While the book was published in 1989 and features the over-sized  sweaters that were in style during that decade,  the designs are truly timeless.  There is a lot of inspiration in that book.

What are you working on right now?
I saw a knitted sweater pattern recently that had a knotted short sleeve.  I thought that this was a beautiful detail so I am trying to recreate this pattern in crochet.  Of course, I will have to use lace-weight yarn since knotting the sleeve will cause extra bulk.  Not long ago I took a Pattern Grading Class from Kim Guzman.  This class teaches you how to make garments in different sizes.  I thought I might try to apply some of what I've learned to this new project.

A few finished objects...
Heart Throb Tote: I had been working on a scrap yarn pillow that used the spike stitch and got the idea that this stitch looked like an EKG.  One idea led to another and the Heart Throb Tote pattern was born.  This pattern is worked in tapestry crochet.

Pietra Shrug: This pattern is free on my blog, Wolf Crochet.  It is much easier than it looks and keeps you interested while you are working.  One size fits all.

Mien Hut: This little hat ( Mein Hut means “my hat” in German ) was so much fun to make!  It works up quickly but the key is to use a nice stiff cotton worsted.  The buckle is simply 2 plastic rings covered in crochet.

To check out the rest of Carol's pattern selection, visit her Ravelry page. In addition to her blog mentioned above, you can also catch up with her on her Facebook page. Thank you so much for visiting with us today, Carol!

Friday Focus: Twinkie Chan

The Seattle sky has been taunting us lately. We recently had a few of the loveliest, brightest, clearest days ever. Alex and I took walks in the sun, admired the flowers, and smiled at the children playing in the fountain... and then the rain came back and took away everything we love. Okay, so maybe I'm being a bit dramatic, but the clouds are back and it's been cold and sad again. Boo.

If only there was some way to bring color and excitement into this cloudy Friday. Something bright, fun, and sweet. A ray of sunshine and happiness. Oh, hey! Guess what? The day has been saved. Not by something but by someone. This person needs no introduction because I can't possible do them justice, but I'll try my best all the same. Today on Illuminate Crochet we have none other than the amazing Twinkie Chan here to visit us! Twinkie is a super accomplished lady. She's written some of the sweetest (pun intended!) patterns available. She's a published crochet author, a designer, an online shopkeeper, a blogger, and more. Her style is unique and imminently enviable. Here she is to tell us all about what it's like to be a crochet maven.

Who taught you to crochet? How long have you been doing it?
My best friend's grandmother taught us both to crochet when I was about ten years old, so I have been crocheting on and off for about 28 years. I started to crochet more purposefully and prolifically in 2005, and that's when I first launched twinkiechan.com.

Why do you crochet?
I crochet because I love yarn! Yarn is so beautiful and squishy and colorful and comforting. Crocheting is portable, and I can take my work wherever I go. It's how I can turn the crazy ideas in my head into a cute reality.

Crochet Favorites
My favorite weight for yarn is worsted weight, and I work with Lion Brand Vanna's Choice a lot for items in my Etsy shop. Deborah Norville's Everyday Worsted also has an incredible and vivid color palette. I tend to shy away from fancy/luxury yarn, because it would make the cost of my shop items too high, but I still love to admire everything in my local yarn shop! My favorite hook is the Susan Bates with a bamboo handle. 

What are you working on right now?
I'm usually working on more than one project at once, because I have terrible project-ADD! I'm currently finishing up a top secret scarf sample for my mass brand, "Yummy You! by Twinkie Chan," and I also just finished up my pattern for Kitty Donut hair pieces. I think my next move is going to be finally finishing the pattern for a Circus Animal Cookie scarf! That's been on my to-do list for 2 years! 

A few finished objects...
Cupcake Scarf - My crocheted cupcake scarf was probably my most popular item when I first got started. This piece went through several incarnations before looking like it does now, which is the pattern that's in my first crochet book that came out in 2010. These days, lots of other people are making them, but I always have a soft spot for it! 

Kitty Donuts: These kitty donuts are a brand new item for me, and I just finished the pattern to use as whimsical hair pieces. They are based on donuts from Japan that come in all sorts of animal decorations, like frogs, pandas, piggies, anything you can think of!

Mini Chocolate Bunny: I just finished the pattern for mini chocolate bunnies, and the pattern is currently available for free on my blog. They are really versatile and great for pins, hair clips, Easter basket-stuffers, necklace pendants, ornaments, etc!

So presh! How kind of Twinkie to share her bunny pattern for free on her blog. These adorable examples barely scratch the surface of her pattern catalog. You really need to check out all of the sweet and savory goodness yourself! Twinkie Chan and her designs can be found on her website, her blog, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. If you are looking for finished objects and other goodies, Yummy You is the place to be to score some fabulous stuff. Thank you so much for joining us today, Twinkie! You chased the rainy blues away.

Edit: Oh my gosh! Twinkie really did chase the rain away! It was supposed to be yucky today but it's actually pretty nice out right now. Yay!

Friday Focus: Marken aka The Hat and I

Let's do a little experiment. Don't worry, there won't be any hazardous materials involved! This is a thought experiment. You have to guess what I'm thinking. If you had to choose the most loved animal in pop culture today, what would it be? Cats are very loved, but their popularity is pretty enduring. Octopuses were popular for quite a while, but I feel like that trend is cooling off a bit. Foxes are pretty popular right now, but that's not the animal I'm thinking of.

Did you guess? I'm thinking of owls!

Owls have exploded everywhere and there seems to be no stopping them! I've seen tons of owl baby items, household items, clothing prints, jewelry, and more out in the world. The crochet world is just as mad about owls as ever. Searching for "owl" on Ravelry returns over a thousand crochet pattern results. I see owls popping up all of the time on r/crochet. I've even made some owls myself!

Today's featured designer is the Queen of the Owls. It's true! Let me explain. Marken has designed what I believe to be the best, most colorful, and most adorable owl patterns out there. One of her patterns has over 12,000 favorites on Ravelry. Doesn't that number explode your brain?! In addition to her amazing owls she also has tons of other bright, beautiful patterns that are really well done. I'm really excited to have her here with us today. Let's learn all about Marken of The Hat and I.

Who taught you to crochet? How long have you been doing it?
It all began with an admiration of quilts and afghans.  For many years, I wished I could be so crafty and talented to make such lovely and useful things.  As luck would have it, one day, back in 1999, a gal at work brought in an afghan she made.  A co-worker and I were delighted to see such loveliness and asked if she would, pretty please, teach us how to crochet.  To our delight, she said yes!  Although she couldn't teach us how to read a pattern, she could show us how to make this one blanket of hers.  I bought a set of hooks plus a few skeins of Red Heart Super Saver, and I was ready.  The joy of finally learning this craft made me ridiculously HaPpY!  Many months later, I purchased a book to help me read patterns.  That was the icing on the cake.  And the crochet adventure continues....15 years into it, and still, much to do and much to learn.

Why do you crochet?
At this point, I don't think I can stop.  It's too much fun and there are too many things I still want to make.

Crochet Favorites

HOOKS:  Currently, I use the Clover Soft Touch hooks.  I love these, but have recently been eyeing their new (and more colorful) Amour set.  I might be splurging on those soon. 

YARN:  Oh My GOODness....it's difficult to choose a favorite yarn.  Usually, the project chooses the yarn.  Each project is unique and seems to want its own special yarn.  And, with so many choices available, it’s impossible to stick with one brand.  Still, I do have a few current favorites.  For self-striping yarn, Knit Picks Chroma is a dream to work with, and the color changes are divine.  I love it!  My go to cotton yarn is Hobby Lobby's I Love This Cotton, but I also use lots of Lily's Sugar'n Cream.  Acrylics seem to rule my stash, however.  They are incredibly affordable, and I enjoy keeping loads of colors on hand...just in case.  Vanna's Choice is probably my favorite.  All the colors are rich, warm, and blend nicely together.  Hobby Lobby's I Love This Yarn and Red Heart Soft are my other favorites.  Lots of shelf space is dedicated to those three brands.  For making smaller items, such as ornaments, I adore Lion Brand's bonbons in cotton.  Thankfully, those wee little skeins take up no space at all.  With each trip to the yarn/craft store, there seems to be ever more enticing choices....and the yarn stash grows bit by bit.

BOOKS:  I do love a good stitch book.  My favorite book to date is "The Complete Photo Guide to Crochet."  The photos are wonderful, and the patterns are easy to read and understand.

What are you working on right now?

I am hooking up a spring-themed blanket.  And, I decided to splurge on some new yarn for it, Cascade 220 Superwash wool.  I hesitated bringing in a new load of yarn but couldn't resist the delicious assortment of colors...had to give it go! 

A few finished objects...

Owl Obsession – This blanket was my first project using self-striping yarn (Knit Picks Chroma), and I love how it turned out.  I think the owls give the blanket a fun personality and the colors make the whole project happy. 

Floral Fantasy – My first “Yarn Art” project.  All those blooming flowers make for a dreamy garden.  This hangs in my little girl’s room now and offers a splash of color and a bit of cheerfulness there. 

Sweetheart Scarf – I love these linked hearts...it’s a scarf with a message.

  
So pretty! You can see all of Marken's other delightful patterns and more on Ravelry, Etsy, and Facebook. Thank you so much for joining us today, Marken. We're charmed! 

Friday Focus: Jenn Wolfe Kaiser

Although we moved around a lot when I was a child, for the most part I grew up in Boise, Idaho. Boise holds a special place in my heart. From the fish hatchery, the greenbelt, and Camel's Back Park to Goody's, Flying Pie Pizza, and Dragonfly, there's certainly a lot to love. That said, it's rather dry. The summers are hot and while there's a decent amount of snow in the winter... it doesn't rain a whole lot. In fact, it rains so infrequently in Boise that the summer thunderstorms became really special and exciting, leading my friends and I to run around outside in the rain for fun. Being a moody, romantic, and starry-eyed sort of teen, I became obsessed with rain. I dreamed of going to college in Oregon or Washington where it rained all of the time.

I followed that dream. I obtained both my Bachelor's and Master's degrees at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. Boy, did it rain! The rain made everything green and alive. Willamette University is nestled in Oregon's Willamette Valley along the Willamette River. Not enough "Willamette" for you? When I finally moved to Eugene, Oregon to join Alex as he finished his Master's...the very first street we lived on together was Willamette Street! And now, dear friends, Willamette has found me again in the form of Jenn Wolfe Kaiser. She's today's featured designer and she hails from glorious Portland, Oregon (where the dream of the 90's is alive *wink*). Her designs are right at home here in the PNW and make me nostalgic for Oregon. I found her through her Over the Willamette Shawl, seen modeled by her below. Read on to learn more about her and her designs.

Who taught you to crochet? How long have you been doing it?
I grew up loving macrame and cross stitching. It wasn’t until my freshman year of college, 13 years ago, that I was introduced to crochet. My friend had one of his friends from back home come and visit, and we didn’t believe him when he said he’d made his hat. We had to get him to demonstrate for us. He taught us how to single crochet in the round, the only stitch he knew, and to just add stitches randomly here and there to make the piece larger. I’ve been self-taught (and come a long way) since then!

Why do you crochet?
I’ve loved to create things for as long as I can remember: drawing, stitching, writing poetry. Since I learned to crochet, I feel like I haven’t been able to put my hook down. I don’t like to have idle hands, and crocheting is a rewarding way to keep busy. It’s so satisfying to see your efforts take shape into something beautiful and functional. It has also been a great tool for relieving stress: the repetitive activity of yarn crafting is calming. Just a few minutes working on a project can be a great mid-day reset or end-of-day wind down.

Crochet Favorites
The thing that changed my crafting life the most was Ravelry. Before I knew there was a whole community out there with the same interests as me and a seemingly endless library of creativity, I dabbled in simple stitches and never followed a pattern. The site changed everything for me, most notably in two ways: it gave me an outlet to develop my own designs, and opened my eyes to the appeal of spinning my own yarn. I love the vibrant colors of Madelinetosh, Malabrigo, and Noro, some of my favorite yarns to work with, but I tend to feel the most satisfaction while using the yarns I’ve spun myself.

What are you working on right now?
I’m pretty excited about the two new shawl designs I have close to completion. The first, asymmetrical, takes the shape of a mythical creature’s wing, using stitches of different heights to manipulate the shape. The second, a triangular shawl, uses post stitches and an unconventional construction method to imitate a wood parquet floor pattern. In between these, I’m also working on a blanket for a close friend who’s having a baby boy in July.

A few finished objects...
I like to have volunteer Ravelry users test patterns for me before their release. The Bistro Beanie a slouchy hat currently in testing, to be released next week.

I also volunteer for other designers’ tests. Otis the Bat was a test project for Kate E. Hancock (aka Patchwork Moose). Her amigurumi designs are so fun and clever.

Life, the Universe, and Everything is a crochet version of the popular Hitchhiker knit shawl. I did this one in my handspun yarn.

Wow, I just love Jenn's shawls. I can't wait to see how the two in-progress shawl patterns turn out! You can connect with her on her website, Ravelry, Etsy, and Pinterest. Thank you so much for visiting with us today, Jenn! Oh, and say hi to the Willamette River for me ;)

Friday Focus: Stace Clement

I don't care if Monday's blue, Tuesday's grey (and Wednesday too). Thursday -- I don't care about you! It's Friday I'm in love :) Yes my friends, another Friday is here! Do you have exciting plans for the weekend? I'm going to spend my weekend finishing this interesting novel and... crocheting!

Today's featured crocheter is a brand new designer with interesting, colorful patterns. Stace Clement's patterns caught my attention with their bold, chunky texture and nature themes. Nature is important to her. In fact, she works hard to make her designs 100% vegan. She's definitely a designer to watch. Let's take a little time to get to know Stace, aka Zonal, and her style. 

 Who taught you to crochet? How long have you been doing it?
When I worked at Michael's Arts & Crafts in Custom Picture Framing as a freshman at the University of Albany in upstate NY, it wasn't long before I bought one of their 'Teach Yourself to Crochet' booklets & was spending part of each paycheck on yarn.  This was in 1994--twenty years ago now (holy cannoli).  Ever since then I've been learning new techniques & crocheting for all my loved ones, through living in San Diego in southern CA for 4+ years & returning to NY two years ago to live here in Brooklyn.  Ravelry itself is relatively new to me; the first pattern I published there was a 'Sideways Heart <3 Hat' for Valentine's Day just last month!  Now within a month my 'Free Rainbow Cables Cuff Bracelet' has had 500+ unique downloads. This boggles my mind.

Why do you crochet?
Remember the line of that old song "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha Haaa!" when he says "And basket weavers who sit & smile & twiddle their thumbs & toes & they're coming to take me away, ha haaa!"?  A focus on productivity with a rhythm, such as basket weaving or crochet, helps some of us stay sane in this sometimes bonkers world of ours--particularly those of us who are math enthusiasts, because crochet involves a wonderful amount of math.  It has the added benefit of helping me keep loved ones warm through the Northeast US winters, & keep my Southwest friends cool in crochet bikinis. 

Crochet Favorites

Hooks: it's relatively exclusively Clover Takumi bamboo crochet hooks these days in sizes F, G, and H.

Yarns: when I learned about what really happens to animals involved in wool production, it was traumatic (don't look it up if you don't have a strong stomach); as a vegan for 5+ years & a vegetarian for about 22 years for my love of all animals, it's exclusively the cruelty-free fiber blends including acrylic, bamboo, cotton, hemp, linen, nylon, polyester, & rayon.

Books: the one I'd learned by far the most from was The Crochet Answer Book by Edie Eckman, which is small-ish & thick-ish to fit perfectly in any handbag or backpack.

 

What are you working on right now?

Next in the series of outdoor scenes I've been posting crochet patterns for--following 'Crescent Moon Treeline Hat', 'Mountain Sunset Hat', & 'Southwest Desert Sunset Hat', all of which feature color changes (a.k.a. tapestry crochet) with cables--will be an 'Ocean Beach Sunshine Halter Top' inspired by the Pacific Ocean beaches of the Southwest US, which I have completed most of the stitch chart for.  After that will be a 'Deep Forest with Black Bear Hat' inspired by New York, Vermont, & Maine (the stitch chart for the bear is complete), & something with a 'City Skyline' inspired by NYC where I currently live.  Outdoor scene suggestions are welcome, so if anyone has an idea, be in touch! 

 

A few finished objects...

Southwest Desert Sunset Crochet Hat: Inspired by my recent years living in the Southwest US in southern California with trips to Arizona, Texas, & Utah, this design is the most recently posted in my Ravelry series of outdoor scenes that feature color changes (tapestry crochet) with cables.  It contains several saguaro cacti at the request of a fellow Raveler, & a second fellow Raveler had suggested "Georgia O'Keeffe colors" for it in prior pattern comments so I've incorporated his suggestion as well, primarily into the unusual sky, with credits to them both in the notes.

 

 

Crescent Moon Treeline Hat: Away from cities, the sky is sometimes so clear that above the treetops you can see the dark side of the moon fairly well; memories of this, now that I'm in Brooklyn, inspired the Crescent Moon Treeline Hat.  It features tapestry crochet, cables, & a vertically ribbed bottom edge, & has been my best-selling pattern in my month on Ravelry.

 

 

Free Cable Cuff Rainbow Bracelet: It stunned me that this relatively simple cable weave/braid design I'd come up with had not yet been published online, & I'd done quite a bit of searching for it before uploading it to Ravelry as a free pattern to make sure I wasn't stepping on anyone's toes. With 500+ unique downloads just a month after joining Ravelry, it seems others love a rainbow colorway as much as I do!

 

 

Zzzonal.com is my crochet photo gallery site; in addition to a contact form, there are social media links at the top including a link to Ravelry where my crochet designs are.  If you have an idea for a crochet outdoor scene, or if there's a completed project on my site that you'd like to see a pattern for, contact me whenever's clever & I'll be in touch, usually within 24 hours.

I just love her Crescent Moon Treeline hat. Having lived in the Pacific Northwest for most of my life, that hat reminds me of home. Thanks for sharing your fun, new designs with us today Stace! I hope everyone has a super weekend.