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!