Winners have been announced! Please check towards the bottom of this post! š
This is my first rodeo with Crochetville’s National Blog Tour so I thought I’d get my feet wet with a short introduction and then share with you a little about where my latest design trends are heading and a few of my favorites from this past year! (and a couple of giveaways, of course!)
Ā When, how, why did I learn to crochet?
Although Iād love to share with you a nice, warm and fuzzy story about how my grandma taught me to crochet as a young girl, thatās just not how it happened. Yes, my grandma crocheted and I still cherish the items that she made me, but whenever weād visit as young kids she would teach us other important life skills, such as how to bait a hook for fishing (my grandparents owned a bait shop)ā¦ I never did master that and to this day donāt bait my own hookā¦unless itās a crochet hook! š
So just when, how and why did I learn to crochet? Just over 3.5 years ago, my family relocated to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It was shortly after relocating that I found myself feeling the urge to teach myself a new hobby. Missing my family and friends, I needed something to keep my hands and mind busy during that first very long winter. One day in the fall of 2011, while I was out shopping I saw a set of crochet hooks and a Teach Yourself to Crochet Book and knew right then that this was the new skill I just had to learn; I havenāt looked back since!
What began as a hobby making slippers and warm winter hats for my young kids and gifts for family and friends, quickly turned into a passion of mine. After learning the basics of garment construction and shaping, I began coming up with my own designs. With the encouragement of my friends and family, I listed my first crochet pattern in September 2012 and things started snowballing from there. The creative mind is a very active mind (Iām sure most of you can relate) and in just over 2 short years Iāve gone from 1 design to over 100 designs and boy how they’ve evolved since I first began.
When you canāt find me in my at home studio, you can find me in what I call my āmobile officeā.Ā *See the photo below* I love having the flexibility of being able to pack up my project bag, hike out to one of several of my favorite spots and sit down for an afternoon of “work”. Ā Designing is by far the most rewarding job Iāve ever had and Iām excited to see what the future has in store for me!Ā Stop on by my Ravelry shop to take a peek at all of my current designs: Ravelry.
Where are my design trends headed?
While browsing through my designs, you’ll notice that I do not like to stick with one particular garment or item. I have a slight touch of “Crochet ADD” and love nothing more than to push myself outside of my own comfort zone. I truly believe that designing such a variety of pieces keeps me from losing my “crojo”. While I don’t design all hats, bags, slippers etc., I do, however, LOVE to come out with lines for my designs. “Chasing Chevrons” was my first ever line and it is still one of my favorites! A few of my others are: “Perfectly Plaid”, Houndstooth, “Sweet & Sassy” and the latest, “Knit-Look”. Here are a few of my favorites:
My latest design trends…
I crochet. I cannot knit. I tried. I failed. My hats go off to those of you who have mastered both! So because I can’t knit, I’ve become intrigued by knit-look crochet and lately I’ve had great fun coming up with several knit-look designs. I’ve had a few ask, “Why not just knit?”. The short answer, as you may have already guessed is, “I can’t knit.” My alternative answer is, “Because I love a good challenge and love to think outside of the proverbial box.” The following are a couple of my favorites I’ve designed thus far:
“Winter Waves” Reversible Beanie & Slouch
Men’s Reversible Knit-Look Beanie
Today’s Promotions & Giveaways!
When trying to come up with a plan for today’s blog tour, I knew I wanted to give away a couple of my favorites: a Knit-Look Design and a set of Clover Amour Crochet Hooks.
I’ve designed a new “Knit-Look” pattern, that releases today, for the blog tour. My “Knit-Look” Bow Tie Cowl/Scarf is 40% off thru Sunday, March 8, 2015. No Coupon Code Needed. Price is already marked down.
As part of my giveaway, (50) Winners will each Win a Copy of my “Knit-Look” Bow Tie Cowl/Scarf (winners will receive the pattern via Ravelry). *Continue below to the Rafflecopter form to enter for a chance to win!
New Pattern Release Sale: “Knit-Look” Bow Tie Cowl/Scarf is 40% off thru Sunday, March 8, 2015. No Coupon Code Needed. Price is already marked 40% off.
Ā Click on the graphic above(or click here–> ENTER) to Enter to Win the giveaway! Winners will be drawn at 9:00am on Saturday, March 7, 2015 and posted on the blog by noon CST. Please check back here to see if you’ve won. *You will have 72 hours to claim your prize or a new winner will be drawn!
And last, but not least, don’t miss out on the 50% off sale going on in my Ravelry Shop thru Sunday, March 8, 2015! Click on the graphic above to be taken to my Ravelry Shop. Don’t forget to Use Coupon Code: NatCroMo at checkout!
Congratulations to the winners of the “Knit Look” Bowtie Scarf/Cowl pattern!!! š
Flash Ragler
Tricia Hauser
Melissa Johns
Anne Westbrook Mursin
Becky Reynolds
Jen Connors
Rachel Dunlap
Christine Boe
Christy Vaught
Tricia Vermilyea
Teresa Stroebel
Emma Louise Duffy
Seth Monica Ballinger
Barb Desaulnier
Amanda Musgrave Jowers
Crystal Wall
Ann Le Roy
Glenda Darr
Rita Morrison
Candice Capps Wharton
Kary Klein
Sarah Lawson
Jess Ica D
Krystal Soria
Leslie Bath
Jacques St. Clair
Esther Leek
Deborah Bryant
Shannon Gillespie McKenney
Lindsey Lively
Courtney Saiya
Shonie Ann Cade
Catharine Fritz Caskey
Jamie Jager Allen
Emily Truman
Dawn Kelly
Tina Fluman McLerran
Pamela Emerson
Justis Zietlow
Melissa Morrison
Sara Elizabeth Silva Puentes
Debora Trewhella
Martha Marti Sobolow Friedman
Jane Bratton
Renee Ewalt
Dulcy Wentling Harris
Steff Walker
Joyce L Vassar
Felicia Myers
Francesca Fv Bowman
And the winner of the set of Clover Amour hooks is…
Keri Wooderson!!! Congrats!!! š
Please message my Facebook page with your Ravelry username (for pattern winners) to claim your prize! š
I’d like to say “Thank You” to Crochetville for all of their time and effort in putting together an awesome month of designers, giveaways and crochet fun and “Thank You” for stopping by my little corner of the world wide web! I hope you’ve enjoyed your visit enough to come back and see me again or follow me: Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Ravelry.
P.S. While you’re here, don’t forget to sign-up for my newsletter to receive exclusive discounts and be the first to know about giveaways! *The Sign-Up form is in the sidebar to your right.
Great giveaway, love your patterns!
Thank you!
Such great designs, I’m in love with the winter waves hat. I like the two in one option about it.
Thank you! It’s one of my favorites and gets lots of use up here in the frozen tundra!
What wonderful designs. ..I now have a whole new list of patterns I want š
Thank you š
Wow!
Though I grew up with crochet, every now and then I always wish knitting wasn’t so hard and love how professional it looks, telling someone (“I wish…”). But wow again! Your work really DOES look like knit. Congrats; I would not have known if you didn’t spill the beans! š
Thank you! Love your designs!!
Your designs are awesome, I’ve got a few š
I’m also obsessed with the knit-look and my favourite stitch is the Waistcoat stitch.
Love the winter waves!!
HI, such neat designs!
Thank You for sharing+ a great giveaway too!
You are an incredible designer. I saw the “Knit-Look” Bow Tie Cowl and thought there must be a mistake, that’s knit, not crochet. Holy cow, I was amazed. I learned to crochet when I was 10. When I was 30-ish, I decided to learn to knit several times but the muscle memory of holding the yarn in my left hand just wouldn’t go away. Frustrated, I gave up for a few years but finally looked up left hand knitting and found continental knitting. THAT made all the difference. I can hold the yarn in my left hand, the exact same way as I do when I crochet. Now, I actually prefer to knit but I love to incorporate some form of crochet into my knits. The videos I watched to help learn to continental knit is from knittinghelp.com.
Thank you <3