Crochet Savvy Magazine | Spring/Summer 2015 | May Accessories Issue

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table of contents Letter from the Editor..................................................................................................... 5 Meet Our Staff............................................................................................................... 6 We Tested Sister Silk Yarn........................................................................................................... 11 Chain Bracelet Crochet Kit.........................................................................................12 We Reviewed Boho Crochet: 30 Hip and Happy Projects..................................................................14 Quick & Easy Crochet Cables......................................................................................16 Quick & Easy Crochet Cowls ......................................................................................17 Wear Crochet: Spring/Summer Fashion 2015...................................................................18 Business Focus: The “Get Out There and Take Some Damn Photos” Photography Approach.... 22 Charity Focus: Charity Crochet Exchange: Who We Are Part 1.................................................28 Cover photo courtesy of Craftsy.com

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Cover Story: Tamara Kelly - How She Went from a Hobby Crocheter to Internet Sensation...........................................................................32 Featured Designers Salena Baca - How She Uses Wars to Promote Crochet Comraderie.............................. 40 Yvonne Beale - Sharing Modern Irish Crochet Design with the World.......................... 46 Monica Jones - Triple Stitch Diva Designs for the Runway............................................ 52 Julie King - Trendy Assessories and Wearables Designer Makes Gleeful Things.............. 56 Crochet Patterns Sequins & Scarf by Salena Baca................................................................................. 60 Sand Dollar Bikini Top by Julie King............................................................................. 62 Golden Kerchief by Julie-Sarah Desjardins................................................................... 68

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STAFF LaTonya “Keturah Ariel” Malinconico Founder/Creative Director/ Blog & Social Director www.knitfabulous.org

Rhonda “TurquoizBlue” Davis Editor-in-Chief www.thisiscrochet.com

Julie-Sarah Desjardins French Editor & Translator/ Blogger www.accrochet.com

Aldonia Secession Staff Assistant/ Charity Director

Karen Thistle Copy Editor

Lamira Fields Feature Writer

Isabelle Barrette Assistant French Editor & Translator www.thewanderingspiderr.blogspot.ca

Crochet Savvy Magazine www.crochetsavvy.com

Facebook www.facebook.com/crochetsavvymagazine Twitter www.twitter.com/crochetsavvy Ravelry http://www.ravelry.com/groups/crochet-savvymagazine

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letter from the EDITOR Dear Crochet Savvy Readers, Hello, I am very honored to be writing my first letter as Editor-in-Chief of Crochet Savvy, and I am proud to have been a part of the magazine for more than two years. I am often asked what type of magazine is Crochet Savvy and why it doesn’t have more patterns.

So, I started thinking of all the ways our magazine is different. This led me to come up a summary of what makes Crochet Savvy unique. Marty Neumeier created the “Onliness Statement” as a framework to define brand differentiation, and using his framework, I will say: Crochet Savvy Magazine is the only free, digital publication that features crochet for readers online who want to know more about the crochet artists behind the work in an era where the focus is often on the products.

We know you love patterns. We love them, too, but there are so many resources out there for both paid and free patterns that we don’t want to be redundant. What we do instead is give crochet artists a platform where they can toot their own horns and share who they are. Creators aren’t anonymous assembly line workers; they are people who turn their ideas into tangible items that can be shared with others. It is our wish that Crochet Savvy magazine will continue to be a vehicle for showcasing these wonderful makers, and we hope you are enjoying what we share. Let us know what you think!

This is our Spring/Summer issue, and we are featuring several fabulous crochet artists who each uniquely express themselves with their hooks and fibers. We are also highlighting carefree, Boho Chic looks that are perfect for Summer festivals and concerts.

No matter our personal styles, I think we can borrow from Boho culture and use a little free-spiritedness to bring something special to our crochet because we are all unique.

Thank you all for your warm welcomes and your continued support of Crochet Savvy magazine.

Take care, Rhonda “TurquoizBlue” Davis www.CrochetSavvy.com

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meet our STAFF Keturah is a debut author and has been in the hiphop industry for more than 13 years. An advocate for charity and having joy through trials, she teaches through motivation and inspiration a message of hope and balance for people, especially stay-athome-moms, who feel that they are completely lost tending to children, husbands and house duties.

She currently has a BA in Liberal Arts and an MBA in Business Administration and is a graphics designer and networker. She loves to use her creativity through arts, music and crafting (crocheting, knitting & sewing) to encourage others. Keturah currently resides in Toronto, ON with her family. For more info about her and her designs check out: www.knitfabulous.org. ~~~~~ Rhonda Davis aka TurquoizBlue lives in Atlanta, GA, where she is a multimedia designer specializing in creating experiences with fiber and digital media.

She has been designing professionally since 2007, and her background includes degrees in Web Design and Visual Communications, along with a MFA in Digital Media Design.

TurquoizBlue’s mission is to help users to have meaningful encounters with design. She is an accomplished designer whose work has been featured in top fiber design magazines. She can be found on her blog at http://www.thisiscrochet.com, as well as most social media sites @TurquoizBlue.

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Aldonia has always been creative. To escape life she would find something creative to keep her occupied.

Just last year she came across the world of fiber arts; and thought, crocheting looks like fun but refused to make your everyday blankets. With no one willing to teach a left handed person to crochet, she taught herself. After practicing and rewriting patterns she saw online she decided to write her own.

She is an active volunteer for the children’s festival and fundraiser of Cochise County and is crocheting winter hats for the teens. She is from Bridgeport, Connecticut and has two loving children.She is also a self taught Left-handed crocheter since 2012 and is the owner of Barnwell’s Delight in Arizona https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barnwells-Delight ~~~~~ Copyeditor Karen Thistle’s Aunt Blanche was the first person to show her the joy and beauty of crochet. During one extended visit, her aunt made a zig-zag afghan to keep Karen’s mom cozy and also a matching skirt, top, and hat created with the same yarn for Karen’s doll.

First lesson learned: crochet means love.

Even so, Karen became a knitter around 1999— blame it on a failure of nerve; at the time, she felt she needed the security of two needles. In 2011, however, she got tired of having to pass up perfectly lovely patterns just because they were crochet.

She grabbed a Boye hook, the book Crocheting For Dummies, 2nd Edition, and a ball of yarn, then started learning the craft in earnest. She’s loving it!

Mom now has a rectangular shawl to cuddle up in as well. www.CrochetSavvy.com

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Lamira is born and raised in Washington, D.C, she began crocheting at the age of 14 and was blessed to have two aunts that taught her this beautiful craft. Lamira started out making granny squares and that quickly turned into blankets. Unfortunately, she stopped crocheting around the age of 17 but quickly began again when she became pregnant with her first son at the age of 22.

Now at the age of 46, Lamira loves crocheting and cannot see herself without a hook and yarn. She loves to crochet blankets, hats (infant, children, and adult), and scarves. Her craft goals are to learn “Crochet By Numbers” technique by Todd Paschall and the Tunisian stitch. You can find Lamira on Ravelry.com in several groups there!

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I’m Julie... aka ACCROchet! I am also mom (& stepmom) to 2 teenagers, almost-wife to a fantastic man, and a communications professional. I live with my family & too many pets in the suburbs of Montreal. I’ve been an avid crocheter for over 10 years, and hope to make you an addict too!

ACCROchet. In French, ACCRO means addict. I am a crochet addict. And am I attempting to hide it?

Gawd no; quite the opposite! I publish my personal brand of crazy everywhere and for all to see! And I trust/hope you’ll join me.

10 years ago today (no matter when you read this, it’ll always be 10 years ago today) I picked up 2 knitting needles and some yarn my mom had laying around, and I decided to teach myself to knit. 22

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minutes later, stressed and discouraged beyond belief I threw the needles across the room and wallowed in self-pity. But then… then I talked to an American friend who was crazy about crochet and she showed me that all I needed was one less tool! Crochet has evolved, has made itself over and is the current up-and-coming fiber star. It is modern and trendy. And so tragically misunderstood.

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Hi! My name is Isabelle and I am the proud mother of two wonderful little ladies of 3 and 4 years old and the wife of an equally wonderful husband.

My family supports me by patiently letting me fill our apartment from top to bottom with various types of gorgeous yarn.

I learned knitting and crochet with books and YouTube about 8 years ago to satisfy an increasing desire for creation. I always have a hook and yarn in my bag juuuust in case I have a crochet emergency (you never know!). I crochet hats, scarves, slippers and mostly softies which I share on my blog L’araignée Gambadeuse at http://thewanderingspiderr.blogspot.ca/

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we TESTED Sister Silk by Heaven’s Hand

by Julie-Sarah Desjardins

As I took the hank to wind it, I didn’t notice the speckled quality of the colour. I believe it may be more evident in other colorways. It was quite a nice surprise to see this added depth of color when I went to photograph the swatch.

Photography by Julie-Sarah Desjardins

Using a 4mm hook, I went for even rows of half double crochet. After reading the description, I was afraid that splitting would be an issue, but it really wasn’t. Perhaps the choice of hook (Clover Amour), or the speed at which I crochet (slow) contributed to almost no splitting by Sister Silk.

The stitch definition truly is completely nuts. The photo is of an unblocked swatch! Incredible? I think so. Sister Silk is an absolute joy to work with: super soft in hand and clean and crisp when stitched.

Remember that silk has very little give (and quite a lot of drape) when choosing projects for this.

YARN SPECS Fiber: 100% mulberry silk, DK / 12 ply Weight/Yardage: 50g - 131 yards (120 meters) Hook Size: 3.5mm (E) - 4mm (G) Texture: Smooth Website description: This 12-ply 100% mulberry silk has a suede feeling after knitting. It is loosely twisted which means you need a clean knitting style to prevent splitting, but I think the result is worth the effort! Sister silk is more stable than a lot of silk yarns, and provides nice stitch definition even when knit a bit loosely.

Find out more at: Hamilton Yarns - http://www.hamiltonyarns. com/ Sister Silk - http://www.hamiltonyarns.com/ collections/yarns/products/sister-silk Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton - http://www.ravelry. com/designers/cornelia-tuttle-hamilton

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we TESTED Chain Bracelet Crochet Kit from Crafted By You

by Karen Thistle Yvonne Beale’s Crafted By You Chain Bracelet Crochet Kit has what I call “event packaging”-elegant in its own right and worthy of its contents.

I found particularly helpful is that she includes both US and UK stitch terms throughout, color-keyed for ease of use, which means I didn’t have to go through and make my own notations.

The materials are high quality. I love the hook, actually, which has a bit of flex that makes using it comfortable and aids my stitch manipulation. The mercerized cotton thread has a sheen that is perfect for jewelry and a crispness which gives the stitches great definition. The beads are as beautiful as you would imagine, too.

The compact box contains everything you need to start crafting: mercerized cotton thread, Swarovski pearl beads, a clasp, a pattern leaflet, and a crochet hook.

The Chain Bracelet crochet pattern itself is lovely and true to the skill level listed (Pattern Grade 2, Easy); she offers kits for all levels at her site. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. One thing

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This is a treat to crochet and it will be wonderful to wear.

Photography by Karen Thistle

Crafted By You Chain Bracelet Kit Cost: â‚Ź24.95 Crafted by You kits are available at www. crafted.ie and ship worldwide.

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we REVIEWED Boho Crochet: 30 Hip and Happy Projects

by TurquoizBlue Boho Crochet: 30 Hip and Happy Projects from Martingale’s Quantum Books is a UK-based collection of patterns from a group of European bloggers and crafters. The designs all invoke the free-spirited, colorful Bohemian style of the late60s/early 70s but with a modern-day flavor.

The book begins with an introduction of the bloggers and crafters who created the designs. Next is the “Project Selector” section, which features thumbnail images that offer a tempting taste of what’s inside.

The projects are divided into two sections – “Crochet for the Home” and “Crochet Fashion.”

The projects for the Home section consist of several vibrant blankets/afghans, pillows, a rug, mandalas and motifs. There are also decorative household items such as potholders, coasters, and mug cozies.

The smaller projects would make delightful gifts that anyone would love to receive.

The Fashion section is very on-trend with what is being worn in the streets and sold in the shops. The projects are great accessories to add for a pop of color. The “Drops of Color Headband” is very easy to make, yet the small piece makes a big statement.

The Floral Bobby Pins are perfect for “girls of all

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All images courtesy of Martingale, photography by Simon Pask

ages,” and can go from cute to classic depending on yarn and bead selections.

The “Blossom Necklace” is a string garland of floral motifs that can be wrapped around the neck several times to create a multi-strand necklace. This pattern can easily be adapted to become a belt or even a floral garland headband. Combine it with the “Star Backpack,” and you have the perfect accessories for the summer festival season.

colors or muted hues. The smaller projects make great gift bag favors for a bridal party or for a little girl’s soiree.

“Crochet Techniques” is the final section, and it is broken into subsections. The different subsections describe types and properties of yarns, tools, how to start crocheting, gauge, basic stitches/techniques, reading patterns and abbreviations-everything a beginner would need to know to get started or and experienced person could use as a refresher.

Additional fashion projects include a hat, bags, a cowl, wrap, and wrist cuffs. All of these fashion items provide multiple opportunities to show off your love for color, whether you love bright primary

If you are a lover of crochet and using lots of different color yarns, Boho Crochet: 30 Hip and Happy Projects is a treasure of infinite crochet possibilities. The projects also provide an opportunity to use up lots of scraps and odd balls of yarn.

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we REVIEWED Quick & Easy Crochet Cables with Shannon Mullett-Bowlsby

by Karen Thistle This marks my first experience with the Craftsy learning platform.

Shannon’s Quick & Easy Crochet Cables class has much to recommend it. He is an excellent teacher: clear, engaging, and funny. He demonstrates each of the stitches required for the featured clutch project, showing them in the context of the nearly finished piece, and highlighting the pitfalls that come with certain elongated post stitches while offering techniques to keep them tidy. He is also very accessible by way of the class discussion area where he answers the questions students post in a timely and kind fashion.

His teaching style is enhanced by the Craftsy site tools which include controls to speed up or slow down video playback and a fantastic button that allows you to loop 30 second long segments of video over and over--just the thing if you’re trying to master a stitch.

The class materials are great (his pattern has the sanest description of how to create a Foundation Half-double Crochet that I’ve seen) and Shannon includes a tutorial on chart reading and an extra pattern tutorial.

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Screenshot of Craftsy class

Quick & Easy Crochet Cables with Shannon MullettBowlsby is an intermediate level class available at Craftsy.com for $14.99

Quick & Easy Crochet Cowls with Tamera Kelly

by Keturah Ariel Malinconico Quick & Easy Crochet Cowls with Tamara Kelly is a great beginner’s course on crochet cowls. What I liked about her teaching method is that she jumps right into the course without boring you with long intros or a teaching on the basics of crochet. This course assumes that you should already know those basics- although it is easy enough for those jumping right into it because Tamara’s teaching style is very informative and steadily paced. I also enjoyed the naming of the patterns and the ease of use of the materials within the course. It was very creative and fun.

This course along with other great crochet classes are all found on the Craftsy platform. It is free to join. You purchase a class and you can access it 24-7 from any computer or smart phone/ tablet.

Quick & Easy Crochet Cowls with Tamara Kelly is an beginner level class available at Craftsy.com for $29.99.

I always recommend new crocheters to join a beginner’s crochet course so that they can learn the essentials of the craft. However in this case, Quick & Easy Crochet Cowls is easy enough for someone who never has picked up a hook before. I highly recommend this class because you learn what to do and then make at least 3 different cowls.

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wear CROCHET Spring/Summer 2015 These looks range from pale tones mixed with white and black to bright primaries -- perfect looks for work and play. Try Polyvore today; it’s a great website that lets you create sets of looks that you love! Special Thanks to all the folks out there who came up with the sets and collections we decided to feature! http://www.polyvore.com

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BUSINESS FOCUS The “Get Out There and Take Some Damn Photos” Photography Approach with Spyros Heniadis

By Keturah Ariel Malinconico

We have all seen them on our favorite pattern sites – great, professional looking photos. We click on them and, no matter what the price, we hit that pay now button. We have also seen the less fortunate looking photos, and skip over them or assume it is a free pattern and click download.

What makes us do this? Why does our brain see pretty Pinterest pins and automatically go into hyper mode? Is our society so much into the “look before we figure it out” mode? Yes. Yes we are. This can be a good or bad thing according to how you view it, but for the most part, our society loves to look at beautiful things.

Why can’t our patterns and products be just as pretty? They can and we can “up our game” in the crochet industry by providing our customers and fans better images and better pattern writing.

For this magazine issue’s business focus, I wanted to find someone who could help teach my viewers how to take better photos of the things they love – in this case, crochet items which would lead to better sales, growth in fans, and more exposure.

Many of us started off with the cheap yarn and a hook … and a dream, maybe. That dream was to

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learn crochet and make a baby blanket or a granny square. Somewhere down the line, that dream grew into wanting to become a crochet wear designer or pattern writer.

In order to achieve this desire without looking like a novice, one must learn how to present one’s own work. This is in the form of photos and pattern writing. If you take random boring photos of your work and stick it on Ravelry or Craftsy, no one will take you seriously enough to actually buy your pattern or Etsy items.

So how do we get from Point A to Point B? We “Get out there and take some damn photos.” This is Spyros Heniadis’ tag line. He teaches people how to transform your boring photos into spectacular items that will sell like hot cakes. (I never had a hot cake, by the way, and have no idea what it is, but hey – there you go.)

Spyros is a leading photography teacher on YouTube with a major following. He hosts various classes both online and in person on photo composition, using lighting to achieve the perfect shoot and which camera settings to use. I was very privileged to interview him and get his thoughts and advice

on how to capture and display our crochet work to show its best value to potential customers.

Crochet Savvy: Welcome Spyros, tell us a little bit about yourself.

Spyros Heniadis: My name is Spyros Heniadis – pronounced (Spear-ohs Hen-e-ah-dis) and I’m a guy that loves photography and teaching! I knew that I loved teaching way before I ever found photography, and like many people, discovering photography ignited a passion in me that I didn’t know I had.

CS: How did you get started in photography?

Why?

SH: I used to work in a used bookstore, and one of the sections in the store that I was responsible for was the art section. This was around 1997 or so. Working in a used bookstore is like working in a candy store, so I was constantly looking at these art books and finding inspiring artworks and artists. Then one day a Bettie Page photo book came in and as I was flipping through the book, I was captivated by the photos of Bettie Page and the amazing joy and life in her. So when you boil it down, it was Bettie Page that got me started in photography.

I’ve been shooting [photographs] since 2000 and sharing what I’ve learned since 2004. I love creating beautiful, intimate portraits and photographing delectable foods.

CS: At what point did “business” come into it?

And how did you get to teaching and mentoring?

SH: I went to college with the intent to be a writer and an English/Literature teacher, so I always was aiming for a career that had creativity woven into it.

However, I got really bored in college taking all of these literature classes that just blended together so I ended up dropping out.

If you take random boring photos of your work ... no one will take you seriously enough to actually buy your pattern or Etsy items.

CS: So what made you pursue your dreams of being a photography teacher?

SH: The real moment of beauty was when I realized that I could combine these things that I love and help other people experience the same joy, beauty, and growth that I’ve experienced with photography.

Despite not getting a degree, I’ve got a knack for teaching. I started thinking about a business in photography around 2001 or 2002, a couple of years after I had been shooting and when I felt my skills were good enough to actually get paid for it.

At that time, though, I was just thinking about it traditionally, as an artist thinking that I would create artwork with my photography and sell it. That didn’t go so well, and I’ll tell you what, for anyone that is thinking about starting any kind of business, you should start right this minute learning as much as you can about sales and marketing. I didn’t know a damn thing about it, and so I never really had a chance of building a business selling art. www.CrochetSavvy.com

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I started thinking about teaching around 2004 when my wife and I moved to Wisconsin Rapids, WI, and I got into teaching sort of on purpose and mostly by accident.

I had gone to a paint-a pot-shop that also offered classes to see if they’d be interested in having me teach photography workshops. They were definitely interested and I was very excited. The problem was, despite having a real knack for teaching, I didn’t know much about creating a course. So I was dithering along with putting together my workshop

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until I got a newsletter from the shop in the mail (real postal mail!) and discovered the owner had scheduled me for a workshop.

It was a real kick in the pants and it got me off my ass and working to actually put my workshop together, and from then on I’ve been refining and creating new workshops where I see demand.

CS: What tips can you give those who craft, especially crocheters and knitters when it comes to displaying our work?

SH: The one thing I try to impress upon anyone displaying their work is to be brutally selective. Show only your best work. In my opinion it is far more powerful to show a few (or even just one) amazing pieces of work than it is to show a bunch of good but not great work.

CS: What are your top 5 no-no‘s or hates when you see photos out there?

SH: This is tricky because when I see photos out there that are terrible, it’s usually because that person is experimenting or learning, so I rarely see photos I hate. I definitely see terrible photos, but I also remember going through my own learning experience and taking photos that were equally terrible (and I still take terrible photos because I’m constantly learning and trying new things).

So I really only have one no-no which is this: don’t use a technique or gimmick as a crutch to try to hide how awful a photo really is.

SH: What you want to look for is a photographer that specializes in the kind of photos you need.

Photography is a hugely varied field and not every photographer has the skill to take every kind of photo and do it well.

When looking for a photographer, I’d be wary of the photographer that shoots weddings and portraits and families and babies and events and boudoir and business and products and on and on.

That’s someone that’s trying to do everything and not really doing anything well.

Now having said that, I want to make it clear that many photographers are definitely very good in more than one field. What you’ll see in the really excellent photographers is that their business typically specializes in one main type of work (despite having other fields they experiment and practice in).

So what you want to see is a demonstrated ability to actually execute the kind of work you need.

An example of this is selective color. Loads of photographers out there will tell you that selective color is crap, but I’ve seen some really beautiful photos where selective color is used with intent and purpose to help create an amazing photo.

CS: What do you recommend for crafters who do take their own photos of their work? Should they invest in courses, watch YouTube tutorials, invest in a DSLR, or get better at the normal point and shoot or iPhone cams that we all have lying around?

I’ve also seen some absolute crappy photos where selective color is used to try to mask how awful a photo is. You typically see it in a photo where the photographer didn’t get close enough to the subject to eliminate the loads of crap in the background. In that case selective color artificially draws attention to your main subject because it’s in color and the rest of the photo is black and white, but it doesn’t really hide that the photo is terrible, it just makes it more obvious.

SH: I defiantly recommend watching YouTube.

Seriously, you can learn so much from YouTube. Of course, I should take a moment and give a shameless plug for myself, and my YouTube Channel (http:// youtube.com/selfhelpphotographer) and my 200+ photography tutorial videos.

CS: So what should we look for in photographers if we can’t get the shot ourselves?

You can go for courses as well. The upside of a paid course is that it’s going to be organized better and typically presented better than it might be on YouTube.

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Now as far as taking your own photos of your own work, the setup does not have to be complicated.

The biggest issue that impacts this is the size of the piece being photographed.

A DSLR isn’t absolutely necessary. It can give you a lot of control over your camera when taking your photos, but you can capture fantastic photos of your work with your smartphone.

acted like they were swimming. So I got down and started shooting.

After a few minutes they wore themselves out and were just laying there. I did the same, acting like I was sleeping, and then I peeked up, got the camera ready and shouted, “wake up!”

What’s more critical than the camera is the lighting, so if you’re on a limited budget I’d recommend investing in lighting before investing in a camera.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a one size fits all lighting solution. The lighting you would use will depend on the area you’ll be shooting in and the size of the pieces you’ll be photographing, but with good lighting, you’ll be able to take amazing photos of your work no matter what camera you’re using.

CS: Thanks for those tips Spyros. Photography tells a story. What was your favorite story that you displayed in your photography?

SH: Oh, there are lots, but probably my favorite is the story in this photo here of my niece and nephew.

It beautifully captures the joy of childhood and the spirit of play.

The story behind this photo is pretty fun too. I was taking our Christmas family portrait and shooting just the kids. We had taken a couple of more traditional portraits, and then they got on the ground and

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As they screamed and “woke up” I captured this shot.

CS: Do you have any other hobbies other than photography?

SH: HAHAHAHAHAHA! I’ve got my camera club that meets every two weeks to shoot, I’m working on learning some marketing skills, I make my own wine (and ferment other things like saurkraut, kombucha, pickles and beets). I keep plenty busy. I do try to keep what I do focused, so the majority of my projects are photography related, but I also love to cook and play with food too.

-end

I believe that we all can improve our skills when it comes to showcasing our products. Even this magazine has had a few makeovers since we begin and is in constant renewal to show our very best.

After requesting an interview from Spyros, I actually joined his online students and I must say- he is a great teacher and personally takes the time to answer each and every question as well as critique honestly to each photo submitted. Now it takes time to do this, which is expected for a teacher with a ton of viewers – but I have learned more from his photography videos than from of my other photography courses that I’ve been enrolled in throughout the years. Go check Spyros out on YouTube and as he says: “Get out there and take some damn photos.” FYI---you can order his catch phrase on a custom t-shirt from his store! It’s freaking awesome!!!!

Find Spyros on: http://selfhelpphotographer.com YouTube: http://youtube.com/selfhelpphotographer Personal Portfolio: http://spyrosheniadis.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/heniadis Instagram: http://instagram.com/heniadis Meerkat: http://meerkatapp.co/heniadis Facebook: http://facebook.com/selfhelpphotographer

Photos by Spyros Heniadis

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CHARITY FOCUS Charity Crochet Exchange: Who We Are Part 1 As told to Aldonia Seccession

Rhonda Moore- Founder I am Rhonda Moore, founder of Charity Crochet Exchange. I have a degree in Graphic Design, and worked for several years in that field. In 2006 I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. By 2007, I could no longer work due to the pain and severe headaches.

But I am not one of those people who can just sit still. I need to keep my hands busy. My mother taught me how to knit when I was 11, but I could only knit (not purl) so I decided to learn. I looked at YouTube videos in search of instruction and patterns.

I found a lot of wonderful patterns, but they were crochet patterns, so I thought “I could do that” and I searched YouTube for how-to videos! That was only 4 years ago. One year later, I had stacks of squares, one enormous afghan and lots and lots of beanies, and I had no idea what to do with them! I thought maybe I could donate them. That is when the lightbulb went on! What if there were others like me, who had all the time in the world, very little money and a need to help others. There had to be!

I had a Facebook friend who lived on the other side of the country who WAS like me. And we thought, what if we found others, we each made squares, and sent them to one of us and we could put them

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together and make blankets to donate. So I started a Facebook group; I didn’t even have a name for it, just called it “Charity Projects” and I sent out feelers on crochet pages. Within a few weeks we had 20 members! And Charity Crochet Exchange was born!

My friend’s husband was in the Navy and I have a lot of friends and family in the military, so our first project was to be for Military heroes who were injured in combat. So we asked for Red, White and Blue squares. We got enough squares to make 2 very large blankets that went to veterans that were in long stay hospital care. Shortly after our first project, my co-founder left the group, but I was determined to make this thing work, all on my own.

As the group grew, I realized that was a challenge.

The more members we got, the more squares we got and the more time I had to spend assembling!

Then, my computer crashed. It was like a sign saying “Hey, ask for help!” I couldn’t research charities online. I couldn’t make the certificates that we send with each afghan. I needed help and Kelly Nash stepped up in a big way. She made the certificates for a few months and did all the research and contacted charities, and it was a huge burden off my shoulders! I offered her an admin position and

THANKFULLY she accepted! She has been with me, helping me for over 3 years! This group would not have survived without her help! We even started Charity Crochet Exchange UK Chapter, but sadly, the lead of that chapter had to leave the group and we have yet to find her replacement. It is impossible to run a chapter in another country while being here in the US. The shipping costs alone would be astronomical. So we are still waiting on someone to step up and take over that group. It has almost 50 members, just waiting for a leader!

Our founding chapter here in the US has now been around for 3 ½ years and we have over 400 members nationwide and Kelly and I couldn’t do it alone! We paid attention to who was willing to offer help, to go above and beyond to help other members as well as us admins. Rachel B. was always quick to answer all of the other members’ questions, and Jen Warren, who was an original member who had participated on our very first project, was always quick to offer to help with assembly, and both of them came to us with wonderful ideas for improving the group, even before we made them admins!! They have both brought so many wonderful things to our group and help me and Kelly so much! We made some VERY good choices for our new admins!

We have been extremely successful with our squares with a different project every month, but we are ambitious! We wanted to expand! We all have so many friends and family members who have been diagnosed with cancer, we wanted to do something for them, and other cancer patients, so we decided to start a Chemo Cap division. In that process, we learned that you cannot make Chemo Caps if you live in a [home with cigarette smokers].

After posting this news, a lot of our members were upset that they could not make hats for charity, so we decided to make a Hats for Homeless division so that those who lived [with or were smokers]could

still participate in making hats without endangering the patients we donate the Chemo Caps to. All in all, it works for everyone!!

I could not have built this group to this level without the help of, not only my fellow admins, but every single member! We aren’t just a group of people now; we are a group of friends, and I think that is one of the things that sets us apart. We encourage, we complement, we share and we are NEVER negative. You will not find a negative comment on our page. We not only help charities; we help each other. We do not only touch the lives of people we donate to, but we touch the lives of our members.

A lot of our members are like me, unable to work due to health issues. When you have medical issues and are unable to work, you start to feel useless.

But this groups gives us a purpose. Makes us feel like productive members of society, when before this group, we didn’t. That was one of the reasons I started this group, to feel like I could do SOMETHING to give back, something to help others, something to be useful again.

I think back to when I started the group and I remember researching other groups, seeing how they ran things, and I remember finding a lot of ways I DIDN’T want to run our group. We have color schemes, where a lot of groups don’t, but we are not specific with brand or exact color. We like to let people use the yarn they have in their stash, or their favorite brand, so long as it is 100% acrylic. (I am horribly allergic to wool, and I do almost all of the assembly) We are flexible with our patterns. I saw a lot of groups that stated if your squares were not exactly 6”, they would not be used. We use EVERY square. If they are a little off, it doesn’t matter, if they are a lot off, I will fix the size. We also accept squares from every skill level. We have people who send in the very first squares they have ever made, and we love that. We also have very talented women who www.CrochetSavvy.com

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have been crocheting for decades. That is what sets us apart. That is what makes this group special.

amazingly generous members we have. They are the heart and soul of this group and every square I receive and every project we send out, restores my faith in humanity a little more each time.

When I started the group, my goal was to help other charities raise money. I wanted to create works of art that could be auctioned or raffled, as well as occasionally giving these works of art to the homeless for warmth, or to others for comfort. We started with large national charities, such as ASPCA, American Cancer Society, Autism Speaks, March of Dimes, to name a few, but as the group progressed, we realized that smaller charities may benefit from our help more.

Those charities who didn’t get national recognition.

So that is what we concentrate on most. We do still have larger organizations that we help, but only if they come to us to request our help. For example, National MS Society has requested our afghans for their annual auction for three years running! But we seek out the smaller places now. We take suggestions from our members and we research locally. We try to find the places with the biggest needs. Every year we make sure we do at least one military related charity, and one animal related charity, but beyond that, we are open to anything that is not religious or political.

Links:

And we like to make sure our members know how much they mean to us as well, so every year we do a member appreciation raffle. For every project each member sends squares in for (doesn’t matter if they send 2 or 20 squares) they get a raffle ticket (or name in a hat) and we draw a name and the winner gets to choose their colors and they get their very own CCE afghan, made by our members. Our members donate time, squares, yarn and the funds we need to ship the blankets to the charities, so that is our way of giving back to them for all of their hard work and dedication. We couldn’t do any of this without the

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https://www.facebook.com/groups/charityprojects www.ravelry.com/groups/charity-crochet-exchange

Part 2 of Charity Crochet Exchange: Who We Are featuring the rest of their administrative staff will appear in our next issue

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Photo courtesy of Craftsy.com

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cover story

Tamara Kelly How She Went from a Hobby Crocheter to Internet Sensation

by TurquoizBlue Tamara Kelly is a crochet designer, writer and instructor. She shares her creativity with the world via her very popular Moogly blog. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Tamara, we will allow her introduce herself to you with her own words: I started crocheting in 2001, if I can recall correctly - all I know for sure is that I’d just had my first baby, so maybe it was early 2002! As soon as I understood the very basics of how crochet stitches worked, I was off and running, creating my own patterns more often than I followed them. I didn’t write any of them down for many years though. Crochet provided me with a tremendous sense of satisfaction, and preserved my mental health through the years of staying at home with babies!

I am inspired by those 3 babies - who definitely aren’t babies anymore - as well as everyday life, special yarns, and just my own imagination! And now that I’m “Moogly” I get lots of reader requests as well. I’m never at a loss for what to make next.

I started looking at crochet as a potential income source on a very small scale, when my youngest went off to preschool but I wasn’t enthusiastic about going back to work after so many years as a stay at home mom. I didn’t have a real “career” to return to, and with young kids, I was worried about finding a job that would allow me the flexibility to care for their ever changing needs. So I thought I’d see what could happen with crochet - and every day I work harder and am yet more amazed at where it’s gone! www.CrochetSavvy.com

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I know that I am incredibly lucky to have achieved what I have - and I love where crochet has led me!

Most of my patterns can be found on Mooglyblog.com, though I’m happy to say that in the past year I’ve had patterns published in Country Woman Magazine and I Like Crochet!

Crochet Savvy: Tamara, tell us about Moogly.

What led you to create your blog, and what does Moogly mean?

Tamara Kelly: I first started Moogly (many years ago) with the thought that I might try mommy-blogging. So I named the site after a word my daughter made up - as a toddler, she used “moogly” to mean anything wobbly or off kilter! We thought it was cute (and as parents, it certainly applied to our lives!), and it seemed like a great blog name.

Alas, mommy-blogging wasn’t for me. But I had put a couple of simple crochet patterns on there, so I let it sit. Later, when I decided to start making a go of a crochet business, the blog was just sitting there... so I took off the “mommy” stuff, left the patterns, and started blogging about crochet!

I have a class on Craftsy, with Lion Brand Yarn: Quick and Easy Crochet Cowls! http://www. craft sy.com/class/quick-and-easy-crochetcowls/4920?showPage=instructor This year I’ll be attending TNNA in May, and the Knit and Crochet Show in July! And I have more big things in the works for this year - fingers crossed I’ll be able to share the news of those soon!

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I know that I am incredibly lucky to have achieved what I have - and I love where crochet has led me!

Photo courtesy of RSH Photography: https://www.facebook.com/RSHphotog

At that point, it was just a way to help promote my finished items. But as I started designing patterns, everything just sort of fell into place!

CS: It is very inspiring to see what you have achieved with your crochet blog and videos.

Do you have any advice for crocheters who are considering doing videos or blogging?

TK: Thank you! I would say, write about what YOU care about. Don’t worry about what other people are doing with their blogs or sites, or what you think people want to read about. Blog about the things that get you excited about crochet and then share it with others who get jazzed about the same stuff. In my opinion, the key is to have your own voice.

For videos there are 3 key things: good lighting, a plain background (no clutter!), and clean nails.

CS: Can you share what a day in the life of a crochet designer is like for you?

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TK: Not as relaxing as most probably think!

When I got started I thought I’d get to sit around all day, crocheting and watching TV - and my house would be so clean! The reality is more like 7-9 hours per day on the computer - answering messages, promoting, and of course writing.

Then mix in kids and phone calls and everything that being at home entails. Add in a couple hours in the evening with (finally!) yarn in hand, and it’s off to bed!

CS: You have a great mix of hats, scares, shrugs, handbags and more. What are your favorite types of accessories to crochet?

TK: Probably my very favorite are cowls and infinity scarves. They’re easy to wear, relatively quick, the size is super easy to customize, and they can be flattering on just about anyone (including me)! But that’s one of the reasons I got into designing as opposed to selling finished items - I like mixing it up and making new things all the time!

Follow Tamara Website/Blog: http://www.mooglyblog.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ mooglystore Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/designers/ tamara-kelly Twitter: https://twitter.com/mooglyblog Instagram: https://instagram.com/mooglyblog/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/moogly/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ mooglyblog

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Salena Baca How She Uses Wars to Promote Crochet Comraderie

by Julie-Sarah Desjardins Salena Baca learned to crochet before grade school, and has had a passion for the art ever since. She began designing patterns that appealed to her own style in late 2009, and her work has been published in various craft and crochet magazines ever since.

Salena has quite a few jobs in the crochet world: she has self-published designs with forums such as Crochet Today, Red Heart Yarns, Crochet World, Inside Crochet and Stitch Craft Create since 2009; in 2012, she formed the Design Wars Challenge, a network of independent crochet designers who battle to be the best designer every week; and in mid-2014, she launched a premium crochet publication called The Pattern Pack, which she’s managed since the beginning. Finally, she is the project coordinator for Happily Hooked Magazine.

Salena loves to travel, is very fond of black licorice & Scrabble, and can do 10 push-ups!

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Crochet Savvy: Salena Baca, tell us about yourself: what inspires you as an artist, how did you start crocheting, and what are the reasons that lead you to create your art?

Salena Baca: I grew up in Hawaii and attended a Waldorf-type school where our entire curriculum was artistically based. In addition to crochet, I learned watercolor, gardening, sculpting, drawing and mythology! This foundation in art wasn’t just taught in the schoolhouse, though. Our community strongly encouraged our creativity in any form --how fortunate for us! Hawaii and my little Waldorf school provided us with the confidence to be creative, and we all became artists of some kind. While I loved watercolors, charcoal sketching, and beeswax sculpting (yes, we really were crafters of all kinds!) crochet was my niche, and it felt very organic to me.

I’ve always been creative and I come from a family of artists, so design and creation has been a very natural aspect of my life.

While I’ve constructed my own crochet patterns since I can remember, I never imagined I would design professionally; that too just came quite organically.

As a child, I learned free-form crochet, where I had to translate patterns and designs based by sight (not a written pattern); I learned to look at designs and figure out how to replicate them, and this foundation gave me the creativity to design what I wanted.

Even though I’ve crocheted my entire life, it was always something that seemed to be poorly represented (something only a grandma would do), so I worked alone and “in the closet” until my twenties. I would probably still be a closet crocheter, too, if it was not for the World Wide Web! Yes, the Internet opened my eyes to crochet like no book or person ever could have, or did; I learned there were beautiful yarns and colors and designs that made crochet relevant and current!

For the first time, it seemed, commercial companies were working to offer yarns in colors and fibers that were appealing, modern, and accessible! Also, new crochet designs were cropping up all over the place, showing me that I was not the only person under 60 who still crocheted, and that (more than anything) compelled me to work out in the open.

While I originally made a bit of a name for myself in infant design, I describe my style as clean, smart, timeless and meaningful. In fact, the more my career matures, the more I find that I thoroughly enjoy creating garments that have an intricate appearance, and are easy enough to replicate. I also like to find new ways of working that make clean seams, joins and color changes so that users can create polished pieces that always look professional! www.CrochetSavvy.com

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CS: Can you explain what the Design Wars Challenge is, and how can Crochet Savvy readers can play along each week?

SB: Design Wars is a crochet design challenge I formed way back in 2012. The focus of our forum is to provide opportunities for independent crochet artists who are serious about their career, ready to progress professionally in their field, and looking to form meaningful networking relationships within the crochet arena! I began Design Wars to collaborate with such forums as Red Heart Yarns, Happily Hooked, Where Women Create, and Inside Crochet to broaden our reach and create a strong and active crochet community!

We’ve evolved over the years, and we now host a brand new challenge every single week!

Challenges begin every Monday, and they’re based on new yarn, seasonal theme, or design type! The best way to keep up is to subscribe to our emails here: http://bit.ly/1FNPTnY. Also, you can follow all the best from our extensive Alumni Network with daily posts on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/DesignWarsChallenge) .

CS: When you’re not crocheting for work, what do you make, who do you make it for and what are your favorite fibers to work with?

SB: I’m always crocheting for work! My friends and family usually reap the benefits of my binge-crocheting though; when I’m working on a pattern, I work out every element of every size until I feel it’s perfect. When I’m done with a design, I usually have a stack of samples that need loving homes. A few weeks back, for example, I wanted to make some washcloths for my sister. I played with a few different textures, found one I liked, and I made 12 in one sitting.

Favorite fibers? Yarn is like food for me; I have favorites depending on my mood, or needs, and it’s hard to say no to any of them!

Recently, I’ve been using Red Heart Crème de la Crème, Red Heart Soft, Knit Picks CotLin and a bit of Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn. You could say that I have a strong attraction for the weight 4 category.

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CS: Do you ever sleep?

SB: Sleep. Can you define sleep? I’m not familiar with that term... I like coffee, carbohydrates, crochet, cotton yarn and cardio! They keep me alert, and feeling alive :) CS: Why is helping other crochet designers such an important part of your life? Aren’t you all at war with each other for the money and glory?

SB: I have a genuine, sincere love for the art of crochet, and I really love to network with other designers who are just as passionate as I am. Crochet makes me happy, designing makes me happy, and positive, creative people make me happy.

To me, it only makes sense to work with other positive people who are looking to accomplish the same things that I am. We get to live our crochet dreams every single day, and love it!

Aren’t we all at war for the money - absolutely not! Money is great, and we are trying to make a bit of it, sure! But I work with designers who are passionate, creative individuals who design from the heart - all of their own style, and usually for their family and friends. The designs we create reflect our experiences and lives, and that’s what makes us all so special.

We respect, promote, educate and uplift each other - that’s worth way more than money.

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Follow Salena : Facebook: www.facebook.com/SalenaBacaCrochet Instagram: SalenaBacaCrochet Website: www.SalenaBacaCrochet.com

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Yvonne Beale Sharing Modern Irish Crochet Design with the World

by Karen Thistle Who is Yvonne Beale?

With over 20 years personal experience in knitting and crochet followed by training in Dress Design at the Grafton Academy of Fashion in Dublin, today Yvonne is inspired by classic fashion & jewelry trends from the early to mid 1900s for her unique designs of crochet jewelry and accessories in both pure leather and mercerized cotton.

“I have enjoyed knitting and crochet since I was a child but have always loved to change the pattern! I just love to re-shape crochet and knitting stitches with innovative materials to look fresh and contemporary for the woman of today.”

Following her career in Public Relations, Yvonne presented her first collection of unique crochet jewelry in 2011 at Showcase, Ireland’s leading craft exhibition to win the acclaim of Best New Product and Best Jewelry Design. Today, Yvonne is one of a select list of designers on the Irish Premium Craft Portfolio www.irishcraftpotfolio.ie and has now established the Crafted by You collection of selfmake crochet kits to introduce her designs and the pleasure of making to a growing international market in shops and on-line at www.crafted.ie.

Fashion and Art Yvonne is an innovative designer of hand-crochet statement jewelry crafted in pure leather and pure mercerized cotton, re-inventing the classic crafts of www.CrochetSavvy.com

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knitting and crochet to look fresh and contemporary for the woman of today.

Since 2011, Yvonne’s designs have been seen on the catwalk at Solas Nua in Washington DC, presented to First Lady Michelle Obama and recognised by leading trend-setting US knitwear magazine Vogue Knitting as “the genius idea of liberating traditional Irish crochet motifs from their backing

and highlighting them as individual pieces in her designs. Her necklaces, chokers and clutches are unmistakably dress-up yet have a funky modern aesthetic.”

In 2012, Yvonne brought her designs further with her outspoken collection of leather & crochet creating further award-winning statement jewelry www. youtube.ie/yvonnebeale and in 2013, together with silver jewelry designer Filip Vanas, introduced the unique Corium collection of leather and silver jewelry www.facebook.com/ coriumcollection view photos.

For her designer byyvonne collection, Yvonne continues to craft statement jewelry pieces hand-crocheted in pure leather and dressed with pure silver attachments. “I work to represent the traditional crafts of crochet and knitting with innovative & stylish designs in jewelry and accessories”.

Since 2013, under the brand name www.crafted.ie Yvonne has worked to give the pleasure of making her designs to fellow crafters and friends in Ireland and around the world with her collection of self-make crochet jewelry kits – Crafted by You. Now in 2015, this collection is available to purchase on line, in shops around Ireland and is being presented to retailers in the United States and at the leading Secaucus Trade Fair.

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CS: When did you realize crochet was something you would do forever?

YB: As a student in my school & college years, I became pretty well known for my crafting and was regularly asked to knit & crochet for friends & family. So for me, my passion for craft has been a way of earning since I was a teenager.

Yvonne’s goal now under the Crafted In Ireland label is to introduce fellow craft designers to the significant growing craft market worldwide on-line and in retail.

Following a downturn in my career in Public Relations in 2011, I decided to take a look at the opportunity to set-up my own business in knitting & crochet design. My very first designs in knitted evening dresses were popular but I then identified more opportunity in handcrafted jewelry & accessories. The variety of stitches, shapes & materials to be used is just wonderful.

Crochet Savvy: Your profile on the Irish Craft Portfolio site (http://portfolio.dccoi.ie/craftmaker/yvonne-beale/) states that you learned to crochet from your mother and grandmother.

What do you recall of the learning process?

Yvonne Beale: Like so many young girls, my memories are of my Mother constantly knitting for one of her 6 kids & my fascination for all she could create from two needles & a ball of wool.

Every Sunday, my Grandmother would be with us and never without her crochet hook & yarn. For me Sunday was crochet day & lessons from my Grandmother.

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CS: So far, you’ve worked with materials as varied as mercerized cotton, linen, and leather, sometimes augmented with pearls and gold chain.

What materials would you like to experiment with for future creations?

YB: For sure I will be planning to work with more exciting & exotic materials. On my list right now are leather, suede & silk to be crafted into new designs for jewelry, bags, belts & even ties for guys!!

CS: What inspired you to offer crochet jewelry make-it-yourself kits at your Crafted website?

YB: From my visits to crafts fairs & through talking to customers, I realized that so many who admired my designs were fellow knitters & crocheters who would enjoy to craft my designs themselves for sure.

For that reason, I decided to develop the Crafted by You collection of crochet jewelry.

My goal now is to take Crafted by You a lot further, introducing fellow gifted craft designers to customers around the world and launching the new “Crafted for You” and “Crafted Collections” labels to the market.

CS: Can you offer any advice to other craft designers hoping to make their way into couture?

YB: For sure you’ve got to be innovative in stitch & material. Don’t always do what you are told in the pattern book!! Little changes can have a big impact & for craft to be valued & stand where it belongs beside couture dress design we need more innovation.

Links: www.crafted.ie www.facebook.com/craftedinireland www.twitter.com/yvonnebeale www.pinterest.com/yvonnebeale www.youtube.com/user/yvonnebeale

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Crochet Resume 1. Best New Product Award, Jewelry - Showcase Ireland 2011 2. Overall Winner, New Product Award Showcase Ireland 2011

-

3. Presentation at the Ireland Show, Secaucus – April 2015 4. Irish Craft Portfolio Listing – 2012 irishcraftportfolio.ie

www.

5. Golden Egg Fashion Innovation Awards Finalist - 2011 www.goldenegg.ie 6. Irish National Crafts Awards 2011 – ShortListing 7. Irish National Crafts Awards 2013 – Selection for Final Exhibition 8.

Irish Arts Review Portfolio – Spring 2011

9. Crochet Necklace presentation to US First Lady, Michelle Obama on her official visit to Ireland in 2011 – letter of thanks received.

10. Selection for show at Solas Nua Exhibition of “contemporary Irish Arts in US” hosted in Washington DC www.solasnua.org 11. Constance Harris, leading Irish Fashion Journalist – personal endorsement on Linked In – Jan 2011 12. Article in Vogue Magazine – Fall 2011

Knitting

International

13. Display of crochet necklace by Rozanna Purcell, Miss Universe – as seen in Sunday Times Magazine – 2011 14. Personal showcase at major shopping arcade Dundrum Town Centre, Ireland - 2011 15. Launch of innovative Crochet Leather Jewelry Collection 2013 – www.youtube.ie/yvonnebeale 16. Launch of Corium Collection with silver jewelry designer Filip Vanas www.facebook.com/ coriumcollection view photos

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Monica Jones Triple Stitch Diva Designs for the Runway

by TurquoizBlue Seven years ago, New Yorker Monica Jones

cannot make with a hook and ball of yarn. She is

discovered that she had a natural talent for

a passionate designer, who likes to mix different

designing crochet fashion. She developed her

styles to create unique designs. Jones looks to

skills to a notable level where she is now known

what celebrities are wearing on television and at

for creating stylish garments that fit and flatter

awards shows to inspire her collections.

her clients’ bodies perfectly.

Jones’ flair for crochet style can be seen during

With an eye for fashion trends and mastery of

the upcoming 2015 Fashion Week, where her

crochet techniques, there isn’t much that Jones

designs for both children and adults will be seen

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Model: Malinda Bell “Yum Yum”, Naturally U Photography

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CS: The work you have done to become a designer whose work is seen on the runways is impressive. What advice can you give to crocheters who would love to see their designs being worn on the runway?

MJ: Be creative, different, unique, and keep the fashion going. Do your own work and strive to be the best you can be, you can do it!

Links Website Site: https://twitter.com/ triplestitchdiv Twitter: https://twitter.com/triplestitchdiv Instagram: https://instagram.com/ triplestitchdiva/ Facebook: https://www.facebook. com/pages/Triple-Stitch-DivaAccessories/258205780922174

on the runway.

Her work has been featured

in several New York magazines and in previous runway shows such as Katwalk Katers, Runway the Real Way, Fashion Ave News, and Unique Blend Models.

Crochet Savvy: Monica, what made you decide to turn toward crochet fashion design?

Monica Jones: It just grew on me with my daughter always modeling and the fact that I have a talent for crocheting.

CS: What inspires you to work hard to differentiate your designs on the runway?

MJ: I want to be different in the eyes of buyers, to be different, and have buyers say, “Hey no one has that!�

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Julie King Trendy Assessories and Wearables Designer Makes Gleeful Things

by TurquoizBlue I learned how to crochet in 2004 with a little help from my mom and a lot of help from the internet! I’ve always been crafty and have always loved designing my own projects, whatever the craft may be. I began designing my own crochet patterns shortly after learning to crochet and felt inspired to self publish my designs sometime in 2006, shortly after discovering Etsy. In 2010, I made crochet design my full time gig!

I started out making a lot of amigurumi and have since gotten into accessories and wearable items. I generally design things that I personally want to wear. I love to keep my designs youthful, trendy and fun to make!

Julie King is a 30-something year old crochet designer and craft blogger from Southern California. She loves Crochet Savvy: Julie, can you describe what your day is like as a full-time crochet designer, crafter to blog about making things by hand, and she regularly and blogger? shares tutorials, patterns, and other inspiration on her blog. We asked Julie to share how she got her start as a crochet artists, and she says:

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Julie King: My days vary a lot depending on what project I’m most focused on at the time. I usually like to check on social media in the morning and after that, I get to work on whatever my main project is for the day. Sometimes it’s a crochet pattern I’m finishing up, sometimes I’m working on a craft tutorial or a new video for YouTube. Later in the day, I’m usually a little more relaxed and will work on a different crochet pattern or some days, I’ll use this time for blogging.

There really isn’t a “typical” day for me, I love having the opportunity to shift my focus between projects.

CS: What are your favorite types of accessories to crochet?

JK: Probably hats because they’re my favorite to wear! :) CS: What is your most-popular pattern, and why do you think it is so successful?

JK: It’s a toss up between my slouchy hats and my barefoot sandals. Slouchy hats have always been popular for me, I think because they’re quick to make and everyone loves a quick project that is also fun to wear! I think barefoot sandals are popular for the same reason, but also because they’re so unique.

CS: Do you have any words of wisdom for crocheters who are hesitant to express themselves through a blog?

JK: Blogging is a great way to make new friendships and also to connect with potential customers.

Whether you sell patterns or crocheted items, people will love to see what you’re working on. It gives them a way to follow along and feel a connection to you.

Building that connection is important because as people get to know you, they won’t see you as just another seller, it’ll make you stand out to them.

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Links: http://www.gleefulthings.com http://www.ravelry.com/designers/julie-king http://www.facebook.com/GleefulThings http://www.twitter.com/gleefulthings http://www.youtube.com/user/GleefulThings http://www.instagram.com/gleefulthings http://www.pinterest.com/oolie

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sequins & SCARF

By Salena Baca

Materials

Yarn: Medium, Weight 4; Example made with Red Heart Yarns in Swanky Soft Hook: I (5.5mm) Beads: Optional. Assure large center to easily strand onto loop: 10 beads for 7” wide scarf, 20 beads for 14” scarf.

Sizing: Measurements are approximate, actual subjects may vary.

Size: 40” long x 7” (14”) wide.

Gauge: 7 rows = 4”, 16 Sts = 4”

Pattern Key

St / Sts: Stitch / Stitches Sl St: Slip Stitch Ch: Chain Sc: Single Crochet Dc: Double Crochet

Special Techniques

Whip Stitch: Using a hook or needle.

Bead Edging: Remove hook from working loop, strand 1 bead into place, insert hook and continue with pattern as directed.

Copyright: This is an original Salena Baca Crochet pattern: Owner / Designer of Baca Creations. This pattern is copyright protected and may not be redistributed for free, sale or trade. Finished products may be sold as long as credit for this design is provided.

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Construction Note: This pattern is worked in two parts (part I, part II) to avoid confusion in row counting, and to place the seam in the center of the garment. This will assure each end row has a scalloped or beaded border as desired. For additional options and sizes, purchase the FULL VERSION HERE.

Scarf Optional Border: Attach yarn onto either side of row 1. Work 2 Sc into every row end, for end rows 35(45, 55) complete the following for 7” (14”) width size: Chain 2, [ skip 2 stitches, (Dc, Ch 2, insert bead, Ch 2, Dc) into the following stitch, skip 4 stitches] 5(10) times, skip 2 stitches, Ch 2, slip stitch into final stitch of row. Continue to work 2 Sc into every row end, slip stitch to join and fasten once border complete. See last page for bead edging photo guidance.

40” Length | 7” (14”) Width Part I Row 1: Ch 29 (54), Dc into 4th Ch from hook, Dc into each Ch across – 27 (52) Dc. Row 2 – 34 (even rows, respectively): Ch 2 (first Dc, now and throughout), turn, skip 2 stitches, [work 5 dc into the following stitch, skip 4 stitches] 4 (9) times, work 5 dc into the next stitch, skip 2 stitches, Dc into the last stitch of the row – 27 (52) Dc. Row 3-35 (odd rows, respectively): Ch 2, turn, Dc into each stitch across – 27 (52) Dc. Note: Fasten after last row worked and continue on to part II. Part II Note: Assure row 1 of part I is wrong side up, attach yarn.

Row 1-35: Repeat row 2 from part I Row 2-34: Repeat row 3 from part I, fasten after last row.

Pattern Swatch Left photo: Row 1 and 2 of the Scarf.

Middle photo: Row 3 of the Scarf.

Note: This design will repeat itself throughout the entire pattern, use these pictures as a reference as needed.

Right photo: Shows the attachment of row 1 for part II.

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sand dollar BIKINI TOP

By Julie King

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This pattern includes sizes extra small through extra large and is intended for DK weight yarn. Choose from a fringe bottom option or a ruffle bottom option. The top will need to be lined so some basic hand sewing skills are necessary. You can easily modify the pattern to use any weight of yarn if you don’t want to use DK. See the help section at the end of the pattern for advice on using other yarns.

Finished Sizes *Measurements below do not include fringe or ruffle bottom. Straps can be made any length.

Extra Small: Each cup is 5 inches wide & tall.

Small: Each cup is 6 inches wide & tall.

Medium: Each cup is 7 inches wide & tall.

Large: Each cup is 8 inches wide & tall.

Extra Large: Each cup is 9 inches wide & tall.

Difficulty Level: Advanced Beginner Materials Size D (3mm) crochet hook or size needed to obtain gauge.

Yarn needle for finishing DK weight yarn. Yardage depends on size.

Small amount of fabric for lining. Spandex swim fabric recommended.

Anything stretchy will work though.

Basic sewing supplies Suggested Yarns: Bernat Vickie Howell Cotton-ish, Premier Afternoon Cotton Colors, Patons Grace, Premier Cotton Fair, Cascade Ultra Pima Yarn used in examples: Bernat Vickie Howell Cotton-ish in Cotton Ball, Gun Powder, Royal Denim and Cotton Candy You are welcome and encouraged to sell any items you make using this pattern! All I ask in return is that when selling online, please credit Julie King / Gleeful Things & provide a link to www.gleefulthings.com.

You may NOT sell the pattern, distribute it in any form, repost it online, or alter it to claim it as your own (this includes charts & translations to other languages). Copyright Š 2014 Julie King / Gleeful Things. All Rights Reserved.

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Special Stitches/Techniques Invisible Join – Here is a video tutorial: http://www. youtube.com/watch?v=bsHggQGFq3A Abbreviations sc – single crochet dc – double crochet trc – triple/treble crochet ch – chain sl st – slip stitch rep – repeat rnd – round ea – each sp – space FO – finish off Instructions This pattern is worked in joined rounds. Join at the end of each round as the pattern says.

Pattern - Triangles (make 2) rnd 1: ch 3 (counts as 1 dc). 2 dc in 3rd ch from hook. [ch 3. 3 dc in original ch.] rep once. ch 3. sl st to join.

(9 dc)

rnd 2: ch 3 (counts as 1 dc). 1 dc in ea of the next 2 Gauge is important so be sure to check it! If your sts. 3 dc in ch sp. ch 3. 3 dc in ch sp. [1 dc in ea of the gauge is off, your top will come out larger or smaller next 3 sts. 3 dc in ch sp. ch 3. 3 dc in ch sp.] rep once. than intended. sl st to join. (27 dc) Gauge: 6 dc = 1 inch

rnd 3: ch 3 (counts as 1 dc). 1 dc in ea of the next 5 sts. 3 dc in ch sp. ch 3. 3 dc in ch sp. [1 dc in ea of the * * * This pattern uses DK weight yarn. If you want to next 9 sts. 3 dc in ch sp. ch 3. 3 dc in ch sp.] rep once. use worsted or something else, be sure to read the 1 dc in ea of the next 3 sts. sl st to join. (45 dc) help section at the bottom of this post.

Visit Gleeful Things for step-by-photo instructions: http://www.gleefulthings.com/blog/?p=7627

rnd 4: ch 3 (counts as 1 dc). 1 dc in ea of the next 8 sts. 3 dc in ch sp. ch 3. 3 dc in ch sp. [1 dc in ea of the next 15 sts. 3 dc in ch sp. ch 3. 3 dc in ch sp.] rep once. 1 dc in ea of the next 6 sts. sl st to join. (63 dc) rnd 5: ch 3 (counts as 1 dc). 1 dc in ea of the next 11 sts. 3 dc in ch sp. ch 3. 3 dc in ch sp. [1 dc in ea of the next 21 sts. 3 dc in ch sp. ch 3. 3 dc in ch sp.] rep once. 1 dc in ea of the next 9 sts. sl st to join. (81 dc) * Size extra small – invisible join instead of sl st to join,

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FO and proceed to edging pattern *

from hook. 1 sc in ea ch.

rnd 6: ch 3 (counts as 1 dc). 1 dc in ea of the next 14 3 sc in ch sp (arrow in the photo above). 1 sc in ea st. sts. 3 dc in ch sp. ch 3. 3 dc in ch sp. [1 dc in ea of 3 sc in ch sp. the next 27 sts. 3 dc in ch sp. ch 3. 3 dc in ch sp.] rep once. 1 dc in ea of the next 12 sts. sl st to join. (99 dc) ch 4. 2 trc in ch sp. 1 trc in ea st. 2 trc in ch sp. 1 trc in first sc of this rnd (arrow in the photo below). * Size small – invisible join instead of sl st to join, FO and proceed to edging pattern * row 2: ch 3 & turn. skip 1 st, 1 sc in ea of the next 3 sts. [ch 2. skip 1 st, 1 sc in ea of the next 3 sts.] rep rnd 7: ch 3 (counts as 1 dc). 1 dc in ea of the next 17 across until you get to the last 2 sts. ch 2. 1 sc in last sts. 3 dc in ch sp. ch 3. 3 dc in ch sp. [1 dc in ea of st. the next 33 sts. 3 dc in ch sp. ch 3. 3 dc in ch sp.] rep once. 1 dc in ea of the next 15 sts. sl st to join. (117 dc) * if you will be doing fringe, you can invisible join to the last st rather than 1 sc, then FO. * * Size medium – invisible join instead of sl st to join, FO and proceed to edging pattern * Ruffles row 3: ch 1 & turn. 4 dc in ch sp. [skip 1 st. 1 sc in next rnd 8: ch 3 (counts as 1 dc). 1 dc in ea of the next 20 st. 4 dc in next ch sp.] rep across. invisible join to top sts. 3 dc in ch sp. ch 3. 3 dc in ch sp. [1 dc in ea of of last trc & FO. the next 39 sts. 3 dc in ch sp. ch 3. 3 dc in ch sp.] rep once. 1 dc in ea of the next 18 sts. invisible join, FO Strap and proceed to edging pattern. (135 dc) ch to desired length. 1 sc in second ch from hook. 1 sc in ea ch. FO. * Size large - invisible join instead of sl st to join, FO and proceed to edging pattern * Weave strap through the trc row by going over one trc and under the next all the way across on both rnd 9: ch 3 (counts as 1 dc). 1 dc in ea of the next 23 cups. sts. 3 dc in ch sp. ch 3. 3 dc in ch sp. [1 dc in ea of the next 45 sts. 3 dc in ch sp. ch 3. 3 dc in ch sp.] rep Fringe once. 1 dc in ea of the next 21 sts. invisible join, FO I’ve been attaching 6 pieces of fringe to each of the and proceed to edging pattern. (153 dc) ch spaces from row 2.

Pattern - Edging Starting in the bottom left ch sp (arrow in the photo below)

Here is a tutorial on how to cut a lot of fringe at once: http://www.gleefulthings.com/blog/?p=6878

And here’s a tutorial on how I attach fringe: http:// rnd 1: 3 sc in ch sp. 1 sc in ea st. 3 sc in ch sp. www.gleefulthings.com/blog/?p=6892 Lining ch to desired length for neck strap. 1 sc in second ch Lay your finished triangles on top of your lining fabric www.CrochetSavvy.com

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and cut out 2 triangles that are just slightly larger. I like leaving about a 1/4” to turn under.

Pin the fabric in place with the extra turned under.

Use a needle and thread to hand stitch around the edge. I just used a simple whipstitch because it allows it to still have some stretch.

If you use this free pattern, please consider supporting me by purchasing a pattern from my shop. Your support will help ensure that I’m able to continue making new patterns to share. Thanks for considering! :) Help / How-To Using other weights of yarn It’s easy to use any yarn with this pattern. Use whatever size hook is appropriate for your yarn.

You want your stitches to be somewhat tight so there aren’t big gaps between your stitches when stretched.

I suggest following the pattern just as it’s written.

Refer to the finished sizes above for an idea of what size each cup should be and stop at which ever round you’re on when it reaches your desired size. So for example, if you want to make a size small, you would work as many rounds as necessary until your triangle measures 6 inches across.

Have fun experimenting with ways to embellish your bikinis! I sewed some cowry shells on (you can find these really cheap on ebay & most craft stores sell them too) and any beads with big enough holes will look good on the straps!

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golden KERCHIEF

By Julie of ACCROchet

Yarn

Sister Silk by Heaven’s Hand 100% mulberry silk, DK / 12 ply 50g - 131 yards (120 meters) x 2 skeins

Hook

G/6 4mm

Notions

1’’ button (optional), yarn needle, stitch marker

Size

36” x 8”

Gauge

20 sts x 14 rows = 4”

Stitch Guide

Ch - chain Hdc - half double crochet Ch-sp – chain 1 space from previous row Sl st – slip stitch Inc – increase (2hdc in indicated space) Dec – decrease (2 hdc together)

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Photography by Julie-Sarah Desjardins

Notes

Rows 32 to 39: Repeat rows 3 & 4 four times (36 hdc)

The ch-1 at the beginning of each row does not count as a st.

Rows 40 & 41: Repeat rows 20 & 21 once. (37 hdc) Instructions: Rows 42 to 45: Repeat rows 3 & 4 twice (41 hdc) Row 1: Ch 2, hdc in 2nd chain from hook. Turn.

(1 hdc) Row 46: Repeat row 10.

Row 2: Ch 1, inc in hdc. Turn. (2 hdc)

Row 47: Ch 1, hdc in 1st hdc, and in all hdc and ch-sp across. Turn.

Row 3: Ch 1, inc in 1st hdc, hdc in next hdc and all hdc across. Turn. (3 hdc) Rows 48 to 55: Repeat rows 46 & 47 four times.

Row 4: Ch 1, hdc in 1st hdc and all hdc across, inc Rows 56 to 59: Ch 1, hdc in 1st hdc and all hdc in last hdc. Turn. (4 hdc) across. Turn.

Rows 5 to 9: Repeat rows 3 & 4 twice. Repeat Rows 60 to 69: Repeat rows 46 & 47 five times. row 3 once more. (9 hdc)책 Row 70: Ch 1, hdc in 1st hdc and in all hdc across Row 10: Ch1, *hdc in 1st hdc, ch1, sk next hdc; until last 2 hdc, dec over last 2 hdc. Turn (40 hdc) repeat from * across. Turn.

Row 71: Ch1, dec over 1st and 2nd stitch, hdc in Row 11: Ch1, inc 1n 1st hdc, hdc in all hdc and ch- all hdc across. Turn. (39 hdc). sp across. Turn. (10 hdc) Rows 12 to 19: Repeat rows 3 & 4 four times. (18 hdc) Row 20: Repeat row 10, except end last repeat with hdc in last 2 stitches.

Row 21: Repeat row 11. (19 hdc) Rows 22 to 29: Repeat row 3 & 4 four times. (27 hdc) Rows 30 & 31: Repeat rows 10 & 11 once (28 hdc)

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Rows 72 to 74: Repeat rows 69 & 70 once.

Repeat row 69 once more. (36 hdc) Row 75: Repeat row 10, except end last repeat with hdc in last 2 stitches.

Row 76: Ch 1, hdc in 1st hdc and in all hdc across until last 2 stitches, dec over last 2 hdc. Turn. (35 hdc) Rows 77 to 84: Repeat rows 70 & 71 four times.

(27 hdc) Row 85: Repeat row 10.

Row 86: Repeat row 76. (26 hdc) Rows 87 to 94: Repeat rows 70 & 71 four times.

(18 hdc) Rows 95 & 96: Repeat rows 75 & 76 once. (17 hdc) Rows 97 to 104: Repeat rows 70 & 71 four times (9 hdc) Rows 105 & 106: Repeat rows 85 & 86 once. (8 hdc) Rows 107 to 114: Repeat rows 70 & 71 four times.

(1 hdc) At the end of row 114, finish off.

Finishing Weave in all ends. Sew button to one corner.

Button through ch sp in opposite corner, or by tying a knot.

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Links: Website : http://accrochet.com Facebook Link : http://facebook.com/accrochet Ravelry Link : http://ravelry.com/designers/ accrochet

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