2017 NatCroMo Blog Tour, March 15: Sylvie Damey

A-Glamping We Will Go: 5th Annual National Crochet Month Blog Tour

Welcome to Crochetville’s fifth annual National Crochet Month (NatCroMo) blog tour, taking place each day of March 2017. Join us for a month of virtual glamping (aka glamorous camping), as we visit crochet designers, crochet-friendly local yarn stores, and yarn companies, as well as offer some fun giveaways.

Today’s Posts: Donna Childs | Sylvie Damey | Dragonfly Fibers | Daily Giveaway

Want to Chat about the Tour?

Part of the fun of glamping is the daily round-up around the campfire, chatting and stitching with friends. We hope you’ll join us in our NatCroMo Facebook group, where we’ll be sharing daily camping recipes, campfire songs about crochet, and so much more! We’d also love to hear about your favorite things you’ve discovered on the tour and see photos of your current crochet projects. You’re invited to join us daily for virtual cocktails/appetizers and dinner. (We’ll be sharing links to some fabulous recipes!)

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Sylvie Damey, Chez Plum

Crochetville is very proud to have designer Sylvie Damey of Chez Plum with us today, March 15, as one of the featured designers on our 2017 Designer Blog Tour in honor of National Crochet Month (NatCroMo).

About Sylvie:

Sylvie Damey is a French crochet designer, living in the beautiful French Alps. She loves to design clothes for women and kids, focusing on drapey fabric that follows the natural curves of the body: there is still so much to explore in crochet technique ! Her favorite stitch: dc in the front loop . . . and she works hard at explaining to you why this is the ideal stitch to make garments.

Her patterns are unanimously recognized as “Well written and easy to follow,” and you may have already encountered her signature long elf hoods. Her motto could well be “Fun to crochet & fun to wear!”

Do you crochet in public? If so, when and where?

I do crochet at our local café with friends when we meet for a chat. The staff know us now, and they always have a kind word . . . and tease us about crocheting a hat or a scarf for them.

Do you have a special place at home where you crochet? Tell us about it.

I mostly crochet in my couch, watching some movie or tv show… It’s just my special time for myself at night.

Share the story of your favorite thing you’ve ever crocheted or designed.

Sylvie Damey | Chez Plum | Boreal Coat

My favorite thing tends to always be the last thing I designed 😉

And my “Boreal coat” totally is the design I’m most proud of at this time. I have always loved the colors of the japanese “Noro Kureyon” yarn, which I’ve used in several designs before. But this time I knew I was feeling ready for a full size fairytale coat. One that swirls around, with a long hood, cool textures . . . and super warm colors to shake up the winter.

I drew a sketch and went on the hunt for the best colorways for my coat. Since I live in the remote mountain village in France, there’s no easy way to do that but browse through the Ravelry projects made with all different colorways. So that meant hours and hours of browsing and drooling over the pretty colors. But as soon as I saw the 272 shade, I knew that was it !

Then I started crocheting away, from the top of hood down as usual. After a little experimenting I found the perfect textured edging. The swirly skirt took a lot more time though, as I had to rip and restart several times until I found the perfect rhythm for the stacked increases.

But finally it all fell in place !! And looked just exactly how I had planned it. How perfect… a designer’s dream.

Tell us about any other fiber-related hobbies you enjoy.

I hardly ever knit since I’ve picked up a crochet hook. Who will blame me ? 😉

I do however love to spin my own yarn and love how this has taught me so much about the structure of a yarn, and how this will affect what you’re making with it.
I also do a little sewing, and felting.. and now my friend has just introduced me to weaving. But I try to keep all those “side crafts” as hobbies, as my main interest and focus remains crochet !

How do you decide what to name your patterns?

That is SO difficult sometimes. I am french, so I try to use french words or old french names, because that’s who I am and hopefully it helps create a “story” around my designs.

Tell us about your most popular pattern.

Sylvie Damey | Chez Plum | Roselette Top

The “Roselette top” is my most popular pattern, although my other hooded cardigans are now strong competition.

But the Roselette was one of my very first crochet designs, and certainly my first ever (kid) sweater pattern to date. I actually freestyled my first one directly on my daughter, taking notes as I went. It was quite popular right from the start, and even more so when a famous fabric designer showed the ones she made for her daughters on her blog. Then the pattern became a Craftsy workshop.. and the rest is history.

Tell us about your favorite camping location.

Sylvie Damey | Chez Plum |Favorite Camping Location

Every second year we go to a Fiber festival in the south of France, “Lot et Laine”. All my online friends I usually see on Facebook or Ravelry meet there, and most of us stay together in a cute campground by a river, surrounded by the cutest villages and sheep grazing. It’s just the best !

What is your favorite camping tip?

Don’t forget your yarn and a hook 😉

What is your favorite camping snack/meal/recipe?

Yummy dehydrated soups.

Tell us about any crochet items you take to “glam up” your camping experience.

No finished objects, but I always tend to take wips with me, or a spindle and some fiber.

Visit Sylvie’s Site: NatCroMo Specials

Sylvie Damey | Chez Plum | NatCroMo Special

I will publish a free pattern explaining how to crochet a seamless top-down sweater, with 3 stitch variations to explore. Have fun experimenting !

Sylvie’s Designs:

If you’re not familiar with my work already, I’d like to share three of my designs with you.

Sylvie Damey | Chez Plum | Jehanne Cardigan

1. Jehanne Cardigan, $6.00

This fitted cardigan is crocheted all in one piece, with a very long hood. It feels fantastic to wear, hugging your back closely for warmth… and a flattering feminine figure! The hood is super long, and fits perfectly around your head: this is not a decorative-only hood, but very functional too!

Crocheted in one piece, from the top of the hood down, with inserts for granny squares that do all the shaping for you. Fun to make, and even more fun to wear !!

Pattern is 6 pages long, with tons of step-by-step photos: I am a visual person and like to “see” what i’m meant to do when working somebody else’s pattern (=mind) so I like to include those in my patterns !

Sylvie Damey | Chez Plum | Ermeline

2. Ermeline, $6.00

Chubby cheeks and whimsical hoods. Your little ones will love to run in the hoods all cozied up in this magical elfin jacket. Let them pick their favorite t-shirt and jeans, and a sturdy pair of waterproof boots, and they’ll be ready to jump into puddles, climb in the trees to salute squirels and birds, and look for elves and fairies into hollow trees…

Put a little magic in their life. Make treasured childhood memories happen.

This jacket is crocheted with bulky yarn and a large hook, making it an instant gratification project. It is crocheted top-down in one piece starting with the hood. All the assembly is done while crocheting : Easy peasy !

Pattern is written with a focus on detailed very EASY TO FOLLOW instructions, even for advanced beginner crocheters. Close-up and step by step pictures help you visualize what you are meant to do for each step.

Sylvie Damey | Chez Plum | Loup