2017 NatCroMo Blog Tour, March 2: Shelby Allaho

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: Shelby Allaho | Tian Connaughton | Julie Blagojevich | The Yarn Club | 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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Shelby Allaho, eWoodStory

Crochetville is very proud to have designer Shelby Allaho of eWoodStory with us today, March 2, as one of the featured designers on our 2017 Designer Blog Tour in honor of National Crochet Month (NatCroMo). If you’d like to know even more about Shelby, check out our post from last year’s blog tour.

About Shelby:

Shelby Allaho has won numerous design awards, and she specializes in designing unique accessories for women and children, in traditional and freeform crochet. Her work has been published in Interweave Crochet, Inside Crochet, and Crochet! magazines, as well as in books from Creative Publishing International, Interweave, Sixth and Spring Books, and Sterling Publishing. In addition to crochet design, she works as a textile collaborator and is involved in creating and managing interactive exhibitions and community events involving textile arts. Shelby also collaborates with her woodworker husband on the eWoodStory line of crochet kits with wooden elements and wooden items to stitch.

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

All the time! Especially when I am waiting for an appointment or for my daughter at school. I have a project with me at all times!

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

I usually crochet in front of my laptop because most of the time I am writing down what I do. In the near future, I am planning to move all of my work to a dedicated studio room in my house. I can’t wait to have everything organized in one room, it will be a dream come true!

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

Shelby Allaho | eWoodStory | Raindrops Necklace

It is difficult to choose a favorite! My favorite thing to design is jewelry, so I will pick one of my favorite Jewelry Designs, the Raindrops Necklace. I love so many things about it. I love its construction, its elegance, and its richness. It can be worn as you would a piece of fine jewelry and it stands out in a crowd. When wearing the sample necklace I would always be complimented. One friend loved it so much, that I gave it to her! That is the best thing about making your own jewelry and having a pattern. You can always make another one! The pattern is available on Ravelry, in case you would like to know more about it!

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

Weaving, knitting, felting, spinning, and I am hoping to explore the art of macrame soon!

How do you decide what to name your patterns?

It varies, but usually based on an element in the stitch pattern.

Tell us about your most popular pattern.

Shelby Allaho | eWoodStory | Fanfare Cowl

One of my most popular patterns is the Fanfare Cowl, originally designed it for Inside Crochet Magazine. It is a combination of many techniques I love to use in my designs. The surface crochet and weaving combined is really effective and makes a unique cowl. I crocheted the sample in a wool and silk blend which makes it comfortable to wear, and the fiber has a slight sheen which is so beautiful.

Tell us about your favorite camping location.

Shelby Allaho | eWoodStory | Desert Camp

Camping in Kuwait is a little different than how I camped as a child in the US. The tents here are very well equipped and have electricity and attached bathrooms with running water. Winter is camping season here as it is too hot to camp in the summer. They use something like a portable fireplace inside the tents for warmth. My husband’s family used to have a camp for the entire Allaho family. It was like its own little town. Each family had its own tent. They even had a restaurant that my sister-in-law ran. I used to make cakes and cookies to sell there! They also had a stage where my brother-in-law organized activities for the kids every weekend. It was a really amazing and wonderful way to spend time with family! The photo shows the typical interior of a tent in Kuwait.

What is your favorite camping snack/meal/recipe?

Grilled Halloumi cheese 🙂

Visit Shelby’s Site: NatCroMo Specials

Shelby Allaho | eWoodStory | NatCroMo Special | Petals Collar

I will be giving away my whimsical Petals Collar pattern FOR FREE for one week. Transform a simple top into something unique with this statement collar! Click the link above the photo to go to my site for information on how to get your free pattern.

Shelby’s Designs:

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

Shelby Allaho | eWoodStory | Bella Necklace Trio

1. Bella Necklace Trio, $4.95

Once you master the basic concept of making the links, the pattern can be a jumping off point to other necklace designs as you can vary the configuration of the link sizes. Included in this pattern download will be all three versions that you see above. Version 1 features links that are graduated in size, version 2 has a mock bow, and version 3 adds interest with a cord woven through the links.

It is a great project for gift giving, as you can make several with one skein of yarn and it is possible to make them for a group of friends, and choose the style that best fits their personality!

Shelby Allaho | eWoodStory | Nouveau Necklace Kit

2. Nouveau Necklace Kit, $29.95

This multi-media kit features a frame cut from beautiful Rosewood and coordinating variegated microfiber yarn. The background is to be crocheted in one piece, then it is stitched to the wooden frame, and the cords are crocheted and knotted to the frame. The cords can also be crocheted longer for a different look. The wood is lightweight and the yarn is soft, so it is comfortable to wear. It is a true statement necklace that you can make up in an afternoon!

Shelby Allaho | eWoodStory | Chinois Scarf

3. Chinois Scarf, $3.95

This festive scarf includes delicate motifs bravely balanced by strong chain links and unique fringe tassels. A bulky weight yarn is used to create the motifs, and a super bulky weight is used for the background of the motifs and chain links to give them stability. The scarf is worked in a remarkable way, with a partial motif added to the back to make it reversible. It is a wonderful project to showcase the colors in a variegated yarn.