2017 NatCroMo Blog Tour, March 25: Valerie Bracegirdle

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: Suzann Thompson | Ana Dyakova | Valerie Bracegirdle | 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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Valerie Bracegirdle, Agrarian Artisan

Valerie Bracegirdle | Agrarian Artisan

Crochetville is very proud to have designer Valerie Bracegirdle with us today, March 25, as one of the featured designers on our 2017 Designer Blog Tour in honor of National Crochet Month (NatCroMo).

About Valerie:

Valerie describes herself as an ‘accidental designer’ because she didn’t set off to become a designer—it just happened somewhere along the path of enjoying crochet and knitting. Having crocheted from an early age, her career in finance kept her too busy to indulge, until one day she gave up the day job and allowed indulgence to take hold. She has designed crochet and knitting for over 7 years and is a highly-respected technical and copy editor.

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

A regular at the local knit group, you can find Valerie several times a week in cafes and restaurants, hook or needles in hand and coffee never far from her lips.

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

Home is haven for Valerie: She crochets everywhere (well, perhaps not the bathroom!) and never too far from her yarn-addict cat!

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

Valerie Bracegirdle | Agrarian Artisan | Sunshine Mandala

Everything is a favourite, but perhaps the most meaningful is Valerie’s first ever mandala design, which was crocheted at a time she was feeling quite low and instinctively used crochet and colour therapy to life her mood: the Sunshine Mandala.

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

Valerie is not just a crocheter, but is also a knitter, sewer, and spinner. Valerie’s first-ever paid design was a knitted shawl, and it remains her most popular seller.

How do you decide what to name your patterns?

With difficulty! Valerie’s latest designs are named after her family matriarchs.

Tell us about your most popular pattern.

Valerie Bracegirdle | Agrarian Artisan | Angel Wisp Shawl

Popularity varies through the years. This last year, Valerie’s most popular pattern was a free crochet motif that has been downloaded thousands of times. Her most popular paid pattern is a knitted shawl, closely followed by a crochet shawl: Angel Wisp.

Visit Valerie’s Site: NatCroMo Specials

Valerie Bracegirdle | Agrarian Artisan | NatCroMo Specials

Valerie will be offering 10% off all patterns on Ravelry using a coupon code. A special mini mandala pattern will also be available free until end of March, via Ravelry and using a coupon code. Please click the link above the photo to go to Valerie’s site for all the details.

Valerie’s Designs:

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

Valerie Bracegirdle | Agrarian Artisan | Let It Snow

1. Let It Snow, $5.00

Everyone loves snowflakes, don’t they?

Originally published in Mollie Makes issue no 60, Let It Snow is a festive table runner made with versatile snowflake motifs, which can be used individually as wine coasters or hanging decorations. For the coasters and table runner, choose colours to suit your décor and mix and match the four sizes and three styles of motifs. For a hanging decoration, use white mercerised cotton, with a sheen that will make your snowflake glow and a stiffness that will help keep its shape. Or be adventurous and make a throw, glistening with snow.

Valerie Bracegirdle | Agrarian Artisan | Spring Blossom Blanket

2. Spring Blossom Blanket, $5.00

The Spring Blossom Blanket was designed for a CAL. This blanket has four different hexagonal motifs. The name Spring Blossom comes from the scattering of pale colours, some of a floral design, over the whole blanket. The blanket uses a simple join-as-you-go technique, which adds to the floral feel.

Valerie Bracegirdle | Agrarian Artisan | Anniversary Mandala Cushion

3. Anniversary Mandala Cushion, $5.00

This design was launched as a CAL to celebrate the 3rd anniversary of the Agrarian Artisan Designs’ Ravelry group. It is mandala-inspired and therefore as colourful as you like. It is also a great stashbuster. The design is motif-based: there are three sizes of motif designs that fit together. Designed as a cushion, but the motifs can be used to make a scarf, wide scarf/wrap, or even a blanket. Ideas for layouts for these are provided in the pattern.