You’ve arrived at the annual NatCroMo Blog Tour! What is that, you ask? It’s a virtual celebration of National Crochet Month with new blog content daily throughout March, including featured crochet designers, free patterns, discounts, giveaways, and more.
This year our theme is The Crochet Concert and we are celebrating music as creative inspiration. Each featured designer’s showcase will include an “Opening Act” (a quick or easy pattern); “Intermission” (the designer’s favorite crochet tools, yarn, or books); a “Showstopper” (an impressive or unique pattern); and “Designer’s Choice” (any pattern of the designer’s choice).
See all of this year’s tour here: NatCroMo Blog Tour 2021.
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About Alex Halsey
Our featured designer of the day is Alex Halsey of With Alex. You can find Alex’s patterns in her Ravelry store as well as in Happily Hooked Magazine, Annie’s Christmas Special 2020, Knitcrate, and Allfreecrochet.com.
Alex has a passion for designing free and fun crochet and Tunisian crochet patterns and tutorials. She is greatly inspired by knit textures and tries to recreate them with crochet in her hats, shawls and other wearables, but she also loves to design cute amigurumi as well. As a chronic illness warrior, Alex loves sharing her journey, recipes, patterns and tutorials on her blog and YouTube channel. When she isn’t crocheting or writing, you can find her in the kitchen cooking a yummy meal with ingredients from her own little garden. She also loves nature and hikes and hopes to own her own farm someday.
Alex’s Special for Our Readers
Get Alex’s Simple Tunisian Market Bag Pattern PDF free for limited time (Marach 30-31, 2021) with coupon code CROCHETWITHALEX on Ravelry. Get the pattern here: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/simple-tunisian-market-bag and apply the coupon code in your cart before checking out.
Alex’s Creative Inspiration
Is music a source of inspiration for your crochet creativity? Or do you listen to music while you crochet? If so, tell us about it. If not, what is something else that helps fuel your creative inspiration?
I love to listen to music while I crochet. If I’m not listening to one of my playlists or my record player, my son is either playing his trombone or his guitar. Listening to music helps me get in that zone and I can crochet and enjoy myself for hours without even realizing how much time has passed. It’s extra special when I am listening to my son play music and the whole house is filled with sounds from his trombone or electric guitar. Listening to him play while I crochet is one of my favorite times of day, every single day.
Can you recommend one or two songs/pieces of music you find inspirational?
“Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley
“Over The Rainbow” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, but I love Judy Garland’s version too.
Design Showcase: The Opening Act
Pattern name: Puffball Gnomette
Get the pattern: https://www.withalexofficialblog.com/2018/01/puffball-gnomette-free-crochet-pattern.html
About the pattern: Puffball Gnomette is a wonderful gift to give to the gnome lovers in your life. A yarn pom pom makes her dress and with minimal crochet parts and braids, she is super adorable, easy and fun to make.
Intermission
Tell us about one (or more) of your favorite crochet-related items.
My absolute favorite crochet hooks to use are the Streamline and Streamline Swirls by Furls Crochet. I love how lightweight the hooks are and how the shape of them fits in my hand. The yarn always glides smoothly over the hooks, no matter what kind of yarn I am using and it always makes my crochet experience that much more relaxing and fun.
Design Showcase: The Showstopper
Pattern name: Mary Hooded Shawl
Get the pattern: https://www.withalexofficialblog.com/2019/10/mary-hooded-shawl-free-crochet-pattern.html
About the pattern: The Mary Hooded Shawl is an over-sized rectangle scarf with a comfy hood. This shawl has a lace checkerboard pattern and a fun, whimsical border. It has an easy to remember repeat and since it’s made with a size J crochet hook, it works up relatively fast. You’ll be snuggled in your Mary Hooded Shawl in no time!
Design Showcase: Designer’s Choice
Pattern name: Hidden Butterfly Cowl
Get the pattern: https://www.withalexofficialblog.com/2020/12/crochet-butterfly-cowl-and-giveaway.html
About the pattern: The Hidden Butterfly Cowl is worked mainly in the waistcoat stitch, which gives it the lovely knitted looking texture. The butterflies seem to float out of the stitches, making the effect subtle, but very pretty. Play around with different yarns to give this simple but beautiful texture an even more unique look. This cowl is not only beautiful, but very cozy as well!
Fun Ukulele Song With Alex
A couple of years ago I got a ukulele for my birthday. It is such a relaxing instrument to play and I really love it. I wrote a crochet song and make a music video to go along with it. The song is fun, a little quirky, and about different types of crocheters, all played by me in the video. I had a lot of fun writing it and making the video.
Follow Alex Online
Here’s where you can connect with Alex online to be sure you don’t miss any of her new designs!
- Website: withalexofficial.com
- Blog: withalexofficialblog.com
- Instagram: @_with_alex
- Facebook: @withalexcommunity
- Twitter: @_with_alex
- YouTube: youtube.com/withalexofficial
- Pinterest: @withalexofficial
- Ravelry: Alexandra Halsey – Ravelry designer portfolio
- Newsletter: Subscribe to the With Alex free newsletter
Explore Blog Tour Featured Designers
