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National Crochet Month:
Welcome to Crochetville’s third annual Designer Blog Tour, taking place all throughout March 2015 in celebration of National Crochet Month (NatCroMo). Each day on our blog, you will find 1) in-depth profile posts for two crochet designers, with a link to their blogs so you can see what specials (free patterns, discount coupon codes, tutorials, etc.) they may be offering for NatCroMo, 2) a daily giveaway post with entries open from 8:00 AM CST to 8:00 AM CST the following day, and 3) during the last week of the month, daily posts from a Crochet Guild of America board member. Join us each day for a new surprise!
Today’s Posts: Amanda Saladin, Designing Crochet | Kathy Kelly | Daily Giveaway | Halos of Hope Hat Collection | Complete Designer Schedule
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Amanda Saladin, Designing Crochet
Crochetville is very proud to have designer Amanda Saladin of Designing Crochet with us today, March 11, as one of the featured designers on our 2015 Designer Blog Tour in honor of National Crochet Month (NatCroMo).
Three Truths and a Lie:
Take a guess as to which of the following statements isn’t true. We’ll try to let you know which statement is “The Lie” somewhere in this post. If we just can’t work it in, we’ll post the truth at the bottom of the post!
- Amanda currently teaches high school family and consumer science.
- She is the proud owner of 10 chickens and 2 ducks.
- Amanda is the proud mom of three little girls.
- She got married in jail.
Amanda’s Designs:
If you’re not familiar with her work already, we’d like to share two of Amanda’s designs with you.
Buckle Bag, FREE pattern on Amanda’s blog
Jetsetter Sweater, published in Crochet Today! May/June 2012
About Amanda:
Amanda had been a knitter for four years before she finally got the hang of crochet in 2006. When she first tried to learn on her own, she just couldn’t see how the stitches worked together. Amanda was teaching elementary art at the time. Her neighboring art teacher knew how to crochet, so Amanda asked her for some help. With her co-worker’s assistance, she finally got it. Her passion for crochet was born!
Amanda’s first project was a sheep pattern from an issue of Better Homes and Gardens Simply Creative Crochet. She still has the sheep she named Gabe.
Although she has a bachelor’s degree in fashion design and has always enjoyed designing, Amanda didn’t put her love of crochet and design together until 2011. She entered several items in her state fair and received 1st or 2nd place ribbons on every entry. At that time, she decided to try her hand at designing. She hasn’t looked back since!
Amanda creates a lot of her designs with beginners in mind, but she still tries to add interesting details or to use yarns with color changes in different ways. Sometimes her students will inspire one of her designs. Other times, the design just springs full-blown into her mind’s eye.
Amanda says her proudest moment was when her first-ever design was chosen as the cover design for Crochet Today! magazine.
About Her Design Process:
I started out almost exclusively designing sweaters. I like little things that make a sweater unique, such as asymmetrical necklines or buttons. I like to sketch out a design and then do the swatch. I’m not one of those designers who can do a swatch and then come up with a design.
Some of Amanda’s Favorites:
Favorite Hook: Clover with ergonomic handles and bamboo hooks
Favorite Yarn: Amanda loves cotton: “There is something so crisp and beautiful about cotton yarn.” She also loves chunky wool and acrylic yarns for quick fall and winter projects.
Favorite Thing to Crochet: It changes all the time! She goes through spells: from sweaters to bags to cowls to something else.
Favorite Designers: Robyn Chachula and Jenny King
A Sampling of Books by Amanda’s Favorite Designers:
[one_third]
[one_third]
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[one_third]
[one_third]
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Visit Amanda’s Blog: NatCroMo FREEBIE Sneak Peek
You will definitely want to visit Amanda’s blog post today! She’ll be offering a FREE pattern!
Find Amanda Online:
Ravelry: faith5280 (must be logged in to see profile)
Designing Crochet blog: http://www.designingcrochet.com
Ravelry Designer Page: http://www.ravelry.com/designers/amanda-saladin
The Truth:
Amanda actually has two little boys, ages 5 and 2, and one on the way (gender unknown).
Yes, it’s true that she got married in jail. She and her husband wasn’t actually IN jail. Her husband was in the Army and deploying in two weeks, so they decided to get married ahead of time. They got married on the weekend, when the only magistrate available to perform the ceremony had an office in the jail building!
Additional Blog Tour Information:
Links to All the Info
Daily Giveaway Schedule
Daily Designer Schedule
Learn About CGOA
Halos of Hope: Make Hats
LOL – I’ve been doing pretty well guessing the lie in past articles, but this one got me!
thankfully, the clarification was included. 🙂
I am just completing my first crocheted sweater and want to make so many more! I think I will try one of Amanda’s patterns next!
love your patterns!
Amanda’s first project was a sheep pattern from an issue of Better Homes and Gardens
Love Amanda’s patterns and like her I love crocheting with cotton
What an interesting story to tell your children when they get older!
I love the Jetsetter sweater! The white cotton is so fresh, crisp, & summery looking!
Love the Jetset sweater!! I’ll have to look and see if I have that issue!!
Love the story about getting married in jail! Designs are beautiful, thanks for sharing her blog, etc. with us!
I also love crocheting bags 🙂
Beautiful sweater
As a beginner, I appreciate that some of her lovely designs are simple enough for us newbies! I also adore cotton like she does – it’s probably my favorite type of yarn. Amanda sounds like a very busy gal! It was fun to read about her. 🙂
Great patterns! I really like the Buckle Bag.
The Jetsetter Sweater is gorgeous!!! I would love to make it some day.
That Jetsetter Sweater is so very cute! I just might try a similar one.
I also learned to crochet in 2006! Love the sweaters!
The designs are just beautiful! I wish I could design, but I shall be happy to just follow the patterns! I love to use cotton yarn as well.
Omigosh! Married in a jail! That’s a story to tell the kids! I really like the white bag you featured above. You are such a great designer!
I wondered about the jail line, I hoped it wasnt true. I am going right over to her blog when I get done here to get that buckle bag. That sweater is gorgeous too. I am enjoying NatCoMo and learning about the designers. This has been great, great giveaways, great blogs and bloggers. Thanks for sharing. I appreciate it. Now, off to Amanda’s!
~Crystal
It’s fun to read about a designer that I’ve seen in my magazines. Thanks for the post!
Thank you!!!
Jetsetter Sweater is a nice design, simple but with just enough pizzazz.
Interesting info. I love the sweater.
Hi Amanda, I got my first clover hook two days ago and its my new favorite hook ! What a story about you getting married in a jail ! Happy Crocheting !
I love, love, LOVE that buckle bag.
I love the modern look of your designs, Amanda! 🙂
That bag pattern looks great. I may have to add that to my ever-growing list of things to make. 🙂
Wow, lovely designs.
“Amanda is the proud mom of three little girls.” is “The Lie.”
I like the design of the Jetsetter Sweater.
Beautiful work.!
Beautiful designs! The “She made it! Bag” has already been added on my ravelry queue 🙂
What great patterns!
Awesome ideas & beautiful items!
I love your Jetsetter Sweater and I will be making the Buckle Bag this weekend.
Cute bag!
Don’t feel bad. I got married in a broom closet!
Do you really like those Clover hooks?
The Jetsetter Sweater is beautiful!
Such elegance. I’ve heard a lot about those hooks might have to try them.
Love the bag! I need that pattern!
Wow Amanda! there designs are beautiful! Thanks for sharing.
I have 2 girls and a bonus son, I’m not sure if that’s easier or harder! 😛
Love the purse!!!
The sweater design featured her is very nice! I would like to do one with a color changing yarn. Thanks!
I really like the Buckle bag, I hope to make it soon to hold my wips
Thank you for your blog. You inspire me daily.
Love the story about getting married in jail. That’s awesome.
Great patterns thanks for sharing your wonderful designs.
I can’t believe she got married in jail!
Love your patterns!!!! I was looking for a new bag pattern, and I think I have found it (The Buckle Bag)!!!!
Love the sweater!!!
Cool cat pattern.
Love the sweater!
I’ve been wanting to make a bag and yours looks like one to give a go with!
Getting married at the jail. That is different.
Such beautiful work, thanks for sharing!