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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: Jessie Rayot, Jessie at Home | Lori Carlson, Shrone Designs | Daily Giveaway | Halos of Hope Hat Collection | Complete Designer Schedule
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Jessie Rayot, Jessie at Home
Crochetville is very proud to have designer Jessie with us today, March 12th, as one of the featured designers on our 2015 Designer Blog Tour in honor of National Crochet Month (NatCroMo).
Jessie’s Designs:
If you’re not familiar with her work already, we’d like to share two of Jessie’s designs with you.
Skylark in Wonderland, a FREE pattern on the Jessie At Home website
Flight Hat, a FREE pattern on the Jessie At Home website
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About Jessie:
Getting Off to a Good Start
Jessie’s grandmother taught her to crochet about 30 years ago, when Jessie’s family would go to her apartment for Sunday night dinners.
A Design Career Is Begun
Jessie says, “I started designing for fun before there was a usable internet. I would be in my apartment with yarn and a hook and no real urge to go to the store or the library to find a pattern, so I would just crochet. I ripped out more than I kept, but it was a great way to learn. It’s been a long and curvy path to where I am now, but I have a feeling this is where my journey was supposed to lead me. Every step of my life, however crazy or wrong it may have seemed at the time, makes sense now that I know where I was going.”
Sources of Inspiration
Jessie says, “Inspiration comes from everywhere. I get a lot of fashion magazines and I look through them for inspiration, and to keep on top of trends. Most of the time it is a set of colors or a shape that inspires me more than an actual garment. I sometimes find inspiration in nature and art, and often in Star Trek or some other TV show I play in the background while I crochet. A lot of times I create one design, and it leads me to several more, each inspiring the next.”
Her Greatest Crochet Accomplishment
Jessie believes her greatest crochet accomplishment is finding the crochet designer community and becoming a part of it. She can’t imagine her life without the love, support, and advice from so many other amazing designers. She considers them her “other” family and is very thankful for all of them.
The Wider World of Fiber Arts
Jessie also knits. She used to be a professional costume designer and costume shop manager. She even taught draping and pattern making at a large university. I’m sure these skills and talents come in very handy when she’s designing new crochet patterns. Jessie also enjoys cross stitch, needlepoint, and making latch hook rugs. But crocheting and knitting are what make her happiest!
Advice for New Designers:
Find people like you!! Whatever it is you want to be, find people who are already there and people who are on the same path. Find forums or groups with those people, learn from them and journey with them. Even if you are home alone all day, you do not need to go on this adventure alone.
Fun Story from the Crochet Industry:
I got my “break” completely by accident. My friend Lorene (of Cre8tion Crochet) said we should go to the CGOA show in October of 2013 and I said “OK.” She told me I had to enter something in the design competition, but the entries were due in just a few weeks and they had to be shipped. They couldn’t be published designs, so I yanked the afghan off of my daughter’s bed, laid it on the floor to find any hairballs or loose ends, and tossed it in a box. It earned second place in the home decor category of the Design Competition, and suddenly I had yarn companies and magazines asking me for designs. I was in shock that this all came about from the afghan I made my daughter for blanket forts and living room picnics. She just wanted to know when she was getting her blanket back.
Some of Jessie’s Favorites:
- Favorite Crochet Book: Jessie loves the old needlecraft reference books that include sewing, needlepoint, macrame, knitting, weaving, crochet, rug making, and more. She says they’re a great source to find some classic stitch patterns. She also loves Japanese stitch pattern books.
Visit Jessie’s Blog: NatCroMo FREEBIE Sneak Peek
You will definitely want to visit Jessie’s blog post today! First thing in the morning, she’ll be uploading a post about the blog tour and National Crochet Month with a coupon code for 30% OFF in her Ravelry store, good through Sunday night, March 15. Around noon, she’ll be posting a FREE crochet pattern as well.
Find Jessie Online:
Crochetville: JessieAtHome (must be logged in to see profile)
Ravelry: JessieAtHome (must be logged in to see profile)
Jessie at Home Website: http://jessieathome.com/
Ravelry Designer Page: http://www.ravelry.com/designers/jessie-rayot
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessie-At-Home/290313351031032
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jessie_AtHome
Craftsy: http://www.craftsy.com/user/618816/pattern-store?SSAID=722478
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/JessieAtHome
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jessieathome/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/JessieAtHome
Additional Blog Tour Information:
Links to All the Info
The very first square in the 2015 Moogly Crochet Along was designed by Jessie…learning the Jacob’s ladder design was very exciting! She has some beautiful designs.
I like her designs and will be bookmarking her site.
such helpful info on how to connect with others!
Her designs are beautiful, and will be interesting to make.
I love her stuff!! Can’t wait for the freebie!
I am a facebook follower of this designer already and love her use of color.
Love love love the shawl.
I like the story about using her daughter’s blanket and winning 2nd prize!
Love her designs!!
Love all your designs!! And that’s a hilarious story about the blanket
I enjoy Jesse’s blog and love the first pictured shawl. Beautiful!
Jessie at home reminds me of my good friend. She loves crochet and is way better at it than I am. I love this girl’s work and look forward to her creations. 🙂
Love your designs
The Skylark in Wonderland shawl is awesome!
In love with skylark in wonderland, awesome colors!
I love your Flight Path Hat pattern. Love your story about entering your daughters afghan in the design competition.
I just started following you today, and I already love your work! You have a great talent 🙂
You have some very beautiful patterns. I just saw Skylark in Wonderland on raverly a couple days ago and was in awe.
Cute pattern!
I love the story how you got your break!! That is awesome!! And I see a few(or more) patterns I need to add to my library!!!
Lovely work in great colors!
I absolutely love you color choices!
I love the color and texture in your pieces!
The Juliette Shawl is gorgeous! And the Skylark one! I think I need to make a shawl.
Thanks for the beautiful Juliette shawl!
The shawl is absolutely beautiful!
Love the use of color!
I love Jessie’s shawl patterns. Skylark in Wonderland and the Juliette shawls are so beautiful.
Love love love that green shawl at the bottom of the post! I love all of your designs
That shawl is beautiful!
Skylark in Wonderland is gorgeous……
Enjoyed story about blanket and nice Juliette Shawl.
I’ve enjoyed many of her designs, I really like the flight hat
Love that flight hat!! So beautiful.
I’ve been following Jessie for a while. Love her patterns. I also really appreciate her link blasts. I almost always find at least one thing, if not several, to add to my “to-do” list.
Getting my daily fix.
The juliette shawl. skylark scarf, and shylark in wonderland are all sooo pretty! Love the story about your “break” into design.
I love Jessie’s patterns! They’re so fun and fresh!
It is always nice, when falls into your lap.
I love your use of color!
Your designs are fabulous. I especially like your flight hat! I’m going to my first CGOA conference this July. I’m so excited!
I love the hat design shown in this blog and I could definitely see the Star Trek influence.
I’m still a newbie, but I love crochet! You have some awesome stuff! Thanks for the encouragement and the patterns!
That shawl is gorgeous!
I love the shawl on your fb page and Skylark above… thank you for sharing your talent and gift, Jessie!
This is one of my go-to blogs! I love too how if you have a question, this is another designer who is happy to help! <3
love your designs
I love the yarn that is being given away – would like more of it to make more items – Shawl maybe.
Thank you for sharing.
Robin
Beautiful designs!
Such beautiful crochet designs Jessie!
LOVE the flight hat and will be trying it soon, thanks!
All the patterns Ive seen are very nicely done. Colors chosen are very pretty. Ty
Susan M J
I love that rainbow shawl!
That triangular shawl is gorgeous!!!!
Jessie believes her greatest crochet accomplishment is finding the crochet designer community and becoming a part of it.
Love these designs!
The Juliette Shawl is such an interesting combination of stitches.
What a funny story about her daughter just wanting the afghan back 🙂
I love all the brilliant colors in your designs.
I loved the Skylark in Wonderland scarf! Would this crochet pattern work well with Boutique Unforgettable yarn?
I love Jessie’s designs. I absolutely adore this sneak peek poncho! I will definitely be crocheting that!
I loved Skylark, but Juliette took my breath away! AMAZING! Thanks for such beautiful (and free) patterns.
Love her use of color!
I just love the bright colors and beautiful pattern, I especia like the hat, it is very different from the everyday patterns I have seen. Keep up the good work
What talent!
So talented!
Love the Juliette shawl in the colours you chose for it from your facebook page! So pretty!