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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: Andrea Lyn Van Benschoten, Fiber Arts by Andrea Lyn | Daily Giveaway | Halos of Hope Hat Collection | Complete Designer Schedule
Andrea Lyn Van Benschoten
Crochetville is very proud to have designer Andrea Lyn Van Benschoten with us today, March 15, 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 let you know which statement is “The Lie” somewhere in this post, so keep reading to learn the truth!
- Andrea collects hornets’ nests so she can repurpose them as art.
- A garment Andrea crocheted is on loan to the Catskill Fly Fishing Museum and Center.
- Andrea has an 18-year-old cockatiel named Mendelssohn.
- She uses crochet and yarn to make fly ties for fly fishing.
Andrea’s Designs:
If you’re not familiar with her work already, we’d like to share two of Andrea’s designs with you.
Child’s Turtle Hat, available for $3.00 on Etsy
This adorable hat has just a little bit of whimsy and a whole lot of fun! Depending on your color choices, it could be turtles or ladybugs or any number of things. There is a lot here to amuse the crafter, since the ‘turtle’ shapes are appliqued on afterwards and the eyes sewn on.
Three Crochet Dishcloths, available for $5.00 on Etsy
These dish cloths only take one ball of cotton yarn each and work up quickly. The great textures will get those dishes clean and look great in your kitchen at the same time!
About Andrea:
Andrea has been crocheting for the past 15 years. One day in 2000, she mentioned to her co-worker Eileen that she had missed the opportunity to learn to crochet from her grandmother and that she’d always wanted to give it a try. Eileen also wanted to learn. She remembered hearing that another co-worker, Jean Miller, knew how to crochet and suggested they ask Jean to teach them. A plan for lunchtime lessons ensued.
Jean sent Andrea and Eileen off to purchase worsted weight yarn and size G hooks. In her excitement, Andrea sent out what Jean later jokingly named the “all points bulletin,” inviting half the division to the lunchtime crochet sessions. About 10 people showed up at the first meeting. Everyone joked about how crochet was supposed to be relaxing, as they all desperately tried to force the hook through ridiculously tight chains. Most students ended up with triangular scarves as they kept dropping stitches at the ends of rows. Andrea was able to successfully complete a single crochet scarf with added fringe as a result of these lessons.
Andrea always has someone in mind as she’s developing a new design. The first pattern she had published, Celia’s Scarf, was made in memory of her mother-in-law who had passed away from breast cancer. This design was included in the book Think Pink: Crochet for the Cure.
One of Andrea’s pieces, entitled Trout Jacket, is on display at the Catskill Fly Fishing Museum and Center in Livingston Manor, NY.
In addition to her crochet work, Andrea enjoys spinning and needle felting. She is currently learning more about weaving and wet felting. Andrea encourages everyone to explore as many different fiber arts as possible. She says, “You’ll be able to combine them into your projects to make something truly unique!”
About Her Design Process:
I rarely used a pattern exactly as it was provided. More often I would look at the photo, maybe follow a few rows and then improvise. I just found it to be much more fun that way! I also enjoy writing articles about crochet and yarn spinning.
I always keep a notebook on hand. Sometimes ideas just hit me! It could be a project idea, or an experiment with a stitch pattern.
Fun Story from the Crochet Industry:
I absolutely loved the one time I had the opportunity to go to the CGOA event in New Hampshire and meeting all the wonderful people I had “met” online!
Some of Andrea’s Favorites:
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- Favorite Crochet Reference Books: Donna Kooler’s Encyclopedia of Crochet, The Crocheter’s Companion by Nancy Brown, The Crochet Workbook by Sylvia Cosh and James Walters, Freeform Knitting and Crochet by Jenny Dowde
- Favorite Designers: Myra Wood, Prudence Mapstone, Margaret Hubert, Jennifer Hansen, Edie Eckman, Sylvia Cosh & James Walters, Jenny Dowde
- Favorite Hooks: Andrea loves unique handmade hooks and also enjoys Brittany hooks.
- Favorite Yarn: Handspun
- Favorite Thing to Crochet: Accessories as well as anything for my friends and family
Predictions for the Next Big Crochet Trend:
I think alternative fibers (bamboo, hemp, pineapple silk, and even paper!) will continue to intrigue fiber artists. Recycling/Upcyclcing different materials will also become more interesting to the masses, such as using cassette/VHS tape and sari silk.
Visit Andrea’s Blog: NatCroMo FREEBIE Sneak Peek
You will definitely want to visit Andrea’s blog post today! She’ll be writing a review of a crochet book and then giving the book away to a lucky winner!
Find Andrea Online:
Ravelry: alvb (must be logged in to view profile)
Website: http://www.alvbfiberart.com
Blog: http://www.thefiberforum.com
Ravelry Designer Page: http://www.ravelry.com/designers/andrea-lyn-van-benschoten
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FiberArtsByAndreaLyn
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alvb
Patternfish: https://www.patternfish.com/catalogs/1-patternfish
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/AndreasYarnBasket
The Truth:
Although it sounds exciting, Andrea does not collect collect hornets’ nests and re-purpose them as art. You’re disappointed, I know, dear readers!
Additional Blog Tour Information:
Links to All the Info
Daily Giveaway Schedule
Daily Designer Schedule
Learn About CGOA
Halos of Hope: Make Hats
I am hoping that recycling is also the next trend. Thank you for your wonderful patterns.
The washcloths are cute
those a cute designs for wash cloths
Love you designs and so glad to have found you!
love the washcloths, I can never have enough of those!
Pineapple silk sounds yummy!
Thank you for all the lovely patterns.
Cool Jacket……
Another great artist to follow
Lovely designs!
Love your washcloth designs!
Love the dish cloths, I love quick and easy patterns!
I also enjoy crocheting with alternative fibers and would like to learn weaving so I can combine it with crochet.
I also love sari silk. It was inexpensive to buy through ebay – but now that redheart is buying it up to make their new sari silk yarn – it’s gotten quite expensive. Beautiful though. I have made a hat, necklace and bracelet with it and plan to make more items.
I enjoy upcycling! I also want to learn felting 🙂
enjoyed the page
turtle hat is cute!
Bees, I wondered! lol Love her work, she is great designer and i will be visiting her blog today. I have learned a lot during #NatCroMo! Thanks for great giveaways, fingers crossed. Congrats to the designers showcased today!
Interesting jacket!
Crochet is supposed to be relaxing? Tell that to someone with about 20 WIPs and pushing deadlines! lol
I too like to put my own unique touches to patterns.
Loving the NatCroMo tour this year; you’ve been finding lots of new ‘likes’ for me on FB…not to mention new crochet ideas…Andrea is a great find (and ‘specially if I win the book she’s giving away, which looks extremely useful…hoping to win some yarn, too…(ooooo yarn! says the yarn addict)
The Three Crochet Dishcloths are really neat, especially with the “hook” on the end to hang them up. I make a lot of dishcloths for friends who are getting married and for family members, so I’m always interested in new patterns!
Interesting that you design with a particular person in mind!
I will be making the dishcloths and including them with my crochet aprons I make as gifts.
I would like to learn more about the alternative yarns. The pineapple silk sounds awesome. Would like to know where to find it.
love your books and ideas
I like how you’ve combined two hobbies, very creative!
I like patterns.
I wonder if you could make paper from hornets nests?
Love the Three Crocheted Dishcloths especially the blues and white one.
Love Andrea’ s wash cloths. Would love to see the trout jacket.
Love those washcloths!
I love hearing about many different fiber arts, it does encourage me to learn more and advance my work. thank you for the information and encouragement.
One of Andrea’s pieces, entitled Trout Jacket, is on display at the Catskill Fly Fishing Museum and Center in Livingston Manor, NY.
Interesting idea on recycling of VHS and cassette tape material… You’ve made my mind wonder.
Wonder what could be made with recycled vs tape.
i will have to check out the crocheter’s companion, thanks!
It’s so great to see a fellow New Yorker being featured. Howdy neighbor and hello from Long Island. I think alternative fibers are also going to become more mainstream. I’m going to start a project soon with some bamboo yarn, myself.
I love her fun designs, she’s inspired me to pick up my crochet hooks again!