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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: Sara Leighton, Illuminate Crochet | Abbey Swanson, The Firefly Hook | Daily Giveaway | Halos of Hope Hat Collection | Complete Designer Schedule
Abbey Swanson, The Firefly Hook
Crochetville is very proud to have designer Abbey Swanson with us today, March 18th, as one of the featured designers on our 2015 Designer Blog Tour in honor of National Crochet Month (NatCroMo).
Abbey’s Designs:
If you’re not familiar with her work already, we’d like to share two of Abbey’s designs with you.
Textured Beanie with Peony, pattern available on Esty for $5.50
Super Bulky Beanie, pattern available on Etsy for $4.50
About Abbey:
Learning to Crochet
Abbey’s mom taught her to crochet when she was eight. Her first crochet project was a blanket, and she says it was a disaster. Abbey remembers, “It very quickly turned into a trapezoid and I cried. I remember my mom working on the ends of the rows as I watched in amazement as it began to be even again.”
Becoming a Designer
Abbey remembers, “I started making hats of all kinds for people and selling items I designed at craft fairs. Since everything I made was a design I created and memorized, I realized that if I learned how to write patterns I could be a designer! I am one blessed girl: two of my very dear friends are on my team. They edit my patterns, photograph my designs, and do my PDF layouts (computers make me cry). I couldn’t do this without them! (Special shout out to Monika and Abigail.)”
Teaching Crochet
Abbey tells us, “I teach crochet classes at our local yarn shop, the Dancing Sheep Yarn & Fiber, here in Casper, WY. I think most people are surprised how easy my designs are to crochet. They may look tricky, but when they take my class they can see how simple the construction is. My favorite and most popular class is our Super Bulky Beanie. First time crocheters leave with a hat on their head 2 hours into our 3 hour workshop. It’s incredibly rewarding for them (and for me as their instructor!).”
When asked to share a funny story, Abbey admits, “I could tell you about the first time I taught a beginner lefty… and didn’t realize she was a lefty until halfway through the class. Poor thing. But I’ll leave it at that. (Just know I learned my lesson!)”
Abbey also teaches beginner drop spindle classes at Dancing Sheep Yarn & Fiber. She says, “I love spinning my yarn. It makes a great gift for anyone who loves yarn (and it’s the perfect gift for someone with a giant stash: they won’t have anything like it!).”
Creating Designs
About her designs, Abbey says, “Each design becomes a part of me. Just like a painter is reflected in his work, so am I with my designs.”
Abbey is inspired to create designs for her students. She says, “I love designing lovely pieces that will give them the confidence to keep building their skills. I also love working up collections. We just finished one that’s all inspired by my new home state: Wyoming.”
About her design process, Abbey shares with us, “I would like to say I execute my designs exactly as they are planned… but that’s not true. I have a plan, I choose the yarn and hook but sometimes I just have to ‘go with it’. I may need a different yarn/hook combo to achieve the drape I need, or the yarn might be all wrong. There’s a lot of experimenting. It’s also important to me that my designs for beginners are truly simple to work up but still look elegant.”
Advice for New Crocheters:
“If videos haven’t done the trick, take a class,” Abbey recommends. “Just one class with an instructor sitting next to you giving you immediate feedback will seriously give you the confidence you need to keep growing in your skills on your own. I always say to my students, ‘Just keep swimming.’ Meaning: keep working, you’re doing great!”
Advice for New Designers:
“Don’t give up and don’t stress out!” Abbey advises. “Start small and keep working at it. Make goals that you can achieve, then once you achieve them, make bigger goals.”
Next Big Trend in Crochet
Abbey believes that crocheting doesn’t have to look old-fashioned. She says, “[Crochet] can accomplish what knitting has accomplished in fashion. Pick great yarn and work up a fashion-forward design!”
Some of Abbey’s Favorites:
Favorite Hooks: Addi
Favorite Yarn: “Malabrigo Arroyo, hands down.”
Favorite Thing to Crochet: “Right now: big, dramatic cowls.”
Visit Abbey’s Blog: NatCroMo FREEBIE Sneak Peek
You will definitely want to visit Abbey’s blog post today! She will be giving away one free pattern PDF for one week (March 18 – 25).
Find Abbey Online:
Website: thefireflyhook.wordpress.com
Blog: thefireflyhook.wordpress.com
Ravelry Designer Page: ravelry.com/designers/the-firefly-hook
Ravelry Profile: ravelry.com/people/thefireflyhook (must be logged in to view profile)
Facebook: facebook.com/TheFireflyHook
Twitter: twitter.com/TheFireflyHook
Craftsy: craftsy.com/user/2350114/pattern-store
Etsy: etsy.com/shop/TheFireflyHook
Additional Blog Tour Information:
Links to All the Info
Daily Giveaway Schedule
Daily Designer Schedule
Learn About CGOA
Halos of Hope: Make Hats
Textured Beanie with Peony, How adorable is that?!
I LOVE the Juniper and Sage cowl! FABULOUS!
Great designs!
Love the colors of the West.
Thank you for showcasing Abbey’s gorgeous work. Her patterns are amazing. I love the textured blue hat. I have learned a lot during #NatCroMo! I will be visiting Abbey’s blog today. Thanks for sharing! Fingers Crossed, I need some yarn!
~Crystal
I’d love to learn to design someday. Thanks for showcasing these great designers!
I see why the Super Bulky Beanie is a favorite class – it’s great!
I love the throw on the cover of your book. What color of yarn did you use?
Awesome Super Bulky Beanie! Love the shape and uniform texture. And the Wyoming Collection is sooo beautiful! I would love to wear your Wildflowers. Thanks for sharing!
Wow Abbey you are an amazing inspiration to me! I love that you teach people and that you create your own designs to teach them. That is exactly what I have been trying to do lately is create some simple designs to teach some of my friends crochet. I would love to become a designer some day. If I ever have the time and patience to write my patterns down that is.
You learned to crochet at 8? My daughter is 7, and I hope she’ll be ready to learn soon.
Thank you!
You have fabulous designs!
My mom also taught me to crochet. My first project was a scarf that ended in a point!
The Textured Beanie with the Peony is adorable! As someone who wants to get a job in Wyoming, the Wyoming-inspired patterns are really neat.
Love your Textured Beanie with Peony. The Peony is amazing! Thank you as well for your blog giveaways your patterns are amazing!
I taught myself crochet…took off like it was natural to me. I do wish however I did have someone to teach me and that we would have classes here in WI. But I think I am doing rather well on my own 🙂 I would love to become a designer some day! Loving your designs and you have a new liker! I am in love with that beanie!!
The blue jewel cowl and the honey and berries cowl are so beautiful!
i like her use of bulky yarns.
Those Addi hooks look nice, but they are costly.
I love the hat with the big flower on it thanks for sharing on here!
I just love reading about other crocheters 🙂 Makes me feel less alone.
Thank you for introducing me to this wonderful blog!
Love the little lamb hat!
🙂 very good interview of a designer that is new to me!
great hats
Love the Wyoming collection!
I don’t usually like bulky things with big stitches, but the Super Bulky Beanie is an exception.
I love the colors & the unique styles.
Trend-setter!
I’m excited to see your blog. new crochet blog! YAY!
Love the textured beanie with the big flower!
The color palette in your Wyoming Collection are fabulous!
I really like the chunky beanie!
I wish I lived nearby. I would love to learn to spin!
Great designs. I am now following on my blog feed
Love the name.
Thanks for the link to the Stacking Bowls.
The huge peony on the hat is to die for! Adorable.
I love the Wildflower Throw from your Wyoming Collection.
I can’t wait to get more sari silk.
Ah! If only I could do the “don’t stress out” part! I’m in Awe!
Love your creations!
I love being introduced to new designers! Love the patterns!
Gorgeous little bowls! Cute hats, too!
Beatiful patterns
Baby hat with the huge flower is so cute 🙂
I enjoyed learning more about this designer through this article. I will be reading up on them more and checking out some patterns 🙂
I like your Super Bulky Beanie, and your bowls are interesting.