NatCroMo 2016, March 17: Bonnie Barker

I am a forgiven homemaker who loves God, my husband and family, and of course, crochet! After graduating the last of my five children from home school, I am now officially retired from being a home educator. In addition to working on crochet designs, I teach occasionally as a substitute teacher in our local school system. I enjoy dabbling in music when I can and look forward to any opportunities to travel!

One of my favorite destinations (I honestly can’t choose just one) is visiting the Aran Isles in Ireland! I will never forget biking with my sweetheart around Inisheer Island, taking in the rustic beauty of this wonderful place. Everything about this trip – from the rough ride in the cold Atlantic Ocean to exploring a shipwreck was such a fun adventure.

I would love to return to the Alps of Switzerland and stay there indefinitely with my family, taking in the four different seasons and going skiing!

Yes, I do! One of my favorite times was while visiting Dublin, Ireland. I stumbled onto a local mall and visited the small knit store there. My best yarn find was in this same mall, but in a clothing store! I was able to pick up more than 2 kg of beautiful Irish wool, and somehow managed to squeeze it into my luggage.

When traveling by plane, I try to take thinner yarns for smaller projects/accessories because of their portability. I like to have at least 3 projects to choose from in my carry-on, along with a couple of great books. When traveling by car, or better yet, our 15 passenger family van, I usually fill a couple of large bags with yarn for major projects like afghans and sweaters. Travel time to Grandma’s is usually 9 hours, so that means lots of crochet time! Either way, I always take my roll of crochet hooks which includes 2 yarn needles, a measuring tape, and small pair of scissors (under 4″ is TSA friendly).

Many years ago when I was in college, I took a very long train trip to visit my family in Ohio and in Florida. It had been an extremely hot summer, so I didn’t think to carry a sweater and/or blanket when traveling. Thankfully I did take yarn for a sweater that I was crocheting. It was so painfully cold on that train!! I began working quickly on that sweater and would cover myself with the individual pieces as I completed them to try to warm up a bit. I did complete the sweater before the trip was over….I had to to keep from freezing! I NEVER made the mistake of forgetting to pack a blanket for the train after that!

I will be giving one copy of my book, “Contemporary Celtic Crochet” and one copy of my newest Leisure Arts Leaflet, “Bags and Backpacks to Crochet” away on March 17th! Also, anyone who signs up for my Bonnie Bay Crochet Newsletter will get 50% off one pattern from my Ravelry Store.

This set of pillows was specifically designed to match the afghans in Bonnie Barker’s “Aran Afghans” leaflet (published by Leisure Arts). Whether you need a pillow to match an afghan, or just need a set of pillows to enhance your home, this e-book is for you! Each pattern is accompanied by a stitch guide for that specific pattern, plus links to a free instructional video should you have need. Each pillow can be completed in a weekend or less, and make wonderful gifts!

If you’re looking for a project that can be completed in a jiffy, you’re on the right page! Using an oversized needle and bulky weight yarn, you can enjoy the warmth of this delightful stole before the weekend is over. Using front and back post stitches makes even bulky, curly yarns easy to use. Whether you prefer the look of a smooth, solid yarn or a yarn with a halo and a color-changing feature, it’s hard to go wrong!

I love carrying a “hands free” backpack! Not only are these practical and beautiful, but fun and easy to crochet as well. Made of 100% natural materials, they are machine washable, and will give many years of service. I like the option of sewing in a lining so that I have pockets for all those little things, especially when carrying my crochet projects!