Christine Guest Interview Gift A-long 2019

I learned to crochet at Pioneer Girls at church when I was in third grade, then borrowed a library book to learn to knit when I was 15, so I wouldn’t be someone who could only crochet.

In the beginning I didn’t understand crochet pattern instructions, but I did understand sewing shapes so designing made sense as long as I could convince my Mom that I wasn’t wasting yarn or time. Those early sweaters were hysterical; once I made a life size stitch chart on a brown paper bag, because I didn’t realize you could measure a swatch and fill in a schematic. Algebra class should have had some word problems about crafting.

My Aunt Bev asked me if I was going to, “Waste money on patterns, or buy one book that told you how to make everything.” I thought she meant Elizabeth Zimmerman, but I think she meant the pattern atlas my Grandmother had. Now I will buy a pattern to see how another designer did something cool and not to make the item. I think my Aunt is laughing at me from Heaven.

Wrestling with stitch pattern ideas. I have notebooks of ideas that struck me from the Barbara Walker Treasuries and Threads magazines in 1990. Most have been realized, but I still haven’t charted the ring cable dog.

The Lord put so much beauty and order in the world that inspiration is everywhere; leaves, seed pods, old swatches, the neighbor’s cat, old sketch book pages I haven’t moved along recently…

Part time. I spend about an hour and a half between breakfast and homeschool tutorials on pattern writing and marketing, sometimes swatch development or sample knitting or crochet. After tutorials, meals, tidying and exercise, I often write a bit in the afternoons. Movie nights are great for sample making!

Stitch patterns. Most of my designs start with the phrase, “I love this stitch, where is a non-tacky place to use it?” I made a list of items I could put a sparrow on before deciding on a bag for the Sparrow Reticule.

So far I get to keep my samples, so I was sizing them for myself, friends or family, but there is a limit to how many jobs one item can do.

 

I’m forever losing my mittens, so a fancy colorwork pair with birds or animals on them.

It’s out of production, but I loved Ballybrae Clan Tweed. That’s what I crocheted my first sweater out of. I paid for the yarn with money from my first non-babysitting job, at a really cool LYS I could walk to.

Oh dear, I love them all. But the Herringbone Pattern Scarf has sold more than all my other patterns combined. (It’s probably the photo my brother-in-law’s wife took of him that does it.)

Did you see that sideways ribbing in Habibi and Andalus? I’m so proud of that short row slide technique.
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/habibi
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/andalus

My garden is constantly surprising me with what goes well together, and how much I love colors that I thought I didn’t like.

I have been part of it since the first year. I love the commaraderie, and how much I learn from other designers; how to pin photos, use Instagram, and bundle designs.

Lee Meredith because her patterns are so colorful and clever
talitha kuomi because she can crystalize a design to it’s simplicity, and that is super hard work.
Paola Albergamo because her modular shawls are so beautiful, and her photos make me want to dance.
Natalia Kononova did you see Spica Embossed Bag? What wonderful crochet
Hunter Hammersen, her pattern books are like stitch books. Very clever stitch books.
Christelle Nihoul I love her colorwork cowls, especially when the motifs float away from the established patterns.
Amy van de Laar Those bee patterns, and now more lovely colorwork cowls.
Barbara Benson Her pattern books have so many technical tips, and she’s another clever simplifier.
Kerri Blumer, those knotted front shirts!

There are more, but I’ve fan girled on long enough.