How did you learn to love crochet ?
I don’t think I had to even try to learn to love crochet – it just happened, instantly, the first time I picked up a hook – BAM! Hook, line and sinker, I was smitten. Having always been a knitter I was convinced I didn’t need crochet in my life – but oh, how wrong I was! One day I stumbled across an article in a magazine about Nikki Trench’s fabulous book Cute and Easy Crochet, and like a thunderbolt I knew I had to make everything in the book. So, I headed straight to Youtube and I taught myself from videos. Thank goodness for the stop, start and pause button. That was about five years ago, and I haven’t looked back since.
Where do you find your inspiration ?
From anything and everything, and from here, there and everywhere. The seasons, my family, colours, books, Instagram, shop windows, my home, magazines, the internet… the list is endless. I don’t think there’s ever a time when I don’t have a little seed of an idea growing away somewhere inside my head.
Any crafty confessions ?
Yes! Ok, I’m just going to come straight out with it… I’m a sniffer not a squisher! I simply cannot pick up a new ball of yarn without giving it a full-on, deep down inhale, and a very long snniiiiffff. Squishing I can take or leave, but sniffing? It has to be done.
Tell us about your favourite make or biggest crochet triumph ?
Ooh that’s a tricky one, can I have two ? Firstly I think it would have to be the blankets that I made for all three of my girls when they left home, as I know they have been much snuggled under and have given endless hugs whenever I haven’t been around to give them myself. And secondly it would have to be the tiny red hearts that I made as favours for our eldest daughter’s wedding last summer. Much reminiscing took place while I sat and crocheted each and every one, wondering at how quickly the years had flown by since ‘playing weddings’ was just a dressing up game for three little girls.
Where can our readers find you online ?
I have a blog over at www.justpootling.blogspot.co.uk and a Just Pootling Facebook page. I also post regularly on Instagram, and absolutely love the Crochet Community that exists inside my phone. Since June 2015 I have been designing patterns and tutorials for The Crochet Club, a regular feature on the lovecrochet.com website.
