How Crocheting Became My Passion
On a beautiful spring day about 10 years ago I walked into a yarn shop in Park Slope, Brooklyn – the yarns in the window were beautiful and they called out to me. I have always appreciated handmade crafts and my home is filled with hand-blown glass and ceramic objects, art and textiles. Perhaps I was ready to try my hand.
In the store I came upon a photo of a young girl wrapped in a fabulous afghan the “Babette Blanket”. The afghan had an intricate pattern that required 17 colors and 150 different sized squares. Since I don’t like to blindly follow instructions, I decided to improvise and choose my own colors. I started crocheting and my afghan grew and became a bedspread for my daughter to take to college!! After that, I have learned much more about yarn – weights, textures and dying techniques.
Touching the yarn, choosing colors and textures and watching them weave together to make beautiful blankets was so much fun that I made many more and happily gave them as gifts. Then I started designing blankets and decorative pillows using unusual granny square motifs with a focus on color play. Next came wearable art – scarves, cowls and headbands.
My work is a modern twist on the traditional granny square with a unique use of color and motif patterns that enable me to create a work-of-art which is beautiful to the eye and touch. Watching the colors and textures of yarn create patterns and fabrics is thrilling; as each project grows, I remain mesmerized by its beauty and eager to start my next work of art.
My projects give me a chance to play with colors - connect them and have them speak in different ways. They also enable me to have a quest – looking wherever I travel to find new and unusual hand dyed yarns. Each piece is made with high quality yarn of natural fibers, most are hand dyed with a focus of indie dyers.
In the summer of 2018 the Crochet Guild of America awarded my Sunset Blanket second place honors.
In addition to being a maker, I teach crochet techniques, color work and design to help others think out of the box and create modern crochet projects.