On a solo flight before kids (I can’t remember the exact flight and why Nic wasn’t there) I had the pleasure of sitting next to an exceptional woman. She had a pragmatic artist vibe about her. Someone who knows how to make something from nothing, but with a sensible filter for only applying this creativity to viable, valuable products. She was sketching in a journal and her drawing caught my eye. She indulged my curiosity and we started chatting.

She was sketching some new ideas for accessories that embraced ruffles, embroidery and other feminine touches she had observed at fashion week in LA. I asked her if she was a designer and was tickled to learn that she was.

“Who do you design for?”

“Target.”

“Target, really? I love Target!” (The flight was from LAX to MSP so this makes perfect sense. “Do you design accessories?”

“No, actually, I design boys clothes.”

I didn’t have a little man of my own at this point in time. While I knew that Target boys clothes had some fun features and a, sometimes, funky aesthetic, this didn’t match what I saw in her journal. We chatted and she said she just taps into wherever her creativity takes her. She loves feminine flair and made a lot of her own clothes and accessories in her free time. She felt that feeding her creativity in one area resulted in creative bursts in all of her designs. Even though she wasn’t planning on any ruffles in any of her designs for boys, playing with lines, structure and embellishment helped her to explore new ideas. The fact that she was getting paid to turn her designs from ideas into reality felt like meeting the winner of a reality tv show. It seemed like she had struck the vocational lottery and I was in awe.

She had a gorgeous bag she sewed for herself with a swirl of ruffles. I loved the lines and the playfulness, but the fabric seemed to limp after its use. I thought, “If you could crochet those ruffles, they may hold the shape better.” I thought about crocheting ruffles quite a bit as I started to see them pop into many styles. I played around with crocheting them a bit, but I found it hard to nail the tightness of the ruffle with its depth and the way it pulls the base. I experimented quite a bit and my first crochet pattern, the Olivia Ruffle Headband was born.

For about 6 1/2 years that was the only pattern I’ve put out. It took a lot of trial and error and the dividends were pretty small compared to the mountain of time and effort I put in. This didn’t stop me from crocheting, though. I love crocheting, especially when I make it up as I go. The thing I found unsatisfying and frustrating about the first design I made was the unpredictability and lack of control. I had ideas on my head, but really struggled to nail it. Instead, I felt like I never quite got what I wanted. It’s definitely not worth the slog of analyzing every detail and slowly documenting it for something you can’t embrace wholeheartedly. Thoughts of designing patterns were shelved while I focused on other things that gave me much better results.

Last year I decided to conscientiously expand my crochet repertoire. I got the book “Vintage Modern Crochet” because it included sections on Bruges lace and Irish lace - two forms of the craft I adore, but have always been intimidated by. Bruges lace is also know as crochet tape. You work short rows back and forth and it works wonderfully well for joining motifs. Irish lace is the quintessential picture of lace. Delicate white doilies with gorgeous elements joined by a light-as-air mesh. What I didn’t know is that Irish lace is basically freeform. You make an element, place it where you want (traditionally by sewing onto cloth) and work your infill around it to hold it in place. This book is fantastic. I can’t recommend it highly enough. Not only does it have the pictures and charts you need to confidently try something new, but it includes a brief history of the lace. For me, understanding the “why” behind something is as important as the craft itself. These lace techniques helped me learn how to curl and swirl my lines. I learned what to do in crochet when you don’t know what to do. I now had solutions for almost every crochet problem I could think of.

With this newfound knowledge, I dipped my toes into the world of freeform. I’ll do another blog post about freeform crochet sometime, but I wanted to highlight a few lessons I learned:
1) Start with learning what foundations and increase are needed for something to lay flat.

2) Learn how to break out from the row/round with new elements that come from your starting element.

3) Explore 3D with textures, layers and expanding techniques.

These skills gave me a fresh perspective on my crocheting and my trial and error turned from a haphazard chore to a delightful journey. More often than not I can turn an idea from my head into a reality with surprisingly few iterations. It’s like I started to speak the native language of crochet, so I could correctly translate my ideas into reality.

I revisited the idea of the crochet spiral ruffle bag and was able to fix some mistakes from when I tried in the past. I got the right expansion, lift and crinkle to make it work. I was thrilled with the result and it came together surprisingly quickly in the end.

Getting packages delivered always sparks joy, but when it is yarn, my glee knows no bounds. A recent online sale meant I stocked up on all kinds of goodies that will turn into Christmas presents. Color changing lace weight, sturdy cotton, wool and silk blends and extra chunky 100% wool. I have such hope and excitement for each of these, I don’t know where to begin.

Texture alone is a key consideration. Am I in the mood for something drapey and slinky like a silk blend or a fuzzy, spongy wool? Smooth dishcloth cotton or a tough nubby wool? On Saturday I was feeling crummy, so I couldn’t resist the temptation to comfort myself with soft, fuzzy wool. But today, I’m in the mood to feel productive and I think the smooth cotton will help me feel dependable and pragmatic.

Weight is also critical. What does it mean that I opted for 3 different lace weight yarns, 2 worsted and one extra chunky? There’s nothing to compete with the gossamer feel and intricacy of lace weight, but the heft and bulk of chunky is like a yarn security blanket, letting me know it’s never going to let me down and working up at a mile a minute. My mood doesn’t just vacillate from day to day, but hour to hour. There’s so much to discover and enjoy. Most of the yarn doesn’t even have a specific project in mind - just raw, untapped potential.

Also, Murphy’s Law for yarn purchases means that you will only get new yarn when you have a project you need to finish first. I am working with a supple and stunning Australian merino wool for one of my Acorn Button Wraps. I love the yarn and I love the project, but it is taking all of my will power not to put it down to start 10 new projects.

*sigh*

To be honest, I’m just giddy and excited and it is a wonderful place to be. Like the mystery and expectation of infatuation - I’ve got the whole journey in front of me. My only real concern is that I don’t want these stunning yarns to become permanent features of my stash. I don’t want to be a yarn hoarder. Hopefully I can really commit to getting these back out of my house as quickly they’ve gone in. I think I will only feel true joy when I see each ball of potential in it’s used. I want these to undergo a velveteen rabbit transformation - to be used and loved and take on a life of their own.