Designer Spotlight

Holiday Traditions Wreath

I started crocheting at the age of 7 with my maternal grandmother. She was always doing some sort of needlework and I would beg her to teach me to crochet. When I was 13 years old, my favorite teacher taught a group of us how to make beautiful granny squares and afghans.

I worked in the field of interior design over a period of two decades, and have always loved fibers and textiles. Transitioning from one area of design into another was challenging but very positive.

My first opportunity to enter into the world of designing for publications was at the Crochet Guild of America conference four years ago. I attended the Designer “Meet and Greet,” where Carol Alexander, Annie’s executive crochet editor, took notice of one of my designs. I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to have my Citrus Blossom Purse published in the summer 2013 issue of Crochet! magazine.

I especially love crocheting all kinds of botanical motifs and elements. Experimenting with Eastern and Western European styles of crochet is another passion; I think it has opened up a whole new world of crochet design. Crochet offers an endless opportunity to learn and try new things, and I look forward to the journey

DESIGNER’S TIPS

1. Practice tall stitches by making a swatch with all double treble crochets. This will help when creating the double layer of poinsettia petals. 2. The pinecones are crocheted in two layers. The first layer consists of single crochets worked in the round to make a tapered cone shape (rounds 1—15). Do not fasten off yarn. The second layer consists of scales worked in the front loops of the single crochets starting at round 15 and working back to round 1. The scales will have space between them, so you will have some slip stitches between each scale and will skip every other round so there is no crowding of scales between rounds. 3. If you are unfamiliar with the mattress stitch, which is used to encase the wreath form, refer to instructions given on the Craft Yarn Council website: www.craftyarncouncil.com.