Meet the Winner
I grew up in Dallas, Texas. I don’t remember when I learned to crochet, but I’m guessing it was when I was about 8 or 9 and I would go visit my aunt who was a home economics teacher. It just seems like I’ve been crocheting all my life.
My husband and I moved to Phoenix during our early years of marriage and still reside there. Fast-forward through my “mom years” when I did the usual stuff with my two sons—Cub Scouts, sports, volunteering at school, etc. When my sons were in high school, I went back to my fiber-art roots. I had the pleasure of working at several different yarn stores in the Phoenix area and have also taught classes for just about every fiber-related craft!
My professional career began by designing for a local yarn company, but I moved to the big time when I was approached in the restroom at a CGOA conference by a lady who came up to me and handed me her card, and said to get in touch when I got home. It turns out she was the executive editor of a needlework book publishing company, which turned out to be Annie’s! Now I only submit designs to them!
When I’m not designing or spending time with my two grandchildren, I volunteer with the local Back to School Clothing Drive. Each child is given the usual uniform and backpack, but they also receive a handmade hat, which I think is a little unusual for our hotter climate. But I was at a big box store buying yarn for hats recently and mentioned that I don’t quite understand hats for kids in Phoenix in July. The clerk was about 16 years old, 5 feet tall and maybe 90 pounds. She puffed herself up, put her hands on her hips and told me, “I’m an orphan, and anything I got that was handmade made me feel special. So just go home and crochet!” So I do!
My favorite projects are made from motifs that are assembled as I work— anything from afghans to shawls to scarves. I spend lots of time looking at Japanese stitch books for inspiration and new techniques. I also love to work with lots of different fibers, textures and colors in the same project.