As I looked through the designers on the GAL thread, Rachele Carmona’s crocheted blankets and motifs jumped out at me for their colorful photography and pleasing harmony. She is BabyLoveBrand on Ravelry, and her website is CypressTextiles.
You as a designer questions:
What is your design process?
I browse non-fiber arts like paintings, fashion, digital arts, fabrics, etc. to get ideas, and then once I’m inspired, I try to translate that visual into a crochet design. While I’m navigating through the prototype, I take notes and photos, then I put it all together when the prototype is complete.
What influences your style?
Geometry and abstract art influence the way I create shapes and movement in my pieces.
What about designing and producing patterns are you most adept at, what parts are you most fond of, and what parts are challenging? (Pattern Grading, the last week of editing, coming up with a name for a project, self promotion?)
I am very good at the details that go along with pattern writing. I like to think I’m thorough! As for what I really love, my favorite part is organizing the pattern and charting/creating the visuals. I find some parts of promotion to be challenging, such as keeping my older patterns relevant, and keeping the promotion plate spinning in general. I tend to design a pattern, make it available, then walk away.
You as a Giftalong designer:
Were you surprised at how big the giftalong became?
Yes! It has been a huge success!
Were you skeptical of the “abundance” ideas, or did they seem just right?
I didn’t mind it at all – perfect to me.
What have you learned from the promotion?
I learned some ins and outs of Ravelry! And I learned that I definitely need to incorporate sales into my planning and routine.
You as someone who likes to make things questions:
What is your usual process on a fiber project, for instance, do you start with a yarn, a cute pattern, a need you’ve noticed, something exciting you saw in a movie you want to copy, or a technique you want to learn – then what do you do next and then what?
Like I mentioned before, I start with a non-fiber art for inspiration. From there I find a great yarn and create the prototype, photographing writing the pattern along the way.
Does anything intimidate you in knitting or crochet?
I’m completely scared to make anything that’s not a blanket! Any project where gauge matters, I run the other way.
When you want to learn something, do you look it up in a book, on Youtube, or seek a real person to teach you?
I Google it! 🙂
Any repetitive motion disorders due to knitting or crochet? How do you deal with them?
I crochet with a larger hook than my chosen yarn calls for, which cuts down on friction and lessens wrist/hand pain. Sometimes I feel it in my elbows, but a quick break helps!
Do you frequent a particular yarn store?
I’m in the Scheepjes Blogger Group, so I use mostly Scheepjes yarns ordered online from WoolWarehouse, but I do enjoy a good Hobby Lobby visit!
Do you usually finish things? If not, does it bother you?
Yes I mostly always finish objects, because I’m more than likely writing up a pattern when I make a piece. The projects that don’t get finished are ones that didn’t work out, design-wise.
Do you get to do any “selfish knitting?”
Is knitting a seasonal activity for you?
This is embarrassing! I crochet every day and I don’t have any handmade blankets in my home! I did custom blankets for about four years, then went straight into designing, and I sell the prototypes. I swear, one day I’ll have a linen closet full of handmade pieces 🙂
What makes you buy a pattern (lovely photo, the story of the project, it looks do-able, it looks slightly challenging…)
Unique design elements that I haven’t used before always draw me to a pattern.
What gives you the feeling that you got your money’s worth out of a pattern?
If a pattern is detailed and thorough, it’s worth it!
What do you most enjoy about knitting or crochet?
I most enjoy that crochet allows me to be creative and productive in quiet solitude. It quiets my mind!
