First Post

I hope I am better able to keep up with this blog than the last two I have started. The first one, I was not permitted to post photos unless I paid for the feature, which I did not have the money to do so. The second was a members only site. Neither of these is good for my budding career. You see, I am trying to become a crochet designer, and without photos and public access to back me up, it makes things difficult. I have patterns on another page but I cannot post pics of the finished product without funding, and if I post on the other site, not everyone would have access to it. Hence, my dilemma.

I have been crocheting for 20 years, now. My mother taught me the basics when I was just a kid, and I taught myself how to read patterns while I was in college and needed a stress relief. I recently began writing down some of the things I created myself, and, while time-consuming, it has been very rewarding.

This year, I am attempting to start a craft business. I am going to offer classes in crocheting once I am certified through the CYAA (hopefully, this fall!), and I will also be selling finished items at various craft shows in my area. I also plan to do special orders, which has been my main business so far.

I am a member of CrochetPartners (howdy, y'all!), and a few weeks ago, I had this inspiration to make doilyghans for baby blankets. I shared this idea on the board, and the idea just took off! A doilyghan is basically a large, blanket-sized doily made of yarn (that, or a doily is a doilyghan that has shrunk in the wash). I look for patterns that do not generally have a lot of large pieces of openwork, although netting and filet are quite nice for the projects. Celt's Vintage Crochet has a lot of nice, free-to-the-public vintage doily patterns which many of them are just perfect for blankets. My first two doilyghans were made from the Plate Doily pattern. The first, I made for my 6-month-old dd, and the second I made for a gal I know who ordered it for her new grandbaby who is due to arrive any moment now. Above is a pic of the finished doilyghan I made for my dd. The next doilyghan I am working on is called Nosegay Doily. I'm making each section a different shade of yellow and green...perhaps I'll call it Limon Nosegay? Anyhow, this one I started Wednesday night, and it seems to be rather time-consuming, so I may have to charge a bit more for the finished products as I sell them.

In September, I plan to take part in a local annual one-day flea market, trying to sell my wares. I will feverishly work on various pieces and expand my portfolio so that if folks want to special order something, they will be able to.