April 1

Designer Review ~ Crochet by Jennifer

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It wasn’t long after learning how to crochet that I fell in love with Crochet by Jennifer‘s patterns. Way before I ever thought about designing and more around the time that I was learning just to keep my tension consistent, I ran across a pattern from Jennifer’s store. I honestly can’t remember which one is was, but she instantly became my favorite designer. And with 206 designs currently, there is truly something for everyone!

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Want to see more of Crochet by Jennifer? Follow the links below!
Ravelry ~ Craftsy ~ Etsy ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram ~ Google+ ~ Twitter ~ Blog ~ crochetbyjennifer.com

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So now the fun part! I got to chat with Jennifer and learn more about her and her craft. Here’s what she had to say:

I am an introvert, so I love to stay home.  Designing works well for my personality.  I have the perfect job because I can work in comfy clothes and work around my younger daughter’s numerous activity schedule.  I will often crochet at her dance/tae kwon do/gymnastics/swimming class.  I get a lot of my inspiration from stitch books or Pinterest…and quite often, from a customer request (or a request from one of my pattern testers).  I’m always open to new ideas.  Several of my designs have been items I had never made before.  I prefer not to see other designers’ patterns because I don’t want to be influenced by their style or techniques.  I am often inspired by photos though, whether it be a certain stitch or a color combo.

How long have you been crocheting?  What got you started?

I’ve been crocheting since I was a little girl. Both of my grandmothers taught me. One taught me how to crochet and how to read a pattern, and the other grandmother helped me through my first project. One of my grandmothers is still alive and still crocheting at 92 years old.

Where do you see your business going? Where would you like to be in 5 years?     
I see it continuing to grow as I try new projects and designs that I’ve never tried before.  I would love to see a book of my designs published someday
Do you have any upcoming patterns you’d like to share with us?    
Nothing is planned specifically (I tend to be very spontaneous with designs) but I have been working on a blog post with a collection of my patterns that work well for men’s hats.  The blog post is here: http://crochetpatternsbyjennifer.blogspot.com/2015/02/roundup-of-crochet-hat-patterns-for-men.html  
 
What is your favorite design and why?      
My Diagonal Weave Beanie because it was a challenging stitch to figure out and I love the style.  I like making it and I like wearing it.  I also love that it has many different looks and options.
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Jennifer’s daughter wearing a Samantha Slouch.
What is your favorite item to make as a gift?      
For babies, usually a hat and booties set.  My Freedom Fighter Newsboy Cap pattern and Button Loop Booties pattern always go over well.  Otherwise, a chunky blanket.  
Where is the strangest place you’ve crocheted?

I crochet everywhere.  The car, my daughter’s activities, etc.  😉

Where is the craziest place you’ve hid yarn?

I actually don’t have to hide yarn, my husband doesn’t mind it at all.  😉  My 8 year old DAUGHTER, on the other hand, thinks I have too much yarn and will lecture me whenever a new box arrives.  She says I need to use what I have first.  ;)  I generally try to open boxes of yarn when she is not around.

What is your favorite hook and why?

My Hero hooks.  They’re vintage aluminum hooks that are most similar to Boye.  They are basically the same as a Boye hook but tend to be a little more comfortable to hold.

Which crochet celebrity would you want to meet?
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Jennifer’s daughter wearing a Kamryn Cloche.

If you consider all designers as crochet celebrities, I would love to meet my friend Kate Wagstaff of Crafting Friends in person.  She’s been such a good friend and colleague.

If you had your own yarn line, what would it be called?

I honestly don’t know.  Yarn by Jennifer?  lol  😉

What celebrity would you like to see wearing your designs and why?

I can’t really think of anyone in particular but I would have to say fashion models, whether it be an adult supermodel wearing a slouchy beanie from my pattern, or maybe kids in modeling since I have a lot of designs for babies and children.  That would probably be the biggest thrill for me.  🙂

What is your favorite color or color combination you like to work with?

I’m totally obsessed with grays, silvers, charcoal, etc.  A few years ago it was chocolate shades of brown.  For color combos, I like brown or pink, pink, cream, and brown.  Generally I tend to work with solid colored projects though.

What has been your biggest design risk? Was it worth it?

It has happened to me more times than I care to mention that another designer releases a new pattern and I happen to be working on the same idea.  Sometimes I scrap the project, and sometimes I go ahead anyway…and that always feels like a design risk because you don’t want customers to feel that you are copying.  But when you’ve already invested a lot of time and money into a project, you have to hope that people do see the differences and not just the similarities.  My testers can always vouch for how long something has been in production, or where my ideas come from.   ;)

What was the last stitch you learned?

The last new stitch I learned was the Love Knot.  Very pretty!  I made a scarf but have not designed anything with the stitch.

What is your least favorite thing to make?

Slippers.  I hate making two of anything.

Thank you, Jennifer. Loved hearing more about you! But that’s not all! Jennifer is offering a exclusive 25% discount in her Ravelry Store using code CRYSTALIZED for the entire month of April! Head on over and be sure to stop by her Facebook page and say hi!
Here’s some pictures of item’s I’ve made from Crochet by Jennifer patterns…

You can find all my projects from Crochet by Jennifer’s patterns here. Which is your favorite pattern?

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