#follower friday interview

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Follower Interview: Tabitha

Blogs: Beside my main, personal blog (darlingitisbetter), I have one other blog. It’s started out as a general needlecraft blog, but turned into a mostly crochet blog. I will occasionally post things about knitting, tatting, and sewing. But it is mostly crochet. I am the one who posts the “Crochet Problems”! That one is stitchinkitchen.tumblr.com (my last name is Kitchen).

Tell us about yourself. My name is Tabitha, I am 21 years old, and I live in a small town in South Texas. I live in a little apartment with my boyfriend, two cats, and my little brother. I am going to community college to get my Associates in Education! I work at a daycare in the meantime, and I started a little Crochet Club there. My first graders are currently doing the chain stitch with their fingers. A few of them have even started using hooks!

How long have you been crocheting? I have only crocheting for close to 3 years now.

What inspires you? What keeps you interested in crochet? Well, to me, crocheting is so relaxing, yet SO rewarding! You get to relieve stress and make beautiful art at the same time. So worth it! Getting on Ravelry and Tumblr, and seeing the things that people have created really make me want to keep at it. I can only get better from here!

What type of projects do you prefer to work on? I honestly will make almost anything. I have made hats, scarves, amigurumi, a bathing suit, earrings, little baby outfits, and tons of other stuff.

Here is some stuff I have made. I love working on almost anything! :)

What is your favorite or most used hook? Hmmm. I usually end up with a G hook. I should really start to pay attention to gauge, but I instinctively grab the G hook for almost anything. So that’s my most used one. My favorite hook though is just a simple metal K hook. When I was first learning, my dad said “Use the K hook. That’s the best one.” And I asked him why. “Because K is for Kitchen.”  Was his answer.

Do you remember the first thing you ever crocheted and do you still have it? I do remember my first project! It was a hat. I don’t think I have it anymore, but I do have a picture! [Picture Unavailable]

What other web pages do you have? (facebook fan page, etsy shop, etc.) I don’t have another website right now, but I do plan on building up an inventory and making one soon

What was your favorite project? My favorite project would have to be the Minion from Despicable Me, I think :)

What is one tip you’d give to someone just starting out with crochet? DO NOT GIVE UP!!! It is not always easy at first. It is a learned skill, and it takes time to get better. Watch YouTube videos if it helps you.

Why did you learn to crochet? In May of 2011, my dad found out he had cancer. I spent most of my time at the hospital with him. Instead of sitting there with nothing to do, and just letting my mind wander to all the things that could happen, I decided to find something to preoccupy my mind and hands. I would rather be able to control the outcome that just sit there and wait. I started crocheting then, and haven’t stopped since. My dad died in October of 2011. Thank you for sharing, Tabitha!! I did try to contact you because some of your photos didn't show up - if you'd like to get back to me, I'll be happy to add them in! Thanks again, and thank you for following!

Do YOU want to be our next Follower Friday Interview??  Drop me a message in my Ask Box or Fanmail, and I’ll send you some questions! This is your chance to share a little about yourself and/or your shop or blogs with the Just Stitched followers, and maybe gain a few new followers while you’re at it!

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Follower Friday Interview: Danielle

Danielle’s Tumblr: My personal/crafting tumblr is ohyarnit, and I also have a blog spot under the same name. Tell us about yourself. My name is Danielle, I’m 24, and I’m from Kentucky How long have you been crocheting? I’ve been crocheting since December 26th of 2008. What inspires you? What keeps you interested in crochet? My mother-in-law is who inspired me to start, and being able to make plushies that make people inspires me to keep going, as well as what keeps me interested. What type of projects do you prefer to work on? Pokemon plushies are my favorite things to make. Look at this one:

Such a cutie!

What is your favorite or most used hook? I have a cobalt blue Boye G hook that has seen a lot of crochet action. Do you remember the first thing you ever crocheted and do you still have it? The first project that I completed was a mouse, and unfortunately, I no longer have her. I do have pictures of her:

What other web pages do you have? Just my deviantART. What was your favorite project? My big grey granny square afghan!

What is one tip you’d give to someone just starting out with crochet? Take it slow, take breaks, and try not to get flustered. I can’t tell you how many times I was cussing myself out back when I was first teaching myself how to crochet in the round, but I kept at it, made Spanish Moss, said “Yay, I got it!”, and now I can make things like Lugia

and an Adipos

Why did you learn to crochet? I’d always wanted to learn a hand craft, and Christmas Day of 2008, the woman who is now my mother-in-law gave me a how-to kit and a one pound skein of red yarn. It all just snow-balled from there.

Thank you so much for sharing, Danielle!! I really enjoyed all the photos you shared!

Do YOU want to be our next Follower Friday Interview?? Drop me a message in my Ask Box or Fanmail, and I’ll send you some questions! This is your chance to share a little about yourself and/or your shop or blogs with the Just Stitched followers, and maybe gain a few new followers while you’re at it!

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Follower Friday Interview: Shendy

Shendy's Tumblr: barfingunicorn.tumblr.com Shendy's Other Sites: Etsy: etsy.com/shop/Sminostuff eBay: ebay.com/usr/sminostuff Facebook: facebook/com/sminostuff Tell us about yourself. My name is Shendy and I’m 22. I’m too lazy to find a picture to put here but my face can be seen on my Etsy/eBay listings for hats and some gloves (my face is not for sale though, sorry). I live in Arizona so I don’t get much use out of scarves, which was the only thing I knew how to knit, so I decided to take up crocheting instead so I could make other things besides squares and rectangles. How long have you been crocheting? Since July of 2012. What inspires you? What keeps you interested in crochet? I guess most of my inspiration comes from my boyfriend. He really loves video games and one of the first things I made was a Legend of Zelda blanket for his birthday (pictures can be found on my Etsy/eBay store). I’m not into video games as much as he is but I know a lot about them because of him and he’s always telling me to crochet him a character from whatever game he’s obsessed with at the moment, so I’ve come to appreciate video game-inspired crafts. I’ve also made a few chocobos for his friends too because they all love Final Fantasy. I just love that it combines our two favorite hobbies. :) What type of projects do you prefer to work on? It depends on my mood. If I’m crocheting to relax because I’m mad or stressed out about something, I like things I can work on without paying too much attention to, like a granny square blanket or a hat, while watching tv or something. If I’m bored or haven’t made anything in a while, I like amigurumi. My least favorite thing to work on is arms or legs that have 4 or 5 stitches in each row. What is your favorite or most used hook? My yellow H hook, which I call my Golden Hook. It was the first one I ever bought and I made my first few projects with it and still use it frequently. I once bought a set of 4 different hooks and it included an identical yellow hook, and I’d feel like I’m betraying the Golden Hook if I used it, so I keep it in a separate box so they won’t get mixed up. Do you remember the first thing you ever crocheted and do you still have it? The first thing I ever learned how to make was little bows, but I took those apart while practicing so I don’t really count those. My first finished project was a little blue puff stitch hat. I still have it somewhere but I never wear it because it looks weird on me. I’d sell it but I’ve grown attached to it because it was the first thing I ever officially finished. Maybe I’ll give it to my mom because she always tells me if I make something and mess it up or don’t like it to just give it to her no matter how ugly it is. What other web pages do you have? I use Pinterest mainly for organizing pictures and patterns of things I’d like to make some day, but I also have boards full of the things I’ve already made. http://www.pinterest.com/sminostuff/ I’d really love for my store’s Facebook page to get some more attention! I post pictures of works in progress and update it whenever I add new stuff to my shop. facebook/com/sminostuff What was your favorite project? That’s like asking a mother who her favorite child is! I love all my projects equally! I’ve sold a few blankets on eBay and Etsy that I’ve grown attached to while working on them. After looking at something for so long, it starts to grow on you. I make sure to take pictures of everything I make before I ship them off so I can always look back on them and remember all the hours I spent working on them. I always hope their new owners love them as much as I do! What is one tip you’d give to someone just starting out with crochet? Be patient! I’ve had so many people tell me that they tried to learn how to crochet but they just couldn’t figure it out or that it was too hard or took to long to make anything. And if you’re confused, there are tutorials for EVERYTHING on Youtube. I learned everything I know about crochet from Youtube! I tried learning from books but I have to see something actually being made in order to get the hang of how to do it. Plus you can rewind it over and over again until you get it! Why did you learn to crochet? A long time ago I found this blanket http://gegecrochet.blogspot.com/2009/03/mario-party-part-1.html and thought it was so cool that things like that could be made with just a hook and yarn! Last year as it was approaching my boyfriend’s birthday, I watched a crochet video out of curiosity and realized how simple it seemed, so I went to the store and bought a little skein of cotton yarn and a hook and started practicing. I found a Mario blanket made out of granny squares and decided that I wanted to crochet something similar for my boyfriend’s birthday, so I made him a blanket with a picture of Link on it (because he likes Legend of Zelda more than Mario). I’ve always preferred making things for peoples’ birthdays and Christmas and stuff, so I make everyone I know at least one little crocheted thing every Christmas.

Thank you for sharing, Shendy!! And thank you for following Just Stitched!

Do YOU want to be our next Follower Friday Interview?? Drop me a message in my Ask Box or Fanmail, and I’ll send you some questions! This is your chance to share a little about yourself and/or your shop or blogs with the Just Stitched followers, and maybe gain a few new followers while you’re at it!

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Follower Friday Interview: Jess

What blogs do you have? http://doctorloki40.tumblr.com/ is the only one I have, so it’s a bit of a mix of whatever catches my attention on that particular day :) Tell us about yourself. My name is Jess. I’m 22 and live in Australia. How long have you been crocheting? Ummmm, how long has The Avengers been out? *cue internet search* From approximately September 2012 I think. So just over a year! What inspires you? What keeps you interested in crochet? Lot of things! There’s always something new to learn, a new way of doing things, a new hook to try, and new character that is just adorable and begging to be made out of yarn :D And then I look through the crochet tag or my dash and see all the amazing things people can make using crochet and think, yes, I can try that! What type of projects do you prefer to work on? Depends on my mood. Mostly amigurumi though. I love customising them and bringing whatever I’m working on to life! I have been know to work on hats, gloves and scarves (ugh scarves! :P ) What is your favorite or most used hook? It was a D hook, but I made a turtle the other week with a F hook and it worked up so quickly! Might be a new favourite :) Oh, and these Addi hooks make my wrists hurt a lot less than the hooks I was using! Also, they match my toothbrush (which is totally important, right?)

Do you remember the first thing you ever crocheted and do you still have it? I made a bear. It was a test of a basic body pattern that I decided to finish sort of properly because I worked really hard on it. I still have him, he sits in my cupboard at the moment.

What other web pages do you have? I attempted starting an etsy shop, but I ran into some issues. I need to ring up paypal to set that up properly so I can actually get paid! I also need to wait until my wrists get sorted out before I embark on something like that. :) Other than that I don’t really have much besides tumblr. What was your favorite project? It’s a toss up between Lil Loki

and 11th Doctor

What is one tip you’d give to someone just starting out with crochet? Google is your friend! Why did you learn to crochet? I really wanted a Loki doll after I saw The Avengers and I found a few online. They were way out of my price range. I figured stuff it I’ll learn to do it myself! I also needed a hobby to try and relieve stress.

Thanks for sharing, Jess!! I really want to try those Addi hooks! & using google IS great advice! I use it all the time! Thank you for following Just Stitched!

Do YOU want to be our next Follower Friday Interview?? Drop me a message in my Ask Box or Fanmail, and I’ll send you some questions! This is your chance to share a little about yourself and/or your shop or blogs with the Just Stitched followers, and maybe gain a few new followers while you’re at it!

Don’t forget to check your messages, because I will be messaging more of you - you may already have the questions in your ask box!! A speedy response is preferred - or at least a confirmation that you received the questionnaire. You must be following Just Stitched to be featured! :)

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Follower Friday: Em / danceswithyarn

What blogs do you have on Tumblr? I only have one tumblr blog—danceswithyarn.tumblr.com. I started it fairly recently. Tell us about yourself. My name is Em. I’m in my late twenties and live in the midwest. I’m also an English teacher and tutor. How long have you been crocheting? I’ve been crocheting since I was about 12—over 15 years. Kind of hard to believe! I love it. It’s gotten to the point where if I’m sitting around watching TV or listening to music and NOT crocheting, I feel weird. I spend ridiculous amounts of money on yarn and I think starting my Etsy business may have been a subconscious way of rationalizing that!! What inspires you? What keeps you interested in crochet? Honestly, I have a hard time NOT being inspired. I’m constantly seeing other designer’s patterns that I want to try (you don’t even want to know how many faves I have on Ravelry), and have a few ideas per week of items I’d like to design myself. I’m prepping for fall craft shows right now, and I’m having a hard time disciplining myself to make a large stockpile of one item, because as soon as I finish a few I’m all “Ooh, what if I made some…” and want to start something new. The process of making something, whether it’s a piece I’ve designed myself or a pattern I’ve found elsewhere, is deep-down soul satisfying, and I can’t imagine my life without it. What type of projects do you prefer to work on? It depends on what I’m in the mood for. I’m really big into fingerless gloves right now. I also like shawls and hats (so basically I’m a Victorian woman at heart). If I’m feeling upset or angry, I’ll go for the soothing, simple patterns that don’t require a lot of thought; when I’m in a more high-energy mood, I’ll bust out the lace or cables. What is your favorite or most used hook? Definitely my H hook. It’s a pretty gold metal hook, and I use it for just about every worsted weight project I make. I tend to be a very loose crocheter, and almost always have to go down a hook size or two for other people’s patterns. Since most worsted patterns use an I or a J, that H is in constant use! It’s basically my bff. Do you remember the first thing you ever crocheted and do you still have it? Yes, I do. It was a gift for my cousin, who was pregnant. I decided to make her a baby blanket. At the time, I had no idea what gauge was or why it was necessary, and that blanket ended up looking more like a scarf…that was about six feet long! I had no idea what I’d done wrong and no idea how to fix it, so I just gave it to her anyway. I’m guessing it ended up in her Goodwill bin, since I never saw it around her house. But, that was an important lesson (I always swatch now!) and I still remember that blanket fondly. I hope it’s somewhere bring someone some comfort! What other web pages do you have? I’m on Etsy: sweetheartsstitches.etsy.com I’m on twitter: @SweetheartsSts I’m on Facebook: facebook.com/sweetheartsstitches I use tumblr and twitter the most. I also have a quarterly email newsletter with coupons, product news, etc. If you’re interested in signing up for that, you can do so here: http://eepurl.com/E0I7j What was your favorite project? Oh my gosh, that’s like trying to choose my favorite child. Um…my favorite thing I made recently is this scarf:

I also love this guy:

But one of my all time favorites is this tank:

I designed it, made it, and photographed it myself this summer. It was the first garment I’ve ever designed, and I think it came out so beautifully. I absolutely love it. (The pattern is also available on Etsy if you want to try it yourself!) What is one tip you’d give to someone just starting out with crochet? Definitely don’t be discouraged, and keep going no matter what. Remember that it’s just yarn: you can fix any mistake you make. Just because it’s hard at first doesn’t mean it won’t be worthwhile soon, so keep going past the mistakes. (Really, though, this is excellent life advice as well. The Tao of Crochet! Perhaps I should write a book…) Why did you learn to crochet? My grandmother crocheted for as far back as I could remember. I was very close with her, and although I taught myself with a friend, I always think of her as the reason I learned. She crocheted an afghan for everything: baby showers, weddings, get well, birthdays, Christmas…it was like a treasure to have an afghan from her. She brought comfort and love to so many people with her crochet, and a big reason why I started my Etsy shop is because I want to do the same thing. I hope that everyone who orders something from me feels the love and the hope that I put into each piece, and that they feel comforted when they wear it or use it. I think that’s the most magical part of crochet—yeah, it’s just a bunch of yarn and a hook, but something happens when you put them together, when you’re thinking happy thoughts of the recipient or sending up prayers for them. Those good feelings get caught in the fabric, somehow, and that’s something that mass-produced items from stores can’t ever compete with!

Thank you so much for sharing about yourself, Em! And thanks SO MUCH for following!

Do YOU want to be our next Follower Friday Interview?? Drop me a message in my Ask Box or Fanmail, and I’ll send you some questions! This is your chance to share a little about yourself and/or your shop or blogs with the Just Stitched followers, and maybe gain a few new followers while you’re at it!

*****Don’t forget to check your messages!!***** I’ve sent out quite a few sets of questions that I have not received a response from! Please respond to confirm that  you received the questionnaire, and send it in as soon as you can! Reminder: you must be following Just Stitched to be featured! :)

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Follower Friday Interview: readalfa

Blog: http://readalfa.tumblr.com/

Tell us about yourself. My first name is a bit distinctive so I’m not going to share it, but I’m a 23-year-old married lady from Iowa. My husband is wonderful and he lets me crochet whenever I want :D How long have you been crocheting? Hrm… I learned to chain when I was probably 10ish, but lost interest for a while and never picked up real stitches until college. I’ve been doing actual crocheting for about 3 years now. I also learned to knit at about the same time. What inspires you? What keeps you interested in crochet? I love looking at all the different projects on Tumblr and Ravelry! I especially love rainbow-gradients, though I’ve never made something with that color scheme. I stay interested in crochet because it’s my form of art and creativity. I sometimes marvel that a fancy stick and fancy string can be made into basically anything- and that *I* did it! What type of projects do you prefer to work on? It depends on my mood. Most of my crocheted projects have been amigurumis or beanie hats. I reserve my limited knitting skills for scarves. I have made 1 afghan and I have one in progress. What is your favorite or most used hook? I have a wooden J (I think it’s J) hook I bought at Hobby Lobby that I use a lot for just whipping things up. I tend to use J hooks for non-amigurumis and an F or a G for amigurumis. Do you remember the first thing you ever crocheted and do you still have it? Yes! I made a cover for my Kindle. I didn’t use a pattern. I made a rectangle that was twice the height of the Kindle, and then stitched the sides together with more yarn. And yes, I still have it, even though I don’t have that Kindle anymore. What other web pages do you have? None that are crochet related other than my Ravelry but I don’t use it that much… What was your favorite project? The project I am most proud of is the afghan I made. :) I used this pattern but with “Forest” colorway (a brown and green). Photo from website: What is one tip you’d give to someone just starting out with crochet? Be patient with yourself, and try different techniques. You might find you like working in the round better than working flat, who knows? Just try it :) Why did you learn to crochet? My grandma crochets and I thought I’d try it. I got hooked! ;)

THANK YOU FOR SHARING!!!! And thank you for following!

Do YOU want to be our next Follower Friday Interview?? Drop me a message in my Ask Box or Fanmail, and I’ll send you some questions! This is your chance to share a little about yourself and/or your shop or blogs with the Just Stitched followers, and maybe gain a few new followers while you’re at it!

Don’t forget to check your messages!! I've sent out quite a few sets of questions that I have not received a response from! Please respond to confirm that  you received the questionnaire, and send it in as soon as you can! Reminder: you must be following Just Stitched to be featured! :)

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Who wants to do a Follower Friday interview?

If you want to be the next Follower Friday interviewee, just click the heart on this post, and I'll send you a set of questions!

Remember: almost anything goes! You can make your answers really long or short and to the point, and include links to photos - of your projects or even of yourself!

This is your chance to share a little about yourself and/or your shop or blogs to the Just Stitched followers, and maybe gain a few new followers while you’re at it! You must be following Just Stitched to be featured!

Check out our past Follower Friday Interviews!

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