Welcome to the June edition of Meet the Maker – Designer Spotlight! This month I am excited to introduce Ashley, crochet designer behind Through the Loop Yarn Craft. I got to know Ashley a few years ago testing one of her patterns (you can find out more about that at the end of the interview). Her designs are beautiful!
Tell us a little bit about yourself…
Hello, hello! My name is Ashley, and I am the designer and blogger behind Through The Loop Yarn Craft.
I live on gorgeous Vancouver Island in British Columbia. I’m a full-time working mom of 7 (5 boys and 2 girls between 5-16!), a wife to an amazing husband, and of course a small business owner. I love coffee, wine and Lululemon! I am a super picky eater. I am a cancer survivor, and lived near Chicago for 4 years when I was teenager! Thank you so much Whitney, I am very excited to be here with you today!
You can find Through the Loop Yarn Craft on social media: Ravelry , Facebook , Instagram , and Pinterest!
How long have you been crocheting?
I have only been crocheting for about 3.5 years!
What types of patterns do you design?
I love to create quick and modern crochet designs so you can create more with the time you have.
Is there anything in particular that inspires your designs?
Honestly probably just things that I think would be useful for other busy people like myself.
What is the main reason that you crochet?
I started to crochet for my kids, then it led to being my main creative outlet.
How did you decide on your maker name?
I went through a lot of ideas, I started to think of words or phrases we use in crochet and came up with Through The Loop, I added Yarn Craft so it’s not limited to crochet down the road!
Do you have a favorite pattern you designed and why?
Can I pick a top 3?! 1. Meridale Scarf 2. Through The Loop Scarf. 3. Riverside Shawl I love them all for their versatility and ease of wear! (To view each pattern click on their name below).
- Meridale Scarf Pattern
3. The Riverside Shawl Pattern and YouTube Tutorial
What do you love most about being a crochet designer/maker?
Sharing my creative side with others!
What do you love least about being a crochet designer/maker?
I’m a pleaser and fixer. It’s hard for me when I cannot make everyone happy or fix all their problems.
Is there any helpful advice you could give someone just learning to crochet?
COUNT!! Always count your stitches, even for small projects. It may seem tedious but can save you hours of time later.
When you are not crocheting, what are you most likely doing?
I am probably spending time with the family, binge watching Netflix, or spending time outside in the yard, or at the beach.
What is your favorite type/weight of yarn to work with and why?
I tend to gravitate to worsted weight mostly, I like how it can be used for such a wide variety of items and it is readily available everywhere and you can find it at lots of different price points.
Do you have a favorite place to crochet?
I crochet mostly at my desk or on my bed.
Do you have any upcoming designs or new plans in the future as a maker?
This summer I have a lot planned actually! I have one design that I am working on that I am super excited about! I am also planning a beginner series on my YouTube channel (click to subscribe).
If you could create with any other medium (other than yarn), what would it be?
Icing and fondant! Back in 2008 for about 5 years or so I had a small cake decorating business, and now I love to get into the icing to relax and make a mess!
For more free patterns from Through the Loop Yarn Craft, check out Ashley’s Website!
You can find Through the Loop Yarn Craft on social media: Ravelry , Facebook , Instagram , and Pinterest!
I hope you enjoyed learning a little bit more about Ashley, from Through the Loop Yarn Craft in this month’s edition of Meet the Maker – Designer Spotlight!
And now for something fun! I love supporting other designers and getting to know them. I have tested a few of Ashley’s patterns, the very first one I tested was the Snow Cold Beanie I had never done tapestry crochet before, but her step by step pattern tutorial made it easy and I loved learning a new technique! The Sheridan Ridge Slouchy Hat is another on of her patterns I tested. Her designs really are quick and easy!
To view the free pattern for the Snow Cold Beanie click the HERE.
The Free pattern for the Sheridan Ridge Slouchy Hat can be found HERE.
I hope you come back next month to meet another awesome maker!
Are you interested in more free patterns? Check out some of my free patterns below or click HERE to view them all!
