I'm happy to introduce to your my first Designer Meet & Greet. It's always exciting to meet a fellow Canadian designer, and one from British Columbia (where I live) is super exciting! lol
What is your name, business name & where do you live?
My name is Maria Bruni & my business is The Dancing Yarn.
I am a long time resident of Burnaby, BC
When/How did you learn to crochet?
I learned to crochet at the age of 10. Taught by my maternal grandmother. She would sit by her bedroom window crocheting doilies. I would sometimes sit with her and watch her crochet. One day I picked up a crochet hook and started copying what she did and voila! The rest is history….
What made you decide to start designing patterns?
After I retired in 2015, I decided to crochet more often as now I had the time. So, I crocheted a pair of fingerless gloves and a Santa Hat, and was told that I should try and write up the patterns and sell on Ravelry. Those were my first patterns. I didn’t think that I could have ever been a designer.
How would you say that your crochet designing has changed from when you started?
Since I started designing my crocheting skills have improved 100%. Learning and creating new stitches becomes easy to do and understand. The concept of how each stitch works became easier to understand.
What’s your go-to yarn and crochet hook? Any particular reason why you prefer them?
My go to yarn for now is Loops & Threads, Impeccable. Although I do work with other yarns. Loops & Threads has a wide array of colors and types of yarn . Yarn is very easy to work with. The big one for me, is the color of a different lot number is usually the exact color. My preferred hook sizes are 5mm or 5.50mm. With this hook size I find that the stitches are visible and tension is always consistent.
What are some of your favorite crochet techniques/stitches/ patterns?
Cable Stitches and/or Puff Stitches seem to be my favorite so far. Front Post stitches are also a favorite. These types of stitches provide lots of texture and depth in a project.
Are you a one-project-at-a-time person, or do you have a lot of WIPs on the go?
I usually have 4 to 5 projects going on at one time. I notorious for working on one project and then half way through, I’ll start another because I don’t want to loose my train of thought for a new idea.
What’s the process like when you design a crochet pattern? What are some words you would use to describe your patterns?
1. Think of an idea of what I’d like to make.
2. Decide whether it requires a graph and do the math.
3. Crochet small swatches to see if viable.
4. Crochet a prototype and write out pattern.
5. If happy with prototype, type out pattern.
6. Do a Testers Call and have pattern tested.
7. Release new pattern and promote.
Words to describe my patterns. - Easy to understand and follow. Simple layout. Very explanatory. Lots of photos.
Tell us about your favorite make or biggest crochet triumph?
Ocean Waves Shawl Pocket & Pearls of the Sea Collection. These became very popular and a huge pattern seller.
Paying it forward, who are some of your favorite crochet designers/ bloggers?
Audrey Friesen, Regina Pastrano, Joey Baird, Helen Pal, Patti Hester, Kathy Lutz, LaShika Taylor.
Where can we find you online?
The Dancing Yarn on FB: https://www.facebook.com/thedancingyarn.mb
Thank you so much Maria for the wonderful interview!
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