Featured Artist Little foots Lullabies

   Little foots Lullabies

1. Rachel, could you tell us a little about yourself and your store?

I am a full time law student, recently married, have a part time job, and I use crocheting as a way to relax at the end of my day.  

My store came about not only because all the items I was making kept piling up in my spare room, but also because I wanted to have an excuse to go shopping for yarn. I have a huge stockpile of yarn, but always seem to find a reason to buy more of it. My store allows me an excuse to make new items and buy more yarn. I love it.

2. What made you decide to open a store with crocheted kids items?

I have a rather large extended family, and my older cousins started having babies around the time I was learning to crochet, so a lot of the items I started making when I was younger involved smaller items for babies. In the long run, these items are also quicker to make which allows the turnaround time in my shop to be shorter than if I was making full-sized items. The other reason was that kids items are always so much more fun. 

                         

3. Have you always crocheted?

I've been crocheting since elementary school. I tried to learn how to knit a few times, but for some reason adding a second hook makes it impossible for me to figure out what I'm doing. So crochet is the only way for me!

4. Do you find it easier to crochet “free style” or by pattern?

Honestly, it depends on what I'm in the mood for. Sometimes, I need to have a pattern so that I can get a basic idea down. From there, once I've mastered a pattern, or I have a general idea of a new stitch, I will free style from there. At this point, I have certain patterns memorized (beanie bases, lovey bases, etc) and from there, the fun part is free styling a design or whatever to go with it.

Blankets only offered on Facebook Page

5. Do you remember the first item you crocheted? (funny story, something to share)

I'm pretty sure I spent at least a year stuck on learning how to add stitches on top of a chain (foundation row). So I ended up making a ton of single row chains and calling them different things… My mom had a lot of headbands, bracelets, and necklaces that I made for her during this phase. Eventually I was able to get past this, but it took a while.

6. What inspires you the most with each piece you choose to crochet?

It really depends for each piece. For the TMNT beanies I make, I got the idea from my husband wearing a TMNT shirt around the house. Other times it is because I find a really pretty yarn at the store that I must buy and then I create something based on the colors. Sometimes it's because I'm feeling festive or particularly seasonal. And then there's sometimes where I have no idea where the inspiration comes from, I just end up making something.

Blankets Only Offered on Facebook Page

Any advice for those starting out with crocheting or a business?

For those starting out with crocheting, don't get frustrated and give up too soon. Sometimes it comes naturally to people, other people hit a speed bump they can't get over right away. Stick with it, you could surprise yourself. If you had told me that I would have my own online crochet store 15 years ago, I would have said you were insane because all I made were "headbands" and "bracelets."

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