Crochet Hooks - Celebrating Etsy Style!

I came home this weekend to find that I had sold my 200th item. So, to celebrate I decided to do some online shopping at my favorite place (Etsy.com of course!). Here’s what I purchased, this lovely polymer clay handled crochet hook from thefancifulfeline.


I purchased a size G hook several years ago from this seller, and I am still awed by its beauty every time I pick it up. The photos do not show all the intricate details and variations in layers and colors. If you’ve ever seen how long it takes to make 1 design in polymer clay, you can only appreciate the literally hundreds? of hours that goes into one handle. Needless to say, I can’t wait until my new size J hook arrives.

Typically I use wood crochet hooks for my everyday crocheting. I find them much more comfortable to work with and the wood warms to my hands, whereas aluminum hooks are always cold and my hands would literally hurt from using them.
My husband bought me a complete set of Brittany birch hooks and I adore them. I also have a set of rosewood hooks that I use often. My hooks have 2 different styles of ends on them, and depending on what I’m making I’ll choose one or the other.
For my hair scarves I always use the Brittany because I can get really consistent chains with them. For my pet blankets I use a rosewood hook. I crochet with 2 yarn strands and the rosewood hooks hold the yarns much better with no slippage.


Here are some gorgeous handmade wood hooks that I found on Etsy:

Lilac Lavender Wood Hook by rparishwoodworks

Exotic Wooden Brazilian Cherry Crochet Hook by fancykitty

And I just had to share this delightful hook I found from another online vendor Craft Designs for You

Now it’s time to put my lovely crochet hooks to some use, and thanks for stopping in!

The Egg Came Before the Chicken!

As least in my case, lol!
I’ve been working on a set of amigurumi chickens that I haven’t finished yet and in the meantime I came up with the idea for a fried egg potholder. It’s a cute potholder that has a bit of country charm to it.




I designed this potholder from my own drawing and paper pattern that I made. I was very happy with the results and will create more patterns using this technique in the future. It is my goal to design many more patterns and offer them for sale in my shop along with the creations made from them.

I have the fried egg potholder pattern listed for sale in my shop as well as the potholder. I love creating items that are functional as well as fun. This potholder is a whimsical compliment to any kitchen and the double layers keep your hand safe from burns.




So why did the chicken cross the road? To visit my Etsy shop, of course! But you can visit me virtually at RedBerryCrochet.etsy.com
I plan on having the chickens completed by next week, so check back often to see what new and whimsical designs I’ve created!

Etsy Pet Week - Exciting News!

Some exciting news this week! I’ve been featured in an Etsy Storque article!
Etsy Pets in Vogue: Getting The Right Shot
That’s my cat B.C. proudly displaying his toys in the main photo and in the photo at right. Last week cbarjcrafts contacted me regarding my photos and asked me if I'd like to participate. Of course I was happy to! She asked me several questions and here are my answers.

What type of set up do you use to photograph your 'pet model(s)'?
I use natural light to photograph my pets, which also works best for my crochet items. Flash photos are too harsh and I don’t like the reflections in the eyes. For indoor shots I also use a tripod and I set my camera timer. Using the timer gives me a few seconds to attract their attention by snapping my fingers or waving a toy above the camera.

Do you have any tips for others who would like to use their pets as product models?
Make it fast :) Take as many photos as you can in a short amount of time. B.C. was resting comfortably on the couch and I just put a white sheet underneath him and started shooting. Take photos when they are relaxed, and don’t fuss too much and get them excited. Keep your voice low and calm. Save the treats until the session is over. And don’t forget lots of praise!

What are the name(s) and breed(s) of your model(s)?
B.C. (aka Barn Cat, aka Bubba Chubs) and Daphne my Yorkie.

I really enjoy taking photos of my pets and I love to include them in my shop listings. B.C. has gotten lots of compliments and many buyers have sent photos to him of their pets playing with their new toys. Hmmm, maybe B.C. should have his own blog . . .





Please also visit cbarjcrafts (Christy's Critters) shop to find adorable polymer clay creations. And thank you Christy for including me in your terrific article! Happy Pet Week!

Hi and welcome!

About 7 years ago I bought myself a “Teach Yourself to Crochet” kit and I haven’t stopped crocheting since! It seemed to come naturally to me and I really enjoy creating new things. I’m amazed at the things you can make from simple tools of a hook and yarn. I opened my Etsy shop in July of 2006 and it’s been a wonderful experience. I’ve recently started selling my own patterns in my shop and I’ve been fortunate to have a purse pattern published in Country Woman magazine in Sept 2006. I have a felted scarf pattern I sold to Crochet World which will be published this fall.

I also hope to teach a crochet class this fall. I’ve taught several beginner classes and I really enjoy it. To think that I can possibly give the gift of crochet to someone that will last them a lifetime is truly amazing!
I went through the correspondence course offered by CYCA (Craft Yarn Council of America) and I am a Certified Crochet Instructor. It really helped me to create a lesson plan and pick appropriate projects for my classes. Plus I have a really nice portfolio from the lessons I had to make during the course. I would highly recommend this course if you would like to teach.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you’ll check back to see all my new projects!