A sweet and amazing gathering happened and is still effervescing. A group of independent
designers on Ravelry gathered together to create the 2013 Gift A Long, offering
discounts on patterns, contests and prizes for participation. It has been a wonderful way to “meet” and
exchange with other indie designers and I’ve learned a lot from the many wonderful creators involved.
Darleen Hopkins is one of the crochet designers in the Gift A Long. She kindly agreed to an interview. There is humor and pleasure in her
whimsical and skewed hat designs and I'm delighted to share her thoughts here.
How did you learn to crochet?
My sister first taught me when I was
about 10 years old. I never did much with it then. I retaught myself (about
2005) learning from a booklet. I spent the first 6 months or so making single
crochet dishcloths and potholders. I made A LOT of them but in the process, I
really perfected my tension. I still have the potholders but the dishcloths
have worn out and have been replaced with newer crocheted ones.
How/when did you begin to design?
Almost right away I started tweaking
patterns. I'm not sure if have ever made
a pattern just as it was written. It wasn't long until I started making up my
own designs. I sold my first self-published design in April, 2010 on Etsy-the
Waiting for Spring Flapper Hat. My first design published in a magazine was the
'I do' afghan (Crochet Today! May/June 2011). I designed the afghan as a
wedding gift for a friend of mine and on a whim decided to submit it to the
magazine. I was so excited when it was accepted!
What is your design process? What
Influences your style?
Most of my designs are a little bit
silly. I guess it's a reflection of my personality-I'm a goofy nerd. Usually an
idea just pops in my head and I go with it. I often run the ideas by my two
boys, my husband and my mother to get other opinions. I work out the design
crocheting and writing the pattern as I go making the necessary adjustments to
fit my vision.
What do you make and design repeatedly
if anything?
Hats! I love hats, the sillier the
better. I started out with hats and was inspired by Halos of Hope, http://halosofhope.org/. This is a great group that collects handmade hats and
distributes them to cancer centers across the US.
What is your favorite workhorse yarn
(fiber, weight)?
I love the softness of cotton and
prefer either 100% cotton (great for the donated hats) or cotton and acrylic
blends. I tend to use and design with worsted (medium) weight a lot.
Do you have favorite hooks? What brand
style and why?
Clover Soft Touch. I was having trouble
with arm fatigue and found the thinner hooks contributing to the problem. I
love the shape of the handle of the soft touch hooks. They are much easier to
grip and I have fewer problems now.
Which of your patterns make for really
great gift crocheting?
Mr. Springy, the Robot Dude (or Dudette) is a great gift for a child. Every
child loves to play dress up. Mix the colors up to make it for a boy or a girl.
What do you most enjoy about
crocheting?
Crocheting relaxes me. I get caught up
in the repetition of the stitches and the counting. It soothes my brain. Design
lets my creativity shine. I love the challenge of figuring out how to make the
yarn look the way I want.
