Hooking With …. Ashley Parker (The Loopy Lamb)
Today in Hooking With … we are meeting Ashley Market from The Loopy Lamb. Ashley has a lot of different types of patterns on her site – some of her ami patterns are gorgeous!.
Shall we dive straight into the interview?
Hi! My name is Ashley Parker and I’m the designer/blogger behind The Loopy Lamb. On my blog I share great, free crochet patterns, high quality video tutorials, giveaways, crochet product and book reviews. With new content posting several days a week, there is always something exciting happening on the blog and I invite you to come check it out!
When did you start designing?
I started publishing designs in summer 2018 but had been designing for a while before getting up the courage to share them.
Do you have a blog? If so, when did you start that up?
What was your initial plan with your blog and designs?
My initial plan was to share my designs for free to enable crafters to make their own projects. It was a scary first step for me and I dreamed of being able to eventually be able to do it full-time.
How have your designs and designing process evolved?
I think I’m more willing to take risks and try new things than I was when I first started. I’m always looking to learn something new and try to incorporate that into a design.
What designs do you specialize in?
Amigurumi, specifically those made with faux fur.
Do you have a favorite few stitches you like to use or do you always try to do new ones?
I like to try new ones as often as possible or find new ways to use favourites.
When you come up with an idea, does it come first from yarn you have or do you find yarn to fit the idea?
When did you start crocheting?
I started as a child but could never quite grasp it/enjoy it until I was an adult and something just clicked and I never put the hook down again.
What made you decide to become a designer?
My love for yarn craft and wanting to share that passion for creation with others.
Are there any patterns not your own that you just love?
I’m currently obsessed with the Riviera Tee by Sincerely Pam.I love so many of Vanessa Mooncie’s amigurumi designs and I love Carla Mitrani’s Crochet Iconic women book.
Who/what inspired you? Does this still inspire you? Why?
My kids inspire me a lot. They think I can do/make anything and so they’ll bring me drawings or ideas and say “Mommy, can you make me this?”. Sometimes I have to really troubleshoot how to execute what they’re asking for but I enjoy the challenge and the smile on their face when I hand them their toy.
Of your patterns, which is your favorite and why?
Are there any crochet techniques/stitches you wish to learn this year?
I really want to learn mosaic crochet
What are your biggest crochet challenges and how do you plan on overcoming that?
I think my biggest challenge is something I jokingly call “shiny project syndrome”. I have so many ideas and I don’t have enough hours in the day (or enough hands) to get to them all. So really focusing on what projects make sense and documenting other ideas to draw from at a later date is something I’m focusing on now.
Have you ever lost your crojo and how did you overcome that?
I have and I actually wrote an article about overcoming it HERE. I think it’s important to try to get to the root of what’s causing you to lose your crojo. For me, it’s often stress so usually I have to do things like go for a walk, listen to music, etc. to help start to get me out of my funk.
What three tips can you offer to anyone that crochets?
– Don’t compare your work to others.If you enjoyed making it and you like the end result, that’s all that matters
– Experiment with different yarn types, weights and fibers. Learning how different fibers, weights and types react, you’ll be able to anticipate better if that yarn you’ve been eyeing will work for your project or not. You put hours of love and attention into your work, you want it to look exactly how you want it to and last a long time.
– Try new things as often as you can. I make a point of setting aside time to learn something new every week. Even if it’s just learning a new stitch or a new way to create a turning chain, experimenting and trying new things will keep things interesting and help you improve your projects.
Free Pattern:
Ashley has a lot of free patterns on her blog – really do go check them out! All of the ones pictured above are free on the blog…
The direct link to Otis the Owl is here.
Where to Find Ashley and The Loopy Lamb:
You can find Ashley and The Loopy Lamb in the following places:
Blog: theloopylamb.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/theloopylamb
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theloopylamb
Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/designers/ashley-parker
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/theloopylamb/
