Hooking With … Sati Glenn

Hi, I’m Sati Glenn, the owner and artist behind Rows & Roses. I wear many hats, and have been in business since February 2011 crocheting, knitting, spinning yarn, dyeing yarn, weaving, writing patterns, teaching classes, and I just recently opened up Rows & Roses Yarn & Fiber, a yarn shop in downtown Seneca, SC.

I’m published with WeCrochet, Interweave Crochet, Expression Fiber Arts, and have a Knotions eBook coming out in October 2021.

I started learning to crochet when my youngest child, Rose, was in diapers. We were cloth diapering and I wanted to make her woolies to go over her diapers. I was so excited about my new hobby that I posted pictures of my finished items on facebook. I just wanted to share with friends and family, and wasn’t intending to start a business.

My pictures blew up! Before I knew it, I had so many requests for commissions that I had to start a business page to keep them all straight. My eldest son, Kory, came up with the name: Rows as in rows of crochet, and Roses because that’s the name of my daughter who got it all started. I always tell people that I tripped and fell into this business, and it sure has been a while ride.

When did you start designing?

I started designing crochet patterns a few years after I learned to crochet. I found out that often I would have “the perfect idea” and just could not find a pattern that worked. So I started designing things. My first few never even got written out, as I was just stitching as I went.

Do you have a blog? If so, when did you start that up?

I do! I started my first blog pretty soon after starting the business page, but after a few post, I fell away from it. I picked blogging back up again just a couple of years ago when I created my website. I enjoy it much more now. It’s here: www.rowsandroses.com/happenings

What was your initial plan with your blog and designs?

Plan? Am I supposed to have one of those?

How have your designs and designing process evolved?

Well for one, I keep notes now and actually write out what I’m doing. For another, I used to only write patterns in one size: my size or Rose’s size, or whoever I was making the item for.

I thought this was just an easy way of getting patterns put out there for anyone wanting to use them. I’ve since become much more conscious of different sizes and body types, and how important it is to try to include all people, so I grade my patterns now. It’s not easy, and my grading isn’t always perfect, but I’m learning and I’m trying!

What designs do you specialize in?

I write all types of crochet patterns, but I guess “drop & swap” is kinda becoming a specialty of mine. There is magic in using three different balls of yarn in one project, and just basically letting them do the fancy work for you.

Do you have a favorite few stitches you like to use or do you always try to do new ones?

I love to do everything! I’ve just recently found myself on fire for mosaic crochet, and I intend to start writing patterns there. I’m also rekindling my love for Tunisian crochet, and while I haven’t written any Tunisian patterns yet, I have some ideas….

When you come up with an idea, does it come first from yarn you have or do you find yarn to fit the idea?

Everything I do starts with the yarn. I have tons of books, magazines, and patterns in my Ravelry library, but they’re only there so that once I find a yarn I can’t live without (which is often,) hopefully one of the patterns will work!

Are there any patterns not your own that you just love?

So many! Spiderdream by Alina Dalichau is one. Desperately Seeking Shallow SC Crescent by Min G. Is another.

Who/what inspired you?

Everything inspires me: nature, my kids, birds…. But mostly yarn. It almost always comes down, in the end, to the yarn I’m playing with.

Of your patterns, which is your favorite and why?

Hmmm… probably Kindred Spirit. It’s different, and not what I set out to do with that yarn. It surprised me. Sometimes the yarn talks. When it does, I listen.

Are there any crochet techniques/stitches you wish to learn this year?

I keep saying I’m going to learn hairpin lace. Maybe this year will finally be my year.

What are your biggest crochet challenges and how do you plan on overcoming that?

Time. I do a lot besides crochet: homeschool my kids, run my yarn shop, and I am a canvas for my husband who is a tattoo artist. I never feel like I have enough time for crochet even though I do quite a lot of it!

Have you ever lost your crojo and how did you overcome that?

Nope

What three tips can you offer to anyone that crochets?

Practice, practice, and practice. Sounds cliche, yeah? It’s not. There is so much sense here. Tension problems? Practice. Trouble following patterns? Practice. Reading charts is kinda difficult? Practice. Can’t figure out with your Tunisian, or broomstick lace, or pineapples don’t look quite right? Practice.

FOR SUNFLOWER COTTAGE CROCHET READERS, from now through the end of April, take 20% off all patterns in my Ravelry shop with code SFC here.

Also, there are lots of free patterns on my blog 🙂