The Pockets of Joy Designs collection was initiated at the Crochet Guild Australia’s conference in Sydney in 2023, when Dedri Uys (www.lookatwhatimade.net) mentioned how many pockets of joy she was experiencing.
Shelley Husband (https://www.shelleyhusbandcrochet.com) and Dedri had had a conversation about that and in an Uber to dinner, Susannah Kate (https://www.peppergoose.design) and myself were – jokingly at first – introduced to the idea that each of us could design a square with that theme. At the end of dinner it was more or less a done deal that we would all do just that.
Some say not to meet your heroes.
Well, that doesn’t apply to mine. I am lucky that my crochet heroes are also the most wonderful human beings you can imagine.
Take Dedri Uys, for example. When I found my way back to crochet, her “Sophie’s Universe” was the first CAL I ever participated in in my life. It it her attention to detail in pattern writing that I tried to make my standard when I started to write patterns myself.
It was a bucket list moment when we spent an evening with her on my first night in Sydney in the apartment I shared with Lynley, her beautiful friend Julie, and Barbara.
There was lots of laughter, hilarious moments, smooching, and sharing. there may or may not have been pizza and wine involved (yes to the pizza for me, no to the wine).
Then there is the beautiful whirlwind Susannah Kate, who I get to know as Susan Walsh at the first Crochet Guild Australia conference. It was so great to re-connect. And Susannah (Peppergoose) is not only pretty, she is also very clever and a crochet garment designer extraordinaire.
Then there was a day out at Morris & Sons with Shelley Husband (Shelley Husband Crochet)…
…where I also met cutie pie Anne, whom I reconnected with at Knitfest a month later.
And then there are all the little pocket moments that have not been captured:
- Hugs with Andrea Clements from Yarn Me Calm, (who silently supported me without me even knowing),
- the support from Barbara and Julie at our stall (you have to check out Barbara’s felted bags!!),
- the help from Robert with my square devise and the informative chat with him and Gayle of Fibre Naturally – one of the coolest fibre arts couples I have met!
- breakfast with Lynley,
- a missed boat (yes, even that was funny)
- and so much more that it will have to go in a separate post.
All of this added up to an experience that was much needed after months of mental (and partly physical) isolation and I am grateful for every minute of it.
Designer's Thoughts
Inspired by Shelley’s cute design (left), my initial idea was to also take the ‘pockets’ theme literally: square pockets on a square base, nice and simple.
However, why do simple when I can make something a bit more sophisticated, right?
So during a trip to Brisbane I played with a few different colours and a totally different approach to the design.
You see, my philosophy is that everybody has a story worth telling and my designs are meant to give options and choices to change features. The above design was just not flexible enough for my taste.
The time leading up to the conference – and the conference as the pinnacle event – has been significant to me. My Luna Pouch and Bag Pattern is the first design since I have come out of that Deep Dark I was going in and out of for more than six months. It was important to me that I would finish the pattern for the conference.
Having a goal like that is what not only kept me out of the Deep Dark, but what in fact allowed me to firmly disconnect and move away from it. Where before I constantly had one foot in and one foot out and shifting from one to the other, I suddenly noticed that in allowing myself to be creative in my favourite way, I was automatically moving into a safe space of joy and meaning.
When it comes to the design, butterflies are the obvious symbolic choice to portray change and growth, but I wanted something a bit different. For once, because Veronika Gadulovà has already created a wonderful Dragonfly square (a different scientific order than butterflies, but similar in appearance)…
… and secondly because I needed something to represent “regeneration“, “coming out of the dark“, and especially “blooming friendships” and joyful moments that were experienced.
So I tried with a flower.
The first design was a bit flat and floppy, …
… the second a bit small, insignificant and stiff.
But the next try was just right.
A flower pod that can either be worked plain, with only one round of petals at the top …
…or with up to three more additional rounds of petals that can be worked in one colour on the go….
… or two or even more colours, either on the go or added afterwards. Ah, the choices!
One of the greatest pleasures I have a designer is to provide a pattern that offers choices, that allows the personality of the maker to come through.
The joy lies in catering for choice of colours, style and level of sophistication, encouraging the maker to take ownership of the project and make it theirs.
I hope you agree that this pattern offers just that.
If you are a member of the Crochet Guild Australia, access to this pattern is only one of the many benefits of your membership.
If you are not a member, you can get your copy here in the shop or on Ravelry. The pattern is discounted until Monday, 31st of July 2023. No discount code needed.
Pockets of Joy in the Black Sheep Crochet Shop
Remember that this is only one of four designs that all follow the theme Pockets of Joy.
You can find the other projects here:
