Interview
| Erika knight
(above)
Erika's legendary
book, Simple Crochet,
is ideal for inspiring
beginners to the craft.
(Left)
Create beautiful
items for your home
with Erika's book,
Essential Crochet.
feminine crochet shapes. We are so proud of our people find that they have difficulty knowing when
designs, why do you think crochet has this stigma? they are at the end of a row in crochet, but this is
Ek Many crafters have not necessarily been trained in something that comes with experience.
art or fashion. They may never have experimented I think that crochet patterns can be more
with shape and form, fabric and function. I think challenging to read, so I always try to include a
that when you understand the fibre that you are lot more information in crochet patterns than in
working with and the properties it has, you will be knitting to help the reader understand what they
able to understand how to translate that fibre to the need to do without having to ask the question.
shape and style that you want, whatever medium
you use. Crochet is lovely for summer garments. iC Do you think that crochet is becoming more
mainstream in the craft world?
iC Do you have a lot of crochet in your home? Ek Absolutely. I am just starting to teach classes and
Ek I’m a big collector of vintage crochet – edgings workshops, and one of the most popular requests
and doilys. People think that this is all there is to from people are for a Learn to Crochet workshop.
crochet, which is not the case. There are certain I think that many people have learned to knit over
types of crochet that are very fine and delicate and the last few years, since knitting has become more
it is easier to make lace in crochet than in knitting. popular again, and now those new knitters are
turning to crochet as well. It is definitely a newly
iC Which do you think is most challenging to learn: popular craft, which is lovely to see.
knitting or crochet?
Ek I think that crochet can be both the most simple iC What one piece of advice would you give to any
of crafts and, at the same time, one of the most would-be crocheter?
challenging. Simple Crochet was written pretty Ek Just give it a go! It really is as simple as that. Go
much entirely using single crochet with just a little out and get yourself a hook and yarn, and I can
double crochet. The benefit of crochet is that you guarantee you’ll become hooked. Crochet is a
can create such beautiful items with only very great hobby to have, either to accompany your
simple stitches. However, as you become more knitting or on its own.
advanced, you do need to keep counting your
stitches, writing down where you are in the pattern iC What are your plans for the future?
and making sure you are on top of things. It is not Ek I have just launched my new website with dates
always a craft that you can do while watching TV, and details of all the workshops I’m teaching, and
you do need to concentrate on crochet. A lot of I’m also working on a new crochet motif book.
insidecrochet.co.uk
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