Say hello to TheOldHooker, ElevenHandmade, twistedplanet, and RemarkableCreations

Hooray for the next round of team interviews! Don’t forget that today is the last day to enter the April “New Techniques” challenge. Please be sure to post your challenge entry in the thread before midnight tonight!

Well this next team member is Betty aka theoldhooker and I was so excited to learn that Betty lives in my own hometown of Sacramento California but is from Texas. I live in Texas now but am from California. There is always so much I learn from these interviews but most importantly, I learned that Betty and I both love the same ice-cream shop in California, I do hope you will eat some Gunthers for me Betty!

What was the inspiration for your challenge item?
I find inspiration in conversations I hear or read. My challenge item came from reading the Spring Challenge.

What is your favorite hand crafted item of all time?
A quilt my grandmother pieced and set up on a frame for me to do the hand quilting on when I was nine.

What type of crochet do you particularly enjoy?
I love crocheting hats! Everything else seems like a chore to me.

ElevenHandmade entered the challenge with this radiant braided Bon Bon necklace, and rainbow infinity cowl, here is what she had to say about what inspired her to make them:

I have always loved bright and fun colors, hippies, flowers etc. - they usually are my biggest inspiration.

Do you look for any trends when deciding what to crochet, and do you have any favorite sources where you get your inspiration from?
I am a crochet designer and my inspiration comes from inside of my head. I get inspired by everything around me. I don't look for trends, I prefer to create something that would reflect someone's style/lifestyle. Trends come and go, style stays ;)

How did your interest in crochet first begin?
I learnt to crochet in school and I already liked it way back then. I have always liked crochet better than knitting.

Twistedplanet is known for her very unique, one of a kind crochet dolls and this flower child is no exception. Each one of her creations is so full of personality, they look like they just might spring to life and plant a big kiss right on your cheek!

What was the inspiration for your challenge item?
My inspiration for my challenge piece was flowers. I am so tired of snow and the darkness outside. I found this awesome cotton candy colored yarn and immediately I thought about the 60's and I wanted to do a flower child, something bright and happy. I was in a stuffed animal creation process, so everything I was making for the last 2 months had to be stuffed :)

Do you have a favorite handmade gif that you have received? A few years ago my boss at work knitted and felted a wool beret for me. It is bright orange with red stripes. Possibly the brightest thing you have ever seen. I was having a hard time at work and completely hating my job and my decision to move to the middle of nowhere in Wisconsin. She just surprised me one day with the hat (she knew I am a hat person, I wear like a few times a week). It was such a nice gesture and I think about her every time I wear the hat, which is mainly in winter because wooohhaa is a felted wool hat super warm. Anyways, I stayed at the job for a few years because of the people. I'm at a new place but I still think about that boss and how kind she is.

What type of crochet do you particularly enjoy? I really classify myself as a beginner. Self taught by reading a book. My mom tried to teach me when I was younger, but I was either not interested, or she completely confused me, so I didn't really pick it up until studying apparel design in college.
I can't read patterns, something that I am working on. But for now, I really love making hats and stuffed animals. Everything is just in single crochet, as that is what I'm most comfortable with. Every piece is different since I just make it up as a go. It yields some interesting results sometimes. Right now I'm trying to learn some new stitches. My challenge piece for April has 2 new stitches in it and I am really excited with how it's turning out.

Like twistedplant, RemarkableCreations is another self taught crocheter. Her challenge entry was these adorable booties.

She wanted to be able to make nice things for her babies as they came and she’s been crocheting ever since. This is what RemarkableCreations had to say about her love of crochet: I love to make little things for little people and that bootie pattern is one of my favorites. I also try to make useful things like the plarn tote bags I'm making now from plastic bags. Keeps them out of the landfill and from blowing all over the landscape.

I can never decide what is my favorite yarn or thread, I crochet with everything from sewing thread making doilies for doll houses to heavy yarn making a rug. I just have this need to crochet something all the time. I'm glad for a place like Etsy to be able to share what I make.