I cannot express how grateful I am to have such kind and generous crafters to test my patterns and create and photograph the sample pieces. Oftentimes I have several projects going on at once, and these lovelies are forever patient with my typos and errors. Without their support, I would likely only complete a fraction of the content that I am able to produce these days. Plus, it is just a joy to chat with everyone and see their progress photos on a weekly basis. Follow along with us and our countless WIPs on the Instagram hashtag #ct_testertribe.
And now, allow me to introduce these fabulous contributors to my yarny endeavor, the Tester Tribe! <3
Amy is a talented crafter from the Pacific Northwest. Get this, she was initially a knitter, then when she taught her husband how to knit, he ended up learning how to crochet and taught her how as well! Ah-mazing. Amy says she crochets ALL THE THINGS, but her favorites are scarves, shawls, and anything that you can bundle up around your neck. Especially for this reason, she is a self-proclaimed yarn snob. You can’t just wear any old yarn against your neck! When Amy isn’t granny square-ing all the yarn, she likes to cook, waste time online (#relatable), and hang out with her dogs, Fitz the pug and Bennett the shih-tzu.
You can find Amy Mason on Ravelry and Instagram as dogknits.
Check out the projects that Amy has tested, worked up, and photographed. Bazinga!
Note: Amy is testing a beautiful project that will be featured in my upcoming collaboration mini-mag “ShadeTree” 🙂
Read more >
Andrea is a talented artist living in Michigan with her fiancé. Her best friend taught her to crochet when they were sophomores in high school, and she says she has spent the last thirteen years crocheting her fingers off. Her favorite projects range from whimsical things like giant donut pillows to practical wearable items like scarves and cowls. When she isn’t working on her favorite hobby, Andrea would normally be hanging with her dogs or out on the town, but she is currently super busy planning her wedding 🙂 Congrats, Andrea!
Find Andrea Grimaldi on Instagram as ndrgrmld or at her new website grimwaldi.wordpress.com.
Check out the projects that Andrea has tested, worked up, and photographed. Noice!
Carol is a kind-hearted lady from La Porte, Indiana. She and her husband lived in central Florida, but after retiring early, returned back to their northern roots. Carol’s grandma and aunt taught her basic crochet techniques many years ago, but she has since picked it up over the last few years and says she is having a ball! (A yarn ball – ha!) Blankets, scarves, hats, and baby clothes are her favorite, and she has also revealed she can do a little quilting too – fantastic!
You can find the talented Carol Janik on Facebook as The Hoosier Crocheter.
Check out the projects that Carol has tested, worked up, and photographed. Woohoo!
Note: Carol has tested and worked up a blanket for my upcoming book, under Interweave Press – and here’s a secret: it’s the blanket in the featured image at the top of this page!
Read more >
Gwen is one of my crochet BFFs. We live in very different time zones, but our IG scrolling times seem to overlap 🙂 She is from the Netherlands, and lives with her husband, Mattias, and young daughter, Olivia. Gwen originally favored embroidery as her craft, but when her daughter was born, she felt she needed a craft she could more easily pick up and put down. Enter crochet! When on holiday with her parents and family, she says she begged her mother to teach her a granny square so she could start some real projects. Since then, she hasn’t stopped! Gwen is primarily a blanket maker, like myself, so she has a love for larger projects. When she isn’t making blankets, she’s still dabbling in embroidery from time to time.
You can find Gwen Kok on Instagram as StitchGwen.
Check out the projects that Gwen has tested, worked up, and photographed. Wowzers!
Note: Gwen has tested a top secret commissioned test project for me, and I can’t wait to share it!
Read more >
Irene is a lovely lady who lives just south of the Netherlands in a small town called Budel. About six years ago, she discovered crocheted items while surfing the Internet and reading blogs. After she decided it was some of the prettiest handmade stuff she had ever seen, she says she went straight to YouTube to learn how to crochet. Many days of trying, frogging, and trying again, and now there’s not a day she doesn’t crochet! Her favorite projects are blankets, cushions, scarves, and mochila bags. When she doesn’t have a hook in her hand, you can find her with a pair of knitting needles, making some stripey socks, or making her own decorated crochet hooks with polymer clay. She is also a talented photographer!
You can find Irene Rijk on Etsy as IreneOriginals, and on Facebook, or Instagram as irene_rijk.
Check out the projects that Irene has tested, worked up, and photographed. Yowza!
Note: Irene has not yet tested a project, but I am looking forward to sending her some yarn across the pond to make something beautiful 🙂
Read more >
Iris has been one of my crochet besties since the very beginning. She is a self-taught crochet artist and has been crocheting for about ten years. A few years ago, she incorporated knitting into her work, and it is absolutely gorgeous! Iris says she loves to make all the yarny things. And when she’s not making all the yarny things, she enjoys doodling and hanging with her pups in the beautiful Commonwealth of Kentucky.
You can find Iris Dongo online at Southern Belle Crochet (Facebook|Instagram). She is also a talented photographer and creates beautiful clothing and props for her new product line Southern Belle Newborn Knits (Facebook|Instagram).
Check out the projects that Iris has tested, worked up, and photographed. Yowza!
Read more >
Kaelyn is a military spouse and stay-at-home mom to her threenager and fur pup. (Threenager! Ha!) She was taught by her mother-in-law over a Thanksgiving holiday and has been crocheting ever since – nearly four years now. She enjoys a number of other crafts and DIY activities, but crochet has been her obsession from the day she was given hooks!
You can find Kaelyn Guerin’s shop on Etsy, and sharing her unique aesthetic on Instagram and Facebook as iiirdwind (pronounced “third wind”). Kaelyn explains that her fresh morning energy is used to create a positive and healthy home, then her second wind is reserved for “mama time” – going for a run or out for coffee with a friend. Then when her family and home are all taken care of, Kaelyn harnesses her third wind of energy to craft and create with hook and yarn.
Check out the projects that Kaelyn has tested, worked up, and photographed. Zing!
Robyn is a kind-hearted crafter living with her husband and two young children in Austin, TX. Her mom taught her to crochet in her hometown of Los Angeles when she was eight years old. She says she can still remember the first thing she made, a small blanket for her dog. Her favorite projects are shawls and blankets. Robyn provided me with an extremely short, modest bio, but I can say she is also a very talented nature photographer. I’ve enjoyed scrolling through her photos on Instagram, you should definitely take a peek!
Find Robyn Axelrod online at Facebook and Instagram as 4 Ply Designs.
Check out the projects that Robyn has tested, worked up, and photographed. Nifty!
Teresa lives in Mississippi with her high school sweetheart and husband of 33 years (as of 2017). Around 2004, she was inspired to crochet by a walk down the yarn aisle in Hobby Lobby. (Yes!) Determined to teach herself, she bought a “learn to crochet” kit and some yarn. Teresa says she frogged that ball of yarn about 50 times, but eventually succeeded with the help of some craft books. After making a huge amount of scarves (she still has drawers full even after giving away a ton), she began making blankets. When she isn’t gifting her blankets to family members or for baby showers, Teresa enjoys photography, calligraphy, and painting (acrylic and watercolor).
Find Teresa Davis on Instagram as teresadailydavis on Facebook , and on Ravelry as well.
Check out the projects that Teresa has tested, worked up, and photographed. Awesome!
Tiffany is a talented artist who lives just outside Orlando, Florida with her husband, three children, and French Bulldog. Her great-grandmother taught her to finger crochet as a child, but it wasn’t until Freshman Finals Week in college that she learned to do more. Since that time, Tiffany has jumped in with both feet and crochets every day. Like most of us would agree, Tiffany says she always chooses crochet over daily housework! When she isn’t avoiding chores with her new WIP, she spends her time homeschooling her children, watching Disney World parades, and home-brewing Kombucha. Yum!
You can find Tiffany Santos online at Tifersarie.com, or on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Ravelry, and Etsy – all under the name Tifersarie.
Check out the projects that Tiffany has tested, worked up, and photographed. Wowzers!