We loved meeting the talented Jillian of Spin a Yarn Crochet

Hello! I’m Jillian. I am from (and currently live in) Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. I live with my husband, Mike, and our fluffy doodle, Archie. Outside of blogging and work, we love spending our time outdoors either hiking, biking, or snowshoeing with the pup or hanging out on the couch watching one of our favourite fandoms (Star Wars, Marvel, Star Trek – you name it, we probably love it!).

Jillian designs a whole range of adorable amigurumi

I started crocheting in 2013 and, after a few years of honing the craft and finding my passion (amigurumi!), I found myself itching to create my own designs. After I made a handful of my own designs, I wondered whether other people might be interested in my designs too, so I started the Spin a Yarn Crochet blog in March of 2017. The rest is history!

I have a fairly unique crocheting style, particularly in the world of amigurumi. Almost all of my designs are designed by crocheting in flat panels joined together and stuffed to create a unique amigurumi, rather than the traditional in-the-round method of amigurumi. This style is often referred to as “ragdoll”-style amigurumi (which, to the best of my knowledge, was coined and became a popular term after I released one of my very first patterns in 2017, the Ragdoll Unicorn). I love this style because when I first started blogging in 2017, there really wasn’t many amigurumi designers using flat panels; it was an untapped world of creative possibilities that was truly exhilarating to me.

Looking to crochet super cute characters? Look no further than these Spin a Yarn designs

I began creating my own distinct style and have been having a lot of fun since challenging myself to create unique techniques and approaching amigurumi design from a fun, new perspective. One of my favourite parts of designing amigurumi is the challenge of achieving particular shapes by only working in flat rows rather than in the round. For example, it was such a fun challenge to design my Brachiosaurus dinosaur pattern and my Swan and Flamingo patterns to create the beautiful sweeping curves of their necks by only working in flat rows. I also love being innovative and trying something new, such as incorporating a new technique into the design or designing an amigurumi with a unique perspective.

I have a fairly unique crocheting style, particularly in the world of amigurumi.

Each Spin a Yarn design is so full of character!

Some good examples are my Elephant Amigurumi design, my Monkey Amigurumi design and my Hammerhead Shark design. I don’t think I could ever choose a favourite design! I love so many for different reasons. But usually, whichever pattern I’ve just finished is the one I love the most.

This sleeping rabbit is the perfect companion for your little one

The idea almost always comes first for me. Usually, inspiration will strike with an idea and then I will start the process by creating a sketch of my design. I then create the entire pattern based on the sketch (before ever picking up a hook and yarn!). Then I find the perfect yarn and start crocheting, making any necessary adjustments or changes to the pattern along the way. When it comes to taking great pictures for Instagram, natural light is key!

I work fulltime (outside of the blog), so I will often wait until the weekend to take project photos so I can get the best natural light in the day. Also, there are lots of great editing apps that are free and make a huge difference in a fi nal photo if you aren’t able to get the perfect lighting. I follow so many incredibly talented amigurumi artists on Instagram that inspire me daily! Here’s just a (very small) sampling: Andreia from lemonyarncreations, Lauren from amenagerieofstitches, Lex from lex_in_stitches, Carrie from ohanacraft, Elisa from elisascrochet, and so many more! I’m always designing and releasing new patterns!

So, feel free to visit the blog www.spinayarncrochet.com or follow along on Instagram and Facebook spinayarncrochet. Swing by and let’s make cute things together!

Want to try one of Jillian's designs? You can find Spin a Yarn Crochet The Otters Oscar & Odette in issue 72 of Crochet Now.