Meet Kate McCully
I have always had an inherent need to create!
Tell us about your journey into the world of crochet
I had always wanted learn to crochet but had never committed enough time to learn. That was until, whilst pregnant with my first baby, I came down with a nasty case of flu. I was staying with my parents at the time and my mum got out an old Good Housekeeping book which detailed many different crafts including crochet. We sat down and leant together (I couldn’t do much else). I pretty much crocheted for a whole week non-stop and it finally clicked. For a few years I mostly crocheted baby blankets (I have a lot of nieces and nephews), but when I made my first toys for my children I fell in love with amigurumi and didn't take me long to start designing them.
Do you dabble in any other crafts?
I would love to dabble in many crafts but crochet takes up all my time. I do like to do a bit of sewing now and again and I would love to learn embroidery. As a child I would often make friendship bracelets and experiment with different designs. I also used to make a lot of paper in my bedroom, drying the sheets with a fan heater! I have always had an inherent need to create!
Crochet At Work Book Review
Read our review of Kate's book, Crochet At Work, here.
Which of your crochet projects are you proudest of?
It’s got to be the reindeer I made on Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas tv show. I made that little guy in four hours (with shaking hands I might add). I won the episode for me so Reuben Reindeer will always be special to me.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced with your crochet?
The biggest challenge is to accept when something is not working and having to start again and frog the work. It just feels like a lot of time wasted but in fact it’s not, it’s a step closer to getting the right shape (it still stings though).
What’s the best crochet advice you have received?
As I’m self-taught (ie from a book) I haven’t had direct advice exactly, but I often go online to find answers if something is not working out right. I think we have all been there with our first amigurumi where the gaps between the stitches are big enough to park a bus in. When I discovered the invisible decrease that was definitely a game changer.
FREE PATTERN
Get a taste for this brilliant book with the Tiny Dancer pattern, which Kate has very kindly allowed to to share with you for free.
Where is your favourite place to crochet?
The great thing about crochet is it is so portable so I can take it with me wherever I want (and believe me, I do. I’ve crocheted at kids' parties, watching my daughter in her swim lesson or my son’s climbing lesson, on the train and many more places). But my favourite has to be in my studio where I have everything I need within arm’s reach.
What inspired the theme for your Crochet at Work book?
Well, the book evolved from the dolls I developed for Crochet Now. I had so much fun creating them that I wanted to take the idea further. The idea for the career dolls is from knowing that everything I design is intended for children, and what child hasn’t said at some point ‘when I grow up I want to be a…’. I wanted to create a series of aspirational career dolls while breaking down a few gender and race stereotypes in the process.
Which is your favourite character from the book?
A difficult question! It was always the one I had just made. I do have a soft spot for the Diver and the Chef though. Oh and the Lumberjack is pretty cool too. And the Farmer.
Do you have any plans for future publications?
Right now no, but I have plenty of ideas, so many in fact, that sometimes I don't know where to start. I will continue to publish patterns to my website while working towards my next big move.
What advice would you give crafters who are new to crochet?
I would say start with something simple and learn the basic stitches. Don't get disheartened if your work is not quite as neat as you would like it. Neatness comes with repetition and practice. Find out how you like to learn best, whether it’s from a book, an online video or face to face in a class. And enjoy it! It’s such an awesome and satisfying hobby to have.
Crochet at Work by Kate McCully is out now!
If you want to find it under the Christmas tree this year, or just treat yourself, here are the details:
£14.99, GMC Publications ISBN 9781784946142