First of all, let me explain my name. I got the moniker, Nancy Drew, through marriage. I’ll bet you didn’t know that the real Nancy Drew is a retired granny, who drives a red minivan, and the only mysteries she solves involve a crochet hook.

My love of crochet started over 50 years. I was taught by my mother, who was a threadie and made the most beautiful tablecloths. Actually, I don’t think there was anything she couldn’t crochet. I’ve always loved crafting and art. When I took an early retirement from a very stressful corporate job, I opened an art studio and taught painting for several years. When painting became my full time job, crochet was my way to relax. It still is today. I totally love it. I think you can say I’m obsessed.

I started publishing my patterns in May 2013, but I’ve been designing since I was a child making doll clothes. Inspiration for my designs comes from many places. I love flowers and nature, and those things are often featured in my designs. Sometimes it’s a beautiful skein of yarn or rich color that sends me off to the sketch pad.

Usually all my designs start the same way, with a sketch pad and swatches….lots of swatches. I have a daily planner with a monthly calendar and tabs for my project ideas and planning. I keep sketches and notes there, and save photos, magazine clippings, and anything else that catches my attention or inspires me. One thing I learned from painting is not to discard an idea too soon. Set it aside for a few days and come back to it later. Often when I come back, I find things aren’t really as bad as I thought, or the problems have an easy fix.

Designing has really deepened my love of yarn crafts. Sometimes I want to create my own design, and other times I want to relax and just crochet. I love that I can do both. I feel designing and crochet in general keep my mind young. As a granny, that’s important. Some people like video games, crossword puzzles, or Luminosity. Just give me a crochet hook and a lovely skein of yarn, and I’m good.