Featured Buyer: Brett Bara, Crochet Today Editor and Stitchy TV Host

2008-03-05T12:27:00-05:00

This week's Featured Buyer is the highly knowledgeable and crafty Brett Bara. By day, Brett is the editor in chief of Crochet Today magazine, and the host of the new PBS series Knit and Crochet Today — look for it on PBS stations nationwide, and on the Create cable network. By night, she's a lifelong crafter of all sorts, design fanatic, NPR superfan, and fancy cake maker. (And yes, she really did crochet that cake.)

Brett's company is also offering a reduced subscription price to Crochet Today — it's a great deal so we wanted to help spread the word! Find out more about it here.

Here's Brett.

Since it's my job to absorb all I possibly can about crochet (as well as knitting and craft trends in general), I use Etsy as a number-one resource to keep on top of what crafters are doing out there. What's cutting edge? What's still going strong as a mainstream trend? What's totally crazy?

I do all kinds of crafts, including embroidery and other needlework, sewing, cake decorating, and DIY homey stuff (I'm currently painting and/or decoupaging every surface in my apartment), but in my book, crochet stands out for its wonderful versatility. It can do anything. Chances are, if you're into Etsy, you already know that crochet is having its moment, and crafters of all calibers are picking up their hooks to make some amazing things. Here are some of my favorite Etsy crochet finds, representing all the best stuff that's happening right now with hook and yarn.

Blythe fans are doing amazing things with crochet, crafting entire wardrobes of tiny, uberstylish clothes. Seller bupu makes me want to BE Blythe so I could wear some of her outfits!

GrandmaWasAFloozy gets props for having the best seller name ever, and for putting a cool spin on an old technique, creating a sort of new millennium-Victorian thing. I love seeing crafters reinterpret antiquated methods (like this filet crochet) with their own contemporary edge.

What's better than crochet food with faces? Eternalsunshine's patterns, like this s'more, are dangerously cute. Apparently it's no fun being a s'more?

Anything that combines my two loves — crochet and birds — is a winner in my book. felted's crochet birdnest ring is adorable and clever.

Amigurumi, little crochet creatures hailing from Japan (isn't that where all wonderful cute things come from?), are one of my favorite crochet trends. This little lady from jaravee is insanely cute.

To me the best thing about crochet is its incredible versatility, and these earrings show that crochet isn't just afghans and amigurumi. baylli is clearly a rockstar!

Crochet food ? It doesn't make any sense, and maybe that's why it's so great. This cupcake from michellerheaume and bowl of berries from bloodybunny set my sweet tooth on fire.

Crochet is perfect for accessories, especially anything with exaggerated details. I love this neck wrap from seller boutiquepinkdesigns.

Respect your elders! The venerable granny deserves it! These classic squares are in the midst of a major renaissance. Everybody's doing the granny these days, and I love it. Seller AprilAdriance captures the true essence of the granny 'ghan in this piece.

The sculptural quality of crochet makes for some wonderfully avant garde pieces, such as these amazing necklaces from Kjoo.

Simple forms are also delightful in crochet, like these felted nesting bowls from projectfelt. They look like they're straight off the shelves of a high-end design shop.

Crochet has a way of bringing out the wacky and unexpected, like these great crochet bottles with an elf transfer design from JackRabbit, and the wonderfully curated crochet coral from jpolka.

I'm a sucker for the creepy crochet of days gone by, and this vintage babyface potholder from seller Sassiesue67 is the perfect example of stitchy kitsch.

Who could resist a teapot wearing pearls? (Or is that purls?) This delightful item is from seller crochetroo.

Further resources:
Crochet Today
Knit and Crochet

Thanks Brett, for pointing us to some amazing work.

Storque articles by brettbara

Featured Buyer: Brett Bara, Crochet Today Editor and Stitchy TV Host