Let's give a warm welcome to Andrea, owner of Drea's Hook
All About Andrea
Where do you live?
Houston, TX
Do you have a job outside of Drea’s Hook?
Yes, I work as a Civil Engineer, specifically on stormwater and flood control projects. I work on models that show where the water goes during large storm events, and what improvements could potentially be made in those areas to reduce the flooding.
What’s your dream vacation?
It’s a little silly, but I would love to go to Disney World! I’ve never been and my inner child would be so happy.
What’s your favorite food?
So hard to pick just one! I will say that in general, I really enjoy Mediterranean cuisine. Vietnamese is also a favorite of mine.
Least favorite food?
This is wildly unpopular opinion, but I really don’t like bananas. The texture is a no for me, and I feel like when used in smoothies the flavor overpowers everything else.
What’s your favorite colors?
So traditionally, I’m a huge fan of purple-almost everything I own is purple! But lately, I’ve been really into other colors-navy blue, cream, mustard, and gray.
What’s your favorite movie or TV Show?
I watch more TV shows than movies, and my favorite show changes pretty frequently. As of right now, I would say “This Is Us”
What’s a quote that you live by?
“Once you know better, do better”
Do you have any other hobbies?
I’m trying to learn Tunisian crochet and knitting. I also have a small family of houseplants that I enjoy nurturing.
What’s 1 weird fact about you?
I’m an only child.
If you had a theme song, what would it be?
I’m a huge fan of classical music, so hear me out on this one-Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, Movement 1 (you’ve heard this before, I promise).
What’s your favorite holiday?
Christmas. Definitely Christmas. Actually, I really enjoy the entire holiday season. November 1-January 1 is my favorite time of the year. I love everything-the food, the music, the decorations…it’s so fun.
What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve done in your life?
Honestly, start my crochet Instagram account. I’m not a very spontaneous person; in fact, I tend to overthink to a fault. But one day I was like “I want to start an Instagram account to talk about my crochet makes” and here we are.
What inspires you?
Knowledge. I’ve always had an inquiring mind. As long as I can remember, I’ve wondered why things are the way they are, why things work the way they do, and, if there’s a problem, how we can fix it. I think that’s why I ended up being an engineering – we solve problems. And a lot of that mindset has manifested in Drea’s Hook as well.
If you could do one thing for the world, what would it be?
I’d make sure everyone’s basic needs are fulfilled – food, clean water, shelter, clothing.
Anything else?
I got engaged earlier this year, before the world turned upside down. We don’t have a date set for the wedding yet but I’m very excited!
All About Drea's Hook
When did you start Drea’s Hook?
Drea’s Hook started pretty organically. I started my Instagram account in May 2019, under a different name. My original intent was just to plug into a community that would be interested in me rambling on about my makes. I wanted to go beyond just “hey, look at this thing I made,” and delve into some of the technical details, triumphs, and frustrations. I released my first pattern in February 2020, and officially re-branded as Drea’s Hook in June 2020.
Why did you start?
Shortly after starting my Instagram account, I started testing patterns for designers, and that process inspired me to design my own crochet patterns. So far, I’ve released 3 patterns (including the one today), and I’ve also decided to start making resources for crocheters who want to grow their skill set.
How long have you been making?
I’ve been crocheting off and on for the past 9 years. I learned in high school, took a break during college, and picked the hobby back up right before graduating college. I haven’t been able to stop since!
What’s a piece of advice?
I’m kind of just starting out too, so this is more peer advice, and a reminder to myself. Comparison is the thief of joy. It’s difficult, but stick to your plan and try not to compare your success, sales, and stats to someone who’s been at this for 5 years or more. We all have to start somewhere!
Does Drea’s Hook have a mascot?
No mascot, just me! I really enjoy connecting and bonding with people over crochet, so it’s very important to me that my personality shows in Drea’s Hook. It’s a huge part of the reason why I named my business after myself (lol).
What’s your most memorable success?
It’s hard to say that it’s memorable since it just happened a couple of weeks, but I was absolutely blown away by the response to my Crochet Skill Level Quiz. I had known there would be some interest, but not to this extent. The whole experience was very validating and let me know that I was on the right track with my mission.
What’s your most memorable challenge?
An ongoing challenge for me is prioritization! I come with ideas a lot faster than I’m actually able to implement them, so it can be a little overwhelming trying to figure out what to work on next.
How did or are you overcoming this challenge?
I have several notes on my phone with all my ideas, so I try to type in the idea as soon as it comes to me so I don’t forget it. I have a planner that I use to roughly plan out release dates for things so that I have a goal to work towards.
What’s next for Drea’s Hook?
I don’t want to get into many specifics at this time, but in general I’m working towards establishing a presence on other platforms.
New Pattern
New Pattern:
The Drea Drawstring Bag
Where did the inspiration come from?
I feel like I have a lot of medium and large bags, but hardly any small bags. A lot of notions are scattered all over my apartment, so I figured this would help consolidate them and keep them in one place. Also, I believe most drawstring bags are worked in the round, so I wanted to see if it would be possible to work one flat, and I was so happy when it worked out!
Have there been any challenges with this bag?
…Let’s just say that I’m very grateful for patient pattern testers! Less than 48 hours passed between coming up with the concept of the pattern, making a sample, taking pictures, and writing pattern, so there were quite a few mistakes at first. But the pattern is in excellent shape now!
Is this a paid or free pattern?
I’m very excited to release a PDF version of this pattern for FREE!
Where can we find this pattern?
As of right now, the pattern is exclusively listed on Threadfolio.
Release date?
TODAY!
Contact Information: Drea's Hook
Go and give Andrea some LOVE! Like, share, or sign up for her newsletter (I did!). Take her Crochet Skill Level Quiz. Remember, supporting Andrea is supporting a small business and a local maker’s dream.
Here are her links:
Instagram: @dreas_hook
Newsletter Sign up: (Click)
Remember to go and download her newest pattern “The Drea Drawstring Bag” for FREE!! Andrea worked hard on this pattern and deserves our love and support.
Comment below if you have any questions for Andrea or about Drea’s Hook.
And THANK YOU so much for reading and joining along on our Maker Spotlight. You can see a new maker right here EVERY Monday. I have some AMAZING makers lined up and I cannot wait to share them with you.
xoxo, Lindsey
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