Let's give a warm welcome to Jillian, owner of Spin a Yarn Crochet!
All About Jillian
Where are you located?
Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Do you have a job outside of this?
Yes! I practice full time as a lawyer.
What’s your dream vacation spot?
Anywhere with cobblestone streets and lots of museums and history.
What’s your favorite color(s)?
Ooh, this is a toss-up between blush pink and mint.
What’s your favorite food/meal?
A local dish called Fish and Brewis. It’s a very simple dish from humble beginnings back when our province relied primarily on the fishing industry; boiled hard tack with salt cod and scrunchions (pork fat). It tastes better than it sounds, I promise!
What’s your least favorite food/meal?
Cilantro. No. Thank you.
Do you have a favorite movie or TV show?
Gah, this question is so tricky because I watch a tonne of tv and movies. Parks and Rec and Schitt’s Creek are definitely at the top of the list though.
What’s a quote that you live by?
[Insert basically any feminist quote here and that’s me.]
Do you have any other hobbies?
I wish I had time for one!
What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve done in your life?
It was probably when I signed up for an overseas exchange program to Germany while at University; I had never been overseas before and didn’t know anyone else going on the trip, which was totally out of character for me. I was 21 at the time. I’m glad I did because I met my future husband on that trip! The second most spontaneous thing I’ve ever done was proposing to my now-husband. : )
Do you have a favorite holiday?
Halloween!
Do you have a favorite season?
Autumn : )
What inspires or motivates you?
I get inspiration from pretty much anywhere; current trends, social media, everyday life.
If you could do one thing for the world (people or environment), what would it be?
If I had unlimited powers, I’d be all over the Climate Crisis for sure.
Anything else?
I got married on October 3, 2020 of this year! It was such a beautiful day. I am both relieved and dismayed that it’s all over (I don’t recommend planning a wedding during a pandemic). My husband and I have a goldendoodle named Archie (who’s currently whining for his supper as I write this).
All About Spin a Yarn Crochet
How long have you been crocheting?
I have been crocheting since 2013. I picked it up while I was in law school because I needed a new hobby as a stress-reliever.
When did you start?
I started the Spin a Yarn Crochet blog in March 2017.
Why did you start?
My crochet skills had advanced to a point where I felt like I could begin designing my own patterns so I did just that. After a few designs, I figured I may as well share them!
What’s your favorite thing you’ve made?
Usually my favourite piece is whatever I’ve most recently finished. xD
What’s a piece of advice for someone just starting out in your field?
As a perfectionist myself, I can attest to how incredibly frustrating it is when I try something for the first time and I’m not immediately good at it. But crochet really is about repetition. The more you do it, the better your tension will become, and the more uniform your stitches will be. You’ll find a rhythm and, if you keep at it, I promise you will get really good at it. Try to be gentle and patient with yourself and just enjoy learning until then! I’m often guilty of being a little too hard on myself so this is something I still try to remind myself of daily.
Does your company have a mascot?
Nope, just me!
What was your most memorable success?
I can’t think of one particular big memorable success; rather, it’s the small achievements over time, building on each other, that make me proud to look back and see how far I’ve come in the last four years.
What was your most memorable challenge?
The biggest challenge for me is time management; I work full-time and run my blog as a side gig, so I do have to be fairly organized with how I spend my time.
What’s next for your business (the future)?
Christmas patterns!
The Future for Spin a Yarn Crochet
What’s your latest project?
My latest project on the blog is a terrifying (read: adorable) little ghost!
Where did the inspiration come from for this project?
Halloween is my favourite time of year, so despite this being a whirlwind of a year (not just with general global craziness, but also planning a wedding, going on a honeymoon and starting a
new job), I couldn’t not release a Halloween pattern this year!
Have there been any challenges with this project?
Luckily, this one seemed to fly right off my hook! I love it when that happens. 😉
Will this be free or paid?
It’s free and on my blog now! An ad-free PDF can be purchased in my shop.
Go and give Jillian some LOVE! Like, share, or check out her wonderful patterns. Remember, supporting Jillian is supporting a small business and a local maker’s dream.
Here are the links:
Instagram: @spinayarncrochet
Website: spinayarncrochet.com
Facebook: Click Here
Ravelry: Click Here
Etsy: Click Here
Jillian makes the cutest ragdoll patterns EVER. I am in love with the HP series. Check out all the cute things she designs. I dare you not to make something.
Comment below if you have any questions for Jillian or Spin a Yarn Crochet.
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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