Crochet Renee'  

Welcome to Industry Insider. This time, I am featuring designer and writer, Belinda "Bendy" Carter. Bendy has been an insider for some time, and anyone who has ever picked up a crochet magazine has likely seen her name on some of the designs. Be sure to click on her links below to check out her most recent book!

Photo courtesy of Bendy Carter

 

Q: How long have you been crocheting and who taught you?

A: I was around 8, maybe younger, when I learned to crochet.  I have answered this question for others and gave an older age, but was recently reminded that when I was in third grade I crocheted a poodle soap.  I honestly don't know the exact age when I learned.  My father's aunt showed me how to make a chain and a single crochet stitch on one of our yearly vacation trips to Nebraska.  I had about a 10 minute lesson before we had to leave her home.  My dad took me to a store and purchased fingering weight pink yarn and a little crochet hook.  I worked the 2 day trip home trying to make a baby blanket for my doll.

 

Q: What is your favorite kind of yarn to work with?

A: Solid colored, fingering weight, yarn.  The solid colors allow intricate stitches to show up more clearly.  The fingering weight produces a lighter material with more drape.  I love texture stitches, post stitches, surface chain stitches, cables, slip stitches, etc.  My favorite yarn would be any yarn that allows the beauty of these stitches to shine.

Q: Do you also knit?

A: Yes.  When my two sons were little, I used to design simple knit sweaters as well as crochet sweaters for them.  The emphasis is on "simple".

Q: How long have you been designing and how did you start? Are you one of the rare folks who get to say you are a full-time designer?

A: I started designing the day I learned to crochet.  I was around 13 years old before I knew there was a such thing as a crochet pattern.  However, if you are asking when I started designing professionally it started this way:  When my youngest son was 9 years old he was offered the chance to take the SAT test.  His score was so high that he was then offered the opportunity to take college classes for credit.  He took his first class at age 10.  One thing led to another and he graduated with a BS degree at age 14 with a 4.0 GPA.  He was then offered the opportunity to get his masters as well as his doctorate degree.  He received his PhD at age 19.  Due to his young age, too young to drive a car, I drove him to the university every day.  We lived too far away to drive him there and then return home, so I waited in the car for him.  Some of his fellow students were married, having babies, etc.  I started crocheting baby blankets and clothes.  At one point I wanted to make a preemie dress but couldn't find a pattern.  I designed two dresses and then started thinking that others might like the patterns.  I sent the design in.  The design was purchased and my son and husband encouraged me to send another design in.  The second design, a bear skin rug, was purchased by Crochet World.  My third design was purchased by Crochet Fantasy.  Being extremely encouraged by now, I continued sending designs in and to this day, haven't stopped.  For about 5 years, my office was in my car.  I miss that time.  It was so peaceful.  No interruptions.  My first design published was my bear skin rug in the December 1999 issue of Crochet World. 

 

Yes, I consider myself a full time designer.  I have written 11 books so far including a crochet murder mystery called Dying to Crochet.  My newest crochet book is titled, Knit 1, Purl 2 in Crochet http://www.anniesattic.com/detail.html?prod_id=77758  I have been blessed to be able to find a career that enabled me to work and still take care of my children full time.  I enjoy my work very much and hope to continue for many years to come.

Q: What other mad skills do you possess?

A: Mad skills?  I don't know how skillful I am, but I like playing games; canasta, backgammon, rummikube, Mexican dominoes, etc.  Facebook games are also fun.  I enjoy farmville.  I also enjoy working puzzles of all types.  Boxes with trick openings are especially fun.  Love math puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, sudoku, etc.  I am a Margaret Sutton fan and am working on collecting the 38 Judy Bolton mystery books.  I collect miniatures of all types.  As an example, I have a 99 piece jigsaw puzzle that is only 2" by 2.5" in size.  I also collect all types of music boxes.  I love cats.  My little fur babies help me crochet.  I like old black and white movies and comedies.  I also enjoy musicals and Walt Disney movies.  Hiking and bicycle riding are fun.  However, these are only the things that I enjoy.  I wouldn’t claim that I possess mad skills for them.

 

Q: How in the world do you assemble a jigsaw puzzle that measures 2"x2.5"?

A: It takes a lot of patience.  The directions recommend using tweezers, but having tiny hands, I was able to work it with my fingers.

photo courtesy of Bendy Carter

 

Q: You mention that you collect miniatures. Have you ever crocheted miniature items? If so, what did you make?

A: Yes, I have crocheted several miniatures.  My favorite is a shadow box scene that I did.  In miniature it contains crocheted wallpaper, curtains, rug, doily, wine bottle, etc,

 

Q Are there any crochet techniques that you don't know how to do? (i.e. Tunisian, hairpin, broomstick, etc)

A: Not that I am aware of.  I try to keep up on all of the techniques and stitches.  Being aware of all aspects of crochet is part of my job as a designer.  I have had designs published in the three that you mentioned as well as the double ended hook. 

Q: What is your favorite type of item to crochet?

A: The type of item isn’t the deciding factor for me.  I enjoy making anything that has unique stitches or has a unique stitch pattern.  My newest book, Knit 1, Purl 2 in Crochet is a good example of my favorite types of items to make.  Forming crochet stitches in such a way that they appear to be knitted was a lot of fun.

Thanks, Bendy, for letting us have a glimpse into your career and telling us about how you got your start in designing. Click on Bendy's link to chech out her latest book:http://www.anniesattic.com/detail.html?prod_id=77758  For my readers, let me know who you would like to learn more about and I will do my best to feature them here!