Each month we get to chat with a designer, and this month is no different. Meet Sue, the designer behind Sweetpea Crochet. She is known for her pretty designs and pastel colour palettes! Read on to find out more about Sue!
Tell us a little bit about yourself – your background, general day to day life, hobbies.
Hi I’m Sue Rawlinson and I am a crochet designer and my brand is Sweetpea Family. I am retired with three grown up daughters and seven wonderful grandchildren. I come from quite a crafty family; my mum was always knitting and crocheting for me and my two younger sisters.
I have strong memories of my mum always making something, we often unpicked hand knitted garments and remade them into new clothes. My mum taught me and my sisters to knit and crochet when we were quite young. I loved watching Blue Peter and my idol was Valerie Singleton, I used to make things with my mum – we made a fabulous three-piece suite once out of cereal boxes, for my dolls. My mum says I used to pretend to be Valerie and set up my own craft table when we were making things together. This love of craft has continued throughout my adult life.
When and why did you start crafting?
About 15 or so years ago I had to leave my work in the National Health Service due to ill health. I have a chronic health condition. This was very difficult, and I suddenly had a lot of time on my hands. My children had flown the nest, and suddenly my days were long and spent at home. I started to crochet a lot and this became my own occupational therapy. I loved making blankets freestyle but didn’t really consider this designing.
After a few years when I was a little stronger, I met three amazing women at a felting class, we bonded with our shared love of all things crafty and still have monthly meet ups. My friends encouraged me to teach crochet so that really came before designing. I set up a mock workshop as a trial run and taught them how to crochet. This snowballed, I advertised on a local craft Facebook group and within an hour I had a waiting list and Sweetpeafamily was born.
It was incredible and very unexpected. I have met some lovely people running workshops and many have become close friends. I eventually had to offer workshops in a larger venue as my house was becoming too small. I hired a local church hall and with the help of my friend Carole a fellow crocheter, Crochet afternoon teas were born. These were fabulous afternoons and that was when my pattern writing really took off. My first written pattern was for a circular cushion, embellished with flowers.
Over the last few years, I have moved away from teaching and workshops as my health has deteriorated and I have started to design more. I have written a number of patterns for magazines. This cumulated into writing my first book a couple of years ago, which was incredibly exciting. More recently I have written a number of patterns for Wool Warehouse which has been lovely as these are available to purchase on their website with accompanying yarn packs.
Do you have specific inspiration behind any of your projects?
All sorts can inspire me, hearing that a friend is having a baby can inspire me to design a new baby blanket, the seasons, festivities. I love them all and have designed spring, summer, autumn, winter and even Easter blankets. Also, stitches can inspire me I love crocheting bobble stitches, one of my most recent and popular blankets was all about the bobble.
If you had to choose, what’s your favourite pattern you’ve designed so far?
My favourite pattern is probably a very simple blanket which I designed for Woman’s Weekly years ago, it was my first blanket design and was made up of simple rows of stitches in pretty pastel colours. It was the Sweetpea Blanket.
Can you tell us some of your favourite colours you like to work with?
I suppose my go to colours are pastels and have become my signature look. I am drawn to soft shades of grey, all pastel shades, they are calming soft, and safe colours. I do find brighter shades a challenge but they are creeping into my work and I’m noticing a change on my Instagram feed as brighter bolder shades are creeping in.
What does your creative process look like?
My favourite things to design are blankets, I get an idea in my head of what I want to make and scribble a few notes, I don’t really sketch. My favourite part is then deciding on colours, I crochet lots of small swatches, trying different colours together, and then it’s the stitches. The stitches will depend on who I’m writing the pattern for, if it’s for a beginner I will look how I can add texture and interest with basic stitches. Most of my blankets are quite easy, I think crochet should be relaxing and mindful not taxing.
Does your home reflect your crafting passion?
My home definitely reflects my crochet passion, I don’t think you will find a room that doesn’t have a crochet blanket somewhere, be it draped over a chair or sofa or a stack folded in a pretty basket just in case it gets chilly. I’ve also got a multitude of crochet mats, baskets, amigurumi creatures, flowers etc. Reading this I think I’ve made my house sound overly cluttered with craft but I have touches throughout my home that reflect my personality and love of handcrafted items.
What other designers are you loving at the moment?
I love so many designers and have many favourites, but if I have to name a few lovely Instagram accounts I follow, I would choose, these three inspirational women.
Do you have any tips for readers developing a passion for crafting?
I would go for it, jump in with both feet and do whatever makes you happy.
Do you prefer to knit, or to crochet?
My main passion is crochet and my love of designing but over the last year or so I have started to knit more. My knitting skills are quite basic and I would definitely not aspire to pattern writing.
Describe your style in 3 words.
Pretty, simple, relaxing.
If there’s a day where you’re facing a creative block, what are some of your go-tos to get your creative juices flowing again?
I think meeting up with my crochet friends as they have inspired and supported me for over a decade. Also take a moment, stop thinking about your block and appreciate what’s around you, maybe it’s just not the right time and your body is telling you to slow down and take a break. Your love of creating will always come back.
Do you have any patterns coming out that you can tell us about?
I have a few designs on the go that are under wraps for now as they won’t be available for a while but I’m also thinking of designing some accessories for the Autumn.
Thanks for chatting with us Sue! You can follow Sue on Instagram HERE, and shop the SweetPea Crochet Family shop HERE.