We’re back with another Designer Spotlight! This month, Alex caught up with the crocheter behind the Cornwall Crochet – let’s see what they had a chat about! ⤵️🩷

Hi Debbie! Tell us a little bit about yourself – your background, general day to day life, hobbies?

Hi, I’m Debbie – I’m a crochet designer living in beautiful Cornwall.
Before becoming a designer, I lived and worked abroad as a scuba diving instructor
for more than a decade. While diving and crochet might sound worlds apart, the
mindset is surprisingly similar! Teaching diving taught me how to break down
complex, technical instructions into clear, manageable steps so people feel confident
tackling them – which is exactly how I approach my patterns today.
When I’m not crocheting, I love to be outside and especially by the sea. I spend a lot
of time hiking the coast paths with my husband, and also enjoy paddle boarding from
our closest beach.

When did you discover your passion for crochet/knitting?

I never thought of myself as a crafty person; it wasn’t until we moved permanently
back to the U.K. and settled in Cornwall that I picked up a crochet hook for the first
time. My mother-in-law taught me the basics and helped me to crochet a (slightly
wonky!) granny square blanket for our cat. As soon as I’d finished that I thought
“right, what’s next?” and a whole world of possibilities seemed to open up! I fell in
love with playing with shapes and colours to make up little designs that I couldn’t find
anywhere else, and I discovered a creativity I never knew I had. I’d love to learn to
knit as well one day, I’m quite envious of those who make it look so effortless!

What can a typical day look like for you? We appreciate two days are rarely the
same!

No matter what any given day has in store, it always starts the same – I like to get up
early and enjoy a peaceful crochet session while the house is quiet. Then I check in
with social media; since I’m active on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok,
there are always posts to publish and comments to reply to. It’s a lovely way of
feeling connected with the crochet world even when I’m by myself in my lounge!

Apart from that morning stillness, my days are quite dynamic. I’ve learned to become
intentional with my time, balancing the more ‘fun stuff’ of crocheting samples and
testing out new ideas, with admin tasks like pattern formatting and video editing.
There are never enough hours in the day, to be honest!

What does your creative process look like?

My designs usually begin with an idea for a particular shape or theme, and me
saying to myself “I wonder if I could crochet that?”. I’m not really one for sketching
my ideas out – instead I’ll jot down a few notes to capture my initial thoughts, usually
in the form of quite a chaotic brainstorm! From then on it’s mostly trial and error while
I try to bring the design to life. I often think it’s a bit like a swan gliding on a lake; on
the surface I want the finished pattern to look effortless and feel peaceful for the
crocheter making it… but underneath the surface there’s a lot of paddling going on!
Some designs fall into place naturally, some live in my mind for months or years
while I think of little tweaks to achieve the final look and feeling I’m aiming for. Let’s
just say that I frog a LOT!

Does your home reflect your crafting passion?

Not as much as you might expect. It’s a never ending battle trying to stop WIPs and
yarn taking over our house completely. I do like one or two crocheted things to sneak
into each room, especially cosy blankets, and of course I have yarn stashed in all
kinds of random places!

Your latest pattern is the Sunflower Colour-wash Blanket; where did you draw your
inspiration for this pattern?

Well.. I’m an enthusiastic, but not very successful gardener. Every year I try to grow
sunflowers, and every year the slugs completely demolish my seedlings! I’m pretty
sure I have the best-fed slugs in the South-West. I decided that if I couldn’t have
sunflowers in the garden, I’d have to make my own to enjoy all year round. As for the
colourwash aspect, that was totally inspired by the beautiful shades in the
Yarnsmiths SnuggleSoft range.

What’s been your favourite pattern you’ve designed?

That feels a bit like asking a parent to pick their favourite child! I love them all for
different reasons. If I had to choose one design that holds an extra-special place in
my heart it would be the Hazy Sunshine Blanket. What makes it my favourite isn’t
just the design itself, but the incredible reaction from the crochet community. Seeing
how makers have taken the pattern to heart and poured their own creativity into it
has been amazing. Every time I see a new version it blows me away – knowing that
my design brings other people so much joy is such a rewarding feeling.

Can you tell us some of your favourite colours you like to work with?

I love a bit of dopamine crafting, so my fave colours are always ones that inject
happiness into my day – though what brings that happiness definitely depends on my
mood. Some days I crave calm, tropical blues and teals. Other days I need an
energy boost from a vibrant palette, especially sun-drenched yellows. For me, a
colour palette should always be a mood-booster in one way or another.

What designers are you loving at the moment?

There are so many incredible designers in our community that it’s tough to narrow
down my choices! Three designers who have been a constant source of inspiration
and support to me are Crochet Highway, Crochet Dahlia, and Knot So Square. I
absolutely love Ana-Maria from Crochet Highway’s interlocking crochet designs, her
patterns are incredible. Karen from Crochet Dahlia designs the most beautiful bags –
I’m about to start making one of her t-shirt yarn bag patterns actually, it will be a
lovely summer project. And Susy from Knot So Square is a huge favourite of mine.
Susy’s Leah Cowl has been on my to-make list forever, and I’m excited to finally
make it!

What three things are essential for you to have a successful day designing a new
pattern?

Tea! Lots of tea! Let’s see.. a bit of peace and quiet is essential. I rarely have the TV
or radio on as I struggle to concentrate; sometimes I can manage a podcast, but
usually quiet is best for me. And lastly, if a design isn’t quite falling into place in the
way I hope, a break outside in the Cornish sea air always helps!

Finally, could you leave us all with a crafting tip?

My tip, no matter what craft you do, is to always match your project choice to the
exact kind of joy your body and mind need in that moment. Some days that might be
a rhythmic, mindful make so you can switch off and enjoy the process, sometimes it
might be a technical challenge to wake your brain up, or a bright colour palette to lift
your mood. Listen to what your creative soul needs, and make sure you enjoy what
you’re working on!

Thank you SO much to Debbie from Cornwall Crochet, we’ve really loved getting to know you a little better. You can follow Debbie on Instagram HERE, and you can shop all her patterns and yarn packs with us HERE.