Crochet with Knot Your Mommas Yarn
Stunning paintings from Meredith Jane Art at Heart also known as Knot Your Momma’s Yarn :)
Have you seen the gorgeous crochet patterns or wonderful pictures from Knot Your Momma’s Yarn also known as Meredith Jane Art at Heart? She has done some amazing work and continues to create beautiful pieces that she shares with the world. I was first introduced to her awesome crochet patterns with her Larklynn Hat as seen below and have loved seeing what she continues to create. :).
You can find more or her wonderful patterns in her Etsy Shop as well as her website where you can also find her artwork and her custom handmade items. You can find more updates and behind the scenes on her Instagram Profile.
By Michele of VAMICreations and Meredith Jane of Art at Heart
Crocheting and Painting with Knot Your Mommas Yarn
How did you start Knot Your Mommas Yarn?
Making Lemons Market Bag
I think it kind of started itself and then asked me to join I’ve always had a love for yarn things and once I became a full time artists, the full time maker of things with string kinda came right along with it. I started dyeing yarn when I tried to merge my love of paint and painting with yarn.
What gave you the idea/inspiration?
I take a lot of my inspiration from things around me. I love texture and contrast and I surround myself with stitch pattern books and things just come to mind. 50% work out- 50% are still sitting waiting to be worked out lol.
How long has Knot Your Mommas Yarn been around?
I’ve only been Knot Your Momma’s Yarn for about 2 years now, but I’ve been working towards it since college when my grandma taught me how to knit.
Larklynn Hat
What is Knot Your Mommas Yarn all about?
It’s all things string. I wanted it to encompass my patterns, my finished ready to ship items, hand dyed yarn, stitch markers, and soon to be (hopefully) polymer clay crochet hooks.
How do you choose the yarns names and colors you create?
The colors are picked based on either how I’m feeling that day or by inspirational photos I take of the mom life we live within the walls of our home. Sometimes Leo picks me the sweetest flowers and boom! Colorway comes to mind. Other times I just go down in the studio and start flinging dye around and the names come to me after the yarn is dried.
How do you choose the patterns you create – ie is there something that you take inspiration from when you start a pattern?
Patterns start by first deciding what I want to make (ie hat, shawl, scarf, etc) then I pull out my 679 stitch pattern books and let the creativity work its magic.
How do you choose the pictures you paint?
I paint what makes me happy. Life is too short to paint boring things- I choose to paint animals and trees that evoke a smile and happiness in the viewer. It’s more fun to work that way.
Against the Grain Shawl Pattern
What has inspired you to create different yarns, patterns, and paintings?
Paintings are inspired by images that make me happy. I spend a lot of time zipping around on the internet and make notes of which animals I enjoyed looking at or landscapes/flowers/trees that gave me the good feels.
What is your favorite pattern, painting, yarn to work with?
For crochet I love making shawls, for knit it’s definitely hats, painting I love to paint chickens and pigs, and my favorite yarn right now is indie dyed yarn from fellow dyers and anything by Malabrigo.
What would you tell a new painter, designer, or yarn dyer for encouragement?
It’s not easy, it’s not meant to be easy, and if you love what you do- it’s doesn’t have to be easy for you to keep pursuing your dreams and goals. Not every thing you make will sell and that’s ok.
What is something you are passionate about and why?
Shelfie the Gnome Crochet Pattern
I love my family and friends. I keep a tight circle and I really try to do my best to be the best person I can to each and every one of them. I love supporting fellow makers and being a part of the maker community online.
If you had one (or several) things to share with a woman entrepreneur, what would it be? What would you encourage them about?
You do you and be kind. The rest will fall into place when it’s meant to be.
What is a lesson learned for being a woman entrepreneur that you wish someone had told you when you first started?
I really don’t think one comes to mind. Being an artist first and then including yarn things not much has changed. I have to work hard and I expect that I would have had to to reach my goals. Nothing really ever stood in my way.
If you had one (or several) things to share with an entrepreneur who is a mom, what would it be? What would you encourage them about?
Be prepared to change. Schedules are always changing and you have to be ready to continue to evolve right along with it. Think outside the box to gain work time and push through the exhaustion when you feel you should, and nap when you feel you need a nap. Naps are ok. Naps are good for mommas too.
Icicle’s Chill Cowl Crochet Pattern
What is a lesson learned for being an entrepreneur who is a mom that you wish someone had told you when you first started?
Nothing goes the way you want it to. Ever. Lol!!
What is your dream for Knot Your Mommas Yarn to be (where do you see Knot Your Mommas Yarn in 5+ years)?
I hope to still be creating! It’s a much easier path to take than painting while Leo is so young and busy. I just hope I can keep creating and writing awesome patterns for fabulous people to make!
If you like this, you may like:
Looking at so many of Meredith’s gorgeous patterns, I wanted to show you some pattern and color combinations to give you ideas - sort of a virtual brain storming together. :) If you have any yarns/pattern recommendations comment below or send an email my way and I’ll add them!
These gorgeous worsted weight crochet patterns from her Etsy Shop to include the Larklynn Beanie (one of my favorite designs), Wander Your Way Beanie which has beautiful lace work, and the Against the Grain Shawl Pattern would all be stunning in any one of Rose Hill Yarns (linked to her interview and numerous colorways here on VAMICreations; picture of her Into the Fae colorways is on the above left) or Cornbread and Honey's (linked to her interview and numerous colorways here on VAMICreations; picture of one of her fades is above right) solid or even multicolored worsted weight colors. The problem becomes what colors/color combination to chose from :)
These beautiful and warm bulky (5 weight yarn) crochet patterns from Meredith Jane's Etsy Shop include the Autumn Spice Slouch Hat (who doesn't like Autumn Spice when it reminds you of Pumpkin Spice? Yum :), Marlo Slouchy Hat which has a matching cowl as well, and the Berry Sweet Beanie with tons of fun bobbles, and the Zip Stitch Hat which I can't wait to try sometime and also has a matching cowl!!! Each of these I could see in Lion Brand's Color Made Easy Yarn (see my Review and other patterns you can create with this awesome yarn) to include either a solid of one of the above colors (Huckleberry, Basalt, Alabaster, or Kingfisher) or a color combination of these (or others as these coloras are my favorite color combinations, you'll find out why in the review :)
These beautiful and warm dk weight yarn crochet patterns from Meredith Jane's Etsy Shop include the Ebb and Flow Shawl stunning and gorgeous in solids or any multicolors, Little Sprout Shawl so many beautiful stitches, the Granny Cowl with or without fringe, and the Marian's Cowl all of which have so many beautiful stitches and design!!!
Each of these would be simply stunning in any of Jerica's (YarnHookNeedles) new indie dyed yarn!! You can find her entire collection in her Etsy Shop but four of my favorites and I could see used for any of Meredith's patterns above include the Kansas Wildflower wonderful mixture of purples, white and yellow, Koi Pond which gives me visions of many Koi fish swimming in a pond, the Secret Garden which makes me want to rewatch the old Secret Garden movie (one of my favorites), and Shipwreck which may potentially be my favorite colorway with the mixture of blues and browns. :). Jerica has several other solid and color combination colorways in her Etsy Shop and the best part?! They've just been released so you can create your own special, one of a kind shawl or cowl :)
Thank you for joining us for this awesome interview with Meredith of Knot Your Momma’s Yarn and Meredith Jane Art at the Heart and thank you Meredith for taking the time for this interview. :). We can’t wait to see what you make with her patterns or even if you get a pet portrait!!! Please comment below, send an email to us, or tag us on social media!! Take care and stay safe and healthy my friend.
Hello my friend! Sometimes being a crochet pattern designer no matter your experience (beginner or advanced) can be tough. For encouragement as well as to have some great recommendations by those who have been crocheting for a while, I’ve asked a number of crochet designers for not only how they got started and what they recommend for new pattern designers but what they wish they would have known when they first got started. :).