Have you ever been able to talk with someone that you find absolutely inspiring as a woman and creative entrepreneur? :) We had the amazing opportunity to interview one of the leading ladies in Crochet and Tunisian Crochet and someone who is a rising creative entrepreneur. :) It is my absolute pleasure to share with you a special interview with Toni of TL Yarn Crafts below and some of her stunning Crochet and Tunisian Crochet art work.

And grab your yarn and Tunisian Crochet Hooks to join Toni for the Holiday Tunisian Sampler blanket CAL where you can learn how to make 20 different Tunisian Crochet stitches, each with their own gorgeous square (links for each of the different stitches and tutorials can be found here). I am excited to make this blanket and learn these stitches as I have put off starting Tunisian Crochet for too long even though there are so many GORGEOUS patterns!!!

Crocheting Artwork with Toni of TL Yarn Crafts

By Michele of VAMICreations and Toni of TLYarnCrafts 

What gave you the idea/inspiration to start TL Yarn Crafts?

TL Yarn Crafts was born through the natural progression of my creative spirit. I originally picked crochet up again in my mid-20’s, making gifts for holidays and baby showers. Once my family politely let me know that they had enough scarves and hats, I decided to start selling my pieces at craft shows and on Etsy. Transitioning my hobby into a side hustle wasn’t always the plan, but I like to think things happened exactly as they were supposed to.

How did you get started in crocheting and Tunisian crochet?

I first learned to crochet from my mother as a teenager. She introduced me to the craft when I was home, bored over summer break. In those three months, I made a hideous granny square blanket. That experience lit a fire in me that has been burning ever since. II stumbled upon Tunisian crochet at a craft convention when I saw a woman with a gigantic 3 foot hook crocheting a dense rug out of heavy cotton. I was intrigued and she graciously gave me a 10 minute lesson. From there, I googled Tunisian crochet for about 3 hours and fell totally in love. I’ve been exploring every stitch, tool, and project ever since.

How did you get started with the podcast?

My YouTube channel started back in 2017 as a way for me to share my knowledge about Tunisian crochet. As much as I love to teach, I wanted a way to connect with people on a more personal level. I decided to combine my extroverted spirit with my love of craft and turn it into a monthly video podcast. I love the excitement and feedback I get from people who watch it. I get the impression that we’re all connecting on a much deeper level.

What’s your favorite podcast to do?

The format is mostly the same for each podcast. I'd have to say, my favorite segment of my podcast is the Final Word, where I offer a bit of encouragement to take makers through their day on a lighter note. I love being able to share my true feelings and hopefully brighten someone's day or motivate them. When I look back at previous episodes, I often find that I need to take my own advice, lol. 

How do you choose the yarns you work with?

I like to think that the yarn chooses me J When it comes to yarn, I’m not especially picky, but I know what I like. There are certain colors I’m inevitably drawn to, but I really like to stretch beyond my comfort zone and experiment with different yarn bases and weights. If I had to pick one type of yarn that is my favorite, it would likely be a smooth DK weight merino wool/alpaca blend. A yarn like that combines strength with luxury and I’d want to use it for everything.

How do you choose the patterns you create – ie is there something that you take inspiration from when you start a pattern?

My audience really influences the types of projects I make. I feel like my brand speaks to the confident beginner crocheter, so I like to make patterns that are approachable and stylish, but still introduce a concept that challenges makers a little bit. From ear warmers, to cardigans, to baskets, every one of my patterns has a little something special that produces a pieces that makers can be proud of.

What is your favorite style of pattern (shirt, shawl, blanket, etc) and yarn to work with?

My absolute favorite type of project to design is a blanket. There are so many opportunities when designing a rectangular piece of fabric. I like to let my imagination run free. As for yarns, my favorites are soft, single color or tonal yarns in the neutral-to-warm category. I’m especially fond of WeCrochet’s Swish DK, which I’ve used for 2 of my temperature blankets.

What would you tell a new designer for encouragement?

Take your time (but don’t procrastinate!). As a new designer, you might be tempted to hold onto your first idea until it’s 100% perfect. But that hesitation can lead to procrastination and you’ll look up a year later and still be sitting on that first pattern. In the age of digital patterns, you have the ability to revisit older designs and spruce them up or fix problems. Take your time so you can put out a pattern you love, but give yourself a reasonable goal date to do that by.

What is something you are passionate about and why?

I’m passionate about teaching crochet. I love experiencing the “aha!” moment that new learners have. I clearly remember the hours of frustration I had and how my “aha!” moment wiped all of that frustration away. Learning a new skill is hard. I like know that I contribute to the switch flipping in a new maker’s mind.

If you had one (or several) things to share with a woman entrepreneur, what would it be? What would you encourage them about?

I’d tell woman entrepreneurs to make sure they don’t let themselves get too lost in their work. Handmade business owners pour 110% of themselves into their craft, wearing all the hats and trying to do all the things. But it’s so easy to make building your business become the focus of your life. Don’t lose sight of the things that bring you joy and don’t be afraid to say “no” if that means you get to protect your peace.

What is a lesson learned for being a woman entrepreneur that you wish someone had told you when you first started?

You can’t do it alone. By far, the best part of being an entrepreneur is the amazing friendships and peer groups I’ve built over the years. I have amazingly smart, trustworthy people around me to bounce ideas off of and listen to me vent when I need it. Having those people to turn to when things get tough helps me show up as my best self for my audience.

Fun question – if you could meet one person in history or present, who would it be and why?

I’d love to meet the queen of entrepreneurs, Beyonce. Her work ethic and brand is so aspirational. I’d really love to pick her brain about what it takes to build such a loyal fanbase, produce a produce she loves, and maintain her family and personal sanity.

What is your dream for TL Yarn Crafts to be (where do you see TL Yarn Crafts in 5+ years)?

I know I should have a better answer for this, but my real goal for TL Yarn Crafts is to keep having fun with it. I love this, as a job, but I accept that things are in our lives for a season. If TL Yarn Crafts ceases to be a fun, exciting place for me to explore my creativity, I’ll just try something else. For now, though, I fully expect to be running TLYC for the rest of my yarny life.

If you like this, you may like:

• Ultimate List of Yarn Dyers on Instagram

• Needle Rebellion Interview - Starting a Business Online

• Crochet Stitch Tutorial Series

Looking at all of Toni’s beautiful patterns, I thought I’d make some color-pattern combinations to give you an idea of where you could start :). And I’d LOVE to see what you’ve made with her beautiful patterns!!! Please either send me an email for what you’ve created, comment below, or tag me on social media and I will gladly share your makes!

What are you making with Toni’s patterns? I’m diving into the Tunisian Holiday Sampler Blanket as my next project and….she’s inspired me to start a couple of Tunisian Crochet Series!! Keep an eye out for these soon :)

Speaking of the Tunisian Holiday Sampler Blanket, I think any of Robin of Rose Hill Yarns colorways combinations would make a STUNNING Sampler blanket as you could use some of the already created colorway groups such as the Orange Spice and Sage Kit (first colorway picture) or even my favorite (and I think I’m going to see about creating this one myself) the Into the Fae colorway group (middle). You could also take the last one (Toasted Lavender Marshmallow) and pair it up with a gorgeous deep purple/lavender, gold/deep yellow brown and cream to make a scrumptious blanket!). Robin’s got TONS of new colorways and even Tweed in her shop now, so the possibilities are endless!!!

The Bright Side Blanket is a beautiful blanket that you can create in many different sizes and I love the story behind it! This blanket would be a warm gift for the body and soul regardless of what yarn it is made with, but I could see it being made in some of the (or pretty much any) of the beautiful colorways of HighFiberArtz. These include my favorite (first picture of the Plum (you could do the border here) and HighFiberArtz (colorway of the shop) as well as Good Day Latte (middle picture) as a border and Big Heart (last picture). So many possibilities!!!

The Harper Bucket Bag looks to be an amazing Tunisian Crochet Project and I could see it in so many of Laine and Lotus’ beautiful colorways! Take Me Home (the first one) is asking to…take it home :) and the second one - Mulled Wine - sounds wonderful and something that would be amazing to keep projects in. The last one - This is My Christmas Sweater - just gets me in the mood for all things Christmas :)

The Mulled Cider Cowl would be beautiful in so many of Cornbread and Honey’s colorways to include fades and gradient yarns :) Autumn Fire (first picture) is a beautiful orange and blue fade (Tanya specializes in fades), Forehead Kisses (middle picture), and Placid mini skein set (last picture and there are so many fades that can be found in Tanya’s shop!) all would be wonderful in this pattern.

Thank you for joining us with this wonderful interview with Toni of TL Yarn Crafts and thank you so very much to Toni for giving us the wonderful opportunity to interview her :). Toni has created so many wonderful projects (and tons of tutorials as well as information about crochet and Tunisian crochet) all found on her website!! What have you made from Toni’s patterns? I’ll be working on the Tunisian Holiday Sampler Blanket and can’t wait to see what everyone is making! Email me, comment below, or tag me on social media about what projects you’re working on and on other makers you would like to nominate for an interview and highlight. :). Take care my friend and keep making all the wonderful things!! :)