My Interview with Women's World Magazine!

Women’s World did an interview with me on how you can make money with crochet and it was published in their March 27, 2017 issue. Dr Oz is on the front cover of that one. 

This may not be a big deal to some, but I'm really excited because this is a major magazine and not a crochet magazine! 

I talked about pattern testing and contact crocheters. The contract crocheter part didn’t get in because I wrote the lady later and added that, but it was too late. Anyway, they mentioned me and my Positively Crochet blog, so hopefully it will bring more traffic to my blog. I thought it was cool for crochet to be mentioned in this major magazine! They have millions of readers!
I mention Ravelry and Crochetville too.
To see an article on the magazine's website, where they mention me as a designer, along with some of my tips click here.

Library JOURNAL review of Colorful Crochet Lace

This is Library Journal's review of Colorful Crochet Lace. I got this ahead of time, so if you go to the link to read the review, it's not there yet, as it won't go public til Oct 1, 2015. Anywa, I've posted it here on my blog. As you can see I like collecting reviews and interviews! The more the merrier!. Thanks to all those who have given a review!

Colorful Crochet Lace
by Mary Jane Hall

Hall, Mary Jane. Colorful Crochet Lace: 22 Chic Garments & Accessories. Interweave. 2015. 160p. illus. index. ISBN 9781620336984. pap. $24.99. FIBER CRAFTS

Hall (Crochet That Fits) combines two of her passions—crocheted lace and vibrant color—in this collection of patterns, which includes both garments and accessories incorporating crocheted lace as an all-over pattern or an accent. The garment patterns feature a generous assortment of measurements, with a few sized from XS to 3X, and there are plenty of silhouettes included, allowing crocheters of all body types and sizes to find a style that works for them. Most of the patterns use lightweight yarn (fingering, sport, or DK), which lends itself nicely to the open, airy lacework. Patterns are both written and charted, and variations such as lengthening or shortening are provided. One of Hall’s areas of expertise is fitting crocheted garments, and she includes numerous tips for achieving the perfect fit without complex shaping, as well as a brief overview of her graduated stitch method, which allows crocheters to shape garments without using increases or decreases. VERDICT As Hall mentions in her introduction, crocheted lace is trendy right now, and this collection strikes a nice balance between homage to bygone eras and contemporary style.

You Tube Video - Interview with Mary Jane Hall by Beth Moriarity of Planet Purl

I was invited by Beth Moriarity of Planet Purl to be interviewed on her podcast Aug 19, 2015. It was actually done through a GoToMeeting where anyone can tune into the same "room" to see and hear what everyone is looking at the same thing on the same screen, kind of like a Power Point presentation. This was an honor for me because she has 20,000 or more followers, which will help promote Colorful Croche Lace and me as a designer. She asked me numerous questions on my life as a designer and on the designs in this new book. You won’t have to see my face (lol) but you’ll hear my voice and see photos of some of the designs Beth picked out to feature. If you did not get a chance to hear or see the podcast, she has now put it on her You Tube channel for anyone to view.

Hope you like it! Let me know what you think! Maybe you can guess where my accent is from?

https://youtu.be/aw3XHv1RqMw

New York City Newspaper, Times Union Interviewed Me!

When Tommy Semosh from Interweave Press told me Times Union wanted to interview me and do a book review I didn't think anything of it. I've given so many interviews the past month that I figured it was from some small town. But today I ran across the interview before Tommy has even had a chance to send me the link. I found it on my own by accident and wasn't even looking  for it.

 Anyway, when I started checking that website to see just where this newspaper was, I was so surprised to find out it's in New York City! That was exciting for me!  See the interview with me and their review of the book in their Fiber Arts section.

Read my interview HERE.
http://blog.timesunion.com/fiberarts/book-review-and-a-giveaway/17002/

Colorful Crochet Lace # 1 in Hot New Releases on Amazon!

Happy Day! I'm so excited and just have to share my good news! Look what I just found on Amazon! Colorful Crochet Lace is #1 at the moment in New Releases on Amazon. I'm sure that's in crochet books only, but I'll take it!
Thanks to all of you who have ordered the book! I am so grateful! Official release date of July 24 is not even here yet. This can change from hour to hour. The book has been at # 2 for over a week, but this is the first I've seen it at  #1. Yeah! I can hardly contain myself!

To order Colorful Crochet Lace click HERE

Article About me from Amy Shelton of Crochetville

Even though this article by Amy Shelton was written years ago, I just now came across it. Thanks Amy!

Today is the fifth day of A Tour through Crochet Country. I hope you’ve had as much fun as Donna and I have had as we’ve checked each day to see what our designers have in store for us during National Crochet Month.

Let’s hop aboard the blog train and head on out to visit with Mary Jane Hall andLindsey Stephens.

[button link=”http://positivelycrochet.blogspot.com/”]Today’s Stop 1: Visit Mary Jane Hall[/button]

If you’re a crochet fashionista who loves to make and wear trendy crochet clothing and accessories, then you’re probably already familiar with Mary Jane Hall’s designs. Mary Jane has written two books jam-packed with incredible crochet fashions: Positively Crochet!: 50 Fashionable Projects and Inspirational Tips andCrochet That Fits: Shaped Fashions Without Increases or Decreases. Mary Jane has also had numerous patterns featured in other books and magazines.

Here are two of my favorite patterns of Mary Jane’s:

Little Black Dress
Crochet That Fits

Houndstooth Purse
Crochet Today! May/June 2009

My daughter is a college-student at the University of Alabama, where houndstooth is always seen in abundance, in remembrance of football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant’s famous houndstooth hat. One day soon I’ll be making this in black and white.

On a more personal level, her faith in God and spending time with her friends and family are the most important things in Mary Jane’s life. She also enjoys cooking, thrift-store shopping, hiking in the summer, and traveling. She’s also an accomplished singer, a skill of which I’m very envious. She even has a CD of contemporary music coming soon! She is one multi-talented lady!

Mary Jane also appeared on Season 3, Episode 8 of the Knit and Crochet Now TV show. Click here to watch!

http://crochetville.com/march-5-a-tour-through-crochet-country/

Fashion Shows Featuring my Designs

In November of 2007, I held my very first fashion show and it was one of the most exciting events in my designing career! The Greene County library ordered 7 copies of Positively Crochet! for their various libraries in the county, and Karl Colon (GCPL Director) asked me if I would hold an event there, advertising my books. Of course I was thrilled and I quickly had the idea of doing a fashion show. I knew I had plenty of willing models, ages 5 - 50, who had been in my crochet classes. Some are also hired by me to test my crochet designs before publication. Some of my contract crocheters participated also.

This was such a fun event! We had lots of door prizes, and refreshments. Several of the stores in town, such as Michael's Arts and Crafts, Busy Beaver Arts and Crafts,  JoAnn Fabrics, and Fiberworks were so kind and willing to donate yarn, books or notions for the prizes we gave away.  I also did book signings. It was wonderful to see all the people from the community come out to support me. There was standing room only in a room that holds a little over 100 people. The setting was perfect with a stage and plenty of room to mingle. People have been asking me when I'm going to have my next fashion show. I have planned to do that ever since Crochet That Fits (voted "Best Crochet Pattern Book of 2008") was released, but I've had to put those plans on hold, due to some circumstances in my life. I'm not giving up on the idea though, and will try to do the show later this year.

See photos and media coverage below of the event. I will be adding photos of the fashion show over the next few days and weeks, as well as a slide show of the event that you can view. Photos of the TNNA fashion show (San Diego, Ca) my "Little Black Dress" was in will come later, so keep coming back!

8 1/2" x 11" Flier 
for the event

Book Signings, Crochet Talks

I'm way behind on posting information about my book signings and crochet talks. Even though these events are passed, I want to keep a log of them on this blog. I don't have any events scheduled for this year such as book signings, fashion shows, or crochet talks, due to the fact that I'm in transition. At the moment, I am packing up my things and will be moving sometime in the next 2-3 months. (maybe even sooner) You have no idea how hard it is for me to put a hold on my designing, so I will try to get a little designing done in between packing. It's what will keep me going! Knowing I can take a break to design will help energize me as far as the packing process.

I am going to try and plan another fashion show for the fall of 2011, but this will depend on my situation.

Berroco Yarn Co. Features Positively Crochet!

I believe that one of the main reasons Positively Crochet has been so popular, is because of the Ivory Shell Stitch sweater on the front cover. As a matter of fact, I have had 100's of emails from people who told me they bought the book because of this sweater. One lady wrote and said, "My teenage daughter is looking over my shoulder right now and saying, "I HAVE to have that sweater!" I've heard many similar comments, which of course makes all the months of hard work you put into a book worthwhile. I'm sure other authors will agree! By the way, even though the pattern is labeled "Intermediate", my 16 year old pattern tester, Alyssa Denen, made her own sweater (with Caron Simply Soft yarn) and didn't have to ask me even one question!

When I first started working on the book, and contacting yarn companies, Berroco was the first to send me a book of  their yarns so I could actually see and feel each one. Normally, a yarn co. will want you to have the publisher email them saying that the author is under contract with them, before they will donate yarn to a designer, but Berroco agreed to send me the yarn for that sweater before they got an email from my publisher (Krause - a division of F+W). I had no idea which design would be on the front cover, but I suggested to my editor, Erica Swanson, that I thought it should be the Ivory sweater. She (along with their marketing) agreed to put the sweater on the front. Berroco was very generous to donate the Softwist yarn, which was over $100 and I was very happy to tell them that the sweater I made with their yarn ended up on the front cover. It goes to show that you reap what you sow. Being  generous, whether it's a company or an individual, will always result in BEING blessed yourself!  See Berroco's ad in their newsletter below.

Ad on Berroco's website: http://www.berroco.com/knitbits/knitbits_228_hop.html

Knit and Crochet Now! TV Show - Interview w/ Mary Jane Hall & FREE pattern from Crochet That Fits!

Click on this title to be taken to the TV show's website!


For those of you who have not seen this show, you don't know what you're missing. Grant it, there are many people who have said they don't get this show (based out of Detroit). I've been on the show and I can't even get it in my area! That stinks, but you can watch the episodes or order the DVD's on their website here:

In the photo to the right, I'm standing next to Candi Jensen, crochet designer, author and producer of the show. I've bought her books for years, long before I began my designing career. She's a very sweet and funny lady! At the far right, I'm standing next to Drew Emborsky, the Crochet Dude, who is also a crochet expert on the show. Another fellow designer friend, Ellen Gormley, (of GoCrochet) and I traveled together and have spoken at other crochet events on the same day. I'll do posts and interviews with them in the future. I'm sure you've heard of them and admire their work! BTW, that's Brett Bara, (on the TV), the host of the show. She was the editor of Crochet Today! magazine for about 3-4 yrs. The staff of the show treated us like royalty while we were there! We had a very elegant motel room and they took us out to eat at a nice restaurant. We were tired, because of traveling and being interviewed the same day, but we had a blast!

The episode I'm on is Season 3 # 108. Candi Jensen interviews me about my designing career and crochet books. Myra Wood (fellow designer friend from California) demonstrates how to make the Cap Sleeve Top in Crochet That Fits, my latest book, voted "Best Crochet Pattern Book of 2008" by Crochet Liberation Front's Flamie Awards. In this book, I show how to make fitted and flattering crochet garments and accessories without having to use increases or decreases. It's not that increases or decreases are all that difficult to do. You just have to pay more attention and some people have a mental block against it. Maybe they've made only afghans, washcloths or scarves all of their crocheting days. I have had litterly 100's of emails from crocheters around the country (and the world) telling me they are making garments (sweaters, skirts, tops) for the first time ever and they are SO excited about that. These are the people I dedicated the book to, and it is very rewarding to hear how this method is making people happy and giving them the pleasures of making garments for themselves and for their friends.

If you go to the Knit and Crochet Now! TV show website, you can also download a free pattern for the Cap Sleeve Top, which is my favorite and the most popular pattern in the book. See photo below.

Ellen Gormley's blog: Go Crochet LINK
Drew Emborsky's (the Crochet Dude) website: LINK

Cap Sleeve Top

This top is made with Grand Opera, a # 3/DK wt. yarn, by Westminster Fibers. This yarn has a tiny, shiny metallic thread interwoven and it is some of the most gorgeous yarn I've ever seen. Wish you could see it in person! There are less expensive substitutes that also work well. Some people say this top looks much like knitting. (as are several of the patterns in Crochet That Fits) I try to do that on purpose sometimes, because I love the look of knitting. I learned many yrs ago to knit, but then when I learned to crochet, I thought it was easier and faster, so that's why I stuck with it. If you are a member of Ravelry, you can go there to see many projects of this top made by other people. (other yarns and other colors) Some have made it longer, and some have even added sleeves. Can't wait to see what some of you come up with!