Most people know me from the Haakster contest, which I had the chance to participate in back in 2019. I made it all the way to the finals. That was such a fun challenge! You might also know me from Instagram: @tanteelien.
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My mom and aunt also crochet. From a young age, I’d go with them to Yarnplaza—we lived nearby. I really loved seeing all those colors, but I never picked up a Crochet Hook myself. I always thought, “This isn’t really my thing.” But at some point, I decided to buy a crochet book (ed.: *Zoomigurumi*) and a ball of Cotton yarn. I borrowed the Crochet Hook from my mom. I started experimenting and taught myself how to crochet using YouTube. My mom crocheted little blankets, so she used different stitches. She’d never even made a magic ring—the starting point for every Amigurumi—so I had to look that up right away. Once I’d mastered the basics, I also asked around for some handy tips, and that’s how you keep learning more and more.
Crochet fun, basic, and… challenging. I don’t like frills, but I do like a challenging stitch. Above all, I think it’s important that crocheting is fun. I don’t really enjoy doing the same stitch over and over again or something I’ve crocheted many times before. Enjoyment is so central to my crocheting that I don’t always crochet something I think is beautiful. Instead, I focus on what I find fun and challenging to do.
So I’m going with home decor now. I really enjoy crocheting Amigurumi, but it’s always the same stitches. I quickly start to miss the challenge—which I do get when crocheting home decor—by trying a new stitch every time and enjoying the freedom that comes with it.
There isn’t really one project that stands out above the rest. Of course, I haven’t been designing for very long yet. I’m super proud of everything related to the crochet contest. I found a few things in there that are really cool, precisely because I used to always crochet from a pattern book and now I got to design my own. For example, the mandala, the Amigurumi, and the dragon fruit keychain. And now that I’ve designed a baby blanket for Yarnplaza, I’m very proud of that, too.
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Pinterest! I also often see inspiring things on Instagram. And, of course, just in stores—the latest trends.
I really love going out for a nice meal, doing fun things, and getting away from it all for a while. But… if it’s been a chaotic week, I’d rather stay home on the couch and crochet. Or better yet, I’ll just combine the two! First, I’ll go out for a meal, and then I’ll spend some time crocheting in front of the TV.
My mom—but she’s also the most critical… haha. Sometimes I send my mom a photo of a new project. She’ll reply: “This and that need to be different.” Then I think, “Mom, I just wanted to hear that it’s okay and looks nice.” But despite that, she’s my biggest fan. She was really invested in the Haakster contest. And she also helped brainstorm ideas when I was designing this baby blanket.
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No one. My family and friends know that it really adds value to my life. I’m surrounded by nothing but supporters. Here’s a funny story: a coworker watched the episodes of Haakster 2019 and said, “I turned it off. That’s not like you at all. So calm!” At work, I’m a real live wire. So maybe they’re thinking, “There’s Eline again with her crocheting.” Haha
That doesn't really matter to me. It's more about the setting. If the weather's nice, I take my crochet project outside; otherwise, I settle in front of the TV. In a comfortable chair, cross-legged, with an armrest or some cushions for support. And I prefer to have a little table next to me where I can put all my little things.
Tight, but I have started crocheting a little more loosely. Since I’m participating in the contest, I’m now making sure to use a larger Crochet Hook than recommended. Of course, I started out with Amigurumi, which you crochet very tightly, so maybe that’s why my stitches are so tight.
My stash is a collection of items I received from my crocheting mother and aunts. I’m now slowly trying to bring some consistency to it by buying new accessories. I also have a lot of wool—or cotton, actually. That’s actually more of a treasure to me than the accessories. The balls I’ve collected here and there.
When I’m designing, my laptop is a must-have. I use Adobe Illustrator to check the proportions. That’s what I did with this baby blanket, too. My idea was to incorporate a color gradient into the blanket. I use Illustrator to determine where the gradient will go and how many colors I’ll include in the blanket. That way, I already have a clear picture of the design before I start crocheting, which saves me time.
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In connection with the contest, Yarnplaza asked me to design something. Since I’m expecting a little one, I thought it would be fun to design a baby blanket. I started with the color cream. Slowly, the mustard color is being added. An openwork pattern is followed by a shell or diamond pattern, and you finish with a challenging stitch. Well, it looks complicated, but it’s actually easy to crochet. For the border, I chose a lobster stitch. I didn’t want a really bold, spectacular border, so that the stitches in the blanket itself would really stand out.
If you like crocheting Amigurumi, @picapauyan is a great account to follow. I also follow quite a few Ukrainian and Russian designers—though I really don’t know their names, haha. Tip: Try searching by hashtags. If you see something you like, check out that account. That way, you’ll come across lots of surprising things, including work by lesser-known crocheters.
Watch the video interview with Eline here
Crocheting with Eline Ermstrang
As Eline already said: this baby blanket is so much fun to crochet! And you can share that joy, too—with your little one as they snuggle up under this blanket. Or maybe you’ll give this stylish baby blanket as a gift to your pregnant (grand)daughter or friend. You can choose a complete baby blanket Crochet Kit or—if you’d prefer to pick your own colors—just the baby blanket Crochet Pattern. Happy crocheting! You can find Eline Ermstrang’s design by clicking the link.
