Episode 77 - LillaBjörn Crochet

Episode 77 – LillaBjörn Crochet

Tatsiana Kupryianchyk of LillaBjörn Crochet is our interview guest in this jam-packed Episode 77, full of goodies for you and lots of contrasting themes. Currently based in the Czech Republic, Tatsiana Kupryianchyk has pushed crochet beyond anything that I’ve seen before, from stunning intricate mandalas using lots of overlay crochet to colour work, yoke sweaters with imitation Brioche. She is creating fantastic modern designs for both home decor and to wear. You will totally love seeing her work!

In stark contrast to that interview, we go to Pennsylvania in the States to talk with Marie Minnich, who features in our ‘Meet the Shepherdess’ segment. Wool and sheep lovers will really savor this segment. The Italian designer Stella Egidi presents her elegant sweater design Barocco in New Releases and we take you on a quick escape to the German countryside near the famous spa town of Baden Baden.

Tatsiana Kupryianchyk – LillaBjörn Crochet

Top down, seamless and stranded yolk sweaters are hugely popular amongst knitting patterns now. Tatsiana has created sweater designs that use all these construction techniques but in crochet. She has overcome some of the typical challenges crochet has and has created very drapey knit like fabrics for the body of the sweaters and achieved wonderful colour work yolk designs with overlay crochet.

Tatsiana also has blanket crochet designs that include cables and mosaic colour work.

Tatsiana also has blanket crochet designs that include cables and mosaic colour work.

Mandalas by LillaBjörn Crochet

Patron Discount – Tatsiana Kupryianchyk

Tatsiana is offering Fruity Knitting Patrons a 25 percent discount on all of her self-published patterns.

Tatsiana is offering Fruity Knitting Patrons a 25 percent discount on all of her self-published patterns. You will really love looking at her beautiful designs. There are many different types of projects from little baskets, drapey elegant shawls, cushions, handbags, toys and floor rugs as well as the gorgeous sweater designs she shows us during the interview. Full details available here.

Finding Tatsiana Kupryianchyk

Stella Egidi – Barocco

Stella Egidi with her Barocco sweater

Stella Egidi is the designer behind Moody Knitter Knitwear Design. If you have been to Rome you will recognize how incredibly stylish everyone is, even when they are dressing very casually. It’s such a pleasure to sit outside a cafe and drink coffee and watch the Romans going by. To me, Stella has this very natural, understated elegance and innate dress sense typical of so many Italians and it’s reflected in her beautiful designs.

Barocco, by Stella Egidi

Patron Discount – Stella Egidi

Fruity Knitting Patrons get 25 percent off all self-published patterns

Fruity Knitting Patrons get 25 percent off all self-published patterns, full details here.

Finding Stella Egidi

Marushka Farms – Meet the Shepherdess

Marie Minnich of Marushka Farms

Marie Minnich of Marushka Farms

In our ‘Meet the Shepherdess’ segment, Marie Minnich talks about her conservation breeding techniques of the endangered American sheep breed Romeldale CVM. She has the largest flock in America at the moment and her focus is to keep a lot of healthy genetics available to other breeders.

Therefore Marie has a lot of rams in her flock and a lot of her fleeces and yarns are made from Rams wool.

Romeldale CVM Fleece

Romeldale CVM Fleece

Romeldale CVM sheep grow wonderful fleeces in many different shades. The grey fleeces range from a dark charcoal grey to a rose grey pictured above.

Romeldale CVM yarns in shades of greys

Romeldale CVM yarns in shades of greys

Although the lambing season is tough, there is a lot to laugh about!

You can find the interview with Deb Robson in Episode 23.

Patron Discount – Marushka Farms

Patrons get 15 percent off all yarns, roving and fleeces from Marushka Farms

Patrons get 15 percent off all yarns, roving and fleeces from Marushka Farms

Patrons get 15 percent off all yarns, roving and fleeces from Marushka Farms. Full details available here

Finding Marushka Farms

Woolly Wormhead – Katara

Andrea showing off her finished Katara by Woolly Wormhead.

Andrea showing off her finished Katara by Woolly Wormhead.

And there is another Woolly Wormhead hat under construction - Camden Hat.

And there is another Woolly Wormhead hat under construction – Camden Cap.

Tiger by Martin Storey

Tiger by Martin Storey

The Tiger jumper for our niece Simba is now a joint work in progress. Andrew has delegated the knitting of the Tiger’s face to me.

Waldhotel- Der Forellenhof

Der Forellenhof in the Black Forest

Der Forellenhof in the Black Forest

To celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary Andrew and I spent a couple of days at this beautiful Hotel outside of the spa town Baden Baden, on the edge of the Black Forrest. This is an old German guest house with beautiful solid wood carvings around the lights inside.

Solid wood carvings depicting local scenes

Solid wood carvings depicting local scenes

We were wearing

Music Credits