What's In My Yarn Bag? with Rebecca Caridad

I am feeling nosey again and taking a peek inside the lovely Rebecca Caridad's yarn bag! She is a talented photographer (I love her film photos!), blogger, and crocheter from Boulder, CO. Her crochet creations are so lovely! Let's take a look at Rebecca's projects and yarn stash...

What do you typically keep in your yarn bag? 

I usually have too much yarn when I pack a yarn bag, because I like options and always want to be prepared. I use metal crochet hooks because I like how they feel in my hand and how the yarn slides around them. I always have a yarn needle or I should say I am always looking for a yarn needle, this is my most elusive tool and the one I have to buy again on a regular basis. I use a small pair of golden scissors because I think they are fancy. My little Sadie is usually somewhere close by, she really really loves yarn while my other little one Olive is totally terrified of it!

I am not big on patterns, I rely more on measurements so I always have a tape measure and I have a binder that I keep all my notes and measurements in for each item I make. I also love to read but with crocheting it is hard to keep up with my favorites when my hands are occupied all the time. This is why I was soo happy to discover Audible! I like to listen to books or watch shows while I crochet. Multitasking is one of my favorite things on the planet. 

When did you start crocheting? How did you learn?

I first learned how to knit as a small child, my grandmother taught me. I mostly just made blankets for my dolls. It wasn't until middle school when a good friend of mine taught me how to crochet. I crocheted on and off for years until my husband and I lived in upstate New York for a very cold winter and that is when I really found my passion with it. I made everyone christmas gifts that year and shortly after that I opened my etsy shop and started to design original pieces. I have youtube to thank for a lot of my basic knowledge. I am a visual learner so its great for me!

Are you working on any fun projects? We want to see! 

Well I have always wanted to make a granny square blanket that would be big enough to put on our queen size bed. Of course I knew that this would be a big project so I decided to start a 52 week project in 2012. My goal was to make a granny square a week for a year and then join them together. The granny squares are done but the joining is not. Realistically this might turn into a 104 week project, because joining is time consuming! But I do love looking at my piles of squares especially because I tried to theme the colors to the week, so pastels for Easter, Sadie colors for her birthday week, reds and oranges when Colorado was experiencing a lot of unfortunate wild fires and so on. I know when it is done it will be something that I pass down to my future children.

What is your favorite crochet item that you have made so far?

Oh man, The Elsie head band is one of my favorites and The Ingrid Cocktail hat, but if I had to choose a favorite it would have to be this crochet dress I made last year. I don't know what possessed me really but I woke up one day and was like I need to crochet a dress! I didn't have a pattern so I wasn't sure what it would become but after a few hours of working on it it started to take shape and then a few days later I was wearing a dress with a big bow on it! I was pretty proud, I flaunted it around the house for a while and kept saying to my husband "babe, I made this! I crocheted a dress!" 

Do you like to carry your yarn bag with you and work on your crochet projects in public? Where do you feel most comfortable crocheting?

I used to take my crochet projects out with me a lot more, but in the last couple of years I have found my favorite place to work is in my home. If I could describe my perfect day it would be just hanging at home with my little dogs and husband, listening to records, or books, or watching our favorite shows while I crochet or paint or practice calligraphy. My favorite place on earth is definitely my little home. 

What is your favorite part about yarn crafting? 

I like how much confidence it gives me. It always amazes me that I can start with some string and a hook and a few hours later what I had envisioned in my head is now in my hands. When I am finished with something I am proud of it gives me a great feeling of accomplishment and it helps quiet the demons. 

Thank you so much for sharing Rebecca! Your crochet dress is gorgeous. Wow! I love it. 

I hope you all enjoyed this little tour of Rebecca's yarn bag and learning more about her love for crochet. I really enjoy sharing these interviews! You can read previous "What's in my yarn bag?" interviews here. 

What are you working on these days? Where do you like to carry your yarn bag and work on projects?