Sati Glenn is the owner of a handmade fiber business called Rows and Roses. She designs, sells crochet patterns and finished goods, runs a couple of active groups on Facebook and Ravelry, and also finds the time to work as a test crocheter for WeCrochet!
I approached Sati to find out more, and especially to find out about a current Crochet Along she is running for her new Felici on the Double Cowl pattern. (You can join the CAL in her groups on Ravelry or Facebook!)
Tell me a little about yourself and your crochet background.
I started crocheting when my youngest was just a newborn. We were cloth diapering and I thought all the cute handmade woolies were just adorable. I wanted to get her some, but even pre-loved, they were just out of my price range. I thought, “If other people can knit and crochet, there’s no reason I can’t learn, too.”
So I learned to crochet, mostly by books, and a few videos. I was so excited that I started posting and sharing pics of my new hobby on Facebook. My friends and family were excited too, and started asking me if I could make them things. One thing led to another, I blinked, and now have a fiberworks business, Rows and Roses. I do knitting, spinning, dying, weaving, a little of everything really, but crochet is my first love and biggest passion.
What’s your all-time favorite yarn?
Oh wow, that’s a hard question to answer. If I could give a vague answer, I’d say anything with silk or alpaca or cashmere, on the darker end of the color spectrum, but also speckles are awesome. But that’s not an answer, so I guess….. Can I say Lindy Chain for summer, Hawthorne for winter, and Felici at the moment? I’m having a total love affair with Felici.
Speaking of Felici, what inspired you to design the Felici On the Double pattern?
There just aren’t enough good crochet patterns for Felici, in my opinion. Before this, I mostly just used Felici to knit socks, but I knit WAY slow. The business keeps me so busy that I rarely have time to make stuff for myself so my Felici stash was growing and growing and not being used nearly enough.
I love how soft and springy it is though, and thought that if I could just hold it double to make a nice smooshy fabric and watch the colors shift, it would be such a delight. I tried it and it really is delightful. I love the cowl so much that I’m working on patterns for a matching hat and mitts.
I agree with you on two counts: 1. That we need more Felici crochet patterns, and 2. That holding Felici double makes a nice smooshy fabric!
In the short time since you released it, the Felici On the Double Cowl has really caught on with crocheters on Ravelry and Facebook. This led you to start a Crochet Along. Tell me about the FOTD CAL.
Ooooh, okay, so I love CALs but basically never have the time to participate in them as I’m pretty much always working on things for other people. I thought it would be so much fun to host one for my new pattern, and once I saw my cowl on Ravelry’s Hot Right Now front page (squeeeee!) I just went for it. Thankfully there’s been a good bit of interest and participation so far, so it must have been a great idea.
I know you’ve been knocking them out! I love your idea of putting buttons on them.
Sati’s talking about me (Heather)! I have made over 10 Felici on the Double Cowls so far. They are so fun to make, I’m having a hard time stopping!
Using Felici colors Summer Camp and Auggie.
Any other Felici patterns in the works?
For sure the hat and mitts, but I’m going round and round in my head for other patterns for some single-stranded Felici stuff. I did set a goal for myself to publish one pattern per month in 2020, so we’ll see what happens. It’s looking promising so far!
You’re a test crocheter for WeCrochet – what do you have to do for that job?
This is one of my favorite things to do and I am so fortunate to have been chosen. Basically, I’m sent a pattern idea and asked if I’d like to crochet it. So far I’ve said yes every time. These designers of WeCrochet are so talented!
They send the pattern and the yarn, along with a due date and shipping instructions. I sign the contract, crochet the item, and send weekly emails if I find anything wrong with the pattern, or have a question or suggestion. It’s really a great job to have, and as it’s an independent contractor position, I’m free to turn down something if I want and wait for the next one. MUCH better than punching a time clock 🙂
(Note: Here are two projects that Sati test crocheted for us! The Spiral Tunisian Cowl and the Polka Dot Earwarmer.)
You’re a homeschooling parent. Do you have any tips for how to run a handmade business WHILE homeschooling?
I get asked all the time how to make running a business and homeschooling at the same time actually work. I wrote a blog post on Running a Small Business While Homeschooling, which is not at all exhaustive but I feel like it’s a pretty good start.
If anyone reading this is considering homeschooling, or is already homeschooling and the thought of also starting a business and working from home is daunting, I promise you it’s possible. Not easy, but doable, for sure.
Thanks for taking the time to talk, Sati. It has been great getting to know you for the past couple months, and bonding over our love of Felici!
Thanks for this opportunity, Heather. This is my first interview 🙂
You did great!
P.S. How can we find you online?
Oh I’m everywhere. Haha, seriously. I have a Facebook group, a Ravelry group and pattern shop, a Pinterest account, an IG account, but most recently, I have a website now that I’m really trying to take my time with and fix up just the way I want it.
- Website: http://www.rowsandroses.com
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/rowsandrosescrochet
- Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/groups/rows–roses-group
- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/rowsandroses/
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