Meet The Designer: Banana Moon Studio
- canoemtndesigns
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
What wonderful patterns! I have been a fan of April and her designs for a while now. April has such a nice variety of different patterns, everything from beanies, to gloves, to decor, my type of designer :)
If you happen to also knit..... April does also offer beautiful knitting patterns.
You have no idea how hard it was to pick a favorite pattern! I finally decided that I really loved the Tunisian Crochet Winter Cowl pattern. Her use of different stitches and colors created a stunning cowl pattern! Which is your favorite Banana Moon Studio Pattern?
As usual, the photos link to the pattern. Please follow April where you can and give her patterns some love by adding them to your favorites :)
All of her links are at the bottom of the feature.
What is your name, business name & where do you live?
Hi there! I'm April Garwood from Banana Moon Studio. I live in Oklahoma, USA.
When/How did you learn to crochet?
When I was around 10 years old my oldest sister taught me to crochet. She was 15 at the time.
What made you decide to start designing patterns?
When I was expecting our youngest daughter I was looking at crochet magazines in a book store and saw a gorgeous purple lace crochet top with a mandarin style collar on the cover of Interweave Crochet. I was blown away at this beautiful piece, as all the other crochet tops I had seen up to that point were boxy and not something I would have considered stylish. I bought a copy of the magazine and then subscribed. Then I started following the designers I saw there on their social media channels. That led me to think that I could do what they were doing. I decided to design a white blessing day dress for my baby. I submitted the design to Interweave Crochet and they accepted it. As they say, the rest is history.
How would you say that your crochet designing has changed from when you started?
I have learned SO much since I started designing! I've worked with tech editors and taken classes from experienced designers to learn how to write better patterns and each of those experiences has taught me. Also, I used to design for children a lot, but don't much anymore because I don't have young children of my own anymore to model those designs for me or inspire the making of them.
What’s your go-to yarn and crochet hook? Any particular reason why you prefer them?
I most often work in sock weight, DK, or worsted. My favorite things to make are garments and accessories, but I live in Oklahoma, where there is rarely a cold enough day to enjoy wearing bulkier projects. I really love a good, squishy superwash wool! My favorite hooks are those with extra thick handles, as they are more comfortable to hold for a long time. I have a hand turned wooden set that I bought from a maker in Washington state. And also resin and metal sets from Furl's Fiberarts that I love.
What are some of your favorite crochet techniques/stitches/ patterns?
I love Wattle Stitch and Moss Stitch. One technique I really love, but haven't done enough of is surface crochet. I have plans to do more of it in the future.
Are you a one-project-at-a-time person, or do you have a lot of WIPs on the go?
I am more of a one project at at time kind of girl. This hasn't always been the case. Before I began designing, it was common for me to have several WIPs in three different craft types going at a time. But designing for magazines and yarn companies changed me. Working with deadlines and getting paid for projects required me to become a finisher. I had to start a project promptly after receiving the yarn and work on only that until it was finished. Now I find it stressful to have more than two WIPs at a time. Usually I have one for business and one for leisure.
What’s the process like when you design a crochet pattern? What are some words you would use to describe your patterns?
Most of the time I start with an idea of what I want to make and then choose the yarn to go with it. Occasionally I start with the yarn first, and spend lots of time looking at it and imagining various ideas before settling on something for it. Once I've decided what to make, I swatch. I might try various hook sizes or stitch patterns until I feel like I have the fabric just right for the project. Then I block my swatch and measure. Then comes the math. I'll use the stitch and row counts of the swatch, along with its measurements to get a ratio of stitches per inch and rows per inch. Then I use the desired measurements of my piece and my ratio to figure out stitch and row counts for the design. I often use spreadsheets to work out all the math. Then I write the pattern instructions from there. Next comes stitching, and possibly making pattern edits as I go. Once the item is made I block it and then photograph it. Then I create a PDF and the blog post for it. Then it's all about marketing it.
My designs are modern and have broad appeal. I enjoy bright colors and jewel tones.
Tell us about your favorite make or biggest crochet triumph?
So many projects that I've really enjoyed making and using! One fairly recent design that makes me happy is my Cowhide Pillow, It is tapestry single crochet to look like cowhide, but it's made with acrylic yarn, so it's a great option for those that love the look of cowhide, but not the dead animal side of it.
Paying it forward, who are some of your favorite crochet designers/ bloggers?
I have long been a fan of Robyn Chachula's work. She was one of the designers I started following back when my design journey began. I'm also so impressed by the work of Raffamusa Designs and Kirsten Holloway. Raffamusa Designs has such a cute sense of style! And Kirsten Holloway's designs are so intricate and impressive!
Where can we find you online?
Website: https://bananamoonstudio.com
Newsletter: https://bananamoonstudio.com/newsletter-sign-up
Facebook group: https://facebook.com/groups/thestudiobunch
Facebook page: https://facebook.com/bananamoonstudio
Instagram: https://instagram.com/bananamoonstudio
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/bananamoonstudio
Thank you April for a wonderful interview and look into your crochet pattern business!
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