Meet the Designer: Mrs. B's Crochet

Oh my goodness! I loved looking through Michelle's patterns and stores. LOVE all the texture and color in her patterns. You will read about her love for hats, but she has many other beautiful patterns that are not hats.

You really need to check out the crochet hooks as well! I think the purple ones are my favorite :)

As usual, the photos link to the pattern. Please follow Michelle 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?

My name is Michelle Barnhart, my business name is Mrs. B's Crochet. I live in Centreville, Michigan.

When/How did you learn to crochet?

I taught myself over 15 years ago. Winters are long and cold here in Michigan, and I wanted something fun to do in the evening. I've always been the type of person that can't sit still and simply watch TV, so this was a great hobby for me to do while still spending time with the family at night. I started crocheting dish cloths, just to learn some basic stitches.

What made you decide to start designing patterns?

When the Bun Beanie craze hit, I couldn't find a pattern that I liked, so I decided to give it a whirl, and the rest is history. Hats will forever hold my heart!

How would you say that your crochet designing has changed from when you started?

I am MUCH more detailed in my patterns, as far as explaining things in easy to follow and understand wording. I've also gone from basic, boring word documents to my signature well laid out Canva PDF's.

What’s your go-to yarn and crochet hook? Any particular reason why you prefer them?

I am a Clover or Tulip hook girl, through and through, I mainly use 5.5mm and 6mm hooks for my designs. I love the yarns from Hobby Lobby. The I Love This Yarn brand is so coloful and fun, and I adore Yarn Bee Soft & Sleek for it's no-pill feature.

What are some of your favorite crochet techniques/stitches/ patterns?

I love making hats, they will always be my favorite, and the more texture, the better. I use the puff stitch quite a bit, as well as HDC in the 3rd loop.

Are you a one-project-at-a-time person, or do you have a lot of WIPs on the go?

One at a time! My ADD would never let me have more than one going at the same time!

What’s the process like when you design a crochet pattern? What are some words you would use to describe your patterns?

The process is pretty wild...ideas usually come to me either in a dream, when I'm driving, or in the shower...anytime my mind is quiet and can focus. After the idea hits, I will sketch it out, sit down and work up a prototype, then figure out the math for all sizes. After that, the pattern is written up, sent to my trusted testing team, edited, then released to the public. From start to finish can take over a month.

Tell us about your favorite make or biggest crochet triumph?

My favorite make is truly all of my beanie patterns, followed by my handmade crochet hooks. Each one holds a special place in my heart. My biggest triumph is truly from going from a hobby to a full time income.

Paying it forward, who are some of your favorite crochet designers/ bloggers?

Some of my faves also happen to be great friends of mine! Sea Star Crochet writes the most beautiful patterns that are easy to follow and turn out perfect every time. I also love Leesa's Knotty Corner, she has had my back and been one of my biggest supporters since day one. She writes beautifully textured patterns that are so unique.