The Unlocker of Secrets: Laurie Wheeler

Laurie Wheeler:  Unlocker of Secrets and Founder of the Crochet Liberation Front

 Born July 21, 1969 (Yup the men were getting ready to come back from the moon!) in Portland, Oregon. Laurie was taught to crochet around the age of 7 or 8 by both her great grandmother  Lydia “Mammy” M. Horner, and her paternal great Aunty Alice.

She also learned to embroider at the same time period, and for many years, embroidery was her primary medium of choice. Dabbling with crochet to “keep my hands out of trouble”, Laurie found she had a gift for making lace edgings and decorative crochet.

In 1987 Wheeler moved to Europe to go to university at US International University’s (Now Alliant) campus in Bushey, Hertfordshire, England.  While studying full time earning her bachelor’s in International Relations, she continued to play with fiber, which often included needle point, crochet, and actually the one and only completed knitted scarf she has ever made. In 1988 she spent her spring break in Norway visiting her grandmother’s relatives, it was there that she caught the buzz of needle work in earnest.

“I was so inspired by the gorgeous sweaters, hats, scarves and gloves everyone had as just part of everyday wear. I wanted to know how to make them.”

Wheeler never has gotten the hang of knitting, but through sheer determination and eyeballing  it she has learned to crochet anything she has seen knit. 

She had begun this self challenge around the time she learned handspinning, and that is when the key to the secrets of yarn seemed to unlock all of her blocks to making wonderful wearable fiber art!

“All of a sudden my projects went from being ‘really nice’ to eyepopping gorgeous. The only thing that had changed was my choice of yarns!” 

Since her trip to Norway, Laurie has lived, worked and traveled in 23 countries, and four continents, much of her yarn and crochet designs reflect the various countries and cultures in which she fell in love (at least temporarily!)…”I think the two biggest influences on my work are the beautiful textiles and color ranges of  the Ivory Coast,  and the wonderful flattering lines of traditional Bahraini clothing (The Kingdom of Bahrain is located 24 miles east of Saudi Arabia).

Beyond that I love whimsy, and I enjoy experimentation. I urge people to meet their creative abilities and make what they can in their own ways. Even the “mistakes” are valuable!”

You can benefit from Laurie’s mistakes as she teaches you how to avoid material snafus, gives stitch advice, and more in her Secrets Of Yarn (c) Project!

www.thesecretsofyarn.com

 

Please contact Ms. Wheeler if you wish to publish any of the writing/content of this blog. All paterns, designs, are owned by Camano Made Handspun Yarn and Designs (Laurie Wheeler)

Spuntastik! and Crochet Liberation Front are trade marks of Camano Made Handspun Yarn and Designs.

(c) 2007-2008 All Rights Reserved

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