Say hey to Charlotte (@RasmussenResin1) - our new Ribblr of the Week and the designer behind Rasmussen Resin!
Hey! Happy to have you here, tell us a little about yourself.
Hi Everyone, my name is Charlotte, based in a little seaside village in the UK. I’ve always been into many art forms as a way to help with mental health, and expression, and following on from my love for Japanese culture, I came across the art form of amigurumi. Knowing with just a ball of yarn, the amount of endless possibilities that could be created… let’s just say I was hooked 
When did you start crafting and how?
It’s hard to pinpoint when I started creating art. I’ve done it since I can remember, and I’ve always drawn or painted. I studied fine art and sculpture at college and university, but unfortunately my career path deviated from that (as many do) into a “normal” corporate job, but luckily my love for art and the dream to have a creative job never left, and in 2019 I decided to make it less of a dream and more of a reality.
And how did you start designing?
Designing is something I think a lot of people find intimidating, but it really doesn’t need to be. After following a few patterns from other creators, you learn the basic shapes, what stitches you like and what you don’t. I’ve always had an over active imagination, so channeling those ideas into something in yarn was exciting.
Do you have a favorite craft type and if so - why?
I obviously love crochet (otherwise I wouldn’t do it for a living), but I also love sculpting, so finding a way to incorporate that into my business (in the form of handmade hooks) just seemed fitting. And much like crochet, clay also doesn’t restrict what you can turn it into, the freedom to create whatever you can think of.*
What was the longest project you worked on?
My longest project was probably my first pattern. The UMI pufferfish. Not because the design is particularly challenging or takes long to create. But the adjustment to creating tangible instructions that others would understand, that took some getting used to (and a lot of support from my crochet community).*
And the shortest one? (excluding frogging!)
The shortest one is my axolotls. I’ve made so many of them now, I think I could do it with my eyes closed 
What are you currently working on? Be honest - how many WIP do you have right now?
At the time of this, I would have just released my chameleon pattern, with my Batkin pattern either nearly complete or out in the world. I have a few Halloween ideas lined up… but you’ll have to wait and see for those (it’s no fun otherwise!) 
Which of your makes/designs are you most proud of? Share a picture!
My first pattern of the Umi I will always be proud of. To be honest, I’m proud of everything I’ve put out there, and I think any creator who sells their work should be. You can’t expect other people to want it, if your not proud of it yourself. My most successful pattern however, is my OTTERMEAL!
What is your usual process of designing?
I get weird ideas at random times, so I don’t actually have a rigid set of guidelines. Lots of scraps of paper, cardboard box edges torn off and even tissues at one point, with random scribbles and sketches are how they start. Then I will make a mock up to see if the idea I have is possible (and make notes as I go… very important step!). Once I think I have something, a draw up a first draft in Canva usually, and take progress photos while making a few more mock ups. Then it’s sent for testing to other crocheters for their input, more edits, more drafts until a pattern that is of a standard I’m happy for people to pay for is the result.
What inspires you to create/design?
Everything! Other creators (not just in the medium I work in, but all over), Japanese culture, animals, food! Food plays a big roll in my current designs. I love puns so trying to come if with unique mashups is a lot of fun.
Any favorite song, book or movie you would like to recommend?
Song, I can’t really think of just one! But I love reading. Romance fantasy like ACOTAR or Blood and Ash are my currents. I’m also a big lover of manga and anime, with a collection of genres all the way from horror to Shoujo and Josei. Movies I tend to struggle with as my attention span is short! But I love tv shows like Gilmore girls, always sunny in Philadelphia, Fraiser there’s a lot …
Share a funny story that happened to you recently!
Not recently, but I do regularly cause my neighbors to worry about my mental state when they catch me filming for IG or TikTok! I think me dressed as Mothman or raising a long Furby into the sky, like it was an offering to the sun god…would make anyone a little concerned.
What is your favorite feature on Ribblr?
I love how it will bookmark where you are in a pattern, and mark off what you’ve done. As much as I crochet, sometimes life gets in the way, so being able to pick up a project again and know exactly where I left off without hunting through the pattern is fantastic.
Pay it forward - your shoutout to a fellow Ribblr
I’m fortunate enough to know a lot of not only talented creators, but also genuinely kind ones. Here are just a few that inspire me:
(@drewbieszoo) - his creations and love for what he does are infectious, and some of the first ever patterns I tried. Not to mention he is as lovely as he appears!
(@wondercrochet)- Allison has such a positive vibe that just radiates into her creations and to anyone who follows her.
(@crowiththeflo)- Adele’s designs are so beautiful and unique. The fact the you can look at one of her creations, the crocheted signature eyes, and know that it’s her pattern, that’s something I’m always inspired by.
There are so many more that have inspired me or helped me who aren’t quite on Ribblr yet but those honorable mentions are @wickedlyhandmade, and @twistedhatter1981! 
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