Say hello to Helena (@squishandco) - our new Ribblr of the Week and the designer behind [Squish & Co.]
Hi! Happy to have you here, tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Helena, I live in Napa Valley, CA with my partner, two dogs, kitty cat, and several fish and frogs. We bought a house here in 2020 to be closer to my family and help take care of my grandma. I work in cybersecurity marketing but have always had an itch to do something creative and I have trouble sitting still (ever). I also have a chronic illness that kicks my butt sometimes so it’s nice to have a distraction that I can do while resting.
When did you start crafting and how?
I had a back injury about 9 years ago and started practicing lettering in bed. I couldn’t move around and there’s only so much Netflix you can watch in a day before your eyes start crossing (trust me I’ve tried). I’ve never been good at sitting still and my creative endeavors progressed from there! I moved on to punch needling, weaving, and finally crochet & knitting.
And how did you start designing?
I was looking for the “perfect” first pattern project and I found it with the pizza bandana. It was quite the learning process to move from following patterns to making them but I enjoyed it enough that I have about 5 other patterns in progress!
Do you have a favorite craft type and if so - why?
Right now it’s crochet, but a year ago I would have said weaving and a year before that punch needle. I’ve accepted that I’ll never do one thing forever!
What has been the most memorable project you worked on?
I think the first blanket I ever made, I did the Betty McKnit 6-Day star blanket in rainbow scraps for my grandma. I was honestly shocked I finished it in 6 days! And she tells everyone who comes into her room I made it so it’s hard to forget.
What are you currently working on? Be honest - how many WIP do you have right now?
Probably like 10. I think a few have crossed the line into abandonment but I’m not quite ready to admit it to myself yet.
Which of your makes/designs are you most proud of? Share a picture!
It’s definitely these amigurumi. I’m not as confident with plushies as I’d like to be and though I followed a pattern (Inuyasha Amigurumi by The Looped Crafts on YouTube), I didn’t have one for Kagome. It was a birthday present for my partner and i didn’t know until the LAST second if it would actually work out.
What is your usual process of designing?
I write everything down as i go in my phone notes unless I’m following a pattern. I have DOZENS of pages of notes (I’m writing this in that same notes app squashed between a new granny square pattern and the start of a new tank top). The next step is making it again, strictly following my original notes to find as many errors as possible, taking pictures and video as I go. Then it goes into its official form and off to pattern testing!
What inspires you to create/design?
I usually have crazy crochet ideas at night and by the morning I’m so focused on my newest plan it’s all I can think about till I start the project. It’s super healthy and not wildly distracting at all.
Any favorite song, book or movie you would like to recommend?
Well I love to listen to audiobooks while I crochet. I just finished the Dangerous Damsels series by India Holton which is a fabulous crochet-friendly book (my rule is I have to be able to count stitches while listening without completely losing my place in the story). It’s set in early 1900s London, but there are witches and lady pirates who fly houses. Highly recommend!
Share a funny story that happened to you recently!
On Friday I got caught filming a Tik Tok of a crochet hook…in Michaels. I wanted to jump into a lake and never come out again. But it’s the only craft store in town so I can’t just avoid it forever.
What is your favorite feature on Ribblr?
Oh my gosh, the SIZING feature, how you can hide everything but your size. I feel like I see the wrong size at some point in every single pattern and make a mistake, it really helps!
Pay it forward - your shoutout to a fellow Ribblr
- I am biased cause I’m mutuals with all these lovely humans but their patterns are PHENOMENAL:
@Saylesstextiles
@mrsmoonheaven
@realmdesigns
@MadeintheMoment
Thanks so much for being here this week Helena, it’s a pleasure reading about you!
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Your pizza Bandana is delicious. 
