Say hello to Jess (@Gaycrochetco), the designer behind Gay Crochet Co, and our Ribblr of the week!
Hi Jess! Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m Jess (she/her) and I live in Portland Oregon with my wife and our 6 year old son. I’ve crocheted for at least 20 years - probably longer as my summer stays with my maternal grandma always had lots of fiber arts. I think I blew a kids mind at a local market last month when she asked me what tutorials I used to learn to crochet and I had to explain I’m actually older than the internet 
We see you’re part of the LGBTQ+ community, we would love to know more!
Being visibly (or obviously) queer in this fiber art space is super important to me.
With many groups still censoring out LGBT+ content as “politics” when for me it’s just life. Part of the reason I chose the name Gay Crochet (aside from that it rhymes) is that I wanted that to be a loud part of how I take up space in this arena.
How does it inspire your designs?
I love making rainbow everything - my current favorite makes are the Mini Mushy (paid) and Bee (free) patterns I have on Ribblr as they both work super well with a traditional ROYGBIV rainbow as well as specific flag colors (trans, bisexual, asexual, etc). My next planned pattern release is a bear I’ve been making for a few years (and looks super cute with rainbow stripes on the belly) - my design process is a little chaotic with multiple color pens used for edits on paper before I type things up.
Do you have a favorite craft type and if so - why?
Crochet is my hands down favorite craft medium - most often with a traditional hook (hashtag Susan Bates forever) but I’ve also had fun learning Tunisian crochet and sometimes play around with a knitting machine too.
What was the longest project you worked on?
The longest work time project I’ve ever done is a queen size blanket - with DK weight cotton and a 4.0 mm hook. Never again.
And the shortest one? (excluding frogging!) 
The quickest project in my current rotation is tiny whales (using a pattern I found free on Ribblr) - I can make a couple in an after dinner TV episode.
What are you currently working on? Be honest - how many WIP do you have right now? 
I have no clue how many WIPS I have going - I have probably 25+ items on my white board I use for market prep so at least that many. 
Tell us about your next design.
My next planned pattern release is a bear I’ve been making for a few years (and looks super cute with rainbow stripes on the belly).
With that in mind, what is your usual process of designing?
My design process is a little chaotic with multiple color pens used for edits on paper before I type things up.
Now for some pop culture! Any favorite song, book, or movie you would like to recommend?
I love listening to audiobooks while I crochet! Recent (LGBT+ themed or main character) books I’ve enjoyed: Cemetery Boys, Hell Followed with Us, Lesbianas Guide to Catholic School, and the Sunbearer Trials.
What is your favorite feature on Ribblr?
Once a pattern is uploaded and live on Ribblr I love the ability to tap/cross out rows as I finish them so if I get distracted with my kiddo or making dinner or starting a new WIP I know where I left off.
Thank you for sharing Jess! 
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and thanks now I have a new audio book to check out 
