Say hello to Kova (@cheerfulcoyote)- our new Ribblr of the Week and the designer behind [Cheerful Coyote]
Tell us a little about yourself
Hi all! I go by Kova, but many of you know me as Cheerful Coyote. I am 31 years old and live with my handsome husband, beautiful daughter, and two adorable kitties. I love to crochet, but I also enjoy drawing/painting, practicing ukulele, playing video games, and just recently I got into woodworking! My family and I love being out in nature and enjoying the fresh air as well!
When did you start crafting and how?
I have always loved crafting of all types! Creating has been a huge part of my life and has helped me get through some very rough times. I have always drawn/painted, but didnât start crocheting until I was around 23 years old. I wanted to make my husband a pair of gloves and I remember seeing a youtube video on how to crochet them. Thatâs when I decided I was going to learn to crochet and that would be my first project.
Wellll⊠letâs just say they didnât turn out how I expected haha! I got frustrated and stopped trying to crochet for a few years. Then for my daughterâs 6th birthday I found a video tutorial on how to crochet amigurumi. I really wanted to crochet her a special plushie. Somehow I picked it up pretty quickly and from then on have been learning and trying to improve! My advice to anyone trying a new skill is to keep going at it even through frustration. Give yourself breaks and be patient with yourself. Itâs always worth it in the end!
And how did you start designing?
I taught my daughter to crochet when she was 8 years old and she wanted to make her own plushies based off ones she had seen online or in a store. In order to help her do that I had to learn myself so I watched A LOT of tutorials. Through trial and error I eventually understood how to make different shapes with amigurumi and was able to design my own patterns. Thatâs how I started designing! My daughter is actually a huge inspiration for me when it comes to designing. She draws all kinds of characters and crochets them up like itâs nothing! A lot of you may have seen her creations from testing patterns for some of you and from photos of my patterns! Just like this pink bird here!
Do you have a favorite craft type and if so - why?
I would say crochet for sure. There is just something so satisfying about the finished products of crochet! There are so many things you can create with crochet too! Itâs a very therapeutic craft for me and helps me get a handle on my anxiety as well. I absolutely love gifting crochet items to family, friends, and even strangers! It gives me so much joy seeing others so excited about receiving something I made with my hands. Itâs just one way I can spread love to those around me! <3
What has been the most memorable project you worked on?
My pumpkin turtle pattern is very memorable for me because it was one of my first patterns I shared on Ribblr and the photos ended up being stolen by multiple shops on etsy. It was definitely not a fun experience, but memorable haha. I absolutely LOVE Fall/Halloween and at that time saw a lot of turtle patterns and thought a turtle with a pumpkin shell would be so cute! I still want to go back and make the pattern low sew or no sew eventually!
What are you currently working on? Be honest - how many WIP do you have right now?
Right now I am working on the 6 day star blanket pattern by BettyMcKnit. I am having so much fun with it and already have so many other color combo ideas for more blankets! As for my own patterns I am going to be designing a TON of Fall/Halloween patterns in the next couple weeks. I know⊠I know⊠itâs a little early for that, but I just canât wait! And I have too many WIPs to count haha⊠
Which of your makes/designs are you most proud of?
I am most proud of the Shenron I crocheted for my nephew for his birthday. I used hookedbykatiâs Charlie the Celestial Dragon and added my own customizations to it to make it into Shenron. It took forever, but in the end was so worth it to see how happy my nephew was when he got it!
What is your usual process of designing?
If I have an idea for a design, I usually sketch the whole thing out first and then break it apart into shapes I could potentially crochet. Once I have the basic shapes and idea down, I will start crocheting the pieces up and write everything down as I go. I also make sure to take a lot of photos of each step so I can include them in my patterns.
What inspires you to create/design?
I get inspired to create/design by SO many things, sometimes it can be overwhelming haha! My family, animals, nature, video games, music, movies, colors, and even food sometimes! Honestly inspiration is everywhere if you really look! My daughter really inspires me because she has picked up crochet so quickly and has surpassed me for sure. She is so creative and has helped me design patterns as well!
Any favorite song, book or movie you would like to recommend?
There are so many! I love listening to hymns but find myself listening to Agni Parthene a Greek Marian hymn composed by St. Nectarios of Aegina over and over. I also love synthwave and one song I recommend is Dream Sync - Emil Rottmayer. Any soundtracks by Ghibli films, The Lord of the Rings, World of Warcraft, and other videos games as well. My favorite book is my Eastern Orthodox Bible. I recommend any John Ronald Reuel Tolkien and C. S. Lewis books as well! As for movies definitely The Lord of the Rings trilogy, any Studio Ghibli movie (Although my personal favorites are From Up on Poppy Hill, Howlâs Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away), Harry Potter series, and Star Wars series! There are probably so many things I could list for these but I will leave it here haha!
What is your favorite feature on Ribblr?
Honestly, I love all the features on Ribblr! Itâs so nice being able to check off rows as you go and save your progress if you need to take a break. I love being able to choose testers so easily as well and it makes it easier to interact with them. I am very grateful for all who have helped test my patterns! You have all helped me improve and grow as a designer! Thank you!
Who are some designers you would like to give a shoutout to?
AH! This is hard! I would have to say @artsandnaps, @starlitxstitches, @scarletskies, @beach, and @KaytlynJohnsen They are some of the first I interacted with on Ribblr and have been so helpful and kind to me! Even though you arenât
listed here I appreciate you! My favorite pattern at the moment is @YarnInMyCup 's Chubby Bat that I was lucky enough to test!
Just know that you are all so amazing and loved! I appreciate everyone who has tested my patterns or shared a kind word.
Thanks so much for being here this week Kova, itâs a pleasure reading about you!
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Unique patterns | Cheerful Coyote | RibblrâŠ_gcl_auMTA3OTQyNzIyMy4xNzIyMjcwMjI3
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Itâs so well earned!! Your patterns are just too cute, and you put a lot of work into them making sure theyâre crystal clear and easily understandable. And theyâre so FUN to make! Theyâve brought a lot of joy to me and my family and friends who claim my makes from your patterns.