Say hey to Sarah (@feministfibre) the designer behind Feminist Fibre, and our Ribblr of the week!
Hi Sarah! Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Sarah, aka Feminist Fibre, and I’m a designer and fibre artist based in Northern Ontario, Canada. I got my BFA in Fine Arts and Business from the University of Waterloo and I’m currently studying to become an Art Therapist. In my free time, you can find me crocheting, camping, and playing cozy video games.
When did you start crafting and how?
I started crocheting in 2017 during my final year of my Fine Arts degree. It started out as a way to spend less time on my phone and keep my hands busy but I quickly fell in love and started incorporating it into my art practice. I started learning from free patterns via Pinterest and video tutorials on YouTube.
And how did you start designing?
I didn’t have a family member to pass down their knowledge and relied solely on the online craft community to learn how to crochet. I see pattern designing as a way to give back to the community that helped me learn the craft. By this time, I already knew how to read crochet patterns so I was able to write mine up in a style and format that I preferred.
Do you have a favorite craft type and if so - why?
Crochet has a special place in my heart and is still my go-to craft to destress and express myself. As someone with depression, I find it helps quiet my mind and brings me into the present moment. I’d like to expand my practice in the future to include other crafts like clay and resin!
What was the longest project you worked on?
During my undergrad, I crocheted a full jumpsuit for a performance piece where I walked around my studio (inside and outside) as I unraveled the whole thing. The jumpsuit took me about a month to make and the performance lasted around 4 hours.
And the shortest one? (excluding frogging!)
My sweetheart coasters are one of the fastest to make. Each one takes me around 10 minutes!
What are you currently working on? Be honest - how many WIP do you have right now? 
Currently I only have one WIP (yay!) - it’s a small sunflower granny square bag for my coworker’s daughter, perfect for the essentials 
Although I’m about to start prep for a market at the end of the month so there’s about to be a lot more WIPs - cozies, coasters, bags, hats, you name it!
Which of your makes or designs are you most proud of?
If I had to pick, I’d say my crochet checkered pouch design. Not only was this the first crochet pattern I ever designed, it also raised awareness to the shame and stigma surrounded by menstruation. The pouch is designed with a menstrual cup in mind so that people with periods could feel proud to show it off and bring a little joy into their self-care routines.
What is your usual process of designing?
It usually starts with me wanting to make something for myself, sharing it with my beautiful community on Instagram, and, if there’s enough requests for the pattern, I make it! That being said, there are some designs that I keep just for myself
What inspires you to create?
I love finding ways to bring feelings of joy and self-love into little, everyday moments or objects. Highlighting something as simple as a lighter, for example, as a precious object makes those moments of lighting a candle, incense, or smoke all the more special. Colour is also a huge inspiration, I love playing with different combinations and seeing what feelings come up.
Any favorite song, book or movie you would like to recommend?
For music, anything by Rex Orange County, Her’s, or The 1-800. For books, The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron is a great workbook for tapping into your creativity and spirituality, whether you see yourself as an “artist” or not
What is your favorite feature on Ribblr?
My favourite feature is the progress tracker so you never lose your spot in the pattern.
Finally please pay it forward - your shoutout to a fellow Ribblr
@realmdesigns and @Loveindy !
Thank you for sharing Sarah! 
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