Crochet Entrepreneurs: Sarah London

Inside Crochet chats to Australian designer Sarah London about the joys of launching new patterns. sarahlondon.wordpress.com

Crochet designer and blogger Sarah London lives on the beautiful east coast of Australia with her husband and children and sells her patterns on Ravelry and her WordPress blog. Sarah’s grandmother taught her to knit and crochet at an early age. She remembers watching her grandmother crochet granny squares and being mesmerised by the colourful yarns.
Her love of crafting, colour and design grew. “I used to work in a patchwork and quilting store. Although I have always crocheted, I initially designed and taught patchwork quilt classes!”
The transition from crocheter to designer began when people starting requesting patterns for her work. Her patterns became very popular, leading to her first book, Granny Square Love, being published.
Sarah draws inspiration from fashion and homewares. “When I see a trend emerging I think how I could incorporate that into crochet,” she says. “Whether it be in form or colour, texture or symbols. I think about how to keep crochet on point in a modern society.”
With so many fabulous patterns, from a pretty flower sampler and snuggly blanket in bright diagonal lines, to a geometric cushion with pops of neon and a chakra blanket to warm the heart, Sarah has something for everyone.

“The Loopy Roses corsage is a favourite and loved by many,” Sarah says. “The Apache Tears blanket has proven to be extremely popular. It is a visually stimulating design and beautifully textured and looks fabulous worked in numerous colourways.”
Sarah finds that running her business is very rewarding and fills most of her day. “I enjoy all the elements, from the initial concept of a design through to the finished pdf article. Selecting the palette, the construction, the photography and writing the instructions. The launch of a new pattern is always an exciting day!”
Sarah’s sons Jack, 22 and Tom, 17 are living at home while her daughter Emma, 26, recently moved into a home of her own. “With my children virtually grown up I have the luxury of my time being my own,” she says, adding that her secret is to structure her day to keep herself focussed. “I’m a list girl and love the satisfaction of ticking things off.”
Sarah also loves the freedom that comes with running her own business.
“The beauty of having an online business is that you can work anywhere in the world. Time zones do play an important role and I prioritise answering emails as efficiently as I can as people purchase my patterns from all continents.”
When she’s in her workspace, the item she couldn’t live without, she says, is her iMac. “It’s the portal to the online world. WordPress, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest allow me to connect and present my designs globally.”
What exciting plans does Sarah have for 2017? “I’m planning a series of crochet retreats which I’m really looking forward to. I’d also like to collaborate with a yarn company in the future and produce a palette of scrumptious yarn.”