Blogs we love: Tatsiana Kupryianchyk

Tell us about yourself…
I am originally from Belarus but have been living in Brno (Czech Republic) with my husband for the last nine years. We have a kid and an Irish setter.

How long have you been blogging?
I have been blogging for two years already! When I started to blog, I was not sure what it would be about and if I intended to post regularly or not. My first posts were short descriptions about newly finished projects. But over time the blog grew and my Mystery CAL, Circles of the Sun, brought it to a new level. As I primarily work in overlay crochet, my idea was to spread the word about this wonderful technique (developed by American artist Melody McDuffee) and introduce it to more people. I wrote a separate chapter about overlay crochet with all the details and tips necessary to master it.

What inspired you to start blogging and what keeps you motivated?
I worked as a newspaper journalist in my past life and never experienced any problems finding a theme. But that was not the case with my crochet work, as I just didn’t know what to say about it. But then I started to design myself, and suddenly I had so much to say! About my inspiration, creative process, different techniques…

How did you learn to crochet?
I learned to crochet in kindergarten, when I was five years old. We had a very strict lady to take care of us.
When we were sleeping during the daytime, she would sit by her table, crocheting or knitting. And I was observing her. It was a kind of magic: different scarfs, hats and sweaters growing rapidly in her hands. And one day I asked her to teach me…

How did you start designing?
I have been “designing” all my life, coming up with accessories, pillows, jewellery pieces. But I never wrote the patterns down. Two years ago I set up my shop on Etsy to sell some of my projects. And then I thought: why not design something original, and write the pattern down? So this is how it started.

What is your favourite crochet technique?
I am in love with overlay crochet! The main idea is to create a background with simple stitches, and add long, complex stitches above. The background and the overlay pattern are crocheted at the same time. The possibilities of this technique are endless! You can translate any image into crochet using overlay stitches.
You just need to think about where and how the overlay stitches will be attached. It’s true that designs in overlay crochet require lots of attention and counting. But at the same time these designs are never boring. The pattern is being developed with every new round, and it’s lots of fun seeing it growing in your hands.

What item in your studio/workspace couldn’t you live without?
We live in a small apartment. Almost all the space belongs to my kid, and only one third of the sofa is left for me and my crochet! But I couldn’t live without my small whiteboard, which serves as my working table and also as a background for photography. This is my small crafty island in the chaos.

Read more about Tatsiana Kupryianchyk at www.lillabjorncrochet.com