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About us
Crochet Guild Australia is the brainchild of passionate crocheters from all over Australia.
Launched in November 2019, Crochet Guild Australia is a very young organisation that is still rapidly evolving. Despite the set backs of the COVID 19 global pandemic that unfolded two months after the launch of the Guild - we are committed to providing a centralised crochet community resource for education, inspiration and teaching tools for those of us who love crochet whether hobbyist or professional.
More and more passionate crocheters are joining the effort and are willing to put their time and work into growing our Guild. The current committee acknowledges and respects the enormous effort and passion of the founding Management Committee and subsequent committees. We thank you for having the courage, knowledge and passion to unite and launch Crochet Guild Australia.
Executive Committee
Lynley Buckley - President QLD Born in New Zealand, Lynley trained as a Registered Nurse as well as becoming a Director and Manager of a family photographic business with her husband David. As the developer of the digital restoration programme within the company Lynley gained skills in advertising, restoration of images, management and people skills, while at the same time raising her family.
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Vicky Ledwy - Secretary QLD Vicky has been involved in crochet since a toddler. Today, we are so lucky to have her as our Secretary of the Guild. A country woman, Vicky has taught crochet for well over 40 years including through the local TAFE and through her own studio as well as craft groups and shops. Vicky has a very active presence contributing to the social media pages of Crochet Guild Australia uploading teaching videos and contributing much to the ongoing conversations online between members and prospective members.
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Naomi McManus NSW - Vice President and Treasurer Naomi has been a registered nurse for more than 20 years. Specialising in Intensive Care with a post-grad Masters in education until a recent sea change to Hospital in The Home. Loving all crafts as a young girl her Great Aunt taught her how to knit, but that did not click with her, the need to do craft- any craft remained and long stitch tapestries, sewing clothes, bags and a little basic patchwork along with scrapbooking were her mainstays. Failing to learn to crochet from a book it was not until her daughter turned one, that she attended the last four crochet lessons offered by the local Spotlight store. Crochet clicked and she would meet her crochet teacher weekly for some time to help finesse the language and art of crochet. Entering a cot blanket into the Sydney Royal Easter Show twice, the 2010 entry won 3rd place and the 2012 entry won 2nd place. Her proudest moment in craft was when she successfully passed the CGA Teacher Certificate from the inaugural conference in 2021. Naomi's crochet time is frequently interrupted by going to work, supporting her two teenagers in their endeavours and gardening on their property. “I enjoy the overall feeling of calm when I have a hook and yarn in my hands and I’m making something useful.” Naomi continues to strive for the best in everything she does and has established extensive resources for the Membership Officer Role, advanced at the same time to supporting the President in her Vice-President Role and in 2023 will move onto the Treasurer Role. Her committment to the Guild is acknowledged. |
Carolyn Boots - SA Show & Share Coordinator Carolyn shares her story - "I can’t explain how I feel when I crochet or knit or sew. All I know is that I need to crochet, knit or sew. I have been dragging a project bag filled with projects, hooks and or needles around since I was 5 years old. Around 10 years old, I was serious enough that Mum went out and purchased all that I needed to start me on making granny squares with real wool. I still have my first hooks, needles and that all important Patons Knitting and Crochet book that I taught myself to crochet from.
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Andrea Clements - VIC Conference Sub-Committee Lead
I am a founding member of Crochet Guild Australia. I started crocheting approximately 25 years ago after slipping a disc in my lower back it kept me sane whilst I was imobile and for many years after that and managing a stressful career. When I decided to start Yarn Me calm in 2018, I knew that it needed to be more than retail and needed to be about people about finding and promoting my tribe, providing support and sharing the therapeutic benefits of Yarn and Crochet. I feel that the Crochet Guild Australia is an extension of this, finding my tribe and spending time with like-minded passionate enthusiasts . I’ve been designing for approximately five years and love the creative outlet that this provides I have indicated on my application. I am interested in conference planning however I am also interested in not for profit governance and believe that my experience in this area maybe helpful. I am also interesed in Conference Planning. I have extensive experience in Governance, training, public speaking and administration (not to mention my therapeutic experience!) and would love to utilise this as part of the Guild Committee.
.jpg) Seona Roberts - WA Trainee Membership Officer Hi! My name is Seona Roberts. I taught myself to crochet in mid 2016 after purchasing some online classes. I always wanted to crochet as I have fond memories of watching my Granny crochet while we talked. She made beautiful blankets for me and my children. Soon after learning I developed a passion for designing. I was frustrated at never finding patterns to match the images in my head, so I started to write and publish my own designs in the hope of helping others that were also struggling to find a pattern they liked. I also have a passion for teaching and training people. In my corporate life, writing procedures and training people is something that I have developed skills in. I wrote a beginners guide for crochet, that I provide for free, in the hope of helping other people help teach themselves to crochet. I also taught online in a free facebook group and added lessons onto YouTube to support the beginners guide. In April 2019 I started to host some in-person workshops for up to 10 people on a monthly basis at a local cafe. I developed a teaching technique where I would design two different projects using the same stitch pattern. One was a small project that could be made within an hour or two depending on experience. The second was a larger project that was based on the same design as the first but was much bigger and would take a few days or more to complete. The idea was to teach how to make a small project that would give crocheters skills they needed for the larger project. Once they felt confident, and if they enjoyed the smaller project then they could opt to make the larger one. The goal was to help them gain confidence more quickly and discover which projects that they prefer to make. In July 2019, I took my workshop concept online and opened an online membership that I am still running. Every month I provide the two projects and a square and host weekly live tutorials into the facebook group. There are currently 88 members in the group and it is continuing to grow. I have plans to get back into in-person workshops in collaboration with other businesses. I also release a blog post every week, and have done so since May of 2017. I use this blog to teach and inspire others with crochet and currently publish a granny square project idea, tutorial and a washcloth design every month. All have a purpose of helping crocheters learn and grow. Over the years I have learned what type of projects I prefer to make. I have a fondness for making granny squares and prefer not to change colours. I love a gradient yarn and prefer my projects to be simple and not require too much counting or concentration. My crochet time is also my meditation time. I find great joy in watching others develop their own crochet skills and preferences too. |
Laura Skillen - VIC Marketing & Digital Management Hello there! I'm a passionate digital marketer and a dedicated crocheter with a unique blend of creativity and analytics. Originally hailing from the great white north of Canada, I've found my second home in the eclectic city of Melbourne, Australia. With a deep fascination for the ever-evolving realm of digital marketing, I thrive on crafting compelling online experiences that resonate with audiences. From strategic social media campaigns to data-driven SEO optimisations, I'm all about merging the art and science of marketing to deliver results. When I'm not busy devising digital strategies, you'll find me immersed in the mindful world of crochet. There's something magical about transforming yarn into elaborate patterns and textures that parallels the digital transformation I bring to brands. Whether it's a cozy blanket or a playful amigurumi figure, the process mirrors the intricacies of marketing - both requiring patience, precision, and a touch of imagination. I look forward to working with the Guild to weave the threads of creativity and strategy for their digital presence while stitching together a world of comfort and creativity with my crochet hooks. |
Natalie Vella - Education Sub-committee lead NSW
I am delighted to have been elected onto the Management Committee of Crochet Guild Australia. I intend to apply my organisational and teaching skills from my 25 years as a classroom teacher to the Crochet Guild particularly, if desired by the Committee, in the area of Education.
I learned the basics of crochet as a child, and I have always loved the versatility of this craft so I have made many hundreds of diverse crochet items over the years by teaching myself new techniques by taking up the challenge of a new pattern, and being persistent in my efforts because I enjoy the challenge of learning. Finding the wonderful community of crocheters in recent years now inspires me to offer to employ my time and efforts to assist the Guild to extend and share the joy of this tremendous skill.
As an educator of young people, and particularly through the lens of our recent experiences during the pandemic, I value the enormous benefit that time spent on crochet provides to an individual’s mental health and wellbeing. Over the last few years, I have spent time teaching and enjoying crochet with some of my high school students (even via zoom at the end of school lessons during lockdown) as a deliberate means to calm the mind, relieve stress, and inspire creativity and joy, as well as provide simple human connection.
I have many years experience in creating lesson plans and programs with a clear sequence of tasks using appropriate resources, adjusting to the learning needs of individuals, communicating effectively, and using technology for educational purposes. I have management and team skills that I have developed in my role as a ‘middle leader’ in a high school setting in which I oversee the humanities Key Learning Area in a school of 1000 students, with a dozen staff members under my purview. I aim to assist my team members and our students to flourish by fulfilling my own role with diligence and by taking my responsibilities to the team very seriously. I manage resources, support my staff and students, lead the way in adapting to new technology and approaches to learning, pay attention to detail, and aim to be flexible.
I hope that the skills that I have developed in my professional role may be of service to the Guild.
Natalie has been key in providing guidance and structure to our Teachers Training sub-committee. Her passion for education is evident in improved processes, communication and digital infrastructure.
2023/24 Executive Committee Lynley Buckley - President Vicky Ledwy - Secretary Naomi McManus - Vice President & Treasurer Seona Roberts- Membership Officer Carolyn Boots Andrea Clements Laura Skillen Natalie Vella Subcommittees Education: Lynda Tomkin, Jenny Brown, Petra Creutziger, Natalie Vella Conference: Andrea Clements Lead, Samantha MacNally | 2022/23 Executive Committee Lynley Buckley - President Vicky Ledwy - Secretary Naomi McManus - Vice President & Membership Tracey O'Neill - Treasurer Carolyn Boots Carolynne Cannon Pertra Creutziger Kathleen Hansen Samantha MacNally Natalie Vella Subcommittees Education: Jenny King, Lynda Tomkin, Jenny Brown, Petra Creutziger, Natalie Vella Conference: Samantha MacNally Lead |
2021/22 Committee Jenny King - President Lynley Buckley - Vice President Michele Bake - Secretary Lynda Tomkins - Treasurer Lyndall Reeve - Membership Officer Carolynne Cannon Rachael Parker Petra Creutziger Kathleen Hansen Samantha MacNally Alison Phillips | 2019/21 Committee Jenny King - President Rhonda Bennett - Secretary Lynda Tomkins - Treasurer Lyndall Reeve - Membership Officer Mel Richards Sandi Owen Jasmin Jones Alison Phillips Narelle Reed Rachel Devitt Carolyn Healy |
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