JennY KING - President

Jenny’s earliest publicity cited her as having a terrier dog’s determination in the book  ‘Crochet for Fun and Profit’  by Darla Simms in 2000.

Jenny’s  50 year crochet history has seen her: crochet commercially, own a yarn store, self publish 13 pattern books, write 7 more,  design for magazines and books globally, teach all over the world, appear on TV teaching crochet in USA , winning International Crochet Awards  and being in an Australian crochet exhibition called “Hooked”  with her beaded crochet  designs. Jenny has had a diploma of teaching since 1981 and is a certified crochet teacher with the Craft Yarn Council of America. She is also a professional member of the Crochet Guild of America (CGOA) since 2001.

She has developed and trademarked her revolutionary design concept called Get Squared® And Kids Squared®. This novel designs concept has never been done before.

 

After teaching at the CGOA conferences since 2000 and the Stitches and DFW Fiberfest events in USA Jenny was determined to bring some of that magic to Australia. She is delighted to say that, thanks to this wonderful committee, her dream has been realised and now Australia has its very own Crochet Guild.

LYNLEY BUCKLEY - VICE PRESIDENT

Lynley was originally taught to crochet by her grandmother when she was 8 years of age in New Zealand, dabbling in it until her children grew. 

Professionally she trained as a Registered Nurse then became a Director and Manager of a family photographic business alongside her husband David.  Bringing up two lovely daughters she still managed to stay very crafty teaching herself patchwork, jewelry making and design, silversmithing and glass slumping, she continued in her nursing career part time.

Fast forward to 2000, the family migrated to Perth WA, then later in 2009 to Sunshine Coast QLD.

While completing her Nurse Practitioner Masters, she had a return trip back to WA to visit a friend and while attending a local craft group she reignited her love of crochet and saw the amazing new techniques and creative ideas in the industry.

Returning to Sunshine Coast she delved into all things crochet while developing her own private NP business in the local community.  Enjoying the local stores and Crochet Designers right at our doorstep she took a leap and is currently completing her Teachers Certificate Training in Crochet through the CGA.

Entering local Agricultural shows on the coast and receiving some awards, her passion has developed from earlier baby blankets, to doilies, shawls, garments and she is very pleased to have just published her first original design on Etsy.  Teaching a class on dying thread and cotton yarn has opened her eyes to the vast range of skills crochet can bring and is looking forward to developing new content and activities with the team at Crochet Guild Australia.

Lynda Tomkins - Treasurer

Lynda learned to crochet from her mother when she was a youngster growing up in Central Queensland. It remained a hobby for her as she pursued a career in accounting until 2014 when she decided a change was needed and crocheting and yarn became her focus.

Since then Lynda has been running Crochet Australia where she gets to play with yarn and crochet tools every day and drools over the many new patterns.  She also teaches crochet and runs regular crochet workshops.  Lynda also been conducting workshops at various craft events and is involved with the knitting and crochet committee of the Queensland Country Women’s Association.  She likes to crochet everything and has recently been turning her hand to designing garments.

Lynda has completed her Master of Advanced Crochet Stitches and Techniques with the Crochet Guild of America and is a Certified Crochet Teacher with the Craft Yarn Council of America. In her previous career Lynda also completed several Adult learning courses which have been valuable in teaching crochet to adults.

Lynda has a passion for passing on the skill of crochet to ensure this skill never dies.

Michele Bake - Secretary

Michele’s lifelong love affair with crochet started 45yrs ago when she first picked up hook and yarn. Self-taught with the help of a much loved and worn co  py of Mon Tricot’s 500 Motifs, Michele loves creating baby blankets, lap rugs and doilies in bright, vivid colours.

  Michele’s crochet career is often interrupted by the 450 cow dairy farm she and husband, Jason own. Michele and Jason have 3 beautiful (just about) grown daughters who help work the farm. Michele and Jason are passionate about sharing the world of dairy and agriculture with school children, hosting farm visits from students pre-school age through to university students.

  Michele’s family and business has given her the opportunity to work with several committees in various capacities and she has experience in bringing conferences to life from conception to close, including being a keynote speaker.

  In her spare time, Michele is studying Mental Health at TAFE, loves riding her motorbike (newly minted P plater) and has just started teacher training through the Guild.

  Michele hopes to share her love of crochet with anyone who will listen….

LyNDALL REEVE - Membership officer

Lyndall originally taught herself to crochet from books and with help from friends and has been crocheting for over 20 years. 

She trained and received her Craft Yarn Council of America’s Crochet teacher certificate in 2010 and has been teaching and demystifying crochet pattern reading for her students ever since.

Lyndall has worked alongside Jenny King from Jenny King Designs and Prudence Mapstone at craft shows around the country, has taught at Yarn Glorious Yarn in Brisbane, and at retreats in Nundle NSW and on the Sunshine Coast QLD. Locally in her home-town of Murwillumbah NSW she has also taught at Jabiru Art & Picture Framing, Tied with String Studio, CWA Hall and more recently at Mill and Make.

The most exciting place she has travelled for crochet, is to America twice for the Annual Conference of the Crochet Guild of America (CGOA). During these events, she attends as many classes as possible to expand her crochet skills and knowledge.

She has studied under such professionals as Myra Wood, Melissa Leapman, Edie Eckman, Lily Chin, Robyn Chachula, Mary Beth Temple, Darla Fanton, Sharon Silverman, Marty Miller and Laurinda Redding.

Lyndall brings many years of experience volunteering and on committees, holding various positions. Lyndall has previously been employed in the positions of secretary, office manager, pay clerk, book-keeper and she currently fills all these positions in her family’s businesses, one of these is a cane farm.

I cannot imagine my life without crochet it is such an amazing stress reliever, I love the sense of comradery and joy that the crochet community brings to my life and all the wonderful friendships that I have made.

ALISON PHILLIPS - COMMITTEE MEMBER

Alison was taught to crochet at the age of 4 and hasn’t stopped since.

She has several decades of experience teaching at secondary level in Victoria, and is an accredited Train the Trainer in Victoria. 

 

Alison has also gained her Crochet Teachers accreditation with the Craft Yarn Council of America, and has attended several Crochet Guild of America Conferences.

 

She is currently teaching Beginner and Intermediate level crochet at the University of the Third Age Nunawading and Knox.

SAMANTHA MacNALLY - COMMITTEE MEMBER

Samantha taught herself how to crochet by following instructions from the pages of the Australian Women's Weekly when a child in the 1970's.

Her career background is in Corporate Communications  - and she has previously led social media, marketing and PR/Corporate communications teams at Microsoft, NineMSN and Austrade to name but a few of the big brands.She also worked for over a decade as a television journalist and producer at two of Australia's commercial television networks, and as a media adviser for two Federal Government Cabinet Ministers in Canberra and later in communications teams for media, telecommunications and technology.

 

She has sat on Executive Teams in the corporate space and has been on a range of Committees as a member and Chaired fundraising committees for various charities and school organisations.

She had 3 kids in her 40’s and  recently stepped back from the work force to home school her children now aged 10,11 and 14 during the COVID 19 Lockdowns in NSW.  

"Crochet has kept me sane during home schooling".

Post Covid - Crochet is going to be her full occupation.

CLAIRE PULLEN - COMMITTEE MEMBER

Claire is a founding member of the Crochet Guild and was taught to crochet by her left-handed Nanna almost 20 years ago. 

She is currently the Executive Director of a membership organisation, with a not-for-profit career focused on campaign strategy, communications, membership growth and community change.

Claire has served on a number of voluntary boards in the social and community community sector, as well as in the women’s and trade union movements. She is known for her innovative use of digital, community campaigning and making impactful changes in Parliament and in our laws.

You can find her on Instagram, Etsy and Facebook as Crocheting Comrade for patterns and all things leftward crochet. 

PETRA CREUTZIGER - COMMITTEE MEMBER

Petra

Black Sheep Crochet is more to me than just crochet.

I believe that everybody has a story and Black Sheep Crochet is the place where I honour the story of others and myself. My mother and Oma (Grandmother) were very crafty and spent a lot of their time crocheting, making macrames and sewing for us kids. As a teenager I collected sewing, knitting and crochet patterns of which I turned some into garments for my 3 boys in my tween years. Life got a little busy while I studied architecture and after my fourth son was born and I took a break from doing any handwork.

It wasn’t until we had immigrated to Australia and a friend asked me if I could show her how to crochet that I had a hook in my hand again. Sophie’s Universe, Nya blanket, Stardust Melodies. I can’t even begin to describe how exciting it was to see how crochet had evolved from being plain and rather unattractive to being modern, hip, even fashionable and oh so versatile. Not a day passed since then without hook in hand, exploring hundreds of patterns and ideas.

A friend in the home educating community noticed my crochet work and motivated me to offer crochet workshops, which was great fun. She also encouraged me to showcase and sell my dress-up designs for the little Peg Dolls at the Steiner school fairs and in their shop, where a mum saw them and asked me to collaborate with her. I have been designing and making little Peg Doll hats, cloaks, shawls, scarves, clothes and accessories since then.

The idea for the Wrapped In Jamie CAL was a natural progression of looking for the next level in crochet while listening to my favourite novels: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I was wondering what it would look like if the story was translated into a pattern and the idea for the first square pattern I ever designed was born. I created one square after the other, with random motifs at first, but then worked methodically with the timeline of the story. Wrapped in Jamie is a long-term project with two more Seasons to come. I can honestly say that offering a CAL has completely changed my understanding of what it means to be a designer and how much work goes into offering a pattern. I am forever grateful for this experience.

KATHLEEN HANSEN - COMMITTEE MEMBER

 Kathleen

I would like to thank you for the opportunity to join the committee, to help to promote crochet in Queensland and Australia, and to learn from those who have much more knowledge and experience than I have. I will give you the best I can. 

I cannot remember a time I was not making something with my hands. I grew up with, and was surrounded by crafty men and women who could fix or make just about anything. All the women in my family produced beautiful intricate and fine crochet lace creations, sewed gorgeous garments for the whole family, knit dozens if not hundreds of jumpers and hats, made leather handbags and purses, painted, made jewellery, and baked decadent breads, sweet treats, jams and more.

I was expected to learn, and I did. I started knitting my first scarf at 5 yrs, sewed my first dress at 8yrs, crocheted my first lace doily at 12yrs (I still have it), and took over the family cooking when I was 15. I learned to spin 12 yrs ago to supplement my growing yarn obsession and am just now learning about painting and art.

In the intervening years I have knit, crochet and sewn many of the clothes my children needed, until they had a say anyway. I’ve taught various crafts to the Brownies when my daughter was little, some basic sewing skills to high school students ( teenage boys and sewing machines are not a good mix), and handcrafts to my former local QCWA branch members.

I joined the CGA as one of the founding members and attended the Crochet Guild conference in June. I am proud to be one of the inaugural Teacher Training candidates, and am looking forward to being able to display and use my qualifications. Attending the Teacher Training at the conference has given me more confidence to help and teach others. I am ready for this next phase of my life.

RACHAEL CECIL - COMMITTEE MEMBER AND TRAINEE MEMBERSHIP OFFICER

Rachael has a broad range of skills to bring to the Crochet Guild, she had an extensive career in Customs and recently moved into a very rewarding career in the Disability Sector looking after a large portfolio of disability accommodation across Sydney.

Rachael also enjoys volunteering and has volunteered in some capacity for many of her adult years.  The most recent being the founding President of a local netball club, as well as child loss organisations holding various positions.

Rachael started her love of Crochet since she was 9 yrs old where she would dabble in basic granny squares for some years.  Many years on she has expanded her knowledge and would like to tackle more complexed projects as well as gain her crochet teaching accreditation.

Whether a beginner or advanced crocheter, Rachael would like to bring people together to enjoy the love of crocheting for many years to come.  Her overall dream is to one day open her own yarn store. 

Sandi Owen - "Let the Sunshine in" Sub Committee Volunteer

Sandi

My interest in Crochet goes back to my childhood. My grandmother crocheted the altar cloths and vestments for both the Church of England and the Catholic Church in Coogee NSW. Her work was so fine and really beautiful.  Unfortunately she passed away before passing her knowledge along to me.

A few years ago The Buderim Craft Cottage was advertising their Winter School. A crochet workshop with Jenny King.....this sounded like what I was looking for.
First day I turn up...no one had told me you were supposed to know how to crochet...it wasn’t a beginner course.  Long story short Jenny and I muddled along and I managed to learn a few basic stitches and finish a very simple wrap.
My favourite things to make are wraps, which I wear a lot and beanies/hats for my family in Melbourne.

Away from Crochet I am Queen of a Red Hat group. (Red Hats is for women over 50 who wear Purple clothes and Red Hats when they go out, it is a fun social group and we don’t take ourselves seriously.) I am also the President of the local bridge club. I took up bridge when I retired 5 years ago, if you have the opportunity to learn do it as soon as you can, the younger you are the better. It is fun, strategic, social and frustrating.

I was asked to go on the Guild Committee for my “life experiences and overall outlook” rather than my Crochet skills.
I have huge admiration and am in awe of the younger women and their amazing talent the Guild is attracting.

This craft of crochet will not die out with the sharing of knowledge and the splendid works so many people are doing.

 Rachel Devitt - Tech Team Sub Committee Volunteer

Rachel has been obsessed with Crochet since the age of 8. She taught herself at the age of 6 and 2 years later her Nan saw her struggling with tight stitches and gave her a few pointers. Suddenly knitting was out, crochet was in! Until 2014 Rachel had resisted the pull of Social Media and had only ever worked patterns from books. In 2014 she joined Social Media sites and made the Sophie's Universe. With renewed zeal for crochet her WIP pile quickly grew from 4-6 items to 25-30.

 

Rachel brings to the Guild over 20 years’ experience in Customer Service, experience in event planning, training, marketing and a passion for Australian yarn crafts and crochet in particular.

She believes crochet and the community that gathers around it are incredible for mental health and wellness. Rachel has worked in libraries for 15+ years and cares deeply about providing education and learning opportunities for all ages.

Mel richards - Tech Team sub Commitee Volunteer

Mel has over 15 years’ experience in Customer and Community information services. A full-time librarian by day, she also runs two of her own small hobby craft businesses in addition to being a committee member of the Guild.   She is a qualified Trainer and Assessor and teaches technology, runs readers advisory research and teen and children’s events.

 

Mel loves crochet, especially large and challenging projects and continues to learn new techniques every day.  As well as a crocheter, she is an artist, a jewellery designer, eco candle and soap maker, festival stall holder and a billion other craft things.  She is passionate about visual art, festival and market stalls, many different creative outlets, social media involvement and skill sharing.

 

She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in advertising on social media and outreach to the Guild.