Some people crochet to relax. Kate Veselunka crochets to explore. Her colorful designs are filled with texture, new stitches, and creative surprises that keep both her and other makers excited to see what comes next.
Tell us a little about yourself. What first pulled you into the world of crochet?
Copying! I used to watch my mom crochet, and I was at that age when I wanted to imitate everything she did. I was 6 when I started learning – my very first pieces were delicate lace doilies crocheted from patterns my mom picked from printed magazines.
When did you realize that crochet was becoming more than just a hobby?
During my student years, I did a bit of crochet work for commissions. It brought in a small extra income, which was nice, alongside my scholarship back then. But it was low-paid at the time, so I took a long break after graduation when I found a “real job.” I held out a few years before eventually coming back to my creative side.
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How did you make the leap from crocheting to designing your own patterns?
Under pressure from the crochet community, lol!
At first, I created designs just for myself when I wanted to make something special.
I got asked so often where people could find the patterns that I started writing down what I was doing and eventually turned them into patterns for others who wanted to recreate my designs.
Your designs often have beautiful texture and interesting stitch patterns. What draws you to that style?
For me, crochet is less about “just relaxing” and more about fun and challenge. I get bored very quickly with repetitive projects like granny stitches – that’s a fast track to WIPs that never get finished.
Frequent stitch changes keep my brain engaged, so most of my projects are full of texture and often complex stitches.
One crocheter who enjoys my patterns once told me they’re perfect for ADHD crocheters – just when you’ve figured out how a row works, it’s already over and it’s time to switch focus again. I thought that was a very interesting observation!
Color also seems to play an important role in your work. How do you decide on a color palette for a new design?
Changing colors is partly my rescue from boredom in crochet.
I’ve also never had just one favorite color – I love them all, and each one reflects a mood or emotional state. I also enjoy seeing how the same shade can look completely different depending on what colors it’s placed next to.
Ideally, I like having a wide yarn palette and choosing colors as I go – I don’t plan it all in advance, I follow the pattern and the process.
Where do ideas usually begin for you?
With observing beauty. It can be anything: a spring walk through a blooming garden, patterned tiles in a building interior, a textured fabric on a dress worn by someone passing by in a grocery store… all of it sparks my imagination and gets my brain searching for new combinations of lines, shapes, and colors.
Do you keep a notebook or sketchbook of ideas waiting for the right project?
Yes, and a set of colored pencils nearby. Although if you saw the sketches and the finished pieces, you would never guess they belong together – the initial idea and the final result can be so different from each other.
Describe your workspace. What makes it feel like your creative home?
My entire home is a workspace! My yarn and tools are everywhere: on my desk, on the wall in fabric pockets, in drawers, closets, and shelves. There are crochet details all over the interior and in my wardrobe too.
Friends once visited, and one said, “Oh, you have a special yarn basket!”, and the other looked around and said, “This whole room is a yarn basket!” That was back when crochet was just a hobby – now you can probably guess what I do the moment you walk in.
Are there tools you couldn’t imagine designing without besides yarn and hooks?
Scissors! I’ve never managed to make a project that perfectly matches the exact amount of yarn in a skein 🙂
What usually comes first: the stitch pattern, the shape, the yarn, or something else?
Usually the shape comes first. I know what I want to make – a square motif, a hat, or a shawl. But in the creative process everything is flexible, and even the shape can change from the original idea.
Walk us through the life of a new pattern, from the first idea to the finished design.
When I start working on an idea, I make a few sketches along the way to capture details I want to use in the design. I sit surrounded by yarn and completely lose track of time.
I tend to experiment very intensely with stitch combinations, yarn, and colors – it feels like my brain is solving a complex puzzle. This can last all day, and I often find it hard to step away until late at night.
If I manage to find a satisfying solution, I can go to bed peacefully and fall asleep right away. If not, my brain keeps working even in my sleep. I sometimes wake up during the night just to write down sudden ideas.
This creative search can last days — sometimes I think I’ve found the perfect combination, but realize it still isn’t quite right and go back into active exploration.
When that “finally!” moment happens, I write everything down and allow myself to rest, because after intense creative focus comes exhaustion.
When I return, the process becomes calmer – I try things, discard what doesn’t work, until I reach the desired result.
The hardest part begins when the design is finished, and I hold the final piece in my hands: now I have to translate everything into written instructions, charts, repeat the process for photos, document details, test it with others, collect feedback, and refine everything. It’s a long journey – weeks, sometimes months, for a single pattern.
What do you do when a design simply isn’t working?
I usually start by trying a different yarn.
Drape alone can completely change a design, and yarn weight also has a huge impact on texture.
Sometimes nothing works with any yarn, so I take a break and wait for new ideas to come. There are even cases when I finish a piece, but while writing the pattern I realize I’m no longer inspired by it and never return to it again.
You have created hundreds of patterns over the years. Looking back, what has surprised you most about your creative journey?
What still surprises me is how confident I can feel inside my own designs or freeform, almost like I know every corner of them, and then how quickly that completely flips the moment I try a new technique.
Suddenly the “beginner brain” switches on, and I’m just sitting there wondering where the hook is supposed to go next.
What keeps your creativity fresh after designing so many patterns?
I simply can’t stop – ideas just keep appearing in my head!
Crochet is so alive and constantly evolving, and I still want to try so many things. The internet opened up a whole world of possibilities that didn’t exist in my childhood, when only printed magazines were available.
Sharing experiences with other makers keeps me inspired and eager to learn more.
What has designing taught you about patience?
That truly good designs can take several attempts. I used to try to design in a way where I would immediately unravel and fix things during the process. I still do that in early experimentation.
But sometimes you need to finish a piece and look at it as a whole before the best ideas for improvement appear. And honestly, the most boring but important lesson: always have enough patience to make a sample before committing to a full project.
Has being a designer changed the way you crochet for yourself?
Yes. I’ve almost stopped crocheting just-for-fun pieces that aren’t turned into patterns.
It can be a bit draining, so I found a little escape: every year, I take part in online crochet and knitting events like Indie Design Gift-A-Long or Around the World Stitch-Along.
I used to join them as a designer, but now I participate both as a designer and as a maker – choosing patterns from colleagues and crocheting or knitting things I simply enjoy, or learning new techniques. It helps me relax and enjoy the craft again.
What advice would you give someone who dreams of designing crochet patterns but isn’t sure they’re ready?
Share it with the crochet community and show your work. You will definitely find like-minded people who want to try it too, and their questions and suggestions will lead you to the best results.
At first, you’re just sharing, but then you realize how many questions arise during the process and start incorporating them into your pattern development.
Nothing stimulates growth like a shared creative process – that’s why I always test my patterns before release. You never know where someone else’s brain might get stuck, and the more feedback I get, the better the pattern becomes.
This applies at every stage of creativity, for both beginners and experienced designers.
What are you excited to explore next, whether it’s a new technique, a new collection, or simply a new creative challenge?
Right now I’m really into mosaic crochet. It’s fascinating that I didn’t try it for the first 30 years of crocheting, and now it’s such an entertaining technique – on one hand very simple and accessible even for beginners, and on the other hand so engaging, because with just two colors you can create an entire story on fabric.
Where can people see your work?
A full portfolio is available on Ravelry, and on Instagram you can follow my behind-the-scenes process. I also have shops on Etsy and Payhip, depending on where people prefer to shop.
In addition, I’m currently collaborating with Candace Ohm to update some of my patterns, and interactive versions will be available on designcrochet.com.
We’ve just released the first one (Hue Shift Shawl), and I’m really looking forward to feedback!
Rapid-Fire Fun:
One crochet hook size you reach for most? 4 mm. The older I get, the larger the hook and yarn I tend to choose (not even kidding, lol).
A stitch you think deserves more love? The double bullion stitch. It creates incredible texture and is actually much easier to crochet than the regular bullion stitch.
Favorite color to design with right now? Anything bright!
One yarn fiber you never get tired of? Cotton.
One word that describes your creative life today? Impulsive.
What are you making just for yourself? A knitted snowflake-shaped pillow. Knitting is what I do when I need a break from crochet… apparently my idea of a break is just using different needles.
Interview posted July 2026
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