There is something fabulous about a designer who isn’t afraid to play with colour, and Claudine Powley, the creative force behind Iron Lamb, has spent years perfecting her craft, turning the humble granny stitch into a modern, wearable art form. Whether she is turning her husband into a walking biblical figure during a poncho-gone-wrong fitting (lol), or crocheting on the sidelines of a hockey match, her passion is as bold and colourful as her designs.
I sat down with Claudine to chat about her journey, her love for alpaca yarn, and why she firmly believes that your next favorite design starts with a single, imperfect stitch.
10 Crafty Questions · Claudine Powley // Iron Lamb
How did you first discover crochet, and what was the very first thing you ever successfully made?
I was already a knitter, but I had wanted to learn to crochet. A friend invited me to her workshop where she taught us the granny square. After this, I continued to teach myself whilst on maternity leave with my son. I think a cowl was the first thing I made; I made a few, just trying to practice the different stitches.
It slowed down a bit once I went back to work, but around 2017, I attempted my first crochet jumper, just making the pattern up. It was a total disaster and had to be frogged, but by the third attempt, I had got it right, and I was really proud of it.
You have a wonderfully bold and joyful sense of style. Where do you find your color inspiration when planning a new design?
I usually get inspiration for colors from Pinterest—through fashion or interiors posts. I have boards of color combo ideas saved. The actual design silhouettes themselves usually evolve because I am missing something in my wardrobe and there is something I want to wear that doesn’t exist. The shape and fit of the garment usually comes first and then the colors.
I sometimes find a yarn I really like and then screenshot the colors it is available in and play around with different combos of them, but often I end up mixing brands to get the ultimate color combo I am after.
Many knitters struggle to transition to crochet, and vice versa. What do you think is the biggest hurdle when learning to love the hook?
I was a knitter first; my mum taught me when I was little. I didn’t learn to crochet until I was an adult, and for me, it was the actual motion of moving the hook that I couldn’t get the hang of. I think the problem is, if you can already knit, you don’t want to go back to being a beginner again. It takes so much patience.
I wanted to run before I could walk and didn’t practice holding the hook properly before I started making things. For years, I wielded it like a knitting needle, throwing the yarn over it, until I finally retaught myself a few years ago.
Your gorgeous book, Modern Granny Stitch Crochet, is a total celebration of the humble granny stitch. What makes this specific stitch so timeless and versatile for garment design and beyond?
I think the granny stitch just looks so good because it is created from groups of stitches, which are offset from one another, so the stitches don’t dig into the ones below, and it creates a totally different effect, especially when worked in stripes. It just has a unique look which is really timeless and massively appeals to me.
I love working with lots of colors, and the granny stitch really lends itself to working with multiple colors—it is where it shines. However, it is definitely not an easy stitch to design garments with, due to the offset groups. All sorts of things happen when you try and increase and decrease in the granny stitch. It has taken years of trial and error to get them to behave and make them do what I want them to.
I think that is why my top-down granny stitch patterns are so popular; there are weeks of problem-solving in those patterns! With the book, I pushed myself to do new things with it, such as the Chevron vest, which starts from two triangles, and the Folk top, which is worked in a U-shape from the bib. It was a challenge, but I wanted to see what else I could do with it whilst incorporating the things I had already learned. There are still more things I want to try in the granny stitch, like a wrap top and a pair of shorts, but I am having a little break from it at the moment.
What is your absolute favorite fiber to crochet with, and is there one you absolutely refuse to touch?
For me, it is an alpaca DK weight yarn. I love alpaca; I love the slight halo it gives to your fabric and the softness. It makes really cozy and beautiful garments, and I love the smell too! I have used a lot of Viking Alpaca Storm DK as it comes in some lovely colors.
There is not really a fiber I won’t touch, but I don’t use novelty yarns such as sparkly, glow-in-the-dark, eyelash, fluffy, teddy, that sort of thing. They are just not my style. I am also not a fan of gradient yarn, for the same reason. I would really love to try some hand-dyed yarn from an indie yarn brand, but as I make garments and typically use about 500g to 600g of yarn at a time, it has never been in my budget. That and the fact that there are very few yarn shops in Cornwall to actually get my hands on some. Hopefully one day!
When you are working on a new design, do you meticulously swatch and calculate math first, or do you prefer a more “freestyle” approach?
When I first started, it was more of a freestyle approach. I would keep crocheting and frogging and crocheting and frogging until I got the fit I wanted, and then grade the other sizes from there. However, these days, because I have far more knowledge and experience of garment shapes and body measurements, I tend to swatch and calculate numbers first, and then start crocheting. Occasionally, it is a bit of both.
You live by the sea in beautiful Cornwall! How does the coastal landscape, sea dipping, and outdoor lifestyle influence the colors and shapes of your designs?
I would really love to say yes, but no! Cornwall is beautiful indeed and I love living here, but I prefer bold colors to neutrals. When I think of Cornwall, I think of blues and turquoises, and those are not really colors I use. I love color trends—I am really into a rusty red and pink together at the moment, but pink is one color that always seems to sneak into my designs; I love a bit of pink.
We all have that one project that ended up hidden in a cupboard of shame. What is your most memorable crochet disaster?
I have got a couple. One was my first ever jumper. Because I am impatient, I jumped right in before I really knew much about crochet. I crocheted in the round up to the underarm without turning and then split for the sleeves and began working back and forth. Before long, I realized that working back and forth gives a totally different look to working with only the right side facing. I had to frog the whole jumper and start again, but this time I turned at the end of every round. It was a hard lesson learned.
The other was a poncho I designed for my book. I was finishing it off at my sister-in-law’s house, the night before we flew to Thailand for the summer. It was for the 2XL model, and it was too big for me, so I got my husband to model it. It was a disaster. Because of the robe shape, the boho-style border, and his long hair, he looked like a biblical figure from a kid’s book. All he needed was sandals and a staff. We all just fell about laughing, and I had to frog it and turn it into a wrap instead.
What does your ultimate, cozy afternoon of crocheting look like? Do you have a dedicated crafting space in your home?
No, I don’t really. I have a spot on the sofa that is next to the bookshelf so I can put my cup of tea down next to me. But I don’t have an office, craft room, or a cozy nook. During the day, I work at my dining room table, which is not ideal, and sometimes I get craft room envy, but then I remember that I am incredibly fortunate to be making a full-time salary from this. One day I will get a craft room, probably when I have retired!
I actually do a lot of my crochet on the fly. I take it everywhere. I crochet in the garage while my car is being MOT’ed; I used to crochet at kids’ parties, now it is football and hockey practice. I crochet in my tent, on planes, and at the beach. There are not many places I haven’t crocheted, to be honest!
What is one piece of advice you would give to someone who wants to start designing their own crochet patterns but feels intimidated?
Just start. Start making things and writing up your notes. Keep practicing. Scrutinize other designers’ patterns that you own and take notes of all the important components that come before the actual pattern. Give your patterns to friends to try out or start a blog and publish them for free.
If you want to start designing garments, the easiest way to start is to design a dropped sleeve jumper. That is basically a rectangle for the front and one for the back, with neck shaping, and two rectangles for the sleeves. Take measurements from an existing jumper you like the fit of, so you know how wide to make the body and sleeves and how long they need to be. It might take some practice, but once you have made a successful garment from scratch without a pattern, you will be hooked and start to get more adventurous and confident.
Thank you so much to Claudine for taking the time to chat today! If you’d like to find more or her work and keep up to date with her projects, patterns and creations, check out her Instagram and website.
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