Blogstar Spotlight Emma May

Friday 11th September 2020

Tags: Blogstars, Crochet

Emma May is the brains behind the enormously successful Pippin Poppycock website and blog and Pippin Crochet Facebook group which has over 35,000 members. Many of you will have been crocheting the Floralia blanket or may even have made her striking Arizona blanket.  Her mood boards are always a feast of inspiration.

So why not read on and discover more about Emma.

What inspires you?
I can find inspiration in almost anything or anywhere. I have a wild imagination and when given free range to run rampant it can take me to beautiful places. I’m a bit of an old romantic and love to people watch. When I am at the coffee house and I see two lovers gazing at each other over a cup of coffee it has me thinking of swirls of Walnut and Mocha against a creamy white frothy foam, the blush in her cheeks has me adding Pale Rose to the mix.  He is wearing a blue striped sweater so I’ll add Denim and a bit of Parchment. There you have it, Coffee Shop Romance is born, a colourway, a story and stripes and swirls pattern. 

What kind of things does your blog cover?
The Pippin Poppycock blogs covers everything from my own designs to pattern reviews of other designers, yarn reviews, you can find colour inspiration with my collection of yarn mood boards and every so often a guest designer crochet along. 

As well as your blog, which other social media can people find you on?
You can find me on Instagram but my main social media outlet is Facebook groups (Pippin Crochet Club or Pippin Knit Club).

Why did you start the Pippin Knit Club?

I was taught knitting when I was about 9 by my mom but I had no interest in it, then a couple of year later in my textiles class we were given a project to create a textile with recycled materials so I knitted with plarn (Yarn made out of plastic bags) Yes Plarn was a thing 30 years ago! It was only in recent years that I decided to try it again and what would you know, I found the determination and drive to conquer knitting. I'm still somewhat a novice and found I was researching a lot of knitting questions. I knew we had many knitters in the Pippin Crochet Club so I decided to start the Pippin Knit Club to create a kind and friendly place ask questions. We have knitters with all levels of experience that are happy to help, lend advice and mentor novices like me. The Pippin Knit Club started in 2018 and since then I have achieved socks, scarfs, hats and sweaters. Each project has introduced me to new stitches and techniques. Our next group project, the Amor Cardigan (free on the Stylecraft website) will see me try cables. Wish me luck! 

What have you got coming up?
It’s a secret! I’m in the planning stages of my next blanket design, this one will be in Aran weight to keep the chills out over the winter months. I have a couple of ideas floating around for some quick practical makes over the autumn months.

Which Stylecraft yarn is your favourite?
Oh this is a hard one. Stylecraft Special DK is my go-to yarn as it hits all my check points price, quality, softness and the sheer amount of colours it’s available in. I also love Stylecraft’s Classique Cotton collection but I have to say the new Naturals Cotton + Bamboo is becoming a new favourite of mine. It’s super soft, beautiful to work with and has a decent selection of colours to choose from and compared to most bamboo yarns its great on price and yardage.

What are you watching or reading?
I love the smell of a new book, cracking the spine of a new paperback gives me goose bumps. I have to be careful when Ipick out a book; if it grabs my attention, I find it hard to put down until I have finished it. I stay up way past my bedtime just to find out the ending and nothing else gets done, a bit like crocheting one last row. I like anything from the classic Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin to the humour of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series to the dark dangerous side of JR Wards’ Black Dagger Brother-hood series. I’m a sucker for love and romance and have been known to drop a tear or two on the pages of a good book.

Sweet or savoury?
Both, nothing beats a flavour packed curry or the spicy aroma of Jerk chicken grilling. Foods that makes the taste buds dance are always my go-to cuisine and growing up in a multicultural community meant I did not have to look far. I also have a big sweet tooth; you can often catch me at the end of the day with my feet up and chocolate bar in my hand. However, the chocolate has to be refrigerated and cold so its snaps when you break it.  

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