Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Megan Lapp. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Megan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I learned how to crochet using various videos on YouTube. I got started on simple projects like scarves and small blankets, and I tried to learn one new skill at a time, because the sheer range of crochet stitches and techniques felt overwhelming to me. After mastering these simple projects, I escalated to granny squares, hexagons, and more complex blanket patterns. I didn’t start 3-dimensional Amigurumi projects until I’d made a small mountain of flatwork projects. A hat was my first 3-dimensional project.

Knowing what I know now, I definitely could have proceeded faster along the learning process. I have an anxiety disorder, and I let it rule me a little bit. I let it keep me doubting whether I had the skill to move on to a new stitch, a new design, a new pattern. I wish I had let myself fail more – failing is part of the learning process and I had to learn to embrace failure and enjoy making mistakes so that I could do even better next time. There is no shame in making mistakes – the shame is in giving up or refusing to learn.

The most essential skill to learning to crochet, and becoming intermediate to advanced, was a willingness to try in the first place, and then the determination to keep trying until I succeeded. There is no magic sauce or shortcut, but there are good sources of reliable information, trustworthy patterns, and supportive people out there who will help set you straight when you make mistakes and proactively ask questions.

I regularly get messages asking how to learn to crochet, or what someone needs to be able to do before they tackle one of my patterns — and my answer is typically that you just need the willpower to do it. If you find the project exciting and motivating, you’ll find the motivation to learn the things you’ll need to know to achieve the end result. There are skills you’ll learn along the way, and you can tackle it one stitch at a time – literally.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Megan Lapp, and I am the Crochet Pattern Designer behind “Crafty Intentions”. I started to crochet when I saw a baby blanket gifted at a friend’s baby shower, made by their grandmother. It was beautiful and seemed like a special kind of witchcraft, so I immediately went home and started to learn! After years of building up my skills, I was hunting for an Octopus pattern and couldn’t find one that I wanted to spend money on. After hours upon hours of searching, I decided to design one myself. I ended up writing down what I did as I made it so that I could re-make it, and then it occurred to me that I could share it with others as a pattern. My third pattern was for a dragon that ended up going a little bit viral, and helped launch my business as a full-time endeavor while I was also a stay at home parent to two small kids. I now have over 180 patterns available.

My business is mainly in writing and designing these crochet patterns. I have finetuned my pattern format to be as accessible as possible – this is an ongoing process! I have my patterns tested by volunteers and then professionally edited. I photograph my work, and publish my patterns as digitally downloadable PDFs.

My patterns are unusual because I often offer multiple options within a pattern so that you, as the crocheter, can make your own decisions about how to finish your piece. You get to make creative choices – not just in the color of yarn you use, but in what ears or horns or bellies to add. You get to decide if you’re going to make it standing or sitting. Your choices matter, and I think it’s empowering to be able to add your own touches to your work and make it your own. I am extremely proud to be able to give fellow artists another outlet to let their creativity shine.

I am also proud of the community and support I’ve built. While my patterns are tested, and edited, and I do my absolute best to explain everything as clearly as possible, it’s completely okay to ask questions about projects as you work on them. I have a Facebook community called “Crafty Intentions Amigurumi & Crochet Community” where people can ask questions as they work on my patterns. In addition to supporting each other, I also have a team of experienced moderators answering questions, and I’m active in it as well! People can share photos of works in progress, and finished objects, so it’s truly just an excellent resource for kindness, support, and creativity when working on Crafty Intentions patterns.

I also am very human – and I do make mistakes. So whenever a mistake is found in one of my patterns, I make time to update the pattern with a correction. I work seven days a week, morning until I go to bed, trying to keep up with the support group, my new designs, corrections, social media, editing, and book writing!

In 2023 I published my first two books! “Crochet Creatures of Myth and Legend” and “Crochet Impkins” were warmly received and I’ll be publishing my third book in July of 2024! Book writing was an entirely new beast, and I had a lot to learn, but with help from my publisher and agent, it’s been a rewarding process, and I’m super proud of what I’ve written and the excitement that people have received these books.

Getting to see what people make from my patterns is probably one of my most favorite parts of this work. It is deeply rewarding to witness the creativity of other artists that take the time to follow my instructions, but still make something that is uniquely their own. I’m grateful for it every day.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I think I touched on this already, but enabling other artists to make fantastic soft sculptures is incredibly rewarding. Additionally, crochet work is innately meditative and soothing. So when I crochet I benefit, but when I write patterns that are exciting enough for other people to decide to spend time crocheting them – that benefits others as well. The highlights of my week are often when I get an email or comment from someone talking about their experiences crocheting my patterns. I’ve heard from moms whose 11 or 12 year old gained confidence and skills in order to follow a Crafty Intentions pattern, entered it into a county fair, and won! I’ve heard from professionals in important, exhausting, care-giving careers that find solace and comfort in crocheting my patterns. I’ve heard from people in their senior years who are excited anew with my patterns, and are finding them to be an exciting new challenge. It’s all absolutely fantastic.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

In recent years, I was diagnosed with several autoimmune conditions and have been periodically very ill and medically fragile. I had to learn to ask for help. I had to unlearn that, in order to be successful, I had to do all of this myself. It has been hard to adjust, at times, to relying on others for work that I am capable of doing myself, but do not specifically NEED to do. But it has also been a tremendous weight off of my shoulders. By bringing others in – talented people who are able to take some of the work off my plate and paying them for their work – I am able to free myself to do work that only I am able to do in my business. I was able to get through months of illness and continue on without everything falling apart. Support is necessary, and unlearning the idea that I had to be an island and not stop “hustling” because I could do the work myself, so, “why outsource it?” was incredibly important for my ability to heal, function, and grow.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.craftyintentions.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/craftyintentions/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CraftyIntent
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CraftyIntentions
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CraftyIntentions https://www.ravelry.com/designers/megan-lapp

Image Credits
Lauren Lewis photographed my portrait.