Crochet Inspiration with Willena Nanton

The May meeting today with Guest Speaker Willena Nanton was a huge success! Accompanied by her lovely assistant, who also happens to be her twin sister, and a crocheter, Willett, together they WOW'ed members of the HHCC with her stunning, one-of-a-kind crochet creations!

Willena is a huge Barbie collector, and often times attends the Barbie Conferences. The Barbie Conferences, much like the Crochet Conferences, offer an opportunity for fans to model their own creations -- except those at the Barbie Conference must wear designs inspired by garments worn by Barbie. Willena is the only attendee to entirely crochet hers, including the shoes! Her favorite Barbie designer is Byron Lars. In the picture above is part of the garment she fashioned after the "Nne Barbie" doll designed by Byron. (If you're wondering about the value of the Nne™ Barbie, it is no longer available from Mattel, the doll maker. After market, the doll currently retails for about $250. Willena has not put a price tag on her crocheted version.)

What is the reaction to Willena's crocheted fashions at the Barbie Conferences? She brings the house down, just as she does at the Crochet Conferences! Willena's favorite crochet hook to use is a Susan Bates crochet hook. Size G. But not any Susan Bates hook -- it's the very hook she learned how to crochet with some 30 years ago! She has used it so much that the colored coating is starting to wear off! -- and what happens if she looses her beloved hook? "The world stops and we all look for it!!," she exclaimed.

The HHCC is honored to have had Willena Nanton as our Guest Speaker and now looks forward to the National Crochet Conference, wondering what she'll WOW us with next!