|
|
 |
| |
Read stories from our past Red Heart Ambassadors:
Susan Anderson - More Than a Badge . . . Girl Scout Knitting is Life Changing
Rosemary Sahr - Knitting Gives Hugs to Children Around the World
Jack Checkley - Jack Checkley Champions Yarn Crafts . . . Single Handedly!
Kathy Anderson - Red Heart Lover Kathy Anderson Knits and Crochets Across the U.S.
Ellen Gormley - A 2009 Kind of Designer
Vickie Howell - Hooked for Life
October 30, 2009
Lisa Gentry is fast, very fast with needles, hooks and yarn.
 Lisa Gentry was always destined to be known for her quick work from the day she started knitting and crocheting. She learned her love of crochet in first grade and her love of knitting in third grade from the nuns at school in Germany. She was so fast the nuns accused her of staying up all night to crochet.
“I was crocheting a large floor pillow in the shape of a turtle and it was done too quickly,” Lisa recalls. “The nuns accused me of staying up all night to crochet. The turtle was my own design.”
One would say the rest is history. Her quickness opened many doors for her in the needle crafting world, including her status as a Guinness world record holder.
In 2005, Lisa earned the World Record as the Fastest Crocheter, stitching 5,113 stitches in 30 minutes during a Guinness sanctioned event held at Michaels Arts & Crafts store in Monroe, LA. This averaged out to almost 3 stitches per second and resulted in a lovely pink flower of chains and treble crochet stitches made from TLC® Essentials® yarn.
It was also the start of her relationship with Red Heart and Coats & Clark who provided Lisa with the yarn and hook for her record-setting event. After her momentous achievement, Lisa began designing. Her notoriety led to a crochet-off against a well-know designer at the Crochet Guild of America convention in 2005. Not one to be apprehensive, Lisa was triumphant once again and opportunities continued to come her way.
“My life is more interesting because of my knitting and crocheting. My husband and I have traveled to many great places, meeting incredible people who all share the joy of a yarn lifestyle,” says Lisa.
Lisa challenges herself and finds inspiration by taking basic shapes and sizes and making something unique and interesting to appeal to her fellow crochet and knit friends, even if it means inventing a new technique.
While traveling, Lisa did not have a crochet hook to edge a project she had completed. She had knitting needles though, and her resourcefulness took over. “I was so excited to figure out how to work chains with my knitting needles. Many knitters are glad, because they don’t crochet, but they still want the chain look on the edging,” says Lisa.
Chain knitting was born and from that a book entitled I Can’t Believe I’m Chain Knitting. Lisa has three other books to her name, including her newest is titled The Crochet Closet. A fourth book is presently in the works.
 Lisa is currently working on a stylish vest (shown above) using Red Heart® Pomp-a-Doodle™ yarn, fun and unique yarn featuring fluffy pom-poms strung together by twisted yarn cording. You can find Lisa’s designs, books and more on her website www.hookandneedledesigns.com.
It is one of lives fortunate occurrences that allows someone to turn their hobby into a career. From this fortune comes the joy of sharing with others the sense of accomplishment and pride you feel from knitting and crocheting. Lisa spreads this wealth every chance she gets.
|
|