Designer Spotlight: Spice Cake by Michelle Blohm

A New Jersey native living in Florida, Michelle Blohm jumps at any chance to wear her finished objects, whether it’s shopping in an air-conditioned mall or traveling to a colder climate. On those occasions, Michelle struggles to choose just one or two pieces from her collection (a self-imposed rule she follows to avoid “looking like a yarn shop vomited on me”). But the mild temps haven’t cooled her passion for crochet and design.

Spice Cake is a lightweight crochet scarf that Michelle designed in Berroco Folio. The scarf is worked from the center out, so that both sides are identical. The body is a mixture of V stitches and shells, while the edging features double crochet clusters with a picot stitch on top for a delicate finish.

How did you come up with this design?

Having way too many leftover yarns feels wasteful, so patterns where you can just keep going until the yarn has run out are my cup of tea. This one lets you measure the final edging yardage and set it aside, so you don’t have to count rows or worry about running out.

Is there any story behind the name?

Growing up in the north, I remember sitting and visiting with company while enjoying a warm cuppa (cuppa anything) and a bit of Spice Cake. This pattern makes for a cozy project while I sip and stitch, and who doesn’t love some cake?

Did you make it for anyone in particular?

I needed some gifts for a family visit to Ireland, so I made these for the ladies over there.

How did you decide on the yarn?

The yarn choice for this pattern had to be soft on the neck, so putting yarns next to my face and neck helped me decide. The softness of this one is just so luxurious; I knew it would be perfect for gifting.

What’s your favorite project you’ve ever made? Why?

My mother was a huge fan of granny squares. We would often crochet together and that was our go-to pattern for gifts and practical projects for the house. It’s still a favorite pattern of mine.

If you could crochet something for anyone in the world it would be…?

I have a fascination with the royal family, and now the royal babies, so to make one of those beautiful christening gowns would be the project of a lifetime.

Do you have a cool design you want to share? Or did you recently finish a project with Berroco yarn? You can email Ashley: apalumbo@berroco.com or post it to the Berroco Lovers forum in Ravelry.