Meet your
online
Course Ambassadors

Sue Savage

Brisbane, Australia

I’m a retired academic, and I was once an architect. I live in Australia and I enjoy spending time with my family and holidaying! I think I’ve completed all the Mercerie courses (some multiple times - once I get going everyone wants a blanket!). My grandmother taught me to crochet more than sixty years ago and I’ve been at it ever since (along with knitting and sewing). I can usually find my way around a crochet pattern easily and The Mercerie instructions are very easy to follow.

Constanze Lorenz

Berlin, Germany

My name is Constanze, I've been crocheting since I was a child. I love all kinds of wool and especially enjoy crocheting all mosaic techniques. I have crocheted many blankets by different designers. I came to Sue because I wanted to turn my crochet hook into a paintbrush and experiment with colour. I also love experimenting with different shapes and flowers.
I have already worked on: Homage to the Granny Square, Gloria Capelet, Wallflowers and Tessellation Nation.
I crochet, knit, spin and weave on a triloom. Wool is my biggest hobby, which I love to share with others.
My English isn't really good, but I'm happy to host meetings in German and answer questions in English in groups.

Rachel McGowan

Prague, Czech Republic

I’ve been a crocheter since my mother taught as a young child. It is my first and still favourite craft. I love how such a few basic stitches can transform into so many varied and beautiful pieces of art in the hands of individual crafters bringing their inspiration and vision to life. Apart from crochet, I knit, quilt, embroider, play the flute and I'm making valiant attempts to learn Czech having moved her from Australia in 2024. My passion is to help people find the simplicity in something that appears difficult and to support them in realising their inspiration and vision.

Kelli Kenison

Columbia, South Carolina, US

Now that I am almost fully retired from my career as a university professor, I am enjoying more time for crochet and other fiber crafts. As I approached retirement a few years ago, I decided to learn how to crochet and took my first course from The Mercerie. That course, Homage to the Granny Square, truly changed my fiber and retirement life and how I experience color in the world. I quickly took two additional classes, The Gloria Capelet, and Wallflowers. I am signed up to take the initial offering of the Ogees course. Though I am a very slow crocheter and have not yet finished my HTTGS or Wallflowers blanket, I proudly wear my "Barbie" capelet as often as possible. I have evolved from a product to a process crocheter (and knitter) so I am comfortable in my slowness!

I only speak English, but I love to meet fiber enthusiasts from around the world. I am happy to help with course mechanics, but I am probably best at cheering on everyone's progress. I truly delight in seeing everyone's work as they move through the courses.

I also love travelling, reading, collecting seashells, and doing anything I can with my sweet Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Molly Vera. We recently started taking lessons for dog FlyBall, a relay race where dogs run down a lane, grab a ball, and return to the start, with the next dog in the four-dog relay doing the same. It is fast and exciting, and lots of fun.

Elizabeth Sheldon

Princeton, New Jersey, US

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Emma Hazlewood

Harrogate, UK

My name is Emma and I love crochet, I only came to it in the last few years. My first love is cross stitch and I’ve recently started learning to knit. I’m an avid gamer on my ps5. I've taken 3 courses with The Mercerie: The Homage to the (Granny) Square, Wallflowers and Tessellation Nation. I'm a left-handed Yorkshire lass that loves to chat about crafting and always thinking about the next project.

Lorraine Bate Boerop

Toronto, Canada

I’m Lorraine and I live in downtown Toronto Canada and spend summers on a sailboat on Georgian Bay, one of Canada’s Great Lakes. I come from a long line of knitters and was taught to knit before I went to school. I am an expert knitter but had never learned to crochet. Then I saw pictures of the HTTGS blankets and had to make one. It was my first project and I now proudly say I can crochet. I was still weaving in the ends of my HTTGS blanket as I selected colours for my new Wallflowers project. Yarn work has brought me hours of relaxation and enjoyment and there is no limit to the amount of time I can spend in a good yarn store. I am thrilled to have found The Mercerie and hope to share my enthusiasm and provide encouragement to others.

Jayne Stansfeld

Suffolk, UK

Hi there I’m Jayne - based in Suffolk UK.
I’ve developed community arts with people of all ages and particularly creative adventure play and youthwork and retired a few years ago to focus on textile art practice.
I studied ceramics and have BA and MA and Postgraduate Art Teaching qualifications.
But more importantly I’ve always made things in textiles too. I have deep interest in colour relationships and often doodling with pastels and paint. I hand-dye spin and weave with wool. I’m also interested in flax and hemp fibre revivals happening locally.
Discovering Sue’s designs and approach has rekindled my passion for crochet and doodling with yarn.
I have been lucky enough to try all Sue’s courses so far released and often developing them in my own ways; and to have met Sue and Jess on several occasions. For anyone has the chance to join a retreat or gathering they are every bit as lovely in real life.