Gotta start 'em out young! I'm writing a beginner crochet book for tweens and teens, slated for Fall 2007 publication. This book will be a companion to my first tween/teen book that's due to hit shelves in August, Get  Hooked: Simple Steps to Crochet Cool Stuff [1]. Tutorials for basic techniques will be presented in the first half of the book, followed by 12-14 fabulous patterns.

This is a call for fun, sassy, great-looking, stylish, fashionable, simple crochet design submissions geared to a 12-15-year-old audience of beginner crocheters.

Designs should be simple yet pack a punch, utilizing colour, embellishments, and clever construction to spark teens' creativity and enthusiasm. Some ideas that might spark your imagination: crocheted flowers, jewelry (necklace/bracelet/ring), bags/totes/pouches, basic tank top/camisole, mittens, items for pets, scarves, hats, items to share with friends, and really anything that speaks to a tween/teen sensibility.

Advanced techniques should be avoided. Suggested yarns should be widely available and affordable to a tween/teen audience with limited spending money. Fuzzy, hairy, highly textured yarns should not be suggested, as they have terrible stitch definition.

Every designer will be credited, and there will be a page of designer bios.* Compensation will be on a sliding scale based on size and complexity of design. The book will be heavily marketed across North America, and I go out of my way to promote the designers I work with.

Please email submissions to submitATget-hookedDOTnet [2] no later than Friday 21 April 2006. Submissions should include:

    •  a well-written description of the design
    •  a sketch or photo (you don't need to be an artist!)
    •  a list of stitches and techniques to be used
    •  colour preferences
    •  yarn preferences
    •  (you may be asked to provide a swatch)

Yarn will be provided at no cost to designers of accepted designs; final patterns will be emailed to me at a later date; finished samples will be sent to me for photography, and will be kept by me for promotional use.

Please do not post your submission as a comment.

* Unfortunately, because this is a book marketed to juveniles, the publisher does not allow web links to be published.