When I first learned to crochet, I lived in Bella Vista, California.

Located east of Redding, California, it was a long drive from my home to the nearest bookstore and an even longer drive to the library and fabric stores.

Adding to the challenge of travel, I was the mother of an infant who, unlike all other infants on the planet, hated riding in the car and expressed his displeasure by screaming as long as the car was in motion.

As a result, in those days before Google and the magical algorithms it employs, I spent a lot of time at home where I searched and surfed the internet looking for as much information about crochet as I could find.

Eventually my cyber forays brought me to the work of Priscilla Hewitt.

Ms. Hewitt was a pioneer of the internet as well as crochet design, and I was reminded of this when I was at Ravelry this past week.

One of the features of Ravelry that I enjoy most is the “people” page. Not only does it allow me to search for people, it displays four photos of the projects my Ravelry friends are currently working on, and twice this past week, Priscilla Hewitt’s “Velvet and Lace” square popped up.

Unable to resist the temptation of this charming square, I took hook to yarn and managed to finish this in just under an hour:

In browsing through the many designs that Ms. Hewitt makes available, I came across her pattern for a Summer Sling Tote. The first time I made this bag, it was as a gift for one of my older son’s teachers. The second effort is the bag pictured here:

Made with Raffinesse, a now discontinued 45% Cotton, 35% Polyester, and 20% Rayon fiber, I ran lengths of ribbon (which I have yet to secure) in and out through the weave of the handle in an effort to give the bag more structure.

These two designs are only the tip of the iceberg of Ms. Hewitt’s design genius, and if you want to explore her extraordinary work yourself, there is a wealth of material available at Priscilla’s Crochet, and I think you will find that any time you spend there is time well spent.