My First Book!

 Hey! Did you hear that I just published my first book? That must be why it has been so quiet around here. My book is, ReCrochetions Presents: Rowan's Learn to Crochet Sampler. I decided to publish it myself through Createspace.com for several reasons. The main pattern, Rowan's Sampler, was originally designed as a crochet along on my blog last year. I wanted to encourage others, especially new crocheters, to learn new stitches while making blankets to donate to children and babies in need - or for a child in their own life.

When I decided to publish the Sampler as a book, I knew I wanted to use some of the proceeds to fund a new charity project I have been working on, also in my daughter Rowan's memory. Inspired by my own experiences after losing Rowan, and the complete lack of education in the hospital regarding what to do when my milk came it, or even that it would come in, I have been working toward starting a non-profit organization to provide education on Lactation After Loss to other mothers who have lost a baby.

Through Rowan's Milk, I will get to use all my years of studying Public Health in grad school to develop a brochure on what to expect and a mother's options, in this tragic situation. (Note: If you have an experience to share on this topic, please complete my Lactation After Loss Survey, to further my research.)

As I was taking all of the photos for the 30 step-by-step full color tutorials, left-handed, I realized that the print-on-demand nature of Createspace makes it so I could publish the entire book for my fellow left-handed crocheters, in addition to the more typical right-handed version. In fact, I wrote, edited, and formatted the entire Left-Handed Edition FIRST, and only once I thought the book was completely done did I flip each of the photos to create the Right-Handed Edition.