Michael Sellick, or Mikey as he's known to millions, isn't just a crochet instructor; he's the friendly face that's welcomed so many of us into the wonderful world of yarn. His story isn't just about hooks and stitches; it's a testament to the power of sharing a passion and building a community.
For Mikey, it all started with his mom. Imagine being 14 and watching your mother effortlessly create beautiful scarves in just a few hours. That's the image that sparked his lifelong fascination with crochet. He was hooked (pun intended!) by the speed, the simplicity, and the sheer magic of transforming yarn into something tangible.
A Look Back
Before The Crochet Crowd, Mikey was an 18-wheeler long-haul truck driver. A magazine for truck drivers had an article about donating time to a classroom in the United States. Mikey's nickname came to be through answering the call and teaming up with a grade-five special needs class based out of New York, USA, three years ago. The simple job was to write postcards to the students in the places where he would stop and tell the kids stories about the environment, location, and people along the routes.
With the internet becoming more accessible, Michael discovered YouTube and opened a channel in 2007. The channel was designed to communicate with the kids, showing them places, not just posting pictures. Only to realize that several months into it, the school had YouTube as a blocked resource. Others viewed the videos of the trucking adventures with no genuine interest.
Fast forward to 2008. Picture this: Mikey is searching for a lost crochet book, a quest that unexpectedly leads him to YouTube. He discovered a vibrant community of crocheters sharing their knowledge, and a lightbulb went off. He thought, "I can do this! I can share my love of crochet too." And so, The Crochet Crowd was born.
What started as a simple YouTube channel has blossomed into a global phenomenon. Millions of us have learned from Mikey's warm, approachable teaching style. He has a knack for breaking down even the most complex stitches into easy-to-understand steps. Whether you're a complete beginner nervously holding a hook for the first time or an experienced crocheter looking for inspiration, Mikey's got you covered. A significant part of that accessibility stems from his dedication to providing explicit, visual instruction. One of his considerable accomplishments, and a game-changer for his teaching, was mastering the art of creating crochet diagrams in Adobe Illustrator. This skill enabled him to visually represent patterns and techniques with unparalleled clarity, making crochet even more accessible to learners of all skill levels.
But The Crochet Crowd is more than just tutorials. It's a community. It's a place where we can connect with fellow crocheters, share our projects, and celebrate our creativity. And at the heart of it all is Mikey, with his genuine enthusiasm and infectious love for the craft.
Beyond the online world, Mikey has also shared his expertise through his book, "The Crochet Crowd: Inspire, Create & Celebrate," a treasure trove of patterns and stories from his crochet journey. He's also a popular speaker and workshop instructor, traveling the world to connect with crocheters face-to-face.
Behind the scenes, Mikey's journey is shared with his partner, Daniel Zondervan, the co-creator of The Crochet Crowd. Together, they're a dynamic duo, managing the community, creating fresh content, and dreaming up new projects. Their home in Nova Scotia is shared with their furry family, consisting of two Great Pyrenees dogs and two cats.
Mikey's legacy isn't just about the stitches he's taught; it's about the joy he's spread. Through The Crochet Crowd, he's empowered countless people to discover the magic of crochet, one stitch at a time. He's not just teaching a craft; he's building a community, fostering creativity, and sharing his passion with the world. And that's something truly special.
Importance of Sponsorship
In the intricate tapestry of The Crochet Crowd's journey, a pivotal thread weaves through the partnership with Spinrite Yarns, known to the public as the branding giant Yarnspirations. The union, born in the unofficial embrace of Fall 2010, emerged from a local outlet store and blossomed into a collaboration that transcended the ordinary.
In 2015, The Crochet Crowd partnered with Yarnspirations in a sponsorship that went beyond a typical business deal. Instead of using spokespeople, The Crochet Crowd, and specifically Michael Sellick, kept their authentic voice and remained in charge of their content. This meant they could choose which products and ideas to support, even if it differed from Yarnspirations' usual plans. While showcasing Yarnspirations' yarn, The Crochet Crowd also designed their own projects, keeping their content fresh and relevant to their community. The sponsorship helped fund tutorials, content, and community management, allowing the team to focus on sharing their passion for crochet, even when things got tricky online. This unique partnership allowed The Crochet Crowd to stay true to its community while growing and creating.
The Crochet Crowd Book
In the vibrant hues of Fall 2021, The Crochet Crowd unveiled a milestone in their creative odyssey – their very first book. This tangible treasure found its way onto the shelves of stores and online platforms like Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and even Walmart USA.
Despite publishers wanting The Crochet Crowd to write a book for years, Michael always declined due to workload. It wasn't until John from McIntyre Purcell and inspiration from Jonah Larsen's book (which used a ghostwriter) that he reconsidered. Michael and Daniel were interviewed, and Rick Conrad wrote the book, capturing The Crochet Crowd's unique style.
Instead of hiring designers, Michael invited friends and beginners to create patterns, with a dedicated testing team ensuring quality. Learning to develop crochet diagrams in Adobe Illustrator became a crucial new skill. The book-writing process taught them valuable lessons about pattern writing, design, and visual communication. They hoped the book would solidify their place as bloggers and authors in the crochet world. Michael realized that patience was key to completing this challenging but rewarding project. The book became more than just patterns; it was a story of their passion and creativity, a legacy for future crocheters.
Katherine Brown-Daniels says
I enjoy watching the tutorials you put out and have done a few of the projects it has help be with calming myself from anxiety and helped boost my mood when feeling depressed love the videos of the crochet groups looks like so much fun you have inspired my 13 year old as well to learn to crochet as I have shown her your YouTube videos
Ruth Garcia says
I am a bit confused. On the chrysanthemum pattern for the flora afghan, on round 12 the directions say to fasten on with"C" and finish with fasten off"B". Is this a typo. Also the pattern calls for 3 colors but you use 4 in the video tutorial. Is this just to show additional ideas of creativity? Thanks for all you do. I've learned so much.
Devin Folks says
More colours were just an option to use. Let you decide what works for you. 😀
Carole Mullins says
I have made 2 of the peppermint throws and they turned out beautifully thanks to the tutorial by Mikey. They were the hardest pieces i have ever attempted to make and would never have finished them without Mikeys help. Thanks so much.
Marina King says
That's awesome! well done 🙂
Patt says
I have followed you for years. I am do proud of all your accomplishments! Love you and Dan and thank you for all your hard work!!!!!
Janie says
I find Crochet Crowd to be the easiest to understand as well. Thanks for your time, it's a pleasure to watch and learn.
Janie
Dawn E gomes says
I absolutely love watching and learning from Michael. You are truly amazing at what you did. That's for making me a better hooker..
Randy Bothman says
Nice bio! I have followed you for years and now I feel like I know you as a friend. I first ‘met’ you when I too was trying to expand my stitch knowledge and I looked for your videos because they were the easiest to understand. Then I found Crochet Crowd and have followed it ever since. Thanks for all you do and I hope we get to meet one day either on a cruise or one one of my many journeys to parts unknown!!
With grateful respect to both of you...
Randy Bothman
Roseburg, Oregon