It all starts with a stitch: maybe a single crochet, a half-double crochet, or a star stitch. “The star stitch is the most fun to look at,” Debra Vickerman says, “and not difficult to create.” Calling it a “star stitch” is apt—a blanket composed of star stitches looks like long lines of stars with neat rows in between. Each star is a rounded center with short bursts of yarn emanating out, connecting each star to the next. “It’s the stitch I use mainly in my fingerless mittens line,” Vickerman says, a popular item for the pre- and post-snowy days that bookend Minnesota winters.

Vickerman’s booth at the Starbuck Vintage & Artisan Market will be stocked with a wide variety of crocheted items: cozy baby blankets; colorful winter hats in infant, child, and adult sizes; crocheted hats with a wider, stiffened brim; and—new this year—a hat called “The Crusher.” “You can crush or roll them into a ball for travel or storage,” Vickerman says. “Then when you want to take it out to wear it again, it just needs a little shake and a little smoothing out and—Voila!—Good as new.”

Vickerman’s crocheted goods come in a wide selection of solid colors and bright designs. She uses a variety of yarns: wool, wool blends, and acrylic. “Just give me a hook and some yarn,” she laughs, “and I’m happy.” You’ll find Vickerman’s designs in the Starbuck City Park: Friday, August 4 and Saturday, August 5.