There are not many more outfits that are more iconic in the Friends Television Show than Chandler’s Vests! Chandler is always looking sharp, and cozy in handmade vests in all sorts of comfy colours, and usually paired with a dashing button-up. Today I ‘sat down’ virtually with my good friend Wilma Westenberg who designed the crochet pattern for Chandler’s Vest for my new book, ‘Friends: The One With Crochet’ releasing on April 25th 2023. It is so exciting to be able to hear the experience of the designers and how their patterns came to life!
Where to Purchase ‘Friends: The One With Crochet’ by Lee Sartori
The ‘Friends: The One With Crochet’ Book is so special to my heart! You can read all about how it was created and learn more about our upcoming Virtual Book Tour Dates with all of the designers involved here >> https://www.cococrochetlee.com/friends-the-one-with-crochet-book/
The Pre-Order and Release Date
Before I introduce you to more of ‘Friends: The One With Crochet’ by Lee Sartori, let me tell you about where you can purchase the book!
-The Pre-Order Campaign has officially begun, and when you purchase your pre-order through the publisher of this book, Insight Editions, you will receive a bonus pattern PDF sent to you as a free gift!
You can also purchase the book on Amazon here >>
The book officially releases on April 25th, 2023, so there is plenty of time to secure your copy with a pre-order.
Interviewing Designer Wilma Westenberg
Wilma Westenberg has been an amazing designer friend of mine for a number of years now! Although Wilma lives in the Netherlands, and myself in Canada, we have always bonded over our love for crochet (and Pokemon!). It was such an honour to have Wilma design for this book, and so special to me for her to be a part of it. Here is our interview for our Virtual Book Tour, but before you dive in, be sure to follow Wilma on her social media on Instagram, Facebook, her Blog, and her Tiktok!
1). Can you tell me about how you became part of the Friends Crochet Book, and any experiences/thoughts/feelings you had at joining the book?
When Lee first contacted me, I was extremely excited. ‘Friends’ is a very popular show in the Netherlands and I was thrilled to be a part of such a popular franchise. This is my first time having my work published in a book. It was a fun opportunity that I couldn’t say no to!
2). Describe your design and its inspiration in relation to the Show.
“My design is called Chandler’s Vest, and as the name suggests, it’s a vest based on Chandler’s clothing style from the TV show Friends. When I began designing the vest, I asked myself, “What would Chandler wear?”. I turned to Google for inspiration and selected some of my favorite outfits that Chandler wore on the show. I then translated these outfits into a crochet version using a simple textured stitch. I noticed that Chandler often wears autumnal colors such as green, brown, and grey, so I chose a beautiful copper-brown color for the vest.”
3). How did you approach your design? Was there anything you found fun or exciting about the design process?
This was the very first time I designed a garment for men, which was exciting in and of itself. Additionally, I had never designed a vest before. I can’t believe that my very first men’s sweater will be published in a book – how cool is that?
Before submitting my design, I wanted to take some pictures for my own social media. Fortunately, a friend from Germany (Michael Hull, famous dancer) was willing to model for me, and we were able to take some very nice pictures.
4). Are you a fan of the Friends TV Show? What are some of your favourite memories or moments?
I absolutely love the Friends TV show! It’s been a while since I last watched it, but with the release of the book coming up in April, my husband and I have decided to binge-watch the entire series from the beginning. This time, I plan to pay closer attention to the outfits and fashion choices, haha!
5). If you could make any other design from the book, which would you make first? Why?
I absolutely adore the little amigurumi dolls featured on the cover page! They are so cute and fun to make. I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of the book so I can make them myself.
6). Is there anything else you would like to add to your feature? Tips/advice/shout-outs etc.
I would like to express my gratitude to Lee for extending this amazing opportunity to me. Despite the fact that I am based in Europe, Lee is in Canada, and most of the designers are in the USA, we were able to collaborate on a Friends crochet book with input from all over the world. I hope that you all enjoy the designs as much as we enjoyed creating them!
Pattern Support
Because this book will be distributed and sold worldwide, the designers and Author of ‘Friends: The One With Crochet’ will not be available for the high volume of pattern support questions related to each of the designs inside the book. If you have a pattern question, please do not contact the designers directly, but rather contact the Publishers at info@insighteditions.com – and they will be happy to help you. If needed, the Publishers will contact the designers directly on your behalf. Thank you for your understanding!
Thank you so much for your support of ‘Friends: The One With Crochet’ by Lee Sartori. I am so thrilled that this book is out there for you to enjoy! If you make anything, please tag me on Instagram at @coco.crochet.lee and use the hashtag #friendscrochetbook and #friendstheonewithcrochetbook so we can see your beautiful makes!
