The Impressive Salena Baca of Design Wars: Designer Showcase!

It’s time for August''s Designer Showcase! Once a month I have one of my favorite designers share a bit about themselves, and then I follow it up by sharing my 5 favorite free patterns that they’ve designed! This month I’m super excited to have Salena Baca, the impressive, talented designer at BacaCreations and brilliant mind behind Design Wars!

Salena is one of the most driven women in the crochet business today! In addition to designing patterns for her own etsy shop, Red Heart, and a variety of magazines, she also created and runs Design Wars! You can read more about Designs Wars HERE, in a previous post on Moogly! Now let's hear from Salena:

Who is Salena Baca? I'm a crochet maniac, hoarder of yarn, crochet pattern designer, and founder of the Design Wars Challenge!

I began crocheting before grade school and I've been totally addicted ever since! I still have my very first crochet project too - a pair of goat ears I made for a school play (see my picture, they still fit)!

We just moved from New Mexico to Oregon over the summer, and my yarn takes up an entire closet. Literally. I love to collect yarn, and while I use a lot of it there are some skeins that I just love to look at. I'm sure I'm not alone there! Do you yarn-hoard too?

In 2009 I designed my first crochet pattern (the Amelia Hat), and it quickly became a passion for me to perfect! I've been quite fortunate as a designer, and some of my work has been featured in Crochet Today, Annie's Attic, Inside Crochet, Stitch Craft Create, Crochet! Magazine, and Red Heart Yarns!

I do have some brand new and exciting news to share, too. I've recently partnered with Happily Hooked (a brand new crochet e-mag), and I'm very happy to announce that I am their newest Partnership Developments Manager! Don't worry though - I'll still be the face of Baca Creations / Salena Baca Crochet, and I'll still host the Design Wars Challenges, but I'm really look forward to working with the folks at Happily Hooked to assure the crochet arena is well represented with only the best that crochet has to offer!

Thank you Tamara for your interest and support in my work, and for thinking I'm cool enough for a feature on your amazing blog! I heart you, and all things Moogly!

Salena has been a great inspiration and crochet friend to me - and I know you'll love her patterns too, if you don't already! Be sure to check out her new venture Happily Hooked,  and check out all of her fabulous free and paid patterns on Ravelry. Here are 5 of her free patterns that I want to share with you today!

5 Free Crochet Patterns by Salena Baca

Click on the name of the patterns you like to go to their pattern pages!

1. Apple Hat on Ravelry: Perfect for fall's fresh crop of babies!
2. Knot Hard To Do! Baby Booties on Ravelry: Includes an extensive photo tutorial! Love the name!
3. Patriotic Stripes Hat and Blanket on Red Heart: These are so fun! Great in any color combo!
4. Bunny Comfort Blankie on Red Heart: Cute and cuddly, what's not to love?!
5. Ribbed Headband on Ravelry: In 5 different sizes these make great stocking stuffers!

Thank you so much to Salens for being featured in the eighth Moogly Designer Showcase - best of luck with Happily Hooked! I hope you've enjoyed learning more about Salena Baca and her fantastic patterns and crochet enterprises! You can check out the Salena Baca Ravelry Page for more  from this great designer!

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