
Amy Solovay aboard Typhoon in Two Harbors, California, Catalina Island

Avalon, California — Catalina Island is one of Amy Solovay’s favorite sailing destinations.

Ziplining in Avalon, California on Catalina Island
Hi! I’m Amy. Thanks for dropping by today. I invite you to take a peek at some of the things I’ve been up to:
Crochet
I learned to crochet as a child, and crochet has been an important part of my life ever since. I collect vintage crochet patterns, and I also design free crochet patterns for other crafters to enjoy. I’m starting a new weekly crochet and knitting newsletter to share my patterns, and my discoveries, with other needleworkers. If this sounds interesting to you, I invite you to sign up.
Scrapbooking
I enjoy documenting my adventures using photos, journaling, and an assortment of beautiful papers and embellishments. I do bunches of hybrid and digital projects too.
Photography
I never set out to be a photographer, but it’s a skill I’ve had to acquire; without photographs, my writing, art and other work would be inaccessible to the worldwide online audience. I usually shoot with a Sony a350, and I often carry a Nikon Coolpix camera around for on-the-go shots.
Knitting
I learned to hand knit when I was in high school, and I later went on to get a degree in textile design. In design school, I studied both hand and machine knitting. After graduation, I designed circular knits professionally. My customers were mostly garment manufacturers who sold apparel to the big-box retailers.
Crafts
I’ll try anything crafty! I’ve enjoyed dabbling in all kinds of crafts, including needlework, stamping, card making, beadwork, sewing and mosaics.
Writing
I’ve been a writer since I was in junior high, when I first began journaling.
I began writing for the web in 1998, and I have writing scattered in various places around the Internet.
In 2009, I signed on as About.com’s crochet expert, a gig I worked at on a more than full-time basis until 2014. The New York Times Company owned the About.com network at the time I began writing for them. I spent 3 years under the Times umbrella learning the business of journalism and writing for the web; I wrote for the About.com network for about five years total.
Art
I was a studio art minor in college, and I’m still using and applying all the lessons I learned back then.
Travel
My husband Mike and I live aboard a sailboat. Our most impressive adventure so far: crossing the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. We’ve also traveled extensively in the USA. We spent a couple of years cruising the Channel Islands and California’s coast.
Kittens
Mike and I adopted 4 orphaned kittens when they were only a couple of weeks old. They needed constant bottle feeding and care. If we hadn’t taken them in, they would have died. We never intended to own 4 cats, but somewhere along the line we fell in love with the little cuties. They’ve enriched our lives and have kept us laughing nonstop at their funny and adorable antics.
You: So, Amy, what do you do?
Me: I do many things. I could give you a dozen different answers, and they’d all be true. Take your pick:
I’m a writer, journalist, journaler and occasional blogger.
I’m an adventurer. I love hitting the trail for the sheer joy of seeing where it leads, or throwing off the bow lines and setting sail for a distant port.
I’m a textile designer. I knit, crochet, and weave. I also design prints, colorways and textile repeats.
I’m an artist. I paint, draw and collage.
I’m a crafter. I bead, scrapbook, stamp and alter.
I’m a designer. I design many things, including web pages and web sites.
I’m an educator.
Because much of my work is visual, I’ve also had to become a photographer.
I have a degree in math, although I would not call myself a mathematician. I got a second degree in textile design because the math didn’t exactly work out for me as a career choice.
I’m also a happily married wife and the proud caretaker of an ever-changing number of adorable cats. I travel frequently; I’m a former full-time liveaboard cruising sailor. Sometimes I’m in a different place every week.
You’re invited to learn more about my adventures by clicking any of the links on this page. Thanks for visiting! I appreciate your interest.