How It Began

I began crocheting many years ago, while I was still at school, when I first learned how to make Granny Squares. I loved it right away and spent hours creating colourful blankets for family and friends. That early love of yarn and creativity stayed with me and eventually led to something very close to my heart.

Joseph Bear Goes Fishing is a beautifully crafted children’s storybook that brings together storytelling and crochet in a unique and interactive way. The story was written by my mother, Elizabeth Darrell, an internationally acclaimed novelist who published over 50 novels during her incredible career. My mother was working on her next novel when she was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Knowing she wouldn’t have time to finish another full-length book, she chose instead to write something meaningful for me. She completed a couple of Joseph Bear stories as a gift, her final stories, full of love, whimsy, and warmth. After she passed, I developed those stories into a book that combines her storytelling with my passion for crochet. It became a way for us to create something together, something for families to share, read, and make memories with.

The character is named after my childhood toy teddy bear, aptly called Joseph Bear. The story follows the gentle and lovable Joseph Bear on a sweet fishing adventure, where he meets a host of charming animal friends. What makes this book truly special is that it includes my own crochet patterns to create Joseph Bear and all the animals he meets along the way. I designed and compiled each one, bringing my mother’s story to life in a tangible and playful way. The result is a warm and imaginative experience where children can not only read the story but interact with it by cuddling the very characters they’ve just met on the page.

In September 2024, Joseph Bear Goes Fishing was officially released in collaboration with King Cole Yarns, who believed in the magic and heartfelt message behind this project.