This is perfect stash busting project! Using only a small amount of yarn and basic crochet stitches you can whip it up in only a few hours. A great addition to your gallery wall or maybe to hang in a child’s room, you can change the colours to fit your decor. You will need: Yarn in several colours Crochet hook (pick one that corresponds with the yarn you are using) Needle, scissors Beads Blocking mat (or towel) Pins PVA glue (or you can just use water) Pattern: Round 1 – 12 dc into a magic ring. Round 2 – ch 5, dc in 2nd chain from hook, htr, tr, dtr in remaining chains, skip 2 stitches ..read more

I am thrilled to be part of the Furls Blog Hop 2020!! Designing a pattern using Furls yarn – Whims Merino was an absolute pleasure, it is so lovely to work with and designed especially with crocheters in mind! I decided to use my favourite colours (pink and yellow) and my favourite stitch pattern (granny squares) to create a pretty cushion, the free pattern is below. Happy Hooking You will need: Whims Merino (worsted weight) Pink x 4 balls (colour A) Whims Merino (worsted weight) Mustard x 2 balls (colour B) 4.5mm (size G+) crochet hook 35cm x 35cm cushion pad Stitch markers or pins to hel ..read more

I have always loved treating myself to a bit of hand dyed yarn, in fact throughout 2019 I purchased more hand dyed yarn than I ever have before but that’s something I will talk about in another blog post. In this post I want to talk about mini skeins and how we can use them. Specifically how I used the 24 x 10g minis I recieved as part of a yarn advent calendar. There are several indie yarn dyers that offer a ‘Yarn Advent Calendar’, most include a 10g or 20g mini skein per day with a few specific fibre options. I decided to treat myself to a Vicki Brown Designs calendar and opted for the 1 ..read more

How do you feel about subscription boxes? They are so popular now and it seems that most hobbies and interests are covered by the variety of subscriptions available. Crochet and yarn related boxes are always going to be a winner in my eyes, a little box of treats every month full of yarn, patterns and little extras – you can’t go wrong! The new box on the block is called ‘Crochet Society’ and has been created by Sara-Jayne Fragola the talented crochet legend behind Bella Coco Crochet. Sarah-Jayne has teamed up with some fantastic designers and publishers to bring a fresh, modern looking, subs ..read more

I love crocheting hats for my boys, they get a new one every year whether they need it or not. They are great ‘stash busters’ and I often use up yarn I already have as you don’t need a lot. This year I used something a bit more special and my children now have super cosy new hats I am really proud of. They are made using gorgeous 100% merino yarn I got from Knitcrate, a monthly subscription box. The pattern I used to make the hat is one that I made up as I went along, it created a lovely ribbed texture by using a simple combination of basic crochet stitches. I have included the pattern below ..read more

I recently had the pleasure of receiving a new crochet book packed full of gorgeous projects. ‘Delicious Crochet Shawls’ is written by Lisa Cook who is a fabulous designer based in the UK. I have followed Lisa on Instagram for a few years now and watched her style and designs evolve, I am so pleased that she has been brave enough to release a book – its beautifully written and I’m sure will be a big hit! In the book you will find 21 crochet shawl designs all taking inspiration from delicious sweet treats “designed to entice the senses whilst crocheting”. Lisa has been very clever to include s ..read more

The possibilities with crochet are endless. I have always thought that if you can imagine it you can probably crochet it! That’s exactly what Pony McTate has achieved with her new book ‘Crochet A-B-Sea’ which I have had the pleasure of reading and help in the testing process. Pony is a rock star crochet designer, her unmistakable style and creativity blow me away! When she first mentioned the idea of this book on her Instagram account I loved it and couldn’t wait to see it come together – it didn’t disappoint! Crochet A-B-Sea – an extraordinary underwater alphabet. Pony has designed 26 sea cre ..read more

Ra-Ra Raffia is the latest addition to the amazing yarn created by Wool And The Gang , its made from 100% long wood fibre and comes in 4 beautiful natural shades. I’ve never crocheted with raffia, it’s always been something that I felt was more suited to wrapping presents so I was very intrigued to give it a go! There are currently 8 crochet kits available, ranging from simple plant hangers to summer bags and storage baskets, all with  a very summery, middle eastern vibe. The kit I chose to try out was the ‘Money Honey Clutch Bag’, a simple design which will make a great addition to a summer ..read more