Long Lines Crochet Scarf

Infinity scarves are everywhere, quick to make and very easy to wear no wonder they continue to feature large in fashion magazines and in crochet patterns alike. However it’s easy to forget how elegant and flexible a full length scarf can be. Wrap it around, knot it, plait it or let it hang loose.



That’s why I decided to design a long crochet scarf and to build on the elegance of the design I made. Using silky soft Sirdar Baby Bamboo makes this a luxury scarf design.  Baby bamboo does not go as far as other yarns so if you are economising go for an alternative yarn, but choose something with a slight sheen. I made the scarf in taupe and teal blue yarn a colour that go with most things, but you can choose your own colours.

While I’m not a fan of making long chains as they make the second row seem to take forever it’s definitely worth it with this one. After the second row the scarf grows very quickly. I’ve incorporated easy to create large clusters and they make the ends of this long elegant scarf look very pretty. They appear beautifully when you wrap the scarf around.

This pattern is suitable for intermediate crocheters, grab the pattern here.....

Popcorn Square Crochet Baby blanket

Baby blankets should be soft and warm that’s why I chose Sirdar Snuggly Crofter yarn to make this warm baby blanket. I used textured stitches to create a double layer and I chose motifs to make the design more flexible and more interesting to work.

Sirdar Snuggly yarn comes in a wide range of colours from pastels to punchy brights. Baby Crofter is a blended yarn, part of the Snuggly range. Again choose from pastels or opt for brighter colours. I picked the pale pink, pale blue and pale yellow blend, then combined it with a pale blue from the plain colour range to soft green, pink or coral would look equally as pretty.

I’m a bit addicted to making crochet popcorns and they bring a lovely texture to this double thickness soft baby cover. As well as using popcorn stitches in the motifs. I decided to add them to the border, which is a bit unusual but I think it works well. This baby blanket is a lovely project to work which you could easily make larger by adding more of the two crochet motifs to make a larger blanket.

Using lovely soft wool and a basket weave stitch creates a beautiful double thickness but light weight baby blanket. The stitch is repeating and in many ways is easier to make than traditional crochet as the main stitch is worked around stitches rather than into loops and it’s quicker to work.

The popcorn stitched edging looks lovely and are easy to make but if you wish you could easily miss them out and the blanket would look just as pretty. Use double crochet (sc) or half trebles (hlf dc’s)  in the edging if you decide not to include the popcorns. Grab the pattern here.....

Acorn Trim Crochet Infinity scarf

I love infinity scarves. Wear them loose or wrapped around, they are warm and chic. This one is bang up to date in new season hot colours and on trend stripes this lovely infinity scarf has decorative crochet acorns. Crochet scarves are one of the most exciting projects to make, they get bigger quickly and there are so many choices of design and yarn to use.

I created this design in sections, so you can see how quickly your project is growing. Many infinity scarves are crocheted in net stitch. I’ve made this one more interesting to work and prettier to look at by adding some simple crochet picots. The very interesting acorns are easy to work and bring more to the design.

Change the colours of this scarf to oranges and reds for an autumn scarf or paler pastel shades in a soft cotton would work well in Spring. It’s easy to make your crochet scarf any length you want by adding more panels.Grab the pattern here.....

Stained glass Window Crochet Holdall

This lovely bag has a patchwork look about it achieved by adding rows of one main colour in between blocks of contrasting colour which highlight the multi coloured squares. It’s made in a tapestry style crochet which I’ve made simpler for this easy to make bag.

My inspiration for this bag was a blouse design I saw in a clothing catalogue. I knew immediately the material design would look good translated into a crochet design. For my bag I chose colours that blended together but using contrasting colours would look just as good and produce a wonderful pool of colour for your bag. By using brighter colours for the square inserts you would produce a stained glass effect.

The double crochets stitches (single crochet) used in this design show the colours to their best effect and gives a more rigid dense structure perfect for a bag. Before finishing your bag, it’s worth lining your bag stops it stretching and to prevent it being damaged.

The main points to remember when making this bag is to carry the yarn across the back and front. When working the front keep your yarns to the back and carry the main colour along the back, be careful not to pull this too tight. When working the back carry the yarns along the side facing you.

I added big tassels for more interest and thick chunky carrying strap which is long enough to fit comfortable over your shoulder. Grab the pattern here.....

Review of West Yorkshire Spinners Aire Valley Arran

Good value for a 100gm ball I used the Forest Green shade it to make the lovely evening bag pattern in my Geometrics and Shapes collection. West Yorkshire Spinners Aire Valley Arran is quite a course yarn, it wouldn’t work for children’s clothing or scarves, but it’s the perfect yarn for the small evening bag. Firm and robust for holding and handling, it would be perfect for thick chunky knits and jackets.

The yardage for Aire Vallet Arran (100gram ball) is 200m/219 yards. The yarn has a high wool content of 75% Wool 25% Nylon.

Aire Valley comes in a range of colours including Forest Green and red, pinks, this seasons plum, violet and blues, plus the fusions range in green, lilac and red blends. It's also available in the cocktail range of bright multi coloured blends.

You can buy direct from West Yorkshire Spinners. 

What's in a name?

Discovering new crochet stitches and techniques in books, online and in blogs can be both inspiring and intimidating. The names of stitches and techniques can vary and be confusing. This can mean nothing to you or stand for time spent learning something new rather than starting a new crochet project! Sometimes it’s the abbreviations that can put you off or reams of text describing new stitches you need to make to complete the pattern.

It can be even more intimidating if the new techniques and specialist stitches use particular equipment such as with broom stick crochet. Or crochet hooks that look more like knitting needles for Tunisian crochet! The decision is, is it worth investing in new equipment? Will you be able to make good use of it?

I urge you not to be intimidated by having to learn something new and so stick with your tried and tested crochet designs and styles. Incorporating new stitches and techniques in a crochet project makes the project more interesting to work, results in a high class finish and you create a stand out project.

The chances are you’ve already used some of the stitches and techniques in more intricate patterns or have the skills you need and you do not realise it. For example my peacock leaf crochet scarf uses Tunisian crochet (not named in the pattern) but you do not need any specialist equipment to make this crochet scarf. The Tunisian crochet in this design is simple enough for a newbie to crochet to make.

More often than not the pattern you are looking at is much simpler than it at first appears. To give yourself confidence in tackling something new it’s worth using a simple design or pattern that you are familiar with and adding a few specialist stitches. As always keep a check on your tension. You can for example easily change a pattern that uses groups of trebles(double crochets) for cross trebles (cross double crochets). This will use the same number of stitches and looks very pretty. 

If your design uses a mesh pattern add a picot to the chains between stitches. For example if your pattern asks for 3 chain to make the spaces then make 4 chain with a dc picot into 3rd chain from the hook with another chain to complete the mesh gap. It will look so much more attractive than a plain mesh.

If your design uses groups of trebles (double crochet), crochet around the stem of the stitch on the row below, this makes a denser finished project, but uses the same number of stitches and creates a completely different look.

Choosing Yarn

The patterns, designs and styles you choose for your crochet projects are probably the first thing to inspire you, but the yarn you choose is as crucial to the success of your crochet project.

Cheap or expensive yarn what’s the difference? 

Cheap doesn’t always mean inferior, as a better guide, gauge the yarn content against what it is you are making. Important is the yardage on the ball band and bear in mind that not all yarns of the same gauge and weight per ball or skein produce the same amount of yarn. Some expensive yarns for example have a greater yardage than cheaper equivalents.

Bamboo yarn is usually artificially produced yarn. Depending on the spinner this yarn is very soft with a slight sheen, perfect for classy crochet shawls. It often has a lower yardage per ball and can be expensive, so keep it for special projects. King Cole and Sirdar have a lovely range of bamboo yarns.
Cashmere and merino yarn blends are grown up yarns! Soft and luxurious they are perfect for special crochet clothing and scarves.  Debbie bliss and Rowan both have a good range of cashmere blends.

Wool the original yarn with cotton for crochet is warm as is angora and alpaca, usually blended they are perfect for crochet garments and make very warm soft scarves. They are usually at the pricier end of the market with lower yardages. When it comes to pure wool try the Rowan range,  Wensleydale Wools and Uist yarns. Hard wearing cotton is perfect for rugs and provides rigidity so is ideal for crochet baskets. For cotton yarns it has to be Sugar N cream!

Acrylic yarns and blends wash well and are hard wearing with some specifically spun for baby projects perfect for baby clothes and adult scarves and cushions.  Both Caron and Sirdar have a wide range of acrylic blend baby yarns.

Should you stick to the yarn recommended in the pattern?

There is no doubt that yarns of the same weight vary greatly in the finish they produce. I’ve experimented with different yarns of the same weight and the same pattern and produced very different results, from smaller stitches to different length and different widthways tension. If you want to use an alternative yarn to the one recommended in your pattern check your tension carefully and adjust your hook size as necessary.

Should you go for mass produced or independent spinner and dyer?

Hand dyed yarn is gorgeous, try Eden Cottage range, and usually produces unique colour ways. If your project is a gift or something for a special occasion then buying from an independent dyer is the one to go for. If it’s a gift make sure your recipient knows that you’ve used a special yarn.

Colour choice 

Mass produced yarn ranges offer the greatest choice of colours. The more popular the yarn the bigger the choice of colours. Acrylic baby yarn blends usually come in a wide range as do economy yarn ranges.