What to crochet in autumn colours

Think of autumn and gorgeous red, browns, fading greens, bright limey yellows  and coppers come to mind. There is something special about wearing the colours of the season and this year the yarn producers have done us proud with choices from saffron and turmeric to copper, brown blends, dull purples and greens.

Scheepjes have used  lovely saffron, turmeric and subtle deep purple from their stonewash range to create patterns for crochet hats, scarves, shawls and throws. This season I love their crochet throw in dull purple yarn decorated in surface crochet in a gold/turmeric yarn. The design is reminiscent of aged wooden panelling and the yarn used is lovely Scheepjes Stone Washed XL 70% Cotton, 30% Acrylic in Deep Amethyst and Enstatite. The pattern is a real stunner! 

Sirdar has produced a number of new yarns for the autumn many of which feature autumn colours and this year’s must have glitter and shimmer. Sirdar Jewelspun cleverly blends an enticing selection of coloured fibres into one sumptuous single ply strand, giving you soft stripes that look great on both garments and accessories. Made from 100% acrylic I love northern lights and setting sun colours.

If you love blended colours one of my all time favourites is Sirdar Colourwheel which comes in 140gm cakes and you can use the blend in different ways, I used Natures palette to create small motifs and a long scarf and the blends works well for both the patterns. You can see them here.....
Also new this year is Sirdar Mystical yarn soft and chunky with a glittery thread running through it. All the blends are very subtle I used glittering amber to create a cowl scarf made with corner to corner crochet. Check out the pattern here.....

Lion Brand has a free pattern for a crochet mesh scarf made in autumn colours. It’s an elegant scarf made using  Chimera – 204 in Tomato, fuchsia, mahogany, sapphire, olive, brass, mustard. Find the pattern here.....

Scarves and hats are an obvious choice for the lovely rich colours of autumn, but a selection of autumn colours would make a stunning throw, seasonal cushions and stunning crochet jackets.

This autumn Mercerie has a pattern for an absolutely stunning crochet Sunflower Blanket, a beginners project, made using autumn colours with blue and grey added made in Woolyknitarran in denim,  yellow, orange, grey and light grey natural it makes a lovely winter crochet project.The main body of the blanket is worked on a 5mm hook. The centre is simply one very large granny square, and the edging is made up of 36 sunflower motifs. The lovely bobble trim is worked on a 4mm hook and finishes it off beautifully.

10 tips for beginners to crochet

1. Whether you are simply practising or you are planning to make something make a practise piece first, so you can see how easy it is to work with the yarn you have chosen and to find out which is the best crochet hook size to use
2. Don’t buy the cheapest yarn, often they split and make working more difficult. (how to choose yarn)
3. when starting out in crochet don’t start use a cotton yarn they don’t stretch and for a beginner can make it difficult to work the stitches
4. Use one colour for your first projects until you are more confident then you can learn to add and change colours (how to choose colours)
5. If you want to make motifs but are not confident about working in the round you can make square motifs working from side to side, remember to count the stitches so they keep their shape 
   
6. Adding a simple edging, such as 1dc (sc) 1ch into each stitch all around will finish off any project you are making and make your work look more professional
7. If you are starting with a motif project use different colours for each motif to make the project more interesting to work
8. For your first projects make something that is simple but make something that you can wear or us, this will encourage you on to your next project
9. Don’t be afraid to change your crochet hook size. If your work is too loose change to a smaller hook size and if it is too tight try a larger hook
10. US a DK (light worsted) or thicker yarn to begin with but not too thick so you can easily see the stitches you have made and can easily see where you have to work into. Once you move on to super chunky and above it can be difficult to work the stitches and make your hands ache!

And finally if when you are working you find the stitches don’t slip easily on to your hook or slip off too easily this is an indication you are using the wrong size crochet hook

Using Specialist yarns in crochet projects

I like to treat these yarns as specialist basically anything that has significant different elements from plain yarn such as:

• Boucle
• Yarn textured with a slub
• With a metallic strip running through the yarn
• Any yarn with sequins added
• Faux Fur
• Recycled T shirt yarn
• Twine
• Mohair

If theory you can use different yarns together as long as they are the same weight, but combining e.g boucle with plain yarn in crochet projects will not only create a completely different look but can affect the tension of your project. Using specialist yarns either on their own or in combination is easier in more flexible projects such as scarves, cushions and throws. Combining and using specialist yarns becomes more difficult if you are making garments when size and tension is crucial. 

Specialist yarns are usually more expensive so it makes sense to use them for the borders and trims on scarves and cushions. This works well with boucle yarns and yarns with slubs. You can also use these yarns as the main motif of a throw and use a plain yarn for joining and this works well in baby blankets. It makes sense that whatever you are making try a sample first

Use textured yarns for stripes in scarves and cushions. You can do this with boucle, faux fur, sequined and metallic yarns.

Metallic yarns can be tricky to work particularly if they have sequins through the yarn, they work beautifully for crochet evening bags as the main yarn or as a trim.

Twine is the ideal yarn for crochet baskets and I love to combine them with recycled T shirt yarns.

Some of my favourites

• Sirdar Crofter
• Sirdar Alpine
• Sirdar Soukie with sequins
• Nutscene have a fantastic selection of jute twine and string, fluorescent to subtle colours and everything in between
• Wool and the Gang have a small but quality selection of recycled t shirt yarns
• Rico Essentials mohair is a lovely combination yarn

Planning a Summer Crochet cushion or Pillow

Summer cushions make lovely crochet projects and I love to crochet them sitting in my garden on warm sunny days. Handmade summer cushions are perfect for garden furniture, garden rooms and conservatories.

Make your summer cushion as simple or as complicated as you like. Even the simplest designs look stunning with the right choice and right combination of colours. Granny squares always make a lovely cushion or simple rows of dc’s (sc) with a few rows of popcorn stitches stitched with pops of colour look gorgeous. It’s often the colours you choose that make a design original to you and make it a stand out piece of work. 

The shape of your cushion also influences design and not every cushion or pillow has to be square. I love bolster cushions and they work really well for garden furniture and garden benches. Round cushions look very pretty and oblong shaped cushions also work well, but one of my favourite cushion styles is square oversized, they have real impact.

When it comes to yarns summer cushions work perfectly in cotton and cotton blend yarns and one of my all time favourites is Scheepjes Cotton fun. You can read a review of this yarn here. It comes in a whole range of beautiful colours from subtle to bright, giving you a fantastic choice for your summer cushion.

When it comes to colour for my summer cushions I love soft cream and whites with pops of colour or very bright throughout with clashing colours such as orange with bright pink, lime with blue. Somehow they look good on garden furniture on warm summer days.

Your summer cushion might be made with motifs or rows of crochet and you can make groups of smaller motifs stitched together to make a larger motif. see an example of this here. The simplest way to make a cushion is to create a rectangle whether this is made up of motifs or stitched row by row. When you have made your rectangle of crochet simple fold over to make an envelope style cushion and if you want to make it even simpler crochet together on the right side with a contrasting yarn.

Summer cushions don’t have to be for your garden furniture they make lovely housewarming gifts and cheery gifts for someone who is not well.

Find comfy crochet cushion patterns here.....

Designing a Crochet Throw

 It’s easier to design a crochet throw or cushion than you think! Even with the most basic crochet knowledge you can create a throw, just by using a basic granny square you can make a stunning crochet throw to your own design. Use groups of motifs randomly, in colour groups or in bands all look effective. It doesn’t matter how simple the motif you choose, pick the right colours and you will have something that looks lovely and is a true one off. 

By combining motifs in rows or strips of crochet interspersed with rows of simple crochet makes keeping the edges of your throw straight and in shape easier to achieve.  

Five ways to create your own design throw or cushion.....

This is one of my favourite designs. Depending on how big you want your throw to be start with 3 or 5 motifs joined together with a back stitch to make a strip. This will make an oblong throw. Now crochet round these motifs around all sides almost as if you are crocheting in the round. Do this for a few rows then make four strips of motifs to add to the four sides of your throw. 

Use any size of motif and join together to form a strip, odd numbers of motifs work best for this. Then with the right side of your motifs facing join your yarn and work into the stitches on the motifs and work a few rows of plain dc’s (sc’s) or tr’s (dc’s). Repeat for as many rows to make the length of your throw.

Use two different design of motifs in your chosen colours, make one of the motifs plain. Then use one style of motif to make the diagonals of your throw and fill in with your other motif.

Make blocks of smaller motifs and stitch together or crochet together to form one large motif, then stitch these larger motifs together to create your throw. This works really well if you use the same simple motif but mix up the colours and introduce some blended yarns. This is an excellent way to make granny square motifs to make something very special.

 Check out pinterest online for more inspiration! Find my throw patterns here.....

Sirdar Dapple Yarn

With a blend of Acrylic and Wool Sirdar Dapple is as easy care, soft and warm yarn.  The 100gm balls come in a range of mottled colours, including midnight blue, speckled, my favourite autumn harvest, enchanted forest, pretty cherry blossom, morning mist, harvest, the deep purple blend twilight, Cloudy bay and Hazy Days.

A generous 360yards/330 metres per ball this new yarn has good stitch definition and would work well for cardigans, jackets and scarves. It makes a gorgeous stripe contrasted with plain stripes. I’ve used Sirdar Dapple successfully for motifs as part of a crochet throw, using a 4mm hook.
Sirdar Dapple represents good value at £5.49 per 100gm ball. For sale at Wool Warehouse.

Women's crochet scarf in Dapple find the pattern here.....

Mixing up Motifs

Choosing a crochet project with motifs has many benefits. You can make a motif when time is short and you can crochet on the go when travelling to work or on long journeys. Crochet motif projects grow quickly and motifs work well for just about every crochet project you can think of from traditional throws and cushions to bags, jackets, hats and baby clothes and toys.

When you are designing your own crochet throw and cushions you can use the same crochet motifs throughout the throw and change the look with the way you use colour. However mixing up motifs adds interest to crochet projects and to the finished design. If you decide to mix up your design using different crochet motifs use 3 or 5 different motifs for a more easy on the eye look. Base your throw or cushion design on squares or rectangles.

Incorporate big motifs for impact. Big motifs give you more scope to use clever colour combinations for more impact and big motifs don't have to use a complicated design, I've made them using a standard granny square to good effect. From my experience whatever motifs you use simple designs always work the best. The clever use of colour and yarns is what will make your design something special and original to you.

How to do it?

1. Use one large and four small motifs that when joined together are the same size as the big motif. When you use this method join the four small motifs together before joining to the larger motif. Use the same colour yarn for the last row of your large and small motifs for a very pretty effect.
2. Make a panel the width of your throw or cushion. Doing this means you can incorporate small and large triangles and even hexagons. If you use this method you will have to make sure that your motifs will create a panel that makes a level edged rectangle. 
3. Make triangular motifs and join together to make squares
4. Make square motifs in the round and combine with textured stitched square motifs made side to side
5. Create large squares turn to make diamonds and create triangles for fillers

How to crochet a beach bag

What yarns to use to make your bag?
Cotton and cotton rich yarns work best, they make bags more rigid, are hard wearing, but still soft. Use a wool based yarn and your bag is more likely to stretch. My favourites is Sugar n Cream an Aran weight yarn, but I also love Drops cotton yarns and Scheepjes soft fun is an excellent yarn for bags. cotton linen blends. Cotton made bags are usually washable, ideal for the beach and summer picnics.

What stitch to use for your bag?
Double crochet (single crochets) stitches work well, as do half trebles (half double crochets). You can also use a looser stitch or open work style crochet when the lining will show through and this can look very effective. Front and back row post stitches also look good, create pretty ridges and are useful for defining changes in rows.

Options for the construction of your bag
I like to make my rectangular crochet bags in 4 or 5 pieces. That is a front, back, 2 side gussets and a bottom piece, plus handles. Making your crochet bag in this way will make your bag more roomy. However you can make a bag with just a front, back and bottom piece. If you prefer a simpler style and one that is easier to make and easier to construct, just make a front and back and join together on three sides. With this option line it in the same way as a 5 piece bag, that is line your pieces separately, then join together using a back stitch.

Lining
If you can, line your bag with a cotton or cotton rich fabric to protect it and reduce the chances of stretch. This really does make bags look better and more professional, see my orange/pink bag above. Make lining pieces for the front and the back. Turn in half an inch (1.27cm’s) leaving a gap of one row of crochet. This will make it easier when you join your crochet pieces together and will create a neater finish.

Putting it all together after you have added the lining
Attach the side pieces to the front or back of your bag using matching yarn and a backstitch. Join this to the base of your bag. Finally attach the front to the sides and bottom. A ttach handles to your bag.

Handles and straps.
I like strong carrying handles and there are different ways to achieve this. You can make a strip of crochet using dc’s (sc’s) for your handle and double it over when finished by stitching the sides together.  Alternatively use your yarn double and doing this creates a lovely strong effect. You can also buy leather and wooden handles in craft stores and these work well.  Another alternative is to make thinner handles by making a length of crochet and stitching around strong plastic tubing which you can buy from craft stores. I make shoulder straps in the same way as handles for some of my bags, see my patchwork over shoulder beach bag. 

Fastenings
I like to vary these. Sometimes I make a drawstring top to my bags by making 2 chain holes in rows of crochet. This I do by crocheting in dc’s (sc’s) or half trebles (half dc’s) with one row of holes between to make a professional looking top to your bag and to make it stronger. If you do this make sure you make at least four rows on top of your holes. Crochet a drawstring using chains or dc’s (sc’s) on chains and thread through. You can also add tassels, small strips of crochet stitched to your bag for clipping on keys.  Sometimes I use a button fastening (you can find how to crochet a button in tutorials on my web site) and loop fastening or a zip. Zips make your bag more secure but require more dressmaking skills!

Home ware Crochet

What’s nicer than a home personalised with handmade cushions, throws and candle cosies you have made yourself. Big or small if you’ve made it yourself its special and will reflect your taste, skills, favourite colours and loves, so enhancing your home.

If you are making home ware crochet for gifts, crochet is a fantastic way to give a friend or relative a gift for a special occasion something unique for them. Everyone values handmade quality gifts and treasures them. 

What can you create? The choice is only limited by your imagination. If you are making something for yourself then choose to make something that fits in with and enhances your home decor. It’s a good idea to personalise what you make to the colour of one room of your home.

William Morris said’ Have nothing n your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful’. I use this to guide me when making something for myself and for friends. This especially applies if you are making something for a gift such as a house warming or wedding present.

Crochet home ware makes fantastic house warming gifts and wedding and engagement presents. Make it special for your friends by making your gift in their favourite colours and styles. Here are my ten favourite crochet home wares to make.....

Baskets – for storage in bedrooms, craft rooms and children’s bedrooms

Cushions – not just forlounges, make then for conservatories and garden rooms

Table mats – make these in the more traditional style of fine lace crochet or in more modern styles using bright colours and thicker cottons

Pot holders – perfect for kitchens, make a pretty stack and tie with a ribbon for a small but thoughtful gift

Table runners – these lookgorgeous on modern long tables and sideboards. You can make them by using lacymotifs or stripes of pretty cottons Throws – these are really special to make and are a lovely heritage housewarming gift, or wedding present

Candle cosies – gorgeous and useful  in bathrooms and bedrooms

Door and bedroom wreaths – the perfect housewarming gift , you can also make them for children’s bedrooms

Rugs – made in thickercotton, make them round, square or oblong

Door stop – make these round, square or in the shape of dogs and cats and add weights!

Lace Crochet

Traditionally lace crochet used fine cotton threads to make round mats (doilies) table runners, lace collars and tablecloths. Now thanks to better choice and a wider selection of cottons and threads we can make traditional lace crochet without having to resort to the very fine traditional cottons (thread). DMC petra for example comes in sizes from 3, 5 and 8 all of which come in a range of lovely colours. Use them to make traditional crochet lace and you will produce stunning results without losing out on quality.

The wonderful thing about the colour selection of cotton threads is that you can now create table runners and covers for modern settings as well as the more classic designs. Don’t restrict making lace crochet to the more traditional styles. Lace crochet creates light airy structures perfect for creating lace shawls and lightweight scarves and you can do this with DK (light worsted) or 4 ply yarns.

Make crochet lace as simple or as intricate as you like. For beginners to crochet rows of basic shells creates a simple but very pretty lace finish and would make a stunning crochet long style scarf or cowl, particularly if you use a blended yarn. Basic net crochet is a good place for beginners to crochet to start with lace. Net crochet in its simple form is created by making 1 or 2 ch spaces between trebles (double crochet) and it’s very simple to make using fine thread or yarn. Add in groups of 4 trebles and make filet crochet which can be used to create designs and images, everything from birds to people, houses and animals.

You can also use net crochet combined with clusters and shells together in one row or make a scarf with simple net crochet and add a scalloped edge to create a stunning scarf with a simple design.  Use lace crochet to make round or square motifs and you can do this with fine cotton or thicker yarn. As with other lace projects make your motifs as simple or as complicated as you wish. Granny squares for example made in a finer yarn creates a very pretty lace effect.

Irish crochet lace has always had its own style creating simple motifs in a variety of shapes, including spirals and leaves which have particularly featured in traditional Irish crochet. For more experienced crocheters this has developed from its own traditional style into free form crochet.

Aurinkokehra Yarn

Every now and then a really special yarn comes along, something that stands out from the rest. I found just such a yarn, Aurinkokehra, tucked away on a stall at Yarndale this year and I fell in love with the colour of a hank on the display, a subtle pink/deep lavender blend.

Aurinkokehra Yarn comes in a range of weights from chunky to double knit and 4ply. I used the 4ply not a weight I usually use,  but with the subtle blend of colours in a lightweight warm yarn, I knew it would be perfect for a delicate crochet scarf.

The yarn is produced from 100% Finish combed wool yarn and all the yarns are naturally dyed from ecologically and ethically produced dyes. The twenty colours as a result are extraordinarily bright yet subtle blends with some more contrasting colours. The blended colour hanks are irresistible!
Aurinkokehra Yarn produces 360m per 100gm hank and I used a 2mm hook to make the lacy shoulder scarf.

Buy direct from Finland at http://vanjasea.valmiskauppa.fi/aurinkokehra-solid-colors-360-c-45_61_62_83.html

Aurinkokehra Yarn 4ply is perfect for crochet shawls and would make lovely light weight crochet jackets. The thicker weights would be ideal for crochet hats and chunkier scarves.

Find women's crochet cowl scarf made with aurinkokehra yarn here.....

Not all Crochet motifs have to be square or round

Choosing a crochet project with motifs has many benefits. Firstly you can make a motif when time is short, secondly you can crochet on the go and lastly motif based crochet projects grow quickly. Traditionally we make motifs square or round, but not all motifs have to be shaped this way. With a little imagination you can add a new quality to your crochet projects and give yourself more design options with more unusual shaped motifs.

Irish and free style crochet traditionally use free form shapes and you can use these for inspiration. Don’t think that anything other than a square or round motifs will be difficult to make or difficult to crochet together. Triangular motifs for example can be easily fitted together to make a square giving you flexibility to create spectacular designs with the colours you use.

Joining together
As with square or round motifs you have many options when joining your more unusual shaped motifs together.  You can add a filler to make joining easier and this works well with crochet shawls. Base your filler on the centre of your main motif. Most non square or round motifs start in the same way with the same basis as square and round motifs, allowing you to use the middle part of your main motifs to create your filler. Check out my fan shawl to see how this works.

As with more traditional motifs you can use a lacy stitch to join your motifs together or use a simple slip stitch join motifs.  Alternatively stitch your motifs together and doing this will create a denser effect to your finished project. The motifs of my peacock scarf crochet were crocheted  together to create a pretty ridge effect.

If all else fails and you would like to make a throw or shawl using more unusually shaped motifs but  lack the confidence to do this, you can turn your square motifs on their side to create diamonds. You don’t even have to make filers just leave the edge of your throw jagged to give a pretty effect.

Creating your design
As with square or round motifs make your unusual shaped motifs plain or multi coloured or use plain motifs with a different or blended coloured joining stitch. Graph paper does help create designs with more unusually shaped motifs and I sometimes make a few motifs and experiment to work out the best way to join them together. You can use this method as the basis for creating shawls, throws and blankets. Make four or six motifs and find the best way to join these together then use multiples of the six motifs together to create your project.

Doulton Border Leicester Review

Doulton Border Leicester comes in 100gm skeins and the DK has 200metres per skein. 100% pure worsted spun wool, is gorgeous quality with excellent stitch definition and does not split when crocheting. This is not a prickly wool yarn!

This range of yarn from a rare breed herd of sheep includes 4ply, DK and Aran. The range also includes a mini skein selection, all close blends that have won a wool award, good for a try out of this lovely quality yarn.

I used a 3.5mm hook but a 4mm or 4.5mm would work with the DK. The full range of colours includes blues, oranges, brown, greens and a gorgeous lilac. All the colours are cleverly and carefully blended so any two colours will work well together. Check out the purple and orange I’ve used here. This yarn would be good for crochet scarves, hats and throws.

Buy direct from Doulton, visit the site here, or visit them at one of the many wool, yarn and craft events they attend around the UK. If you are into knitting they have a lovely collection of exclusive patterns and knitting kits. Buy here.....

My favourite yarn for summer scarves

I love soft drapey summer scarves, cover ups and shawls! Not only do they protect your arms and keep you warm on cool evenings they bring elegance to summer wedding outfits and a touch of class for summer parties. The choice of yarn is critical to the finish you want so I choose with care. Here are my favourites. All my choices of my favourite yarns for summer scarves are cottons and cotton blends. Cotton is soft and cool and generally is easy care. The combination of cotton with other yarns, brings in other elements, whether you add it yourself or the blend is part of the yarn you use, such as warmth, softness, stretch and an easier more satisfying yarn to work with.

Who couldn’t love a cotton cashmere blend?  Soft 90% cotton and 10% cashmere Louisa Harding Azalea comes in a choice of subtle colours. Azalea has an elegant drape effect which you can see in the zig zag scarf I made. Azalea is perfect for beautiful warm weather knits and stunning shawls. As you would expect from a cotton yarn, it has fantastic stitch definition.  Lovely on its own I used with another cotton yarn Toscana my number 2 favourite.

Sirdar Toscana Strong is a cool silky blended yarn perfect for summer crochet projects. Strong and firm I used it for a gorgeous summer crochet cover up. Toscana is 100% cotton and machine washable. I love the very subtle colour effects of Toscana, it comes in a pale teal purple, a cream coral blend, a blue/grey blend, a very pretty red/teal/red,  cream/sea green, pale orange/red and a cream/lavender blend.

My number 3 favourite yarn for summer scarves and shawls is Drops cotton merino, blended with merino wool this light yarn combines the cool soft strength of cotton with the soft warmth of merino wool. in 50gm balls and 29 lovely shades, I love the cerise and powder pink which would make a lovely soft, warm scarf and the mustard yellow would work well with coral.

Debbie Bliss Summer Tweed is sold as DK (light worsted) but it feels more like a 4 ply to me. It comes in a lovely range of beautifully blended colours from violet, daisy, poppy, rose, begonia, marigold, honeysuckle and petal. I used honeysuckle for my summer shawl. The yarn has slubs which makes for a more interesting finish and gives an extra level of interest.

Debbie Bliss Eco baby is a Fair trade yarn and 100% organic cotton, perfect for anyone with allergies. The dye colours are non allergenic and non toxic, considering all of this it is well priced and perfect for delicate baby skins. However I love it for lacy shawls.

Rowan hand knit cotton in 50gm balls is 100% cotton and comes in fabulous range of colours its washable. This 100% cotton is a wonderful, soft yarn perfect for light, summery projects. It has great stitch definition perfectly. It is also available in a bright and pretty colour palette.

Crochet on the go

If like me you can’t go anywhere without a ball of yarn and a crochet hook, crochet on the go is a must but what to make and what to take?

Your project on the go has to be simple and easy to make without lots of different yarns and complicated patterns. Here’s what I do when travelling and crocheting, usually in a car, on a train and sometimes on a bus! I hope it helps!

1. Have one specific crochet project for making on the go, one that you can finish off later at home
2. Sometimes I simply make motifs using up yarn scraps and decide later what to use them for. I keep the yarn scraps in a large plastic container
3. Take a net bag to keep your work protected and so you can see what’s inside to make finding a specific yarn, motif or hook easier
4. Take a notepad and pen to keep track of where you are in a pattern and for the ideas and inspiration you have along the way
5. The obvious choice for a project on the go is motifs they are usually small and easily transported. They also have the benefit of been quick to complete, making them perfect for shorter journeys or on the way to and from work
6. Make sure your projects on the go are simple travelling can be full of distractions!
7. If you are using large balls of yarn rewind to make smaller ones so they are easier to transport
8. If you are making a garment just take one part to make, such as the front or back
9. You can also consider making a project with finer yarns, these are lighter and usually smaller to transport
10. Take along, as well as your yarn and crochet hook, scissors, darning needle (threaded through a piece of paper), small tape measure or folding ruler, the part of the pattern you need (photocopy to make it easier) and spare hook

Shell Motif Scarf

Who doesn’t love a wrap around crochet scarf or shawl? This elegant design combines practical use and beauty and the finished project can be used either as a shawl or a scarf. Based on a fan shape the design uses a motif with a simple filler based on the main motif. Once you have mastered the main motif the project will be easy for you to complete and it grows quickly. Make the scarf as big or as small as you want by adding or reducing the number of motifs.

To make this special scarf I used Sirdar No 1 DK 50% Acrylic which is soft and has a lovely sheen.  Sirdar No. 1 is made up of 50% Nylon 230m/251 yards it comes in 100gm balls and it goes a long way! If you use an alternative yarn check your tension against the instructions in the pattern. I used one colour to create a harmonious look. Teal one of my all time favourite colours but I think the scarf would look lovely in cream or black.

The shawl design is an open design perfect for cooler summer evenings with pretty fillers finished with a row of generous tassels. I designed the motifs so the centre is raised giving it extra depth. The motifs are made row on row with extra motifs added down the sides at an angle to balance the finished scarf. Grab the pattern here.....

Sirdar Toscana Yarn Review

Strong cool and silky Sirdar Toscana yarn is perfect for summer crochet projects. Strong and firm I used it for place mats and for a gorgeous summer crochet cover up. Toscana is 100% cotton and machine washable. 50grm balls make 212m/232yds, using a 3.50mm or 4mm crochet hook.

I love the very subtle colour effects of Toscana, described as a blend it’s very subtle with only slight changes in colour. It comes in Val d’orcia a pale teal purple, Arezzo is a cream coral blend and this is the colour option I used for my summer wedding cover up.  Siena is a blue/grey blend and Orbetello is a very pretty red/teal/red, much subtler than it sounds. Tropica is cream/sea green, Firenze is pale orange/red and Ravello is cream/lavender blend. Porto Azurro is a teal/cream blend.

I’ve also used Toscana to make a crochet teddy and I think it would be perfect for crochet bags, giving a strong rigid structure to crochet toes and holdalls. 

My favourite crochet Stitches and what I use them for

Do you have favourite stitches, ones you love to make and love the look they create? In this blog I'm talking about my favourite crochet stitches and what I use them for. When I first started to crochet I dreaded finding patterns I liked that included picot stitches, made by creating a small ring in chains worked usually in the middle of your work! I struggled to make them look good; they were either too slack or too tight. Now I love them. Take a simple net pattern and add a few picots and you create something much finer than plain crochet net. Picots are easier to make if you make your stitches not too tight. I also love picots added to edgings. If your edging has a rise and fall add the picot to the rise.

Child's crochet jacket

Chio
 Another stitch I was not keen on when I first started to crochet was popcorn stitch, made by joining the first stitch to the last stitch of q group of trebles (double crochets) shells.  I think the problem I had was my tension was too slack producing a large loop at the top of the popcorn that did not look good! With practice popcorn stitches are now another favourite of mine. They look lovely used in baby blankets and add a warm texture to women’s crochet scarves.

Front row posts made usually with trebles (double crochets) produce crochet that looks like knitted ribbing and create a very pretty reversible fabric, thicker and more rigid than usual crochet. Front row posts are worked around the stem of the stitch on the row below the one you are working on. This creates the perfect stitch for bags and crochet cushions.

Slip stitch is almost the forgotten crochet stitch used often to join rows together, particularly in older crochet patterns. Used on its own slip stitch can create lovely effects and are very simple to stitch. I use slip stitches to join motifs together and to create edgings for table runners and throws. Add a chain between your slip stitches on an edging to make a very pretty frilly edging.

My all time favourite stitch is the half treble (half double crochet) in a similar way to slip stitches the half treble was (in early patterns) used as a transitional stitch. On large shells half trebles (half double crochets) were used to move the work along from a dc (single crochet) to a treble (double crochet) without too large a leap. Now they have come into their own and they appear in many modern patterns. This stitch has the benefit that it grows quickly and creates a lovely top ridged effect. It’s the perfect stitch to use in plain patterns to produce something that looks classy. I use the half treble in my cluster scarf, basket and rug.

Working in back loops is not really a stitch it’s more of a technique, but is something I use a lot. It creates a gorgeous ridge which makes the base of crochet baskets look amazing.

Square motif Poncho blog

Violet/purple is the colour for 2018 so I decided to choose it for something a little bit special! Poncho’s can be tricky to make with different shapings and joinings. By making this crochet poncho based on a pretty motif, it’s much easier to put together and gives you the flexibility to change the size of your poncho so you can easily make it any size you like, by adding or taking out motifs. Using  the plan provided with the pattern it will be easy to do this. Remember to keep a check on the size of the neck opening. Make for yourself or make a smaller version smaller for a child.

The motif in this pattern is not the traditional granny square; I’ve added some popcorns to give the poncho more texture and interest. This design is quick to make with an easy repetitive pattern. If you are a crocheterer who want an easy relaxing pattern with clear instructions, then this one is for you!
Make this lovely lighter weight poncho for yourself or as a gift.

If you want a chunkier poncho use a chunky or Arran weight yarn and make fewer motifs. The pattern includes a plan and an image file with tutorials to help you make your poncho. When finished block your motifs to square them off. A pretty tassel edging around the bottom and a generous loop stitch border around the top have big impact and make this an interesting crochet project to make.

The lovely thing about this poncho design is once you have made a couple of motifs you can use them to make other things such as a baby blanket, throw or table runner. Find the pattern here.....
This pattern suitable for beginners to crochet

Tapestry Style Crochet Cushion with Large Squares

Designing and creating beautiful crochet designs that are simple and rewarding to make is my life’s work! This cushion designed in 2018 is a modern contemporary design and the large squares and blocks of colour have big impact.

My inspiration was the wonderful Aztec tapestry design bags created by South American crocheters. While tapestry crochet has been around for a while these crocheters have taken it to a whole new world of possibilities. Tapestry crochet is very simple to make and can be used to create elaborate designs and pictures.

I used two toning colours for the design I created the cushion so the colour changes are easy. Make it in black and white for a very contemporary design perfect for a modern home. The design uses only double crochet (single crochet) stitches so is very easy to make, once you have mastered how to change colours and the pattern include a tutorial on how to do this.

Make the cushion bigger by adding more blocks widthways or lengthways, just keep your proportions OK and the design would make a lovely floor cushion with six blocks square. As with all designs change the colours you change the look of your project completely.

I added a checkerboard effect border to add interest and to make the main design stand out as if framed. Full instructions included in the pattern. Grab the pattern here.....