It’s funny how those oft repeated saying from our childhood stay with us. I was reminded of after my swim this morning, struggling to fasten straps and pull jeans over hips in a chilly wind! It’s the time of year when my hats, scarves and gloves sit in higgledy piggledy mountains by the door, ready to be pulled on every time I leave the house. … Continue reading Cold Hands, Warm Heart
From this month, all my favourite crochet and knitting designs are available to buy as ad free pdfs on the Payhip platform. This is the simplest and most straightforward way to buy my patterns and you’ll find a great selection of designs for adults and children. Every pattern is priced at £2.00 until Christmas, so if you’re looking for some gift inspiration, this is the … Continue reading Buy My Patterns on Payhip
This week’s Friday Free Pattern is a day early because I’m busy packing for a much needed holiday! This is your last chance to pick this knitted cowl pattern up for free. When I get back it’s going up for sale on my Love Crafts profile. You can find the blog post with all the instructions by clicking here. Get it while you can knitters … Continue reading Free Pattern – But Not for Much Longer
The Colour Pop Cowl appeared in Issue 125 of Inside Crochet magazine and you can now download the pattern for free via Eden Cottage Yarns. Victoria and her team have also put together colour kits for this design. It may be too early to mention the “C” word – but this would make an ideal gift for crocheting friends and family. The motif cowl is … Continue reading Free Pattern: Colour Pop Cowl
Well, it’s been quite a year – and it isn’t over yet – but I have started to make plans for 2021 and I’m very pleased that Learn to Crochet Workshops are back! All the workshops listed here will run in Cumbria, in a beautiful venue close to the M6 (transport can also be arranged from Penrith and Carlisle railway stations if necessary). In addition … Continue reading Workshops are Back
Due to the continued ill health of my husband I am no longer undertaking design commissions, book or product reviews. Comments, emails and enquiries related to Granny Cool Crochet or my books will be answered as and when I can. Please accept my apologies for delayed responses to enquiries. I hope you will all understand my priority at this time has to be my family. … Continue reading On Sabbatical
Happy February. In a spirit of joy and optimism and I am declaring this the month of crochet hearts and flowers! This is the month when the garden slowly bursts back into life, with bulbs appearing and shoots making their way through the chilly soil to promise colour and joy all through summer! For me this is a month definied by friendship and (of course) … Continue reading Hearts and Flowers
Well I’m back – with many apologies and few excuses! We finally moved house in December and I’m slowly unpacking, getting used to my new surroundings and writing exceptionally long “to do” lists! High on the list for some time has been “get back on the blog”, but it always seems to fall below “get out and meet people” or “explore the footpath by the … Continue reading Why Blocking Matters
This garland might be a little bit brighter than my usual makes – but with Easter almost upon us I couldn’t resist adding a bit of whimsy to my kitchen shelves! The carrots are made using the chilli pattern (which is free on Love Crochet) I used to make this garland for Love Crochet magazine way back in 2014. I’ve given instructions for the daisy … Continue reading Easter Garland
Well hello – and thanks for stopping by! I want to introduce you to Sofia and Sparkles. Sparkles the mouse made her debut on Instagram before Christmas, but it’s taken me three months to write up and check the pattern, meanwhile she was joined by Sofia, a little bunny with an impossibly cute pom pom tail! There will be a wardrobe of clothes for these … Continue reading Sofia and Sparkles
Hello Little Mouse! I make no apologies for my current obsession with tiny cute things – making them is a joy – and being able to make something so quickly is definitely a bonus! These little mice started life as a sample for a Learn to Crochet Class, I quickly realised that others might fall in love with them too. They’re much cuter than the … Continue reading Free Pattern: Wee Mousie
This week I have a new knitting book recommendation for you. Written by Emma Osmond, this is a fresh, modern take on the perennial stash knitting theme (and let’s face it, most knitters and crocheters have a sizeable stash of yarn bought for projects we never completed or simply loved too much to leave on the shelf). The projects are mostly simple, knitted in beautiful … Continue reading Review – Weekend Makes: Stash Knitting
