We all have items lurking in our wardrobe that we don’t wear any more, but can’t bear to throw away. Cardigans with a frayed cuff, a tear in the fabric of a favourite dress or a hole in the elbow of our snuggliest jumper. Instead of letting these much loved items languish in your wardrobe why not try revamping them? With a little imagination and … Continue reading Make It and Mend It
Just in time for Valentine’s day I’ve released my little Heart Pops pattern. These simple little hearts are very quick to make and look fabulous strung as a garland or made into wall hangings. Some of you might recognise them as part of a feature I wrote for Issue 64 of Inside Crochet in 2015. You can use any yarn for these. I’ve suggested double … Continue reading Heart Pops for Valentines
My new book “200 More Crochet Stitches” will be published in the UK on January 15th. I will be selling signed copies via my Etsy shop, if you would like me to let you know when these re available, just send me an email or contact me on Instagram. This book is also available in America with the title “The Step by Step Guide to … Continue reading Book News
So, while I’ve been hooking up stars, holly and garlands a whole gang of crochet designers have been sharing their makes too. So, as I wrap up my blog until the New Year for my annual social media break here’s my round up of some great patterns you can find right now: I am definitely making a few of these cracker hats by Emily. They … Continue reading The Best of the Rest
I love sprouts. Boiled, sauted with chesnuts and bacon, fried leftovers, even shredded in salads. I just can’t resist them. Now I have “sprouts a la crochet”! This garland is hanging in my kitchen, strung with lights and making me smile. It might be the ultimate in kitsch, but I love it! These little sprouts are easy to make. I used DK cotton and a … Continue reading Sprouts!
Another one of my very early designs for Inside Crochet, these felted baubles have become a Christmas tradition. I love to find new ways to decorate them. Hand stitched with beads or covered in sequins, they always look spectacular. Remember to use a natural fibre such as wool or mohair, not a superwash wool or they won’t felt. Of course, you can make the same … Continue reading Felted Baubles
Years ago, when I designed these decorations for Craftseller, hardly anyone had heard of Hygge, and the Scandi phenomenon was still a twinkle in Instagram’s eye! But, I loved the simple colours and decoration and was very happy that they re-appeared the next year in a different magazine (same publisher) where they were declared “on trend” – probably the first – and only time I’ve … Continue reading Scandi Baubles
Here’s another little free pattern for you. These Mistletoe leaves look lovely hung in bunches or used to decorate a wreath. You can even sew them onto brooch pins and wear them all through the festive season. Here’s the link to my 2016 post, where I showed readers how to crochet mistletoe. Continue reading Mistletoe
I have a soft spot for these. Not only so they look impossibly cute, they were one of the first of my patterns to be published in Inside Crochet back in 2012. They look very pretty strung with ribbon and hung on a tree, but they will also fit a newborn. You can buy the pattern on Ravelry, or hop over to Love Crochet, where … Continue reading Cute Little Booties
Type the words “crochet Christmas pudding” into any search engine and you’ll pull up thousands of photographs and ideas! Over the years I’ve come up with several ideas and often my favourites are the simplest. A combination of cream and brown wool, topped with a few red beads or sequins and some green leaves can give you several options. Tiny puddings look so cute strung … Continue reading Christmas Puddings
Welcome back! I’ve just opened Day 4 of my advent calendar and I’m starting to feel very festive. It won’t belong before I succumb to the charms of a gingerbread latte and curl up on the sofa to watch Elf (the best Christmas film ever – except for Die Hard of course!!!) Inspired by Elf and in an attempt to bring some more traditional colour … Continue reading Jingle All the Way
Yes, eagle eyed readers have seen this wreath before, especially when Simply Crochet magazine featured it on the front cover of the Crochet Christmas collection in 2016. I just love these bright colours! This pattern can be bought from Ravelry or for the special price of £1.00 plus VAT on Love Crochet. You can choose to follow my bright colour palette or stick to more … Continue reading A Bright Bauble Christmas
