Okay, not to alarm anyone but there are only 95 days now until Christmas – and in crafting circles it potentially becomes that time to crochet faster!
I personally ADORE crocheting Christmas ornaments and decorations, it’s one of my favourite seasons and I think it’s a lovely way to begin to get into the festive spirit. Plus they also make fab little gifts – and I’ve got just such a pattern in the latest issue of Crochet Now magazine.
A little, scandi style, Pretty Poinsettia Gnome! Adorned with a traditional wintry flower, I think this little gnome would make the perfect stocking filler for your loved ones this Christmas.
I used Ricorumi DK for my gnome which is a favourite yarn of mine to use for amigurumi. If you are not familiar with this yarn it is a DK weight 100% cotton, specially developed for crocheting cute amigurumi characters. It comes in cute 25g (57.5m) balls which makes it perfect for little amigurumi projects such as this one.
If you were looking for some for your stash Deramores currently has a special offer on for 5% discount if you buy 5 balls, 10% discount if you buy 10 balls – and as it’s only £0.99p per ball it’s not going to break the bank. And there’s also a special offer to September (until 26 Sept) for £5 off when you spend £30+ with the code 5tash with free shipping on orders of over £28.
Traditionally gnomes are known as symbols of good luck, dating back to when gnomes were believed to be household spirits responsible for the care and prosperity of the family, so a great addition to your house. My finished gnome is 20cm tall (from tip of the hat to the bottom) so perfect as a little ornament for a shelf or desk during the holiday season.
I honestly had so much fun creating this little guy that I’m thinking that he might need some seasonal buddies; for Spring, Summer and Autumn! So watch this space…
Issue 73 of Crochet Now magazine is packed with 41 seasonal patterns that you’ll love in a 100 page magazine – you can just see my little gnome on the bottom of the front cover (so exciting!).
It’s available to buy from your local supermarket and some newsagents or you can grab a digital version from www.craftstash.co.uk/books-magazines
If you hook up the Poinsettia Gnome I hope you’ll share your photos with me on social media (facebook, twitter or instagram) or as a project on Ravelry – I love to see what you make!
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected, thank you for your support.
Although we’ve been enjoying some sunny days, we all know that sweater weather and the time of woolly goodness is not far away (yay!). The October 2021 issue of I Like Crochet magazine is out now to help you prepare, get inspired and enjoy everything the autumn weather has to offer (and to look good while doing it).
And I’ve got TWO brand new designs in this issue, allow me first to to introduce the Evie Pom Hat!
Spice up your autumn-winter wardrobe with an ultra cosy cabled hat topped with a playful pom pom! The Evie Pom Hat is a super fun design that places with texture to create something that keeps your ears nice and toasty as the days turn cooler.
Now hats aren’t a norm for me, but sometimes I really want to make something quick and satisfying and a hat project definitely ticks those boxes – combine it with a heavier yarn weight and some texture and it’s a project made in heaven!
I used Stylecraft Special Aran in Pale Rose (shade 1080), which is a 100% acrylic yarn ( 214 yards [196 meters]/100 grams), and a 5mm hook (US H/8) hook for my hat and 1 ball was more than enough for the hat, with some left over.
I used some interchangeable pom poms to make the hat really customisable, to link with project I chose a baby pink colour and a beige husky faux fur. I can defiantly recommend this Etsy shop here (called Cowling Country Crafts) – the pom poms are really lovely, well made, and come with a big press stud on so you can change the pom pom colour on your hat to update the look!
The second design in this issue is called the Cherie Plaid Wrap which is a shawl for when granny squares meet plaid! It’s a lovely modern oversized wrap that’s as cosy as if you are snuggling in a blanket.
The pattern is designed for advanced beginners who want to take their granny square skills further with a bit of colour changing. The plaid design, which screams cosy, winter-y vibes, is created with strategically placed motifs, joined together with a fringe on either end to finish it off.
The pink and grey colour palette was created with more Stylecraft Special Aran in five different shades (Pale Rose: shade 1080), Graphite: shade 1063, Silver: shade 1203, White: shade 1001 and Mushroom: shade1832) again using a 5mm hook (US H/8) hook.
Lovely and versatile the Cheri Wrap is great for getting cosy on a chilly day, just throw it over yourself like a blanket, letting it cover your shoulders and arms, you have a eye-catching look that’s a winter winner!
As well as my hat and wrap the October 2021 edition features loads of lovely seasonal patterns (I might have bookmarked the Coletta Cardigan by Nazanin Fard!) and a range of interesting articles. If you SUBSCRIBEyou can get the magazine straight to your desktop or iPad as well as access to lots of other extra crochet bonus material.
If the magazine is something that interests you I Like Crochetcurrently have a special introductory charter membership where you will receive a full year of the digitalI Like CrochetMagazine, instant access to their pattern collections (that includes never-before-seen patterns!), and get FREE access to their pattern library that includes every single issue that they have ever published! (That’s 7 years of crochet with more than 45 issues and 700+ designer patterns… for free!) Plus, subscribers who join now will also receive two FREE streaming crochet videos: Back to Basics: 11 Essential Techniques and Stitches for Every Crocheter and Crochet Secrets Revealed: 12 Tutorials by Michael Sellick.
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected. You can read more about my affiliate links here.
I was delighted to be asked recently, by Simply Crochet magazine, if I wanted to talk about crochet-a-longs for an article they were putting together for issue 114.
If you are new to crochet, a crochet-a-long, or CAL, might be a unfamiliar term; well a crochet along is usually a project where the pattern is released in stages so that people can crochet along the individual parts at the same time.
Blankets are often featured, though it could be anything from a shawl to a cushion, though there are many projects out there for amigurumi fans too. Anything where the crochet community can come together and work in tandem can become a wonderful CAL project.
I’m not going to go into everything I talk about (on pages 65 – 66!) because I’ll let you read it yourself – there are also many other wonderful designers that talk about their CALs too.
I did think however that it might be a really nice opportunity to talk about what I like about CALs and I’d love to know your thoughts about them too!
I’ve been running a variety of CALs since 2015, although I had a little break in 2019 / 20, there’s pretty much been something for us to crochet together for the last 5 years – which seems crazy when I stop to think about it! And I know I’m certainly not through with CALs just yet…
Everything is Cool and Groovyghan – KCACOUK Crochet-along 2016
Without a doubt my favourite things about CALs are how social it feels, I get such a lovely sense of the crochet community when everyone is working on the same pattern together. I am totally astounded and grateful of the camaraderie of the thousands of participants world wide that have joined in with the various CALs.
As a designer I love getting engrossed in a big design idea and seeing it through from concept to finished tested design. Over the years, I’ve been getting steadily more adventurous with my designs which I hope you will enjoy!
Filet Fantastic – KCACOUK Crochet-a-long 2021
So I’d love to hear your thoughts!
What are your favourite types of CALs; blankets, shawls, cushions, amigurumi?
How long do you like them to be? 12 weeks, 8 weeks, 4 weeks?
Do you like them to be a mystery or do you like to see the finished design?
Do you like to have a yarn kit available? Or do you like stash busters?
What are the best bits you’ve experienced with a CAL?
Is there something you’d love in terms of a future CAL?
Stitch Story – KCACOUK Crochet-a-long 2018
There’s absolutely loads of different CALs out there, many are free, or even are run in parts in your favourite magazines. They also often start at different times of the year so you should always be able to find one for your next project.
And of course you don’t have to do the CAL when it’s running if you have other things you need to do, you can always save it until later to work on it at your own pace. And if you are looking for a new project all of my CALs are free here on the blog and you can find the links to them here (or under the CALs and MALs page on the top menu).
And is there going to be a new CAL next year from me? Well watch this space…
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected, thank you for your support.
We have now reached the finale of our four week crochet-along. We can now see in our sights the end of the harvest as we draw into September and we can enjoy a final crochet community celebration as we finish our Lammas Day shawls.
Although we are on the last part of our CAL, if you are joining in at a later date you can find all the information you need on the CAL landing page where all the CAL posts are one place. If you want to join in the CAL using the same yarn I did I have put together a list of stockists on a previous post.
During the duration of the CAL this pattern will be released part by part here on the blog, after the full CAL has finished there will be a FREE PDF ebooklet available on the Anchor Crafts website (link below).
This week we will continue our decreases as we till the earth by harrowing and ploughing the fields we have sown, and gather together in the abundance of the harvest. We will have a bit of crochet heritage with the familiar treble cluster (as seen in a traditional granny square) and think of our cluster of stitches as also representing a time where every available man, woman and child, was needed to get the crops in.
Lammas Day CAL: Part 4 – Bringing in the Wheat
Yarn: Anchor Organic Cotton (4ply)
The amount listed below is the amount required to make the whole Lammas Day Shawl
5 x 50g / 125 m Organic Cotton: 00105 (Natural) – YARN A
1 x 50g / 125 m Organic Cotton: 00178 (Sunflower) – YARN B
2 x 50g / 125 m Organic Cotton: 00103 (Rocky Orange) – YARN C
2 x 50g / 125 m Organic Cotton: 00338 (Red Dunes) – YARN D
1 x 50g / 125 m Organic Cotton: 00038 (Earthy Brown) – YARN E
Hook: You will need a 3.75mm (US size F/5) for this shawl. I have hooks, and other useful crochet tools, linked in my Amazon Store if this is something you need.
Gauge: 5htr = 2.5cm (1inch). Gauge is not critical for this design, with each part I will provide the size of my work. If your gauge does not meet mine it will just mean you will end up with a bigger or smaller shawl and will possibly use more or less yarn than quoted as a consequence. If you wish to match my gauge you might try going up a hook size if your tension is quite tight, or going down a hook size if your tension is looser.
Finished Size:
If you need a reminder of the shawl schematic you can find it on the CAL Planning post.
The pattern below is in UK Terms:
ABBREVIATIONS
RS Right Side
cm Centimetre
ch Chain
sp Space
st(s) Stitch(es)
STITCH GUIDANCE
Half Treble (htr): Yarn over, insert hook in indicated st and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, pull through all three loops on hook.
Treble (tr): Yarn over, insert hook in indicated st and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, pull through two loops, yarn over, pull through remaining two loops on hook.
Spike Stitch(SPtr): A Spike treble st is a treble in the stitch directly in the row below; yarn over, insert hook in top of the stitch 1 row below, yarn over, pull to height of working row, (three loops on hook), complete treble stitch as normal (e.g. yarn over, pull through 2 loops, yarn over, pull through two loops).
Double Treble (dtr): Yarn over hook (twice), insert hook in indicated st and pull up a loop (four loops on hook), Yarn over, pull yarn through two loops on hook (three loops remain on hook). Yarn over, pull yarn through two loops on hook (two loops remain on hook). Yarn over, pull through remaining two loops on hook.
PATTERN NOTES
This pattern is for a triangular shawl that starts from one point and grows with each row; increases are made on one side only.
Add a stitch marker on the increase side, moving it onto the row as you work to help mark increase side.
You may also find it useful to add a stitch marker in the first stitch and the last stitch of each row.
Check stitch counts at the end of each row to keep on track
Keep any turning chains on the start of each row fairly loose so it doesn’t pull your work too tightly
CHART STITCH LEGEND
PATTERN – PART 3
Attach YARN A to the top of the firstst of row 97 worked of part 2;
Notes:
The ch1 at the start of each row does not count as a st.
Work the SPtr’s into the middle tr of the 3tr’s of the previous row;
Attach YARN A to the top of the last st worked of Part 3;
Row 134: (RS): Starting with a decrease;Ch1, 1htr in the first st, htr2tog, 1htr in each st across, turn. 59sts
Row 135: Ch1, 1htr in each st until the last 3sts, htr2tog, 1htr in the last st, turn. 58sts
Row 136: Ch1, 1htr in the first st, htr2tog, 1htr in each st across, turn. 57sts
Fasten off YARN A and weave in ends; attach YARN E to the top of the last st worked;
Row 137: Ch1, 1htr in the next 2st, SPtr in the next st, (1htr in 3sts, SPtr in the next st), repeat eleven more times across the row, 1htr in the next 3sts, htr2tog, 1htr in the last st, turn. 56sts
Fasten off YARN E and weave in ends. Attach YARN A to the top of the last st worked;
Row 140: Ch1, 1htr in the next st, htr2tog, 1htr in the next 2sts, SPtr in the next st, (1htr in 3sts, SPtr in the next st), repeat ten more times across the row, 1htr in the last 4sts, turn. 53sts
Fasten off YARN A and weave in ends. Attach YARN E to the top of the last st worked;
Row 143: Ch1, 1htr in the next 2st, SPtr in the next st, (1htr in 3sts, SPtr in the next st), repeat ten more times across the row, 1htr in the next st, htr2tog, 1htr in the last st, turn. 50sts
Fasten off YARN E and weave in ends. Attach YARN A to the top of the last st worked;
Row 146: Ch1, 1htr in the next st, htr2tog, SPtr in the next st, (1htr in 3sts, SPtr in the next st), repeat nine more times across the row, 1htr in the last 4sts, turn. 47sts
Fasten off YARN A and weave in ends. Attach YARN E to the top of the last st worked;
Row 149: Ch1, 1htr in the next 2st, SPtr in the next st, (1htr in 3sts, SPtr in the next st), repeat eight more times across the row, 1htr in the next 3sts, htr2tog, 1htr in the last st, turn. 44sts
Fasten off YARN E and weave in ends. Attach YARN A to the top of the last st worked;
Row 152: Ch1, 1htr in the next st, htr2tog, 1htr in the next 2sts, SPtr in the next st, (1htr in 3sts, SPtr in the next st), repeat seven more times across the row, 1htr in the last 4sts, turn. 41sts
Please note in the chart below there are more repeats than shown:
Attach YARN E to the top of the last st worked;
The next panel of the shawl will be worked in a repeating two row stitch pattern. The ch4 in the pattern counts as a dtr;
Row 155: Ch4, 1dtr in the next st, miss next st, (3dtr in the next st, miss 2sts) repeat nine more times across the row, 3dtr in the next st, miss the next st, 1dtr in the next st, dtr2tog, 1dtr in the last st, turn. 38sts
Row 156: Ch1, 1tr in the next st, tr2tog, (3tr in the sp before the 3dtr’s of the previous row) repeat nine more times across the row, 1tr in the last 2sts, turn. 37sts
Row 157: Ch4, (3dtr in the sp before the 3tr’s of the previous row) repeat ten more times across the row, dtr2tog, 1dtr in the last st, turn. 36sts
Row 158: Ch1, 1tr in the next st, tr2tog, (3tr in the sp after the 3dtr’s of the previous row) repeat nine more times across the row, 3tr in the last st, turn. 35sts
Row 159: Ch4, 1dtr in the next st, (3dtr in the sp between the 3tr’s of the previous row) repeat nine more times across the row, dtr2tog, 1dtr in the last st, turn. 34sts
Row 160: Ch1, 1tr in the next st, tr2tog, (3tr in the sp after the 3dtr’s of the previous row) repeat nine more times across the row, 1tr in the last st, turn. 33sts
Row 161: Ch4, (3dtr in the sp after the 3tr’s of the previous row) repeat nine more times across the row, dtr2tog, turn. 32sts
Row 162: Ch1, 1tr in the next st, tr2tog, (3tr in the sp between the 3dtr’s of the previous row) repeat eight more times across the row, 1tr in the last 2sts, turn. 31sts
Fasten off YARN D and weave in ends
Attach YARN A to the top of the last st worked;
Row 163: Ch1, 1htr in each st until the last 3sts, htr2tog, 1htr in the last st, turn. 30sts
Row 164: Ch1, 1htr in the first st, htr2tog, 1htr in each st across, turn. 29sts
Rows 165 – 189: Repeat rows 163 – 164, turn. 4sts
Row 190: Ch1, 1htr in the first st, htr2tog, 1htr in the next st, turn. 3sts
Row 191: Ch1, dc3tog. 1st
Fasten off with a sl st, weave in all ends.
Video Tutorial:
Click on the image below to be taken to a helpful video tutorial for this section …
The design of this wrap will benefit from being wet blocked;
Completely soak your item in cold water then gently squeeze (without wringing it) out some of the excess water.
Using your tape measure and pins carefully pin your item on your blocking board
Double check your measurements if necessary (e.g. check the height and width are correct)
Leave to dry completely over 24 hours, and then unpin.
If you were wondering what I use to block my shawls I use this simple foam playmats to pin my shawls down, I swear by these Knitpro blockers and I also use these T-pins for lacy bits and corner points.
Written Pattern Link:
Now that we are on the last part of the CAL a PDF document of the pattern has been put together by Anchor Yarns which you can find as a free download on their website here.
And that’s it!
Your shawl is now finished! Maybe to celebrate you can go break bread somewhere nice wearing your new shawl.
Support:
You can still get support if needed via the following links:
The hashtags for this CAL are #LammasDayCAL #proud2craft #anchorcrafting and #kcacouk for Twitter and Instagram. We would also love it if you can tag KCACO.UK and AnchorCrafting on Instagram so we don’t miss your posts!
You can also join in with any progress photos by linking your projects on your favourite social media sites: Ravelry, Facebook page or Facebook group and Pinterest; re-pin from this board here.
Thank you for crocheting along with me – I can’t wait to see your finished shawls.
Until next time; keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected. You can read more about my affiliate links here.
