Peppermint Pageant MAL Announcement

Posted in Collaboration, Crochet by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

I’m super excited to be joining forces again with lovely and talented yarn dyer Kitey, aka The Yarn Whisperer, for our fifth collaboration, to bring you a brand new winter make-along.

Imagine, it’s the betwixmas period, you’re not quite sure what day it might be but you feel a sense of calm in the air after the wonderful madness of Christmas. Now it’s time to schedule a few moments just for YOU! It’s a time to indulge in those Christmas treats, to not get dressed if you don’t want to, to find the best trashy TV you can or put on your favourite movie – and of course settle in with a brand new crochet project with some lovely handyed yarn.

Join us in creating magical memories as we saunter into the Peppermint Pageant MAL. Together we will fashion a lovely seasonal heirloom ready to gift or to bring out each year and enjoy in your own home.

If you are not sure what a MAL is, you can read more on the MAL landing page here, but Kitey and I have actually had this planned since for a while (and we may have already planned more projects right into 2024 – we do get a bit over excited when we start talking!)

This time around we are going to be making a stocking, which I’m not going to show you yet, and I’m not going to give away too much about the project, but what I will say is that I so pleased with how it’s turned out and can’t wait to share it with you!

An exclusive pattern and kit have been created for this extra special MAL. Kitey has worked his magic, as usual, to put together an amazingly special colourway and each kit will include:

1x 100g / 166m skein of 100% Superwash Merino Aran
2 x 50g / 83m of 100% Superwash Merino Aran yarn, in TWO exclusive hand-dyed colourways
A digital copy of the pattern (which will be sent to you 22^nd – 23rd December)
And a few extra, exclusive treats, just for good measure!

Pin this project for later:

Pre-ordered kits will be available for £44 + postage, and can be made on The Yarn Whisperer website from 10 am on Tuesday 1st November 2022.

AND if you order your kit in the first 24 hours you can enjoy a 10% Early Bird discount.

Kits will be dyed to order over the coming weeks, with generally a 1 week turn-around from order to shipping. But get in quick to ensure you get yours in plenty of time to crochet along with us!

Last International orders will be shipped by 18 November if ordered by 10 November. UK orders will continue to be shipped after this date, but ordering early ensures yours arrives in plenty of time to join us on 26 December 2022.

I’ve put together all the details for this particular MAL on a landing page which you can find here, or find via the top menu of this blog under the tab ‘CALS AND MALS’.

❤️ Add pattern to favourites on Ravelry ❤️

There will be support for the pattern as usual in my Facebook group; the KCACO-UK Crochet Community Group.

You can also pop in and join the Virtual Stitch-n-B*tch sessions hosted by Kitey – Wednesday evenings from 7pm, Friday’s from 5.20pm and Sunday’s from 5pm (see full details on Kitey’s Insta page). These sessions are a bit like going to a virtual knit and natter group, and everyone there is really lovely and helpful.

We look forward to you sharing your WIPs with us and we will be using hashtags #PeppermintPageantMAL #kcacouk and #yarnwhisperer if you want to tag us on socials – we love to see what you make.

We do hope that you will join both Kitey and I for this fun make-along – we can’t wait to see your wonderful new projects come to life!

Until next time folks! Happy hooking, keep calm and crochet on my friends xx

P.S. You may wish to sign up to the blog (or my newsletter) if you haven’t already, and The Yarn Whisperer newsletter so you’ll be the first to know any new collab updates!

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18Oct2021

Crochet Now Magazine | Christmas Pusheen & Friends

Posted in Crochet, Magazine, Pattern Release, Tah-Dah, Yarn by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

I’m super excited to tell you about the latest issue of Crochet Now magazine as it’s rather a special issue for me! Get set for a purr-fect Christmas with eight new festive Pusheen the Cat patterns in an exclusive 36 page supplement available with Issue 74.

© Crochet NOW magazine – Supplement available with Issue 74

You may remember in December last year Crochet Now magazine featured a little Pusheen I’d designed in a wee Christmas hat. I was delighted to be given the opportunity to create some more of her iconic looks in crochet.

There’s eight new patterns altogether; Pusheen in a scarf and Christmas hat with her friend Sloth, and there’s also a large cookie for Pusheen to hold, a festive wreath, candy cane, large mitten and present, and a Christmas Hat (that fits Sloth) to help create your own Pusheen Xmas scene.

For Pusheen I used some of the same Ricorumi DK yarn ‘Pusheen’ shades I used before, bringing in some more colours like Candy Pink, Turquoise, Caramel and Chocolate, all with a 3mm hook, for a lovely wintery palette.

If you are not familiar with Ricorumi DK yarn I can definitely recommend. It’s some of my favourite yarn to work with and it comes in the cutest 25g (57.5m) balls which is perfect for making these little multicoloured amigurumi characters.

❤️ SAVE PUSHEEN ON RAVELRY ❤️

I’ve actually got another pattern in this issue, you may remember Alina the Ballerina from an issue of the January issue of Your Crochet and Knitting magazine. Well in Issue 74 there’s another chance to make your hooks dance to make up this cute dancing doll.

This elegant doll is dressed to perform in her ballet slippers and tutu and is ready to twirl away to the music! This Alina has been made with Cascade 220 Superwash yarn, which is a DK yarn available in 101 different colours with a 3.5mm hook. She would make the perfect gift for any little girl who loves to dance!

❤️ SAVE ALINA THE BALLERINA ON RAVELRY ❤️

Issue 74 is available to buy from your local supermarket or you can grab a digital version from www.craftstash.co.uk/books-magazines

If you make up any of the Pusheen patterns, or Alina the Ballerina, I hope you’ll share any finished photos with me on social media (facebook, twitter or instagram) or as a project on Ravelry – I love to see what you make! And finally you may wish to make sure you are signed up to blog (below) and / or my mailing list to get a reminder when new blog posts, discounts or new pattern releases are available.

Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx

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3Dec2020

Crochet Now Magazine | Wreaths, Stockings and Pusheen!

Posted in Crochet, Magazine, Pattern Release, Tah-Dah, Yarn by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

Sometimes when you do work for magazines designs get shuffled round to fit a particular issue and that’s happened to me just recently and has meant I actually have THREE designs in the latest edition of Crochet Now magazine.

Crochet Now magazine cover of Issue 62 — © Crochet NOW magazine – Issue 62

You might just be able to spy one of them on the bottom of the cover of Issue 62 – it’s Pusheen! If you aren’t familiar with Pusheen she’s a tubby little kitty that was created back in 2010 as a comic strip and has since taken the world by storm in sticker sets on social media platforms.

We are big fans of Pusheen in this house so I was delighted to be given the opportunity to create her in crochet. As it was for a festive issue of the magazine I even got to give her a teeny tiny Christmas hat!

Crocheted version of Pusheen the cat in a festive scene wearing a tiny Santa hat — © Crochet NOW magazine – Issue 62

For Pusheen I used some of my favourite Ricorumi DK yarn with a 3mm hook which, as it has lots of colours to choose from, had the perfect ‘Pusheen’ type shades I was looking for.

I have to say I’ve seen some of the Pusheen’s you have been making from the magazine, from tags on social media, and it’s been an absolute delight! They have all turned out so cute! I hope you have enjoyed making her as much as I enjoyed designing her.

❤️ SAVE PUSHEEN ON RAVELRY ❤️

Issue 62 is all about getting your crochet hook moving and working on those last-minute gifts for friends and loved ones. There’s lots of quick gifts including a chunky stocking from me.

Chunky crocheted textured lilac Christmas stocking on a pink background — © Crochet NOW magazine – Issue 62

As it’s made with really thick yarn you can whip up this fabulously chunky stocking in no time. I used King Cole Timeless Super Chunky with a both a 8mm hook and a 9mm hook. The finished stocking works up at about 50cm long x 21cm wide so plenty of room to fit in presents!

❤️ SAVE SUGARPLUM STOCKING ON RAVELRY ❤️

Last but not least I have a wreath pattern in Issue 62. Have you ever crocheted around wire? Well for the Frosted Flowers Wreath that’s what I did to create a delicate wreath which you could have to suit your own home decor this Christmas.

To create the flowers I used DMC Natura Just Cotton with a 3mm hook and some florist (or it’s also used with sugarcrafts) green wire. There are some guidance photos on how to incorporate the wire with your crochet in the magazine, it can be a bit fiddly but once you get into the rhythm of joining them together it get’s easier.

Delicate crocheted floral wreath — © Crochet NOW magazine – Issue 62

I then used my glue gun to attach all my flowers to a large white 30cm wire craft hoop, I then finished it off with a big bow made with a mixture of different widths of ribbon.

I was really pleased with how it turned out and I think I’ll definitely but using wire in future designs, it opens up lots of opportunities!

❤️ SAVE FROSTED FLOWERS WREATH ON RAVELRY ❤️

Issue 62 is available to buy from your local supermarket or you can grab a digital version from www.craftstash.co.uk/books-magazines

If you hook up Pusheen, the Sugarplum Stocking or The Frosted Flowers Wreath 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

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4Dec2019

Release and Giveway| Starlight Christmas Stocking

Posted in Competitions, Crochet, Independent Design, Pattern Release, Sale / Special Offer, Tah-Dah by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

Edited: Giveaway now closed. Congratulations to the two winners are cksteffen and fierenza

Woo hooooo! I’m really excited to say that my Starlight Stocking pattern, that I designed for the Crochet Sanctuary is now finally LIVE!

Christmas stockings are a staple of Christmas and a little something handmade on the mantelpiece can go a long way – especially if it’s a bit sparkly! You’ve got to have a bit of twinkle at Christmas right!?

The great thing about this stocking is that you can personalise colours to match your own decor or make it in that special someone’s favourite colour to make Christmas morning even more magical.

The pattern is 4 pages long and it’s written, as usual, in both UK and US terms.

Pattern Links 🎉

The Starlight Stocking pattern is now available in my pattern stores on Ravelry (and I’ll be adding it to my other stores shortly)…

SAVE STOCKING PATTERN ON RAVELRY HERE

however if you’d like to be in with a chance to win a copy then keep reading…

Exclusive Giveaway 🎉

If you’d like to be entered into the giveaway to win a copy of the Starlight Stocking simply head on over to Ravelry and add it to your favourites. Please then comment below this post with either your Ravelry username or email address for your chance to win a copy.

Your Ravelry username and email address will only be used to send you your prize, if you enter the information onto a comment it is understood that you are granting me your permission for me to use your information as advised.

Bonus Entry: Re-pin any of the images above. Copy & paste the URL of your re-pin in the blog comments below.

TWO winners will be randomly chosen on Wednesday 11 December evening around 7pm GMT

Finally I hope you will share any Starlight Stocking project’s on social media or as a Ravelry project as I always love to see the versions and variations you come up with.

Until next time; keep calm and crochet on my friends xx