Finished Object | Juniper Cowl by TL Yarn Crafts

I’ve been awfully busy recently, with some secret squirrel projects, and so I started thinking about things that I COULD share. It occurred to me that I don’t always show any of the finished objects that I’ve made. I think it’s always nice to see what folks have finished isn’t it – I’m always checking people out (in a non creepy way) if I spy a bit of a crocheted item on their person, don’t you?

My Juniper Cowl by TL Yarn Crafts was definitely a case of me seeing someone else wearing it and deciding I needed to make one too! There was a period of time, when several of us, who attended the The Crochet Sanctuary, had a bit of a craze on Juniper Cowls. Everyone was making them, everyone was wearing them, and of course I couldn’t miss out on that.

A hand is holding a crocheted work in progress on a desktop, On the desk there is a wooden yarn bowl with a multicoloured Scheepjes Whirl inside.

There was so much inspiration to be had from all the fabulous ones I’d seen, but I thought I’d try something a little different to see if it would work. So the original pattern by the fabulous designer Toni Lipsey calls for 10 different coloured mini skeins of fingering weight yarn, and don’t get me wrong I’ve seen some fabulous variations using mini skeins, but as I’m trying to do a bit better at using up what I’ve got I wondered if a Scheepjes Whirl might work as a substitute.

Made from a 60% Cotton and 40% Acrylic blend, Scheepjes Whirl‘s are a favourite of mine to create accessories as they are simultaneously lightweight, breathable and have a beautiful drape.

Close up of the crocheted Juniper Cowl on a desk top made with a Scheepjes Whirl

They have a generous twist to enable speed while working the yarn and to help prevent splitting, and each colourway also has a unique twisted ply which adds to the distinctiveness of each colourway. I personally LOVE the way the colours blend together in these Whirls, it’s so subtle and the effects are usually gorgeous. The colour I used was a Woolly Whirl called Sugar Sizzle (shade 472), but any type of Whirl or colour I have no doubt would work.

Scheepjes Whirl yarn cakes are a fingering weight yarn (4ply) that are 1000 m / 215g which is more than enough for a shawl or wrap. So even though it was a bit less than the 250g of fingering weight / 4ply that the pattern calls for I thought it would work. The pattern calls for a 4mm (US size G/6) hook but as a Scheepjes Whirl is more suited to a smaller hook size I went with a 3.5mm (US size E/4) to see what would happen.

A close up of the drape of the crocheted Juniper Cowl, by TL YarnCrafts shown on a mannikin against a background of ivy.

I find working on someone else’s pattern very relaxing because all the thinking has been done for me – and that was definitely the case with this project. It was my take out and about project coming with me on car journeys, the playpark and the hairdressers! It’s also a great mindful project to tackle whilst watching TV or listening to a good audio book.

I really enjoyed making this cowl, and I love how it turned out. It’s a great pattern! I have to say it’s a finished item that I’ve used regularly since I’ve worn it. I might just have to make another at some point, though this time I think I’ll defiantly be looking at what hand dyed mini’s I’ve got because that would just be such a delicious project.

The crocheted Juniper Cowl, by TL YarnCrafts made with a Scheepjes Whirl is shown on a mannikin against a background of ivy.

Do you have a favourite finished object that you’ve made recently? I’d love to hear about it – let me know in the comments below.

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

14Mar2023

New Pattern Release | Koito Crocodile Cowl with Yarn Discount

Posted in Crochet, Crochet Accessories, Designing, From the Stash, Independent Design, Pattern Release, Sale / Special Offer, Stitches, Tah-Dah by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

I’m bringing the drama today – but in the right way, only to your wardrobe! Allow me to introduce the new Koito Crocodile Cowl!

Image of the crocheted, orange, white and grey, Koito Crocodile Cowl on a white mannikin against a blue background.

This perennially chic and effortlessly sophisticated cowl is crying out to be combined with that extra special skein you’ve been saving.

This fabulously dramatic cowl, with it’s showy stitches, was something I’d had in mind ever since I first saw, and then subsequently purchased, some hand dyed yarn called ‘Koi Pond – Showa’ from The Yarn Whisperer.

Work in progress photo of the crocheted, orange, white and grey, Koito Crocodile Cowl on a white wood background. There is a crochet hook, a wooden frog ornament, a yarn bowl (with the Showa handdyed yarn in) and a white mug, decorated with buttons, and a hand written yarn tag for the koi pond showa yarn also in the shot.

The yarn is sock weight (4ply) 80% Corriedale wool, 20% nylon with splashes of bright oranges, greys and rich creams. They are the colours you would find on the ‘Showa’ variety of ornamental koi which was Kitey’s inspiration for this particular colourway.

I knew I wanted to create something using a stitch that kind of looked like fish scales which is why I used the crocodile stitch – it’s definitely one of the most unique stitch and texture you can make in crochet. I’m in love with the texture; it’s the type that just makes you want to run your fingers over it!

❤️ SAVE KOITO CROCODILE COWL ON RAVELRY ❤️

Image of the crocheted, orange, white and grey, Koito Crocodile Cowl worn by a young girl with her hand resting on a stone pillar in an outside setting.

This pattern is perfect for intermediate crocheters that want to add the crocodile stitch in their repertoire or for adventurous crocheter wanting to learn something new. And it’s now available for purchase from usual pattern platforms – but scroll down to see limited one day special offer to get the pattern for free!

This pattern will be available for FREE from 12pm GMT (8am EST) on 15 March 2023 for 24hrs as part of the Madame Stitches Wraps, Scarves and Cowls: Spring Edition Blog Hop.

Blog Hop Instructions:

1: Visit MadameStitch and get the coupon code.

2: Click on the button below to go to the Koito Crocodile Cowl on Ravelry.

3: Click “buy it now,” click “use a coupon code,” enter code, click apply and the pattern will be yours for free!

4: If you are reading this after the promotion has passed you can purchase the cowl from any of the links to my patterns stores (links above)

Button image that says 'Click here for Ravelry'

All the patterns from Madame Stitches Wraps, Scarves and Cowls: Spring Edition Blog Hop are available in a limited edition bundle which I wrote about in a previous blog post. Go straight to the bundle via the link below:

Button image to buy the Madame Stitches Wraps, Scarves and Cowls: Spring Edition Blog Hop bundle
.

It includes all 22 designs featured in the blog hop in one bundle that you can download to your favourite device. You’ll then be able to print out individual patterns as your convenience. This pattern bundle of crochet women’s accessories won’t last for long. It will only be available until Sunday, 26 March 2023.

Exclusive Yarn Discount:

I’m delighted to tell you that the most lovely Kitey (aka The Yarn Whisperer), who’s yarn I used for my Koito Crocodile Cowl, is offering 10% discount on his fabulous koi inspired hand-dyed yarn until the end of March 2023. So if you want to make one just like mine you can, isn’t he kind!

Just use coupon code KOITO10 on his website (please note this is a different code from the blog hop code).

Pin for Later:

Collage of the crocheted Koito Crocodile Cowl for Pinterest

I can’t wait to see your versions of the Koito Crocodile Cowl. 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, keep calm and crochet on my friends xx

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20Sep2022

Dragonfly River MAL | The Reveal & Pattern Release

Posted in Collaboration, Crochet, Crochet Accessories, Crochet Kit, Independent Design, Pattern Release by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

The 15th of September was the last ‘official’ day of the latest make along that has been hosted by The Yarn Whisperer and myself. From the 31 July until now, over a month later, we have enjoyed a relaxed summer make along project with lovely fellow crocheters. And now I get the opportunity to share my finished Dragonfly River Cowl with you in all it’s glory with you!

As always it’s been an absolute delight to work with Kitey and his gorgeously coloured yarn, I love these collabs we do – it always provides me with an opportunity to work with gorgeous yarn which in turn makes the design process enjoyable too (slightly obsessed by the sparkle yarn this time round)!

If this is the first you’ve heard about the Dragonfly River MAL you can read more about it here but in a nutshell it’s the result of a wonderful collaboration between myself and Kitey, aka The Yarn Whisperer, of a unique crocheted cowl designed with a special hand dyed yarn in mind.

It’s made us both incredibly happy to see the photos of folks sharing their progress with us on social media and I hope you will continue to do so as you finish your cowls if you haven’t had chance to make it yet.

I’m really pleased with how the design for this cowl turned out and working with the yarn was such a delight! I’m a big fan of slub yarn, because I love the texture it automatically creates, and the lovely dragonfly colourway, with that sparkle, was just wonderful! I think I kept being slightly annoying to my husband as I kept asking him to look at it twinkling in various situations, and it really was a delight to see those beautiful tonal green and blue colours coming through in the stitches.

Although the official end date of the MAL has come to an end DO NOT feel any panic or worry that you didn’t keep up, haven’t got it done, didn’t start it or whatever! The deadline was there just for those people that like a deadline, for everyone else, enjoy it when you have the time to use the yarn and / or make the cowl – there is no rush to this crochet make along! And sometime in the future you will have a beautiful finished object that you can gift for someone special or to enjoy wearing yourself.

Now that the MAL is over, I have listed the pattern in my usual pattern stores for you to make your own version of the The Dragonfly River Cowl.

Use two of your favourite skeins of handdyed yarn with a 3.5mm (US size E/4) hook – I can’t wait to see what colourways you use for your own unique projects. Or if you’d like to pick up this specific kit colourway, although the original version was sold out, it will be available again from Kitey from November as a dye to order.

The pattern has a written version, a chart and comes with a bonus pattern to make your own Dragonfly brooch – Kitey and I always like to add a little extra something for those scraps of leftover yarn! The pattern comes with all explanation of stitches used and is available in either UK or US terminology.

We do hope that you’ve enjoyed this fun make-along, I know Kitey and I have thoroughly enjoyed it – in fact we’ve already made our plans for our Christmas-time make-along! All I’m going to say is that I’m already excited for it, it’s something completely different and it’s going to be a blast!

Make sure you are signed up to the blog (or my newsletter) and The Yarn Whisperer newsletter to make sure you are the first to know when the new collaboration project is revealed!

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

7Mar2022

Happily Hooked Magazine | Colour Wheel Cowl

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

I’ve got a lovely bright new pattern to share with you today! A stylish and easy cowl, made in a range of lively colours will definitely banish any lingering winter blues.

Allow me to introduce The Colour Wheel Cowl (aka The Color Wheel Cowl for my American friends) which is out now in the latest issue of Happily Hooked magazine.

Using a minimum of 12 colours The Colour Wheel Cowl has been designed with mini balls of yarn in mind; such as small skein yarn advents, or it would also make a great stash buster project with each colour using (approximately) only 20g / 56m for each section.

For my cowl I used Scheepjes Softfun it’s a 60% cotton, 40% acrylic blend which usually comes in 50g / 140m balls in a whopping 89 different shades. It’s a yarn I’ve used before specifically for The Stitch Story CAL and for my Unicorn Booties, and if you’re not familiar with it, it’s as soft as it’s name implies!

Not too long ago Scheepjes released some Softfun Mini Colour Packs and I knew I needed to try one! Available in five different colourways; Pastel, Jewel, Cloud, Rainbow & Rich they all looked lovely, but it was the Rainbow tones I went for in the end.

Did you know that studies show that rainbow colours are high in saturation and contrast, which creates an energising effect for humans! The brighter and lighter the colours, the more happy and optimistic it will make you feel! Maybe that’s why I have a bit of a rainbow obsession! Again and again I find myself drawn to the vibrant colours of a rainbow because they are just so cheerful, and give me such a boost when I’m working with them.

The cowl is a sort of sampler of stitches for the 12 sections, 7 different stitch patterns are used in total, with the 7th repeated 6 times to tie the cowl together. It would be a fab project for a beginner to learn new stitches, or for a more established crocheter as a lovely mindful project.

I’ve used a 4.5mm hook (US size 7) to help give the cowl a nice drape, and I would suggest that a couple of stitch markers are useful to add to the start and end of each row to help you keep track of stitches.

Although the pattern is for one size (which should fit most adults) at 75cm long x 23cm wide (29.5” Width 9”) it’s large enough to double over to keep your neck extra snuggly.

The resulting cowl is a lovely bold and bright textured cowl that will cheer you up in the gloomiest weather!

🌈 SAVE COLOUR WHEEL COWL ON RAVELRY 🌈

Issue 96 of Happily Hooked magazine is a fab collection of Stashbuster patterns for all those leftover bits of yarn that you are longing to use up. Happily Hooked & Pattern Pack Pro Are TWO monthly US digital magazine assembled by makers for makers and you can find out more details about it on the Happily Hooked Magazine website.

With it being a US publication patterns are written using US crochet terminology – if you are not sure how that differs you may find my post British vs. American Crochet Terms: What’s the difference? of use.

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! 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

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.

24Sep2020

New Pattern Release | Fluorite Filet Cowl

Posted in Crochet, Crochet Accessories, Designing, From the Stash, Independent Design, Pattern Release, Sale / Special Offer, Stitches, Tah-Dah by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

Ready, Steady, Autumn! Are you ready for the changing of the seasons? Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere is supposed to begin on 22 September and weirdly, here we are a couple of days later and, I swear it’s got colder and darker in the evenings already!

So to cheer us up, with the imminent onset of cooler weather, I’ve got a lovely new pattern for you. Designed to give you some instant colour gratification (if you want to go there), and nice and quick to work up to ward off the first seasonal chills, allow me to introduce the Flourite Filet Cowl.

❤️ SAVE FLOURITE FILET COWL ON RAVELRY ❤️

If you aren’t familiar with filet crochet this would be a great starting project. Filet crochet is an easy technique that can make some wonderful patterns using simple stitches (chains and US double / UK treble crochet).

Inspired by Flourite quartz crystals, which are beautiful colourful minerals that crystalise in cubic form, I’ve put together a cowl which features a repeating filet ‘cube’ or diamond shape.

Worked in the round and in three colours, to represent the ombre effect of the crystals, this is a quick and easy project to work up. I wanted a smallish cowl but you could make it taller by increasing the rows, or wider, as I’ve also included in the pattern how you would adjust the starting stitches to make it bigger.

I used Scheepjes River Washed yarn, which is 4ply ,78% Cotton / 22% Acrylic and comes in 50g balls. I made mine in Danube (948), Yarra (949) and Steenbras (942) to match the colours I picked up from the crystals, but I think the cowl would look equally pretty worked in a solid colour or even in a skein of hand dyed yarn.

Rainbow flourite crystals, in spiritual healing, are supposed to promote creative thinking, mental clarity and focus and most of all help clear the mind from negative energies – all things a crocheter can enjoy whilst working up this cowl.

In fact I enjoyed making this cowl so much that I made a second one. I still using Scheepjes River Washed yarn but I wanted to see what it would look like using different colours so I used a variety of pinks, in this case I used Mekong (943), Eisack (957) and Steenbras (942).

❤️ SAVE FLOURITE FILET COWL ON ETSY ❤️

❤️ SAVE FLOURITE FILET COWL ON LOVECRAFTS ❤️

This pattern is perfect for advanced beginners as it only uses easy stitches, or as a versatile update to an accessory collection for an intermediate crocheter! It’s also perfect for any last minute gifts you need to make! The pattern is now available for purchase from my Ravelry, LoveCrafts or Etsy stores but hang on a moment…

This pattern is also being featured as part of the E’Claire Makery Fall Fashion Blog Hop on Friday 25th September 2020. Find out how to grab a FREE printable PDF copy of the cowl below.

From September 1 to September 30 a new crochet designer will be featured each day on , and they will share a crochet pattern available as a free pdf download. The PDF will be available as a FREE PDF download on Ravelry for 24 hours.

Blog Hop Instructions:

1: Click on the button below to go to the Flourite Filet Cowl on Ravelry.

2: Click “buy it now,” click “use a coupon code,” enter code, click apply and the pattern will be yours for free!

If you are reading this after the promotion has passed you can purchase the bag from either my Ravelry, Etsy or LoveCrafts store – but there is also ANOTHER way to get this pattern – and more patterns besides!

I’ve enjoyed taking part in Claire’s blog hops before but for the Fall Fashion blog hop she’s offering something new. All the designers involved are offering a crochet bundle! This bundle includes all 32 of the crochet patterns that will be released for this event. The bundle includes all of the patterns in one place, with a table of contents to easily take you to each pattern. Plus, you won’t have to worry if this is the first you are hearing about the blog hop and you’ve missed the other days to download the patterns. You’ll already have all of them!

Just take a look at some of the gorgeous designs that are included below:

One of the best parts of the crochet pattern bundle is that it’s over 90% off of the usual price of all of these patterns separately! For just £11.45 ($15), you can get all of them! And there’s actually two patterns from me included; the Fluorite Filet Cowl and another cowl pattern exclusive to Dear Ewe coming soon!

If you want to make sure you get notifications about special events like this blog hop or tutorials, news and pattern releases then please sign up for my newsletter below.

I can’t wait to see your versions of the Flourite Filet Cowl and what colours you will chose to make it in! 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, 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.

8Jul2020

I Like Crochet Magazine | Cup Cozies and Cowls

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

Squee! Guess what! I’m on the front cover of the new August issue of I Like Crochet! Well not me per say, but a very lovely model is on the front cover modelling my new Chevron Flair Cowl!

Chevron patterns are a bit of a classic, crochet staple aren’t they – I always think chevron crochet designs are not only fun to make but it produces such a great effect which even a beginner crocheter can achieve.

This design was actually designed with a beginner in mind, though I’m sure a more accomplished crocheter would enjoy a project of some lovely mindful rhythmic stitching – I know I did when making up the cowl.

I designed Chevron Flair Cowl using a fresh modern colour palette of Scheepjes Merino Soft DK yarn in Michelangelo: 603, Renior: 624, Ernst: 653 and Waterhouse: 649. I totally love these colours together!

If you’re not familiar with Scheepjes Merino Soft DK yarn it’s made up from 50% Wool Superwash Merino, 25% Microfiber and 25% Acrylic and is just SO squishy and lovely to work with. It was my first time using it, but I really enjoyed putting this cowl together using this yarn, and would definitely use it again for a future project.

❤️ SAVE CHEVRON FLAIR COWL ON RAVELRY ❤️

The cowl is light enough to wear on summer nights and warm enough for the first chilly days of autumn – the perfect accessory addition to your wardrobe in my opinion.

I sort of echoed the palette of the cowl with another design I have in this particular edition. As well as the Chevron Flair Cowl you can also find my Coffee Bean Stitch Mug Cozy.

This is a great stash busting pattern for bits of cotton yarn you might have in your stash. In this instance I used Garnstudio DROPS Paris in Light Old Pink: 59, Sage Green (62), Plum (66) and Rust (65).

Be the envy of all your friends, colleagues and fellow commuters with this cup cozy that will protect your hands from the heat of a piping hot cup of joe!

And what better stitch to use for a coffee mug cozy than the bean stitch? Soft, puffy and complete with a buttoned closure, I think this mug cosy puts the “fun” in functional.

As well as my chevron inspired patterns the August edition features over 19 summer / fall patterns and a range of interesting articles. SUBSCRIBE TODAY for a copy of the magazine straight to your desktop or iPad.

If you hook up the Chevron Flair Cowl or the Coffee Bean Stitch Mug Cozy I hope you’ll share your projects with me on social media as I’d I love to see them.

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