Fibre Friends Chat | CrocheYay – Olivia Dieterich

Posted in Blogging, British Crochet Designer, Crochet, Designer Interview, Inspiration by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

I’m so excited to be bringing another Fibre Friend Chat to the KCACOUK blog — and this one is extra special! Please give a warm welcome to the wonderfully creative and kind-hearted Olivia Dieterich, creative force behind @CrochYaY.

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Olivia Dieterich is pictured smiling with long hair in front of a brick wall, below in a collage is colourful crochet projects and a book titled 'Random Acts of Crochet Kindness'.

If you’ve followed Olivia’s work online, you’ll know she is the inspiring mind behind Random Acts of Crochet Kindness, a movement that’s bringing comfort, colour, and connection to strangers around the world through yarn. Her UK-based Facebook group now has over 350,000 members, and affiliated groups have since been created all over the world. She’s just released a beautiful new book too, and I couldn’t wait to find out more.

Here’s what we chatted about…

Can you start by telling us a little bit about yourself and how @CrochyaY came to be?

I’ve always loved crafts, I spent a lot of time with my nan growing up and she taught me every craft under the sun – apart from crocheting! This ended up being the craft that I fell in love with and it made her so proud as it was the one thing she could never figure out how to do. Crocheting has always brought me so much joy, it’s kept me safe during moments where I’ve struggled with my mental health, and it’s given me such a sense of achievement with the things I’ve made. I wanted to start posting these things online, and that’s where Crochyay was born!

A crocheted envelope featuring a pink heart design, placed on a pink background next to yarn and a crochet hook. The caption reads, 'I love that through doing something that I enjoy, I can bring happiness into the world.' — © 2025 Search Press – Random Acts of Crochet Kindness

Has fibre art always been a creative outlet for you — or did it become more meaningful during a particular season of life?

Fibre art has always been a creative outlet for me, and I’ve done all different kinds since I was about 8 years old, but it was when I was 17-20 years old that it really became a huge coping strategy for me. I had a mental health crisis and was struggling with every day life. During this time crocheting was a thing that helped me survive my darkest moments, the colours, textures, patterns, counting helped me stay grounded in the present moment and distracted from everything else going on in my head. Sitting down to crochet felt like a big comfort during that time.
You’re the founder of Random Crochet Acts of Kindness — for those who might not have heard of it, can you tell us what it is and how it all started?

Random Acts of Crochet Kindness (RAOCK) began after I completed a personal challenge of crocheting one flower a day for 100 days, and leaving it out for a stranger to find. I called this challenge Random Acts of Crochet Kindness. When I was about half way through, my challenge got picked up by the BBC and they made a video about what I was doing. I was flooded with requests from people saying they wanted to do the same thing, and asking how they could get involved. I started the group Random Acts of Crochet Kindness so there was a space for people to share their makes, and their finds. I have been overwhelmed by how this group has grown, and it is now an incredible community of love and kindness through crocheting, all over the world.

A collection of colorful crocheted appliques including a sun, cloud, ice cream cone, campfire, flower, rainbow, ladybug, and clover, accompanied by the text: 'The Random Acts of Crochet Kindness Group is now an incredible community of love and kindness through crocheting, all over the world!' — © 2025 Search Press – Random Acts of Crochet Kindness

Do you remember a project that felt like a real turning point — where you truly felt you were translating emotion into yarn?

I lost a close friend to suicide in 2018, and the grief I felt was unbearable. I wanted to do something for her funeral, so I decided to crochet her a flower bouquet. I thought of her through every stitch, I poured love into every flower that I made, and whilst making it I felt like I had time just to honour her memory, and to let myself feel however I needed to feel. There were definitely lots of tears shed whilst making it, but it helped me so much.

How has the RAOCK project grown or evolved since it began? What kind of responses have you received from people who’ve found or taken part in it?

When it began, it was just something to help me through a difficult time, and maybe bring a smile to peoples faces. I never could have anticipated the responses that I received, and how many other people would want to get involved. The RAOCK project has now evolved into a worldwide kindness movement. What I see time and time again is that people find a RAOCK, they love it so much, and they say ‘now I want to get involved.’ Kindness is contagious, and people are realising the power they have to make the world a better place through such a small gesture. I’ve received responses from people who have said things like ‘I was really struggling with my mental health, but I found this RAOCK and it’s given me hope, because it made me feel joy again,’ and ‘my child was really upset today, and I was struggling with parenting, but we found this RAOCK and it cheered them up, and helped me get through the day.’
People who leave RAOCK’s have said that it gives them a sense of purpose, it helps with their mental health, it makes them feel that they have the power to have a positive impact on the world.

A hand holding a crocheted lavender cat face, with a pink nose and black whiskers, alongside a yellow cat face and a white circle on a pink background accompanied by the text: 'The Random Acts of Crochet Kindness project has now evolved into a worldwide kindness movement' — © 2025 Search Press – Random Acts of Crochet Kindness

You’ve just released a new book! Can you tell us what inspired it and what readers can expect to find inside?

I have! It’s very exciting. I wanted to create a book that encapsulates Random Acts of Crochet Kindness from start to finish. I have heard so many people say that they want to get involved, but they just don’t know where to start, or on a day where they’re struggling with their mental health, they feel overwhelmed with deciding what to make. The idea of the book is that someone can pick it up, and know from start to finish exactly what to do. On the days where a person can’t think of what to do for themselves, the book can guide and support through the whole process, making it as easy as possible. This includes reasons why you should do RAOCK, mental health benefits, how to crochet, beginner friendly patterns, tag templates and ideas for writing them, and where you can leave them. The book, Random Acts of Crochet Kindness, includes quotes from people who have both left and found RAOCK’s, showing why they love it so much and how it’s helped them.
Is there a piece you’ve created that you feel especially emotionally connected to? Can you tell us the story behind it?

I crocheted a blue butterfly and left it at an airport on my way back from holiday. I received a message from a lady who said she’d found the butterfly, and wanted to explain how much it meant to her. Her son had recently passed away, and she said that blue was her sons favourite colour. She felt that finding this RAOCK was a message from him, and gave her hope and strength to keep going. This message showed me just how much of an impact you can have with a small act of kindness. You never know what someone is going through, but by taking 15 minutes to make a RAOCK, you might be the reason a person feels able to keep going, or the reason a person smiles, and I think that’s incredible.

A crocheted watermelon slice surrounded by colorful pom-poms, with a pink and white patterned notebook in the background and a quote that says 'Kindness is contagious, and people are realising the power they have to make the world a better place through such a small gesture'. — © 2025 Search Press – Random Acts of Crochet Kindness

What advice would you give to someone who’s going through a hard time and wants to turn to crochet (or any fibre art) as an emotional outlet?
I would say try not to put too much pressure on yourself. Make the things that bring you joy, and let yourself make mistakes or change your mind with what you’re making. When I feel tense or anxious, I feel that in my crocheting. Tune in to how you’re feeling, try to relax, slow down your breathing, and get lost in the stitches. If you focus on the colours, the pattern, one stitch at a time, it can be really grounding, and for a short while your mind can take a break from what is going on in your life. When I was at my lowest point, crocheting was the thing that kept me safe, because I kept saying to myself ‘just do one more stitch, one more stitch,’ and eventually my difficult moment had passed. Don’t underestimate the power of fibre art for your mental wellbeing.
What can we look forward to from @CrocheYaY in the near future? Any themes or projects you’re excited to explore?

I’d love to continue exploring the benefit of putting kindness into the world on a person’s mental health, both for adults and children. I hope I can do this by writing more books, doing crochet workshops, and partnering with mental health charities. I’ve also noticed how much children love getting involved with RAOCK, so I’d love to make it more accessible to them, I’ve started writing a children’s book about kindness through crafts, and would love to have this published one day.

A colourful crocheted flower with a smiling face and a vibrant rainbow design with a pink pencil and a blank tag placed on a marble background. The image features a quote that says 'You have the power to make the world a better place, with one crocheted act of kindness at a time'. — © 2025 Search Press – Random Acts of Crochet Kindness

And just for fun – if your yarn had magical powers, what emotion would you most want it to help people with?

This was such a difficult decision, but I think I would choose anxiety. I struggle to sit with this emotion, the shaky hands, the heart palpitations, the feeling of panic, I’d love to be able to let that emotion melt away with the yarn, leaving a sense of peace.

A huge thank you to Olivia for sharing her heart, her story, and her stitches. I’ve struggled with my own mental health at times and crochet was definitely (and continues to be) a massive help, so many of her comments really hit home for me. If you’d like to join the RAOCK movement, check out her Instagram @CrochYaY and grab a copy of her brand-new book — it’s a gentle invitation to spread kindness, one stitch at a time.

And stay tuned — I’ll be sharing my full review of Olivia’s Random Acts of Crochet Kindness book tomorrow here on the blog! You won’t want to miss it. 💛

Olivia Dieterich stands outside a bookstore holding her crochet book, 'Random Acts of Crochet Kindness,' smiling at the camera. — © 2025 Search Press – Random Acts of Crochet Kindness

If you enjoyed this interview you can catch up on all the other designer chats and discussions with other people in the fibre industry in my Fibre Friends series. And if there’s any other people you’d like to maybe see featured here on the blog, let me know in the comments and I’ll see what I can do.

Make sure you are signed up to blog (below) and / or my mailing list to get a reminder when new blog posts like this one, 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.

15Jul2024

Fibre Friends Chat | The Yarn Whisperer

Posted in Blogging, British Crochet Designer, Crochet, Designer Interview, Inspiration by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

I’m delighted to share a new fibre friend chat with you today. Join me in giving a big welcome to the KCACOUK blog to Kitey aka The Yarn Whisperer.

Fibre Friends Chat with The Yarn Whisperer on the Keep Calm and Crochet On UK blog.

I’m absolutely delighted to include this latest chat! Kitey creates the most delicious hand-
dyed yarn that are just delightful to work with, and as well as dying yarn, he crochets,
he knits, he tapestries (is that right?), and he hosts a weekly stitch and b*tch social and he’s a fellow small business owner.

As you probably know Kitey and I have been working on a number of fun crochet make-alongs since 2020 after meeting on Zoom during the first UK COVID lockdown. And sometimes I get the opportunity to catch up with him in person like I did last years Carry on Crafting Festival.

Selfie of Kitey and me at Carry on Crafting in 2023

As our SEVENTH Mischievous Magpie make-along soon comes to an end I thought it would be nice to know more about his creative processes and about him in general. Here’s what we chatted about…

Hi Kitey, can you tell us a little about yourself and what you do?
Hey Heather, I’m an ex-primary teacher (for almost 30 years!) and now work for
myself as an Indie yarn dyer and crochet teacher. I grew up in Sydney, Australia and
have lived mostly in the UK since 1992, with a 3 year stint teaching out in Abu Dhabi,
UAE.

How did you become a yarn dyer? Do you do it full time?
I started experimenting with dyeing yarn in 2019 and opened Yarn Whisperer (YW) in Jan 2020, dyeing yarn part time while working as a teacher a couple of days a week. Then the
pandemic happened. Schools ended supply teacher contracts (to save on furlough!)
so I leaned into the opportunity to work from home and for myself full time.

This year I’m also leaning into my teaching experience still further and am teaching
more crochet workshops. I am also doing more pop-up shops at yarn shops and
social groups. I will be teaching my first workshop at Ally Pally later this year too!

Image of Kitey covered in lots of different knitted shawls he has made. He is also holding some knitting needles as he starts his next work in progress. — © The Yarn Whisperer 2024

What is your morning routine look like?
Coffee … first cup hot, second served as a Greek Frappe in the warmer months
(instant, frothed in about 10ml of cold water, served with ice and cold water!) while
catching up on social media and planning my day.

On dyeing days, I’ll get the first batches of yarn ready and set it to soaking in cold
water. Then it’s dyeing, packing orders, post office runs, filming and photography for
socials and marketing, writing up crochet patterns, working on wips, workshop and
display projects, and all the other things! It’s just me so I wear all the hats.

Collage of different dye pans as created by The Yarn Whisperer and an image of some pretty variegated yarn when the dying is finished. — © The Yarn Whisperer 2024

What’s the most difficult part of being a yarn dyer?
I love it so it doesn’t feel difficult – it’s true that if you do the thing you love, you’ll
never work a day in your life! – but it’s also true that pans are heavy and back pain is
real. Show prep takes ages and shows are long hours of standing around .. but I
wouldn’t change that as it’s such a privilege to be part of other people’s creative
process too!

Have you always been crafty?
Yeah, I’ve tried everything from glass painting, bead looming to origami, and crafts
too many to list here!

You really seem to enjoy all sorts of crafts, if you were on a desert island and
could only pick one to do, what would it be?
I’d take knitting probably as it’s usually what I have on a plane, and you can be sure
I’d be making fabulous shell jewellery and sandcastles too! wink

Collage image which includes Kitey on a train crafting the day away alongside a close up of some of the Yarn Whisperer Yarn knitted up, and close up of Kitey's hands with knitting needles. — © The Yarn Whisperer 2024

You design too don’t you? Do you sketch things out first, or do you just like to
grab some yarn and start?
I tend to have an idea in my head and then just grab yarn and start. I sometimes go
through books of crochet stitches or research knitting techniques on YouTube (I
have a huge amount of private playlists on there!)

Do you have a favourite creation or product that you’ve designed?
I loved designing my Crocheted Terrarium pattern and have absolutely loved
teaching it in workshops because it’s more like a recipe of techniques and everyone
creates something truly unique. I love being able to facilitate the creative process for
others.

How do you fit everything in that you want to? Are you strict with yourself and
your time or is it a struggle to juggle?
I don’t fit it all in. I’m really hoping cloning technology advances soon! I can juggle
(tennis racquets and balls – my tennis lessons as a child were not wasted!) and I use
this juggling skill daily. I set times to do ‘bits’ of projects and get it all done in lots of
bits rather than sitting with one thing for hours on end.

What makes you passionate and gets you motivated?
Learning has always been my passion. Crafting, knitting, crochet or whatever is just
learning plus time and dedication. Everyone can do it. You just have to start, then
keep going!

What can we expect to see from you in the rest of 2024?
More yarn, more pop up shops, more workshops. New patterns and projects

Collage of beautiful handdyed yarn as created by The Yarn Whisperer in various different shades. — © The Yarn Whisperer 2024

And just for fun; You’re a new addition to a yarn shade range. What colour
would you be and why?
Probably a variegated skein of hand dyed, with all the colours, moody black and grey
tones and neon pops. I’d call it ‘Wherever next?’ because I just love the idea that
creativity is ever changing and evolving.

I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank Kitey for taking time to chat to me. I’ve
really enjoyed getting to know him better and hope you have too.
Follow Kitey everywhere on the web: www.YarnWhisperer.co.uk,
@the_YarnWhisperer (insta) and @iwantyarn (facebook) and you can buy his yarn
and patterns on his website.

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Pinterest Collage for The Yarn Whisperer Fibre Friends chat on the Keep Calm and Crochet On UK blog.

If you enjoyed this interview you can catch up on all the other designer chats and discussions with other people in the fiber industry in my Fibre Friends series. And if there’s any other people you’d like to maybe see featured here on the blog, let me know in the comments and I’ll see what I can do.

Make sure you are signed up to blog (below) and / or my mailing list to get a reminder when new blog posts like this one, discounts or new pattern releases are available.

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

15Mar2024

Exploring Creativity with the Making Stitches Podcast

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

As I settled down into my favourite armchair with a cup of steaming tea, I turned with a little trepidation to the latest episode of Making Stitches Podcast…because it was an interview with me!

Hosted by the talented Lindsay, Making Stitches Podcast has become a staple in my listening line-up – a lovely sanctuary where creativity flourishes and crafty stories unfold.

Each episode is a testament to the power of storytelling, offering listeners a glimpse into the lives and passions of crafters from around the world. From knitting and crochet, to embroidery and quilting, Lindsay’s guests represent a diverse tapestry of creativity, united by their shared love for making.

A crocheted chain formed into a heart shape on the end of a crochet hook lying on a table.

I was therefore delighted to be asked to join Lindsay on Episode 70, where I had the pleasure of sharing my own journey into the world of crochet. Through my platforms, blogging and social media I’ve had the privilege of connecting with many lovely fellow crafters and shared in the joy of creating.

The crochet community is wonderful. Crochet is such a massive part of who I am now, and through that I’ve made such fabulous friendships…I definitely feel as if I’ve found my tribe!
Making Stitches Podcast – Episode 70

As I listened (with only a bit of inner cringing) to my own story unfold, I’m filled with a sense of gratitude, for Lindsay’s dedication to sharing these stories, for the opportunity to connect with listeners around the world, and for the vibrant community of makers that continues to inspire and uplift me.

Close up of hands crocheting a piece of fabric with a large basket of yarn also in shot.

The whole chat is 26 minutes long, so the perfect length to enjoy a cuppa and maybe enjoy a bit of hooking as you listen along.

You can listen to Making Stitches Podcast is many different places. Just search for Making Stitches in your favourite podcast app including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Deezer and many others. The link below takes you to the main Podcast blog where you can find direct link to episode 70.

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I extend my thanks to Lindsay for inviting me to speak on Making Stitches Podcast. It was an honour to share my story and to be part of such a wonderful community of makers!

Lastly, consider signing up to the blog (subscribe below) and / or my mailing list. By doing so, you’ll receive timely notifications about new blog posts, exclusive discounts and exciting new pattern releases.

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

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5Jun2023

Crochet Society Podcast Episode 2: Designer Interview with ME!

Posted in British Crochet Designer, Collaboration, Crochet, Designing by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

Something very different for me today! I’m usually the interviewer but this time I’m the interviewee! I had the opportunity to speak to the lovely Kate Heppell from The Crochet Society.

If you haven’t heard of the Crochet Society before it’s a little bit of crochet luxury delivered direct to your door. Every box from Crochet Society is full of a mystery mix of high-value yarn, crochet goodies and highly collectable extras, chosen by an expert design team to inspire new ideas.

Example of Crochet Society Box © Practical Publishing 2022 (Box 35)

I’ve had the pleasure of designing several different projects for the boxes over the years, and it was lovely to have the opportunity to chat about designing, the crochet community, what we are binge watching and more!

The whole chat is 32 minutes long, so the perfect length to enjoy a cuppa and maybe sneak in a few stitches whilst you listen along.

Crochet Society Designs by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK (Heather C Gibbs).

Saifi the Squirrel, Briar the Bunny, the Argon triangular scarf and the Parisenne Knot Scarf.

The easiest way to listen to the podcast is via a podcast app on your phone or tablet. The podcast is listed on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify and Google Podcasts, so if you use any of those apps you should be able to find it by searching for Crochet Society. You can also listen via the link on the Crochet Society blog.

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Although it’s slightly cringeworthy listening to your own voice back I did enjoy chatting to Kate for the podcast, and I want to thank her and the team for offering me the opportunity to step out of my usual comfort zone!

Crochet Society boxes are available by subscription via the website, and past boxes are available, if there are, from Craftstash (whilst stocks remain).

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

15Feb2023

Designer Interview | Catherine Crochets

Posted in Blogging, British Crochet Designer, Crochet, Designer Interview, Inspiration by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

I’m delighted to share a new fibre friend chat with you today. Join me in giving a big welcome to the KCACOUK blog to Catherine of Catherine Crochets.

Image of Catherine from Catherine's Crochet holding up a tapestry crochet blanket — © Catherine Crochets 2023

I had the pleasure of actually meeting Catherine at the end of last year, when I was a guest, and she was the guest designer at The Crochet Sanctuary. You will have no doubt come across her work, as I did, on social media and in magazines – she really has an eye for design using colour work and tapestry crochet.

I was delighted to have a go at her methods of tapestry crochet as we worked on her Winter Flora Cushion as our Crochet Sanctuary crochet workshop project. I thoroughly enjoyed making the cushion, and the tapestry stitch technique, so I wanted to find out a bit more about her designing processes and about her in general. Here’s what we chatted about…

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hi Heather! Thanks for inviting me for this interview. It was great to meet you in November at the Crochet Sanctuary and chat all things “crochet designing” with you!

I’m a crochet designer from just outside London, in the UK. I live with my husband and two daughters. As you mentioned, I specialise in tapestry crochet. I absolutely love designing blankets with this technique although I’ve also produced a number of cushion and accessory designs too.

© Winter Flora Cushion – Catherine Crochets 2023

Have you always been crafty?

Yes, I’ve always loved crafts. I dabbled in lots of things as a child and my friends were really arty too so we inspired each other and were always making things. I took pottery classes for a few years, which I loved, and also tried lots of other arts and crafts like Fimo, calligraphy, quilling, painting, stamping, cross stitch… I don’t actually think I was particularly yarny as a child though, although I did learn the basics of how to knit.

How did you become a crochet designer? Do you do it full time?

I guess I fell into it a bit by chance really. I started crocheting when my youngest daughter was a toddler, mainly making blankets (with plenty of mistakes in them!). One day, I saw a tapestry crochet scarf online and I absolutely loved the look of it. I’d never seen that kind of crochet before. I thought it would be fabulous to make a blanket with lots of different tapestry crochet patterns on it. And so I came up with the Geo Georgie Blanket. It got a really great response from the crochet community on Instagram, which encouraged me to keep going with more designs and things just spiralled upwards from there.

Sadly, I don’t do it full-time, although I wish I could! I mainly fit it in during my evenings and weekends, and the odd lunchtime crochet break too!

© Geo Georgie Blanket – Catherine Crochets 2023

You really seem to enjoy colourwork and tapestry crochet – what is it about that style of crochet that you love?

I love patterns and spot them all over the place. I find it really exciting recreating these patterns in crochet, and tapestry crochet is the perfect technique for this. I especially love taking a motif, like a square or hexagon, with a colour work pattern on it and repeating it over a large blanket to create an even more striking pattern.

Can you tell us about where you draw your inspiration from?

Some is from nature – I really like leaves and flowers – and some is more abstract like pure geometric patterns. I see a lot of inspiration on textile items or even ceramic tiles, that I then love to try recreating with crochet.

© Midnight Diamond Blanket – Catherine Crochets 2023

What does your design process look like? Do you sketch things out first, or do you just like to grab a hook and start?

I always sketch first. I use a lot of squared paper as I find this is essential when coming up with a tapestry crochet design. I usually draw out a design on squared paper first and then work up a test swatch or motif from that. Mostly, it turns out a bit different to how I expected once I’ve worked it up in crochet, so I make a few tweaks and try again until I’m happy with it.

Sometimes, I plunge straight into making the project and write it all up at the end. However, recently I’ve been getting much better at making notes and starting to write it up as I go along. That saves a lot of time at the end!

Do you have a favourite creation that you’ve designed?

That’s a tough one! Can I pick two?

My personal favourite is my Clarissa Blanket. Both the colours and the pattern are so me. This was a design that I just couldn’t help but make!

However, in terms of getting me started and known as a designer, then I have to say my Midnight Diamond Blanket. This is by far my most popular pattern and I’m so grateful for the wonderful response it’s had and continues to receive.

© Clarissa Blanket – Catherine Crochets 2023

How do you fit everything in that you want to? Are you strict with yourself and your time or is it a struggle to juggle?

I never fit in everything that I’d like to! But I just do my best to do as much as I can and never miss an opportunity to work a bit more on a project. I make a lot of lists – I find that helps a lot – and I try not to be too hard on myself at not being able to do everything I want to straight away.

What advice or top tips would you suggest for anyone new to colourwork or tapestry crochet?

I’d say that it’s really not as hard as it looks. Watch or read a tutorial first, to get a feel for it. There are lots out there but I have a video tutorial on YouTube or a step-by-step guide on my blog that are both good places to start. Then just dive in with a pattern. I outlined a few relatively simple ones to start with in a blog post if anyone needs some inspiration.

Once you’ve got the hang of it, if you’d like to design your own, then all you need is some squared paper and colouring pencils and away you go!

What can we expect to see from Catherine Crochets in 2023?

This year, I’ve decided to focus on blankets as I love them and they are also my most popular patterns. I’m working on a new floral design at the moment using hexagons, which I’m really excited about.

I’m also hoping to create a tapestry crochet course with a series of patterns of increasing complexity, each introducing a new skill or aspect. That will be quite a big project for me of course, but I’m hoping to start work on it later this spring.

© Design in progress – Catherine Crochets 2023

And just for fun if you could have a superpower what would you choose?

I’ve always loved the idea of the time turner that Hermione uses in the Harry Potter books. It would be great to have the power to turn back time so that I could fit more crochet into each day!

I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank Catherine for taking time to chat to me. I’ve really enjoyed getting a better understanding of her life and designing process and hope you have too.

Follow Catherine everywhere on the web: BLOG, INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK and you can buy her patterns on RAVELRY and ETSY

Catherine also has an email list which you can sign up to here if you’d like to get news of new pattern releases and the biggest discounts on her patterns. Plus, you get two FREE tapestry crochet patterns just for signing up.

Pinterest Image for Fibre Friends Chat on the KCACOUKBlog

If you enjoyed this interview you can catch up on all the other designer chats and discussions with other people in the fiber industry. And if there’s any other people you’d like to maybe see featured here on the blog, let me know in the comments and I’ll see what I can do.

Make sure you are signed up to blog (below) and / or my mailing list to get a reminder when new blog posts like this one, discounts or new pattern releases are available.

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

19Jan2022

Designer Interview | Red Sparrow Crochet

Posted in Blogging, British Crochet Designer, Crochet, Designer Interview, Inspiration by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

I’m super excited about my next designer interview because I had the pleasure of actually meeting her in October 2021 at The Crochet Sanctuary.

I’ve been following the lovely Esme, aka Red Sparrow Crochet, for awhile, and you will have no doubt have come across her work on social media and in magazines if you are a crochet fan – she’s become kind of synonymous with mosaic crochet.

In fact she has recently written a book titled ‘Mosaic Crochet Workshop’ – which she very kindly signed [my copy] for me when I met her (squee!), and I wanted to find out a bit more about that, about her in general, how she does it all, and her inspiration and designing process.

Here’s what we chatted about…

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Well, after many years of living all over the place- London, Brighton, Madrid- I’ve settled back in my beloved Suffolk in the east of England with my family: one Other Half, two teenagers and of course the world’s grumpiest cat Hank Deluxe. I love Suffolk, it’s so wild and rural, it suits my introverted nature very well!

I work full time as a freelance crochet designer, as an editor for Scheepjes’ YARN Bookazines, and spend any free time hanging out with the kids, playing Scrabble and Risk, walking, cooking lots of exciting vegetarian food, reading…

How did you discover crochet?

Funny story: I actually saw a woman on the beach crocheting and it was one of those wow moments! She was sitting on a deckchair, hooking away, surrounded by loads of kids but so at ease with herself, so calm amidst the sandcastles and tantrums. My kids were very small at that point and I was craving a new skill, having put away my sewing machine due to inquisitive little fingers (my son was one of those danger kids, always found the trouble!). My lovely friend’s mum, Eileen, taught me the basic crochet stitches at playgroup and that was it. I was smitten. Terrible at it but smitten.

How did you become a crochet designer? Do you do it full time? And why is your handle Red Sparrow Crochet?

As is probably the path with many designers, I never intended to become a full time designer, it just built and evolved. I was an English teacher by trade first! I started with selling my designs at craft fairs- I’m the co-founder of an artisan-maker craft collective called The March Hare Collective so I had a ‘natural outlet’ for my work. After a few years of selling finished items (mostly throws and cushions, no surprise there!) I mustered up my courage and asked the lovely editor Claire Montgomerie if she might be interested in my work for Inside Crochet magazine. To my utter shock she said yes, and it was the start of many years designing for Inside Crochet, Simply Crochet, Mollie Makes and Scheepjes. I now mainly self publish my patterns but occasionally take on a magazine design commission if there’s time.

Oh, and the Red Sparrow thing is quite obscure, but the publishing house for Charles Bukowski’s work was called Black Sparrow Press. I’m a big Bukowski fan and I loved the publisher’s name. I have always felt like a little bird, pecking around with bits of fabric and yarn, it seemed suitable. And I was going through a real red obsession at the time!

You have kind of become ‘known’ now for mosaic crochet, what is it about that style of crochet that you love?

It totally makes sense to me, I need pattern and geometric order in my life! I saw a design by Red Heart using the inset crochet technique a few years ago and immediately fell in love with the brilliant yet simple way to draw shapes with yarn!

Where do generally find your creative inspiration?

Oh everywhere, I love seeing shapes in nature, architecture, pavements, anywhere and everywhere! Sometimes I’ll see a gorgeous pattern in my mind before I go to sleep, and even in my dreams too. I then have to try and memorise it till the next day as I’m not organised enough to have a notepad by my bed. My brain likes thinking about patterns while I’m trying to get some rest I think!

What does your design process look like? Do you sketch things out first, or do you just like to grab a hook and start?

Charts, it’s all about the charts. I use Stitch Fiddle (which is a fantastic online tool) to create them as I can set them to the same gauge as the work will appear and choose colours very specifically too. I like to work in a very limited but very specific palette. I currently have 437 charts on the go, many of them will stay as rough ideas which may or may not lead onto finished designs.

Do you have a favourite creation that you’ve designed?

I suppose my first ever mosaic throw design, Diamond Heart, will always be something I’m really proud of. I self-published it, not knowing of course what people would make of it. It’s been a huge seller, unbelievably popular, it blows me away knowing there are countless versions of it around the world. That’s just crazy! But it gave me the confidence to push myself forwards and literally dedicate myself to designing using the inset version of mosaic crochet non-stop. Which leads perfectly onto your next question…!

How did you end up writing a book on mosaic crochet?

So, a few years ago, Ame Verso who is Publishing Director at David and Charles Publishers got in touch and basically told me I needed to write a book of mosaic crochet designs! She’d seen my designs online and must have seen some potential! Once I’d got over the surprise of being approached, I talked to her for a bit, it actually took me two years to agree, but finally I DID agree and Mosaic Crochet Workshop came to life.

Ame and I were supposed to meet for the contract signing but that was in March 2020 and we all know what happened next. So I signed the contract remotely, and spent lockdowns writing the book, doing the day job and homeschooling my son. It’s a bit of a blur now, but suffice to say I’m incredibly proud of the book, the publishers were astonishing in their support and encouragement. All the photography was done under very difficult lockdown conditions, yet the team did an incredible job- the book is more than I ever dreamt it would be. It’s very beautiful and I’m thrilled it’s been so well received.

How do you fit everything in that you want to? Are you strict with yourself and your time or is it a struggle to juggle?

I’m a bit manic, I’m very very organised and disciplined with my work time. It’s not all swanning around all day having lots of coffee breaks and playing with fluffy yarn! I work very hard, I’m extremely focused. I start at 8 in the morning and during busy times will finish at 9-10pm. All creatives will know this (I am sure you know only too well, Heather!) but you can’t switch creativity on and off like a tap. Once you’re on a roll there’s no stopping you is there? So, yes feed the kids, do the housework etc etc but the design work will be waiting to be tackled even if it’s late into the evening.

What advice or top tips would you suggest for anyone new to mosaic crochet?

Oh gosh, just enjoy it and don’t tell yourself it’s too hard to try! I get so many messages from people saying they thought they wouldn’t be able to get to grips with the technique as it looks so complicated… they then try it and are so thrilled they can do it!! If you can make a chain, a dc and a tr (UK terms) then you can follow any of my mosaic patterns! In fact, I give a short step by step tutorial at the start of the book- once you have made the small swatch, you can take on any project. It’s perfect- it looks far more impressive than it actually is! My kind of crochet 🙂

What can we expect from Red Sparrow crochet in 2022?

Oh what a question!! Haha I don’t know is the honest answer! I’ll be editing the Scheepjes’ YARN Bookazines as usual, but am weighing up what to focus on this year. There’ll more than likely be some self-published designs (what with the 437 charts and all that)… and I am toying with the idea of Mosaic Crochet Workshop: The Sequel too!! Let’s see!

If you had to be shipwrecked on a deserted island, but all your human needs—such as food and water—were taken care of, what two items would you want to have with you?

A sheep (can I have an alpaca too so the sheep doesn’t get lonely??) and a sharp knife. That sounds terrifying for the poor sheep, but don’t worry I’m veggie! I’d like to get into spinning wool, and whittling hooks and knitting needles with the knife. I can’t knit for toffee but can just about cast on, so maybe I can figure it out?? Or I’ll just revert to crochet where I’m more comfortable!

Thanks so much for chatting with me, Heather! It’s a pleasure and an honour to share my crochet ramblings with you.

Thank you Esme!

I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank Esme for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer these questions. I’ve really enjoyed getting a better understanding of her life and designing process and hope you have too.

Follow Esme everywhere on the web: BLOG, INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK and you can buy her patterns on RAVELRY and ETSY and her fabulous Mosaic Crochet Workshop book on Amazon.

And if there’s any other designers you’d like to maybe see featured here on the blog, let me know in the comments and I’ll see what I can do!

Make sure you are signed up to blog (below) and / or my mailing list to get a reminder when new blog posts like this one, discounts or new pattern releases are available.

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

4Mar2021

Free Crochet Mother’s Day Card

Posted in Crochet, Free Patterns, Getting Crafty, Pattern Release by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

There is less than two weeks to go until Mother’s Day here in the UK and, as many of us haven’t been able to see our mums in recent months, it got me thinking about how nice it would be to pop something handmade in the post this year!

Butterfly-Card — © Intermediate Publishing – Issue 81 / February 2019

You may or may not remember that back in February 2019 I took part in the Simply Crochet magazine ‘Hook to Hook Challenge.’ This was a fun mini competition between two designers to come up with a unique pattern for a Mother’s Day Card using the same yarn – my design was the ‘Wings of Love’.

The rights of the pattern have now returned to me and I thought I would share the design here on the blog in case you would like to create your own crochet Mother’s Day card this year.

Mother’s Day in the UK this year is Sunday 14 March and in the US it’s Sunday 9 May so hopefully I’m giving you plenty of time to hook up your own cards, but as the butterfly motifs are small they really don’t take long to hook up!

Pattern

The pattern below is written in UK crochet terminology.

Yarn: Scheepjes Catona (100% Mercerised Cotton) 10g/25m) I used the following colours for my new card:

10g x Lemonade (403) – Yellow (A)
10g x Fresia (519) – Pink (B)
10g x Cherry (513) – Dark Pink (C)
10g x Kiwi (205) – Bright Green (D)
10g x Apple Granny (513) – Green (E)

Hook: 2.5 mm (US size C/2)

Notions and Accessories: 21 x 15cm embossed card, PVA glue (or glue gun), washi tape or sellotape

Tension: Tension is not critical for this project

Measurements:

Small Butterfly 2.3cm (0.8in)
Medium Butterfly 3.3cm (1.3in)
Large Butterfly 4cm (1.6in)

Small Butterfly | Make 2.

Rnd 1: Using Yarn A / C, make a magic loop, 6dc into the ring, sl st to the top of the first dc to join. 6sts

Rnd 2: (Ch2, 2htr in the same st, ch2, sl st to the same st) sl st into the next st, repeat ( ) once, sl st into the next 2 sts, ((ch1, 2dc in the same st, ch1, sl st to the same st)) sl st in the next 2sts, repeat (( )) once. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Using Yarn B thread a small section of yarn through the middle loop and tie in a knot between the two larger wings, snip off ends to form antennae.

Medium Butterfly | Make 2.

Rnd 1: Using Yarn B / A, make a magic loop, 6dc into the ring, sl st to the top of the first dc to join. 6sts

Rnd 2: (Ch2, 2htr in the same st, ch2, sl st to the same st) sl st into the next st, repeat ( ) once, sl st into the next 2 sts, ((ch3, 3tr in the same st, ch3, sl st to the same st)) sl st in the next 2sts, repeat (( )) once. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Using Yarn C thread a small section of yarn through the middle loop and tie in a knot between the two larger wings, snip off ends to form antennae.

Large Butterfly | Make 2.

Rnd 1: Using Yarn C / B, make a magic loop, 6dc into the ring, sl st to the top of the first dc to join. 6sts

Rnd 2: (Ch3, 2tr in the same st, ch3, sl st to the same st) sl st into the next st, repeat ( ) once, sl st into the next 2sts, ((ch4, 3dtr in the same st, ch4, sl st to the same st,)) sl st into the next 2sts, repeat (( )) once. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Using Yarn A thread a small section of yarn through the middle loop and tie in a knot between the two larger wings, snip off ends to form antennae.

Embroidering on Card

Your blank greeting card should be made of a fairly heavy, sturdy cardstock. You’ll be handling this card a great deal as you stitch, so you need something that will withstand bending without tearing.

Sketch your design, of grass and heart, onto the card lightly with a pencil.
Then using a sharp needle punch the holes (about 0.4cm / 0.157 inch apart) along the lines.
Rub out your pencil marks before you start stitching
Using Yarn D embroider the grass onto the card, then repeat with Yarn E for the heart, use a bit of washi tape or sellotape to secure into place

Finishing

Leaving a space at the top of the card for any message with PVA glue add the butterfly motifs around the card.

Thank you for crocheting along with me – I can’t wait to see the cards you make. Please tag me @KCACO.UK on Instagram (or use hashtag #kcacouk) as I always love to see your makes. You can also share your projects photos by linking them on your favourite social media sites: Ravelry, Facebook page or Facebook group and Pinterest if you aren’t on Instagram.

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

10Jul2019

Designer Interview | Zeens and Roger

Posted in Blogging, British Crochet Designer, Crochet, Designer Interview, Inspiration by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

I’m dead excited about my next designer interview because I had the pleasure of actually meeting her recently at The Crochet Sanctuary – and if you follow me on Instagram you may have seen my fan girl moment in my stories. It’s the lovely Rosina aka Zeens and Roger !!!

I’ve been following Rosina since I was told about her vlogcasts on Youtube. Her down to earth, say it like it is, podcast episodes are amongst my favourite podcasts to listen to and watch.

You will have also no doubt, if you are a crochet fan, have seen her awesome Instagram feed and come across some of her lovely designs in magazines like Inside Crochet. She has also, more recently, branched out (pun intended) into hook whittling in her new collaboration Kirk and Roger creating some beautiful handmade hooks.

Kirk and Roger Handmade Hooks
© zeensandroger.com

With so much going on I wanted to find out a bit more about Rosina, how she does it all, her inspiration and her designing process. Here’s what we chatted about…

Tell us a little bit about yourself…

I grew up in Southampton but I’ve spent half my life in Devon. I moved to Exeter in the late 90’s to study Art History at uni and never left. For the last ten years I’ve lived in an old town just outside of Exeter. It’s sandwiched between the countryside and the coast. I love it! I’ve worked at a cinema (I still love the smell of popcorn), in social housing (I was rubbish at it) and in HR (interesting stuff). I still dream about working at the cinema even though it was nearly twenty years ago.

How did you discover crochet?

Let’s not count the failed attempts as a child. Instead, I think I can really only say that it was a year after I had my first baby, so nearly 9 years ago. It’s probably a familiar story amongst crafters. Something about starting a family kick started the creativity again (after years of not doing anything crafty). My baby boy received handmade blankets from my family and I wanted in on the action! I started to crochet because I wanted my children to have things I’d made for them. I bought a beginners book and found a YouTube video that I liked and began to make a very long and very uneven chain.

How did you become a crochet designer?

I don’t remember a time that didn’t have me going “off pattern”. However, the first thing I properly designed was a little granny owl decoration. It was the first time I’d written out a pattern anyway. That was around four/five years ago. I remember fretting that I’d never get another idea again. But the wondrous thing about being a crochet addict is that you always want more! The more you do it, the more ideas you get.

In the autumn of 2016 I sent out a few emails to magazines offering my ideas. I was thrilled that one of my ideas was accepted by Inside Crochet (my favourite crochet mag). It was such a buzz and a huge confidence booster!

One Way or Another Shawl
© zeensandroger.com

Where do you generally find your creative inspiration?

I honestly don’t have a clue half the time. Colour is a biggy as I expect it is for everyone. I’m inspired by what my peers/friends are doing too, I think we’re all influenced by the same trends and it’s fascinating to see how we all interpret them differently. My favourite ideas are often the ones that pop in my head from nowhere. But it might be a holiday, pretty wrapping paper or a bonkers conversation and all of a sudden you’re presented with an image of a thing that you have to make and you have to make it NOW!

What does your design process look like? Do you sketch things out first, or do you just like to grab a hook and go?

It’s haphazard! I don’t have a particular routine but I do like to make sketches. The starting point might be the pretty wrapping paper but it might also be a crochet stitch I’ve never seen before. If I fall in love with it I have to use it in something. Or I might lust after some special yarn I’ve seen, which has to be turned into a shawl or blanket.

Release the Hounds Shawl
© zeensandroger.com

Do you have a favourite creation that you’ve designed?

I often end up hating the designs I’ve come up with and can’t wait to see the back of them! (I probably spend way too much time with the frog/rework process to have any love left). It’s not always true though, I do have pieces I’m very proud of. My C2C projects make me happy. All the yarn tangling of Havana Nights was worth it in the end! At the moment my favourites are two shawls, Release the Hounds and Hinterland, mostly for their simplicity. Sometimes simple is best!

Havana Nights Blanket
© zeensandroger.com

How and why did you start making your own hooks?

I’d seen other crocheters explore the idea and fancied having a hook for myself. I asked my friend, Paul to make one for me as his hobby is woodwork. He showed me how to make them and also suggested selling them. It’s quite addictive but I break a lot of sticks trying to make the perfect hook (and I get blisters!). I really should leave the hook making to him and I’ll stick to crochet! Kirk & Roger is a small sideline for us both, it’s fun and no pressure. I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed working with someone else. We’re a good team!

What made you decide to start your own podcast?

The number one reason was because my friends in real life reeaalllly weren’t interested in hearing me blather on about crochet all the time. I get way too excited about yarn, patterns, design work etc and you can see eyes begin to glaze over. I thought it’d be a nice outlet for me to find like-minded people to engage with. For me it’s easier than blogging; I just sit down and hit record. I’m more of a talker than a writer.

How do you fit everything in that you want to? Are you strict with yourself and your time or is it a struggle to juggle?

I don’t fit everything in. Not by a long shot. I’m a world class procrastinator and am not strict on myself at all. I reckon I could double my output if I only learned how to be more disciplined. It can be very tricky to stay motivated when you work from home. I force myself to sit at the computer and write those patterns! It’s much easier when working to a deadline for a magazine, there’s an end goal… But I’ll still leave it to the last minute.

What advice would you have for any budding crochet designer, small business owner or podcaster who might like to follow in your footsteps?

Just do it. Start today. If you want to do it, just give it a go! I didn’t have a clue what I was doing but I can confirm that there is never a right time. None of what I do ever looks as good as the next person’s, there is always someone out there who does it way better. But I love it, so I do it anyway. I’ve definitely improved since I hit publish on that first episode, but I am always working towards getting better.

Tomorrow you step outside and find a lottery ticket that ends up winning £100 million. What would you do?

Buy a house big enough to have a craft room. Pay someone to write up my patterns and pay another person to sew in ends. I’d also like to have a yarn and craft shop, supporting local makers and creatives. Oh, and it would be amazing to go to all the yarn shops, all over the world. I want to see what’s out there.

I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank Rosina again for taking time to answer these questions. I’ve really enjoyed getting a better understanding of what’s involved with in her designing process and hope you have too!

You can follow Rosina everywhere on the web: BLOG, YOUTUBE, INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK and you can buy her patterns on RAVELRY and ETSY

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

14Feb2019

Simply Crochet 81 | Hook to Hook Challenge

Posted in Crochet, Designing, Getting Crafty, Magazine, Pattern Release by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

If you are a fan of Simply Crochet magazine then you are probably familiar with their ‘Hook to Hook Challenges’ where two designers compete to come up with a unique pattern, to a given brief, using the same yarn. I always love seeing these challenges as the results are always so different! So I was super excited to be asked to be one of the challengers for Issue 81. And this is what I came up with…

The theme for this challenge was ‘Mother’s Day Card’ and I was given five 10g mini balls of Scheepjes Catona and some card with which to design some motifs suitable to create a card to give on that special day.

I actually came up with a few different ideas for card designs but in the end I settled on creating some butterfly motifs. I love butterflies, I just think they are wondrous creatures and always delight in seeing them so it was fun to come up with some small designs in keeping with my card idea.

I also decided to add an extra handmade twist of embroidering with the yarn directly onto the card. That was really fun to do and it produced exactly the effect I was looking for with the card.

As it was my mum that taught me how to crochet this Mother’s Day card would just be perfect for her!

I did laugh when I saw that my competitor was none other than Eleonora from Coastal Crochet! You may remember that I’ve met her a couple of times and interviewed her here on the blog too (read that here). It’s so fun to be up against someone I know and I certainly wouldn’t mind if she won. I love Eleonora’s cat and floral motif card – it certainly is purrrfect for Mother’s day too!

One of the fun bits of the Hook to Hook Challenge is that YOU can vote for your favourite of the two designs on the Simply Crochet Instagram page. To vote, simply double tap and comment on the design you prefer, and one lucky reader will win all the yarn that you need to make the project.

A winner will be announced on Wednesday 20th February 2019 at 1pm (GMT) on the Simply Crochet Instagram page, the competition is open to UK entrants only and T&C’s will apply.

So please, go check out the challenge, vote, and then I hope you’ll pop to the shops to pick up your copy of Simply Crochet Magazine for both Mother’s Day card patterns so you can have a go at making them yourself!

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

12Jan2018

2017 in a Nutshell + Giveaway Advanced Notice

Posted in Crochet, Designing, Giveaways, In A Nutshell, Life by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

I umm’d and ahh’d about doing an end of year review but I decided that I quite like looking back at the year in this way.

2017 for me was the year I had my tenth wedding anniversary and when I watched my youngest daughter take her first wobbly steps, when she finally said ‘Mama’ for the first time (and then never stopped saying it) and when my eldest daughter won first prize in a talent show that she’d entered herself into – so much pride for my family this year!

And 2017 has been quite a crochet year for me! Not only did I immortalise myself in crochet when I reviewed the Edwards Doll Emporium book but it’s the year where I made the very scary choice of trying to see how far I could really go on my crochet design journey. And it turned out to be further than I ever thought it would be! I got to work with some fabulous magazines both in the UK and the US and I’ve had the chance to collaborate with some awesome people and companies.

Sometimes I have to remind myself (and pinch myself) that it’s only since January this year that I started working with Let’s Get Crafting magazine as I’ve had such fun collaborating with them now for several fun designs.

I can’t even try to explain to you the overwhelming joy I felt when my first ever design with them appeared on the front cover – I’d never even contemplated the fact that it was a possibility. And what made it really great was the folks of the magazine saved the surprise so I didn’t know about until issue 88 was released.

Using set yarns amounts, colours and hooks for each project has really developed the way I look at things as a designer. I would have never thought it but I’ve found that I really quite enjoy the challenge of ‘making it work’ under, what others might see as, these types of constraint.

And I love how bright and colourful all the designs have been. I thought I’d do a little collage of all my makes that have featured in Let’s Get Crafting issues from January to December 2017 (Issues 88 to 97).

And I also got to work with Simply Crochet Magazine twice this year and, as you will remember from my last post, I got to have the Crochet Edits supplement all to myself – again there really are no words to describe how it felt to see that for the first time.

I feel so lucky that both Let’s Get Crafting and Simply Crochet Magazine have been so supportive and have believed in me enough to publish my work!

And I was feeling the love from across the pond too as I worked with both Happily Hooked magazine…

and I Like Crochet magazine again.

I’ve also had the delight of seeing two of my designs turned into crochet kits with CraftStore UK

and I’ve also done a fair bit of yarny visiting with trips to the Knitting and Stitching Show in London, the Scheepjes day at Black Sheep Yarns, the Nottingham Yarn Expo and also some how found the time to visit the first Wool@Jct13 Yarn Festival!

and I also managed to crochet some things from other peoples patterns…

and designed a few more things…

And entered a design competition – (and I’m working on getting these patterns tested behind the scenes for folks that asked about them)…

And in a nutshell, that was 2017! It does makes my heart happy to see all my crochet projects together. But blooming heck! When you add it all together it seems like sooooo much! I’ve just worked out that I completed 68 projects altogether in 2017 which is a bit crazy… I go to work, I have a social life and I enjoy time with my family, I’m not actually sure how I’ve fitted all that in?!

But’s it time to look forward to 2018 – and I AM really looking forward to 2018! I’ve already got some exciting things in store AND in a couple of weeks I’m going to be holding a BIG giveaway to celebrate the fact that I’ve been blogging for FOUR whole years now.

AND there are going to be some AMAZING prizes in the giveaway kindly donated by lots of the lovely people who I’ve worked with in 2017 including:

A set of ‘Big, Bold, Loud and Proud Mega Hooks’ from Wulla Yarns
Winners choice of 2017 Hook and a Book Subscription box (excludes Dec Mega Box)
Three most regent copies of Let’s Get Crafting Knitting and Crochet Magazine
A years digital subscription to US Happily Hooked magazine
Rainbow Set of Yarns from Medieval Colours
Plus a specially curated ‘Beat the January Blues’ Yarny Goodie Box from ME!

It’s going to awesome!!! It’s all starting from 31 January (which is my blog’s birthday) so make sure you are subscribed (if you aren’t already) so you don’t miss any of the details.

Until next time, keep calm and crochet on my friends x