For the latest issue of Crochet Now magazine (Issue 81) I’ve paired the popular corner to corner (C2C) technique with a bold geometric design in a new wrap called ‘Geo Zing’.
If you’re not familiar C2C crochet, it’s a stitch that creates a solid fabric by creating ‘squares’ which is worked on the diagonal. Once you’ve learnt the C2C stitch it’s easy to work and it’s fantastic for creating shapes (or pictures) with crochet.
Changing colours might seem a bit scary, but once you perfected your technique it’s more about keeping your yarn organised so that you don’t get in a tangle which can seem like the tricky part!
I’ve actually kept this design to just two colours so as to keep tangling issues to a minimum! I used 2 balls of Scheepjes Whirlette in Tasty Treat (878) and Rose (859) with a 3.25mm (US D/3) hook. It’s a yarn cake made from 40% Acrylic / 60% Cotton with a weight of 100 grams [455 meters length].
Unlike the bigger sister Whirls, which you might be familiar with, Whirlettes are balls of solid colour, fabulous for mixing with a Whirl to extend a Whirl cake project or perfect for using on their own like I have.
I then used some matching Scheepjes Catona (in Cyan shade 397, and Tulip shade 222) for the tassels at either end. Catona is 100% mercerised cotton and comes in 10g, 25g or 50g balls, it has a soft delicate sheen that I thought would work brilliantly in a fringe.
This striking geometric print wrap will certainly add a zing of colour to your wardrobe as the sun starts to shine – and would make an ideal cover up for spring evenings or summer parties.
Issue 81 of Crochet Now is full of lovely patterns; this month they are focusing on finding positivity in the small things. With that in mind, they’ve got plenty of bright and cheerful patterns to add a little cheer to your month (and a couple that might give you a laugh or two)!
If you make up the Geo Zing wrap 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
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected, thank you for your support.
I’m happy to share with you today, the last crochet jewellery set that I’ve created in collaboration with the lovely folks at Anchor Crafts. This is the third and final set of three, the first was the Geometric Jewellery set, then there was the Leaves Jewellery set, finally we have the Flowery Jewellery set.
This pretty long necklace set is inspired by nature with two sizes of flowers that offer a touch of timeless elegance. Sitting gracefully around your neck, the necklace is created on one long beaded chain that can be made longer or shorter to compliment what you are wearing.
For my jewellery I used Anchor Freccia 6 which is 100% mercerized cotton 3ply yarn with a 2.5mm (closest US size C/2) hook. I used two shades for this set; 00968 Baby Pink and 00387 Cream but it would work just as well in a single colour – and the colour combinations you could create are endless.
If you don’t already have some jewellery finding to hand you will need some items to make your jewellery set. I have this set for earring hooks and this one for everything you need for necklaces – you might also find some small nose pliers useful too. Finally you will need some 40 x light pink beads if you want to make yours exactly like mine – I have a multicoloured set of beads that I used for my jewellery.
I love how pretty and delicate this set turned out; you would undoubtedly have enough yarn to make a set for a special friend or family member after you have made one for yourself!
The pattern for the Flowery Jewellery Set is a free download available directly from the Anchor Crafts website here where you can just download the pattern or register for an account. It doesn’t cost anything for an account, but by signing up you’ll gain access to loads of other free patterns by other talented designers too.
And if it’s the first time you’ve ever tackled crochet jewellery then you might find the tutorial that we’ve put together for the set extra helpful.
If you hook up any of the decorations I hope you’ll tag @kcaco.uk on Instagram using the hashtags #kcacouk and #proud2craft or #anchoryarns (so the folks at Anchor Yarns can see) or share your photos with us on social media (facebook, twitter or or as a project on Ravelry) – I love to see what you make!
Pin this project for later:
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, thank you for your support.
I’m delighted to share with you today, the next crochet jewellery set that I’ve created in collaboration with the lovely folks at Anchor Crafts. This is the second set of three, the first was the Geometric Jewellery set, and I’ve got one more set to share with you after today. Today’s set is called the Leaves Jewellery set and it consists of a necklace with matching earrings.
This delicate twisted leaf set is inspired by nature with gentle curves and twists that work with each other to create some organic style beauty. It’s another set which I think would be easy to wear and would look good as a Spring set (as I’ve created) or equally as good in Autumnal colours – you have the opportunity to make something unique!
For my jewellery I used Anchor Freccia 6 which is 100% mercerized cotton 3ply yarn with a 2.5mm (closest US size C/2) hook. I used two lovely Spring shades for this set; 00676 Duck Egg and 00666 Teal and as the yarn comes in 50g [191 yards /175 meters] you could make a few matching sets from the two balls.
If you don’t already have some jewellery finding to hand you will need some items to make your jewellery set. I have this set for earring hooks and this one for everything you need for necklaces – you might also find some small nose pliers useful too. Finally you will need some 35 x duck egg coloured beads and 32 x teal coloured beads if you want to make yours exactly like mine – I have a multicoloured set of beads that I used for my jewellery.
Crochet jewellery is such a nice quick project to work on, and I think the Leaves Jewellery set would make the perfect addition to your daily collection – or they could make a lovely project to gift to friends or family.
The pattern for the Leaves Jewellery Set is a free download available directly from the Anchor Crafts website here where you can just download the pattern or register for an account. It doesn’t cost anything for an account, but by signing up you’ll gain access to loads of other free patterns by other talented designers too.
And if it’s the first time you’ve ever tackled crochet jewellery then you might find the tutorial that we’ve put together for the set extra helpful.
I really enjoyed making this set and hope you will too – I’ve got one more free jewellery set to share with you soon, so make sure you check back for the details – 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 free pattern releases are available.
Pin this project for later:
If you hook up any of the decorations I hope you’ll tag @kcaco.uk on Instagram using the hashtags #kcacouk and #proud2craft or #anchoryarns (so the folks at Anchor Yarns can see) or share your photos with us on social media (facebook, twitter or or as a project on Ravelry) – I love to see what you make!
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected, thank you for your support.
In collaboration with the lovely folks at Anchor Crafts, I’ve got not 1, not 2, but THREE brand new free crochet patterns to share with you and they are all for something a little bit different – crochet jewellery! I’m going to share each set one by one (over the next few days) so all the relevant information for each set is easy to find. First up is the Geometric Jewellery set comprising of necklace, bracelet and earrings!
This bold square set is inspired by art deco style of geometric shapes with strong precise lines. Extremely easy to wear as an eye-catching set or as individual pieces, this modern contemporize crochet jewellery is designed for those who want to make a statement!
For my jewellery I used Anchor Freccia 6 which is 100% mercerized cotton 3ply yarn with a 2.5mm (Closest US size C/2) hook. I used four different colours (00403 Black, 00092 Purple, 00666 Teal,00089 Fuchsia).
If you don’t already have some jewellery finding to hand you will need to pick up somethings to add to your crochet; I have this set for earring hooks and this one for everything you need for bracelets and necklaces – you might also find some small nose pliers useful too. Finally you will need some iridescent seed beads (I have a multicoloured set) though this could be optional, but I liked the bit of added sparkle!
Crochet jewellery make lovely quick projects as they are certainly quicker than a jumper or amigurumi as they can usually be completed in a couple of days or less!
The pattern for the geometric jewellery set is a free download available directly from the Anchor Crafts website here where you can just download the pattern or register for an account. It doesn’t cost anything for an account, but by signing up you’ll gain access to loads of other free patterns by other talented designers too.
And if it’s the first time you’ve ever tackled crochet jewellery then you might find the tutorial that we’ve put together for the set extra helpful.
I love how the set turned out, and hope you do too – I’ll be sharing two more free sets soon, so make sure you check back for the details – 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 free pattern releases are available.
Pin this project for later:
If you hook up any of the decorations I hope you’ll tag @kcaco.uk on Instagram using the hashtags #kcacouk and #proud2craft or #anchoryarns (so the folks at Anchor Yarns can see) or share your photos with us on social media (facebook, twitter or or as a project on Ravelry) – I love to see what you make!
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected, thank you for your support.
If you’ve been following me for a while, then you’ll know that I have a bit of a thing about filet crochet – I just think it’s such a fun crochet technique, and it just so happens I’ve got a brand new filet crochet wrap design in the latest issue of Crochet Now magazine.
The Flora Filet wrap is a one ball shawl that creates a wearable bouquet! Worked in the filet crochet technique the wrap features create a large stylised flower pattern in a long light shawl that is easy to style.
With regards to filet crochet I love to try and think of designs that are perhaps a bit different from the idea that filet crochet is great for doily’s or mats with tiny thread and a tiny hook. For this latest wrap I wanted to go big and bold with a vibrant oversized flower motif – and I love how it turned out.
For this wrap I used a Scheepjes Whirl in Pink to Wink (Shade 552) with a 3.25mm (US D/3) hook. I used pretty much all of the 215g (1000m) of the yarn cake, which is a 4ply (Fingering / Sock Weight) yarn with a blend of 60% Cotton, 40% Acrylic, to make this lovely lightweight wrap.
It’s a perfect pattern to use with your favourite gradient yarn cake; for this version, though you could of course make it with any 4ply (or light DK / sport weight yarn).
The Flora Filet wrap would make a lovely addition to your spring / summer wardrobe to lift any outfit and make you the pick of the bunch!
If you are new to filet, you might find my post Top Tips for Filet Crochet useful to look at first, but this wrap has a lovely repetition of easy stitches that any level of crocheter could tackle.
This month’s 84 page issue of Crochet Now gives you plenty of tips, tricks, ideas and inspiration from loads of fab designers like Bella Coco Crochet, TOFT’s Kerry Lord, Esther Dijkstra from It’s All in A Nutshell Crochet, amongst others. This particular issue also comes with an exclusive Bright Spark 6mm Tunisian Crochet Hook and Tunisian Crochet – Step up your Skills A4 pattern book.
If you make up the Flora Filet Wrap 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
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected, thank you for your support.
Did you happen to catch the lovely Sara-Jayne (aka Bella Coco Crochet) for the Crochet Society Box 33 Unboxing and Box 35 Designer Reveal that she did on YouTube the other day? Well now the cat is out of the bag I can say I’m very excited to have had the opportunity to design something special for Box 35!
If you’ve not heard about the Crochet Society before, it’s a crochet subscription box, curated by Sara-Jayne, delivered directly to your door every month. In each box there is an exclusively designed pattern book, featuring designs by a range of fantastic designers, a bespoke crochet hook, Typically some lovely yarn and usually some really fun notions and little gifts too.
This month, along side my design, there is also a design by the fantastic Toni from TL Yarn Crafts and another by Victoria from In the Stitch with Vix. We all had the opportunity to chat about about our crochet to the folks at Crochet Society – you can read what I had to say here, and the other designers interviews can be found at the links at the bottom of that page.
I can’t actually tell you about my design for this box, it’s going to be a lovely surprise for subscribers, but I think I can safely say it’s been one of my favourite designs of recent months!
Prices for the box are £21.99 and they ship to most places in the world not just the UK! And if you want to try a box, to see what you think, they have different past boxes (while stocks last) in the Crochet Society Shop. There is also the opportunity to get just the Digital Download for boxes no longer in stock too (for instance Box 13 featuring my little Briar Bunny or Box 17 featuring my Saffi the Squirrel).
Example of Crochet Society Box
Though by subscribing you will receive a box full of lovely crochet fun each month which is something really nice to look forward to! And whether you’re new to crochet, or building your crochet skills, as there are always a range of designs featured in the pattern booklet, not just one, there is something for everyone. Plus there are lots of lots of top tips, tutorials and advice available as a resource on the Crochet Society website
If you are interested in grabbing yourself a Crochet Society box you have until 20th April 2022 to subscribe – and if you subscribe by then you’ll get Box 35 as your first box which features my new design.
I’m so excited to share that design with you – make sure you are signed up to blog (below) and / or my mailing list to be the first to see that pattern when it lands!
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.
I hope it doesn’t seem a little frivolous to be posting about crochet (especially with what is currently happening in the Ukraine). Whilst I am obviously extremely concerned about what is unfolding in the world, for me crochet is my comfort and distraction for my anxiety. And actually one of the patterns I’ve created for the latest issue of Crochet Now magazine was a lovely nostalgic trip down memory lane.
I’m delighted to say I had the opportunity of designing a sweet “Clanger” themed mobile for Issue 79. If you aren’t familiar with The Clangers, it’s a classic BBC British stop-motion pre-school children’s tv series about a family of knitted mice-like creatures who live on a small moon-like blue planet.
Now I’m not old enough to remember the original series (which ran between 1969-74), but when I had my eldest daughter my mother-in-law bought us a DVD of The Clangers, so I became well acquainted with the adorable creatures and the gentle storylines, and became rather fond of the sweet whistled dialogue that typifies the characters of show.
And if you have young people at home you may have seen the The Clangers re-vamp (2015 to present), which I’ve enjoyed watching with my youngest. There’s just something so appealing about these handmade looking knitted mice!
But if like me, you don’t knit as well as you should like, and you are a Clanger fan, or you have Clanger friends or family, then you’ll be as happy as I was to be able to crochet my own version.
On the mobile we have Tiny Clanger, who is kind and gentle by nature. She’s the youngest of the Clanger family, and so seemed the perfect character to showcase in the centre of the mobile.
Then on the arms of the mobile we have the blue planet, complete with dustbin lid openings, and a froglet (those small orange aliens who traditionally travel around in a top hat!). Finally I’ve added some moon shapes and sparkly stars to help send your little one into a sweet slumber.
For my Clanger mobile I used some of my favourite Ricorumi DK with a 3mm hook in 9 different colours, and also included some sparkly Rico Creative Lame DK for the stars and parts of the blue planet.
If you are not not familiar with Ricorumi DK the yarn it is 100% Cotton which comes in 25g [57.5 meters] balls, it’s perfect yarn for amigurumi making as it comes in the cute little balls in over 80 different shades so I can usually find perfect colours to match my project.
If you make up the Clangers mobile 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
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected, thank you for your support.
The latest issue of Crochet Now magazine is focusing on the importance of being mindful and there’s nothing more mindful that a bit of quality ‘me’ time crocheting! So if you are looking for a new project to get lost in the stitches, then how about Milo the Mindful Moose!
Milo the Moose enjoys getting out his yoga mat and unwinding after a busy day! Are you interested in yoga or mediation? I used to enjoy going to yoga classes before I had children and have recently been considering trying to find a local class again that I could go to.
But of course I also use the rhythmic motions of crochet as a conscious way to slow down a bit, be present in the moment with my stitches and relieve stress – and that’s what Milo is all about!
Enjoy taking the time to hook up Milo and his tasselled yoga mat, he makes a quick and easy project and would be the perfect gift for any yoga loving family and friends.
For my Milo I used some of my favourite Ricorumi DK with a 3mm hook. If you are not not familiar with the yarn it is 100% Cotton which comes in 25g [57.5 meters] balls. I went for calming teal and brown tones, just 1 ball of Wood (073), Cream (002), Aqua (074), Slate (080) and Teal (040). I love Ricorumi DK for amigurumi as it comes in the cute little balls in loads of different colours so I can usually find the shades that I’m looking for.
If you make up Milo the Moose 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
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected, thank you for your support.
It’s been AGGEESSS since my last giveaway hasn’t it – so I’m quickly going to rectify that now! How would you like to win FREE tickets to the The Stitch Festival at the Business Design Centre, London?
You’d love the chance – well awesome! Just keep on reading…
The Stitch Festival, formerly known as The Spring Knitting & Stitching Show, is the ultimate day out for craft lovers. The Stitch Festival champions creativity with hundreds of workshops, demonstrations, fashion exhibitions, textile installations, as well as exhibitors selling specialist craft supplies.
Highlights of this years show include the fabulous TOFT’s exhibitionMaking Women Who Made History, which marks International Women’s Day. The exhibition is a celebration of inspirational, brave and talented women, all made in amigurumi. TOFT launched its first design, Emmeline Pankhurst, on IWD in March 2020. I love TOFT yarn and characters so I bet that’s going to be awesome! And there are going to be over 100 other specialist retailers who will be selling yarn, crochet equipment and craft supplies…swoon right!
Although the The Stitch Festival showcases all stitch crafts like sewing, knitting, if you are just there for the crochet there are a range of crochet workshops which include:
Tapestry Crochet: Flower Power Coaster / Diana Bensted
Mosaic Crochet / Diana Bensted
Crochet an Amigurumi Easter Egg / Diana Bensted
Beginners’ Crochet / Debbie Harris
Crochet your own Perfect Sock / Diana Bensted
Freeform Crochet Scumble / Diana Bensted
Crochet a Granny Square Cushion Cover / Debbie Harris
Make a Mini Crochet Shawl / Diana Bensted
Crochet a Spring Inspired Pen/Pencil Holder / Eleonora Cugin
Excitingly this year they also have The Stitch Festival Dressmaking competition is open to all contemporary dressmakers who want the opportunity to share their creations. And it’s not just sewing there is a crochet / knitwear outfit category sponsored by Stylecraft. Basically it could be a chunky knit jumper or a fine knit cardigan, a dress, a scarf or other accessories. Anything goes, but you haven’t long, the entry form with photos must be submitted online by Midday on Friday 11th February.
Although I can’t make it to this particular show, I’ve enjoyed the visits to them in the past. If you fancy a read about those experiences you can read about themhere and here.
It’s so wonderful that craft shows are coming back, I’ve really missed them, but if you are at all concerned or have questions about how the show will work in COVID times The Stitch Festival hold visitor safety as paramount and you can view Immediate Live’s Covid commitment if you have queries about attendance.
So on with the bit you’ve been waiting for! The giveaway details! I’ve got FIVE pairs of tickets to giveaway hurray!!! I’m giving away THREE pairs away here on the blog and TWO pairs away on Instagram.
GIVEAWAY
All you need to do to enter the giveaway is either leave a comment on the bottom of this blog post about why you’d like to go to the show or do the same over on my Instagram giveaway reel post.
The competition closes on Monday 14th February September at 7pm (GMT). Winners will be contacted via the email supplied from their comment or by DM on social media.
Entry is for any one day on any of the dates of the show (3 – 6 March 2022). This year the organisers are not issuing paper tickets, winners will be emailed a link to register online with a unique code for one pair of tickets. Winners will then need to register online, enter their codes and they will receive e-tickets by email. When entering this competition you must be happy to provide me with a your email address for this purpose, your email address will not be used in any other way.
Advance adult tickets for The Stitch Festival are £15.50 (concessions £14.50, children aged 5-18 years £7.50) from Thursday to Saturday. VIP tickets start at £40. Full ticket information is available at The Stitch Festival website www.thestitchfestival.co.uk. Visitors are encouraged to book in advance to avoid disappointment. In the event of pandemic-related cancellation, ticket holders will be offered the choice to transfer their booking to 2023 or receive a refund. Transaction fees will be retained.
But if you want your ticket’s RIGHT NOW I’ve also got a special discount for you! Just quote: KCACO22to get an adult ticket for £12.50! That’s £3 off advance adults (and there’s £2 off advance concessions!). Please note that the discount ends at 23.59pm on 2nd March 2022.
I’d like to say a big thank you again to the shows organisers for offering this special deal to my lovely KCACO.UK readers!
Good Luck everyone!
Until next time; keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
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.
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.
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!
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Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
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