I’m super excited to tell you about the latest issue of Crochet Now magazine as it’s rather a special issue for me! Get set for a purr-fect Christmas with eight new festive Pusheen the Cat patterns in an exclusive 36 page supplement available with Issue 74.
You may remember in December last year Crochet Now magazine featured a little Pusheen I’d designed in a wee Christmas hat. I was delighted to be given the opportunity to create some more of her iconic looks in crochet.
There’s eight new patterns altogether; Pusheen in a scarf and Christmas hat with her friend Sloth, and there’s also a large cookie for Pusheen to hold, a festive wreath, candy cane, large mitten and present, and a Christmas Hat (that fits Sloth) to help create your own Pusheen Xmas scene.
For Pusheen I used some of the same Ricorumi DK yarn ‘Pusheen’ shades I used before, bringing in some more colours like Candy Pink, Turquoise, Caramel and Chocolate, all with a 3mm hook, for a lovely wintery palette.
If you are not familiar with Ricorumi DK yarn I can definitely recommend. It’s some of my favourite yarn to work with and it comes in the cutest 25g (57.5m) balls which is perfect for making these little multicoloured amigurumi characters.
I’ve actually got another pattern in this issue, you may remember Alina the Ballerina from an issue of the January issue of Your Crochet and Knitting magazine. Well in Issue 74 there’s another chance to make your hooks dance to make up this cute dancing doll.
This elegant doll is dressed to perform in her ballet slippers and tutu and is ready to twirl away to the music! This Alina has been made with Cascade 220 Superwash yarn, which is a DK yarn available in 101 different colours with a 3.5mm hook. She would make the perfect gift for any little girl who loves to dance!
If you make up any of the Pusheen patterns, or Alina the Ballerina, I hope you’ll share any finished photos with me on social media (facebook, twitter or instagram) or as a project on Ravelry – I love to see what you make! And finally you may wish to make sure you are signed up to blog (below) and / or my mailing list to get a reminder when new blog posts, discounts or new pattern releases are available.
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
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.
Anyone else get to October and get an overwhelming urge to make some pumpkins?
Not just me, phew, that’s handy 😉 because today I’m going to be sharing a brand new FREE pattern with you; my Slick and Quick Pumpkin Trio.
There’s a large, medium and small pumpkin, and as they are made from Aran / Worsted weight yarn and a 5mm hook they are a quick make. And they are easy too, perfect for any beginner crocheters, as they only use simple stitches, who might be looking for an autumnal project.
They are also incredibly satisfying and sort of addictive to make, I already want to make some more to create a whole pumpkin patch!
For my baskets I used Stylecraft Special Aran which I had in my stash. I chose three natural looking colours of Spice, Camel and Pistachio but you could really play with your colours to match your home decor. They would be perfect for Autumnal table settings, around the mantle, or for a welcoming doorway – after all what’s October without a few pumpkins!
The Slick and Quick Pumpkin Trio pattern is available for free here on the blog or, if you prefer working with a printout, you can pick up a PDF of the pattern for a nominal price (links below).
The pattern is available in both UK and US crochet terminology via the PDF download; the pattern below is written just in UK terms. But you can view a handy conversion chart here on the blog.
Large pumpkin: Approx: 15cm (5.9″) high / 52 cm (20″) circumference
Medium pumpkin: Approx: 12cm (4.7″) high / 44cm (17.7″) circumference
Small pumpkin: Approx: 10cm (3.9″) high / 35cm (13.7″) circumference
Gauge: 5dc= 1.4 inches / 3 .5cm
Obtaining the correct gauge is not critical to this project but if your gauge does not match then your finished item will be a different size.
Stitch Guidance
Slip Stitch (sl st): Insert hook in st indicated, yarn over and draw through all loops.
Double Crochet (dc): Insert hook in st indicated and pull up a loop (two loops on hook), yarn over, pull through both loops on hook.
Double Crochet 2 together (dc2tog): Decreases in this pattern are worked as an invisible decrease in the following manner – Insert hook in the FRONT LOOP ONLY of the st indicated and pull up a loop (two loops on hook), Insert hook in the FRONT LOOP ONLY of the next st, yarn over, pull through three loops on hook. Working a decrease in this way helps reduce appearance of holes that can be made when working a decrease the normal way.
Pattern Notes
Magic ring: is also known as a Drawstring Ring or Magic Loop and is often used as a start for working amigurumi. To use a magic ring in crochet, you’ll make the first round of stitches into an adjustable loop. Then, simply pull the yarn tail to close up the loop nice at tight. If you are not familiar with this technique you could substitute with a ch2 and then work in the second ch from the hook.
Working in the round: This pattern is worked in the amigurumi style (unless specified), in a spiral without slip stitching or turning chains.
Working in the Back Loop Only (BLO): If you hold your piece of crochet in front of you with the Vs of the stitch on top, the part of the V closest to you is the front loop. The part of the V farther away from you on the opposite side is the back loop. When a pattern asks you to crochet into the back loop or front loop only insert your hook into the relevant loop and crochet as instructed.
Pattern
Large Pumpkin Body
Rnd 1: With A; working into a magic ring, 6dc. 6sts
Rnd 2: [2dc] around. 12sts
Rnd 3: [1dc, 2dc] around. 18 sts
Rnd 4: [1dc in next 2sts, 2dc] around. 24sts
Rnd 5: [1dc in next 3sts, 2dc] around. 30sts
Rnd 6: [1dc in next 4sts, 2dc] around. 36sts
Rnd 7: [1dc in next 5sts, 2dc] around. 42sts
Rnd 8: [1dc in next 6sts, 2dc] around. 48sts
Rnd 9: [1dc in next 7sts, 2dc] around. 54sts
Rnd 10: [1dc in next 8sts, 2dc] around. 60sts
Rnd 11: [1dc in next 9sts, 2dc] around. 66sts
Rnd 12: 1dc in next 5sts, 2dc, then [1dc in next 10sts, 2dc] around until the last 5sts, 1dc in each remaining st. 72sts
Rnds 13-27: Dc around
Rnd 28: [1dc in next 10sts, dc2tog] around. 66sts
Rnd 29: [1dc in next 9sts, dc2tog] around. 60sts
Rnd 30: [1dc in next 8sts, dc2tog] around. 54sts
Rnd 31: [1dc in next 7sts, dc2tog] around. 48sts
Rnd 32: [1dc in next 6sts, dc2tog] around. 42sts
Start to stuff; continuing to stuff as you go.
Rnd 33: [1dc in next 5sts, dc2tog] around. 36sts
Rnd 34: [1dc in next 4sts, dc2tog] around. 30sts
Rnd 35: [1dc in next 3sts, dc2tog] around. 24sts
Rnd 36: [1dc in next 2sts, dc2tog] around. 18sts
Rnd 37: [1dc, dc2tog] around. 12sts
Rnd 38: [Dc2tog] around. 6sts
Fasten off and using the last 6 sts to sew up the remaining sts. Do not completely fasten off; leave a long yarn tail at least 2 arms length for making up the pumpkin.
Large Pumpkin Stalk
Rnds 1 – 2: With D; make as Pumpkin Body. 12sts
Rnd 3: Working BLO; Dc around
Rnds 4 – 6: Dc around
Fasten off but leave long yarn tail for sewing to the pumpkin.
Stuff the stalk
Large Pumpkin Stalk bottom
Rnds 1 – 2: With D; make as Pumpkin Body. 12sts
Fasten off but leave long yarn tail for sewing to the pumpkin.
Medium Pumpkin Body
Rnds 1 – 9: With B; make as Large Pumpkin Body. 54sts
Rnd 10: 1dc in next 4sts, 2dc, then [1dc in next 8sts, 2dc] around until the last 4sts, 1dc in each remaining st. 60sts
Rnds 11-23: Dc around
Rnds 24 – 32: Repeat rows 30 – 38 of the Large Pumpkin Body. 6sts
Fasten off and using the last 6 sts to sew up the remaining sts. Do not completely fasten off; leave a long yarn tail at least 2 arms length for making up the pumpkin.
Medium Pumpkin Stalk
Rnd 1: With D; working into a magic ring, 5dc. 5sts
Rnd 2: [2dc] around. 10sts
Rnd 3: Working BLO; Dc around
Rnds 4 – 6: Dc around
Fasten off but leave long yarn tail for sewing to the pumpkin.
Stuff the stalk
Medium Pumpkin Stalk bottom
Rnds 1 – 2: With D; make as Pumpkin Body. 10sts
Fasten off but leave long yarn tail for sewing to the pumpkin.
Small Pumpkin Body
Rnds 1 – 7: With C; make as Large Pumpkin Body. 42sts
Rnd 8: 1dc in next 3sts, 2dc, then [1dc in next 6sts, 2dc] around until the last 3sts, 1dc in each remaining st. 48sts
Rnds 9-19: Dc around
Rnds 20 – 26: Repeat rows 32 – 38 of the Large Pumpkin Body. 6sts
Fasten off and using the last 6 sts to sew up the remaining sts
Small Pumpkin Stalk
Rnds 1 – 5: With D; make as the Medium Pumpkin Stalk
Fasten off but leave long yarn tail for sewing to the pumpkin.
Stuff the stalk
Small Pumpkin Stalk bottom
Rnd 1: With D; ; working into a magic ring, 8dc. 8sts
Fasten off but leave long yarn tail for sewing to the pumpkin.
Making up
For each pumpkin:
1. Take the length of yarn tail, and wrap your yarn around your pumpkin twice; taking it through the centre of the pumpkin and pulling it taught to shape your pumpkin into segments, tie in a secure knot at the top.
2. Repeat step 1 twice more in equal segments (creating six segments in total).
3. Sew the stalk bottom onto the bottom of your pumpkin using it to cover up where the yarn for your segments cross at the bottom.
4. Sew the stem onto the top of your pumpkin using it to cover up where the yarn for your segments cross at the top.
And that’s it! Enjoy your gourd-eous pumpkins!
If you enjoyed this pattern please give it a love, or leave a comment or review on the platform you got it from – And I hope you’ll share your photos with me on social media (facebook, twitter or instagram) or as a project on Ravelry – I love to see what you make!
And if you haven’t had enough of pumpkins yet then you might like my Chunky Pumpkins that I made for my Deramores Designer Shop last year. They are made in a totally different way, with a different stitch using chunky yarn and a bigger hook so you’d get to try something new!
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.
Okay, not to alarm anyone but there are only 95 days now until Christmas – and in crafting circles it potentially becomes that time to crochet faster!
I personally ADORE crocheting Christmas ornaments and decorations, it’s one of my favourite seasons and I think it’s a lovely way to begin to get into the festive spirit. Plus they also make fab little gifts – and I’ve got just such a pattern in the latest issue of Crochet Now magazine.
A little, scandi style, Pretty Poinsettia Gnome! Adorned with a traditional wintry flower, I think this little gnome would make the perfect stocking filler for your loved ones this Christmas.
I used Ricorumi DK for my gnome which is a favourite yarn of mine to use for amigurumi. If you are not familiar with this yarn it is a DK weight 100% cotton, specially developed for crocheting cute amigurumi characters. It comes in cute 25g (57.5m) balls which makes it perfect for little amigurumi projects such as this one.
If you were looking for some for your stash Deramores currently has a special offer on for 5% discount if you buy 5 balls, 10% discount if you buy 10 balls – and as it’s only £0.99p per ball it’s not going to break the bank. And there’s also a special offer to September (until 26 Sept) for £5 off when you spend £30+ with the code 5tash with free shipping on orders of over £28.
Traditionally gnomes are known as symbols of good luck, dating back to when gnomes were believed to be household spirits responsible for the care and prosperity of the family, so a great addition to your house. My finished gnome is 20cm tall (from tip of the hat to the bottom) so perfect as a little ornament for a shelf or desk during the holiday season.
I honestly had so much fun creating this little guy that I’m thinking that he might need some seasonal buddies; for Spring, Summer and Autumn! So watch this space…
Issue 73 of Crochet Now magazine is packed with 41 seasonal patterns that you’ll love in a 100 page magazine – you can just see my little gnome on the bottom of the front cover (so exciting!).
It’s available to buy from your local supermarket and some newsagents or you can grab a digital version from www.craftstash.co.uk/books-magazines
If you hook up the Poinsettia Gnome I hope you’ll share your photos with me on social media (facebook, twitter or instagram) or as a project on Ravelry – I love to see what you make!
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected, thank you for your support.
Looking for a quick, easy and useful crochet project? Well I’m delighted to say that I’ve got another free pattern for you today, in collaboration with the lovely folks at Anchor Yarns, that might just be what you are looking for.
I’m a bit of a sucker for a crochet basket, I love them, so when I got the opportunity to play with some Anchor Creativa 8ply Cotton I knew the yarn was destined to become a basket idea I’d been thinking of.
I really wanted to make a couple of baskets that were a different shape from the usual round baskets you see, I wanted to make at least two baskets, and I also wanted them to nest inside each other. The idea came from a sort of square box type basket that I’d seen made from fabric that I thought might make a good shape to try and recreate in crochet.
The finished result were the ‘Tuck Baskets’ named for two reasons; because they have a little tuck at the side to help them stand up and be more sturdy and because they can tuck inside each other.
For my baskets I used Creativa 8ply which is a yarn that I’d not had the opportunity to use before, though I’ve used the Creativa Fino 4ply for lots of different projects. The 8ply is the 4plys bigger sister; it’s quite a chunky DK with the same vibrant colour palette which makes it a great choice for home décor items. It’s a 100% cotton natural fibre, that’s soft and silky, that comes in a 50g / 70m.
I used 4mm hook (US size G/6), and 3 different colours (shades 4620008-00391 / Teal, Shade 4620008-00258 / Raspberry, Shade 4620008-00105 / Cream) to create these fun little baskets.
I enjoyed making them in the contrast colours of the Raspberry and Teal and then I used the Cream to tie them together. As I also love wooden buttons I included some 15mm ones in the finished aesthetic for each side which I think worked out quite nicely.
Square and cute these tuck baskets are perfect for displaying on your bookcase or cabinets to tidy away those small items that don’t have a designated space!
The Creativa Tuck Basket pattern 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.
Make them to match your house decor, or maybe gift as a cute house warming gift, there are so many possibilities – the choices are all yours!
The pattern is written in UK crochet terminology and I’ve linked it up on Ravelry too if you’d like to save it to your favourites on there (at the link below).
Super simple to make and so practical; this pattern is perfect for beginners, as it only uses simple stitches – though I’ve also included a chart to the pattern for that extra helping hand.
If you hook up the Tuck Baskets 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 projects in my Facebook group as I love to see your finished work!
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.
A few months ago I was asked by the lovely folks at Crochet Now magazine if I’d to create some fun amigurumi’s to accompany a stitch marker set that they were giving away with Issue 71.
The cute stitch marker set was based around a coffee house theme; there was a mini cup of coffee, a little donut and an tiny ice-cream with cute little smiley faces. I couldn’t resist such a fun project!
I used Paintbox Cotton DK for the characters which, if you are not familiar with, is a DK weight 100% Cotton which comes in 50g (125m) balls so there is a lot of yarn to play with. I used 1 ball in Light Caramel (409), 1 ball in Bubblegum Pink (451), 1 ball in Spearmint Green (426), 1 ball in Paper White (401) and 1 ball in the aptly named Coffee Bean (411) to make all the characters – and I still had yarn left over.
The suggested hook size for the yarn is a 4mm but I used a 3mm as I like to go down a couple of hook sizes for my amigurumi sometimes to get a tighter gauge (and to prevent holes which stuffing could come out of!).
I think I did quite a good job of colour matching to the stitch marker set, but luckily Paintbox Cotton DK comes in 56 different colours so I had plenty of choice. It also makes it a great yarn for amigurumi making, in fact I’ve used it a few times on different patterns.
And if you on the look out for some more cotton yarn for your stash LoveCrafts have actually got their July Sale on right now, up to 70% off knitting and crochet yarns on purchases until the end of July – you’re welcome!
The finished characters end up from 17cm tall (for the ice-cream), 12cm (for the coffee cup) and 9cm diameter for the iced donut, so perfect little mascot or desk top height.
I used some pieces of felt and my trusty glue gun for some elements of the faces and embroidered on the other details to finish them off with the right look and I was really pleased with how cute they turned out.
Issue 71 of Crochet Now magazine is packed with 39 summer patterns that you’ll love in a 100 page magazine, and it comes with the exclusive stitch marker bracelet set with the 3 super-cute original café-inspired stitch markers!
It’s available to buy from your local supermarket and some newsagents or you can grab a digital version from www.craftstash.co.uk/books-magazines
If you hook up the Kawaii Coffee House Characters I hope you’ll share your photos with me on social media (facebook, twitter or instagram) or as a project on Ravelry – I love to see what you make!
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected, thank you for your support.
Hey folks, hope you are well in your part of the world. I’ve got a lovely free-bee for you to enjoy today! Allow me to introduce the Bee-utiful Clutch bag – a small bag with big textured personality!
The bag uses a stitch that I’ve used before; on the Bee Keeper block in the Stitch Story CAL. At the time I thought the stitch pattern was so effective with creating such a beautiful texture that knew I wanted to use it again.
Fast forward three years or so to when I came across some yellow Anchor Creativa Fino in my stash. The stitch idea reignited itself as I thought I would make the bee themed clutch bag idea I’d got rumbling around in my head.
Super simple to make and with many practical uses for a clutch bag or makeup bag; this pattern is perfect for beginners, as it only uses simple stitches. I used some bee fabric to line mine, to finish off the inside, but with this stitch pattern you could probably get away with not lining it if you aren’t a fan of sewing.
The following Bee-utiful Clutch Bag is free here on the blog or you can make a beeline for the pattern in your favourite pattern stores where you can pick up a PDF of the pattern for a nominal price (links below).
The pattern is available in both UK and US crochet terminology via the PDF download; the pattern below is written just in UK terms. But you can view a handy conversion chart here on the blog.
Bee-utiful Clutch Bag
MATERIALS
Yarn Required: 100g of Yellow
Yarn used: Anchor Creativa Fino used in photos;
(Shade: #00306)
About the yarn: 4ply / Fingering Weight; 125m per 50g ball, 100% Cotton
Hook Size: 3mm (US size D/3)
Pattern will work in other hooks and yarns though finished size will be different.
You will also need:
· A yarn needle
· Stitch Markers
· 2cm (0.8”) Button
· Optional: Facing and material for lining your bag
Finished Size: 19cm (7.4 inches) wide x 12cm (4.7 inches) high
Gauge: 6sts = 2.5cm (1”)
Obtaining the correct gauge is not critical to this project but if your gauge does not match the gauge stated then your finished item will be a different size.
STITCH GUIDANCE
Slip Stitch (sl st): Insert hook in st indicated, yarn over and draw through all loops.
Double Crochet (dc): Insert hook in st indicated and pull up a loop (two loops on hook), yarn over, pull through both loops on hook.
Double Crochet 2 together (dc2tog): Invisible double crochet decrease method: Invisible decreasing is a method of removing stitches to shape your fabric without gaps. Insert hook in the FRONT LOOP ONLY of the first stitch indicated and pull up a loop [two loops on hook], insert hook in the FRONT LOOP ONLY of the next st, pull up a loop [three loops on hook], yarn over, pull through three loops on hook; decrease made.
Half Treble (htr): Yarn over, insert hook in next st and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, pull through all three loops on hook.
PATTERN NOTES
Working in the Back Loop Only: If you hold your piece of crochet in front of you with the Vs of the stitch on top, the part of the V closest to you is the front loop. The part of the V farther away from you on the opposite side is the back loop. When a pattern asks you to crochet into the back loop, insert your hook into the relevant loop and crochet as instructed.
Note: The ch1 at the beginning of a row, count as a st
PATTERN
Main Body of Clutch:
Tip 1: If you struggle with twisting the row 1 try adding a row of dc as row 1, then work row 1 as row 2 and so on.
Tip 2:You might also find using stitch markers (or alternatives) to mark each row or where your last sl st, of each set of 5, helpful for this block.
Row 1 (RS): Ch 51, sl st into the 2nd ch from the hook and, sl st in the next 4sts * htr in the next 5 sts, sl st in the next 5 sts * repeat from * to * until the end of the row, turn (50 sts)
Note: From this point onwards work rows in the back loops only.
Row 2 (WS) : Ch1 *5 sl st in 5 htr then 5htr in 5 sl st * repeat from * to * until the end of the row, turn.
Row 3: (RS) Ch1, * 5 htr in 5 htr then 5 sl st in 5sl st * repeat from * to * until the end of the row, turn.
Row 4: (WS) Ch1, * 5 htr in 5 sl st then 5 sl st in 5 htr * repeat from * to * until the end of the row, turn.
Row 5: Ch1, 5 sl st in 5 htr then 5htr in 5 sl st * repeat from * to * until the end of the row, turn.
Row 6-52: Repeat rows 2-5 thirteen times
From this point onwards you will begin shaping the clutch flap;
Row 53: Ch1; dc2tog, 1dc in 46sts, dc2tog, turn. 48sts
Row 54: Ch1; dc2tog, 1dc in 44sts, dc2tog, turn. 46sts
Row 55: Ch1; dc2tog, 1dc in 42sts, dc2tog, turn. 44sts
Rows 57 – 71: Continue decreasing on each end until you have 14sts left.
Row 72: Ch1; dc2tog, 1dc in 3sts, ch4, miss 4sts, 1dc in 3sts, dc2tog, turn. 12sts
Row 73: Ch1; dc2tog, 1dc in 3sts, 1dc in each of the ch4 sts, 1dc in 3sts, dc2tog, turn. 10sts
Row 74: Ch1; dc2tog, 1dc in 6sts, dc2tog, turn, fasten off and weave in ends. 8sts
MAKING UP:
· Fold the bag in half, leaving the gap at the top open with the flap. and seam both sides together on the wrong side.
· Turn your bag right side round and add your button to the body of the bag opposite the open button hole
· Optional: create a lining for your bag
And that’s it! Get ready for taking it out and about and bee-witching all who see your bee-utiful new clutch bag.
If you hook up the Bee-utiful Clutch Bag 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 projects in my Facebook group as I love to see your finished work!
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 Brighton Beach edition of Crochet Now magazine (Issue 70) has tried to capture the feeling of holidaying in a lovely seaside town. There are loads of wonderful projects for staycations or vacations – including a new wrap design by me.
The Boardwalk Breeze wrap is a colourful, cotton addition to anyone’s wardrobe, it’s light and bright for summer but will keep that evening breeze at bay as you take a stroll along the beach.
The wrap was inspired by a combination of stripy boardwalks and the seaside pastel colours you see on colourful beach huts.
I used Cygnet Cotton for this wrap which was a totally new yarn for me, though I have used other Cygnet yarns. It’s a DK weight 100% Cotton with a subtle twist for beautiful stitch definition and gives a perfect drape to lightweight crochet projects.
It’s also available in a spectrum of bright rainbow and summery pastels – I used 8 different colours with a 4mm hook, to create my wrap.
The finished shawl measures 180 cm in length and 45 cm in depth when blocked so it’s lovely big wrap and the cotton makes it a cool and comfortable accessory to wear. You’ll definitely be turning heads as you walk along the promenade with this lovely bright summer wrap!
The pattern is very beginner friendly with easy row repeats of the sections, making it a great mindful project – or a perfect easy pattern to take with you on holiday.
Issue 70 of Crochet Now magazine is packed with 55 patterns and comes complete with a broomstick crochet pattern book, a Paddington Bear supplement book and a broomstick crochet stick and 3.5mm hook.
It’s available to buy from your local supermarket and some newsagents or you can grab a digital version from www.craftstash.co.uk/books-magazines
If you hook up the Boardwalk Breeze Wrap I hope you’ll share your photos with me on social media (facebook, twitter or instagram) or as a project on Ravelry – I love to see what you make!
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected, thank you for your support.
A lightweight crochet market bag is a must to sling over your shoulders to take grocery shopping, or on a picnic trip, or to the beach – or anywhere you need! My new and free Freccia Filet Market Bag is just the ticket for carrying your oranges – or anything else that takes your fancy!
I think there’s an even bigger need for crochet bags these days as we all try to utilise eco-friendly reusable bags over plastic ones. It’s a great way to use your crochet skills to make something useful and practical – and reusable bags are also perfect summer projects when made in a lightweight yarn!
I’ve had in my mind a pattern for a market bag for ages, so when the lovely folks at Anchor Yarns asked me if I’d like to make a bag with some of their Anchor Freccia yarn I quickly said yes!
Freccia is a 3 ply high quality 100% Egyptian Giza cotton thread offering a delicate balance of softness, flexibility, body and brightness. It’s a versatile thread, available in 6 thread thicknesses, which I’ve used it before for a scarf (see FREE Freccia Flor Scarf here), and it comes in a wide range of different colours.
I used no. 6 thickness again this time, with a 2.5mm hook (US size C/2), and I chose to make my bag in a lovely rich royal purple (shade 00092). The whole bag, including the straps, used 4 x 50g (4 x 175m) balls in total to create a bag with a width of 38cm (14″) x length 40cm (15″) , bag handles 62cm (24″) in length.
Made with cotton yarn the Freccia Filet Market Bag is super robust and if it gets dirty, you can just throw it in the washing machine and hang it up to dry!
I wanted to create a bag that was strong and durable, but also that would be a bit pretty – that’s where the filet came in. To begin with I had in mind a larger filet design on the bag, but quickly realised that wasn’t going to be at all practical as things could potentially fall through the ‘holes’ so I decided the design would be served better by having a filet detail around the top.
The bag and the filet sections are worked in a unique way in rounds and in rows to minimise a visible seam at the end. Crocheting the bottom and the straps, with extra slip stitches, also makes the bag extra durable so they can hold then a lot of weight even with only using a lightweight cotton.
The Freccia Filet Market Bag 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.
Crochet a single colour bags or in variegated yarn, or maybe in the rainbow colour palette, there are so many possibilities – the choices are all yours!
The pattern is written in UK crochet terminology and I’ve linked it up on Ravelry too if you’d like to save it to your favourites on there (at the link below).
Super simple to make and so practical; this pattern is perfect for beginners, as it only uses simple stitches. Great for anyone that wants a new reusable bag, or maybe someone who wants to try a bit of filet crochet (it’s a technique I don’t think I’m ever going to get sick of!).
Perfect for rolling up and popping in your handbag for when you need a bag, or pack it up and go!
If you hook up the Filet Market Bag 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 projects in my Facebook group as I love to see your finished work!
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’ve been up to monkey business in the latest issue of Crochet Now magazine! For Issue 69 I took on the challenge of creating an amigurumi from a multicoloured yarn cake – and Momo the Rainbow Monkey was the result!
Momo the Monkey is a sweet little fellow made up from sectioning off the coloured sections of a ball of Rico Creative Chic-Unique yarn in Candy (Shade 005). This was a brand new yarn for me, which is always a fun prospect, and as it was a yarn cake there was quite a lot of yarn for me to play with.
If you are not familiar with the yarn it’s classed as a chunky (bulky) weight, and is made up from 75% Acrylic, 15% Wool, 10% Polyamide. It comes in 200g balls (310m) with the recommended hook size as 6mm (US size J), though I used a 4.5mm hook (US size 7) hook to create tighter stitches for my monkey.
Rico Creative Chic-Unique yarn is of quite a unusual construct – two threads, with different colour gradients, are combined in order to create the colour mix. As the colour parts have a different lengths and there will always be different shades which hit each other in the twist, makes for a unique ball of yarn and an exciting challenge for me to create an amigurumi from!
What I did first was to wind coloured sections of yarn into balls, then onto bobbins, which gave me a wonderful gradient of corresponding shades to play with for my little monkey.
I chose a monkey because they are my youngest daughters favourite animals. She has always loved monkeys and has two monkey toys that she usually carrys around with her.
We are hoping to take her to the zoo when they open so she can see a real life monkey (for the first time that she’ll remember) and so when it came to planning what to make with this yarn monkey’s were on my mind.
The name Momo is also a homage to her as that is the first name she gave to one of her monkey toys (the other one is called Coconut!).
I was pleased with how Momo turned out in the end, and I like him in rainbow colours, but you could always make him in browns and creams for a more natural looking monkey.
If you want to see how versatile Rico Creative Chic-Unique yarn can be then look out for the other design made up from the yarn in the same issue of Crochet Now.
Issue 69 of Crochet Now magazine is packed with 35 patterns and comes complete with an exclusive Peanuts crochet hook with matching stitch marker.
It is available to buy from your local supermarket and some newsagents or you can grab a digital version from www.craftstash.co.uk/books-magazines
If you hook up the Momo the Monkey I hope you’ll share your photos with me on social media (facebook, twitter or instagram) or as a project on Ravelry – I love to see what you make!
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected, thank you for your support.
EDITED: Giveaway now closed! Congratulations Heather Reeve who’s name was selected at random as the winner!
I can’t believe this year marks 7 years of blogging like how did that happen? I wanted to do a bit of a giveaway to celebrate my blogiversary…. it was in January … so it’s a wee bit late, but I still wanted to do a little giveaway to say a big thank you to everyone that has supported me here and on social media.
Then I’ve got two more copies of the magazine, one to giveaway on my Facebook page and one on my Instagram. And as well as all the great patterns that are in the magazine this issue has two extra supplements of patterns, so there’s loads of fun things to choose from to make!
Here’s how you can enter:
To enter for the big blog prize, leave a comment at the end of this post telling me what’s your favourite things to crochet in Spring – to gain an extra entry maybe you might like to sign up to my newsletter.
Then hop over to my Facebook page and my Instagram for the instructions on how you can win the prize there – really easy ways to enter!
The contest is open from RIGHT NOW until Thursday 20 May 2020. The winner will be selected using a random number generator and I will need to be supplied with a full postal name and address to send out the prize. If efforts to contact the winner remain unsuccessful after a week, an alternative winner will be randomly selected.
This giveaway is open WORLDWIDE!
Thank you all my blog readers and social followers for your wonderful support and encouragement!
Until next time; keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
