Giveaway | Win tickets for The Stitch Festival

EDITED: Giveaway now closed, congratulations to; Ann C, Tracey L, Charlie P, @Catherinecrochets and @shearsfiona

How would you like to win some FREE tickets to The Stitch Festival which returns to the Business Design Centre, Islington, London from 23-26 March 2023?

The Stitch Festival Logo - Business Design Centre, Islington, London from 23-26 March 2023

London’s hottest event for contemporary stitchers is back! The annual four-day creative extravaganza is a ‘must go’ for craft fans, with more than 230 hands-on workshops hosted by top tutors, designers and makers. 

Dressmaking, upcycling and slow fashion are a major focus for The Stitch Festival, with a dedicated Dressmaking Studio (sponsored by Brother), an overlocker workshop programme, and a Dressmaking Competition that shines a spotlight on the skills and talents of home dressmakers. Open to sewists of all levels, there are categories for Eveningwear, Loungewear, Childrenswear, Knitwear and Crochetwear, Upcycled or Repurposed garments, and new for 2023, Menswear. 

Two ladies looking at different fabrics at The Stitch Festival
© The Stitch Festival 2023

Eagle-eyed judges from the worlds of fashion and textiles (past judges have included Esme Young, Lisa Comfort and Nerrisa Pratt) will be looking for excellence in technical skills, stitching and creative flair. With prizes for category winners, a Janome Sewing Machine worth £650 for ‘Best in Competition’, and a Finalists’ Fashion Show on Sunday 26 March, Stitch Festival visitors can expect some exciting highlights. Competition entry submissions must be made by Friday 24 February 2023. For full entry information, visit www.thestitchfestival.co.uk/dressmaking-competition/  

Portrait of Katie Jones, Crochet Designer surrounded by colourful crochet samples and yarn
© The Stitch Festival 2023 – Katie Jones (Photo by Rachel Manns)

There are yarny things to look forward to too at the Festival. This year crochet designer Katie Jones has designed The Stitch Festival’s Crochet Lounge where she will be hosting crochet lessons and book signings. There are also so many workshops, just search ‘Crochet’ for a list of all the hooky ones – or try your hand at a new craft. In terms of crochet they include sessions on Mosaic crochet, Tunisian Crochet, Broomstick crochet lace and Freeform crochet to name a few.

Textile artist Jen Cable’s project, Knitted Lives, will be a celebration of contemporary knitting, exploring the lives and stories of everyday knitters, while best-selling author and craft entrepreneur, Isabella Strambio, will be inviting Festival goers to awaken their creativity as she shares her passion for macrame.   

Image of Knitted Jen Cable by Sophie Hoare
© The Stitch Festival 2023

Looking for inspiration for new projects? The Festival’s Stitch Stage features free demonstrations, presentations and Q&As with some favourite faces from the knit and stitch world. On Saturday 25 March, the Instagram Makers’ Catwalk features garments made and modelled by talented Insta makers, supported by independent pattern makers and fabric companies. 

Last but not least, there’s shopping, with more than 150 specialist retailers under one roof and special Stitch Festival deals to be had, plus all that vibrant Islington has to offer with its stores, restaurants, bars and cafes.  Hot and cold refreshments are available throughout the venue, with seating areas for picnics.

Although I can’t make it to this particular show, I’ve enjoyed the visits to these Stitching Shows in the past. If you fancy a read about those experiences you can read about them here and here.  

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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 post.

The competition closes on Wednesday 1st February at 7pm (GMT). Winners will be contacted via the email supplied from their comment or by DM on social media.

Tickets are valid after 10am on Thursday 23rd, Friday 24th, Saturday 25th or Sunday 26th March. The organisers will not issue paper tickets. Winners will be emailed a link to register online with a unique code per pair of tickets and will receive e-tickets by email. When entering this competition you must be therefore happy to provide me with a your email address for this purpose, your email address will not be used in any other way.

However if you want some tickets now scroll down for an exclusive special offer!

Giveaway image to win tickets for the Stitch Festival 2023
© The Stitch Festival 2023

SPECIAL DISCOUNT

Advance adult tickets for The Stitch Festival are £16.50 from Thursday to Saturday (concessions £15, children aged 5-18 years £7.50) – transaction fees apply. Full ticket information is available at The Stitch Festival website www.thestitchfestival.co.uk. Visitors are encouraged to book in advance to avoid disappointment. Opening hours are 10am-5.30pm on Thursday-Saturday and 10am-3pm on Sunday.  Visitors are encouraged to book in advance to avoid disappointment. 

But if you want your ticket RIGHT NOW I’ve also got a special discount for you! Just quote: CROCHETON23 to get £2 off advance adult tickets /and concessions.

Please note that the discount ends at 23.59pm on Wednesday 22 March 2023.

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!

Stay connected

I’d love to stay connected with you so please do sign up to blog (below) and / or my mailing list to get a reminder when new blog posts, giveaways, special offers or new pattern releases are available.

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

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New Pattern Release & Giveaway|Seasonal Dachshund Amigurumi

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED: Congratulations to The Crafty Therapist whose name was drawn at random!

Remember my ‘Dachshund thru the Snow’ crochet pup that was in I Like Crochet magazine last year? Well I’ve finally got round to releasing the individual pattern today!

BUY DACHSHUND PATTERN ON RAVELRY HERE

I’m going to do a giveaway for some free copies of the pattern – do you want one?

In the comments below just tell me why you would like a copy or who you would like to make the little doggo for – I’ll then pick a winner next Tuesday on 26 November 2019.

If you are on Facebook and Instagram I’ve giving away copies there too for you AND a friend, go on over and enter for more chances of winning!

I think I said before that I happen to have a great deal of affection for this little amigurumi because once upon a time I had a real life daschund called Cabbage who was my best friend for 15 years.

Actually my (woman) best friend has claimed this ami, she fell in love with him when she saw him! The pattern makes a fun alternate gift for the holiday season or you could make him just because you love dachshunds like me!

Good luck to all those that enter the giveaways!

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

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Spring, Spring, Spring! And Giveaway winners!

Welcome-Spring

Any fans of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers will be completely forgiven for breaking out into uproarious song after reading the title of my post. It’s my lovely mum’s most favourite movie so the show tunes have become ingrained from childhood! 

This weekend we definitely enjoyed ‘Ma Nature’s yearly miracle’ as we went on a visit to Tatton Park, an historic estate in Cheshire. And OH but the sun was glorious and the sky was so blue, the birds were a-twitterin’ and blossoms…well they were just so blossomy!!! 

Blossom

I can’t even begin to tell you how nice it was to get outside and enjoy some good weather after quite a grey March – and to walk about with no coat on either; just delightful!

Tatton

It was an absolute pleasure slowly walking round the gardens with all my family (as my mum and Dad came too), talking and taking in and appreciating the scenery.

I even spotted a bit of crochet in one of the farmers huts…though I might question the realism of the colour palette of the bottom blanket for the olden days – hot pink yarn?!!

Crochet

Then whilst hubby played with the girls on the play-park my parents and I wandered over to look at the house. Inside, amongst lots of other things, they had what seemed to be a little embroidery showcase. There was no denying the talent of the artists that had created some of the pieces – they were just stunning! I took a picture of my favourite work because I just thought it was so beautiful (silly me though I forgot to look for the name of the artist) I just love the colours, the composition of the piece…just everything about it!

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The highlight of the day for everyone though was Tatton Park’s lambing week…

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By some sort of wizardry they had synchronised their ewes to lamb within a 10 day period and there were so many of the little cuties bouncing about ‘waggin’ tails, rubbin’ noses’. Although we didn’t see any lambs actually being born, we saw some that had just been born! Little G asked lots of interesting questions…and was thoroughly intrigued by the whole thing.  

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By the end of the day we’d walked over 8.4km  (about 5.5 miles) round the gardens and house, enjoyed some eating alfesco with the first picnic of the year and all went home with happy hearts! So glad that Spring is finally here!

And before I forget there are some giveaway winners to announce aren’t there! Just to remind you, I set a little competition so some lovely people could win some pattern prizes (details in this post). Was the winner you? Did you get the answer right?  

Well the answer to my clue was my Daisy Chain Flourish blanket

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but some of you answered that it was my Daisy Chain afghan square  which was kind of right too – so I’ve tumbled you all into a random.org and the winners of a pattern of their choice are:

  1. Patricia Giles  
  2. Trisha Smith
  3. Nicola
  4. Yolande Timkoe 
  5. Kirsty

Congratulations folks! Please can you get in touch with me so you can claim your prize!

Well until next time, happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx

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Clover Amour 4mm/G Hook & Pattern Giveaway

So I think it’s no secret that my favourite hooks to use EVER are Clover Amour.  If you don’t know the Amour line of hooks, they are a range of hooks that are covered in soft elastomer rubber and ergonomically shaped so that they fit oh so nicely into your hand. I’ve tried many hooks in my time but these are the ones I definitely prefer! I have nearly all the sizes now (apart from the new extra large sizes, 8mm, 9mm & 10mm, which are on my wish list) but my go to hook is pretty much my 4mm  / US size G – plus that particular size is purple so what’s not to love!

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So I thought, continuing with my little celebrations, that I would give YOU the chance to win A BRAND NEW 4mm / US Size G Clover Amour Hook of your very own!  Plus offer you a couple of my patterns which use a 4mm hook to accompany it.  How about that?

All you have to do is leave me a comment below to tell me how many other hooks you think I have in this jar and let me know which of my 4mm hook patterns you’d like to go with it and who you will be making it for. 

Hooks

One winner, who guesses nearest the correct amount of hooks, will be chosen at random on 13 June at 7.30pm (GMT).  This competition is open WORLDWIDE!

Good Luck Everyone!

Keep Calm and Crochet On UK is 3!!! Let’s Celebrate!!!

Birthday-3

Wow, its hard to believe that Keep Calm and Crochet On UK has been around for 3 years!! (Yes I did originally post on my page that it was 4 years old but I obviously can’t count very well lol!) – June 6 2012 my page on Facebook was founded!

I picked up crochet as I was finishing  up my degree in 2012 and my love of it soon grew into something that I’d never imagined!  I published my first pattern to Ravelry in July that year and the rest, as they say, is history!  So much has happened since then life wise and with Keep Calm and Crochet On UK; much more than I ever thought or hoped for!  

I am so appreciative of all the support I’ve had from friends, my family, Facebook friends, fabulous customers and supportive crochet testers and designers I have met on my journey so far – I certainly wouldn’t be here without them!  When I consider it all I feel so blessed and so grateful!

I wanted to show my appreciation for the support I’ve had from everyone so I’m going to give away prizes throughout the week (6 – 13 June) with something to hopefully suit everyone.  Today’s prize up for grabs are THREE gift certificates (1 each for 3 people) with 30% discount off a next custom order (expires Dec 2015) – what item would you like a discount on?  

30-Gift-Certificate

For inspiration on what you could spend your gift certificate on here are a couple of things that I recently enjoyed making!

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Winners of this prize will be drawn on Tuesday 9 June at 7.30pm (GMT), you can enter via Rafflecopter at the following link: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Keep Calm and Crochet On UK 8,000 Pattern Party Giveaway

I’m so excited, proud and appreciative of the fact that my little ole page on Facebook has now got over 8,000 lovely Facebook Friends.  THANK YOU so much to all of you lovelies that have supported me since I started in June 2012 and got me to this amazing milestone! This giveaway is my way of showing you much love ♥ !!!

Pattern-Party

So about the giveaway; well I’ve managed to round up 34 (including me) designers and there are over 77 pattern prizes to be won!!!

The wonderful designers donating pattern prizes are: me (Keep Calm and Crochet On UK), Little Treasures by NancySchere’s Crafty CrochetIrish Hooks & YarnFrom HomeBlankies by JackieKrissysWondersCharmed By EweHigh Strung DesignsToo Yarn Cute Crochet MagazineFelted ButtonFamily Traditions CraftsForever StitchinHodgePodge CrochetLove To Be In StitchesSimply D’ BestSincerely PamCuddle Me BeaniesGramma Bean’s Homemade GiftsKnotted NotionsThomasina Cummings DesignsCrochet GertNeon Hooker DesignsTricity Hokes CreationsCrystalized DesignsDearest DebiGrammyJo LidsOne and Two CompanyProcraftistationPattern ParadisePlayin’ Hooky Designs24 Carat CrochetCherishable Creations and The Hooked Haberdasher !!!

Please pop along and show the vendors much love and appreciation!!!   

To enter check out the pinned post on my Facebook page, the rules accompany the prizes! The giveaway ends Sunday 21 September.

Good Luck!!! ♥