There’s nothing quite like a royal wedding is there. The pomp! The splendour! The feverish anticipation of the dress! And it’s time for a royal wedding in the latest issue of LGC Knitting & Crochet Magazine!
In the latest edition of the magazine (on sale now) I’ve created a sweet smiling princess and a handsome prince who are ready to celebrate their perfect day with a summer wedding.
Royalty and romance are at the heart of this union, with the groom wearing his best tunic and epaulettes whilst the bride dazzles with her modern pink dress with puffed sleeves and bell skirt.
You’ll need some extra yarn to make both the pair but apart from slight differences in the arms, tunic bottom and skirt both little dolls are worked the same.
There are lots of other fab things in this month’s edition too – the patterns I particularly love are Circus Sam by Sarah Louise Read, which is adorable, and I also love the play food Tart Slices by Hannah Cooper. And although I can’t personally knit well enough to make it I love Destiny Dragon by Sachiyo Ishii.
There are 43 exclusive patterns in this months edition along with news, articles and tips in the 74 page magazine. It also comes with an eight ball yarn pack which has two balls of the coral pink so you have enough yarn to make the Princesses dress.
If you hook up the Royal Wedding couple I hope you’ll share your photos with me on social media (facebook, twitter or instagram) or as a project on Ravelry – I love to see what you make!
Until next time folks! Happy hooking, keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
I recently designed a mandala for a workshop I did at Abakhan fabrics. I needed a quick creative make and one where you could just use small bits of yarn. A mandala seems to lend itself perfectly as a little demo pattern as it’s a circle made up of different patterns and colours.
For the Mini Meditative Mandala design I used some Rico Design Ricorumi that I already had in my stash. These cute 25g balls are perfect for little projects like this mandala, though you can use any scraps that you have in your stash. Cotton yarn is also particularly good for mandalas as it shows off stitch definition and creates a nice neat, firm fabric when worked up.
There are so many options for how you can arrange your colours on this square – I can’t wait to see what combinations you come up with! I made one with some rainbow colours and I think the end result looks a bit like a sunflower! By simply changing some of the colours around you can get a whole new look! The only other thing I did differently on this version is on Rnd 6 I worked it as follows:
Rnd 6: Sl st yarn to any first dc/sc of the two dc/sc’s of rnd 5; ch3, 1tr/dc in the same st, 2tr/dc in the next dc/sc of rnd 5, * 1dc/sc in the back loop of the next 6sts, 2tr/dc in the next 2sts, Repeat from * until end, sl st to the top of the beginning 3ch to join. (60sts)
I bought a little hanging hoop to pop it in and I now really want to make myself a mandala wall with all sorts of different sized and coloured mandalas on – just need to convince my husband how excellent it would look!
And what can you do with mandalas like these when you’ve finished them? Well you can use it as a decorative piece hanging piece of art like I have, a coaster, or even as a motif sewn onto the front of a plain cushion.
The following Medative Mandala pattern is free here on the blog but it’s also available in my Ravelry store where there is a nominal fee for a downloadable 3 page PDF pattern free of advertisements if you’d prefer.
The pattern is available in both UK and US crochet terminology on Ravelry though the pattern below is written with both terminology combined for ease.
Pattern will work in other hooks and yarns though finished size will be different.
Hook: 4 mm (US size G/6)
You will also need:
Scissors
Yarn needle
Gauge: 4tr= 2cm / 0.79inch
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.
Finished Size: 13 cm diameter (5.12inches )
ABBREVIATIONS:
st(s) stitch(es)
st sl slip stitch
ch(s) chain
dc/sc UK double crochet / US single crochet
tr/dc UK treble / US double crochet
STITCH GUIDANCE:
Slip Stitch (sl st): Insert hook in st indicated, yarn over and draw through all loops.
UK double crochet / US single crochet (dc/sc): Insert hook in st indicated and pull up a loop (two loops on hook), yarn over, pull through both loops on hook.
UK treble / US double crochet (tr/dc): Yarn over, insert hook in indicated st and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, pull through two loops, yarn over, pull through remaining two loops on hook.
Pattern:
Notes: The ch3 at the start of a rnd counts as the first treble st.
Rnd 1: With YARN A ch5 and sl st to form a ring, Ch4 (counts as first tr/dc + 1ch), work (1tr/dc, 1ch) eleven times into the ring, sl st to the third ch of the beginning ch to join. Fasten off YARN A (12sts + 12ch1-sps).
Rnd 2: Sl st YARN B into any ch1-sp of previous rnd. Ch4 (counts as first tr/dc + 1ch), 1tr/dc in the same sp, work (1tr/dc, 1ch, 1tr/dc) in each ch-sp around until end, sl st to the third ch of the beginning ch to join. Fasten off YARN B (24sts + 12ch1-sps).
Rnd 3: Sl st YARN A into any ch1-sp of previous rnd. Ch3, 2tr/dc in the same sp, work 3tr/dc in each ch-sp around until end, sl st to the top of the beginning ch3 to join. Fasten off YARN A (36sts).
Rnd 4: Sl st YARN B in between any 3tr/dc cluster of rnd 3; 1dc/sc in the same sp, * ch4, sl st in between the next 3tr/tr cluster of rnd 3. Repeat from * until end, sl st to the top of the beginning dc/sc to join. (12 sts + 12 x 4ch-sps)
Rnd 5: Sl st into the next ch4-sp; ch3, 5tr/dc in the same sp, ch2, 2dc/sc in the next ch4-sp, ch2, * 6tr/dc in the next sp, ch2, 2dc/sc in the next ch4-sp, ch2. Repeat from * until end, sl st to the top of the beginning 3ch to join. Fasten off YARN B (48sts + 12 x 2ch-sps)
Rnd 6: Sl st YARN A to any first dc/sc of the two dc/sc’s of rnd 5; ch3, 1tr/dc in the same st, 2tr/dc in the next dc/sc of rnd 5, 1dc/sc in the next 6sts, * 2tr/dc in the next 2sts, 1dc/sc in the next 6sts. Repeat from * until end, sl st to the top of the beginning 3ch to join. Fasten off YARN A (60sts)
Rnd 7: Sl st YARN B to any dc/sc of rnd 6; ch1, 1dc/sc in the same st as the beginning ch1, 1dc/sc in the next 4sts, 2dc/sc in the next *1dc/sc in the next 5sts, 2dc/sc in the next. Repeat from * around until end. Fasten off and weave in all ends. (70sts)
And that’s it!
If you hook up the Mini Medative Mandala I hope you’ll tag @kcaco.uk on Instagram 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
Are you ready to head to the beach with the second project of the Make it Today: Crochet Club magazine 3-part crochet-along? For the latest issue of the magazine I’ve designed a loveable and vibrant trio of sea-creatures including a sweet jellyfish and a couple of types of crab.
Following on from the fun crocheted beach hut we made for Part 1 of the crochet along may I introduce to you my fun take on a Lion’s Mane Jellyfish, an Edible Crab and a Hermit Crab – all species that you’d find along our UK shoreline.
I’m completely fascinated with sea creatures, well any animals really, and love nothing more than winding down by watching a natural history documentary (usually featuring David Attenborough) on TV with a bit of crochet at the end of the day.
The sea is such an interesting and varied place and the natural world is just a constant source of inspiration. I had fun making these projects, and I think they would work as a fun keyring for your keys if you were to add a ring and clip to the top of them.
Also in this issue there are some just delightful patterns! I love Rose the Red Panda by Sarah Louise Reed, she’s just so cute, and I also love the Colourful Cacti Plant covers by Corinne Bradd.
And there might just be a sneaky peep at what the last part 3 of the CAL is going to be below…
Part 3 of the beachy crochet along will be appearing in Issue 46 of Crochet Club magazine on Thursday July 25th – so save the date in your calendar!
If you missed the first part of the crochet-along, don’t worry, it’s available for free at topcrochetpatterns.com.
If you hook up the sea creature trio I hope you will please share your photos with me on social media (facebook, twitter or instagram) – I love to see what you make!
Until next time folks! Happy hooking, keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Issue 43 of Crochet Now magazine is out now and I’ve got a brand new pattern inside. This month’s issue is themed around day tripping, staycations in the country or trips to the seaside – anywhere where you can take your crochet with you. So I came up with a fun little portable project that you can wear when you get there!
Allow me to introduce the Top of the Knot’s Headband – the perfect way to stay ahead of the trend! A headband is a great understated accessory that can top off any outfit – and as a bonus also keeps the wind from blowing your hair in your face.
It was nice to make something a little different, as I’ve been making a lot of amigurumi’s lately, and this intermediate design worked back and forth in rows was a nice change from working in the round!
I used Scheepjes Linen Soft to make the headband which is a gorgeous blend of cotton, linen and acrylic which makes it a great choice for crocheting in the summer. It’s a lovely light yarn too which means you won’t get hot wearing it in the sunshine and it works up quick too.
There are loads of different colours (33 in total) of Scheepjes Linen Soft so you can totally make an accessory to match your outfit! Teamed up with a large pair of sunglasses you’ll look fabulous darling! Nobody should look plain whilst tanning on the beach! Though I love how the magazine have styled it too with the denim jacket and simple tee-shirt.
There are some gorgeous designs in this month’s issue which you can read more about on the Crochet Now blog. I particularly love the Cabana Cardigan by Tony Lipsey and the Sunrise Beach Picnic Blanket by Zoe Potrac – and who could resist Shaun the Sheep and the Naughty Pigs by Alison Holloway!
To find your nearest stockist, visit www.seymour.co.uk – or you can order online from www.moremags.com/crocheting (US and Australia readers can also order online at MoreMags – copies will be in shops in the US and Australia around 6 weeks after UK release).
If you hook up my Top of the Knots Headband I hope you’ll share your photos with me on social media (facebook, twitter or instagram) or as a project on Ravelry – I love to see what you make!
Until next time folks! Happy hooking, keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
I’m delighted to say that if you check out the latest edition of LGC Knitting & Crochet Magazine then you’ll see my little Elena the Elephant as the cover star! Squeak!
In Issue 112 you can find the lovely Elena the Elephant (on page 13) with her lovely bright sparkly outfit and the frilly tutu that all elephants need!
I enjoyed designing Elena; who wouldn’t love the concept of a circus elephant! I may also have been singing Nellie the Elephant song to myself whilst I was making this project too – I think Nellie totally would have rocked a tutu like Elena’s don’t you!
The inspiration behind the bag design was those magic eye pictures (if you remember them) or illusions where the image is sort of skewed. I love the contrasting effect the design on the bag creates.
Issue 112 is a lovely bright issue and the other patterns I like in this month are the Jolly Jellyfish by Sarah Louise Reed, which are very cute and the Space Buddies by Hannah Cooper. Both fab patterns for amigurumi fans!
And although I can’t knit I love the Road Trip caravan set by Nicola Valiji’s which I’m sure loads of people are going to love and the little Koala by Sachiyo Ishii. The koala’s are available for FREE in both knit or crochet and are both extremely cute!
There are 50 exclusive patterns in this months edition along with news, articles and tips for stash sorting in the 66 page magazine. It also comes with a Tropical themed yarn pack which has one special ball of sparkly yarn which the magpie in me loved.
If you hook up either the Elena the Elephant or the Circle Bag I hope you’ll share your photos with me on social media (facebook, twitter or instagram) or as a project on Ravelry – I love to see what you make!
Until next time folks! Happy hooking, keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
The theme of the whole crochet-along is ‘beach’ and with each magazine release (Issues 44 to 46) we will be making several amigurumi patterns together that make a fun summer scene!
The patterns from the crochet-along would make a great summer play set for the kids or I also think, this particular project, would make a great bit of decor for an actual beach hut. Or if you were to add some beans to the bottom you could make it into a doorstop for a nautical themed room.
And there might just be a sneaky peep at what part 2 of the CAL is going to be below…
Part 2 of the beachy crochet along will be appearing in Issue 45 of Crochet Club magazine on Thursday June 20th – so save the date in your calendar!
This issue is particularly bright and appealing and the patterns I also love in this issue are the Rainbow the Giraffe by Sarah Louise Reed and the Sewlicious Doughnuts by Hannah Cooper.
If you hook up the Beach Hut I hope you will please share your photos with me on social media (facebook, twitter or instagram) – I love to see what you make!
Until next time folks! Happy hooking, keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
It’s that time of the new month when the latest LGC Knitting & Crochet Magazine is out on sale. Issue 111 is out now and it’s a corker and I’ve got a couple of fun patterns in it’s pages.
On page 13 you’ll find Bedtime Betsy. She’s a sweet little doll that would make a great companion to encourage a child to sleep. I’m certainly always ready to try anything where that’s concerned – my toddler still hasn’t got the message that sleep is a good thing!
I’ve designed her so that she has removable nightie and slippers – I was thinking that your little one’s could then take part in the bedtime routine with Betsy as they get ready for bed. Plus she’s also got her own cuddly bear companion so there’s everything you need when it’s time to snuggle down.
Because I’m a bit of a tea-belly I have to say that the tiny tea cup is my favourite and I’ll definitely be making another one of those for sure! I think my daughters favourite is the ice-cream so I’m going to make her another one of those to add to her book bag for school.
I was also chuffed to be asked this month to contribute to an article, which you can find on pages 50-51) titled ‘Why do we craft’. It really is an inspiring read as many fabulous different designers share the reasons they craft and what fuels their creativity.
There are lots of other fab things in this month’s edition too; there’s an exclusive interview with Debbie Bliss (and a bonus pattern) and there’s 10 free Stylecraft patterns free in an additional leaflet.
The patterns I particularly love this month are the Happy Monsters by Hannah Cooper, which are just so darned cute, and I also love the Plant Hanger by Ella M Austin, I’ve been seeing crochet plant hanger patterns a lot lately and I really want to make one!
And although I can’t knit I’m completely in love with Mary Puffins (that name made me laugh probably more than it should!) the pattern of which is by Sachiyo Ishii and I also love the stripy knitted men’s socks pattern by Dawn Finney.
There are 43 exclusive patterns in this months edition along with news, articles and tips in the 74 page magazine. It also comes with a lavender field themed yarn pack which has one ball of two tone variegated yarn.
If you hook up either the Bedtime Betsy or the Custom Keyrings I hope you’ll share your photos with me on social media (facebook, twitter or instagram) or as a project on Ravelry – I love to see what you make!
Until next time folks! Happy hooking, keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
I was so busy telling you about Spot the Dog the other day that I didn’t tell you about the other pattern I’ve got in the latest issue of Crochet Now magazine. Now you can help little one’s master shapes and colours with my new fun crochet Play and Learn Set.
The play and learn set was designed to teach little ones about colours and shapes in a fun soft play set complete with a drawstring storage bag. Not only does it give them the chance to identify and compare colours and shapes, it’s something that they can touch and feel too – which I think is all part of the creative learning process isn’t it.
I was thinking about the Spot the Dog books, which are very much about things like determining shapes and colours, when I was designing this set and also about my two year old. ‘What’s this shape’ and ‘what’s this colour’ are totally the things that we are talking about at the moment and so this was very much inspired by her.
In the set are a squishy square, circle, oval, rectangle, triangle and star all in bold and bright primary colours. And there is a photo tutorial included to explain how to do surface crochet (which is how I did the word ‘Shapes’ on the front of the bag) if you’ve not tried that before.
I used Rico Design Ricorumi which is 100% DK cotton for both the shapes and the bag as I wanted something that was going to be durable and that could stand up to lots of touching from little hands!
Little Miss loved the shapes and particularly enjoyed getting each shape out and then putting them away again…and then getting them out…and then putting them away again…
This is just a fab little diy busy bag that will keep them engaged and that you can play along with too. I also think this could be a fun set for a nursery or playgroup too as well as for any little ones you know.
As I said at the start, this Play and Learn set pattern is available now in Issue 41 of Crochet Now magazine which is available in all major supermarkets and newsagents across the UK.
Until next time folks! Happy hooking, keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
My heart is brimming over at the moment with childhood nostalgia! Look it’s crocheted Spot the Dog!! I’ve been so excited about this design and I’m so happy to finally share it with you!
I cannot image my childhood without the classic Spot the Dogbooks, I remember flipping the flaps of Where’s Spot? when I was young, then I reread the various board books to my eldest when she was small, and more recently I’m enjoying rediscovering them with my two year old.
I was therefore absolutely delighted when Crochet Now magazine asked me if I’d like to have a go at designing the crochet version of Spot.
If you aren’t familiar with Spot, he is a lovable yellow puppy character created by Eric Hill who is a firm favourite with toddlers and pre-schoolers. The children’s books have sold more than 60 million copies and 2020 will be celebration year for Spot’s 40th birthday.
Of course I said YES and got to planning. It wasn’t until after I’d said yes that I kind of realised what a task I’d taken on! Spot is such a well loved character that I really had to get him just right! It was very important therefore that what ever I did was a faithful representation of Spot the dog and was in keeping with his lovable playfulness.
This was also a very different experience for me as it wasn’t going to be my design per-say as it’s a character that already exists and I was very grateful for the supportive guidance from Crochet Now magazine and Penguin books who publish the Spot the Dog books
My Spot went through lots of different phases of sketches before I got my crochet hooks out and then I tried out different shaping techniques to get the look of the 2-D character into a 3-D form. Picking the perfect ‘Spot’ yellow and brown was also very crucial to the process!
The finished Spot is about 15.5cm tall and I designed him with embroidered features which makes him perfect for little ones under 36 months – for older children or adults you could use safety eyes instead.
I love how he turned out in the end, and I love how the magazine have styled him so he looks JUST like he’s stepped out of one of his own books!
Do you love Spot? You can get the exclusive pattern and kit to make him now in Crochet Now magazine Issue 41! Just so you know, due to the branding guidelines, this pattern will never be released by me independently, you will only be able to get him through the magazine – so if you want him you need to go get him quick!
Crochet Now is available in all major supermarkets and newsagents across the UK and there is a subscription available to overseas customers which you can find out more about on their website.
I’ve also got another design out in this months issue that’s kind of related to Spot but I’ll talk about that a bit more soon!
Until next time folks! Happy hooking, keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Yesterday Yarn Shop Day returned for it’s sixth year in the UK with over 200 shops sharing lots of fibre fun, discounts, free patterns and (probably) cake!
I was back at Abakhan Fabrics in Hanley (where I spent Yarn Shop Daylast year), this time for the full day, where there was both cake and yarn galore!
I had a little table at the back of the shop where, in the morning, I held a bit of a crochet surgery so that anyone who wanted to come and ask crochet questions, or who perhaps wanted to learn how to crochet, could come and ask / or have a go.
Yarn shops are usually such a great place to get crafty tips as owners usually have such a wealth of knowledge. They often also run demos or classes where you can learn a new hobby too – just like the ones I’m doing this year (read more about those here and here).
And despite the really awful weather we had (that I thought might put people off venturing out), it proved quite popular so I actually ended up having a table full of people nearly all day asking questions and learning different techniques.
It was so lovely to meet the people who had popped into the store or who had found out about the workshop because of my blog (it’s very encouraging to know that there ARE actual people reading this out there!).
The people I met were folks who had always wanted to try crochet or others that wanted help with a particular crochet problem – and I’m also secretly a bit gleeful that there were some knitters that were giving crochet a go too!
By the end of the day there were two completed granny squares by people that had never crocheted before which is just so awesome! And will hopefully show anyone thinking of giving crochet a go that it’s not so scary – you can do it!
Luckily I wasn’t presented with something that I didn’t know (that could have been embarrassing!). The main things that we covered were how to make granny squares, how to join motifs, how to weave in ends, how to keep seams straight when working in the round, how to keep tension when crocheting, how to do the magic ring, and increasing and decreasing in the round.
The latter being all helpful tips for anyone that wants to try crocheting amigurumi…which brings me neatly onto the mascots for this year ‘s Yarn Shop Day.
They were a cute amigurumi whale by Sarah-Jane Hicks called Bubbles and a family of knitted turtles by Sachiyo Ishii – both of which were patterns exclusively designed for Yarn Shop Day and were available free in stores.
I was lucky enough to get a copy of the crochet pattern before hand so I could make up my own whale to take along with me.
I used Ricorumi yarn and I think he came out looking really cute! My eight year old has now claimed him as hers.
As well as Yarn Shop Day being super fun for customers it’s also important for yarn shop retailers who say that the increased footfall and boosted sales of Yarn Shop Day really can help with keeping them going.
I never need an excuse to visit a yarn shop and I think it’s great to support local yarn shops all throughout the year. Yarn Shop Day is just a great reminder of just how much these shops have to offer – and that’s why I personally feel it’s important to support them in any way I can. I want to help keep these yarn shops on the high street so we don’t lose them altogether.
Did you get out for Yarn Shop Day? Or I’d love to hear what your Local Yarn Shop means to you? Let me know below!
Until next time; keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
