Simply Crochet | Mix It Up Purse

Posted in Crochet, Inspiration, Magazine, Pattern Release, Tah-Dah, Yarn by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

With Kate Bush in the charts again and Top Gun at the cinema, not to mention the latest season of Stranger Things, it seems appropriate that there’s a nostalgia for everything 1980’s at the moment. If you are looking for a fun 80’s pattern look no further, turn up the volume for the Mix It Up Purse, out now in issue 124 of Simply Crochet magazine.

Made to look like an old school cassette mix tape this purse is a fun way to try tapestry crochet, whilst being the perfect size for keeping your cards, coins or ear phones.

For my version of the Mix it Up Purse I used Scheepjes Catona with a 3mm hook (closest US size C/2). If you are not not familiar with the yarn it is 100% Cotton which comes in 10g [25 metre] balls.

I used seven colours in total; 2 balls of Jet Black (110) and English Tea (404), then 1 ball of Snow White (106), Cornflower (106), Poppy Red (390), Kiwi (205) and Yellow Gold (208).

I love the little mini balls of Scheepjes Catona for colourwork as it’s means you don’t get into so much of a tangle like you might with using big balls (though you could always wind off small amounts on bobbins if that is all you have).

The only other materials you would need are a 12cm zip, a yarn needle, I also lined my purse with material just to finish it off, though the technique used for the purse creates such a sturdy dense fabric you could get away with not lining it.

I recently saw some brilliant colourful music print cotton fabric, which I wish I’d thought about, it would be a fun way of lining the purse in keeping with the theme.

This purse is such a fun way to relieve the enjoyment of making a mix tape to keep yourself or gift to someone you love! If your embroidery skills are good, you could also personalise your purse by saying who’s mix tape it is, or by adding a favourite song or band name!

So turn up the volume with this unique cassette-tape change purse that’ll have everyone singing along! Issue 124 of Simply Crochet magazine is available to buy from your local supermarket or you can grab a digital or print subscription from buysubscriptions.com.

🎵 SAVE MIX IT UP PURSE ON RAVELRY 🎵

I hope you’ll share your WIP or finished project 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

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Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected. You can read more about my affiliate links here.

17Dec2021

Simply Crochet Magazine | Cabled Cushion

Posted in Crochet, Magazine, Pattern Release, Tah-Dah, Yarn by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

Hi folks! I’m just popping on today to let you know I’ve got a brand new pattern available in the latest edition of Simply Crochet magazine. Issue 117 is out now with a range of cosy projects including a fun cabled cushion design from me.

It’s Christmas time and crochet is here to help you decorate your home with some wintery and cosy projects – like my ‘Cabled Cushion’. I wanted to create something that would hopefully compliment any style home, that you could make to match your own colour scheme – and because I love texture so much I threw some of that in too!

I’ve used linked treble crochets (US linked double crochets) to create a dense texture, amongst the cables, to create a durable cushion that should hopefully last for ages!

I made the cushion with Cygnet Chunky yarn and a 5.5mm hook, and I used six balls in total, in the lovely Willow colour (Shade 515), which is a sort of greyish-greeny sage type shade that’s just gorgeous.

The yarn is approx. £1.95 / $2.59 per 100g ball (156m) and you also need a 50 x 50cm / 20″ x 20″ cushion inner, 6 x 3cm wooden buttons and some stitch markers – so you can easily make the whole cushion for less than £25 / $33.12.

Cygnet Chunky was a new yarn for me, I’d not used it before, but I’d use it again, it’s a nice and plump chunky 100% acrylic yarn (so machine washable on a mild 40°C wash), and if I wanted to make the cushion in a different colour Cygnet Chunky is available in 36 different colours.

The six buttons are attached to the back centre of the cushion (or at the front if you like the buttoned up look, which I do) which means you can easily remove the cushion cover for washing – perfect if you have pets or kids!

So whether it’s for your bed or as an occasional pillow for your living room – I think the Cabled Cushion will instantly add a bit of style and texture – what colour will you make yours in?

❤️ SAVE THE CABLED CUSHION ON RAVELRY ❤️

Issue 117 of Simply Crochet magazine is available to buy from your local supermarket or you can grab a digital or print subscription from buysubscriptions.com.

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 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.

31Mar2021

Simply Crochet Magazine | Gamer Cushion

Posted in Crochet, Magazine, Pattern Release, Tah-Dah, Yarn by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

Hi folks! I’m just popping on today to let you know I’ve got a brand new pattern available in the latest edition of Simply Crochet magazine. Issue 108 is out now with a range of amigurumi and spring projects including a fun gamer cushion design from me.

© Intermediate Publishing – Simply Crochet 108

This cushion was inspired by the old ‘space invaders’ game which was one of the earliest video games (released in 1978) and it’s viewed as the pioneer of modern gaming. The premise of the game is that a host of aliens dramatically descend on your spaceship and you have to blast them before they reach the bottom of the screen.

Although the game was created before I was born I do actually think I remember playing it with my brother on an old arcade game at a caravan park when we were younger.

Space Invaders’ pixilated alien have become icons of gaming and I thought that I could re-create the blocky look of the alien using the corner to corner (c2c) technique and I think it worked out really well.

© Intermediate Publishing | Simply Crochet Issue 108

I made the cushion with Cygnet DK Acrylic Yarn and a 4mm hook. I used four balls in total, three in Slate (1790) for the main cushion and then the bright contrasting Apple (6711) for the alien.

Cygnet DK is not actually a yarn I think I had used before but I’d describe it as a classic sort of double knit 100% acrylic and as such it’s machine washable on a mild 40°C wash (which is one of the things I love about acrylic yarn!).It’s very reasonably priced, around £1.89 ($2.61) per ball which means that you can pretty much make the whole cover for about £8 ($11). It also comes in over 50 colours so you could potentially match your alien to your room colour for a more personalised touch.

To finish off the cushion you also need 6 x 2cm buttons for the back fastening of the cushion which makes it easy to get the 50x50cm (20×20 inch) cushion inner out so you can wash the cover if needs be.

So control your comfort and let this iconic arcade game alien invade your gaming space! I think little gamers young and old will love this cosy cushion as the ideal finishing touch for any den or bedroom – who would you make one for? This one has already been claimed by my 10 year old ‘gamer’ daughter who loves the green.

❤️ SAVE THE GAMER CUSHION ON RAVELRY ❤️

Issue 108 of Simply Crochet magazine is available to buy from your local supermarket or you can grab a digital or print subscription from buysubscriptions.com.

If you hook up the Gamer Cushion 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