Graceful Gull MAL | The Reveal & Pattern Release

Posted in Collaboration, Crochet, Crochet Accessories, Crochet Kit, Independent Design, Pattern Release by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

Well wowzers, September is flying by! It’s probably the right time to say good-bye to the summer and time to finish off the last bits and bobs of our summer Graceful Gull make-along.

The Graceful Gull shawlette draped over a stick on a beach in front of the ocean

The 15th of September was the last ‘official’ day of the latest make along that has been hosted by The Yarn Whisperer and myself. From the 31 July until now we have enjoyed a relaxed summer make along project with lovely fellow crocheters. And now I get the opportunity to share my finished Graceful Gull Shawlette, and it’s pattern, with you!

Close up of the Graceful Gull Shawlette pinned with a shell shawl pin draped on a mannikin in front of a lake.

Inspired by the swoop of a graceful gull this pattern features textured stitches on two curving wings to create a unique and lightweight shawlette.

As always it’s been an absolute delight to work with Kitey and his gorgeously coloured yarn, I love these collabs we do – it always provides me with an opportunity to work with gorgeous yarn which in turn makes the design process super enjoyable. And this years colourways were such a lovely summery palette, I really enjoyed working with them.

Close up of a basket with the Graceful Gull makealong hand-dyed yarn inside.

If this is the first you’ve heard about the Graceful Gull MAL you can read more about it here but in a nutshell it’s the result of a wonderful collaboration between myself and Kitey, aka The Yarn Whisperer, of a unique crocheted shawlette designed with a special hand dyed yarn in mind.

It’s made us both incredibly happy to see the photos of folks sharing their progress with us on social media, and I hope you will continue to do so as you finish your shawlettes’ if you haven’t had chance to make it yet.

Collation of Graceful Gull works in progress made by others as part of the summer make along.

Although the official end date of the MAL has come to an end DO NOT feel any panic or worry that you didn’t keep up or haven’t even started yet. The deadline was there just for those people that like a deadline, for everyone else, enjoy it when you have the time to use the yarn and / or make the shawlette – there is no rush to this crochet makealong! And sometime in the future you will have a beautiful finished object that you can gift for someone special or to enjoy yourself.

❤️ SAVE GRACEFUL GULL SHAWLETTE ON RAVELRY ❤️

The crocheted Graceful Gull Shawlette; a light and airy shawlette is wrapped around a mannikin in front of a lake.

Now that the MAL is over, I have listed the pattern in my usual pattern stores for you to make your own version of the Graceful Gull Shawlette.

I would suggest four different colours work best; 100g of white, 2 x 50g of different greys and 20g of orange with a 3mm (Closest US size D/3) hook.

The pattern has a written version, a chart and comes with a bonus pattern to make your own Sea Stone Paperweight – Kitey and I always like to add a little extra something for those scraps of leftover yarn if you have any! The pattern comes with all explanation of stitches used and is available in either UK or US terminology.

Close up of the crocheted Sea Stone Paperweight - bonus pattern with the Graceful Gull Shawlette.

We do hope that you’ve enjoyed this fun make-along, I know Kitey and I have thoroughly enjoyed it.

Important MAL update

After six make-alongs, for the last three years, Kitey and I have decided to give ourselves a bit of a break for the remainder of 2023 (as it’s been a busy year so far for both of us). So this is your forewarned notice that there will be no new winter make-along for 2023.

But don’t you worry, this isn’t the end! In fact we are just shaking things up a little and are coming back with a new schedule for 2024 and TWO new make-alongs to look forward to (we’ve already got them planned). The first one we will be looking to release in the Spring with details coming out in Jan / Feb 2024 – so watch this space!

Collage of Keep Calm and Crochet On UK and Yarn Whisperer Collabs featuring Solstice Garden, Whispers of the Sea, Mellow Mallow, Dragonfly River, Peppermint Pageant and Graceful Gull.

Peppermint Pageant (and previous MALs)

And if you are looking for a new WIP Kitey has created some brand new Peppermint Pageant kit colourways especially for 2023 – check out the new colourways in his shop. There’s some gorgeous teals and blues to place with, and the Aran yarn is just joyous to crochet with.

AND all the patterns for our previous make-alongs (Solstice Garden, Whispers of the Sea, Mellow Mallow, Dragonfly River and Peppermint Pageant) are available from my pattern shops if you want to hook something up from your own stash – if you are a newsletter subscriber make sure you check out your exclusive discount code!

Make sure you are signed up to the blog (or my newsletter) and The Yarn Whisperer’s newsletter to be the first to know when the new collaboration project is revealed!

Pin it for later:

Pinterest of the Graceful Gull Shawlette crochet pattern by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

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, thank you for your support.

19May2023

Graceful Gull MAL Announcement

Posted in Crochet by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

Image of a seagull perched on a wooden pole against a cloudy blue sky.

The Yarn Whisperer and Keep Calm and Crochet On UK logos are in the top right hand corner.

Text reads Graceful Gull Crochet Make-Along, 31 July-15 September 2023. www.keepcalmandcrochetonuk.com

I’m super excited to be joining forces again with the lovely and talented yarn dyer Kitey, aka The Yarn Whisperer, to bring you a brand new summer make-along.

This is our SIXTH collaboration in our make-along series (you can see a round up of all CALs and MALs here) and as always offers a chance to use some wonderful hand-dyed yarn combined with a fun summery crochet project.

Imagine you are sitting on a deck chair at the beach; you are feeling that joyous light-hearted feeling of a being on holiday; no work, just time to recline and relax. The waves are crashing against the shore and you can hear the sounds of chatter and laughter in the distance as the sun softly warms your face.

You are enjoying the anticipation of someone bringing you your favourite ice-cream but while you wait you decide to open up your project bag to start that new WIP. There is a light breeze that gently moves your yarn as you take out the ball and your hook and you hear the call of a seagull as it flies by overhead…

Join us as we take part in the Graceful Gull Make Along!

Moodboard collage for the Graceful Gull Crochet Makealong; 4 skeins of yarn sit on a bed of shells, a close up of a seagull, a seagull feather sticking upright in the sand.

If you are not sure what a MAL is, you can read more on the MAL landing page here, but Kitey and I have actually had this planned since last years Christmas collab (and we may have already planned more projects into 2024 – we do get a bit over excited when we start talking!)

This time around we are going to be making a shawlette, which I’m not going to show you yet, and I’m not going to give away too much about the project, but what I will say is that I really, really love everything about it and can’t wait to share it with you!

An exclusive pattern and kit are being created for this extra special MAL. Each kit will include the following super washed merino 4ply (Sock weight) yarn;

1x 100g / 425m skein of natural
2x 50g / 212m skeins of two exclusive hand-dyed colourways
1 x 20g / 85m of another exclusive hand-dyed colourway
A digital copy of the pattern
A few extra treats, including an EXCLUSIVE @mrsgmakes stitch marker, just for good measure!

Pin this project for later:

Pinterest collage including; Image of a seagull perched on a wooden pole against a cloudy blue sky. Some skeins of yarn rest on some shells, a seagull feather is stood up in some sand.

Text reads Graceful Gull Crochet Summer 2023 Crochet Make Along. www.keepcalmandcrochetonuk.com

Pre-ordered kits will be available for £45 + postage, and can be made on The Yarn Whisperer website from 10 am on 9th May and if you order in the first 24 hours you can enjoy a 10% Early Bird discount.

AND if you order your kit in the first 24 hours you can enjoy a 10% Early Bird discount.

Kits will be dyed to order over the coming weeks, with generally a 1 week turn-around from order to shipping. But get in quick to ensure you get yours in plenty of time to crochet along with us!

Last International orders will be shipped by 25^th June if ordered by the end of May. UK orders will continue to be shipped after this date but ordering early ensures your kit arrives in plenty of time to join us on 31st July.

The Make Along will run from 31^st July to 15^th September for a nice relaxed project with plenty of time for you to make the pattern. You can of course start the pattern at anytime you wish, this deadline is just there for those that like to have one.

I’ve put together all the details for this particular MAL on a landing page which you can find here, or find via the top menu of this blog under the tab ‘CALS AND MALS’.

Social post for #GracefulGullMAL, Crochet MakeAlong, 31 July - 15 September 2023 By @the_yarnwhisperer and @kcaco.uk

There will be support for the pattern as usual in my Facebook group; the KCACO-UK Crochet Community Group. You can also pop in and join in with the Virtual Stitch-n-B*tch sessions hosted by Kitey on Tuesday’s evenings from 5.20pm GMT (see full details on Kitey’s Insta page). These sessions are a bit like going to a virtual knit and natter group, and everyone there is really lovely and helpful.

We look forward to you sharing your WIPs with us and we will be using hashtags #GracefulGullMAL #kcacouk and #yarnwhisperer if you want to tag us on socials – we love to see what you make.

You can also save the project as a favourite on Ravelry here.

We do hope that you will join both Kitey and I for this fun make-along – we can’t wait to see your wonderful new projects come to life!

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

P.S. You may wish to sign up to the blog (or my newsletter) if you haven’t already, and The Yarn Whisperer newsletter so you’ll be the first to know any new collab updates!

Subscribe to the blog:

7May2022

Dragonfly River MAL Announcement

Posted in Crochet by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

Banner image featuring the details for the Dragonfly River summer crochet makealong, running from 31 July until 15 September 2022.

I’m super excited to be joining forces again this winter with talented yarn dyer Kitey, aka The Yarn Whisperer, to bring you a brand new seasonal make-along.

Imagine, you are on a day out; it’s a fine sunny day and you have taken a delicious picnic, and of course a brand new crochet project, to enjoy in the relative peace and quiet of the countryside.

It’s nice and warm and you are feeling lovely and relaxed! The river is flowing gracefully by your side, there’s a hint of a refreshing breeze, birds are singing in the trees and there are blue skies and fluffy clouds above you. It’s then that you hear the zip of a dragonfly flying past, and your eyes follow the iridescent glimmer of its body, as it goes on a hunt on the sparkling rippling river.

Join us on its journey as we take part in the Dragonfly River Make Along!

Collage of images featuring a river bank, a dragonfly and an image of the exclusive colourway for the Dragonfly River MAL

If you are not sure what a MAL is, you can read more on the MAL landing page here, but Kitey and I have actually had this planned since last years Christmas collab (and we may have already planned more projects into 2024 – we do get a bit over excited when we start talking!)

This time around we are going to be making a cowl, which I’m not going to show you yet, and I’m not going to giveaway too much about the project, but what I will say is that I really, really love everything about it and can’t wait to share it with you!

An exclusive pattern and kit have been created for this extra special MAL. Kitey has worked his magic, as usual, to put together an amazingly special colourway and each kit will include:

1x 100g / 400m skein of Sparkle Sock yarn, in an exclusive hand-dyed colourway
1x 100g / 400m skein of natural 4ply Slub Yarn yarn
A digital copy of the exclusive MAL pattern
a few extra treats, including some EXCLUSIVE @mrsgmakes stitch markers, just for good measure!

Pin this project for later:

Pinterest image featuring a river bank, a dragonfly sitting on a hand, and an image of the exclusive colourway for the Dragonfly River MAL

Pre-ordered kits will be available for £44 + postage, and can be ordered on The Yarn Whisperer website from 10 am on 9th May.

AND if you order your kit in the first 24 hours you can enjoy a 10% Early Bird discount.

Kits will be dyed to order over the coming weeks, with generally a 1 week turn-around from order to shipping. But get in quick to ensure you get yours in plenty of time to crochet along with us!

I’ve put together all the details for this particular MAL on a landing page which you can find here, or find via the top menu of this blog under the tab ‘CALS AND MALS’.

There will be support for the pattern as usual in my Facebook group; the KCACO-UK Crochet Community Group. And you can also pop in and join in with the Virtual Stitch-n-B*tch sessions hosted by Kitey – Tuesday’s from 1-3 pm, Friday’s from 5.20pm (see full details on Kitey’s Insta page). These sessions are a bit like going to a virtual knit and natter group, and everyone there is really lovely and helpful.

If you want to share your yarn arrivals and WIP shots on socials we will be using hashtags #DragonflyRiverMAL #kcacouk and #yarnwhisperer. We hope you will tag us as we absolutely seeing your photos.

We do hope that you will join both Kitey and I for this fun make-along – we can’t wait to see your wonderful new projects come to life!

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

P.S. You may wish to sign up to the blog (or my newsletter) if you haven’t already, and The Yarn Whisperer newsletter so you’ll be the first to know any new collab updates!

Subscribe to the blog:

26Jul2021

Crochet Now Magazine | Kawaii Coffee House Characters

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

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.

❤️ SAVE KAWAII CHARACTERS ON RAVELRY ❤️

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

1Jul2021

Crochet Now Magazine | Boardwalk Breeze Wrap

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

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.

❤️ SAVE BOARDWALK BREEZE WRAP ON RAVELRY ❤️

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