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Your Eight-Ball
Crochet Kit Introducing your latest exclusive set In this exciting Crochet Club kit, you’ll find eight DK yarns in a mix of bright and neutral shades – perfect for making our fun projects featured overleaf. We’ve also included a 3.75mm hook so you’ve got everything you need to get started right away. And if you need more to complete some of the larger makes overleaf, order from the address below.
Love
YO U R C R O C H E T K I T ? G R A B YO U R S E L F A N E X T R A O N E AT CRAFTSTOREUK.COM/MIT41 Priced £6.99 plus £3.99 postage
Get hooked on crochet today with our gorgeous ideas topcrochetpatterns.com
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From start to finish Be prepared for every step
of the way
Making a yarn project from scratch can be a long but rewarding process. It’s not just the task of creating it, there are so many components that go into a handmade crochet gift, from the starting point of deciding what to make, to adding the finishing touches and wrapping it up ready to send to a loving home. You don’t need to have a whole workshop on hand to make this happen, with just a few essentials you’ll always be one step ahead of the crochet game and be able to stitch up stunning gifts without even leaving your home.
1. Yarn and Colors Must-Have Minis, 70p per 10g (25m), loveknitting.com 2. KnitPro Waves Crochet Hook Set, £29 for nine, lovecrochet.com 3. Hobby Gift Beautiful Bloom A5 Notebook, £4.25, amazon.co.uk 4. Hobby Gift Scissors and Case, £10.75, kareliahouse.co.uk 5. Single End Bamboo Crochet Hook 12mm, £2.79, woolwarehouse.co.uk 6. Ginger Ray Rose Gold Luggage Tags, £3.50 for ten, hobbycraft.co.uk 7. Handmade and Skein PU Leather Labels, £3.89 for 10, etsy.com/shop/NoBaa 8. Handmade With Love Natural Ribbon, £3.80, hobbycraft.co.uk
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Hooked GET
Check out our favourite crochet and needlecraft treats! Success Stories
Check out the beautiful range of garments and gifts from Krochet Kids. They are made by women in Uganda and Peru who have been taught to crochet by the organisation, providing them with life-changing job opportunities. Visit krochetkids.org
Make Your Move
Don’t miss the Make It and Knit & Stitch It shows on 22nd and 23rd February at the Farnborough FIVE site. Expect to find all the top crafting brands, plus free make ‘n’ takes, live demos and plenty of workshops! Tickets from £7.50 for a one-day adult pass – visit make-it.org.uk
The Wonder of Wool
The fab Wonderwool Wales festival returns on 27th-28th April at the Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells, with more than 210 exhibitors, the latest products, plus crafty masterclasses including Jane Crowfoot’s Fun With Beads: How To Add Beads to Crochet (£35). To book tickets and masterclasses, visit wonderwoolwales.co.uk � JANE CROWFOOT
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Care Bears
Fancy knitting for a good cause? Cheshire Police has launched Pandas4Pandas, a campaign to make teddies for officers to comfort distressed children. Crafty Stitches Online has also got involved – head to craftystitchesonline.co.uk to buy a pack and download the pattern.
in the Bag
Hey Mickey!
Aldi is celebrating the 90th birthday of Disney icon Mickey Mouse this year by launching a new craft collection! These include complete crochet kits to make Mickey or Minnie Mouse dolls, plus a cute hat (complete with ears of course). £3.99 each, aldi.co.uk
Transport your crochet supplies to your next workshop in style with this lovely tote. Made from fully lined reinforced linen with a vintage floral print, it has five interior pockets and is large enough for all the projects you’ve got on the go! £27.95, theknittinggiftshop. co.uk
New Wave
We Are Knitters have released four new garment kits featuring their Wave yarn, made from 100% natural sheep wool. We love this Beaufort Sweater (£89) – the Kara Sweater, Baltic Snood and Barents Cardigan kits are also worth checking out, weareknitters.com
Feel-Good Factor
This eye-catching Bluefaced Leicester and nylon blend from West Yorkshire Spinners needs to be on everyone’s shopping list! Not only is it a limited edition, £2 from every sale of this yarn will be donated to Marie Curie. £7.20 per 100g ball, cityknits.co.uk
Tea Break
It’s a well known fact that crocheters need a constant supply of tea or coffee as they work. Serve it up in this terrific mug for knitters, which is available in pink, orange or turquoise, and can be personalised so everyone knows it’s yours! £15, soclose.co.uk
Stay Cosy
Take part in Breast Cancer Haven’s Big Tea Cosy 2019 campaign from 1st-31st March , by holding fund-raising tea parties and crocheting gifts for people undergoing treatment. You can also buy exclusive patterns from LoveKnitting, with all proceeds going to the charity. Find out more at breastcancerhaven.org.uk/thebigteacosy topcrochetpatterns.com
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Beginner
YOU’LL GET A REAL BUZZ FROM OUR
Bumble Bees Crochet these cute little characters today
Essential Kit
YARN: Sunny, Coal, Mocha, Chocolate, Snow Crochet hook, 3.75mm From your Crochet Club kit PLUS: Black beads, 4mm Felt, pink Liquid glue Toy stuffing Needle: tapestry; all-purpose
Who doesn’t love the bumble bee? With their round furry bodies and distinctive yellow and black stripes, you can’t help but feel that spring has arrived when you see them flying from flower to flower! Sachiyo Ishii has immortalised this charming insect in crochet form, giving it a cute little face, dinky antenna and wings. Why not get as busy as a bee and make up an entire hive?
USE YOUR YARN KIT
NOTE: You can make one Sunny and one Mocha bee from the kit. This pattern is worked in joined rnds, join with a sl st to first dc after each rnd. Start next rnd with 1ch (does not count as a st throughout).
BUMBLE BEE BODY
Make two RR Using 3.75mm hook and Sunny make a magic ring, work 6dc into ring, join with a sl st to first st. Six sts RR Rnd 1: 1dc in each st to end, join with a sl st to first st RR Work in foll one-row stripe sequence: Coal, Sunny RR Rnd 2: 2dc in each st to end, join with a sl st to first st. 12 sts RR Rnd 3: (1dc, 2dc in next st) to end, join with a sl st to first st. 18 sts RR Rnd 4: (2dc, 2dc in next st) to end, join with a sl st to first st. 24 sts 12
RR Rnds 5-6: rep Rnd 1 twice RR Rnd 7: (2dc, dc2tog) to end, join with a sl st to first st. 18 sts RR Rnd 8: rep Rnd 1 RR Rnd 9: (1dc, dc2tog) to end, join with a sl st to first st. 12 sts RR Rnd 10: rep Rnd 1 RR Fasten off
HEAD Make two RR Using 3.75mm hook and Sunny (Mocha), make a magic ring, work 6dc into ring, join with a sl st to first st. Six sts RR Rnd 1: 2dc in each st to end, join with a sl st to first st. 12 sts
RR Rnd 2: (1dc, 2dc in next st) to end, join with a sl st to first st. 18 sts RR Rnds 3-6: 1dc in each st to end, join with a sl st to first st RR Rnd 7: (1dc, dc2tog) to end, join with a sl st to first st. 12 sts RR Stuff RR Rnd 8: (dc2tog) to end, join with a sl st to first st. Six sts RR Fasten off
HAT Make two RR Using 3.75mm hook and Chocolate make a magic ring, work 6dc into ring, join with a
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sl st to first st. Six sts RR Rnds 1-2: rep Rnds 1-2 of Head. 18 sts RR Fasten off
LEG Make eight RR Using 3.75mm hook and Chocolate make 5ch RR Row 1: starting in second ch from hook 1dc in each ch to end. Four sts RR Fasten off
Craft Journal T H E CO U T U R E
Hannah Read-Baldrey is inspired by the colours of the season in her latest column
H
ello lovelies, I hope you’ve been well! It’s a funny time of year, isn’t it? This early on everyone is in the midst of New Year’s resolutions, diets, and generally hiding from the cold weather. As a stylist, it’s a pretty quiet time for me after the immense rush of Christmas so I tend to focus on those domestic things I’ve left for months on end – this year I’ve had an overwhelming urge to redecorate our living room. This may have a little to do with some news I’m delighted to announce... I’m four months pregnant! So, long story short, we moved into our house six years ago and after a year had a baby who will be five this month! It goes so fast, doesn’t it? On a very tight budget, we renovated the house for three months and then stopped. After the heat of last summer, a few cracks have formed and you know when the walls protest it’s time to take action! So I decided to swap the deep ‘Green Blue’ Farrow & Ball colour we inherited from the previous owners for a light-hearted ‘Blue Romance’ from Valspar. Immediately the room feels uplifted and less heavy. We’ve moved the sofas around to make a more social space and it’s just such a lovely room to sit and relax in now. It got me thinking, ‘Why does this tone have such an effect on me?’ I wanted to explore. We’ve all heard of colour therapy, the holistic treatment that is a common practice for easing stress, some depression and seasonal affective disorder. The basic premise is that the body absorbs coloured light and different colours affect it in different ways. Before writing this column, I had no idea that babies born with jaundice undergo a process called
photo-oxidation. Simply put, they are treated with blue light which penetrates the skin, adding oxygen to cure the condition. Perhaps the soft blue tone of the living room reminds me of the summer sky in the bleak winter? This really got me thinking as colour is a key part of my work. Are creative people naturally drawn to a certain colour palette? I love all sorts of tones, it can change along with how I feel, but I will admit I have very girly favourites: pinks, pastels, greys and classic duck egg blue. It’s the combination of colours I find uplifting, thus I’m drawn to abstract artists such as Helen Frankenthaler and Instagram accounts such as @splendidrags and @ohjoy. Do you consider colour when you’re creating your projects? I have a wonderful felt colour chart and often it is the first point of inspiration for me. I love colour in what I wear too, it affects how I feel on a daily basis and I wouldn’t be seen without a swipe of bright red or pink lipstick. So, when you consider your next project, no matter how big or small, think about colour as your first point of call.
Catch up with Ha on Instagram @coutnnachraft ure My Crochet Crush This month I’m obsessing over the beautiful @the.hook.nook from Jessica Carey. She makes garments in all my favourite tones, plus she has pink hair - I’m so not brave enough!
I’m Making As Valentine’s day is fast approaching, I’ve been perfecting my chocolate bark. It’s so much fun to make and looks so pretty – there’s a great recipe at bespokebride.com if you want to give it a go.
On My Lust List I’ve got my fingers crossed that the Alex Monroe Gold Letter Necklace will make its way to me, from Liberty, for Valentine’s Day. HA FLIRT BY HELEN FRANKENT IS A FAVOURITE
LER
HANNAH FINDS HE AP S OF INSPIRATION ON INSTAGRAM
H OBLEM WIT THE ONLY PRHAVING SO IS R U M COLO HOOSE FRO MANY TO C
HANNAH SWEARS BY YSL FOR HER BRIGHT LIPSTICK
topcrochetpatterns.com
Taking A Break As we’ve been discussing colour, it’s the perfect opportunity for a slice of rainbow cake. I can feel a trip to the Hummingbird Bakery coming on! 21
Beginner
CREATE FABULOUS FELINES!
Cool Cats
These sweet little kitties are simply purr-fect Calling all cat lovers! Hannah Cooper has designed this trio of sitting kitties just for you, in Petal, Snow and Mocha from your Crochet Club kit. They are so simple to make up, consisting of only two parts to crochet, so you’ll be able to create an entire clowder (group of cats) in no time at all.
PROJECT DESIGNER
Hannah Cooper
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Relax & Read
! i m u r u g i m A e v o L e W
WORDS BY MELISSA HYLAND
Get hooked on the ultra-cute crochet trend that everyone’s talking about Whether you’re an experienced crocheter or a newbie, you’re bound to have come across amigurumi, the Japanese art of making crocheted or knitted stuffed toys. They are worked in a continuous spiral, creating large rounded heads and bodies that look simply adorable! As a result, amigurumi is now a huge hit all around the world and you can easily find how-to books, patterns and tutorials to try it yourself. We chat with some of the top crochet designers who are already head-over-heels for this fun technique.
Little Darlings
Mari-Liis Lille has a long-standing affection for this fun craft potential crafters and the Do you remember your first community grows every day. amigurumi? For top designer and When it comes to selecting a yarn author Mari-Liis, it was a bunny, for her next character, Mari-Liis along with a little dragon. likes to go all-natural. “I prefer to “I discovered the technique soon use cotton, wool, alpaca or silk – after learning to crochet about ten each and every material inspires me years ago, all thanks to the in a different way. Also, if you spend internet!” she recalls. “I was lots of hours crocheting, I would browsing some kids crochet hats, definitely when the toys “It’s magical what recommend an suddenly popped crochet up and my heart you can do with just ergonomic hook to save your was sold. I love a couple of basic hands.” the simplicity and Mari-Liis has sweetness – it’s stitches, then spread designed a huge magical what you can do with just a the love created with range of adorable and animals, couple of basic your own hands” dolls available as stitches, then patterns or in one of her many spread the love created with your books, such as Cuddly Amigurumi own hands.” Toys. Like many creatives, asking The online world has helped her to pick a favourite is too tough: many other crafters like Mari-Liis “My designs are like my own kids, discover their passion for a wide I cannot choose between them!” she range of crafts, including amigurumi. “It’s everything that can exclaims. “That said, if you asked me which one I’d like to make if I be created with your own hands – had a free moment, then it would be the internet is full of ideas and Mystique the Fox. I can never get tutorials, so it’s all brought to us on enough of her mysterious beauty!” a silver platter,” she smiles. “On social media we can follow people Find more of Mari-Liis’s from another side of the world. patterns at lilleliis.com Experienced makers inspire new MARI-LIIS LILLE’S CUDDLY CREATIONS COMBINE SWEETNESS AND SIMPLICITY
Top tip: Improve your sewing skills
– you can ruin the entire work by assembling it carelessly topcrochetpatterns.com
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Beginner
MADE TO MAKE EWE SMILE
Woolly Sheep
Say hello to the sweetest flock you’ll ever meet
Essential Kit
YARN: Mocha, Snow, Coal, Sunny, Emerald, Petal Crochet hook, 3.75mm From your Crochet Club kit PLUS: Safety eyes, 8mm Toy stuffing Stitch markers Tapestry needle SIZE: Sheep: 10cm high USE YOUR YARN KIT
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Springtime means only thing: it’s the season for fluffy sheep to bounce around the fields in the most joyous way possible! Of course, being yarn lovers we can only send our appreciation for these fleecy, be-ewe-tiful animals. This cuddly trio will certainly raise the baa in your crochet projects and you’ll have the most adorable set of woolly toys to snuggle all day long.
topcrochetpatterns.com
SHEEP HEAD
Make three RR Using 3.75mm hook and Mocha make a magic ring, work 6dc into ring. Six sts RR Rnd 1: 2dc in each st to end. 12 sts RR Rnd 2: (1dc, 2dc in next st) to end. 18 sts RR Rnds 3-5: 1dc in each st to end
Beginner
WASH AND BRUSH UP!
HEAD TO TOPCROCHET PATTERNS.COM FOR TONS OF FREE PROJECTS
Essential Kit YARN: DK cotton PLUS: Crochet hook, 4mm Thin card Scoring tool Adhesive
FACE SCRUBBIES
RR Using 4mm hook and chosen yarn make a magic ring, work 8dc into ring, join with a sl st to first st. Eight sts RR Rnd 1: (2ch, tr2tog) in next st, (1ch, tr3tog in next st) to end, join with a sl st to second of first 2ch RR Rnd 2: sl st to next 1ch sp, (2ch, tr2tog, 1ch, tr3tog, 1ch) in same 1ch sp, (tr3tog, 1ch, tr3tog, 1ch) in each 1ch sp to end, join with a sl st to second of first 2ch. 16 sts RR Rnds 3-4: 1ch, 1dc in each st to end, join with a sl st to first st RR Fasten off
Face Scrubbies
Crochet your own eco-conscious and stylish facial cloths
Wet wipes are yesterday’s news – these days we’re all about the face cloth! Beauty gurus such as Liz Earle recommend using these to remove your cleanser and gently exfoliate at the same time, leaving you with baby soft skin. Better still, you can crochet a set of Corinne Bradd’s stylish scrubbies from DK cotton yarn, either for yourself, a friend or a relative. Why not take it a step further by gifting your makes in made-to measure-packaging decorated with paper embellishments or twine wraps?
GIFT ENVELOPE
Download and print the template at topcrochetpatterns.com, transfer onto thin patterned card and cut out. Score along the dotted lines, then fold the side flaps around to the back, gluing one on top of the other. When dry, gently squeeze the sides inwards to open up the bottom then push in the curved flaps to close up. Decorate as you like, then fold up a scrubby and push one end inside.
PROJECT DESIGNER
Corinne Bradd
Top Tip: Not all DK cottons are equal. If you find your yarn is
making your scrubby too thick, cut back on the number of treble clusters in the second round by alternating between one or two clusters in each stitch. Take care to then increase the number of doubles in Rnd 3 by one every other stitch so your crochet pad will flatten topcrochetpatterns.com
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Crochet Champion
I’ve been creative all my life, but crochet is the technique that I learnt first and is my go-to craft We catch up with Wool Couture founder Clare Gelder about crocheting, mindfulness and Dragon’s Den!
What do you enjoy most about this technique? I’ve been crocheting for over 35 years so I don’t really have to think about what I’m doing – I can pick up a hook and just make! It can be something really simple or more of a challenge – recently I’ve been working on a giant octopus and I loved it. We love your Wool Couture crochet kits – what inspired you to begin designing them? The Boston Harbour Scarf is the first pattern
I wrote and is where Wool Couture started. It will always be part of our business and I regularly wear one of these at work. What was it like appearing on Dragon’s Den in 2017? We were asked if we would like to apply by the show’s team and decided to to go for it. I walked in through the lift feeling so shaky, then stood there answering questions for over one and half hours, it was intense! But I went in hoping to secure a Dragon and ended up with two – Touker Suleyman and Tej Lalvani – which was hugely satisfying! What’s it like working with the Dragons? They’re amazing gentlemen and we love working with them. Touker helps us sell our products and Tej assists with the online side of things. It’s like having our very own business encyclopaedia, there’s
nothing that they don’t know, other than how to crochet! What crocheting tool or yarn would you be unable to live without? My KnitPro crochet hooks – I bought them years ago when I didn’t have much money. Although they seemed like an indulgence at the time, I’ve used them so much since then. What trends do you predict will be big in 2019? I think crocheted wall hangings are going to be big. I’m working on one at the moment in fact, called A Field of Poppies! What would be your top tip for our readers? Invest in good tools and start with chunky yarn. It’s easier to count the stitches and see if you’re going wrong.
Quick-Fire questions
How did you develop your passion for crocheting? When I was eight years old, we visited a family friend in South Shields and she taught me how to crochet. I’ve been creative all my life, but crochet is the technique that I learnt first and is my go-to craft. I have anxiety and depression but when I crochet, it distracts from the things that are bothering me.
What music do you listen to as you work?
My favourite band, Coldplay!
Tea or coffee breaks? And what’s in the biscuit tin? Coffee in the morning with a flapjack, and tea with one sugar in the afternoon and a brownie.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
No one is perfect, let’s just be the best we can be.
How would you like to be remembered?
By putting a warm feeling into someone’s heart when they think of our times together.
See Clare’s full range of fabulous kits at woolcouturecompany.com 66
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