Woolly Chic

Specialising in British wool, ethical yarns and unique kits
  

    • Helen Ingram

    Happy Christmas from Woolly Chic

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    Filed under: News

    Wishing you a very happy Christmas and warm woolly wishes for 2018. May this festive season bring you all that you wish for!  I am so looking forward to a relaxing time spent with family and friends, with lots of opportunities for knitting and crochet in front of the fire!  It has been a hectic few weeks and I feel like it will be nice to spend some time reflecting on 2017 and planning for the new year!

    I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported me over the last 5 years to build up this wonderful wool business, especially to my Mum, who continues to be a huge influence and help!  Many of you that came to either Wonderwool Wales, Yarndale or Festiwool would have met her there!  Thank you also to all my lovely customers, without whom of course they would be no Woolly Chic!  I feel very fortunate and happy to have received such postive feedback about my crochet and knitting kits.  And to everyone that came along to one of my crochet workshops, it has been a pleasure teaching you!  It has been wonderful teaching at Hitchin Lavender and The Studio at No. 30 in Hitchin.

    2018 promises to be a fantastic year, with lots of exciting events to look forward to – starting off with Wonderwool Wales at the end of April  http://www.wonderwoolwales.co.uk   I am also planning more workshops and pop-up wool shops over the next few months.

    My head is buzzing with new ideas for designs and I am planning some new kits which will include the 100% organic fairtrade Fair Cotton.  New wool is being spun over the next few weeks and I hope to have a couple of new colours to add to my existing range.

    So much to look forward to, so please watch this space!

    Merry Christmas

    x Helen

    Christmas Crochet and Knitting Gift ideas

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    Filed under: Crochet, Knitting

    Crochet-Robins

    It is not yet the end of November and already everywhere you look is Christmassy!  I wonder if this seems to happen earlier and earlier each year? I noticed one house near me entirely covered in flashing Christmas lights!

    Now, for me Christmas is all about making things and if you are a knitter or crocheter you have probably been thinking about Christmas for ages and have already begun to make some presents for your friends and family.   It is so lovely to give something handmade and most people appreciate the time and skill that went into making it!  With one month to go there is definitely still enough making time between now and Christmas.  Woolly Chic has lots of Christmas Crochet and Knitting gift ideas, that are quick and easy to make!

    For little ones, they are sure to fall in love with a handknitted teddy or bunny rabbit.  Knitted flat in garter stitch, and then sewn up, these are really quick makes and look super cute when you have added their features and expression!

    For teenagers, bobble hats are right on trend at the moment.  Our Bobble Hat Knitting kit comes with chunky British wool that is super quick to knit and a Pom Pom maker that you can use over and over again (and pom poms make brilliant Christmas decorations too!).

    Fingerless mitts are perfect gifts for this time of year for both men and women.  I knitted recently a pair of fingerless gloves designed by Jane Hickman (pattern available on Ravelry) for a friend, who loved how warm and cosy they were.   Jane designed these gloves specifically to showcase the wonderful characteristics of Woolly Chic wool.  To take full advantage of the crispness of the wool, she used a textured pattern inspired by stitch patterns used on Gansey sweaters.  For these mitts, you only need 50g of any of our DK yarn.

    Maybe you know someone who would like to learn to crochet?  By giving one of our Woolly Chic Learn to Crochet kits, you could get them totally hooked for life!  Choose from our Learn to Crochet Owl Purse kit, Learn to Crochet bunting or Learn to Crochet Mandala bag kit.

     

    Or for those crafty friends, who are avid crocheters or knitters, our Woolly Chic kits make wonderful gifts too!

    With a handmade Christmas in mind, I am also running a couple of Christmas decorations crochet workshops in Hitchin on 11th December and there are still a few places available.  For more information and to book a place visit https://www.woollychic.co.uk/events-wool-shows-workshops/

    So what are you making this year in time for Christmas?  I would love to know!

    Festiwool – Last wool show of the year!

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    Filed under: Wool shows

    Festiwool-2017-Yarnbomb-Bike

    I love exhibiting at wool shows; I love setting up my stall and seeing all my wool and kits on display, when they are usually hidden away in boxes, and I love meeting people, meeting the customers and the other stall holders.  Everyone is so enthusiastic and all share the same passion for wool craft, whether it be knitting, crochet, spinning, weaving or dyeing.   This year I attended 4 wool shows, starting with Waltham Abbey Wool Show in January, followed by Wonderwool Wales and Yarndale and ending with Festiwool.

    Woolly-Chic-stall-Festiwool-2017
    This was my stall all set up on the Friday evening

    Festiwool is held in my home town of Hitchin and it is always fantastic to see so many people that I know, there are the people I have taught to crochet, and those that attend my Crochet and Cake group and the Charity Blanket group, and of course, the lovely ladies of Hitchin Stitchin.  I think I spent the whole day chatting and catching up with friends.  Thank you to everyone who stopped by my stall and said hello!

    It is always incredibly difficult not to spend all my profits at the other stalls and I did buy a couple of things from Manfield Crafts,  The Knitting Shed, who were both opposite me and Spinspired, but I can’t show them here as they are Christmas presents!  It was also lovely to be next to my good friend Jane, from GardeningWitch Designs, who was selling some wonderful project bags, shawl pins, cards and aprons (just like the one I was wearing at Festiwool!)

    The-Knitting-Shed-at-Festiwool
    The Knitting Shed were opposite me at Festiwool with some beautiful yarns, kits and notions

     

    GardeningWitch-Designs-at-Festiwool
    Jane’s wonderful display of project bags, aprons and DPN cases.

    I could see that lots of people were planning ahead for Christmas, buying gifts for knitting and crochet friends or getting the wool to make beautiful shawls, hats and gloves to make and give as Christmas presents.  I was really proud to have my Christmas Robin Chocolate Orange Cosies pattern featured in the Festiwool magazine.  These make wonderful stocking fillers!

    Christmas-Crochet-Workshop-Robin-Chocolate-Orange-Cosy
    Christmas Robin Chocolate Orange Cosies

    If you fancy making these Christmas Robins or other Christmas decorations I have two Christmas Crochet workshops coming up in Hitchin on the 11th December and you can book a place on one of these workshops by visiting my events page .

    So, I am now putting all the boxes away again for the last time this year and restocking my online shop with more knitting and crochet kits ready to be sent out!  I am also looking forward to next year’s wool shows, that hopefully will include Wonderwool Wales, Fibre East and Yarndale!

    Bags of Inspiration

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    Filed under: Crochet, Knitting, News

    Here at Woolly Chic it has recently all been about the bags!  In the last few weeks, I have launched my new Mandala bag kit, hosted a brilliant Bag-Along event and finished my BetsyMakes Star Flower Bag.   In this blog post I thought I would share some of bag designs to inspire you!  There is something so fantastic about making something that can be practical and yet stylish and unique.

    I have received such fantastic feedback on my Mandala bag kit that includes 4 25g balls of Woolly Chic DK wool, a crochet hook, a learn to crochet guide and the specially designed Tote Bag, onto which you can sew your crocheted mandala.

    All of my bag designs, I realise, combine wool with fabric, and the two go together perfectly.  I have selected beautiful fabric to match the different colours of Woolly Chic wool and machine sewn them into bag linings for the Shoulder Bag Knitting Kit and the Hexagon Handbag Crochet Kit has a pre-sewn calico lining with handy storage pockets.  The linings were specially made for me by Jane of GardeningWitch Designs, whose website http://www.gardeningwitch-designs.co.uk , you should definitely check out, as she sells the most beautiful project bags, stitch markers and shawl pins.

    It was so lovely to see so many people at the Festiwool Bag-Along party in Hitchin this week.  The aim of the event was to launch the Bag-Along competition, where you can win some fantastic prizes, (one of which is my Mandala Bag kit!) included gorgeous hand-dyed yarn, stitch markers and the Festiwool Magazine.  All you need to do is make a bag (knitted, crocheted or sewn) by the 10th November and either bring it along to Festiwool or post a photo on the BetsyMakes Podcast Discussion Group on Ravelry  – https://www.ravelry.com/discuss/betsymakes-podcast-group/3691644/1-25

    I was so pleased to have finished my BetsyMakes Star Flower Bag just in time for the Bag-Along party.  It is gorgeous and Sam’s pattern is really easy to follow with written instructions as well as a chart.  You can download this pattern for free, along with my knitted Festibag pattern when you buy a ticket for Festiwool.  The Fair Cotton would be perfect for making this bag!

    There is even more exciting bag news to share, I will have with me at Festiwool Patricia Harris’ (Hesadevil on Ravelry) pattern for her new bag design, which showcase perfectly the Katia Fair Cotton.  This lovely little seamless bag makes a perfect project bag.  I am crocheting a shawl at the moment and with the ball wound, placed into the bag and the bag popped over my arm, I am able to crochet whilst standing or even walking along!  I can see many advantages of this!!!

    Hopefully, you too are now inspired to make yourself a beautiful handmade bag!

    Festiwool Bag-Along

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    Filed under: News, Wool shows

    Festibag Bag Along
    Over the last few weeks I have been involved in helping to organise Festiwool, a wool show that is taking place on Saturday 11th November 2017 at The Priory School in Hitchin (my home town).  We decided to try something new this year and invite people to take part in a Festiwool Bag-Along.  What is that, I hear you ask?
    Festiwool Bag-Along 

    The Bag-Along, is basically an opportunity to knit or crochet a bag of your choice and bring it along with you to Festiwool.

    Festiwool have teamed up with the very talented podcasters Sam from Betsy Makes and Sandra from Cherry Heart , who are hosting a Meet and Greet session at Festiwool from 3pm to 5pm in “The Green Room” and are also helping to launch this Bag-Along competition.   We are hoping to see lots of lovely hand-knitted and crocheted bags being filled with goodies bought at the show.

    Now don’t worry if you can’t make it to Festiwool, but still want to take part, Sam has started a discussion thread on Ravelry where you can post photos of your finished bags.  Visit https://www.ravelry.com/discuss/betsymakes-podcast-group/3691644/1-25 to find out more.

    I have donated a special prize, one of my Woolly Chic Mandalas Kits for entries that bring their bags to the show.   Sam and Sandra will put all the names into a hat and pick out a winner during their Meet and Greet session.  There will be another lovely prize for those that enter their finished bags on the Ravelry group thread.

    If you are already making a bag, that is fine, the only rule is your bag must be finished by 11th November 2017.

    Plus, just to help you out further, if you purchase Festiwool tickets before the event you get special Ravelry codes for 2 free patterns – Sam’s crocheted Star Flower bag  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/star-flower-bag and my knitted Festibag (pictured above) http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/festibag

     

    Festiwool Bag-Along Betsy Makes Star Flower Bag

    Bag-Along party

    So to celebrate the launch of this Festiwool Knit and Crochet Bag Along competition we thought we would have a party! You are invited to bring your crochet and knitting to Molly’s Tea Room in Hitchin on Thursday 26th October, between 7pm and 9pm and start making a bag in time for Festiwool.  This is a free event, just come along and treat yourself to some of Molly’s yummy cake!

    Sam, Sandra and I will all be there at Molly’s for the evening!

    Tickets for Festiwool on November 11th at The Priory School in Hitchin, will be on sale (and you can pick up copies of the free patterns too when you buy your ticket)

    Woolly Chic’s wool and kits will also be on sale.

    Festiwool

    There are lots of other exciting new things to shout about this year – a new Festiwool venue to start with!  In one month’s time exhibitors will have set up their stalls in the large Hall and the Dining Room of The Priory School, a large secondary school just on the edge of Hitchin.  There is plenty of parking and all the stalls will be completely accessible for everyone.  There will also be a pop up vintage cafe run by Vintage Allsorts,  who will have a selection of refreshments, cakes, soups and sandwiches on offer to tempt you.

    There are some fantastic exhibitors coming along and whatever you are into, whether it is knitting, crochet, spinning, hand-dyed yarns, weaving or sewing, there will be something for everyone.  You can see the list of exhibitors and buy tickets from http://www.festiwool.com

    Yarndale 2017 – What an amazing show!

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    Filed under: News, Wool shows

    Thank you to everyone who came to see us at Yarndale.  It was such an amazing wool show! It was my first time exhibiting there and I had not imagined how extremely busy it would be.  The whole event had an incredible atmosphere, with so many excited visitors and an overwhelming number of talented craftspeople and designers!

    I drove up on the Friday, picking my Mum up on the way and also stopping off at Paintbox Textiles to collect some more wool that they had dyed a beautiful dusky pink colour.  Setting up was a challenge in the Skipton agricultural market, but I was really pleased how my stall looked, transforming the little sheep pen into a mini Pop-Up wool shop.

    I had worked really hard in the weeks before Yarndale to design a new kit – my Learn to Crochet Mandalas kit – ready for the show and was so happy with the feedback from people who stopped by my stand.   The kit includes everything you need to crochet a beautiful mandala, which you can then sew onto the specially designed tote bag.

    NEW Woolly Chic Learn to Crochet Mandalas Kit.

    I had had the idea of running a competition throughout the weekend, to make a Yarndale festival mandala to giveaway at the end of the weekend.  However, the Saturday was so busy that it was impossible to find time to crochet (not a bad thing!), so I started one on Sunday and finished it at home! The lucky winner I picked out at random from all those that signed up to my mailing list is: – drum roll please… Dianne Castree.

    The Yarndale Festival Mandala ready to send off to the winner!

    It has taken me a whole week to unpack and recover from Yarndale, but now I am looking forward to Festiwool, my next wool show in just over 5 weeks time.