Here is a top tip on how to join a new colour into a Chain Space. Helen shows you an easy way to secure a second colour in place.
Learn how to crochet the UK Treble Crochet Stitch
Helen from Woolly Chic teaches how to crochet a UK Treble Crochet Stitch. Use this stitch to make a simple Granny Square.
How to fasten off Crochet Stitches
Here’s a tip on how to fasten off, cast off, or break the yarn when you have finished crocheting. Helen shows you a quick and easy way to fasten off your crochet stitches.
Learn how to crochet a UK Double Crochet Stitch
How to crochet a UK Double Crochet stitch. You will learn how to crochet into a foundation chain, make a turning chain and crochet rows of double crochet stitches.
This video also teaches how to fasten off (or cast off) your crochet stitches. Helen demonstrates how the UK Double Crochet stitch is ideal for making something like a little purse.
Harmony of Leaves Crochet Scarf pattern
Looking back at 2018, one of the highlights was designing the Harmony of Leaves crochet scarf pattern and receiving lots of positive feedback from everyone at it’s launch at Yarnporium.
The pattern was designed originally in Fair Cotton as a shawl to wear to my brother-in-law’s wedding, but I realised that it would also make a perfect one skein project in 4ply (and I happened to buy a beautiful skein of Travel Knitter’s Tanami Camel Silk which was ideal).
Once I had written up the pattern, Jane from GardeningWitch Designs and Hilary @songoftrees on Instagram very kindly test-crocheted it. Jane made a beautiful version in a different colourway of the Tanami Camel Silk 4ply and Hilary crocheted the scarf using a larger hook in a stunning skein of Araucania.
The name of the scarf pattern comes from a line in the poem The Sorrow of Love by WB Yeats which creates a beautiful haunting image of nature prevailing over the poet’s sadness and in my design there is a repeating pattern of leaves to try to recreate the beauty and harmony of nature. It was wonderful to be able to take some photos of the Harmony of Leaves scarf at Winterbourne House in Birmingham in October this year, which provided the most stuning backdrop of Autumn colours which complemented the colour of the scarf perfectly.
I launched this pattern at Yarnporium at the beginning of November and it was there that Becci of Riverknits gave me a skein of the most amazing Bluefaced Leicester 4ply yarn to make a scarf for her display at the Waltham Abbey Wool Show in January 2019. It was absolutely gorgeous yarn to crochet with and the Towpath colourway suited the pattern perfectly. This pattern is available on Ravelry https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/harmony-of-leaves-scarf
I am really looking forward to making another one in the New Year but this time making it narrower and therefore longer with just two repeats rather than three.
I would love to see photos of your finished Harmony of Leaves scarves.
Keep Hitchin* a happy place and shop local
Shop Local, Shop Hitchin*
I feel very lucky to live in Hitchin, a lovely little market town in Hertfordshire, which has recently been ranked as the ninth happiest place to live in the UK, according to a Rightmove survey. Hitchin has a reputation for having a wide variety of small independent and creative businesses, and this gives the town a wonderful unique feel. Although like many towns, Hitchin also has a high proportion of empty shops and businesses that have had to close this year. So, I think, that if we want Hitchin (* and any other town) to remain such a happy place, we need to support our local independent business and shop locally.
A friend of mine, Kim, recently took the exciting move to open a brand new Haberdashery shop in Hitchin. The Haberdashery stocks a huge selection of ribbons, buttons, haberdashery, fat quarters, yarn and sewing threads. It is well worth a visit! There are two lovely rooms upstairs, one is used for workshops and a knit and natter group and the other has hand-made crafts and a display of West Yorkshire Spinners wool and my Woolly Chic kits.
Kim is opening 7 days a week up until Christmas and this Friday (7th December) she is open until 9pm for late night knitting, crochet and Christmas Shopping.
I am extremely happy that Kim has aso asked me to teach Crochet workshops at The Haberdashery, and I have some new 2019 dates:
Evening Workshops (All levels welcome)
Beginner Granny Squares – Wednesday 9 January, 7 – 9.30 pm
Crochet Squares with texture (Corner to Corner, Basket Weave and Bobbles) – Wednesday 16 January 7 – 9.30 pm
How to read Crochet Patterns & Crochet a pair of Fingerless Gloves – Wednesday 23rd January 7 – 9.30 pm
Learn to Crochet Mandalas – Wednesday 30 January 7 – 9.30 pm
Intro to Amigurumi & Crochet an Octopus – Thursday 7 February 7 – 9.30 pm
Daytime Workshops (All Levels welcome)
Beginner Crochet Granny Squares – Thursday 17 January 10 am – 12.30
Beginner Crochet Squares with texture (Corner to Corner, Basket Weave and Bobbles) – Thursday 24 January 10 am – 12.30 pm
Learn to Crochet an Amigurumi Octopus – Thursday 7 February 10 am – 12.30
These workshops are all £25 and include tuition, materials and refreshments. To book a place on any of these workshops click here
* I am sure that if you don’t live in Hitchin, you will have similar feelings about the town in which you live and I hope that you will share in my desire to support local businesses and shop locally in your home town too! There is a fantastic campaign at the moment called Keep Yarn on Our Streets asking people to support their local yarn stores and giving links to 66 shops around the country. Their message is that “A yarn shop is more than just a shop, it’s a community, a knowledge bank, a crafty hub.” So please check out your nearest wool, sewing or haberdashery shop, because without customers they cannot survive and all those wonderful resources and expertise will be lost to us.