Woolly Chic

Specialising in British wool, ethical yarns and unique kits
  

    • Helen Ingram

    Learn to Crochet at The Haberdashery in Hitchin

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    Filed under: Workshops

    Hitchin-Beginner-Crochet-Workshops

    I am running many different Crochet Workshops in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. These are suitable for all levels from complete beginners to experienced crocheters who would like to further their skills.

    Choose from one or more of the classes listed below:

    2020 Dates

    Beginner Crochet Granny Squares & Improvers Corner to Corner –  Thursday 12th March, 10 – 12.30 or Tuesday 17th March, Tuesday 5th March 7 – 9.30, Thursday 7th May, 10 – 12.30

    Crochet Flowers (suitable for all levels) – Tuesday 28th April, 7 -9.30 pm

    Introduction to Tunisian Crochet – Monday 23rd March, 7 – 9.30 pm

    Tea Cosy Crochet Along* – Tuesday 11th February, 7 – 9.30 

    * In this Crochet Along workshop you will be starting a larger project to finish at home.  Choose to make a sheep, cat or traditional tea cosy. These workshops include all the materials to complete the project, as well as tuition and refreshments.

    Crochet Mandalas (suitable for all levels) – Tuesday 25th February, 7 – 9.30 or Thursday 19th March, 10 – 12.30

    Harmony of Leaves Scarf Crochet Along* – Thursday 5th March, 10 -12.30 or Tuesday 10th March, 7 – 9.30 

    * In a Crochet Along workshop you will be starting a larger project to finish at home.  These workshops include all the materials to complete the project, as well as tuition and refreshments.

    Easter Crochet – make some Easter bunnies – Tuesday 31st March, 7 – 9.30 pm or Thursday 2nd April, 10 – 12.30

    Evening Class Dates: 11th & 25th February, 10th, 17th & 31st March, 28th April, 5th May – Time: 7 pm – 9.30 pm

    Morning Class Dates: 16th & 30th January, 6th & 13th February, 5th, 12th & 19th March, 2nd April, 7th May – Time 10 am – 12.30

    Total Workshop fee of either £25 or £40 depending on the class and project includes all materials, tuition and refreshments.

    Location: The Haberdashery, 34 Bucklesbury, Hitchin, SG5 1BG

    To book a place on one or more of these workshops please click here and choose your workshop. You are welcome to attend as many workshops as you would like.  These are stand alone workshops designed for beginners, although an advanced level can be taught for those that can already crochet.

    Class size is small – a maximum of 6 – 8 people, which should allow lots of one to one guidance and help for you to gain confidence in crochet.

    Please Note – The workshops take place upstairs at The Haberdashery, which is an old timber framed shop with lots of character, but if climbing stairs is difficult, please contact me (helen@woollychicdesigns) and I can organise a different time at an alternative venue.

    Also – Refunds can be only given if your workshop place is cancelled with 48 hours notice, or alternatively we can transfer you on to another workshop.

    Granny Square
    Learn to Crochet Granny Squares
    Poppy-Brooch-Kit
    Learn to crochet flowers
    Christmas_Crochet_Gnomes
    Crochet a Gnome
    Harmony-of-leaves-scarf
    Made by Jane Hickman
    Learn_to_Crochet_Mandalas
    Sheep_Tea_Cosy

    Woolly Christmas Gift Ideas

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    Filed under: Crochet, Knitting

    Christmas_Crochet_Gnomes

    Woolly Christmas Gift Ideas

    It popped up on Facebook the other day that there are only 40 knitting days to Christmas!  Eeek!  Now, I am not a speedy knitter, but I love giving handmade presents as opposed to shop bought ones.  So, if you are like me and as time is running out, I thought I would suggest a few quick knit and crochet projects that make beautiful and thoughtful woolly Christmas gifts.

    Our newest crochet kit has been designed with Christmas in mind – This cute gnome is actually a Chocolate Orange cosy.  When you have finished crocheting your gnome, pop a chocolate orange inside and put the gnome into the handy gift bag, he’s then all ready to give to someone special.

    The Christmas Gnome kit doesn’t include a Chocolate Orange, so you might just have to buy a couple (one to eat while you are crocheting!).

    Christmas Gnome Chocolate Orange Cosy Kit £10

    Or how about making these cute robins to give to someone to hang on their Christmas tree? The Crochet Robin kit includes all the materials to make 4 little robins.

    If you would like to learn to crochet robins or gnomes I do have a few spaces available on my daytime Christmas Crochet workshops in Hitchin, Hertfordshire.  For more information on dates and times please visit my Events page.

    Crochet-Robins
    Crochet Robin Kit £10.95

    For the little ones, you could knit a teddy bear or a sweet little rabbit?  Knitted flat in garter stitch these can be made quickly and then could become a treasured friend for life!

    And as the weather is turning colder, everyone will need a hat.  My new bobble hat design is soft and chic with a fluffy pompom on top, knitted in West Yorkshire Spinner’s newest Chunky Roving wool.  The kit even includes a clever pompom maker.

    Also ideal for the colder weather are cowls and fingerless gloves.  My friend Jane from GardeningWitch Designs has written two fantastic patterns for which Woolly Chic DK Pembrokeshire wool is a perfect match!  The Gansey Style fingerless mitts pattern and the Stripy Twist Cowl are both available for instant download on Ravelry.

    Of course if you do run out of making time, then our kits make great presents for friends and family that knit or crochet and our Learn to Crochet Kits are perfect for anyone who would like to try a new craft.  Or why not add one or two to your own Christmas Wish List?  All our kits and wool are available from the website www.woollychic.co.uk and I will send to anywhere in the UK or even the world!

    Happy making and I hope your handmade gifts bring plenty of joy this Christmas!

    Memories of Yarndale 2018

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    Filed under: Wool shows

    Sheep-Yarndale

    It has been over a week now since Woolly Chic exhibited at Yarndale 2018 in Skipton, Yorkshire, the boxes are finally unpacked and the website updated.  I thought I would write this blog post to reflect on how wonderful Yarndale was.  It was so great to meet such lovely talented and enthusiastic knitters and crocheters.  Thank you to everyone who visited my stall.

    My Sheep tea cosies felt very at home in the middle of Skipton Auction Market, as we set up the Woolly Chic stall in a sheep pen!

    There is so much to love about Yarndale, from the high standard of exhibitors selling beautiful yarn and showcasing their gorgeous designs to the stunning creative community displays of bunting, mandalas and this year, butterflies and poppies.  The Yarndale organisers announced that butterflies would be this year’s theme and asked for people around the world to contribute by grabbing their crochet hooks and knitting needles to make a butterfly (or a Kaleidoscope of Butterflies) for the charity Pioneer Projects.  Now some years ago I had crocheted lots of butterflies to hang in St Mary’s Churchyard in Hitchin as part of a Yarnbombing art installation, so I was happy to donate 50 of them for this fantastic project.  I had no idea how the butterflies would be displayed and was taken aback to how stunning the collection of beautiful butterflies looked all laid out on the tables in a fluttery swarm. When I spotted one of my butterflies stuck on to the board on the right with my name underneath I felt so proud to have been part of this community project.

    This year I had a double pen to display all my Woolly Chic wool, fairtrade cotton and knitting and crochet kits, which really helped when the crowds of people came through the doors and past all the stalls.  It was great to chat to people about the fairtrade organic cotton that I sell and my new cotton crochet baby cardigan kit proved to be really popular.  The knitted rabbit kits were the best seller of the weekend though, with people falling in love with these cute bunnies.

    I have to thank my lovely Mum and Dad who came with me to Skipton and helped set up (and then pack up) my stall and kept me supplied with cups of tea and sandwiches!  I am now really looking forward to next year!

    Looking forward to a Joyous July!

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    Filed under: News, Wool shows

    I am not sure how it happened, but June flew by and it is now July!  This can only mean two things – Fibre East is less than 4 weeks away and Hitchin Festival takes place throughout the month!

    I am really looking forward to Fibre East this year.   It is an annual event created to celebrate all things woolly, natural and handmade, and this year’s focus is on the Best of British: supporting the finest quality British wool, made from the fleeces of British sheep, reared by British farmers.  Of course this is something Woolly Chic feels very passionate about too.  The wool show takes place on 28th and 29th July at Redbourne Community College in Ampthill, which is only a short drive from where I live.  I couldn’t attend last year due to a family holiday in Cornwall, but had a stall in 2016.  This year I will be in the same tent – Romney, but in the middle this time.  Please come and say hello if you are able to come along.  I will have some new designs, new kits and new yarn!

    Tickets are available from www.fibre-east.co.uk

    Fibre-East-2016
    Woolly Chic’s stall in 2016

    The other exciting event that I am involved in is a Yarn Art Installation, which is part of the Hitchin Festival.  Every year there is lots going on in our town and for the last four years, a group of dedicated and talented knitters and crocheters have decorated the St Mary’s Churchyard with woolly creations.  This year’s theme is All Creatures Great and Small and we have had fun making animals, insects and birds to adorn the trees surrounding the magnificant church.  It seems very fitting to yarn bomb here, as the church was built largely using funds from the wool industry.

    If you are in the area this July, have a look at our Yarn Art Installation.  If you can’t make it, I will write another post with lots more photos!  Watch this space!

    I have recently been busy teaching at Hitchin Lavender (another must visit place, if you are in the area) and I have two more workshops coming up in July.  There are places available if you would like to come along.

    I am teaching Crochet with Beads this Wednesday(4th July), 7 – 9.30pm and More than Granny Squares the following Wednesday evening (11th July).  To book a place please visit the Events page, where you find all the details about these classes.

    Crochet-Beads-Workshop
    Crochet with Beads Workshop

    Wishing you a joyous July!

    x Helen

    Learn to Crochet Workshops at Hitchin Lavender

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    Filed under: Workshops

    I am running the following Crochet Workshops this summer at Hitchin Lavender 

    Dates:  Daytime workshops – Tuesday & Friday mornings 10 – 12.30 12th and 22nd May and 5th and 16th June 

    Dates:  Evening workshops – Tuesday evenings, 7 – 9.30 pm 26th May and 9th June

    Location: Hitchin Lavender, Cadwell farm, Arlesey Rd, Ickleford, Hitchin SG5 3UA
    Cost: £25 per workshop includes all materials, tuition and refreshments
    Details: Helen will be teaching the following Learn to Crochet Workshops –

    Crochet Granny Squares (12th & 26th May),

    Crochet Bunting Flags (22nd May),

    Amigurumi Crochet (5th June),

    Crochet Sunflowers (9th & 16th June).

    All levels of crochet welcome from beginners to improvers!
    To book a place on these workshops please click here.   You are welcome to attend as many workshops as you would like.  These are stand alone workshops designed for complete beginners with an advanced level for those that can already crochet.

    Beginner-Amigurumi-Octopus-Workshop
    Crochet Sunflowers

    Shop Update – New Wool, New Kits and a New Workshop

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    Filed under: Crochet, Knitting, News

    Organic Cotton Baby Cardigan kit blue

    I have been busy updating the Woolly Chic shop with some lovely new goodies and am excited to share them with you.

    I have two new colours of DK wool dyed on a new base of 80% Pembrokeshire wool and 20% Alpaca – Denim Blue and Aquamarine.  The wool is gorgeous to knit and crochet with as it has a wonderful stitch definition and with the added alpaca it is lovely and soft.  I am knitting a bobble hat in the Denim Blue at the moment, which, I have to admit, feels a bit strange considering the weather here in Hitchin has been gorgeous and not woolly hat weather at all!  But I couldn’t wait to cast something on, and I think this wool is perfect for hats, bags or blankets!

    British Wool and Alpaca DK yarn
    British Wool and Alpaca DK yarn dyed denim blue and aquamarine

    Just before Wonderwool Wales, my Mum knitted the Woolly Chic Shoulder Bag in the Denim Blue (in fact she finished it whilst sat on the stand!) and the moss stitch pattern looks fantastic!  This Denim Blue Shoulder Bag kit is now available for £39.95 and includes some gorgeous Liberty fabric (pre-sewn) lining.

    Denim Blue Shoulder Bag Knitting Kit
    Denim Blue Shoulder Bag Knitting Kit

    At Wonderwool Wales I launched my Organic Cotton Baby Cardigan Crochet Kit, which includes two balls of beautiful fairtrade DK Cotton.  This kit is now available on the website and you can choose from Blue, Pink or Fawn (however, if you would like any other colour of fairtrade cotton that we sell, please message me).  Currently on offer at a special introductory price of £12, this is a super easy crochet project, which would make a gorgeous gift for any little baby!

    Organic Cotton Baby Cardigan kit blue
    Organic Cotton Baby Cardigan crochet kit

    We now have 14 colours of Fair Cotton, including Baby Blue and Baby Pink.  Fair Cotton by Katia is a gorgeous 100% organic DK cotton yarn that has been produced ethically by farmers in India and Tanzania.

    The final piece of news is that I am currently teaching crochet workshops at Hitchin Lavender and am excited to be teaching a new Crochet Sunflowers evening workshop on Wednesday August 8th.   Hopefully the sunflowers will all be out and looking like the photo below!  For more details about this workshop and to book a place click on the Events page and pay a £3 deposit.