Fuchsia shawl

 

Hello 

, I hope you are safe and well. 

Goodness me I have absolutely no idea where time has flown by.  I find myself muttering these words more and more. Its quite startling to hear yourself sound more and more like your mother . Did you ever imagine that one day you'd end up wearing things the majority of the time for comfort,rather than style ???? .if this is you Its a sign you too are turning into your mum. Haha 

Im actually one of those who doesn't dread getting older its a privilege ,a fact that we have to be mindful about.  Covid has highlighted  how privileged we are at being able to work from home . I'm a very lucky lady ,my family so far are safe and symptom free . I light candles for those who have not been so lucky  .

Im sharing today my latest pattern published in this months Inside Crochet magazine.  Its called the Fuschia Shawl ,named after the beautiful pink flowers . I used yarn from The Fiber Company  canopy fingering weight in colourway Lantana . The deepest really rich pink . Such a joyful colour .

It is designed  asymmetrically and features a swarovski beaded border.  I love working with crystals,  I enjoy how the light catches it and sparkles and bring life to the design . 

I rarely wear my design as featured in this pic . I prefer to wear mine with the triangle wrapped around my neck with the pointy tip at the front the two other points are wrapped like arms giving me a hug

I also have a food column and I review a book every month.  Each month I have waived my fee and instead im paid in books that I donate to schools and libraries in a bid to help add diversity of characters in our  young people's lives .

Inside crochet issue 103, Parrallelogram shawl

My latest pattern has been published in issue 103 of Inside Crochet magazine. I do love the styling and photography .@mavricphotography. Just look at this 

 Sometimes, as a designer you buy some yarn and you have a moment when you know exactly what you will make. This is exactly what happened the moment my Scheepjes colour pack arrived. The box arrives and you do a very happy dance .

The catona packs contain 109 balls ,this pattern uses 107 . I didn't use black and dark brown. I joined as you go pattern . Finished with a border and I made my own faux fur pompoms. I recently watched the news that stated trading standards had found that even though websites  and many shops that thought they were selling faux fur , most they tested contained rabbit, I am shocked and very sad so I went to hobby craft and bought genuine faux fur by the meter and made my own.

I really enjoyed making the motifs pulling colours out randomly is so amazing . I plan my colour choices I can spent weeks making decisions on combining colours so when this colour pack arrived i threw caution to the wind and simply removed the black and dark brown and I simply made triangles . I am not going to lie I would often looking at two adjacent colours and hate them, but once all the colours are worked its amazing how the over all effect looks. I urge  all you colour perfectionist please try and do this it is very relaxing and less pressurized. check out all the photos here

hope you are all enjoying the weather?

 The one thing I struggle with now is the fact that most of what I do is months ahead .I am currently knee deep in Christmas crochet ,yeap. all I need do is pop on my Christmas songs cd start a roast dinner and I'd believe its that time of year.
Its all very strange. I am crocheting with thick winter wool in summer and in winter i,m  playing with cottons and linens. its really hot here in London, so you can imagine it is a bit of a struggle. most people are throwing off the blankets in this heat and I making them . Despite all this I wouldn't change  any of it . I'm very lucky to be able to spend my time with a crochet hook in hand.

Inside Crochet is available online and in most newsagents and supermarkets.

Inside crochet issue 81 ,Granny square shopper

Hello dear friends.

I hope you are all well. Did you have a good summer? I did but my goodness summer has whizzed by and autumn  my favourite season ,is upon us. I truly love the colder seasons I guess that's the reason I love yarn. Nothing makes me happier then putting away the light cottons ,linens of spring and summer and delving into my beautiful wintery yarns. 

 

We have had a very busy time my youngest daughter graduated in politics. I am a very proud mother of two graduates. My work here is done. (I am doing a mini dance.) I am so proud of them both. My parents really stressed that to survive in this world you should either have a trade/skill or you get  a educated, so your earning potential is much better and the opportunities abroad would be better for you. My parents were right, my giddy aunt , you know you are getting old when you start to  think all your parents advice was right.

 

 

 

 This month's Inside Crochet Magazine is out. Once again I am thrilled that my design is one of the many fabulous designs featured.  even after all this time I still have to pinch myself when I see the  magazine everywhere in supermarkets , newsagents. I don't think I will ever get used to it. I think that the time I get blasé about it ,it might be time to give up. I love what do.

My granny square shopper uses double knit cotton . I get great pleasure taking the old craft of crochet  and adding my own  modern contemporary touch. The bright yellow faux handles are not only beautiful but they are practical .The bag is lined making the bag very sturdy. However, if I am honest I really  struggled with the lining I am not the best at sewing . The amount of times I have said I ought to enrol on a sewing course but I never seem to find the time.

Goodness me , I do love the styling .It always gives my designs a life, does that make sense ? I know a bag is inanimate object but when its features in different surroundings it becomes animate, I promise I am not drinking wine, hehe, Its just how I feel about the right kind of styling.

For instance, I designed the bag because I got fed up with being charged for a carrier bag, I designed a pretty practical bag that I would not forget. If this bag was styled at the supermarket till It wouldn't be as pretty as the styling above, see what I mean ?

All images are the property  @mavricphotography , 

Inside crochet Issue 76, Boules Necklace

 

  My my. the weather is so lovely today. I  am sitting outside the coffee shop writing on my ipad enjoying  this beautiful spring day. Being outside having a latte in the sun makes me feel happier. It always feels like I'm holiday. I hope it is warming up where you are.

 Hello mu loves,
I have no idea where time is going, I still can't believe it is April. Easter whizzed by so quickly. I am sorry that I have not been visiting all your blogs , life just gets in the way. As ever I am knee deep in designs and I am also in the middle of having a  deep spring clean. I bought a new bed side table and cleared out the old one, I found a bill in there from 1998, I mean why in god's name would you have a bill that old in my file of paid current bills. Please, tell me I am not the only one.??????

Once I started clearing out I decided I should  tackle the other things on my to do list and 6 black bin bags later . I feel a wee bit better, Decluttering is a wonderful tonic. Plus, it means I now have more space for more yarn, hahaha. In my defence I am a designer, it is all totally work related. Well that is what I tell others, you dear friends know the truth. I simply love yarn and need to be surrounded by the stuff , it comforts me.

 I am very happy to share my latest published design in this month's Inside Crochet.  It is called The Boules necklace ,Inspired after  playing boules with my grandson. We used a colourful children's version .We had great fun .I am finding lots of inspiration seems to be coming from playing with the little one. I am constantly  surrounded with bright and beautiful colours , it is wonderful to see the joy colours can bring. It reminds me how much I do enjoy working with colours . A day with him always results in a new colour combination and design ideas.

 If you are ever stuck for colour ideas I suggest you get a packet of pencils and simply play around. Or get out your balls of yarn make a five round  granny square using colours you normally wouldn't use and try and be random about it , I promise you will be surprised at your results.

I think this pattern is great for those small balls of yarn we all have .I used double knit cotton. I am making one in beautiful blue gradient colours for my jean loving youngest daughter, and a neutral shaded one for myself .The possibilities are endless.
It has suddenly cooled right down, I am off  home to make dinner, tonight I am making a seafood linguine. I  also have some large scallops that I will sizzle in some butter noisette , squeeze of lime .Nom nom.
Have a lovely evening
What are you having for dinner?
all images are copyright@insidecrochet