Saturday 21 June 2014

Useful and beautiful


I am a real believer in William Morris’ edict: “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” But oh that can be a tricky proclamation to follow, especially when faced with so many exquisite threads, fabrics and yarns out there. So many ideas, so many frivolous projects. I’m not one to make countless wall hangings or stacks of cushions.

So when I happened upon some beautiful King Cole Bamboo Cotton yarns, and found coordinating Tilda fabrics, I had to find an excuse – a useful excuse – to make something with them and justify the spontaneous purchase!


I created a granny crochet hook roll. I wanted to develop a pattern for my crochet students that would showcase the basic techniques learned in the course, including colour changing, joining motifs and the beloved granny stripes and squares.


Inside is a simple fabric lining, with pretty lace trim, hook pockets plus a little extra space for stitch markers and scissors.


This was the prototype, and I’m pleased with the size and the ease of my pattern. But I want to make a few minor alterations, some tweaks here and there that will make it just a little bit more polished and pretty. For starters, I found an even prettier shade of pink in the Bamboo Cotton range. I’ll show you the new-and-improved model soon!


I love the yarn, the colours, the fabric. It is beautiful...and above all, it is useful!

Wishing you a joyous Summer Solstice! 

Chrissie x

33 comments:

  1. I'm loving the same yarn at the moment. It's gorgeous to work with isn't it. Have a great weekend.x

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  2. It is beautiful Chrissie!!! I am sure that your class will enjoy making this and it will be so useful to them in their crocheting as well. Happy stitching and happy midsummer!! xx

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  3. Wow, this is so beautiful! I wish I was a student in your class, I'd love to make it. I've never made a crochet hook roll, and honestly I have no idea how to make the lining.

    Have a wonderful weekend!

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  4. that turned out super sweet. :) if i was in england, i would endeavor to take crochet class with you!

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  5. Your crochet hook roll is indeed useful and beautiful, lovely colours and I really like the fabric lining. It's a great project Chrissie, your students will love it I'm sure. Have a wonderful weekend in the sunshine.
    Jane x

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  6. It's absolutely lovely, useful and beautiful indeed. And I love that you've used cotton, I'm a big fan of cotton.

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  7. This is gorgeous! I always love the colour combinations you choose for your projects. The yarn for this looks beautiful too, I must look out for this. The lining is so pretty and perfectly sewn too...you are a very clever lady! Hope you are having a great weekend :)
    Marianne x

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  8. what a lovely idea for a hook roll. Crochet and sewing combined. A hook roll is actually a very useful thing! I use one and I can just pop it in my wool basket and not lose the hooks! happy solstice to you, Heather X

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  9. That is so pretty Chrissie, I just love all those colours together.
    Enjoy the rest of the weekend,
    Kate x

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  10. The wool looks great and wonderful and soft.
    I like your choice of colours and yes the hook pockets useful
    Miss xx

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  11. Useful AND gorgeous Chrissie - I really like this and should get around to making one - another one for the growing list! Your pink lining is very sweet - yesterday when the rain was pouring down I took time to press up some pieces of fabric and do some well overdue organising and two of my pieces are along very similar lines to that pretty one; I also like your background fabric! I bet your crochet students love you! xoJoy

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  12. Yes Chrissie, definitely useful and beautiful!
    Happy Solstice!
    V x

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  13. I love your choice of colors and fabric. They go beautiful together....both colors of pink. Is there a pattern for it? I used to like the bright colors but I am now settling down to more subtle colors. I like the muted colors best now. Yours are perfect.

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  14. This is lovely Chrissie, I'm sure your students will really enjoy engaging in this project :-)
    Tracey xxx

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  15. Hi Chrissy,
    What a beautiful and useful idea. Looks like
    that yarn was lovely to work with and the colours
    are great together. Very clever.
    Cheers, Anita.

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  16. I stopped crafting for a while because I didn't want to fill the house with more useless objects. But I found I was miserable not crafting so am going with the flow for now. Love the crochet case - it reminded me I'd like to make a knitting bag as I'm using a carrier bag at the moment! Like lots of your other commenters, I wish I lived closer so could attend your classes too. x

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  17. hi, I like what you do! i follow you by mail.
    i send you su from medinet habu where i live
    Marie (http://marieluxor.canalblog.com/

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  18. Oooh it's great Chrissie :-) Definitely a good motto to (try) to live by! My house is very cluttered so maybe I need to take more of this approach...

    I've made two needle cases but each time I think of something different I need, like something to hold scissors or stitch markers. I'm going to end up with hundreds soon! :o

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  19. Lovely colours and beautiful hook roll. Congratulations too, you won Nicole's giveaway. Lucky Girl :-)

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  20. Just wanted to say hi, I'm a new follower to your blog and I LOVE all your makes - gorgeous xxx

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    1. Thank you Ali and welcome! :-) Cx

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  21. What gorgeous, muted colours. Beautiful and useful...XX

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  22. Really beautiful !!! I have to do one...
    Have a nice Sunday !
    Hug
    Anna

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  23. Looks so pretty! My crochet beginners want to make these, I might even get the machines out one week so they can finish them off. This has just mentally shot to the top of my to do list. Jo x

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  24. I love that hook holder. Very pretty colors and fabric lining. I made something similar for myself years ago that I found in Hooked on Crochet. It is well used.

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  25. That yarn looks beautiful! And it looks great with that fabric! Although I am guilty of having things just because they look pretty, I love my cushions!

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  26. This shade of Bamboo Cotton pink made me make a whole blanket a couple of years ago - love at first sight (or ball)... and now you are saying there is an even prettier pink??? My husband's fear of me burying the house in crochet might actually prove to be true... Love the little hook organizer. Things to put other things in have always been a firm favourite of mine! Have a lovely week. Anna x

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  27. What gorgeous co-ordinating colours you have used Chrissie. Such a pretty pattern to encompass all the skills your students have been learning and one which will be so lovely to keep! Alison xx

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  28. OOh, anything with that pretty pink in it gets my vote anyway, but I do love this colour combo that you've used, AND its sooo useful... well done! xx

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  29. Oh so so useful...

    Clever you!
    been on that sewing machine again I see....d xxx

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  30. Very pretty and very useful. How proud your students must be to be able to create such loveliness.

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  31. Beautiful and useful and fabulous,
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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