WIP Ta-Dah Double Whammy!

I am very happy to announce that I have completed not one, but TWO projects! (This is a big deal for me, the WIP queen!)

They are the focus of my latest YouTube video...

What's on my hook

First is my Hotel of Bees Shawl

After the crochet fail a few weeks back, I was determined to make things right and finish this beautiful pattern. I am over the moon with the result! 

The Hotel of Bees Crochet-A-Long is being hosted by Sandra of Cherry Heart and Sam of Betsy Makes. The shawl pattern is by Christina Hadderingh, and I crocheted it using Fyberspates Scrumptious Sport Superwash 4-ply yarn. It feels so soft and wonderful!

I'm in the final stretch of the Missed Kingfisher Shawl

I plan on wearing it in my next YouTube video so keep watching! The Missed Kingfisher shawl pattern is by Joanne Scrace for “The Shawl Project: Book Two”, from The Crochet Project, and I'm using Eden Cottage Yarns Titus 4-ply in Rambling Rose and Oakworth 4-ply in Compost.

Next on my hook will be another Spun Gold Shawl, which I'm making as a gift for a friend, using some beautiful Juniper Moon Farm yarn:

The Spun Gold Shawl is by Kat Goldin for The Crochet Project. I bought the yarn, 

Juniper Moon Farm's Herriot Fine baby alpaca/nylon 4-ply yarn from Pins & Needles. 

And I was gifted a ball of the delicious, coveted Watermelon Shawl Gradient Yarn by Hand Dyed by Kate! I can't wait to make something scrumptious with it! 

What!?! I’m knitting?

Yep, I'm trying to finally get my head around knitting! 

I've tentatively started the Match & Move shawl by Martina Behm, using the juiciest yarn! This is Hill View Farm's Superwash BFL sock yarn in ‘Shades of Flamingo’ and I'm also using ‘Shades of Coral’.

What’s in my hoop

The final YouTube tutorial for my Herb Embroidery sampler is up and running! I finished with the fly stitch for the background fronds. 

The tutorials are forever on my channel, so feel free to give it a go anytime! The original pattern design can be found HERE.

I also show some of the sampler herbs being used for some summer placemats I'm working on!

Pour yourself a cuppa and have a quick visit with me on YouTube!

Happy crafting!

Chrissie x

Crochet Fail & Stitching Therapy

Hello everyone! I've been MIA for a few weeks - we went to Norway for the Easter holidays, then after we came back it took me a good week or so to get settled back in real life!

But I've finally uploaded my latest YouTube video, where I talk about my most recent crafty shenanigans, including a massive crochet fail...and how embroidery provides a perfect antidote when I'm feeling all fingers and thumbs.

Skiing in Norway...

What's on my hook

I started a shawl on the airplane to Norway, and I finished it on the flight home! 

This is the beautiful Parallel Bars Shawl by Sarah Shrimpton of Annaboo’s House. I hooked it using 

YanTanTetheraYarns Mether yarn in "Dirtwater", which isn't the prettiest of names but was the prettiest of yarns!

I'm joining in the Hotel of Bees Crochet-A-Long hosted by Sandra of Cherry Heart and Sam of Betsy Makes. The Hotel of Bees is a beautiful crochet shawl pattern by Christina Hadderingh, and the pattern can be found here. 

I'm afraid this is where my epic crochet fail comes into play, but you'll have to watch the video to see what has happened. Regardless, I'm enjoying hooking it with the luscious Fyberspates Scrumptious Sport Superwash 4-ply yarn!

Progress is being made on my Missed Kingfisher shawl

The pattern is by Joanne Scrace for “The Shawl Project: Book Two”, from The Crochet Project. I'm using EdenCottage Yarns Titus 4-ply in Rambling Rose and Oakworth 4-ply in Compost. 

I also talk about some very useful yarn needles, Susan Bates Finishing Needles, which I purchased from amazon.co.uk.

What's in my hoop

I've uploaded more stitch tutorials on my YouTube channel, so you can learn how to do more of the flowers from the Herb Embroidery!

Nearly finished!

There's also some progress on a quilt I'm making for my daughter...plus the woes of Beavers uniforms...pour yourself a cup of tea and come have a visit! 

You can find me here on my YouTube channel. Thanks for popping by!

Chrissie x

#crochetkind and Stitch Tutorials

This week's YouTube video is all about

#crochetkind and Stitch Tutorials

I was over the moon when I received my subscription copy of Simply Crochet magazine last week, because I have two articles in the latest issue! Check out the happy yellow circle on the cover...

The first article is my round-up of the Unravel Festival of Yarn in Farnham. The feature article is about a topic close to my heart: crocheting for charity. 

There are so many organisations that happily and gratefully accept crocheted items, and in this article I talk about how to get started hooking for a charitable cause. 

As part of the #crochetkind movement, Simply Crochet is fundraising for Little Pricess Trust, an organisation that provides real hair wigs free of charge to children who have lost their hair during cancer treatments and other illnesses. 

This charity means a lot to me and my family, as a great friend of mine needed the charity for her daughter. My eldest daughter donated ten inches of her own hair after that. 

But you don't need to donate hair to support Little Princess Trust! Simply Crochet is auctioning off one of the seven amazing blankets from the Jenny's Blanket of Hugs project.

To participate and have a chance of winning this stunning blanket yourself, please go to the Simply Crochet Just Giving page HERE  - every donation counts!

Little Princess Trust: littleprincesses.org.uk; @officiallittleprincesstrust

What's on my hook

In other crochet news, I've made progress on this Missed Kingfisher shawl...Missed Kingfisher shawl pattern by Joanne Scrace for “The Shawl Project: Book Two”, from The Crochet Project, crocheted with Eden Cottage Yarns, Titus 4-ply in Rambling Rose and Oakworth 4-ply in Compost.

And I've completed the Chasing Rainbows mandala from the last issue of Simply Crochet. 

I'm hooking each montly mandala using linen threads from Namolio. 

What's in my hoop

I've been stitching like mad and uploading stitch tutorials to my YouTube channel! So far I've covered transferring a pattern to fabric, preparing your thread, back stitch, lazy daisy stitch and French knots. We'll be doing stems next...

I do hope you'll join me and try some easy sampler stitching!

Chrissie x

Slow Crochet & a Stitch-Along | YouTube Show Notes

Greetings fellow crafters! In conjunction with my new YouTube videos, I'm going to share information on my blog that I talk about on my channel. If you haven't seen me live and in action yet, you can find my YouTube channel HERE.

Starting with the latest episode, Slow Crochet & a Stitch-Along...

What's on my hook

I'm making good progress on the Missed Kingfisher shawl by Joanne Scrace for “The Shawl Project: Book Two”, from The Crochet Project.

I am using Eden Cottage Yarns, Titus 4-ply in Rambling Rose and Oakworth 4-ply in Compost. I think it looks rather delicious! I've dubbed it the Missed Cupcake Shawl.

Also on the hook is the Peach Pocket Tunic pattern by Eline Alcocer, crocheted with King Cole Cottonsoft DK in Colour 713 Lilac.

I'm making the monthly mandalas in Simply Crochet magazine using Namolio linen threads - it gives the mandalas a completely different look to regular yarn! I usually use a 2.25mm hook or thereabouts...

So far I've finished two mandalas

And the third is underway!

New on my bookshelf is “Every Which Way Crochet Borders” by Edie Eckman. I review it in the show, it is a great addition to any crochet library!

What's in my hoop

Time to kick off the Stitch-Along! If you've never embroidered before, or if you have and just fancy an easy-peasy project, then this stitch-along is for you!

I'm using the simple Herb Embroidery design I use for teaching beginner's embroidery workshops - the design features a number of basic stitches, all used to create pretty herbs I doodled from my herb garden. You can download the pdf file in the link below:

Herbal Embroidery Pattern

I will be making short video tutorials for all the stitches we use in the design, including how to transfer a pattern to fabric, how to prepare your thread and how to do basic stitches.

All you need to get started is a 10-inch square of fabric (I'm using linen, but any fabric you can easily pull a needle and thread through will do!), an 8-inch embroidery hoop, scissors, an embroidery needle, and a selection of threads in colours you'd like to use for the flowers. I've used greens, purples, yellows and a bit of pink, Plus wee bits of white and brown...

I hope you play along, and share your creations with me! Let's hashtag them #herbembroiderySAL on social media, shall we?

Happy crafting!

Chrissie