Apple for Teacher

 There is only a week left of school which will mean my baby has finished a whole year in reception. Where does the time fly?! I have also been teaching her to knit and so we are making something together for her lovely teacher, more about all that later. If you want to make something special for your little one's teacher this year, then how about an archetypal Apple for Teacher? I have just published this little pattern over on Love Crochet and the little amigurumi toy would make the perfect gift for a cherished teacher.

 All images courtesy of Kirsten Mavric, styling by me.

Patti Wrap

My Patti Wrap crochet pattern is now up on Love Crochet. A very simple beginner pattern that can be worn as either a scarf or a wrap and that can be whipped up in no time. Made originally in Rico Essentials Big and Rico Essentials 365 Aran, the Aran is now discontinued but any other Aran yarn will substitute. The pattern is written in both UK and US terminology so nobody need miss out!

Daisy Chain Necklace

Another pattern up on the Love Knitting and Love Crochet sites this week is this pretty Daisy Chain Necklace. It is a really versatile project - I have already made necklaces, garlands and some pretty flower clips for my littlun to wear in her hair using these flowers and each project (especially the hairclips!) receive plenty of admiring comments. The chain is so easily customisable to any desired length, and you can play with the yarn weights used to create differently sized daisies. 
It is very quick to hook and the pattern is written for both UK and US crocheters.

 

All images by Kirsten Mavric

New Patterns

Image Britt Spring

You will be pleased to hear that I am fulfilling my unofficial New Years Resolution and finally getting organised! Currently I am going through my back catalogue of patterns published in magazines with an eye to producing them as downloadable single patterns. First up on Love Knitting is Molly, one of my favourite designs, a bold hat with colourwork made from scallop stitches a-topped with a cute pom. It is made with the lovely Jamiesons Spindrift yarn, but it is held double and crocheted with a 4.5mm hook, so a DK to Aran weight yarn held singly will work perfectly. And just in time for a chilly end to February!

Image Britt Spring

The latest issue of Inside Crochet is out and in it, my first ever pattern for a pair of socks - there they are, on the cover (along with my littlun in those very retro raspberry clamdiggers, how does she keep creeping into the mag I wonder?!).

I had wanted to design some lacy socks for a while, but other stuff (life!) just kept getting in the way. Anyway, here they are, and really easy too - much easier than knitted ones! Hope you like them. You can buy the mag now in all good newsagents, or at pocketmags.

All the lovely images are by the wonderful Britt Spring (apart from the rubbishier ones on the line, which are obviously mine!) do go and check out her new, updated blog which looks rather good.

Fashion crochet projects by Emma Varnam

Today I am showcasing some of the lovely Emma Varnam's designs from Fashion Crochet.
The cute shorts are perfect for the beach, I love the royal navy crab stitch edge which looks like piping, while the mini is right on trend and perfect for any young ladies who have the legs to show off!

Go check out Emma's Blog she is a very talented designer and a gorgeous person to boot! 

Fashion Crochet by...me!

Finally I am getting round to posting these images from my latest book, Fashion Crochet. I wanted to write a book that showcases how wearable crochet is - it is often relegated to homewares - and with so much on the catwalks, I wanted to use the modern pieces around to inspire the projects.

This week I am hoping to post all the projects from the book so you can take a peak inside. I am proud of this book, and it will forever remind me of my little babe - I shall have to post the picture my mum has of me crocheting the ruffle scarf over her lying in my lap when she was but a few months old. Most of the projects were completed like that....anyway, here's the projects:

 

LBD. Everyone's gotta have at least one, right? So why not have a crocheted one, too? this is probably my favourite project as I don't see many crocheted dresses I want to wear, but I love wearing this one. It was also difficult working in the black yarn, but so worth the final effect I think. Also got to use some of the assorted bootiful sparkly buttons I have been collecting over the years in one project! (if you can't see them very well, they are the back fastening)

The Granny cowl was inspired by a Paul Smith number, as soon as it went down the catwalk, I knew I wanted one...so made it from scraps in my stash. A perrrrfect stash buster.
Hope you like these...more to come!

fashion crochet shoot

 My latest book, Fashion Crochet is out now, and I have been a bit slow in telling you about it. I am still waiting for my copy so to give you a little taster, here are some shots from one of the photoshoots I managed to get to. Millie was only a few months old when they were shooting for the book, so it was lovely to go along for a couple of hours worth of adult conversation, which mainly revolved around how tired I looked...
One of my favourite projects from the book is the granny skirt, below, and it looked stunning on this model. Will give you a look inside the book once I get my copy!

crochet garland pattern

 

Another new pattern in Inside Crochet this month, this time a cute little garland that is already residing above the littlun's cot. Very quick and easy to make, this one is perfect for beginners and easily adaptable - make it whatever length you wish, or even turn it into a necklace if that takes your fancy!

crochet pincushion pattern

 One of my new patterns is in the latest issue of Inside Crochet, issue 35, out today! Hope you like it. It is a pincushion with doily inspired top, taking inspiration also from Henry Moore as there is a feature on his textiles prints in the issue - they are so amazing!

Patti Wrap

As an addition to the last post, the Patti Wrap pattern in issue 33 of Inside Crochet is one of my own, inspired by the fabulous crochet in Marc Jacobs' fall collection. Just love Britt Spring's photography in these shots, especially the one above, such dreamy lighting and colours.

Crochet Polar Bear Pattern

In all the excitement of the last few months I forgot to say that DMC have a range of new patterns out and they are really fabulous, I urge you to go take a look. You will see one of mine in there, this contented Polar Bear. I think he looks like he has just had fish for his tea, yummy....

New DMC patterns

This was the last crochet project I worked on before the birth, finishing off in between naps and with my swollen feet up!

Take a peek at the other patterns on the DMC website, as there are some fabby ones - I particularly like the new Natura pattern book.

crochet cables

Here's another from Inside Crochet 15! This time, cabled. This issue has a bit of a cable theme, and I had lots of fun working these out - the J C Rennie yarn was also a dream to create crochet cables out of. It is a bit fiddly, but well worth it I think!

hairpin dress

Wow, February is a short month - it is nearly time for the next issue, 16, of Inside Crochet to come out, and I haven't told you of a new pattern in the current issue of 15. This issue has a slightly retro air so my starting point was a link to this stunning dress placed onto the Inside Crochet group on Ravelry after my last hairpin piece in the magazine.

knitting for children

I've finally received the first copy of my new book, Knitting for Children, and I am so excited - I love it! We tried to keep it colourful and fun, with simple and yet interesting projects that little ones will love to make. It's out in March, so if you have children who want to learn, or if you are young at heart or want to knit projects kids will love, go check it out and let me know what you think

Fern Cowl

Issue 14 of Inside Crochet is out now and has a pattern of my own in - the Fern Cowl. I ripped out this cowl so many times trying to get the pattern just right, but now I love it, and hope it is still cold enough to wear it myself when I get it back.

In other exciting IC news, the website should be up any day - yay!

dmc patterns

Earlier this year I was asked to design some patterns for a lovely new yarn by that well known threads company DMC. The yarn I was given to use was a new range specifically for crochet called Petra, which has all the fabulous crochet-friendly properties of a traditional crochet cotton, but with a fabulously bright and modern colour palette.

So, here are the final patterns which are out in all good yarn shops now! I designed the fashion based ones, but there are a range of interiors products too, so go check em out.