Before the year ends.....

I have been so busy

working on my Crochet Days in Dorset 2016 (click here) and a new class schedule for next year (click here) both from my Classroom here in Shillingstone & at other venues (click here) that I haven't had time to blog recently, however I have been up to a lot!

These are the Hedge Hogs that I designed especially for my Amigurumi workshop

One of my ladies sent me this picture of her mobile phone case which she made after just one class

I also took a Reading Symbols Charts workshop and thanks to a pattern by Kat Goldin, we made these lovely flowers!

I had a little stash sort out

And also had time to make this Hat and Glove store for my boot room

I have added a few rows to my blanket, whilst watching TV and am really please with how it's coming along and all the new stitches I am learning too!

In another amigurumi workshop we made snowmen!

And I also made myself a hat with Noro wool that I bought from Knit Wits in Blandford

This was a good find!

As was this!

Did you know.....

That Get Hooked on Crochet Gift Vouchers are now available?

My pupil LV sent me in this lovely photo.  How CUTE is that penguin?????

And AR brought these two cheeky monkeys to class with her!  Lucky grand kids.

And here is the "Array" of Hedgehogs.  Array is the collective noun for a group of hedgehogs

Aren't they just adorable?

Well that's it from my for now.  Wishing you all a very Merry Crochet Christmas & a Happy 2016

x

Crochet Days in Dorset 2016

Come along to the lovely Dorset Countryside….

…..And learn to crochet in a weekend or Improve your crochet skills in 2016

Ali will be running 2 great crochet workshops from her Crochet Classroom in North Dorset in 2016, so either come along and

Learn more…..

This will be a great weekend getaway, where you and like minded crochetbeginners or improvers can learn in a totally crochet inspired classroom – probably the only dedicated crochet classroom in the UK!

Beginners will learn all the basics, “warts ‘n’ all” including the “knitty gritty”stuff, plus tricks of the trade and cheats.

Learn how to….

• make foundation chain
• crochet with straight edges
• crochet in the round
• make pot holders
• make traditional granny squares
• change colour expertly and
• lots more!

By the end of the course you’ll be crocheting fluently & with confidence, reading patterns and hooking like a pro!!

Be Inspired

or Improvers can simply get better!

On the improvers course, you can bring along that project you’ve been struggling with and get help with pattern reading.  Get that WIP out and come along and

Have fun with…..

• Learning new stitches
• Mastering a new technique
• Improve your Increasing and Decreasing
• Learn how to read symbols charts
• Have a go at C2C
• Amigurumi – learn how to invisibly decrease and
• lots more

Both courses will…

run from 10am on the Saturday & Sunday until 4pm, giving you time to go for a lovely countryside stroll alongthe trailway, before going back to your B&B to freshen up for supper.

On Saturday evening, we shall all meet up at the local pub, where we can enjoy a glass of wine or a G&T and have something to eat whilst discussing all things woolly!  A great excuse to crochet all weekend!

All courses are taught by the highly talented Ali Campbell, who has taught hundreds if not thousands of people to crochet in both Surrey & Dorset.  She has also designed and written patterns for both UK & US books and magazines and is highly sought after for her colourful works of crochet art.

If you need to stay over, local B&B’s are:

The Willows –  Which is a short walk down the trailway or the main road to the Crochet Classroom.

(more to follow)

Hook the weekend away

Price..

The price of the course is £120 for both days.  This will include unlimited tea or coffee, cake, biscuits and lunch on both days.  You will also be taking home tuition sheets & patterns  used.  If you do need to stay in our lovely county your B&B will be bookable & payable by the pupil, however, if you do need help then please do ask!  The Saturday Night meal & drink at the local pub will also be charged for sperately.

Find my classroom…

Shillingstone is located in North Dorset and is easy to get to from most directions.  By car or train, it’s not that far away!   Simply pop this postcode DT11 0SL into your directions finder or sat nav to see.

When will it be?

• Beginners 9th & 10th April

• Improvers 12th & 13th March

How do I book?

Contact Ali Campbell on 01258 860 124 or campbellmac44@gmail.com, as you will need to complete a booking form.

or leave a comment below!

Childrens Crochet Party

I had a booking for a Childrens Crochet Party the other week

So I put balloons on the gate with my usual, colourful "Crochet Classes Here" sign

I borrowed colourful cups and plates & bought some stripy drinking straws

Along with a load of cup cakes

And chocolate bars

 

I put colourful balls of wool and some crochet hooks in a basket

And made sure that my classroom was looking lovely

I also added to their 5 a day by making fruit juice cocktails

And when they arrived it was smiles all around

As they threaded lots of beads onto their wool.

and starte to make chains

Very long ones too!

We all made lovely beaded bracelets and necklaces

All the girls got goody bags to take home, along with what they had made and their ball of wool & a crochet hook.

Saturday 10th October 2o15Hi AliThank you so much for yesterday. Katie had a great time and can’t wait to return. She has been crocheting all day today! The girls loved the food and the fact that they could take their hooks and wool home. They were especially impressed by the room! Thank you for going to so much trouble.See you soonLouise 

September is taken over by Crochet Mania!

Do you remember this Crochet duckling that I made in the summer?  Did I have a premonition that it would have been made for a purpose?  Well I must have done as Daffy was the only survivor of a last & final hatch and needed a friend.

Ahhhh!

My friend "up North" wanted a storage saver bag & she posted a photo on pinterest.  Could I resist the challenge?  No of course not!

So I used up my leftover super chunky yarns by DMC Natura XL and came up with this.

Don't ask me for the patter as I didn't write it down.  I just made it up as I went.

Homework for week 2 at Sherborne Crochet Workshop was to make a jar cosy

Didnt they do well?

I rewarded them with making Granny Squares in week 3

And here they are concentrating on reading their patterns.

The same went for my class in Week 3 taught from my classroom in Shillingstone

Granny Squares!

Here's some I made earlier.

Again the concentration is there

 In my last ever workshop for Sparrow UK we played around with some T-Shirt Yarn and all came up with these lovely storage bowls 

It was so different to use such a super chunky yarn and a very large hook.

I have saved the best till last.  My lovely AR, who doesn't like colour, made this rainbow blanket for her grandaughters

I am so proud of her  *big smiley face*

I have been busy, busy, busy with organising the Coach Trip to the London Knit & Stitch show, which is now only 10 days away, taking private classes & getting ready for my workshops in October which will be held from both Shillingstone & Blandford next month.

No rest for the wicked as they say!

No wonder I am so chilled as Crochet is so stress relieving!! LOL