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Saturday 24 May 2014

Week 20 - Water Damage!

I have been after this book for a while.  I found a copy on eBay so I snapped it up, only to be told, about a week later, that it was no long in print, so I got a refund.

Then I went to Amazon and was surprised to see a few copies available on there.  I made my purchase & waited.

And waited.

It seemed to take forever to arrive but it finally did on Thursday & I was delighted.  Once the package was open, I flicked through the pages with a smile on my face, imagining all these amazing stitches on my stripy blanket, but then my smile turned upside down


The reason for this?  Water Damage! 

Yes, from page 117  onwards there was water damage, but even worse, from page 151 onwards the pages where actually stuck together


I contacted the seller, who gave me a refund.  Great, but now I had a badly damaged book.  I tried to steam the pages apart, but it was no good as they ripped and tore.



My search therefore continues!

The lovely Judy Heminsley, who I met via Twitter, kindly asked me if I'd like to be interviewed for her website this week - "Unusual Home Working Jobs" being the title of this particular post....


Hope you enjoy the read!

My Triangle a day blanket is now up to date & looking FAB


Last Saturday I took a Private Group Class for a Mum who was celebrating her 81st birthday on that very day, along with her two daughters.

We went through all the basics together in the 1st hour, as they all fancied a "refresher" even though they did already crochet - they all learnt something new, I was told.

Then Mum needed to go through a pattern she was stuck on.  I took a look at it for her, and in my 3rd attempt of deciphering the written text, we got there! 


In the meantime the Sisters followed a pattern to make a little Rose Brooch.


JP came to class on Wednesday - she's hooked on Mandala's since our last lesson & can you see what a great idea she's come up with!


She puts a strand of each colour she's using through the sieve's hole & then, pops the colour strand she's actually using though the handle!

In class we started to make our own Mandala


And now she's been given the homework of adding a new round - she's already emailed me, so I now have some homework to do!

Interestingly, the photo below is of the 2 mandala's we started, but each made in a different colour scheme - they look very different don't they?


JP also kindly left this very lovely review about my book


on Amazon's website this week....

I am very lucky to have Ali as my teacher - after only 5 lessons I have learnt so much from her and she explains it in a way in which you can really understand crochet. I bought the book because I found that even though I was taking so much in each lesson, there would be little niggly things/steps that I would forget when I was back home on my own crocheting. It was such a good buy! It's like having Ali home with me :) the traffic light system along with really helpful photos of the steps really help you visual what you need to do. I find the explanation in layman terms very very helpful as I am a beginner and it really does help you remember what you need to do for each abbreviated step.

This book really helps people at different beginning stages of learning crochet especially if your brain goes blank for a moment and you can have a quick read of the explanation :) I really cant wait for her future books!

Isn't that great feedback?


 Wednesday Night's Beginners class produced great results!

Homework was completed

Working in rows 


And in rounds


And they all started to make Granny Squares which was very thrilling


Thursday's Class, who are now very "intermediate"
came in with lovely flowers


Made with DMC


And one lady revealed - probably unknowingly, her hook addiction!


I know you are reading this ML so don't blush, but your hook collection is now more extensive than mine.

Last but not least is the Friday Crochet Class that I take in Shaftesbury at Sparrow UK

It was sadly the last class of the workshop & they all worked so hard

They were keen to learn colour changes and JAYGo, so we crammed a lot in.  It's fortunate that this is a small class so I was able to accommodate them their request.


More next week!

And finally my latest copy of Inside Crochet has arrived (it's available in the shops now) Issue 54


Another FAB issue packed with lovely makes by some very talented designers including Tracey Todhunter who's hooked a wonderful footstool in rainbow colours - I MUST hook one of these!!

If, like me, you have long hair and wear it in a pony tail a lot, do you ever wonder what to do with your pony tail,  when you want to wear a beanie?

Well in Issue 54 your find the solution!  Hook a Pony Tail Beanie - designed by yours truly!!


(All last 3 images are courtesy of Inside Crochet - Tailor Made Publishing)







Friday 16 May 2014

Week 19 - Learn to "Hook" at an early age!



Doesn't she look happy!!


She came to a crochet lesson with her Mum and decided that if it was good enough for us, it was good enough for her too!


In one of my lessons this week I taught how to "darn in as you go along"


This saves sewing in the ends when you have finished your crochet creation.

This lady bought my book & told me that reading it was like having me there with her at home! 
How nice is that *grins broadly*

Last week I gave one of my pupils a couple of balls of DMC Petra 


this week, she brought in these!


And these too


Aren't they just amazing.

Another pupil, who only came to beginners workshops last November, brought this in to class....

Isn't he just adorable?


She also "tarted up" her Hook Bag


Fantastic, as she also made these...


And another pupil is practicing Chevrons - she wants to make a baby blanket for her new Grandson arriving in July 


It's good to practice a new method in yarns from your stash before you commit to using the yarns or indeed wools in the colours you want to use.

And in that class we learnt how to crochet over a ring

In this case it was a curtain ring as that was all I had to hand


We decided that they will be mini photo frames


And that we were all going to practice some more with bracelets & embroidery hoops!


And finally.  I teach at Sparrow UK on Fridays & this is the 3rd week of 4 workshops in my Beginners Workshops

Today they learnt how to make a Granny Square


And after reading a pattern, pretty much un-aided, they did it!

They now have lots of homework to do in preparation for next weeks class!

I have taught 6 workshops this week and I have another to teach (private class of 3) tomorrow, so I haven't had a lot of time to crochet for myself, but I have added a few more triangle to my blanket so I will be going on FB later to update there.


Until next week x













Sunday 11 May 2014

Week 18 - more "hookers" in the making!


This week has been a week of many new Beginners classes & a few regular ones too!


Learning the basics with a good old stitch marker or two to hand is a good start





Teaching more advanced students new skill is always a pleasure, even if it is something as simple as sewing eyes to an Aliens head


or sewing the stalk to the top of a cartoon mushroom!


In another class I taught Broomstick Lace Crochet





And in another 

Join as you Go


And in another we had a dab a beading which was excellent fun!


On Saturday I taught Bavarian Crochet to the Shaftesbury Ladies who frequent a most excellent shop called Sparrow UK

It was a full day from 10.30 to 4.30
& they mostly questioned why we needed to start off the workshop using Chunky Yarn & a 6.5mm hook....







However by lunchtime they all understood why!

It was a lovely day and they all enjoyed their "makes"

For some it was a "feather added to their crochet cap" for others it was the revival of their crochet skills as they hadn't hooked for years, however for all it was a continuation of their crochet journey as this skill will now never be lost to them.

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I am thrilled to let you know that my book is continuing to help people to learn to read patterns

Why not pop over to the Amazon Page 

& take a look inside to see my unique "Traffic Light Teaching System"  for yourself ?

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And finally


This arrived in the post today - my very own Crochet Hook Bracelet!!