Lots to show you - Weeks 42 to 44

I have been teaching lots of classes / workshops over the last few weeks, plus I have lots of commissions to work on for books & magazines too!

 Here are  some of the photo's that I took along the way, either of my pupils work or even some of my own crochet!

I have been a busy bee with a hook!

Here's DM crocheting my blanket from the fantastic DK Crochet book

And this is a cute lion that BP made, in fact that's a very cute lion!

From my Shaftesbury Class, L made this lovely tissue box cover

And this is a neckerchief that I made from my cotton tape bought at the London Knit & Stitch Show.  I liked it so much that I made....

...a second one with the other skein that I bought!

Back to class now & KPK wanted to learn a new stitch called star stitch

So we both added star stitch to our multi stripe blankets!

SC has made a cat basket using Boobles T-Shirt Yarn - again this is a pattern from the DK crochet book.

And at the end of my 4 week beginners class ET made her first Granny Square

I got this lovely DMC Natura & Petra in the post this week.

It's for a commission so I can't tell you what I am making with it - sorry

Now take a look at this amazing blanket - do you remember the Coach Trip to the London Knit & Stitch?  Well, these are just SOME of the squares joined together by the marvelous AR who volunteered.  This blanket will be going to Julia's House a local charity, so that they can raffle it or auction it off to raise funds.

This is just one of two blankets.  I simply love the colourway chosen.  Well done AR.

And here she is again - now a blanket junkie!

Considering she nearly threw her hook out of the window when she first started to try this pattern - didn't she do well????? YAY amazing.

Here is the lovely B with her scarf made in shell stitch with wool bought from the London Knit & Stitch.

Oh! Another postal treat - my new book.

Yesterday (Saturday 1st November) I took a Christmas Crochet Decorations Workshop

We had fairy lights, tinsel yarn, the music of the season & mince pies!

Here is one of my students showing off her Halloween costume - a Ninja Turtle, which she made in one night! 

And here are some of the baubles

We all made

I love them all

Beautifully worked!

We also made Stars, Christmas Trees, Christmas Wreaths & more!

Weeks 35 to 37 Guilty as Charged!!

I know, I know I am guilty as charged for not updating my blog for ages

SORRY

I have been run off my feet, taking lessons / workshops, organising lessons / workshops, finalising the coach trip (which is now fully booked) designing for magazines & books 

PLUS as you will see below, making the final blanket for my dog Perry

Here's the edging going on

Oh & I started to make another jumper for ME!!

I love working with this wool

Ah! here's Perry testing his new blanket out in the lounge

And this is ME at the Vintage Fair in Blandford

I had a lovely stall & took a "pop up" crochet workshop there

This blanket was made by Sarah, who not only owns Sparrow UK but hosts Crochet Workshops there, which I take for Beginners & Improvers.

One of the improvers have tried her hand at chevrons - I love it

And someone else is making good use of varigated yarn

& also lining these adorable bags too!

I recently took a button covering class

We used DMC Petra Yarn - Didn't they turn out well??

Back to the dogs blankets - this is Scrumpy all cosy and comfy under his blanket

However these blankets are for their night beds

Perry

Scrumpy

Scrumpy & Perry

Scrumpy the next morning!

Did I mention that I was getting a Tattoo done?

I love it - it's a work of art 

Ta-Dahhhhhhh

Until next time hookers

Weeks 29 & 30 My Students TALENT + more

This is the lovely BP (who's quite a celebrity name dropper) who is totally hooked.  I did blog about the start of her cushion a few weeks back.  She wasn't happy with her stitching, as I had pointed out a little something to her, so she unpicked it ALL and started again.  

However, can you see the Granny Square cushion on the table?  She's made 2 cushions!! WOW

 This pot cover is made from cotton and is by one of my Shaftesbury pupils

Via email from a student of mine GW, are these fabulous "Picnic" stones

And L has been making this summer cardigan in 4 ply.  Its amazing, considering she couldn't crochet 8 weeks ago.  I was so WOWED by it that I whipped off my Serena Kaftan (from the dummy that is) and placed this piece of wonder on it instead

Back to Shaftesbury, where I teach at Sparrow UK

L made me this bookmark in DMC Petra.  It takes pride of place in my favourite Crochet Book by DK publishing & the pattern is by the one and only Claire Montgomerie!

Here's BP again, showing off her new hat.  She combined 2 patterns from my book Crochet for Beginners who want to Improve   She made the beanie hat using one pattern and then the flower from another and voila!

I have had this book for a while now and I have been meaning to make something from it from the moment I bought it.  It's terribly well written & you can see that a lot of hard work has gone into the pattern writing (there are some symbols charts - hooray) and the photography.  

Click here for the link

I really do need some "me" Crochet time to do all the projects that I want to do.  When I do get it, the question is - which keyring or charm do I make first??

Back to school & more from Shaftesbury

Another pupil made me this lovely pin cushion.  A pattern from a recent Inside Crochet magazine

And another made this lovely Elephant.  The original pattern came as part of a kit with some lovely Alpaca wool.  I suggested that she practiced first with anything chunky as she hadn't crocheted "amigurumi" style before & this is the result

I found this picture in my stash - my flowers for my bike basket! Cute? YAY!

Another pose by Elephant

This is the lampshade I made at a course at Sparrow in Shaftesbury.  It was strange being the pupil and not the teacher!

Now here's talent by The Dorset Finca

And a Mandala by another lady in the same class

The summer cardigan again but from a different angle

My Ripples Blanket - Mmmmm why is this photo here?  I'll have to come back to you on that! 

Ah! Cushion 2 is on display by BP

My left foot in a flip flop with my Triangle a day blanket laid out in the front courtyard - it's now at 200!

Have YOU got the latest copy of Let's Get Crafting Knitting and CROCHET?

Amongst many other great patterns by some FAB designers like Lynne Rowe (Comforter Blanket bottom left) and Tracey Todhunter (Hippo Pillow top left) are my Baby Booties

Aren't they just adorable?  What a fantastic gift they would make!

Buy your copy now!!

And finally

I took a 3 hour "Improvers" class on Thursday

It was a really great 3 hours of Crochet with so many different projects going on

This Tea Cosy from Inside Crochet Magazine is looking FAB!  Leaves needed to be added for that "finishing touch"

Also from Inside Crochet....

Is Ms. Clarice

Who needed help with her ruffly tail feathers

They turned out well and she looks fab

Next is Boodles Yarn and a 12mm hook!

Ah! Ms. Clarice again with crochet action

More T Shirt yarn and a 10mm hook which squeaked when the yarn was worked - D is going to get an aluminium one.

This is S with her amazing blanket WIP

And CF with her multi stripey blanket.  She's decided to crab stitch the edges & work the tail ends in at the same time

In the meantime, I have been busy working on more commissions which are currently taking up ALL of my spare time.

Back to my hook then!