Such Talent! Crochet in Dorset Week 16

I can't tell you how lucky I am as a Crochet Teacher

to come across such talent in one County - Dorset!

Just look at the finish on this baby cardigan - toggle buttons & a fab colour mix!

Another pupil saw a pot cover I made last week (you can just see it top left of the photo) & she went away & made this...

After a lesson in Flower making last week - AR brought her own in this week, complete with a cover pot too

I love them!

And PG worked really hard at pattern reading & made these lovely flowers

I love the pansy

We talked "drape" over the last couple of lessons & V brought in her finished scarf & the start of a shawl

The next few photo's are taken in my Crochet Classroom at home....

Another lesson in following patterns

Which seems to be the "hook" in the side of many crochet -ers

It's a matter of reading what's there in front of you and reading it again and possibly again before it goes "bing"

And it worked as here we have 2 covered stones, ready for al fresco dining this Summer

I did a similar project at my Shaftesbury lessons, but this time with Jam Pot Covers

They were not allowed to compare notes or cheat!! It was very "exam like" for some moments as they all concentrated on the task in hand and the room went quiet!

And as you can see, progress was made and end result

And here are the Sparrow UK "hookers" with their subscription forms ready to be completed and sent to Inside Crochet Magazine.

In the latest issue, which is in the shops (Issue 53) not only has one of my patterns....

but also my "interview" which DMC creative world said....

@CrochetAli It was lovely reading your "final thought" @InsideCrochet Thank you also for using our #DMCpetra for the #crochet food cover!

images are courtesy & copyright of Tailor Made Publishing

Do you think someone is "hooked" on Granny Squares with her collection of books?

Possibly!

 These Crochet Queen charms are selling well (see my "Crochet Shop" tab above)

Bavarian Crochet - I have a workshop on Saturday the 31st May from 10.30 am to 4.30pm

Cost £45 for the day - do get in touch if you are interested in learning this fantastic Crochet Technique

Pop over to 

https://www.facebook.com/GetHookedCrochetClassesforBeginners

For the latest news on Triangle a Day Blanket

And finally, one of the Shaftesbury ladies gave me this lovely Aquilegia.

I shall plant it in my courtyard garden & remember her & her wonderful crochet work every time I see it!

Hooky Creativeness Continues in Dorset - Week 14

I can't begin to tell you how PROUD I am of all my pupils.

At the beginning of the week I look at my schedule to double check on what classes I have on what days & to make sure that I have everything prepared  & ready for the needs of that workshop.

The best bit however is the magical time when my pupils arrive & open their craft bags (which get bigger with each visit) and out comes their Crochet Creations......

Just look at these fantastic Granny Squares

In class we learnt to Join as you Go or JAYGO as well as making a start on the "Loren Jumper" which is a pattern in a recent Inside Crochet Magazine.  This will be the first garment these ladies will have crocheted.

In the next class we made "Rosettes"

And in another - hearts

BP sent me in this photo of her Bavarian Crochet - she learnt this in an all day workshop that I held last Saturday

When I got a bit of free time to myself, I created this jam jar cover for a magazine

However I killed two birds with one stone as I got my next class to "Tech Edit" the pattern for me just in case there were any mistakes!!

Now for my Shaftesbury Class thanks to 

Sparrow UK

Here they all are, hooking & chatting!

And making garlands - pretty garlands

One of my pupils brought her daughter along, due to the school holidays & she made this lovely flower

With a French Knitting Doll

Isn't that just great?

AR conquered her fear of Chevrons!

YAY

And now for my "Highlight of the Week" thanks to AR

 *sending more crochet hugs and crochet love your way*

AR made me this fantastic new Crochet Hook Set & Accessories Bag

Not only is it lined

But it has pretty buttons

Is very colourful (the best way!!)

And lovely and BIG (just what I need)

The best bit is that it's also got 2 sections so I can separate my hooks from my accessories!

Isn't it just perfect! 

If you would like one of these too then let me know & I will pass on your order to AR!

Some LARGE crochet hooks

&

Last but not least is this wonderful Crochet Ring by SD 

I love it so much that I prompts me to make something with the ring I bought before Christmas!

Day 39, Day 40, Day 41 & Lots of Crochet Class news & new Crochet Hooks & So much more......

Day 39 Square is this rather nice "French Blue" flower - the colour reminds me of my old Secondary School uniform!  I went to St. Annes College of the Ladies of Mary in Sanderstead which was unfortunately knocked down in the late 1970's.  I say unfortunately because it was a lovely building.  I hated school as it was run by scarey nuns, but I did like my Uniform which was a plain fabric coloured kilt in the above colour, with a matching jumper & tie and a cream shirt.

Anyway, enough reminising!!

Today the lovely K came for her lesson - we did colour changes, which she took to like a hook to Crochet and she also accomplished Join As You Go

Which she practiced on some of the many Granny Squares that she made for her homework!  She's so keen and wants to learn more and more each lesson.

She's so good that we even learnt a few new stitches today too

htr's & dtr's !

The heart pattern is proving popular, but as long as my pupils are making what THEY want to make that's the main thing.

Here's an interesting article by Kat Goldin

 on her new website

The Crochet Project 

It's all about Drape & Gauge & what yarns to use for garments

If you didn't read the recent article in one of the latest Inside Crochet Magazines, which was very interesting and very detailed, then it's worth clicking on the link above.

Today I had a new pupil, who came all the way from Cornwall for a "basics" lesson, so that's exactly what we covered - the basics.

Fortunately she's a dab hand with a hook so she picked it all up in no time at all.

So we started with a foundation chain & then progressed to dc

After a few rows to practice turning, turning chains & more dc we progressed to trebles & half trebles

As you can see she's a whizz on the hook!!

We even started to work in a flat round

And off she went with lots of tutorial "how to" pamphlets & a few basic  patterns to follow until her next visit!

Now these chappies arrived in the post today 

They are the new Clover Amour Hooks which I bought from www.getknitted.com

Now before I progress any further, I would like to invite you to take a look at another blog from Julie who's in Brooklyn US

http://julieslifestyle.blogspot.co.uk/

 It very nicely written and she makes a lot of items for charity so she's a very special lady.

Day 40 is this mixed grey & white or off white flower

 &

Here it is being "joined" with my new hook, which I have to say, I do like a lot as it reminds me of my "Tulip" Hook which I can only now think that my Puppy (Scrumpy) ate, as I haven't found it for the 3 months since it's gone missing!! I will get on to comparisons in a bit...

In the meantime, this is Day 41 - again another new colour, thanks to the generous Twitters

And my "crochet" stickers arrived from vistaprint too, so the post man has been busy!

 Now to the issue of Hooks!

The grey one is my 5mm Tulip (I used to have a 4mm but as I mentioned, I think my puppy dog ate it about 3 months ago) and the purple one is the new Clover Amour 4mm

  I have to say that the are very similar - they are both VERY smooth to work with and very comfy to hold.  As you can see the Tulip one has an accentuated thumb grip, where as the Clover one doesn't.  To me that's not an issue - the important bit is that they are comfy to hold and smooth to work with.

The advantage that the Clover has over the Tulip is that they are available in lots of lovely colours

So that's a selling point for me!

As I already have the Purple one and the Brown one I just have 8 more to get!!

And finally, to round up the weekend, I have this UK Crochet Video Tutorial to share with you all (just in case you missed my earlier post)

If you want me to make the next stage (How to Double Crochet) then you'll have to leave a comment on the You Tube Page!!