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Showing posts with label SparrowUK. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SparrowUK. Show all posts

Friday, 31 January 2014

Week 4 - Hookiness in Dorset

Welcome to Week 4 & Hookiness in Dorset

Hookiness is spreading in Dorset as lots of lovely crochet items are being created by lots of hooky ladies.

In no particular order....

KPK & I have been working on baby cardigans


One thing to note from the photograph above, apart from the fact that we have both progresses well since last weeks lesson is the all important question of TENSION.
We have both used the same yarn - Stylecraft Aran, and both used the same sized hook - 5mm, however look at the size difference.

In this weeks class we trimmed the cardigans with Jaeger Aran & added button holes & of course buttons



from our button stash


Haven't they turned out well?  


This is the Improvers Class


We made flowers


However my favourite part of the class is the "Show & Tell"

GS is making this lovely blanket from wonderful motifs & she's really cracking on with it now that she knows how to apply the JAYgo method to this particular peice


 She is also making a Granny Square Blanket 


And in class she made a heart, learning to increase & decrease, as she missed the "hearts" class last week. 


Here's another lovely flower by AR


And this is the Blanket that MM is working on.  This is FAB as she has finally conquered her Granny Square block!


Now for a bit of Book News - LJ, who made the Flower Headband featured in last weeks blog, has now made a beanie hat.

I love the fact that she's used her own design imagination & made a colour change for the brim + added a pom pom!


 In a One 2 One beginners class, JG has not only made Granny Squares, but has learnt to JAYgo too!




in Wednesday evening class with SS we made these lovely butterflies



The Butterfly theme continued on Thursday as I left mine on the table.  My ladies saw it & wanted to make one too




This is CF & her Butterfly Brooch.  She's also making this wonderful blanket.  Each square is a different colour and uses a different stitch or technique


 SC is working on a cushion cover made with a "fan" stitch

 & she has just finished making this scarf for her son which he wears all the time & which he kindly let her bring along to class to show off!


SC did make me laugh as she was flicking through the December Issue of Inside Crochet Magazine.  She came across my Rainbow Jumper pattern & said "Oh look that's 2 stars, I could give that a go,"  and then went on to say "It says here its made in one piece, I wonder how that could be?" so I told her that I could explain as I designed it.  She then looked at the pattern again as saw my name under the photo.  We all laughed, as the class were now all ears & I then went off to get the Rainbow Jumper for them all to see!!

So that's another convert to Inside Crochet as she likes the Star Rating they put on all their patterns, as do I.

(image courtesy of TMP / Inside Crochet - thank you)

Also - as part of the 50th Issue Celebrations for Inside Crochet Magazine this month, the Editor, Claire Montgomerie has written a little piece called "A few of my favourite things" & she has mentioned me & my Rainbow Jumper!!!

I am thrilled and honored as this is my very first garment design.



SB is making another PopCorn Blanket & PB made a "chunky" butterfly


Now we go across to Sparrow UK in Shaftesbury where SE is making this wonderful blanket


Now you may want to look away

You
Have
Been 
Warned!!


"D" learnt to crochet a long time ago and was taught to crochet as a knitter (whatever that means) so she holds her wool totally incorrectly & combines Crochet with Knitting

She has come unstuck a few times with certain techniques & has had to resort to the traditional way of holding the crochet hook in one hand & the yarn / wool in the other

Remember you may want to look away!





More from Sparrow UK - now we are with the 4th lesson of the Beginners Class

Here is the lovely "A" aka Teachers Pet

As you can see we learnt JAYgo in class today & they all did really well


Can you see the concentration on their faces!!

"S" brought this in to show me that she has been practicing her Granny Squares.  She used a Bamboo Yarn


And "V" has also mastered JAYgo


By the end of the class they had joined 4 squares & the good news is that the ALL want to come back for an Improvers class!!

I can't blame them as SE always makes such tempting cakes and lots of tea & coffee to keep us going!


There you go, you see - that's a lot of Hookiness going on in Dorset this week!



The London Knittting & Stitching Show

If you don't already know, I am organising a coach trip from North Dorset to the London Knit & Stitching Show on Friday 10th October 2014

If you are interested in joining us then please get in touch campbellmac44@gmail.com to put your name on the list.

The cost (to be confirmed) will be around £37 which will include the entrance fee.
My names on the list & there will be lots of Crochet Fun to be had on the coach trip itself, however that info is top secret at the moment!!



Thursday, 5 December 2013

Days 338 & 339 - Sparrow UK & more


I got this "TWEET" this morning

Marie @Bluebellsbliss
@CrochetAli just bought your 'crochet for beginners who want to improve' 1st bk for my kindle, your step by step pictures & tips are great!

Isn't that nice of Marie to let me know!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now to go back to Wednesday Morning

I took the last class of the Beginners workshop at Sparrow UK in Shaftesbury

Here they all are raring to go


And after a slice of this delicious Gluten Free Victoria Sponge with home made lemon curd


They got their hooks out 


And learnt my favourite method of joining


JayGo


or Join as you Go


And they all did terribly well


As you can see by their faces they are all thrilled!


And so am I - with their fantastic progress.
(can you see that most of the cake has gone?)

Today is 339 & I have made squares 338 & 9, I promise.

I just need to join as you go to my Twitter Blanket now 

Wednesday, 27 November 2013

Day 331 - SparrowUK Workshop & Woolly Facts!


As today's class was "how to make Granny Squares"

I took along a little inspiration


The owner of Sparrow UK, Sarah, has always wanted to make Granny Squares & here she is with her very first one!


The others, fueled by Gluten Free Tea Cake & Coffee were also very busy making theirs.


With a little stitch marker help


And some help from my book too
As there is a symbols chart pattern in there to follow

Left handed Granny Square above

And the Class below

All with Happy Smiley Faces, so much so that they all want to come back for "The Next Step" workshop in January!

SparrowUK

If you would like to join in a "Beginners" or "Next Step" Crochet Class in Shaftesbury, Dorset in the New Year then please contact Sarah on 
01747 858515 between 9-30am – 5pm Monday to Saturday.


Interesting Facts:

I looked up the word "Yarn" on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yarn earlier today and this is what I found:

Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, suitable for use in the production of textilessewingcrochetingknittingweavingembroidery, and ropemaking.[1] Thread is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern manufactured sewing threads may be finished with wax or other lubricants to withstand the stresses involved in sewing.[2] Embroidery threads are yarns specifically designed for hand or machine embroidery.

The best bit is the fact that they mention Crochet before Knitting!

Also, as "Spinster" is a woman who spins.  In Tudor times, this job was often carried out by young, unmarried females, hence the term "Spinster" used today - an unmarried female.

& finally:

Have you heard the expression "On Tenterhooks" used when someone is nervy or tensed up?  
Well Tenterhooks were used on a frame to stretch a piece of cloth made from wool into shape & to prevent it from shrinking!
I got these last two "facts" from watching Tudor Monastery Farming on BBC2






Thursday, 21 November 2013

Days 324 & 325 - Lots of Class News & More!

Don't you just love the colours in this wool stash


Brought in by the "sisters"


Who are working on changing colours in the round


In Sparrow UK on Wednesday morning, we revisited the basic stitches, working in rows & then progressed to working in rounds

Next week is Granny Squares!



On Wednesday Evening, because they had all successfully worked on their rounds



We made Granny Squares!


And didn't they all do well


Especially as I made them


Read the pattern for themselves


with a little help!


I then made them start over, with less help


So that they can go home 


And practice without me


Look at all those lovely smiles!!


Thursday Mornings' class

This is Elaine who is proudly wearing her new cardigan

New because she crocheted the edge


And has transformed it totally!!


Carol brought in her blanket

Isn't this amazing!

And Sarah her Bobble Blanket

Which is FANTASTIC

And Margaret is persevering with her lace pattern


Phew!  It's been a busy workshop week.

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GIVEAWAY!

My good friend & fellow Crocheter from the US - SARA DUGGAN aka Momwithahook is about to launch her new book

"Yes you CAN create Crochet Patterns"

If you'd like a chance to win a copy then here is the rafflecopter code: 


The giveaway starts 
November 19th 2013
at 2400 (12Midnight) PST (california, usa) 
and
 ends Friday November 22 at 2400. 

10 copies of the book - so 10 winners.



My latest newsletter has just been published - if you'd like to take a look then click HERE

And here are the 4 squares, well started anyway, for this week so far