New Pattern Announcement: Cornish Sunset Crochet Throw

I devised this pattern some months ago, but having taught it to a group of lovely ladies at Roseland Mews last weekend, I finally had the impetus to dot the slip stitches and cross the trebles, and get the finished result listed up on ravelry. 

Cornish Sunset Crochet Throw 

The colour scheme was mainly dictated by what I had in my stash at the time, but I feel it works well for the sunset theme, with a little pop of colour in the centre of each motif. 

Bobbles!

The pattern is both written and charted, allowing my workshop participants to familiarise themselves with both, as well as looking at some more-advanced techniques like bobbles. 

Pattern on Ravelry

Following the pattern is a great exercise in counting stitches and reading what you have done- skills which are always useful! 

Crochet Throw

I can deliver this workshop on request, so if you have a crochet group or just a few friends who you want to get together for me to visit then please contact me so we can discuss it!

Hexagon Blanket

The blanket is worked in Aran-weight yarn, so it builds up quite quickly. My sample is about 3' square, but of course you can keep adding hexagons until you reach the size you want. 

Lap-sized Throw

It occurred to me after the workshop that I have lots of odds and ends in Aran weight yarn, which I could collage together to make more of a random result. Because there is a lot going on in this version, I have kept the coloured centres to a single colour, and I've also left out the bobbles. 

I can make these motifs pretty much without even looking now, so this is great TV crochet for me. I'd like the result to be big enough to thrower the bed, where we have duck-egg-coloured walls... but, there's no urgency so I'll just see where this project goes. 

The Next Crochet Blanket

The Cornish Sky

Barrel Bag Sew Along Instructions: Week 5

The final step is here! Well done if you've been keeping up with the sew along, and thank you so much for taking part. I have really enjoyed seeing your bags come together. 

Don't worry if you are worried about losing your place in the instructions: I am planning to archive them all in one spot so that they are easy to find for future reference.  

barrel bag

Finishing Touches:

Seam Finishing: 

The next thing you need to do after last week is finish the inside of your round seams: I have bound mine using the 4cm bias binding. It is a professional and also pretty finish to have on the inside of your bag. If you want to request a tutorial in how to bind seams please go ahead and use the contact form. 

Or, you can overlock the raw edges together- it is quicker and also very strong. 

Making the Strap:

Cut 2 x 10cm lengths of webbing, and also 2 x 7cm lengths. Then, have a look at your remaining webbing and decide how long you would like your shoulder strap to be. 

Don't forget that the buckles themselves will contribute to the length, and you should also allow about 3cm for the loop of webbing used to attach them (see picture below)- the overall length of buckle plus webbing loop is about 7.5cm each end of the strap. 

bag strap detail

You also need to add 1cm seam allowance each end of your strap. 

Once you are satisfied that you have identified the correct length of webbing, cut the strap to length. 

Take a 10cm piece of webbing, fold in half long ways and topstitch. Thread this loop through your buckle, then sew the loop closed. 

Place this loop onto a shorter 7cm piece of webbing and sew them together near the top. Make sure the buckle has its opening side facing down as pictured. The webbing loop should overhang by about 1cm: this is to stagger the bulk of the seam and also to ensure the rivets will go through it.

Then, place the strap onto the buckle to sandwich it into place, and sew, taking a 1cm seam allowance from the strap and the 7cm webbing. 

Now, press this seam so that it lays flat, and press the raw edge of the 7cm webbing, turning 1cm over. 

Topstitch around the sides and top of this shorter piece, attaching it to the main strap. 

Repeat this process for the other end of the strap. 

Now, making small pilot holes with an awl or a sharp pair of scissors, hammer the rivets into place, arranging them as you like, but preferably add strength by holding all of these layers of webbing together. 

The last step:

One (optional) finishing touch is to sew your handles together longways for strength and ease of use: find the midpoint at the top of you handles, then measure and mark 10cm either side of this. 

Fold your webbing in half along this 20cm, and sewing close to the edges topstitch both sides together. 

love that 'Quink' linen

And you're done! 

Well done and thank you again for joining in the sew along. Don't forget to keep tagging me in your finished results on twitter and instagram!

With thanks once again to Merchant & Mills for kindly supplying the materials for this project. 

barrel bag from Merchant & Mills materials

Working on Workshops

I have some upcoming crochet workshops later in the month, in Falmouth (Cornwall). The first one is detailed below.

There is so much that you can do once you are confident crocheting a humble granny square, and after we have gone over some basics I am quite open to where we go with it. Pictured are some options: we can look at how to make slippers, bags, blankets, even this lovely shawl is based on the humble granny.

If you're not sure the workshop is suitable for you, or you'd like a little more info please contact me, or if you'd like to book please contact Sweetpea & Betty (or pop in- it's very easy to access in central Falmouth).

February 16th,
Sweetpea & Betty, Falmouth

'Learn to Crochet Granny Squares and Beyond'

Description: If you are a complete novice crocheter, are just branching out into crochet projects, or are a bit rusty then you are welcome at this class to learn how to make granny squares, and get some inspiration about what to do with them next! Be it a blanket, slippers, a bag or a scarf... once you can granny the possibilities are endless! And if you can granny confidently already I will show you how to make a beautiful pair of slippers. All basic materials included, 10:00-1:00, £30pp

Busy Bee

I wanted to share with you a recent sample that I am developing into a throw. Inspired by the Cornish sunset, this is going to be both a design in my ravelry store, and form the basis of a workshop in October. I just love how the star-shapes are formed where the hexagons meet, and the contrast of bright orange with grey... there's always something so exciting about a new design.

There will soon be a link to the workshop on the right, but if you simply cannot wait for details please do get in touch. 

I have decided that Sunday is my new blogging day. Our Sunday routine is to do the housework, visit the local boot fair, then sometimes I go to yoga, and whatever else we get up to is interjected with coffee breaks and quiet time... it seems like the perfect day for reflection. 

If you are enjoying these pictures of the amazing Cornish scenery then you might like to follow me on instagram for more: my username is StitchingPixie. Do say hello! 

Crafty Cornwall

I'm delighted to be thinking about my blog again!

There are so many hours to be whiled away just looking at the sea (before touching on any of the other wonders of this beautiful place) that having much of an online life has slipped down the list.

I am hoping to bring you news very soon about some craft classes in Cornwall, too.

I have been doing some teaching, but it has been concentrated at the big trade shows. Now that the year has turned, though, I am ready to think about getting back to it. If you have any requests for crochet/knitting/sewing classes, do let me know as I am very open to locations and topics at this stage.

Project-wise I am a little stuck on my Cornish guernsey- it is a much larger project that I had really thought about, and the tiny needles require good daylight. I am almost up to the point where I can join at the shoulders, and then I will consider myself roughly halfway through.  Pictures to follow...