Crochet. Colour. Craft
Oh my goodness, what a busy few weeks it has been! But I’m back and busting to tell you what I’ve been up to. I hope you can have a catch up with me! 😀 Click on the picture above to go directly to Episode 51 or go HERE to find all my videos. Links and pics below. Thanks ever so much! x
Please go to my Ravelry shop HERE (only if you want to, of course!). The coupon code for the Ravelry 20% off discount is MAY40 you can use it once, up until the 14th of May.
xxx
Hallooo!! Episode 50 of the Zeens and Roger crochet podcast is up and waiting for you! As usual there are pictures and links below. Click on the pic above to go directly to the episode or go HERE to all my YouTube videos. Cheers!
Please follow @kirkandroger on Instagram, we’ll be posting pics of what we get up to with our hook making adventure.
The ribbing as you go tutorial is by Toni of TL Yarn Crafts. You can find it HERE.
Doulton Border Leicester. I’m using the 4ply.
Hinterland. It’ll be available to buy very soon!
Somerset Yarns, Life in the Long Grass, Countess Ablaze, Vicky Brown Designs, Ginger Twist Studio
xxx
Hallooo, I’ve done a quick video rundown of this year’s Edinburgh Yarn Festival. I’ve not done one before and thought it’d be a good idea. Go HERE to watch on YouTube!!
Watching it back I can see how much I’ve missed out (there was so much I wanted to say!!) but hopefully what I do talk about is something you find interesting. In a bid to get it out so that EYF is still fresh in my mind, I’ve just talked at you for half an hour as stuff falls out my mouth. Now I’m off to have a power nap because I still haven’t recovered from my weekend in Scotland.
See below for the few photos I took whilst there, some of the yarn I bought and what I plucked up the courage to wear…
So I’m already getting stuck in. I think I have managed to make stuff with about 82% of each year’s EYF purchases!
My granny tie is made with lots of stash bits. I’ll talk about it more in Episode 50 of my crochet podcast.
xxx
This is the Grainbow shawl! If I may I’d like to tell you a bit about it…
Firstly, it is now available to buy on → Ravelry← and Etsy!!
Secondly, I am a little bit proud of the fact that it’s a pattern partnership with one of my favourite independent yarn brands, John Arbon Textiles! They very generously supplied me with some of their Knit By Number double knit to make the first shawl. Knit By Numbers (KBN) is 100% merino and comes in both 100g skeins and 25g minis. You can get it in 4ply too (I used it for Harvest Moon). They also sent some of their gorgeous Exmoor Zwartbles to try. The Zwartbles is earthy and sheepy (oh my, the smell is beautiful!). The KBN is super soft, and saturated in gorgeous colour. Two different wools make two (almost!) different shawls, thus showcasing the awesome ability yarn has to create completely unique looks. I hope to take both shawls up to Edinburgh next weekend for EYF 19.
In the pattern there are two options for the shawl edging because I did my usual trick of not wanting to make the choice between two different ones. I don’t see the point in only offering one if two will work equally well, albeit in different ways. The main body of the shawl uses simple stitches, eyelets and touches of colour; creating a modern crochet accessory. You can turn it from contemporary to classic crochet by adding the pretty lacy border.
Another thing I had fun doing was pretending to be a model for half a day. The Grainbow Shawl had to look its absolute best so I asked my friend to take the pics (the modelled ones. The others are mine). It worked well for us both because he got to work with someone who didn’t know how to model (this is a good thing apparently because he’ll learn how to direct others by having bossed me about), and I got to see how a real photographer works! If you’re in the south west of the UK and need a snapper, he’s Paul Courtney Photography.
I couldn’t decide what to call this shawl, no ideas came. Instead of plumping for something half arsed, I put it out to my friends online . Over on Instagram I asked for names and the one that put the biggest smile on my face was “Grainbow”, which was suggested by My Chaotic Bliss (I’ll link as soon as I can but shock, horror! Instagram is down right now!). The name works for both versions, don’t you think? I was delighted when Kat also volunteered to test the shawl too. Maybe I should have called it Chaotic Grainbow?!
Kat wasn’t the only tester. Everyone who volunteered has made or is making some fabulous versions of Grainbow. I have so loved seeing the enthusiasm these guys have shown for what might be my new favourite shawl design (I think I said that about the last design too!). I’ve been a tester on many occasions myself, I know the effort that is put in and I’m forever grateful to those who want to do it for me. Thank you!!
You’ll be able to buy the pattern from the John Arbon website in the near future too. I’m thrilled that quality yarn companies are embracing crochet design more and more, it’s very exciting to see it being taken seriously. Getting to be a little part of that and see others joining the party makes me very happy indeed!
If you make Grainbow please be sure to let me know. You can tag me on Instagram @zeensandroger and add your project to Ravelry. #grainbowshawl Cheers! x
Picture overload below…
;p
Hey, how are you?! I’m a bit late with this episode, so sorry! Better late than never though, yes?! Clicking on the image above will take you directly to the latest episode of my crochet podcast. Click HERE and you get to all the vids!
There’s a rather lovely book Giveaway this episode, please remember to like, subscribe and comment over on YouTube! Cheers. x
The Creative Business Network. Fancy coming along to one of the chats?
The Volt Sweater is the jumper that used the yarn I’m grannying.
Coop Knits. I love that you can buy 50g skeins
x
Better late than never, Waking Winter is here! This is the third crochet shawl pattern in my Seasons Collection. If you fancy a nose, Emergence of Spring is HERE and Harvest Moon is HERE. All of the shawls in this collection are connected by their take on filet crochet, which is essentially crochet with loads of holes!
The pattern is available on Ravelry, it’s HERE.
Because I also recently added my In a Flap scarf to purchase (and I’ll be adding a couple of other patterns soon) I’ve decided to whack on a 20% discount on all my Ravelry patterns up until the end of Feb. No code is necessary, it’s taken off at the checkout.
Waking Winter will also soon be available on Love Crochet and hopefully The Making Things App.
Can you believe this shawl was supposed to be released on the 21st December? The idea was to have it out in time for the winter solstice. There have been a few snags along the way ranging from genuine Can’t Help It, to my usual lazy apathy (not because I don’t love the shawl, I really really do! Just don’t like writing up the patterns). It’s here now and that’s what counts!
I hope you like it. I’ve really enjoyed creating a proper grown up “collection” so far. I don’t know if I’ll do another one anytime soon but it has been a fantastic challenge to link the designs thematically, yet have them all be different and unique.
Waking Winter comes in both UK and US versions, which I know you love. As well as the written pattern you’ll also find useful stuff, like a proper table for stitch count. I made up a chart for the set up rows and the edging too but all my testers followed the written instructions so I know they’re good on their own.
It has been tested by five fabulous crocheters (thank you!!) and fully tech edited by the lovely Tamara of Crafty Escapism (double thank you!!).
Now to work on the final design: Summer! I have a few ideas but nothing concrete. I know I want it to be a single skeiner and that I want it to be green. That is all so far! I wonder if I’ll manage to actually release it on time…
x
It’s Granny time again! In just a couple of weeks let’s start grannying with a Crochet Along, what do you say?!
Last year’s Granny CAL was loads of fun and I absolutely loved seeing all the different projects that you came up with. The great thing about Granny is just how diverse she can be. It’s a super simple stitch but can be used in a myriad of ways. She is my heart and soul. Anyway…
First things first, what is a CAL? I wrote a blog post about that last year. Go HERE to find out.
Unlike last year, this Crochet Along will be a bit more low key. I’m into the idea of a very laid back CAL. Rather than going in all guns blazing, which I feel the last two CALs have been, this one will be mega casual. I’m not going to have loads of categories for entries and I’m not going to be dishing out loads of prizes (soz!). It’s all too much for one person and to be honest, the bit I enjoyed the most was seeing everyone come together to share their enthusiasm for crochet.
The rules are there are no rules! Well, there’s one: your project must contain the granny stitch somewhere (you know the one). Other than that, make what you want. Finish off an old wip, start something new, use up your stash, whatever, there’s no pressure here.
The CAL officially starts on Friday 22nd February. Let’s say it’ll run for 6 weeks but if we’re all having so much fun we can’t stop then I’m pretty sure we can keep going.
Please look at my Free Patterns page HERE , you’ll see rather a lot of patterns with the granny stitch and that’s because I love it!! I have bags, blankets and things that go round your neck. There’s lots to start you off and I also have another idea for a shawl design that might become a free pattern very soon. ;p
For amazing inspiration please go HERE to the Pinterest board dedicated to all things Granny (it’s not just squares, you know!).
Chat over on Instagram HERE (use #grannycal19 or #grannycal2019) and on the Ravelry thread HERE. Absolutely everyone is welcome to come and chat. Share your ideas, help out others, share what you’re making etc.
And I think that’s it! I thought I was going to write more than that but actually this is keeping in line with being laid back. Phew! 😀
xxx
Another crochet podcast so quickly? Yes, absolutely! Despite this arguably being the second half of last week’s offerings (go HERE for Episode 45) it is nearly an hour long. There is a lot of catching up to do! I do hope you can hang out with me for a bit. x
As usual, you can click on the picture above to go to the episode, or go HERE to my YouTube channel where you’ll find more episodes and lots of crochet video tutorials as well.
Keep scrolling for links and photographs of things discussed…
Just because… @chrissie_crafts and @sweet_sharna both also happen to be part of the CrochetZine team.
Hook inspo. Check out @jess_rippengale @knitbrooks, Lykke,
Wool and the Gang Shoreline crochet bag. There are more kits for New Wave yarn HERE.
The Zigzag jumper by Kimberley of @ Yarnfamily
The Women’s Institute yarn. Soft & Chunky
Frost Shawl by Hannah of Cozy Cottage Crochet
Cheers! xxx
Hello and a belated Happy New Year! This is a bit of a weird episode so apologies for that. It is technically only half an episode as I don’t have the time or inclination for covering the whole lot. I hope to record the second part (which will actually just be Episode 46) next week. Soz!
Go Here to my YouTube channel or click on the pic above to go to the actual episode.
I didn’t do a very good job of addressing the recent discussions on race, inclusiveness and diversity. I’m so sorry that I wasn’t more succinct. I hope you get the idea of what I was trying to say (albeit clumsily). I think you should watch Caleisha’s story on Instagram and I think you should read the experiences of @thecolormustard, @tina.say.knits and @su.krita to name just a few. Also, Hannah from the Cozy Cottage Crochet podcast says exactly what I think too (watch from 1 hr 9mins). There so much to learn from what’s been happening. This is only the beginning.
Dreamy Oversized cardi by Lauren Aston Designs
Coup de Grace – my leather bound book Christmas present.
The Frost Shawl by Hannah of the Cozy Cottage Crochet podcast
I hope to see you next week. x
Hohoho! Merry Christmas… Actually this is a normal crochet podcast on YouTube, it just happens to be December… Click on the pic above to get to the latest episode or go HERE to my whole YouTube channel. Thanks. X
Links for all the things I talk about are below (as well as some extra crochet pics). If I’ve left any thing out please do give me a polite nudge. Ta very much.
Oh, I forgot to mention my Christmas crochet Wish lists! Go HERE and HERE, they’re full of great ideas for crochet lovers!
Zigzgag jumper by Yarnfamily. I talk about this right at the end!
IronLamb Slope Style colourblock hat
For the chunky knit scarf I’m using THIS yarn.
Crocheted Birds by Vanessa Mooncie
The Weekender Blankie by Cherry Heart
Places you can find me Instagram, Ravelry, Pinterest, Facebook, Love Crochet, Etsy…
xxx