knitting Archives - Page 4 of 7

Harvest Moon. New Crochet Shawl Pattern

October 18, 2018October 18, 2018crochet6 Comments

Harvest Moon, a crochet shawl for the autumn is now live!! Huzzah!

available on Ravelry HERE. Get 20% off until November 1st 2018.

It is the second shawl design for what I plan on being a four parter to celebrate the seasons. The first was a filet wrap called Emergence of Spring, and the next will probably be called Waking Winter (which I’m desperate to get started on but it’s about five down on my list of things to do). Thematically they will be linked through my tinkerings with filet crochet. I haven’t thought of a design for the summer yet but I have bought yarn!

Harvest Moon is a pretty, crescent shaped shawl with lacy edging. The edging is similar to (but not the same as) its spring cousin. When I first started talking about it on my crochet podcast there was mixed feedback about the two colour striping. The answer was to make one with three stripes too…

Fancy a better look at the shawls? You might be interested in watching Episode 37 (from the ten minute mark. Skip to 16.15 for the three colour version).

For the first time ever I have UK and US versions of the pattern (Find & Replace is my new best friend). The pattern includes instructions for both the two and three stripe shawls. And you can choose to make it in large or small. That’s four choices in one pattern! (My blue one is a small and reaches half way down my back. The other one is the large and skims my bum).

I bought John Arbon Knit by Numbers for my shawls, it’s a fluffy, warm, 4ply merino that is beautifully warm. Having seen what the awesome pattern testers have used [thank you, guys!], I’d say that there are many alternative yarns that would work really well too. Check out the hashtag #harvestmoonshawl on Insta to see some examples.

For now, I think I’m crescented out! Between these two and Rapture, I’m going back to triangle shawls, rectangular blankets and randomly shaped accessories. Keep your eyes peeled ;p

Loads of pictures below, keep scrolling. x

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Zeens & Roger Crochet Podcast. Episode 39

October 5, 2018vlogging2 Comments

Happy October! In this episode of the Zeens & Roger crochet podcast, I talk about my finished Mount Tremper sweater, C2C stuff and some Yarndale shenanigans. There’s some news too. Check it out. x

YouTube is where it’s at. Click on the pic above or go HERE to the whole channel.

This episode’s links are:

The Mount Tremper Sweater

C2C Crochet Along information.

The Sockalong 2018

Hobbii

Hobbycraft Leader of the Pac

Yarndale

Crochet REDAgape. I am thrilled that I got to do an interview with Mandy!

The hand dyed yarns I bought at Yarndale are: Five Moons, Wool Couture, Beehive Yarns, Baa Ram Ewe, Cookston Crafts, Rusty Ferret, Truly Hooked, Doulton border Leicester, Skein Queen, Coop knits, Woolfywool.

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Zeens & Roger Crochet Podcast. Episode 38

September 21, 2018crochet, vlogging10 Comments

Crikey, this episode was certainly a labour of love! Lots of takes, lots of splicing, but finally we’re there! And oh, god, I’ve just watched some of it to make sure it processed OK and I missed a very rude word. I usually edit out any naughtiness but totally missed an F-bomb. I’m so sorry but I just cannot be arsed to go through the whole rigmarole of exporting again. It takes about two hours and I have reached the end of my tether. I hope you can forgive me….please?

Please hit that cursor on the pic above to get to Episode 38 of the latest crochet podcast. Or go to all the crochet chit chat and tutorials on my YouTube channel HERE.

Links to stuff as follows:

Ravelry chatter thread for the C2C CAL is HERE

Hobbii Yarn shop

Bobble tutorial is now live HERE

Check out the Grocery Girls for the Rapture Giveaway HERE and their own Crochet Along HERE.

The Mount Tremper Sweater Pattern

Off the Chart C2C blanket

Knitcrate

Also, keep your eyes peeled for the CAL blog post. It’ll be up soon but not quite yet. Or is it?! Gimme a couple of days…

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Zeens and Roger Crochet Podcast. Episode 37

September 6, 2018September 7, 2018vloggingLeave a Comment

Hallooo!!

Right, links are below. Please ask away if there’s something else you would like to know. Do click on the picture above to go directly to the latest episode of my crochet podcast or go HERE for the whole shebang. Cheers. x

Crochet Your Fade. Pop over and have a read of my blog post to find out more.

Episode 36. All my Fo’s are discussed in the previous episode. Rather than repeat myself, you might want to check out further info by watching.

Qing Fibre. Seriously gorgeous yarn. Swoon.

Here is the C2C blog post with all the info you need to make your own. Not a pattern necessarily, but a recipe.

C2C Pinterest board. In anticipation of the Crochetalong I’ve been busy collecting pictures

The Mount Tremper Sweater.

And finally, please watch just one minute of the Grocery Girls from Episode 61. Jump to 1 hour and 11 minutes for a fabulous PSA!

If there is something I’ve missed, give me a shout and I’ll do my best to help. x

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Crochet Your Fade

September 5, 2018crafty, crochet3 Comments

Another day, another crochet shawl. I really don’t need this many shawls. No one does. I daren’t count how many I have. It doesn’t matter. That’s not the point. It won’t stop me making more; you never know when the next one will be “it”. You know the one, your new favourite and the one you’ll wear all year if you can. There must be “it” shawls for everyone, yes? I know there must be because I’ve found the next “it” shawl! It’s the Crochet Your Fade by Julme of My Square Hat. Crocheters have a new shawl to rival the very best of knitted shawls!

I made mine as a pattern test for Julme. Nearly a year ago, I saw her post a pic of her new design on Instagram and knew I had to make it. A few months ago we “met” during an online Global Hookup (check out The Crochet Circle Podcast for news about what and when these occur). When she said it was nearly ready I casually offered to test it. Of course, once I’d done that, I was immediately planning what projects to ditch in favour of this fancy fading shawl.

It is very much like Andrea Mowry’s Find Your Fade, which got bonkersly popular a couple of years ago. Whilst, this crochet version takes inspiration from the original, the stitches are unique. I have no clue about other things to compare and contrast because I’m not much of a knitter (although, thanks to a recent workshop I attended, I can now do both English and Continental style!! Goooo me!!). I have reason to believe that this isn’t as big as the FYF; everyone said that one was huge. This one is long but it doesn’t swamp. The CYF didn’t take very long either and I think it’d be quicker to work up than knitting. Everything crochet is quicker, isn’t it?! One day I would very much love to make that gorgeous, shlankety knitted number but I need to get good with the sticks first. This hooked up version has tempered my Fade urges temporarily, for which I am very grateful.

I used a mixture of different yarns, probably breaking some rules in the process. They were all 4ply and all from independent yarn dyers but the contents of each skein was a different make-up. I ended up with silky high twists next to earthy BFLs next to superwash merinos, and speckles against tonals against splodge colourways (what’s the technical term here, please!?). Basically, I put together a hotchpotch of yarn that was already in stash. If I had a hank hidden away for a future project, it got pulled out for this. Future projects be damned. None of them were safe. I also unearthed leftovers from my own fade design, Holey Smokes! (I now feel like massive loser, Holey Smokes! isn’t a patch on the Crochet Your Fade).

Last week we went for a jaunt up on Dartmoor. Hound Tor is our favourite part. The boys love scrambling over the tor, which is popular with rock climbers. I didn’t know what the weather would be like up there. It’s only a forty minute drive away but that place is in a world of its own. I took my shawl thinking I might need it. Also took the camera for family snaps and persuaded Husband to take eleventy hundred pics of me with my new crochet fave.

So it has had its first outing and I’m very happy! I think it’s the first of many outings but to be honest, I just like looking at it when it’s hanging on the coat rack!

Here are the yarns I used: looking top to bottom we have: Galactic by Somerset Yarns, Lawn Flamingo by Wanderlust Hues (a gift from by friend Claudia of Crochet Luna), Georgia Rose by Hedgerow Yarns (a birthday present to myself!), I can’t remember what the next one is called but it’s Hand dyed by Kate (it was supposed to go in a second Holey Smokes! but I fell out of love with my own design), Midnight Rave is another Somerset Yarns (from my original Holey Smokes!) and lastly, a beautiful shade of blue from a set of minis I got from Devon Sun Yarns at last year’s Stitch Fest South West in Totnes. Phew!

Right, I’m off to find the next “it” shawl… 😀

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Hotchpotch C2C Crochet bag

August 20, 2018February 6, 2024crochet, free pattern12 Comments

Colourful Corner to Corner Crochet

Do you like my new colourful crochet bag!?! I love love love it!! It is made using the corner to corner stitch (or C2C, as it’s frequently called) and is based on a Granny Hotchpotch bag I made a couple of months ago. Here it is…

Stashbusting Crochet Projects

The idea for both handmade bags is for them to be the ultimate crochet stashbusters. You know the sort of thing, all those yarn scraps you saved and don’t know what to do with but don’t want to throw away. I knotted loads of straggly ends together using the magic knot and just got hooking. No particular plan was followed, it was very much a winging it sort of craft project.

Both the crochet bags are made using my leftovers of Paintbox Simply Aran acrylic yarn but you can use pretty much any woolly stuff you want. It’s a hotchpotch of stuff, see?!

Crocheting a C2C bag - Copy

Hotchpotch-C2C-bag

Notes on Winging a C2C Crochet Bag

Below I have added the notes I scribbled out in the hope that these will give you a better idea of what’s what. It also provides a peek inside my crochet designer brain. Although, that’s not necessarily pretty but ah well!!

I’m not writing a specific pattern for this one because, if you know the basic Corner to Corner stitch, you already know how to make this colourful crochet Hotchpotch bag. However, before you disappear, I will tell you that I have other patterns and tutorials that show you how to C2C. Check out my free crochet patterns to find some lovely examples, and also my YouTube channel.

Info for How to Crochet a Stashbusting Bag

For a useful video tutorial on how to crochet the granny stripe bag go HERE. I demonstrate the magic knot technique and give a bit of advice about lining and zips, which you can apply here.
To hear me gush about my Hotchpotch C2C bag, go here to YouTube for my crochet podcast
To hear me go into a bit more detail about the granny version go HERE for another podcast episode
I bought the bag straps from Amazon. Blue ones HERE. Brown ones HERE
Adding the handles is pretty simple. Line them up evenly and it’s just a question of adding a few stitches through the holes. I recommend reinforcing these by stitching through a layer of fabric lining too.
Lengths of yarn needed: I saved the shorter yarn scraps for each end of the ball as that’s where the shorter C2C rows will fall. Some of the longer yarn pieces in the middle weighed about 4 or 5 gram balls (at a guess). It’s a good idea to have the yarn leftovers at different lengths. This creates the best hotchpotch look.
I have started a board on Pinterest especially for Corner to Corner crochet – I love it that much!
For a more thorough C2C bag pattern I have one for sale in Ravelry. It has photo tutorials on the C2C stitch, how to line the bag and add the magnetic clasp.

These are the **C2C bags I have on Ravelry.** There are 3 colourful designs in one pattern.

Super Basic Guide on How to Crochet a C2C Bag

Right, the notes are extremely basic but I reckon you’ll be able to glean most of the info you need from them. Give us a shout if they befuddle, baffle or bemuse. But, hmm, they kind of also offer a hideous insight into what my design process looks like. Apologies for the ugly scribbles!!

Let’s type up the most important info needed:

I used approx 179 grams of different colourful yarn scraps. This is very much stashbusting territory.
It’s all aran weight acrylic yarn here but you can use other yarn weights too.
I used a 4mm crochet hook. C2C fabric shouldn’t be too drapey for a crochet bag.
The bag is made of a C2C rectangle of 21 x 33 blocks.
The depth of the bag measures 29cm / 11.5inches. The length is 38cm / 15 inches.
Work one round of UK dc / US sc around the outside of the crochet fabric. To do this, work 2 stitches into the horizonal “bars” of a stitch, and 3 stitches along each block when the stitches are vertical.
This is then folded in half and joined at the sides.
To neaten the opening, working a round of UK htr / US hdc. At each join, I worked two stitches together.
Finally, add lining and handles!

If you crochet a bag of your own, don’t forget to get in touch to tell me all about it! #zeensandroger @zeensandroger over of IG.

Cheers. x

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C2C-Hotchpotch-bag

Zeens & Roger Crochet Podcast. Episode 36!

August 17, 2018vlogging5 Comments

Long time no see! Going OK?! …. Right, I’m getting stuck right in. Here is Episode 36 of the Zeens & Roger Crochet Podcast / Vlogcast (same thing, innit?!). Click on the pic above to go directly to the episode. Check out the whole YouTube channel HERE.

I haven’t taken up to date pics but there are a couple of progress shots below. And the links to stuff are… :

John Arbon Knit By Numbers 4ply.

Wool on the Exe – LYS

Yarndale. You’ve probs heard of it!

The Crochet Your Fade shawl is coming soon via Julme/MY Square Hat on Ravlery. HERE.

C2C dreaming…. Here is my C2C Pinterest board. Got any pics? Send them my way.

Somerset Yarns. Great colour ways.

Knitcrate. I forgot to mention that if you fancy a subscription box more than I do, ZEENSANDROGER20 is the code you need to get a discount off your first box.

You can find me in the following places: Instagram, Ravelry, Facebook, Pinterest.

Cheers. X

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The Rapture Shawl. It’s Here!!

July 18, 2018September 7, 2018crochet3 Comments

My latest crochet shawl design has been released into the wild!! Hurray! It’s doozy too. Have you seen crochet brioche yet? I am completely in love with it!

Over the last few months Rapture has made appearances on the YouTube podcast but I don’t think I’ve made mention of it here. Do you like it?! It has been such a total joy to work on but the relief that I’m at publication point is huge!

To get yourself a copy go HERE to Ravelry!

Want to know more about Rapture? Read on…

I started making it in March after I’d been to the Edinburgh Yarn Festival. Three of the skeins I used came from yarn I picked up there. I knew that they’d be a crescent shawl when I saw them together, I just knew! Rapture is the second in a possible trilogy of shawls that use a snazzy brioche style border (The first shawl is One Way of Another, which was featured in issue 102 of Inside Crochet magazine and soon to be released on Ravelry – see the bottom of this post for a pic. As for the third shawl? I might try swatching for that tonight… I hope my idea works… Can you guess it’s name?).

Brioche is huge in knitting right now and I can see why, it looks amazing. I love the colour-play that can be achieved, and I love that it lays perpendicular to other rows of stitches. And whilst it’s everywhere in knitting it’s not every where in crochet. Yet. However, over the last year or so I have seen it creeping into creative designer’s work.

There are a couple of different ways you can achieve the look but mostly it’s a form of interlocking crochet. Check out Addydae Designs squishy socks, Miss Neriss’ fab hat, Mamachee’s cute cowl, or have a look at this selection on Ravelry (I typed in brioche crochet and these are the ones that came up!).

Once I’d made it, it took a while to write up the instructions. It was a mammoth task; the border required a lot of working out. Don’t worry though, it’s pretty *easy to crochet up, just a bugger to write down! It’s been through rigorous tech editing [big thanks to Deb from Find me Knitting] and testing too [thanks testing crew!!], I didn’t want any mistakes creeping through.

I have tried my absolute best to cover all bases. There is a chart where I think it’s useful to have a chart, a table of stitch counts & colour changes, and for the border I have made a video tutorial as I think it’s sometimes easier to show you how it’s done rather than make you read all the text (although that text is super important, you do need to read it!! Haha!).

* It is quite easy but this shawl is probably suited to a confident intermediate crocheter.

For this pattern, I want you to have a fun and relaxing time whilst you create your shawl. As such, there aren’t many places where you have to count out stitches. Once the set up rows are done, the main body of the shawl can be done in a fairly free way. Once you’ve set up the first row of the edging, there’s really very little counting you need to do. Mind you, if you’re a stickler for a stitch count, it’s there for you to follow.

Anything else I need to tell you? Hmm, I don’t think so but please get in touch if you have any questions, I’ve love to hear from you. And once you’ve made yours, please add it to Ravelry, I would very much appreciate it. There’s always Instagram too… #zeensandroger

Thanks!! xxx

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One Way or Another. A triangle shaped shawl.

xxx

Smoke on the Water. A New Crochet Shawl!

July 12, 2018crochet5 Comments

I have a new pattern out! Yay! Do you remember my crochet fade shawl, Holey Smokes!? Well this one is has evolved from that. Lacy sections of crochet combined with gorgeous texture always looks beautiful so that stays, it’s in the original and it’s in this. I love a triangle shawl but wanted something that wasn’t as deep as the original so I’ve played around with shaping. I was also desperate to try a Scheepjes Whirl and needed an excuse to buy one! I thought Holey Smokes! would work well with this yarn but as I wanted to try a shallower shawl design, I’ve come up with a new take. Therefore, we now have Smoke on the Water! This also has a simple yet pretty border, which is a lovely new feature.

This pattern includes the written instructions, a chart diagram, oh so important stitch counts and step-by-step photographs of the main stitch used. For the more visual learner there’s a YouTube tutorial demonstrating the crossed treble stitch. All the info you need is in the pattern; want to get yourself a copy?

Head over to RAVELRY NOW for a 20% discount!! (until July 25th)

It’s a large shawl (my favourite kind!), that uses most of one Scheepjes Whirl but you can always make a shawlette by leaving out the final pattern repeat and adding the border sooner.

What do you think? If you make one, please do add it to your project page on Ravelry, it’s a great to see your makes!

Check out more pictures below…

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Zeens & Roger Crochet Podcast 34

July 5, 2018vloggingLeave a Comment

There are lots of new ideas and projects but some of them I can’t show, soz! I can talk enthusiastically about them though! Please click on the above image to go to the latest episode or go to my YouTube channel for all my crochet podcasts / vlogcasts and crochet tutorials. Ta vey much.

As usual I chat about the crafty things I’ve been up to and show off a few bits. Don’t forget that this is an episode where I reveal winners of a GIVEWAY.

For what I think is the first time ever I don’t have any links to share… Have I missed something? Feel in the dark? Feel free to get in touch and you can ask me anything you like ;p

Find me here: Instagram.….Ravelry…..Pinterest…..Facebook…..

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