sewing Archives - Zeens and Roger

How To Crochet A Zigzag Bag

October 5, 2023March 6, 2026crochet6 Comments

Colourful Crochet Zigzag Bag

A few years ago, I made a colourful crochet zigzag bag using all of my yarny stash-busting powers. My new bag used a chevron stitch, and it immediately jumped out at me as a bag that other crocheting peeps would enjoy making too. However, I had made my bag out of acrylic yarn, and I quickly learned that acrylic is not my favourite yarn for crochet bags.

The next photo is the original crochet zigzag bag, and it has taken me three years to revisit and remake it in a more appropriate yarn: cotton. The colours are so pretty; the rainbow of different hues definitely had to stay. In fact, the design itself is very simple, so I have only tweaked it slightly for the new iteration.

Would You Like To Make a Zigzag Crochet Bag?!

Hopefully, you are stopping by to find out how to crochet your own colourful bag. Well, I am pleased to tell you that you are very much in the right place. Welcome to zigzag town!

There isn’t much of a story to tell with this design. I just wanted to use a stitch I’d found a long time ago when making a baby blanket for my youngest son. I’ve just had a quick look, I wrote a blog post about my crazy chevron blanket here. It’s from a blanket pattern by Meet Me at Mike’s called the Zali Zigzag.

This kind of colourful crochet was perfect as a “pick up and put down” project, something easy to work on, just a couple of rows at a time. Also, great for telly watching with a kitty at your feet.

So let’s crack on, shall we?

Make Your Own Chevron Bag

Crochet Video Tutorial or Written Pattern?

Below is lots of lovely written detail about how to crochet a zigzag bag and add a sewn lining. A pattern, if you will! However, I have also put together a video tutorial too. Watch my zigzag bag turial HERE.

I would have liked to include more sewing machine action in the video but as I watched back the recordings, I spotted toothpaste splattered down my t-shirt. Mind you, I’m less embarrassed about that than I am about some of the sewing techniques I employ. Watching back the vids and it is plain to see that I am very much an amateur sewist!! Please don’t judge my weird logic, sewing is not my forte!

What Yarn to Use for a Crochet Bag?

In the summer, I purchased a whole selection of colourful cotton so I could experiment with lots of ideas for bags, totes and purses. So far so good. I have made this zigzag bag and another granny hotchpotch, which I’ve only just finished. (The original version of the Granny Hotchpotch is also made with acrylic, which started to look tatty after a couple of outings. Acrylic also warps out of shape, whereas cotton is sturdier and longer lasting). For bags, cotton is my go-to. For this pattern, it’s all Paintbox cotton that I bought from Lovecrafts.

Unfortunately, I haven’t been very clever, and I didn’t weigh how much I used. I am so sorry! The thing is, I get so excited about making the thing that I went straight ahead and completed it before I even thought about yarn weights. Apologies. However, use what you have. If you twisted my arm, I’d guess at a very approximate 200 grams?

Colourful Crochet

First and foremost, when it comes to the colours you use, this is a crochet project that you can really have fun with. I had a basket of colourful cotton double-knit to randomly pluck out shades to use.

There is definitely less than a ball of each colour here. But I used 20, or thereabouts, colours, so that’s not a surprise. I threw in all the hues: ugly, clashy, pretty, complementary. If you’re unsure about how to do this, check out How to Choose Colours in Your Crochet.

I might miss out one or two shades here or accidentally have gotten one or two wrong, but I think I used:

Rose Red, Antique Pink, Vintage Heather, Kingfisher, Coffeebean, Buttercup or Mustard (Eeep, I can’t tell!
Marine, Dusty Rose, Lime, Pansy Purple, Raspberry, Washed Teal, Slate Green, Bubblegum Pink, Elephant,
Spearmint, Bloody Orange, Rich Teal, Pale Lilac, Dolphin

Adding a Lining to Your Crochet Bag

Adding a lining to your crochet bag doesn’t have to be rocket science, I promise. I have basic sewing skills, and that’s all you need. A lining will reinforce your bag and make it much sturdier to boot. It also does a great job of hiding the stitches where the handles get sewn to the bag. And, if you’re using them, you also need a decent lining to affix the magnetic clasps. Fear not, I show you how to do this in the video tutorial for my Zigzag bag.

The sewing is all in straight lines, and your bag will look neat and tidy. It might also end up looking super professional! You can sew by hand if you don’t have a sewing machine.

My Lining Technique

I make two pockets of fabric and add medium interfacing to one of them. One pocket sits inside the other. I hide all stitches and clasp backs sandwiched between the pockets.

I recommend using iron-on interfacing, as I got into a fiddly pickle with the sew-in stuff. Don’t be tempted to add heavy interfacing or use fabric that’s thick because at some point you’ll be cursing yourself and your poorly fingers when hand stitching on the handles. (You have to wriggle the needle through the fabric layers, so get the sharpest needle you can that also has an eye big enough to fit the cotton yarn through). Crikey, it’s all a bit of a juggling act!

What would make life easier for you (and I’m not sure why I didn’t do this) is to treat the linings as the separate entities that they are. For example, attach the magnetic clasps to the inner lining before you pop it inside the outer lining. Or, how about you place the outer lining into the bag to stitch on the handles without the inner lining going along for the ride?! I persistently treated both pockets like they were glued together. They were not. Lesson learned.

Crochet Zigzag Bag Pattern

Measurements

The main body of my bag measures 28 x 36 cm. 11 x 14 inches.

What You Need to Make a Zigzag Bag:

3mm hook. Or a hook that creates a tight gauge. You don’t want floppy zigzags!
Cotton DK in lots of colours. Approx 200 grams. I used Paintbox but other dk cotton would be excellent as well.
Fabric lining and interfacing. Plus all the sewing gubbins that goes with this.
Magnetic clasp if you fancy attaching one.
Bag handles. I got mine from Amazon. Etsy always has good ones as well. Or, upcycle some from an existing bag that’s no longer used.
A needle that is pointy with a largish eye for sewing the bag handles.

Pattern Notes

Don’t forget, the Zigzag bag video tutorial is HERE.
Before you begin, please note that the pattern uses a UK dc stitch, which is the same as a US single crochet.
dc2tog is crocheting two dc stitches together (essentially, a decrease). In this pattern, it’s only the first 2 stitches and the last 2 stitches of every row.
As you work the following pattern, change colours in this order:
- Six rows of one colour
- 3x two rows of different colours
- 4 rows of another colour
- 2x two rows of different colour.

Crochet Zigzag Pattern

Row 1: Chain 84, turn.
Row 2: Starting in 2nd chain from the hook, dc2tog, 5dc, 3dc in next st, *7dc, miss 2 sts, 7dc, 3dc in next st; rep from * to last 7 sts, 5dc, dc2tog, turn.
Rows 3 – 120: ch1 (does not count as a stitch), working in the back loops only dc2tog, 5dc, 3dc in next st, *7dc, miss 2 sts, 7dc, 3dc in next st; rep from * to last 7 sts, 5dc, dc2tog, turn.

Fasten off and, with a needle and yarn, sew the two short ends together. Make sure the fabric is folded with right sides together. I talk about this in the video tutorial but one side is definitely better looking than the other side.

With the piece still inside out, work around the bottom and tie each end firmly together with its next dor neighbour. Then, using these ends, sew the bottom of the bag closed. Turn right side out to begin working a few rounds for the top of the bag.

For the following pattern, remember that I’m still working in UK terms, a UK htr is a US hdc.
Rnd 1: Attach yarn to the top of the bag and chain 1, 1dc in the end of each row around, join with a slip stitch and do not turn. Don’t change colour after this round, wait until you have completed Rnd 2. Then, change colour as often as you like.
Rnds 2 – 5: 1ch, htr in each stitch around, join with a slip stitch, do not turn.
Fasten off and sew in ends.

Use the crochet zigzag stitch to make a bag — A spot of car crochet on my way to a very sunny Wales at the beginning of September.

Lining Your Bag with Fabric

The next few paragraphs are a nutshell version of how to add a lining to a crochet bag. I show you each step in the Zigzag bag video tutorial, which will help if the following words are nowt but gobbledegook.

Measure Twice, Cut Once!

I like to make two pockets for the lining and place one inside the other. The outside lining pocket and the inner pocket are made in the same way, to the same measurements so that they are the same size. It’s a good idea to add interfacing to the outside fabric before you begin. The inner pocket will be the one that you see when you look inside your bag. I like to choose a prettier fabric for this.

Both pieces of fabric (for the outside and inside pockets) need to be bigger than your bag by half an inch on both sides (for seam allowance) and twice as long, plus 2x hem length. I like a deep hem of at least 3 inches, which is hidden on the inside. Deep hems create reinforcement for the handles and clasps on both pockets, respectively.

Fold a piece of fabric in half with the right sides facing each other. Set your bag on top to use as a guide and draw onto the fabric where the seams need to be up (at the bag sides). Sew down the sides, press with an iron and press a hem in place. If using a sewing machine, top stitch the hem as well.

Repeat for the other piece of fabric. Check that both bag pockets are the same size. Press. Turn the inner lining inside out and press again. Place inside the outer pocket.

Pin everything in place and decide on where you want the handles to be. Attach those to the outside of the bag, ensuring that as you sew, you also stitch through the interfaced outer lining. You then add your magnetic clasps to the inner lining. Neatly hand stitch to the crochet bag, ensuring your fabric lining doesn’t poke out over the top of the bag.

Phew, I find that writing about sewing is much harder than writing about crochet! And I haven’t even mentioned how to add the clasps to the bag yet!

Attaching Magnetic Clasps To a Bag

This is where I get the ruler out. The clasps need to meet in the middle and fit nicely into each other without making everything else wonky.

What you need to do is find the very centre of the inner pocket and mark it on the wrong side (do this on both sides). I think it looks good to do this an inch (2.5 cm) from the top, as you don’t want the clasps at the very top of the bag. Clasps come with little metal washers, so let’s use these to help mark where to place everything. Pop them in the centre and an inch down (essentially, where you marked the wrong side). Does that look alright? With a pen, draw little lines within the two vertical spaces of the washer.

These pics are from an older bag project where I chose 1.5cm rather than an inch. Place them where you think is best.

By the way, inside the hem I also tucked in a couple of small, additional pieces of interfacing. It gives the clasps something to really grab hold of and keep them firmly in place.

Now, double check that you’re happy with where you placed the markings because you need to make little slices into the fabric of the inner lining. I used a sharp seam ripper. This is a measure twice, cut once type of scenario, OK?! The little slices are where you marked the lines. Poke the legs of the clasps through and bend to close. Please poke them through from the right side so they are on the correct side.

Eww, that’s even more uncomfortable than writing sewing instructions. I hope it’s clear.

A Finished Crochet Zigzag Bag!

Ooh lala! What do you think of my crochet Zigzag bag?!? I hope I haven’t frightened you away with all that sewing. I think it sounds worse when written down, don’t you? In practice, it’s actually very quick and straightforward to add a sewn lining to a crochet bag. It makes such a difference, though, and it really is well worth the effort.

If you have made it this far and you’ve enjoyed this free pattern, please feel free to buy me a cup of tea (or a bottle of wine?!) by supporting me on Ko-Fi. Also, don’t forget to check out my other Free Crochet Patterns here on the blog. And you’re welcome to check out my other designs in my Ravelry store and on Etsy too.

Thanks ever so much. Cheers. x

PS, this post contains an affiliate link for the yarn.

Crochet Vlogcast Episode 17

October 27, 2017October 28, 2017vlogging2 Comments

Happy Hallowe’en folks! I have made minimal effort to jazz up this week’s crochet vlogcast with a spooky theme. Whilst there is a spider and some fancy-dress, er, there is little else to do with this fun filled holiday. But I still love Halloween! Please click on the pic above to fly (broom stick style) to YouTube.

In this episode I talk about the following delights:

My Rainbow Edged Granny. The blog post is Here, the video tutorial is Here.

Spider Blog Post is Here. The YouTube Tutorial Here.

Giant crochet hook case. This is the tute I used.

The Weekender Blankie by Sandra of Cherry Heart.

Check out Shirley Rainbow’s Folksy shop. And why not see her work on Instagram (this is where I saw the discount code).

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Thanks as always. x

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How To Crochet A Granny Square Bag

March 29, 2017March 6, 2026crochet, free pattern, sewing28 Comments

Sudden Crochet Inspiration

I had no idea that I was going to make a Granny Square bag last week, no idea at all! I was dashing off somewhere and felt I could do with taking a little crochet project with me. Hurriedly, random balls of yarn were grabbed and off out I went. Those random balls of yarn were about to become granny squares, which were about to become a yarny, patchwork bag! Yay!

I didn’t have enough yarn to crochet a blanket, which made me wonder what else I could turn the colourful granny squares into. I considered making a cushion, but what got me really excited was the idea of a crochet bag! It’s a tricky thing to take a picture of, the bright colours shout so loudly that they blow the pics out!

I used leftover yarn stash of Paintbox acrylic aran yarn and, just because I fancied it, used a Join As You Go method.

Make a Crochet Granny Bag

To crochet your own granny square bag, you’ll need a few things. Here they are:

Colourful yarn in various colours (I used aran weight, but any yarn is fine).
4.5mm hook (if using a different weight, make sure to use the right sized hook for the weight of yarn you use).
Bag handles (I recommend searching for “long bag handles” on eBay or Etsy, that’s what I did!)
Lining fabric (something measuring a couple of inches bigger than your finished crochet piece)
Darning needle for when you’re sewing with yarn
Pins, sewing needle and thread for when making up the lining.

The main body of the bag is a bog standard gang of grannies; super quick and easy to do! Rounds of three, joined together in 8 rows of 5 squares (you’ll either need more rows or more rounds for each square if you’re using DK yarn; check out my tutorial for a double knit version here).

My piece measured 15.5 x 27 inches (40 x 68cm).

Making a granny square bag using leftover yarn

How to Place Colours in Crochet

Every now and again, it is worth checking to see that the spread of colour is even. I eyeball the colour layout for the granny squares, taking into consideration how colours look when they sit next to each other. I also make sure to know what I’ve got left in stash so that I don’t accidentally run out of a shade halfway through. If you take a look at the picture above, you can see that the colours are evenly distributed.

Adding Handles to a Crochet Bag

Once the main body of the crochet bag is complete, the handle sections need to be shaped. It’s not as tricky as it looks, and luckily, accuracy is not paramount. I don’t mind a project that needs a bit of bodging, and crochet is usually very forgiving when it comes to bodging! Not that you need to bodge it, I’m just saying!!

Note that UK terms are used (a UK treble is a US double crochet)

At one end of the main body (right side facing), work a strip of granny clusters starting with a ch3 and 1tr in the first st and ending with 2tr on the last stitch of the row. Straddle the square joins with (1tr, tr2tgr, 1tr). You can kind of see what I’ve done on the picture above, but I also show you how to add this edge across granny squares (about 2:40 into the vid)
Turn the work. Ch2, 1htr in each stitch along to the end. Turn.
Ch1, slip stitch along approximately 10 stitches (you want the narrow section to be the same width as the handle slot). Ch2, 1htr in each stitch along, missing the last (approx) 10sts. Turn.
Ch2, 1htr in each stitch of the last row. To widen the work again, ch13, Turn.
1htr in 3rd ch from hk. 1htr in each st along to the end. Continue by adding 10 more stitches using a chainless foundation half double stitch. This is actually lovely to do, I promise. I have a video that shows you how, it’s here: The Foundationless Start. Skip the first bit of the video (that explains the same technique for a UK dc). Turn.
Ch2, htr all the way along. Turn.
Repeat row 6. Fasten off.
Repeat 1-7 on the other end of the bag.

Next, with the right side facing, evenly stitch UK doubles (US single crochet) all the way down the edge of both lengths. Don’t fasten off yet…

Fold the granny square bag in half and, using the yarn still on the hook, slip stitch the sides together. Repeat on the other side.

Tuck the handle bits through the handle holes/slots, then fold down to the inside and pin, ready for sewing closed.

The stitches don’t have to be super neat. If you use matching yarn, you won’t see if you’re making a dog’s dinner of it! Try not to come through to the right side, though, or if you do, make the stitches small, so they’re not staring at you. Don’t forget the top bits at the ends.

Add Lining to Your Crochet Bag

Next, you need to add the lining. It’s not 100% necessary, but I think it looks better, and you won’t have your stuff escaping through granny holes!

Fold a length of fabric in half, right sides together. Place the granny square bag on top and mark/draw where you need to sew. Also, mark where you want the fold of your top hem to go. Sew down both sides to make the bag cavity. Next, iron the seams nice and flat. At the same time, fold down the top hem and press. I went back to the sewing machine and top-stitched the hem.

Tuck the lining into your bag, pin it in place, and hand sew the top of the lining to the top of the crochet! And there you have it, a crochet bag of your own!

Retro granny square bag. Free crochet pattern

Oh goodness, I think I need a course in how to photograph bright colours!!

I would absolutely love to hear from you if you make one of my designs. If you do, please give me a shout. I’d love it if you said Hi! Don’t forget that I’m on Ravelry, so your makes can be added there. Oh, and I almost forgot Instagram!

And don’t forget to check out my other Free Crochet Patterns, right here on my blog. Not to mention some super useful Crochet Tips & Tricks, here!

Thank you. X

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Crafty Crochet Catch Up…

February 8, 2017March 5, 2026crochet15 Comments

i-love-this-picture-daffodils-with-my-crochet-cushion

A Roundup of Current Crochet & Crafting

It’s been a while since I had a round-up of current crafty WIPS. Today is the day to remedy that by sharing all the crochet.

This colourful crochet chevron has been my main focus. It’s a very jolly, bright blanket. I’ve wanted to make one for ages. I gathered all the yarn colours together in October, but they sat in a bag for months.

I think I made over 200 stitches for the foundation. Unfortunately, the chevrons have a concertina effect, and it’s smaller than I wanted. I’m thinking about how to square off the zigzag for the border next. The chevron pattern is called the Zali Zigzag blanket from Meet me at Mike’s.

The Humbug Scarf

I’ve made a start on the Humbug shawl with a pistachio coloured wool from Blacker Yarns. The 4ply yarn was a Christmas pressie from Becki at The Dartmoor Yarn Company. The pattern is by The Crochet Project, and I got that as a freebie for naming it! (Always happy to mention that). I started it a few weeks ago, but put it down for a while. Last weekend I did a few more rows, and I’d like to see it grow some more.

Pretty Crochet Mandala

I made a crochet mandala in yucky colours. Ok, they’re not yuck. Just not seasonal. I don’t have a vast collection of cotton DK yarn to choose from. It seems I need some spring colours.

It’s a great crochet pattern, though. It’s a free crochet pattern called the Magnolia Mandala by Crochetmillan

The idea was to stitch it over a gaping hole in my jeans. It turned out that a great big doily stuck to my haunches was gonna look pretty silly so the idea was binned….

…in favour of something more subtle.

I’m happy to wear my jeans with a piece of Liberty fabric and floral embroidery. I quite like how this Make Do and Mend approach turned out.

I’ve got another pair of jeans waiting to have similar crafty treatment, but this time the affected area is around the other side. Do you know that awful feeling when you realise you’ve been walking round in public, all day, with a split in the seat of your trousers?! I do.

Hand Dyed Yarn Purchases

I made a couple of naughty yarn purchases recently. I’m arguing that this is still Christmas money. Not sure how long I can get away with that excuse, though. The pale one is a dye job I requested from Rhapsodye Yarns, and the other is called Nebula, glorious neon zip yarn from The Wool Kitchen. Both are aran weight.

Both new yarns are for my continuing experiments with crochet triangle infinity scarves. Once these are done, that’s it. No more messing about with triangles. I have to draw a line under this project.

Still, I’ll make the most of the crochet triangles while the yarn lasts. And maybe I’ll wear one of these to the Edinburgh Yarn Festival next month! That’s right, I got me a ticket!! I’ll be there with my sister on the Saturday. My birthday is the beginning of May. Do you think I can wangle some birthday money in March?!

Once all the other stuff is done, I’ll pick this up, a stash-busting granny square blanket. I like getting it out every few weeks. It feels like a new project each time I work on it.

And last week, one of my boys and I made flapjacks. Not technically a crafty thing, but nevermind. I forgot how yummy they are. I can even eat them when I put raisins in them. That means they must taste good; everyone knows how much I don’t like raisins! Maybe we’ll make some tomorrow too.

Also, I can’t believe I forgot to mention my mini interview in Inside Crochet magazine. What a chump! I was so excited to see it in there, too. It’s the “Blog We Love” section. Get yourself a copy. Lots of fabulous patterns too. X

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A Bunch of Handmade Crochet Gifts

January 11, 2017March 4, 2026crochet, sewing20 Comments

The Post-Christmas Craft Comedown

My blogging will is not here today. I’m not really here. I’d rather be doing my crochet. I’m looking over to the other side of the room to where my current WIPS are. Getting the balance between making stuff and blogging about it can be tricky! The problem today is that I’ve seen all this stuff, like, ages ago! I love writing a craft blog, I really do, but I also must find the time to do the thing I write about. It’d be a bit futile if I didn’t do any craft, wouldn’t it?!

I probably made this little fabric basket in October. I use a great tutorial for making these (it comes in two different sizes). Go Here for the instructions on how to sew a little fabric basket.

I made up the pattern for this bag. I must make another and, when I do, I think I’ll do a sewing tutorial. This will hopefully happen at some point this year; it’s on a list of things to do, but so are lots of other crafty things! I also want to do a crochet version with bamboo handles as well!

This project bag annoyed me. I forgot to add interfacing, and it’s all floppy. The recipient didn’t mind, and I guess that’s what counts.

I made this crochet basket with it simple crab stitch edging a few months ago, and it was meant to have another to nestle within. It hurt my hands to crochet with such bulky yarn, so I didn’t make the other one. I think I chose a hook a size that was too small, which is what made it painful. The yarn itself is a t-shirt yarn from Flying Tiger and felt beautifully silky to the touch. I don’t know who has actual T-shirts that silky, not anyone I’ve met.

There’s no pattern for this one; I made it up.

Aran Weight Crochet Cowl

This crochet cowl was lovely to make. Very quick, too. I used two balls of Drops Alaska, and the pattern is from a new book by Nicki Trench: Crocheted Scarves and Cowls. I bought it from The Works around November.

mustard-waffle-crochet-cushion-wiht-wooden-buttons

Waffle Stitch Cushion

Ages ago, I’d wanted to make a crochet blanket using waffle stitch. About 100 grams of yarn into the project, I realised that the stitch was a massive, greedy yarn eater and it wouldn’t go as far as I’d imagined. I frogged it and went in the cushion direction.

It’s an 18″ cushion, and I did 70-something stitches across with the old Stylecraft spesh DK. Love it. But it was a present, so I gave it away.

It looks very tight-fitting but cushions like negative ease for their crochet jackets. Otherwise, the fabric stretches out, and you get a baggy, saggy cushion.

The Kelpie Hat

This is the Kelpie hat by The Crochet Project. Such a lovely yet simple stitch! I had to tinker with the number of stitches because I used a thicker yarn than recommended. This is a Malabrigo aran weight yarn. I can’t remember the colour name, and I don’t know where the label is!

Another Red Crochet Cowl!

And this cowl is a free crochet pattern called the Lacey Shells Scarf. I reduced the number of stitches so that it was a cowl and not an infinity scarf.

Think this is Drops Nepal. Maybe three balls … 4? A couple of years ago, I made the infinity version in a brown yarn, and I wore it for about two years solid.

There really was so much more that I intended to make, and time ran away from me. I also gifted lots of Christmas decorations. Crochet baubles and lots of felt things were great for giving as little extras.

And now I’m going to dash back to my crochet pile and hide in there. It’s a lovely place to be.

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End of November Crafty Catch up.

November 23, 2016March 3, 2026crochet14 Comments

Sewn Felt Christmas Decorations

Since November started, it feels like I’ve hardly had any time for making things, but looking at my photos, it turns out that isn’t true. I actually appear to have been quite busy. I’ve been sewing instead of doing my crochet.

I’ve got the school’s PTA Craft Fayre on Saturday, so these felt Christmas decorations will hopefully be sold to lots of jolly holly people, like they were last Christmas!

I’ve used a few designs from previous years, and there are new ones, too. This year, I designed a bunch of mistletoe, a bell, some stars and a cute Christmas pudding. There are three or four other designs I came up with that haven’t made the cut, and some old ones that I didn’t bother with either.

They’re more complex in their construction, and they’d end up costing more. One day, I’ll make the whole collection. I’ve got quite a few felt Christmas decorations now.

I really, really would love to turn them into sellable patterns, but first I need to work out how to transfer rough, scribbly templates into professional printable patterns.

Crochet Granny Baubles

I’ve made these crochet baubles too. Get yourself to Wilko’s to grab a naked set. £2.50 for 12.

I’ve used various cotton DK’s. I’ve mostly used Drops Muskat, Stylecraft Classique and Paintbox Yarns. My favourite is the Drops. It’s hands down, the best of the bunch (although there’s nothing wrong with the others either).

The pattern is a mix of existing ones. I’ve got the book Boho Crochet, which has a bauble pattern for giants. I used that as a base and took out lots of rows. Then, future me created a Christmas crochet bauble pattern too:

Buying Crochet Books

I went into Exeter a couple of weeks ago (and actually did some Christmas shopping!). Whilst there, I popped into The Works because they now have an awesome selection of craft things. A lot of it isn’t my cup of tea, but if you’re into all things crafty, then there’s a shedload of treasure waiting for you.

I always head for the books. I bought four crochet books because the most expensive was four quid. Why the blazes would you leave any behind? I’ve since discovered that these are new publications. New! Why are they being sold in a cheap shop for £3 or £4??! Does it get sales figures up or something?

Getting Into Crochet Design

A new aran weight design has been one of my only crochet projects over the last few weeks. I’m making myself a scarf out of some Paintbox aran. It’s the stuff that Emma from Potter & Bloom sent me for when I tested her Geoffrey scarf. I caved and bought more colours (here, that’s the blue and green).

A Fluffy Mohair Hat!

Ok, I crocheted this fluffy hat, too. Since doing the Take Care Mohair review I’ve been on a mission to find a cheaper alternative of yarn. I feel quite guilty, actually (not that I’m under any obligation), but I cannot afford to buy the Wool and the Gang stuff for experiments and pattern workings.

I’m using Drops Melody instead, which is nice but not super fancy. Now that I think I have a pattern sorted, I might get some of the real deal. Comparatively, it is much silkier and has a thicker halo on it. I really like the designs I’ve come up with; however, I’ve been looking at and working with mohair for two months. Do I want to buy the posh stuff when the excitement is waning? Hmm.

This picture is not a good representation, as the one on the left has more stitches. But it is the Take Care Mohair, and you can see that it does come out thicker, and it’s a nicer shade of pink too. Not that I have any reason to favour it other than personal preference.

Lying side by side, there is not much difference in yarn thickness. I think it must be the halo that adds body to the yarn once it’s hooked into a fabric.

I’m trying to decide if I can recommend both yarns in the pattern I write. There might be a considerable difference in the finished product. Gah, it’s mini stumbling blocks like this that make things so much trickier than they need to be.

Things I didn’t think would be important but actually are if you want to be a crochet designer. Anyway, it is my hope that I can write a pattern for a crochet hat and scarf combo that I can sell. I’m miles off because the Paintbox scarf has taken my attention (I think I want to write up the pattern for that too). Maybe have some crochet wrist warmers to go with? I say this all the time, yet I still only have one pattern for sale! I’m easily distracted by new pretties, that’s my problem!

Lastly, there’s this jumble of crazy. Funny that the thing I should have finished first is the thing that I’ve left until last! Must do this today. I must also remember to take pictures of it complete! Can you guess what it is?

Oky doky, I must go. Got lots to do, and time is not on my side. xx

Crochet WIPs And Learning Tunisian Crochet

September 22, 2016March 2, 2026amigurumi, crochet17 Comments

I have a silly number of Works in Progress at the moment. Here is the cat, sleeping on one that I left on the sofa.

Half Circle Crochet Design

Marceline is sleeping on a crochet half circle I’m trying to work out. I’m interested in trying to work out patterns and how they’re done. My method is Trial and Error because I know no other way. So, with that in mind, I have, in fact, frogged several rows this morning.

Too many stitches were causing the half circle to get ruffled. I don’t know how/where to increase the stitches in a nice, even way at the minute. Too many, not enough, blahhh. Whatever I try, it doesn’t want to mirror the initial semi-circle of colour. I’m tempted to bin it. Bin the idea and move on. So. Much. Frustration!

A New Project Bag

Anyway, this is more like it. An actual finished item. Woot! I loved making this project bag. It was so quick and easy. I didn’t follow a pattern; I made it up and was surprised at how speedy the process was. If I were to have another go, I’d make the fabric pieces wider. I think there’s room for expansion.

I took a load of photographs as I made it; I’m tempted to write up a tutorial. I might also buy a new pair of handles and have a second attempt.

Learning a New Skill: Tunisian Crochet!

New skill alert! I’ve tried Tunisian Crochet this week. A little bit addictive, actually. I’m slow and not sure what goes on if I drop stitches, but I did order a set of bamboo Tunisian crochet hooks so I can get properly stuck in.

The hook I’m using is one I got from my Nanna. I keep meaning to ask her if she ever used it. Anyway, it’s slightly too small. And the freebie I got from a magazine is slightly too big.

Trying Colour Work

Yesterday I struggled with colour changes. I really want to make pictures in crochet. It isn’t as easy as I thought it’d be. It’s mucked up the tension, making it skewed. Poo. I think I’ll benefit from some practise but I also think that Tapesty crochet might be the way to go instead. Any advice?

Brightoween Craft Swap

These pastel coloured crochet balls are part of a Brightoween ColourSwapCraftPop on Instagram. I’ve done a bit more on this project than this picture suggests, but I’m still not quite finished.

Whilst messing about with the Brightoween and Tunisian projects yesterday, another idea popped into existence. I had to try it immediately.

I’ll try to get this crochete project finished for next week, although I’m well aware that I say that sort of thing quite often. I’ve got a crochet pattern/tutorial in handwritten scribbles that I’d said I’d publish this week. That’s really not going to happen. Not yet anyway.

This idea is a lot simpler than the other not-yet-ready pattern. I think it’ll be a fun one, so stick around for a future blog post.

Then there’s a quick fix crochet idea I have, which is related to the c2c geometric square cushion I made recently. I really hope this one looks like my imagination tells me it will look.

And now I need to go and make dinner before collecting Eldest from Judo. I really hope that some of these WIPs will actually be finished at some point soon. Today is not the day.

How to Sew a Felt Cat Brooch

July 23, 2016March 2, 2026free pattern14 Comments

Summer Holiday Crafting – Sewing Felt Brooches

Whilst I was sewing lots of felt bits recently, I had a thought that it would be nice to share how I do it. It doesn’t happen often. Some sewn felt kitty cats I made were quite popular, so I decided to use my design to show you how to make a brooch. Sewing felt is great, no fraying edges to worry about, it’s versatile and quite sturdy.

I’m making a felt cat brooch here, but you can create any design. Even if your drawing is shocking, something interesting will come out of it. I do not care for the excuse that a person is not creative; it’s complete nonsense. If you want to have a go, just do it. And, since we’ve just begun the summer holidays, I can tell you that this is a fabulous project to do with the kids. My boys love doing this kind of thing. Summer holiday crafts are a must.

As well as making felt brooches, keyrings work well too. Or if you can’t be bothered to source brooch backs and keyrings (get them from Etsy or eBay), then a few inches of ribbon attached means that it can become a hanging decoration.

This is a good craft project for those who don’t have loads of supplies. A square of felt and a couple of buttons cost less than a quid. You can reuse old buttons. You can even repurpose old scraps of fabric instead of using felt. Change the thread for yarn, if that’s all you’ve got. Whatever.

Materials To Sew a Felt Cat Brooch

Here are the things you need to make your own hand-sewn felt cat brooch.

Paper and pen/pencil.
Scissors.
Felt fabric (or other thickish fabric).
Buttons for kitty’s eyes.
Embroidery thread (or normal sewing thread doubled up).
A sewing needle and a couple of pins.
A small amount of polyfibre fill.
Brooch back, keyring or 15cm length of ribbon.

Draw Out a Design – The Template

Draw out the design of your choice: cat, dog, fish, fruit, flower, blah blah. Cut it out. A tip here is to go slightly bigger than you want the finished item to be. The finished thing will work up slightly smaller than you expect.

Keep shaping to a minimum too, you don’t want to give yourself the headache of awkward corners, or thin poky-out bits. Keep crafting simple; that’s the key.

Cutting Out Felt Pieces

Pin your template to two layers of felt and cut out. As above, keep to simple shapes as it’s so much easier. I do two layers together so that they’re both the same shape. These will be the front and back pieces.

Separate Embroidery Threads For Sewing

Cut your thread to about 40cm. If your threads are too long, you run the risk of tangles. From experience, it just isn’t worth it. My Nanna used to say that the length of the thread should be from your fingers to your elbow.

If you’re using embroidery thread, then it usually comes in six strands plied together. You need to separate out two strands, as in the picture above. This might seem daft, but a whole thickness of embroidery floss is too bulky and looks naff. Alternatively, use sewing thread doubled up so you’re sewing with two strands. This doesn’t produce as nice a finish, but it’s good enough.

Tie a knot in the end. If it’s the kids who are sewing a felt cat brooch, I tie the ends of the thread together to keep it on the needle. My boys always yank the thread off the needle. Always.

Attach Button Eyes To The Felt Cat

I start with the big, wide, button eyes. You can place them anywhere you like. I like to go wider (leaving room for edge stitching). Poke your needle right through his eyes! Ouch! Keep knots on the back. Stitch the needle in and out of the button holes at least three times.

Where Do You Want Kitty’s Nose and Whiskers?

I recently bought a fancy pen for drawing embroidery designs. It cost about £3 from a fabric shop. The ink disappears after a few hours, so you can draw your face and not worry about scruffy pen marks. If you’re not that fussed, you can free-style it or see if a soft pencil works.

Being able to see where to place the embroidery stitches is very useful.

With the embroidery thread, you’re essentially colouring in. For the nose, use a satin stitch, which is just stitches placed really close to one another. For the bit under his nose, I change to a running stitch and follow the line I drew.

YouTube is your friend when learning stitches. It’s a good place to learn a bit more about embroidery and how to do the stitches. They all have different names!

I ran out of my first lot of thread at this stage. It’s best to leave maybe 8-10cm of thread at the end to give yourself a sufficient amount to tie off and weave in. Then just grab a new length to continue stitching.

It doesn’t matter about the thready mess you create on the wrong side, as you won’t see any of it. Just as long as it is kept to the wrong side.

A Hand Stitched Kitty Face – A Felt Cat Brooch

A little kitty face sewn! If you still have a decent amount of thread left, don’t tie it off yet, as you can use it to sew the two sides together.

Put this kitty face to one side while you complete the next stage.

Sewing On the Brooch Back

Sewing on a brooch back is similar to sewing on the eyes. I go in and out of each hole three times at the top and three times each for the bottom holes (bottom holes! Haha!). Make sure the brooch back is the right way up and that it’s placed towards the top middle.

Make sure you sew it to the correct side of your felt/fabric, too. Essentially, match the front and back pieces so that you haven’t accidentally got one of them the wrong way round. Not all designs will be symmetrical. Always check!

Almost there. Just need to sew the front and back together.

Sewing Felt Pieces Together

Rethread the needle, and it’s time to sew the front to the back. I use a whip stitch. I used to use a blanket stitch, but it uses a ton of thread. A whip stitch looks similar when looking straight on. Make sure the stitches are neatly done; they will be visible. They’re a design feature!

(If I was using ribbon, it’d be at this stage, near the top that I’d get it ready to stitch between the two layers).

Again, if the thread needs changing, tie off the old stuff and knot in the new all inside your felt kitty. No one will ever know about the mess!

Add Stuffing Inside The Felt Cat Brooch

When there’s only a couple of inches left to sew, kitty needs to acquire some chub. I’ve got a bag of toy stuffing (bought from Amazon), but if desperate, go and destroy a cushion (or but perhaps you shouldn’t :/). Another alternative could be yarn ends if you’re a knitter or crocheter. Anyway, stuff lightly with your chosen filling, match up the open pieces and carry on with the stitching.

To finish off, the last stitch to the back needs to be poked upwards and out again, next to another stitch, as in the left photo above. Check the front to make sure you didn’t go through to the face too.

Go around the stitch you popped out next to and then repeat the process two or three times more. Or just keep going until the thread comes to an end. Lose the thread inside the newly hand-sewn felt kitty cat, or carefully snip off any threads still showing.

Voila! A hand-stitched cat face made from felt!

It is done. Miaow.

As well as sewing a cat felt brooch, you can sew any kind of felt critters. Here are some other handmade felt decorations, keychains and brooches that I’ve made before…

Have a good summer!

I have linked up here…

Block Colour Crochet Ripple blanket.

July 12, 2016March 2, 2026crochet19 Comments

block colour crochet blanket. drapey drapey.

Colour Block Ripple Blanket

Excuse me whilst I saturate one single blog post with several pictures of the same thing: a crochet ripple blanket! I took many photographs and enjoyed doing so. I’m spreading my joy. There also might be a “reward” at the end of this post, in the shape of different things.

This ripple stitch baby blanket will be on Etsy by the end of the week (I tell myself), along with many others. I need to stop hoarding crochet blankets!

This was such a quick and easy blanket to crochet. It was one of those where you don’t have to think, just crochet. Love those mindful crochet projects. The only fretful moment was when I ran half a row short of the shrimp. Luckily, I had a small walnut sized ball left from previous adventures, so I didn’t have to buy a new ball of yarn just for the sake of a few metres.

I’m now wondering what other colour combinations will work well. For many years, I would make all sorts of blankets, in all sorts of colour combinations but I’ve recently begun to notice a pattern emerging. I think I might be developing some sort of crochet style. It might not be a good style, but I suspect there’s one there nevertheless.

Taking repeated pictures of the same thing is confusing; I hope I’m not posting the same pictures twice.

Stash Busting Crochet Blanket

This is still me using up the significant yarn stash I have. I’ve been really good recently. I don’t think I’ve bought any yarn since May. (I’m not including the stuff I bought at the Bovey Craft Festival. Special circumstances!

Here are the details: It’s Stylecraft Special dk in Denim, Shrimp, Navy, Mustard and Sage. I used Attic 24’s Neat Ripple and I think I chained 115 to begin, just right for a baby blanket. The border is Parchment and I used it to fill in the ripples and make a sort of picot edging.

These are some other blankets that I’m planning on Etsyifying this week. I’ve bagged them up and weighed them. Looking at Royal Mail yesterday was exhausting. The pricing schemes are baffling. In the past, I’ve made the mistake of not charging enough for p&p, and I want to avoid doing that again. It’s blinkin’ expensive no matter which way you do it, and I worry it’ll put people off. But! I shall stop looking for excuses and just give it a go.

And on a different note, I’ve put up a picture on my Facebook page to show my summer fete stall. Feel free to go and have a look. It was a very hot and sunny day, which was great (I feared rain). I had no idea what to expect, hmm, it was OK. Having shared the fete blog post locally, I had a few visitors who came over especially to see me, which was lovely. But overall, I don’t think I had stuff that made people spontaneously decide to splurge. Eeh, I don’t know! It was a learning experience, and I’ve even had interest off the back of it, so that’s good. Exposure innit!? I hadn’t considered that that could happen.

Ottery Pixies

And in the interests of sharing all that I do (not just the stuff that makes me feel pleased with myself), here are some cheeky pixies!

Er, yep, I made these cheeky, embroidered pixies!

I have no idea what was going on in my brain. A bit cutesy, aren’t they?! At least they make me laugh, and that can only be a good thing! What you must do is go and look up Pixie Day in Ottery (try wikipedia too). It’s another tradition here, in town, alongside the more famous Tar Barrels. The local kids from scouts, guides, beavers, etc., run around the town dressed up as pixies for Midsummer. It’s a long story, but a fun one.

Anyway, I’m off to do some stitching now. The sewing machine is calling me this week. This morning I drove to Exmouth to go to a closing-down sale at a fabric shop. I spent so long choosing that I didn’t have time to go to the other fabric shop (probably a good thing; I’ve spent all my pocket money).

I’ve linked up to…

Summer Fete Fun!

July 7, 2016March 2, 2026crochet22 Comments

Crafted Items To Sell

For four weeks, I’ve been making, sewing and crocheting. OK, I know I always make things, but this time I’ve been making things with a specific purpose. A month ago I was asked if I fancied having a craft stall at the school’s summer fete. I thought “why not?” Hopefully I’ll get to sell a few things and help towards raising money for the school. Sounds alright. I enjoyed doing a similar thing last Christmas. That was my first time doing such a thing and I found out that I really enjoyed myself!

My main concern this time is that I have no idea about the kind of things people might like at this time of year. Christmas is easy, as everyone is always up for buying a new festive decoration (or two) for the tree. Summer? Not got a clue. I might have misjudged this but I’ve gone for a little bit of everything. It’s a learning experience and I’ll find out a lot, I’m sure.

I’ve said previously that I don’t think this is the sort of event for selling baby blankets but I’m taking some anyway. You never know. By the way, these blankets have been made over a period of a few months, not just churned out in the last four weeks!

Decorative Felt Brooches and Keyrings

There will be loads of felt designs. They’re all my own designs. I’ve got either brooches or keyrings. I think the owls are my favourite.. or the bedazzled fish. And the cats! The cherries look fabulously kitsch! I think I love them all.

I’ve got some random makes too. Leftovers from playing/experimenting. I really like the crochet rose brooches with felt leaves. The rose is Attic 24’s May Rose.

Heart Hangers

Speaking of Attic 24, these are the May roses used on a sweet crochet heart. Have a look at the original Heart Hangers for inspiration.

Someone has already asked that I put one of these aside for them so I do hope that that’s a good omen for the rest of them.

Crochet Hairclips

It would appear that I’ve got a thing about these May roses, I’ve used them for hair slides too (not many though, as I know that there is another stall that’ll be there, selling hairclips and I don’t want to tread on any toes ;p ).

For the crochet bows, I started with a pattern from Nicki Trench’s Geek Chic Crochet, but it was too big and took far too long to make a single bow. Iused fewer stitches and used quicker stitches too. For some reason, I find trebles much easier and less fiddly than half trebles. Most of these are made using yarn scraps that were left over from blanket making. There’s a lot of merino stuff, and the pastel coloured ones are a merino yarn mixed with cashmere. It’s lovely stuff to work with.

Crochet Heart Keyrings

Puff hearts are from Planet June. Very cute.

There’s something about a pile of blankets that I love. It’s a good job too. I have a mountain of crochet blankets in my house. And that’s the ones that are here to stay. I’m not going to mention the ones I was supposed to put on Etsy six months ago.

This little crochet ripple blanket will be finished by the weekend. Just in time for the summer fete. There are so many more things I wish I had time to make. It seems that I have just about run out of time. However, I would like to point out that this really isn’t everything that I’ve made over the last month. I might share some other things on Instagram, too. There will be loads more…

You’ll just have to come and see me to find out what else there is. I might look like a misery guts, but I’m honestly not (I do suffer from Bitchy Resting Face though), so if you’re at the school fete in Ottery St Mary this Saturday, come over and say hello! I think it’s 12-3pm. Thanks very much. X