Crochet Heart Tutorial

06 Thursday Feb 2014

Posted by Natasja in My ramblings, Other people's crochet, Photo Tutorial

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PatternPiper published the sweetest crochet heart tutorial on her blog. It’s the perfect Valentines Day project. Don’t forget that I am giving 14% off on pink, red and white yarn in my Etsy shop with the code 14LOVE.

PatternPiper.Com

Do you like my crochet heart garland?

I’ve been wanting to make one for a while but have always found hearts a bit tricky!
I like to try and figure crochet out for myself. I love admiring other people’s work and I will make things from the lovely patterns from my Simply Crochet magazine subscription. But I figure that if I want to sell my crochet makes then they should be a PatternPiper original – including the pattern.

I know that there are similar crochet hearts out there, but I can honestly say that I worked out this dinky little heart pattern all by myself and haven’t referred to any other patterns or tutorials.

So, here is my first attempt at writing a tutorial – it’s blumin hard work don’t you know! I’ve probably gone into far too much detail, but I’m a self taught crocheter and I wanted to…

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Shortlisted for National UK Blog Awards

03 Monday Feb 2014

Posted by Natasja in My ramblings

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#ukba14, blog award

I woke up this morning to an email from the National UK Blog Awards 2014 telling me that this blog has been shortlisted in the Arts & Crafts category! Whoo-hoo! What a way to start a Monday?!

I’m so extremely happy and grateful to each and every one of you who took the time to vote for my blog. Getting shortlisted can only happen if the public voted for you – no amount of smooching judges or even luck, can make it happen: you guys voted for crochet and made it happen! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

So what’s next? The ten blogs in each category will by judged by industry experts from 4 to 24 February. In the Arts & Culture category those experts are Claire Barlow, Regional Manager at Arts & Business North West and Richard Moss, Editor at Culture24.

Below are the other nine blogs in my category. They cover really interesting topics ranging from urban culture, to unsung musical heroes to Victorian literature. I’ve already signed up to follow two of the blogs. (Before you ask, no it has nothing to do with “keep your friends close and your enemies closer”, the blogs are just really interesting. Honest!)

The Secret Victorianist http://www.secretvictorianist.com
The Glamour Cave http://theglamourcave.blogspot.co.uk/
Sci-Fi Drama Queen http://www.scifidramaqueen.com
The Taylor Trash http://www.thetaylortrash.com
Simon’s 10 Q Interviews http://www.simonduringer.com/blog/
Interesting Literature: A Library of Literary Interestingnesshttp://interestingliterature.com/
Skyliner http://www.theskyliner.org
The Music Manual http://laurenmusicmanual.blogspot.co.uk
Urban Kultur Blog http://www.urbankulturblog.com

Good luck to you all, fellow shortlisters. I know it’s corny and lame but I’m going to say it anyway: I think it’s a huge deal and great accomplishment just to be shortlisted. Well done everyone!

Sale on Valentines Day shades

01 Saturday Feb 2014

Posted by Natasja in My ramblings

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etsy discount, Valentines Day, yarn sale

I have a Valentines Day gift for you! It’s not chocolates, it’s not a card or flowers, it’s what I know you want: cheap yarn!

From 1 to 16 February I’m giving you 14% discount on white, pink and red yarn in my Etsy shop with the code LOVE14. A ball of beautiful hand dyed cotton yarn will cost you £3.01 in stead of £3.50. £3.01 is a funny price, but 14% is a funny discount too. And just to make it even more ~~weird~~ ~~crazy~~ unique I thought I’d extend the discount two days past Valentines Day because… well, just because I can. Why be normal right?

Valentines Day yarn sale

Just type in the code LOVE14 on the check out page and I’ll get your yarn to you in the flashiest of flashes so you have enough time to whip up something LOVEly.

You could make a heart-shaped cushion like the one I made as a photography prop for Delia McDonagh Photography, or a Valentines Day coaster. The coaster is available on Bella Dia’s blog here, and the cushion is a great pattern by FreshStitches available here. I made the heart-shaped coaster for John four Valentines Days ago, and he still uses it.

Will you be crocheting something for someone special this Valentines Day? I think crocheted gifts for a man for Valentines Day is quite tricky. The best I could come up with was that heart-shaped coaster. That was four years ago. Nothing else comes to mind. Can you think of something manly and heart-shaped to crochet? If you do, please let me know!

A few essentials from Hobbycraft

30 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by Natasja in My ramblings

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I’ve been bitten by the Hobbycraft bug. Big time. If you live in the UK and read this blog, chances are you have visited a branch of Hobbycraft – the super store for crafters and hobbyists. I sincerely hope my US and other non-UK readers have something similar where you live, because it’s great! These shops are the Promised Land for anyone with a hobby. Hobbies obviously include crochet and knitting, which means yarn! It was for a ball of white yarn that I popped into the Basingstoke branch of Hobbycraft on Saturday. Just one ball of yarn. That’s all I needed…

This is what I went away with:

hobbycraft

If you see the size and range of goodies available in Hobbycraft, my teeny shopping spree is quite an achievement. No, really it is!

I bought three balls of white Hayfield Bonus to use for the Crochet For Kidneys Part II blankets – at 3 for 2 I would be stupid to only buy one; white foam roses to use to decorate the parcels of yarns for Etsy customers; three rolls of crosgrain ribbbon just because it’s pretty – and at 3 for 2 I would be stupid to only buy one; tapestry needles to weave away yarn ends because our sofa eats needles; and tiny gnomes just because. More about the gnomes later.

The 3 for 2 deal on yarn is really good value for money. That’s for all yarn. I only later realised that you also receive a free pair of crochet hooks when you buy Boodles yarn. How cool is that? Boodles is a T-shirt yarn which comes in balls, or should that be cones, of 450g. It’s is also part of the 3 for 2 so that’s an even greater saving. I think the reason I didn’t see it in the shop is because it was probably sold out. One day I’m going to crochet a rug with T-shirt yarn and when I do, I’ll buy (oodles of) Boodles yarn at Hobbycraft.

If you don’t have a branch of Hobbycraft near you, you can buy your crafty bits online. They offer free delivery on orders over £30, free returns, student get 10% discount and when you sign up for their craft club, you get a once-off 15% discount.

Now for those “just because” gnomes. I found them in the doll house aisle. They’re just so cute with their bright hats, pretty dresses and friendly little faces.

hobbycraft doll house gnomes At the moment my four teeny tiny gnomes are still packaged up, lying on my bedside table because I can’t decide what to do with them. I think of them as tiny gnomes, but they’re actually wibbly wobbly dolls. That’s an even better description!

Do you have any ideas of what I can do with them? I did think of sticking them onto the top of my PC monitor at work… or I could put them in the potplant in my crochet corner. They’ll look cute stuck to the fridge door too. I think the problem is there are too many ways to use them, so in stead of doing something with them, I’m doing nothing with them. But. They’re. So. Cute!

If you also get the Hobbycraft bug, please leave me a comment. I dare you to walk out / check out with only what you needed. There’s no way that you won’t be tempted by something cute and crafty “just because”. It’s the Hobbycraft way.

An invitation and a Facebook group

22 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by Natasja in Crochet For Kidneys, My ramblings, Part 2

≈ 8 Comments

You are hereby invited to join me on Friday 7 February 2014 for two hours of hexagon joining!

Invitation 7 feb

Our day of joining the hexagons is getting closer! We are going to invade the Court Farm Garden Centre cafe for two hours of crocheting. The garden centre’s “official” address is Worcester Park but the closest train station is Tolworth. Have a look at their website here: http://www.courtfarm.uk.com/Home/CoffeeShop.

The cafe manager said that it would be fine for us to sit there for 2 hours as long as we eat and drink something. They have a great menu at very reasonable prices and do fantastic coffee so I’m sure finding something to eat and drink won’t be a problem. We could even do brunch!

Please RSVP before 1 February so that I can book a table. In case you’re wondering about the joining of the hexagons, Jane Czaja will be there to show us how to do it

I really hope you can make it!!

If you have been making hexagons for Crochet For Kidneys Part II, but can’t join us on the 7th of February, you can share your photos on the newly created Facebook Group!!!!!!!!!! Just click here to find the group or search for “Crochet For Kidneys”. I only had the brainwave to create a Group a few minutes ago so it’s still very new and only consists of three members…. I will add photos of the blankets from Crochet For Kidneys Part I and photos of the beautiful hexagons received so far, this evening.
Please use the group to share your hexagons and blankets with the rest of us. I will also use it to pass on information.

By the way, I received four parcels of hexagons today (Yeah!!!) and I started joining up hexagons on the train to work this morning. The blankets are literally taking shape

I love wrapping yarn parcels

18 Saturday Jan 2014

Posted by Natasja in My ramblings

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pom-poms, wrapping

I’m super excited this morning. I spent my whole morning wrapping parcels of yarn for six ladies who purchased Vinnis hand dyed cotton yarn in my Etsy shop. They read Wink’s yarn review and took advantage of the 10% discount code. I was thrilled every time a new order came through! It gives me such a happy buzz to share my beautiful yarn with others. The ladies live in the United States or Canada. One is from Honolulu!!! That REALLY gives me a thrill! South African made yarn, sold by a Brit, to Americans. How cool is that?!

The ladies put together the most beautiful colour combinations. I had to do their great taste justice, so I got out colourful pompoms (which I made last night in front of the TV with my Clover pompom maker), tissue paper and washi tape.

Check out my very sophisticated, purpose-built packaging station – the carpet in the study :-p

Man, I loooooove washi tape! You can write little messages to your buyers!

Stripes, pompoms and bright colours. Can you ever have enough?!

Six parcels wrapped and addressed, so it’s time to go to our village post office.

Now all I have to do is wait for Mr. Postman to deliver the balls of colour to my new customers. Ladies, if you’re reading this, I sincerely hope you enjoy your yarn as much as I did sending it to you.

There are still four 10% discount codes up for grabs if you too want to buy some yarn. Just hop on over to Wink’s blog here.

Review of Vinnis yarn and a discount

16 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by Natasja in My ramblings

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etsy discount, Vinnis Colours, yarn review

The very talented, lovely, creative being that is Winkieflash, did a review of Vinnis Colours cotton yarn over on her blog. Her verdict? She likey!

Have a look here to read her review and find the 10% discount code for the first 10 people to buy from my Etsy shop. You have to be quick though – I’ve already had ~~three~~ six orders in the 2 4.5 hours since Wink published the review on her blog!

I’m so happy that someone as talented as Wink thinks highly of the yarn. I can go on about the beautiful colours, the soft feel, the likeability of the yarn but when a professional crocheter, master blogger and pattern designer like Wink says it’s good, you know it is!

Voting still open for The National UK Blog Awards 2014

15 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by Natasja in My ramblings

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#ukba14, Blogging

I’ve been looking at my diary this morning and I realise that it’s the fifteenth of January! We’re more than two weeks into 2014! That’s crazy! It seems like only yesterday that I kicked of Crochet For Kidneys Part II, yet our day of joining up the hexagons is only 22 days and 22 hours away. (Speaking of the 7th of February – I will give you all more information of our get together in Surrey once the venue is booked.)

The other thing I’m counting down to is the National UK Blog Awards. I told you about the blog awards and my nomination on 18 December. Public voting closes on 26 January, which means there is just over a week left for you to vote for my crochet blog – the only crochet blog nominated.

I’ve been getting more blog followers on bloglovin lately – hi guys!!! – so I thought I’d do a quick “remember to vote for me please” post in case my lovely new followers didn’t know about the blog awards. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink….

To vote, go to this link: http://www.blogawardsuk.co.uk/blog-entries/crochetime/. Press vote, fill out a quick form which includes your name and email address and in return, you will receive a free Blogging eBook – and I’ll have one more vote. You can also click on the picture below, or to the right of my blog.

I will be very, very, very grateful if would vote for crocheTime. Pretty please. Let’s get a crochet blog in the finals!!!!

Crochet Mood Blanket 2014 update

13 Monday Jan 2014

Posted by Natasja in My crochet, My ramblings

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#crochetmoodblanket2014, crochet blanket, crochetalong

Are you making a Mood Blanket? Have you joined the more than 2400 people from across the world in this year-long crochet along? It’s a great crochet along!

There seems to be a couple of interpretations of what the Mood Blanket is. Most people are doing it the way I am: you crochet a block, a hexagon or a row a day / once a week using a colour that represents your mood on that day (thereby giving you 365 or 52 of each). Most people are also using join-as-you-go because there’s no need to keep a pile of your motifs if the whole point is that the placement of the motifs have been determined by the day of the year it was crocheted on.

Some people not only use a shade of yarn to represent their mood, but also a different pattern, and others are crocheting whatever they want just “as the mood takes them”. People are crocheting ahead as well (that’s a bit strange.) Some people are making traditional granny squares, using a different mood-inspired coloured for each round to show how their mood changed throughout the day. “Mood Blanket” is definitely open to intepretation.

For me, it’s just a plain and simple exercise: I have six main moods so I have six colours. At the end of the day, usually after the washing up has been done and I’m in my PJ’s in front of the TV, I reflect on my day and choose a colour. My squares need to be 9cm so I only have four rounds of Lacy Cross to crochet. It’s quick and easy. By doing join-as-you-go, I can see how my blanket is growing each day.

Here is a photo I took on Friday to show you the first 10 mood blanket squares.

crochet mood blanket

I really love this way of making a blanket. No pressure. No rush. No worrying about colour placement. I have a year to make this blanket and the only thing I have to do, is reflect on my day to determine the colour.

I love my Mood Blanket!

Crochet in the office

09 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by Natasja in My crochet, My ramblings

≈ 3 Comments

In November 2013 I started a craft group at the office. We meet every Thursday from 12:30 to 13:30 in a meeting room. Meeting rooms are usually reserved for client meetings, internal meetings of lawyers, training, seminars and the like….now it also hosts crocheters and knitters.

Conference phone + crocheted hexagons = my kind of office.

Meeting rooms always have water, coffee and tea. We like that.

It’s really one of the highlights of my week: I leave my desk for a full hour, walk up a flight of stairs and enter a room where I can be my True Self, crochet hook and yarn in hand. It’s also nice to know that there are others in the building who also get excited about yarn, spend hours on Ravelry and know what a crochetalong or “frogging” is. Makes me feel less like The Crochet Anomaly PA.

As you can see I’m working on my Crochet For Kidneys Part II hexagons using the Hexagons In Bloom pattern. I’m absolutely loving these hexagons. The blankets are going to be so pretty when everyone’s hexies are put together! We can go absolutely crazy with the colours, as long as the last round is white because the white will pull everything together. I love that! Colour is good, but more colour is better.

To give you an update on the hexagons, I can tell you that I’ve received three envelopes stuffed thick with hexagons. I will open, photograph and blog about them this weekend. I keep the packets closed until it’s time to take the photos on a sunny afternoon, over the weekend. I let them pile up in the week and then pounce as soon as the first ray of sunshine hits the living room. It feels a bit like Christmas every time.

Now I have to stop blogging and do some work. One day crochet will be my work, but until then I’m at the beck and call of the lawyers who pay my salary, or as I like to think of it, gives me money to pay the bills and most importantly, crochet supplies.