News Update

Good Morning

Lovely bright frosty morning this morning.

This week my daughter gave me her partworks  Crochet collection to finish!! hmm to start really….. she only had 3 squares started, so that has been this weeks work to try to get it up to date, unfortunately there are 71 issues so far, I have managed to get 32 squares finished. It makes a change for me to follow someone else instructions, I am enjoying making them. It gives me an opportunity to see how other people write their instructions and to try different yarns, I don’t like the acrylic yarn that has come with the instructions as much as Stylecraft’s Special DK.

Stylecraft is so much softer.

Website news

We have been very busy building a new website and organising a shop to sell downloads.

I hope that this will be ready soon. I was very surprised at how many designs I have actually done, all of them need to be added to the new products pages.

Oh joy, that is my job and I am so slow at adding things. I have to check and double check and I still get it wrong…….  🙁

New Doll

Wisteria, a new doll is now ready for selling these are the colours that I have used for her.

Emperor, Wisteria, Soft Peach, Mocha and Lime, these colours are available in my wool store Wool to Your Door

Stylecraft Special Double Knitting is £1.70 a ball

Her pattern is available for sale as a PDF Pattern on Etsy and costs £2.40


New Blanket

Update on my new blanket it has been slow progress. So far I have 4 panels finished, the last panel has taken a while to do because I have worked from a chart.

This needed to be entered into a graph so that you will be able to follow the pattern. Another process for me to learn.

I think that I may do 6 panels, the next one I plan to start today, because Phil is out this evening.

Pattern editing awaits, I must not procrastinate any longer, I could stop here blogging it is much easier.

Happy crocheting

Ali xxx

Catching up and bead weaving

Good morning,

Well, it is for the moment the sun was shining this morning.

My bead weaving workshop at Cleveland Lace Guild seemed to go very well last Saturday.

Unfortunately I forgot to take my mobile phone so could not take any photos, I have been to that group for some time teaching all sorts of things, crochet flowers, hardanger embroidery, hairpin crochet to name a few.

The next one is in January next year and is to be tatting,
I think that this one will be a challenge because it takes a while for most people to understand how the stitch is made.

My crochet work this week has been to catch up with Fridas Flowers,
the Stylecraft CAL, before todays final part is issued, I made it, I just have 2 pieces to add, they are ready to join so that tonight I will be able to start the borders.

I may not be able to get my blog done next week because we are getting a new bathroom and downstairs toilet, it may depend on when they need the electricity turning off. So please bear with me I will write one when I can.

My jobs for today are ironing yuk.......  and sorting out 2 of my craft drawers.

I guess I will find lots of things that I have filed away and forgotten about.

I am also being at home incase I have to pick up my Grandson from his school trip they are going to the beach and he does not like the sand.

And finally I might get a bit more of the garden pulled out if it doesn't rain later.



I hope you all have a lovely day

Ali xxx

Flowers, Hooks and Dyes

Good morning,

Lovely start to the weather this morning,.

Flowers

I have been working on Stylecrafts Fridas Flower CAL this week and I am really enjoying working the flowers.
Working in the Classique cotton is lovely, I have had this cotton in stock for a while but have not used it much.

Bags

I have also been crocheting some more bags to use up oddments of No.10  and 5 crochet cotton.

Hooks

I thought it might be a good time to show you some crochet hooks

These hooks are all supposed to be the same size, they are 3.50

As you can see they all vary a little and this can change your tension if what you are making needs a good tension. I always make a note of the hook size and the colour and make of a hook when heaven forbid I store something away for a while. 

I am afraid that this happens a lot when I have a designing head on and I need to get the idea down on paper unfortunately I can't draw out a plan I have to work on the idea to see if it works. 

Dyeing

Now I am going to show you may latest goodies, I can hear my husband groaning in the background, here goes another fad.......

I am nearly ready to start dyeing my yarns, here is the latest haul.

Cooker, yes, stock pots, yes, dyeing stuff?, yes, not quite sure what they all are yet, books of instructions, yes, yarn to dye, yes.  Hurrah,  just need a good day to set up outside to start my witches brews.

One of the books is to show me which flowers to grow in the garden to use for dyeing, I am not much of a gardener either, but next year I may give it a go as well..

Not this morning though,

I need to finish my bookkeeping and I have to get some sewing done on the machine, I hate shortening trousers and skirts, I wish I was taller...

Have a lovely day

Ali xxx

Center Parcs, bag update and more wool

Good Morning

I am sorry I forgot to add a link to the Ravelry April flower last week
Here it is April Flower 

The reason was that we were away with our Grandsons at Center Parcs, Whinfell forest.

We all had a super time and the weather was pretty good they only got caught in a downpour once...

I managed to get lots of crochet time and this week have finally managed to finish my Lilypond blanket from Stylecraft. It has only taken me a year, I did not enjoy the start but have loved the last squares and the border.

Todays project is to try and finish the bag that I started a few weeks ago, I am adding the lining and going to do the final touches.

This week has also been finishing the stocktaking and tiding the workroom which always seems to be a never ending job. I don't know why, perhaps I have too many hobbies as well as the crochet designing and teaching. I bought a new sewing machine and have not had chance to try it yet. Maybe tomorrow with a bit of luck.

I really wish that I could keep it like this, but there is no chance, a new load of wool is expected some time this week and I can't show you the back bedroom, it is full of the yarns I need to sell on Ebay.

Oh no its just arrived, Tuffnells wagon has stopped outside.

Have a happy day

Alison xxx

Lovely sky and lots more wool

Hello

What a lovely sky we were treated to this morning, it is still really windy and quite cold as well. I took my Grandson to school and the wind was blowing across the school field Brrrr.

The sky though was amazing

I have just received some new wool supplies ready for Birmingham in March

Just hope we don't need to use the spare room before then, my Grandson said "more wool Gran you have got lots already why do you need more", well, we can never have enough can we?

I have packed some of the bags already

Just a few Bright blanket and Mandala cushion

Todays free flower pattern is for a loopy flower

Materials Required

Double knitting yarn and 4.00 hook

1. 2ch., work 10dc. in 2nd ch. from hook, ss. to join in 1st dc.
2. 1ch., 2dc. in same place as ss., * 8ch., 2dc. in next st., rep. from * ending 8ch., ss. in 1st dc. and into next dc.,
3. Work 12dc. into 1st loop, * 12dc. in next loop, rep from * to end, ss. in 1st dc. Fasten off.

©Ali Crafts Designs
January 2016

This pattern is the property of A Walker and is an original design

Please do not copy the patterns for friends, or use for teaching or post on any website on the internet, this infringes copyright laws. Thank you. You may link to my site via www.alicraftsdesigns.co.uk

Click here for a PDF download version

I hope you enjoy making this one
Alison xx

Crochet A Long Yarn Packs

I have yarn packs available for the March crochet a long on Etsy.

They cost £11.90 each plus postage  £3.30

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/265664647/crochet-a-long-packs-of-stylecraft?ref=shop_home_active_1

If you would like different colours please let me know and I can vary the packs for the same price.

Thanks
Alison x

CAL crochet along

CAL CROCHET A LONG FOR 2016

I am in the process of developing a crochet a long for a blanket this year, its going to be a mystery because I don't know yet where it is going to finish.

I am using the following colours 

I will be selling the yarn in my ETSY shop soon

Stylecraft special Double knitting yarn in 6 colours, 

2 x A, cream and 1 x 100grams of B, stone C, copper D, mocha E. parchment, F. colour to follow I don't like the camel in the picture it isn't right with the others

4.50 hook

You can also email me if you would like different colours I stock most of the colours of Stylecraft special double knitting yarn

ali.crafts@ntlworld.com

It is going to be granny square based so that beginners will hopefully enjoy the experience of learning something new.

There will also be more challenging squares for experienced crocheters as well.

The CAL starts the 1st of March and will be one square a month they are only small squares so I may ask you to make more of each one during the month, just a bit of homework.

This is a free to join CAL and will be available here and my website and Ravelry

Looking forward to the challenge...

Please drop me a message by email so that I can let you know when the next instalment is ready

Alison xxx

Springtime in Paris progress

Hello,

I started this blanket a while ago so I thought I would update you with the progress.  I blogged about our trip to Paris in April, which you can read about here.

This is mile a minute style blanket is worked in strips.  The colours were inspired by the photograph of tulips in Paris.

I am also busy getting prepared for the Hobbycrafts show at the NEC in Birmingham in November this year.  Last year woolpacks were very popular so I have ordered a little more wool than normal.  Where do you keep 500 more balls of wool?

You can also buy wool packs online if you can't make the show.  Bright Blanket available in three colour ways but please contact me if you want different colours.  Seaton Blanket also available in threes different colour ways.

Seaton Blanket

Happy Crocheting,

Alison x

Introducing Seaton Blanket Crochet Kits

Hello,

I am finally recovered from my horrible cough, which I have had over the past few weeks.  We did have a lovely family holiday at Centre Parcs, where I managed to do a little bit of crocheting and photography amongst all the activities.

Seaton blanket crochet packs are now available on Etsy.  They are £10 plus £3 postage in the UK, but if you live outside the UK and would like one please email me, ali.crafts@ntlworld.com.

The packs are available in three different colour ways. You get 6 balls of Stylecraft Special Yarn plus the free Seaton Blanket pattern.  I have loved making this blanket as it was a very interesting project, starting from a photograph my husband took to choosing the colours.

This is the Seaton Blue colour way.

Choosing different colours ways....

Above is the Seaton pastels colour way.

Above is the Seaton Green colour way.

More patterns available in my Etsy store.

Hope you enjoy,

Alison

Sewing for Pleasure Show 2015

Hello,

We have had a fantastic weekend at the Sewing For Pleasure show at the Birmingham NEC. I love having a stand at this show but it takes a lot of preparation and organisation. I always forget to pack something...this year it was my step stool.

It was lovely to see so many returning costumers from previous years shows and hearing about their completed projects from my patterns.  If you have made any of my patterns I would love to see a photo and if you don't mind put up on my pinterest site.  

Getting unpacked....

Stand D22, I was pleased with how colourful the stand was this year....

Wool kits were a very big seller this year.

Thank you,
Alison x

New pattern tag baby blanket

I have just put a new pdf pattern onto my Etsy shop...Tag Blanket 

This is a textured blanket approx. 30cm square. You can add as many tags along the side of the blanket as you want.

I used double knitting yarn, the stripy blanket is Stylecraft Merry go round which is really effective.

There is a choice of eight different tags that you can add to your blanket.

Happy Crocheting, Alison