Freebie Friday, the next crochet flower for your sneaker makeover – Viola

Hi my yarn loving friends, how are you?

What have you been making to keep you out of the sun and excuse you from the gardening?  Need another excuse to make pretty things?  Well……………… today is Friday and what better way to celebrate than with a new pair of shoes?  Almost!

Meet Viola, she is a little bolder than her little sister Vi, but not quite as loud as her big sis Violet!

A new crochet pattern for your sneaker makeover – Poppy

Hello :)

I hope you have been enjoying the weather and that some of you have had the chance to crochet yourself some flowers for your hi top shoes.  As promised I have another freebie for you this week.

Poppy

To make Poppy, you will need:

3mm crochet hook, 4ply cotton yarn and two 2.5cm buttons, sewing needle and thread.

Finished measurement – 5.5cm diameter

Start hookin’ here….

Using 3mm hook and 4ply yarn, Ch10, join into a ring with a sl st into first ch.

Round 1: Ch1, 15dc into ring, close with a sl st to beg ch1

Round 2: Ch4, *1tr into next dc, ch1; rep from * 15 times, sl st into fourth ch of beg ch4

Round 3: Ch1, *1dc into ch1 space, 1dc into top of tr; rep from * 15 times, ch1, sl st into top of beg ch1.

Fasten off, darn in ends and block if desired.  Simply pop over the button to secure onto the shoe.

The pattern is written in UK crochet terms.

You can find the step by step photo tutorial for Vi here..

As always I would LOVE to see your finished projects on my Facebook page.

Where the heart is

Another summer weekend, another summer festival, and as Jane and I enjoy watching ‘The Pixies’ live at T in the Park, we both have a sense of achievement.

Starburst Bracelet Advanced Loom skillz!

Firstly, I have completed my second loom band. The first basic, the second an ‘advanced’ Starburst Bracelet! Katie was relieved, I think I may have annoyed her with my failed attempts, but the final result was somewhat fantastic (I say so myself, and that’s all!).

Perhaps more importantly, Jane has responded to her fans and published one of her own patterns for sale.

Home is ‘Where the heart is‘, and so this lovely faux fair isle cushion cover will make a charming addition to anyone’s home

You can view it, along with a selection of other patterns in the shop which has links to Ravelry for purchasing.

Please have a ‘mooch’, and let us know if there are any other patterns Jane has created that you’d like to see available to buy.

As always, please also share your creations on her Facebook page, or via Twitter!

How to make cute ‘Converse’ style crochet flowers for your sneakers – tutorial

So you have a pair of hi top shoes that are in need of a little personality.  If you have a spare 30 minutes you can make yourself some interchangeable embellishments for your shoes.  These lovelies simply button onto your existing shoes, so when you fancy a change of style you simply button on another crochet cutie.

These little flowers are quick and simple to make and the tutorial will guide you through the steps with a few pointers.  Need a closer look at the action?  Click in the image for a close up view.  By the way, this tutorial is written in UK Crochet Terms.

For those of you just looking for the concise pattern,  it is at the bottom of the post.

You will need

Flanders Fields, Get Knitting and support The Royal British Legion

In this months issue, Let’s Knit magazine is commemorating the 100th Anniversary of World War I by supporting The Royal British Legion. The cover mounted kit comes with two exclusive patterns created by Jane.

‘Flanders Fields’ is a vintage style tea cosy with a poppy motif. The pattern includes instructions for both intarsia or swiss-darning the motif.

Flanders Fields and Poppy Brooches

The second pattern uses the remaining yarn to create two poppies with which to make commemorative brooches.

With the hot weather it seems like November is far away, but it’s not too early to get prepared. Please do knit the patterns and perhaps sell them in support of The Royal British Legion.

Mother’s Love, and other feelings

It seems that I’m not the only one impressed by Jane’s creative talents. This month’s Let’s Knit Magazine features three of Janes patterns, and one in particular has taken the fancy of  its editor, Sarah Neal!

“Mother’s Love” is an easy to knit headband, and Sarah has been so taken with it that further to modelling it with her own daughter, she’s made three of her own since :)

Mother’s Love

I don’t really need to say much more about it, other than to thank Sarah and her daughter for being such wonderful models. You can also read Sarah’s blog to find out how she got on with alternative yarns. Spoiler alert – one of her uses for the headband is for ‘bad hair days’. I have shoulder length hair so I experience this myself. However, I’ve been confused for a lady too often and I’m not sure wearing a headband would do much to disprove such first impressions. Although I do have a man-bag, but that’s not helping my cause is it?

Talking of bags (smoooooth!) Jane has another pattern in the same issue. “Felt Fantastic” uses Rico Creativ Filz and is machine-washed to transform your knitting into a sturdy, stylish fabric.

Felt Fantastic

The science nerd in me loves the felting effect, and trying to make sure your design comes out to the right size involves some fun maths. The beauty of buying the magazine is you don’t have to worry about this so long as you check your tension gauge, something I’m absolutely certain every knitter does before every project with new yarn. Am I right? ;)

Issue 82 of Let’s Knit Magazine August 2014 is available to download here and please do remember to share your creations with us in the comments, on Twitter or Facebook