Podcasts about crochet now

Vanessa Vargas Wilson, known as the Crafty Gemini, is an award winning quilter, designer and online content creator. She is known mostly for her clear and concise instructional YouTube videos. Her channel, TheCraftyGemini has over 647,000 subscribers and her tutorials have been viewed 67 million+ times worldwide. A law professor turned entrepreneur, Vanessa now shares her lifestyle and DIY skills with a global audience via the web. She teaches viewers how to do everything from sewing clothes, handbags and quilts to organic gardening, cooking and baking. Her work has been featured on ABC's 20/20, the New York Times, ABC World News, Fox News Latino, Parents Latina, Modern Patchwork and Quiltfolk. She has also been a guest instructor on the PBS crafting shows It's Sew Easy, Sew It All and Knit & Crochet Now! Vanessa is a first-generation American and a native Spanish speaker. She earned her B.A. and Juris Doctor from the University of Florida. Today she lives on a 5-acre organic homestead in rural North Central Florida with her husband, two children, a bunch of cows, sheep and free range chickens.Coupon code SAVE10 for $10 off an individual or club membership, Code valid through the month of January. https://craftygemini.com/Follow Vanessa: https://www.facebook.com/CraftyGemini/https://www.instagram.com/craftygemini/?hl=enhttps://www.youtube.com/user/TheCraftyGeminihttps://www.pinterest.com/craftygemini/New this year in 2023: THIRSTY THURSDAY - Behind the scenes content to get to know us and our guests on a more personal level. So grab your drink of choice and join us over on Patreon every Thursday for some tea. https://www.patreon.com/thesewcialhourpodcastJoin us next Tuesday as the hosts chat about Loving Your Sewing Space!Follow The Hosts:  Ashley: https://linktr.ee/charmedbyashleyBethany: https://linktr.ee/CraftwithbethanySupport the show - https://www.patreon.com/thesewcialhourpodcast Support the show

It's the last episode of 2020! We're both feeling a little bit festive and excited to be chatting. Alyson has made some very solid progress on her 2020 Mood scarf and Vivian has started another gorgeous Sagitta shawl. And we both have FOs of our designs to share. Alyson can finally talk about her first ever magazine commission; it's the George Street Jumper for Crochet Now. And Vivian designed a super cute colorwork hat pattern. Links to things we mention: Buzzfeed Quiz Comfort Zone Poncho by Espace Tricot [Ravelry] Paloma Sweater by Espace Tricot [Ravelry] Sagitta Shawl by Amanda Scheuzger [Ravelry] Blurred Lines Sweater by Deanne Ramsay [Ravelry] Craftsy continental knitting course Support and follow us: Instagram Etsy Our Website Buy KCACY merch Buy us a Ko-fi Theme music: Carpe Diem Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

It's the last episode of 2020! We're both feeling a little bit festive and excited to be chatting. Alyson has made some very solid progress on her 2020 Mood scarf and Vivian has started another gorgeous Sagitta shawl. And we both have FOs of our designs to share. Alyson can finally talk about her first ever magazine commission; it's the George Street Jumper for Crochet Now. And Vivian designed a super cute colorwork hat pattern.   Links to things we mention: Buzzfeed Quiz Strawberry Shortcake Top by Natalie McHayle [Ravelry] Aleï Wrap by Berangere Cailliau [Ravelry] Sagitta Shawl by Amanda Scheuzger [Ravelry] George Street Jumper by Alyson (in Crochet Now) Night Blooms Hat by Espace Tricot [Ravelry] Florence by A. Opie Designs [Ravelry] Hello Goodbye Hat by Vivian Just Float by Stephanie Lotven [Ravelry] Support and follow us: Instagram Etsy Our Website Buy KCACY merch Buy us a Ko-fi Theme music: Carpe Diem Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/kcacypodcast ETSY: http://pearlandplum.etsy.com WEBSITE: http://kcacypodcast.wordpress.com Buy KCACY merch: https://teespring.com/stores/alyson-chu-designs Support the show: http://ko-fi.com/kcacypodcast Theme music: Carpe Diem Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License https://bit.ly/1b8Hyff 

Welcome to the first episode of the Wool Pack podcast, with Jenny from Crochet Now magazine, Joanna from Your Crochet & Knitting magazine and Kate from Knit Now magazine. This is where we chat about all things warm and woolly. In this episode, we learn that Jenny hasn't met many babies, Kate appreciates you all very deeply and Jo has had enough of not being able to feel her thighs. instagram.com/thewool.pack/ twitter.com/the_wool_pack

The podcast is sponsored by; The Workroom Channel   Scarlet Thread Consulting   The WCAA   Kristin Nicholas is an all-around creative artist who works with paint, yarn thread, fabric, clay and more.  Throughout her work, her love of color and pattern is the cohesive element that gives the definitive style to her interior decoration, paintings, ceramics and needlework.  Kristin is an avid gardner and her love of flowers and nature inspires much of her work.  She lives on Leyden Glen Farm, a working sheep farm in Western Massachusetts with her husband Mark and daughter Julia.   Kristin was the creative director of a yarn company for sixteen years.  She has appeared on PBS's Knit and Crochet Now! for many seasons and has appeared on Martha Stewart TV and many DIY television shows.  She teaches various subjects online on the Creativebug and Craftsy platforms.  She is the author of numerous books. Links Kristin Nicholas Designs   Kristin Nicholas Designs Facebook  Instagram Paint Magic by Jacosta Innes Apartment Therapy's photo tour of Kristin's home. Kristin's Spoonflower fabrics. Matte Ipad Pro screen protector Apple Pencil The Perfect English Townhouse by Ros Byam Shaw Ben Pentreath Blog

Welcome to The Crochet Circle Podcast and the show notes for Episode 23 - I blinked and it was December.   In this episode, I cover: Quick news beats; Old dog, new tricks; FOs; WIPs; Feeding the habit and What's good?   This podcast is sponsored by my online crafting company, Provenance Craft Co.  Thanks to everyone who tunes into the podcast whether it is through Stitcher, Podbean, Spotify, iTunes or the YouTube Channel. Your support and engagement are really appreciated and makes running a podcast very special and worthwhile.    If you would like to support the podcast, you can do that through Patreon:   1 - Quick news beats #Fridayisdyeday - It was great to see people dyeing on #Fridayisdyeday.  If you are interested in having a go, take a look at the blog post that I pulled together.  #Fridayisdyeday takes place over on Instagram on the last Friday of every month.     If you fancy having a go, it would be great to have you on board.  You don't need to dye, you can simply show off what you are making with indie dyed yarn - it's all about celebrating hand dyed.   We even have a theme tune.  Lyndsey's husband Alan thought he would be cheeky and sing a song all about it and Lyndsey's love of wool.  I have added the video to the end of the podcast.   Global Hook Up - a quick update on this one.  The platform that I was hoping to use was Google Hangouts but it isn't fit for purpose.  I need to find a platform whereby there can be a certain level of interaction and as many people as want to can join in and see what is going on. I'm not quite back to the drawing board on this one because we (Matthew has been in his office doing test calls to me on my laptop in the dining room) have looked at so many platforms.  Some are clunky, some don't do what they promise and some simply can’t offer what they are advertising.  We are now looking at an app called Zoom.  Whilst you do have to download it, it's pretty user friendly and Grace from Babbles travelling yarn podcast is using it for Virtual Knit Nights. My plan is to work this up over the festive period and when I am ready to do a test session, I will pop a thread up in Ravelry giving you all the details for those that want to help with that session.   My sincerest apologies for those of you that were waiting in YouTube for a live broadcast on Saturday 25th November.  I had cancelled it but YouTube had other ideas.     CALs for 2018 - Thank you for all the fab ideas so far.  Keep them coming in.  In the January podcast I will announce what the CALs will be for 2018.    Christmas Eve CAL - Charlie from Love Charlie podcast and I are teaming up together to host the One Skein Wonderland CAL.  You can hook on at 00.01 on the 24th December.  The idea is to look out that special skein of yarn (100g) or maybe you have one coming as a present on the 25th? I have mine already and I am allowed it on the 24th! Woohoo.  Feel free to make a project up with mini skeins if that is what you want to do.  We aren't going to be really strict.  It's more about having a special skein to work from and a quick project that you can fly through during the holidays.   There is a thread on Ravelry so that you can suggest one skein projects.  Thank you for all the suggestions so far.  If you go to The Crochet Circle Group (not forum) in Ravelry, you will see bundles on the right-hand side.  I have added a load of others too, from hats and shawls to toys and market bags.  Any new suggestions to the thread will also be added to the bundle.   We have three prizes for this CAL.  A lovely project bag from Emya handmade, The Accessories Project Book One (signed by Kat and Joanne) and an icing dye kit from Charlie.   Special Skein Competition - I have a quick turnaround competition for you this month.  Gilly from Fjord Fibres has kindly donated a skein of her Norwegian wool blend yarn - it's lush.   The deadline for the competition is going to be Friday 8th December at 12pm, so that I can get the prize into the post early the next week and hopefully the recipient has it for the Christmas Eve hook on.   To enter you must do one of two things but feel free to go for a double entry and do both: 1 - Go to Ravelry and in the thread, say which of Gilly's colourways you would most like to work with and why. 2 - Go to Instagram search for my post on the competition (it will be published at some point on the Friday), make sure you are following Gilly, Charlie and me and comment on what you would make with the skein that is up for grabs.   I will draw a winner through random number generation on Saturday 9th December.  Good luck. Gilly is also offereing readers a 20% discount code in her Etsy store, you just type in CCP20 at check out.     Festive Shoutouts Episode - I hear from a lot of listeners and watchers that the people they live with, be it friends, parents, partners, they have to put up with your love of podcasts.    To give something back, I want to do an extra podcast that will go live on Christmas Eve where I give shoutouts with your messages.  I have run this past a couple of people already and the answer was that this would be well received and a bit of fun.   If you would like me to read something (it can be funny - nicknames are 100% encouraged) out to someone special in your life then go to the Ravelry thread.  I will then record the messages in advance and press publish on Christmas Eve.    I will not be wearing a Christmas outfit but may have a Christmas decoration up, a mince pie in one handy and a cheeky Amaretto in the other.   2 - Old dog, new tricks I have a couple of quickies for you this month.   The first may be known by some of you but I happened across it when I was scrolling through Ravelry the other day.  Quite a while ago Ravelry started asking whether your pattern was in US or UK terminology when you uploaded a new one.  The first time this happened I emailed Ravelry and asked whether they planned to start filtering projects out on terminology.  They said they may do at some point but there were no plans in the near future.   Now, if you start using the filters down the left-hand side when you are searching for patterns, there is a filter quite far down for Crochet Terminology and it is split into UK, US and unknown.  I know that many people struggle with knowing which terminology a pattern is in.  I'm not saying this is fail-safe, but it may help some of you.    The second is all about socks again - I may be obsessed!  I have a load of shop-bought wool and silk-blend socks.  They are threadbare on the soles, toes and back of the heel but the calf and top of the foot is fine.  I hate throwing things out that still have some life in them through a bit of reuse and creative thinking.  I am the kind of girl that will eat a previously unopened yoghurt even if it's a month out of date.  If it smells alright, eat it!   I currently have eight pairs of socks that have worn through and I'm not willing to just pop them in my compost bin.  Instead, I have turned them inside-out and machine sewn them across the bottom of the calf area.  I then cut below the sew line (make sure you cut towards the heel and not towards the cuff).  Turn the sock back out.  Et voila you have a perfect sized pouch for a 100g cake of yarn.  If you do a centre pull cake, you will have a lovely little protective pouch around your yarn that saves it from being dragged along the floor, picking up dust, getting tangled...      It takes just a few minutes to make these up and they are amazing for yarn management and storage in your project bag.  I'll come back to you next month with whatever scheme I dreamt up for the remaining part of my socks.  Now, where's that yoghurt?    3 - Finished Objects  I was vending at Nottingham Yarn Expo in November and the preparation and aftermath of that have really impacted on my crafting times.  I have still managed to whip through some bits and pieces though.   The biggie is my Homebody Sweater designed by Megan Shaimes.  I have added project notes giving all of my measurements, row and stitch counts.  Just go to my projects (MaDashper) and you will see it in there).  I am so chuffed with this jumper.  I fiddled around with the yarn, using 4 ply rather than bulky and came down to a 4.5mm instead of a 6.5mm hook so that I could get a tighter fitted jumper.  I love the way my hand dyed wool turned out.  I was aiming for a proper 80s stone washed denim affect and am really pleased with the outcome.  The jumper only took 281g so I have 210g left over and plan to make a big squishy cowl with it because the Bluefaced Leicester (BFL)/Masham mix is light, airy and oh so warm.    Next up was a very quick make.  Off the back of finishing a jumper and having a deadline cardigan to knit, I wanted a project that I could tackle in a morning.  This mini hot water bottle cover was featured in Issue 21 of Crochet Now and was designed by my friend Helen Eccles. I crocheted it using a beautiful skein of The Little Grey Sheep's Hampshire DK.  It's lovely wool, quite full for a DK and the tonal shifts in the skein are beautiful.  You think it's a solid colour and then you see a little patch of seaweed greeny/brown. All in, this took me about 4 hours to make and it required about 47g of DK using a 4mm hook.     The final bits I have been working on are hand embroidery.  I have started selling embroidery bag kits in the shop which means that I have to make some up to show off.  I really loved choosing which colours would go where.  For me, I got the relaxation of adult colouring with a useful project bag at the end of it.       4 - Works in progress I have one major WIP on the go at the moment - a knitted cardigan.  I've not got much further than the rib and I have to have it finished for Christmas Day...   ...hmmmm.  I have worked out that I need to be averaging about 10 rows a day throughout December to hit the deadline.  A knit row takes about 10 minutes and a purl is 15.  On the upside, the sleeves can be started now rather than when I am at the end of the body parts, so I can at least break up the monotony of purl rows with more knit rows.  I sincerely hope my friend Frazer appreciates this.  He is one of less than a handful of people I would make this much effort for and it is the only one he is ever going to receive from me.     5 - Feeding the habit  So, it looks like a lot, but I only bought one skein - I promise. Glacier and Moroccan Tagine - both by Fjord Fibres (Glacier is my Christmas skein from Matthew and Gilly sent me Moroccan Tagine as a treat - I am very lucky).   Bear in Sheep’s Clothing - Killadoon. Bernie and I did swapsies at Nottingham Yarn Expo.  She got a bear bag embroidery kit (of course) and I got wool (of course).     North Ronaldsay Wool - I didn't buy this from Brit Yarn for a specific design but there is a design purpose behind it.  I want to get to know our British breeds a little better and Louise at Knit British is running something called Wool exploration in 2018 with a new breed being reviewed and discussed each month.  First up is North Ronaldsay, then it's Gotland, Ryeland and Jacob (all of which I already have in my stash).  My plan is to report back each month and let you know how I get on and build up something - possibly a blanket, but mainly my knowledge of how British breeds handle and which are best suited to the types of crochet I design.     As for these goodies, my pin was a gift from the ever-lovely Claudia at Crochet Luna podcast.  I tried to buy one and I wasn't allowed!  The crochet hooks are rather special too.  I commissioned them from Hayley of Fireweed Fibres.  Not only does she dye yarn, she also goes stick foraging.  These amazingly ergonomic and tactile crochet hooks are individually chosen as a branch by Hayley before prep, whittling, sanding, varnishing and pyrography.  I cannot tell you how lovely these are as things of beauty and as crafting tools. If you would like something similar, just drop Hayley a line, she is very lovely.      My Dad was on a trip to Iceland and this little lot turned up this morning.  It's a new to me yarn from from a new Icelandic producer, Einrum and is an 80:20 mix of Icelandic wool and Mulberry Silk from Thailand.  I have a design in mind for this, I just need the time to get my hook out!     6 - What's Good My brain is starting to filter through what I want 2018 to look like. At the beginning of every new year, we sit down and write a list of all the things we want to achieve in the following 12 months.  It can be silly stuff or major goals to be achieved.   As part of the January podcast I want to review my 2017 craft goals, set new ones for 2018 and give you a bit of a run down for what I want to achieve personally, professionally and with the podcast.  Not wishing to get all business-like, but this way of thinking gives me clarity and means that I deliver an interesting (hopefully) podcast every month.       Until 2018 - I cannot believe that I have just typed that.   Fay x   Instagram: Crochet_Circle_Podcast  Instagram: provenance.craft.co   Instagram: FayDHDesigns YouTube: The Crochet Circle Podcast Crochet Clan on Mighty Network: Invite  

Having accurate measurements of yourself is the first step to garment making. Whether you prefer working from a pattern or love to create designs of your own, every piece of clothing needs to start with measurements. I know it’s tempting to skip this step (I’ve been guilty of it once or twice) but it really is the secret to success. When you’re about to spend more than ten hours crocheting a sweater, it’s a relatively small investment. Today’s Guest I had the pleasure of connecting with from, Lena, of Annie’s and a producer for the Knit and Crochet Now television The post Tips for Sizing and Designing Crochet Garments | The BHooked Podcast Episode 31 appeared first on B.Hooked Crochet | Knitting.

Hello my lovelies!   Welcome to The Crochet Circle Podcast and the show notes from Episode Twenty - Flappy Socks.   In this episode I cover: Old dog, new tricks; FOs; WIPs; Festival of Finishing CrAL; #BackToSchoolSweaterCAL; Feeding the habit; Big up and What's good?   This podcast is sponsored by my online crafting company, Provenance Craft Co.  Thanks to everyone who tunes into the podcast whether it is through Stitcher, Podbean, Spotify, iTunes or the YouTube Channel. Your support and engagement are really appreciated and makes running a podcast very special and worthwhile.    If you would like to support the podcast, you can do that through Patreon:   1 - Old dog, new tricks Having heard lots of radio adverts for the magazine app 'Readly' I was intrigued to see what it was all about.  This was also hot on the heels of me learning from Alyson at the Keep Calm and Carry Yarn Podcast that her local library (Edinburgh) has free subscriptions to libraries through a different app (I have looked into this and very few UK libraries actually offer this service).   Already a subscriber to Spotify, I figured that Readly would work in the same way - it doesn't!  You can sign up five more friends or family members to the service and they don't appear to need to live at the same address.  I have offered this out around Woolgathering and my friend Jenny also has one of my five subscription spots.   CAVEAT - Having recorded the podcast I went to download the latest Simply Crochet magazine and it wasn't there.  Nor was Mollie Makes...   I emailed Readly and they say that those publications are no longer available but that they have lots of other craft titles.  They seem to have started doing Crochet Now instead which is good news but still means that what has gone out in the podcast is a) inaccurate and b) annoying.  I will still subscribe to this because there are so many titles to download, especially if you enable lots of different countries as you can then get magazines from there too.   2 - Finished Objects  There is a bit of a sock theme this month.  Had you noticed?  I have really enjoyed making the Socks Yeah! (shade is 102 Ammolite) version of the Gorman Street Toe-Up Socks from Step Into Crochet.  I can't say the same for the Regia version which is why I have only made one of them.  This yarn split with almost every stitch.  I like the end product, the sock is squishy and warm but the process very frustrating.  I have previously knitted and crocheted socks with a different Regia 4 ply yarn and didn't have these problems.  Tonight I was at Woolgathering Sandbach (the crafting group that I run) and Sam had just finished knitting a pair using Regia 4 ply and had the same issues.     In advance of a full book review on Step Into Crochet next month, I wanted to set out the rib changes that I made: Larger ankles - stick to the pattern and keep a turning chain at the top of the rib - this is what I did with the Regia sock on the left and you can see that it is 'flappy' Medium ankles - try only doing the turning chain on every other rib at the top.  This leads to a tighter rib with good elasticity (see the middle sock) but it was still too loose for me.   Thin ankles - don't do a turning chain at the top of the rib at all.  This is how I got a good fit at the top of my socks (see the third sock).   I also finished off my Rambling Friends Socks from my Fibre Friends Podcast kit.  The yarn was dyed by Adrienne (Old Oak Yarns), the pattern was created by Louise (Louise Patterson on Ravelry) and I kept it all in my Evertote bag made by Caroline and Kathy.  These were lovely to work on - the yarn was squishy and vibrant, the pattern was great (I loved the simple lace detail at the back) and my project bag had mustard and teal birds on it, a winning combination.     My final FO is a crocheted shawl of my own design.  It's called Basalt and is 100% inspired by the hexagonal geological features that you get throughout the world.  This version is crocheted with John Arbon Textiles Knit By Numbers 4 ply (2 x 100g skeins and one mini skein).  The pattern is on Ravelry now and if you use the code TCC50% between 1st and 30th September 2017 you will get 50% off making it £1.75.     The pattern covers crocheting this both bottom-up and top-down and has a private YouTube tutorial that is only available to those that have purchased the pattern.     3 - Works in progress I only have one WIP this month.  I have been pattern testing a cushion cover for Jo jo Twinkletoes.  I haven't previously tried the basketweave stitch and this was the perfect project for it.  The pattern will be free of charge and go live on Jo's blog the second weekend of September and I should be able to show it off as an FO in the next episode.     I also talked about the future WIPs that I will be working on in the coming month.  More socks, in the form of the Mordecai Socks from Step Into Crochet but this time using West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4 Ply and Lang Yarns Jawoll (with the reinforcement thread because the socks won't last very long without it).      4 - Festival of Finishing The response to the CAL has been fantastic.  As I type out these notes it is 00:19 on the 1st September and I know that we reached the target of 150 FOs about an hour ago and there are more FOs to be added to the Ravelry thread.  I am so proud of the fact that between us all we have raised a load of money for Knit for Peace.  I will be able to give you a total number of projects and £ raised in the next podcast. Thank you.    I finally finished my Uncia shawl, knitted in John Arbon's Harvest Hues in colourway Blue Spruce.  It was a bit of an effort to get this finished but the sheepy smell of the wool kept me going.  I have just washed and blocked this and it is beautiful and still smells sheepy - lush.        5 - Back to School Sweater CAL We have lift-off on the CAL.       I have finally decided on the garment that I am going to start with.  It's the Aberdeen Castle Cable Sweater by Noelle Stiles and I am using Shilasdair Luxury 4 ply for it which has been naturally dyed with Hawthorn berries.   6 - Feeding the habit I have very little for you this month, just some 4 ply from Green Elephant in colourway Gym Nut.  I love this yarn from Fiona and will be using it in a second version of the Criss-cross shawl which will be a CAL with Olann and magazine later in the year.     7 - Big up I have a couple of new podcasts for you to take a look at.  Both are on YouTube. Charlie has a blog and a new crochet podcast.  She's a designer and seems to be pretty much yarn obsessed with a stash that looks like it could start to rival mine... The second is Grace from Babbles Travelling Yarn Podcast.  She is great fun to watch even if you aren't a knitter - one of those dafties that can always cheer you up.   8 - What's Good At the beginning of the month, I was vending at Yarnfolk Festival in Whitehead, Northern Ireland.  What a day!  I was up very early in the morning to catch the ferry from close to my Mum and Dad's house in Scotland and talked crochet and crafting all day long with the friendliest people. I didn't manage to take a single photo while I was there but luckily Lora from Olann and magazine has created a really good vlog of the day showing off the exhibitors.   See you all in October.   Fay x   Instagram: Crochet_Circle_Podcast  Instagram: provenance.craft.co   Instagram: FayDHDesigns YouTube: The Crochet Circle Podcast Crochet Clan on Mighty Network: Invite    

Welcome to The Crochet Circle Podcast. Here are the show notes from Episode Nine - Yarn Pride.    In this episode we will be covering: Yay Crochet or Nay Crochet; the second instalment of our Yarn Club Review; Yarn Review of Shropshire Ply from Ewe & Ply; Stylish Crochet; FOs; WIPs; Feeding the Habit; Christmas CAL and our final segment What's Good?     This podcast is sponsored by my online crafting company, Provenance Craft Co. and Lynne Rowe Knitting and Crochet Thanks to everyone who tunes into the podcast whether it is through Stitcher, Podbean, Spotify, iTunes or the YouTube Channel. Your support and engagement are really appreciated and makes running a podcast very special and worthwhile.    If you would like to support the podcast, you can do that through Patreon:   Hello to Sunflowers55 (Charlene), TheGoffWife (Lisa) and MrsB59 from Ravelry.   Thanks to everyone that tunes in to our podcast whether it is through Stitcher, Podbean, iTunes or our new YouTube Channel.  Your support and engagement is really appreciated. We love doing the podcast and it makes it even more worthwhile knowing that there are people that really love it and are sat at their computers pressing refresh on publish day!    The person that has the closest birthday to our publish date is PixieCaticus which is Becca from Woolgathering Sandbach.  Happy Birthday Becca!     1. Yay Crochet or Nay Crochet It's a yay from Lynne: I'm finding a lot of new crochet podcasts to listen too and one in particular that I love is called Potter and Bloom, presented by Emma Potter. She's such a lovely lady and great to listen too. Emma is a crochet designer and uses bright, fresh colours. I love her honesty and she's funny too. Love to Knit & Crochet Magazine has just launched a crochet-a-long with Emma's blanket design which is called #crochetgirlgang. Emma invested the hashtag and user #crochetgirlgang on Instagram which is really popular and even has its own merchandise. Emma is Potter and Bloom on Ravelry, Instagram, twitter and facebook.     It's a yay from Fay:  I am loving the speed of crochet projects.  I don't seem to have enough hours in the day and I love the fact that I can quickly whizz off crochet projects and get a sense of satisfaction from finishing a project. I am really enjoying crocheting socks; I don't think it's much quicker than knitting a sock but it feels like a great achievement when you have a crocheted sock HO.  I often find that it is easier to create small crochet projects than small knitting projects and that really suits me at busy times. 2. Yarn Clubs   This is part two of Yarn Club Reviews.  Lynne has received her Baa Baa Brighouse subscription.  This is a different type of subscription from the one that Fay reviewed in Episode Eight which was a subscription of just yarn.  Lynne's is for a yarn box which means that you get more than just yarn in the box.   The yarn dyer for October was Katie Pearce of Sylvan Tiger Yarn, based in Leeds, West Yorkshire.  Her inspiration came from ‘Stained Glass’ by Shutterspot Photography. The picture was taken at St Matthew’s Church in Rastrick, just a stone’s throw away from Baa Baa Brighouse HQ. There is evidence to suggest that the site has been a place of worship from as early as the 10th Century.  The colourway will be based on a stained glass window.     The final instalment of Yarn Club review will be from another Crochet Circler, Charlotte.  She currently has subscriptions for a couple of crochet boxes and will give us the low down on those for us. We will have more on that in Episode Ten.     3. Yarn Review - Shropshire Ply Shropshire Ply has been created by Teri and Becca, owners of yarn shop Ewe & Ply in Shrewsbury. The yarn is a predominantly from the fleeces of Shropshire sheep (including Teri's own pedigree Shropshire sheep) but also has some fleeces from a Wensleydale/BFL cross.  Spun and dyed in Yorkshire, the yarn is 100% British.   DK: 100g/247m/270yds 19sts x 28 rows over 10cm £12 per 100g 4 Ply: 100g/395m/430yds 27sts 38 rows over 10cm £12 per 100g   We were given some minis by the ladies at Ewe & Ply and so Lynne used the DK weight to make her 'Glen' tea cosy, and Fay used the 4 ply to knit a swatch and test the stitch definition.  The remainder was used to create the face of Brian the Brit Bat, an amigurumi pattern.   Fay:  I wanted to test the yarn further and so bought some more of the undyed 4ply.  The knitted swatch shows how nicely the yarn behaves. The stitch definition is incredible and so this yarn is great for lace, cabling and more intricate details.  It isn't the softest of yarns and so for some, they won't want this directly next to their skin.  I think it is ideal for knitted homewares (a cabled cushion/throw would look amazing), colourwork jumpers and shawls would also look great in this yarn, although I am using it for socks. The knitted square was 11cm x 11cm unblocked (2.5mm needles gave an unblocked tension of 30sts and 46 rows over 10cm).  I then washed and blocked it out to 12.5cm x 12.5cm and when it was dried and unpinned it sprang back to 12cm x 12cm (blocked tension of 27sts and 42 rows over 10cm).   As for the amigurumi bat face, the yarn worked very well.  It didn't split  - even though I thought it might because it doesn't have a high twist to it.  The results are neat, consistent rounds that will be very hard-wearing.  The skein that I bought is being used to crochet a pair of Mamble Socks by Joanne Scrace.  It wound on my ball winder/swift very easily and there were no knots.  So far I have finished one sock and hope to be onto the second before we record the podcast.  The yarn is bouncy and airy (as publicised by Ewe & Ply) but doesn't have a lot of elasticity/give so if you are working with it I would choose your project well or think about moving up a hook/needle size or two to open the project out a little. The sock is toe-up and I had to pull back down and change my tension and increase some stitches to get my foot in.  This is probably due to a number of factors: I was crocheting the heel up in a pub in semi-darkness and had a glass of wine in hand - not a winning combination.  Although I was happy to crochet at a gig in a pub, I was less comfortable with taking my boot and sock off and trying on a semi-sock!  So, when I tried the sock on the next morning, it was clear that I would have to rip back.  Keeping the 'crocheting at a gig' factor in mind I am still sure that the lack of elasticity is a factor too.  That said, the increase in stitches and loosening of tension seem to have done the trick.  I am yet to wash and block the sock and I expect it to grow a little, as the knitted square did (it grew just over 8%).  I have now washed the sock and it really didn't grow, it stayed put. I wore the sock for about 12 hours (standing on my feet) when I had finished it.  I have previously said in the podcast that I have very sensitive feet and yet I had no issues wearing this yarn directly on my feet.  The sock was warm and the stitches came to life when stretched out properly over my foot.  I will report back over the coming months on how hard-wearing the yarn is for socks.             Lynne: I had 28g of DK weight in a pale grey colour. I knew that Fay had already knitted up the tension square with the 4ply, so I decided to make something in crochet. I wanted to make something useful and after racking my brain I realised that the little teapot I use in The Woonest needed a tea cosy. The first thing I noticed about the yarn was the smell, which is really pleasant and fragrant. When I squidged the yarn it felt crispy and a bit crunchy and I was a little worried that it may be a bit rough on my hands (I have sensitive skin) but I was wrong and it felt much softer when I was working with it than I'd anticipated. It created a firm, sturdy fabric with crochet and was perfect for my tea cosy. I used some oddments of similar wool to add a splash of autumn colour to the top of the cosy and added leaves and flowers. Due to the lack of elasticity in the yarn, it wouldn't stretch over my teapot, so I had to add a button fastening to my tea cosy for ease of use. I love the yarn and could see myself using it again for slippers, cushions and amigurumi. I imagine that it would make the most gorgeous blanket - either knitted or crocheted and would be great for felting. I grew to love the yarn whilst I was using it and I would definitely use it again. I've blogged all about it over on The Woolnest blog.   4. Stylish Crochet This is the final instalment of the series and we want to cover how we wear our woollen garments and what we style them with.    Fay:  I have a few rules that I stick to when I pulling together an outfit: 1 - I tend to use navy as my base colour (it is good against my milk-white skin, pairs with all of the autumnal colours that I love and goes well with denim jeans which I wear almost every day). 2 - I usually have no more than three colours in any one outfit because I think that less is more.  An ex-boyfriend used to call me a bumblebee because I like to coordinate my outfit colours.   3 - I wear quite plain clothes and use accessories (jewellery, shoes, woollen items) as my statement.   4 - I have started to collect some nice shawl pins to use with my crocheted and knitted shawls.  They are beautiful on the item and also practical.  I don't know how many times I have had to stop in my tracks to rearrange a shawl to stop it falling off or blowing away in the wind.  I have bought some from Textile Garden (they are very affordable) and have my eye on some of the leather ones from Jul Designs too.     I was also thinking about how I wear my shawls and came up with three main ways - pashmina, neckerchief and all front.  There is also the traditional style, but I don't tend to wear my shawls that way.     Lynne: I'm always envious of my good friend Cassie as she has a shawl for every occasion and in every colourway. She chooses her shawl for the day according to the colour of her bag, coat or shoes, so she always looks perfectly co-ordinated.   For me, I'm slowly building up my collection of knitted and crocheted shawls as I have sensitive skin and I'm a little limited on what I can wear around my neck. So instead I often finish an outfit with a crocheted flower brooch which looks great in DK or heavier weight yarn. Adding a felt ball to the centre instead of a button adds a stylish finish.   I'm not a fan of the deep "V" shawl as for some reason they make me feel like grandma from "Red Riding Hood", so I tend to opt for a shallow "V" shawl, and like to wear the "V" at the front or offset and over one shoulder. I like the length of the shawl to be long enough to cross over at the back and come back to hang at the front otherwise I feel like a cowboy. I also like a shawl to have a good drape so that it folds softly around the neckline. My "Baktus" is currently my favourite shawl, despite almost frogging it at one time (it took me 2 years to knit!!).   5. FOs  Fay: I have bombed though quite a bit this month, including my crocheted sock HO!      I came across the amigurumi patterns of Lalylala on Instagram a few weeks ago and was bowled over by how cute they were.  They are utterly adorable and I completely understand why she has sold nearly 49,000 patterns in five years.  I bought three of her patterns and because we are in October I concentrated on Vlad the Vampire (I renamed him, Brian, the Brit Bat because he is made completely with wool from the British Isles/Territories).  Brian has been finished and can be seen in all his glory below.   This was a really fun crochet pattern to work on partly because it has quite a few parts, so you get some bit sized satisfaction from finishing the individual pieces. The patterns use American terminology and are set out in a slightly different manner but you soon get the hang of it.   A friend that comes to Woolgathering Sandbach works with lots of crocheters who volunteer their time to crochet poppies in aid of our local Royal British Legion Centre in Shrewsbury which supports wounded, injured or sick Service Personnel. So far Cath has raised a whopping £42,500 through poppy brooch sales (since 2011) and hopes to reach £50,000 this year.   I crocheted a load of poppies for her last year and this year she needed more leaves to add to the brooch.  A bunch of us have been crocheting leaves, ready to pass to Cath at the next Woolgathering Sandbach session.  By the time this goes live I will have crocheted about 100 leaves for the cause.  If you wanted to buy a crocheted poppy from Cath at Cottage Crafts, please click here. My nephew was staying with us the other weekend and he wanted me to knit him a hat which I knitted up very quickly during yet another cringe-worthy game of Cards Against Humanity! I don't have a photo because he went back to Glasgow the next day, but he was pleased with the finished item.  I used Debbie Bliss Winter Garden using 8mm circular needles throughout.  I have also just finished a pair of mittens to match (Dexter Mittens on Ravelry). I also finished my Fugly Socks which were knitted using my hand-dyed yarn, and the final pair of charity socks for Christine's Yarndale Sock Line. If you want to read more about the charity project, she has written a blog post about it here.  An amazing 160 pairs of socks were knitted to give away to various charities in the UK.      Lynne: This month is probably to most FO's I've ever accomplished mainly because for the past 3 weeks I've been a knitting hermit, working on my Search Press book. I've designed and knitted a pair of mittens, a scarf, cushion, a hat, a blanket, a shawl, a bag and a tea cosy and mug cosy set. I've also designed a new crochet outfit for my dress-up doll (for Crochet Now magazine) along with a small project for my Crochet Now Stash Diaries column (valentine theme). I've almost finished my final Take Two projects and not forgetting "Glen", my yarn review tea cosy. Last but not least, I designed and knitted some crème egg cosies that are for a charity project with Let's Get Crafting Magazine.   I've used some gorgeous yarns in these various projects that I haven't come across before - my favourites were: King Cole Florence Chunky which contains 25% wool and 8% alpaca. I used shade 2082 Everglade King Cole Riot DK which is a wool-mix gradient yarn. I used 1689 Foliage Rowan Big Wool - super chunky weight wool that is so soft and easy to work with     6. WIPs  Fay: Some of my WIPs (shorelines blanket, Wensleydale Uncia shawl) haven't been picked up but I did manage to get a couple of hours on the Tardis cross stitch cushion cover and started the next chart on my Uncia shawl.  I have the second Mamble sock to finish using the Shropshire 4 ply (Mamble socks are from The Crochet Project's latest book 'Raw' which I am hoping to review in the next episode).  So I have five WIPs at the moment but have lots planned... Lynne: There hasn't been a great deal of goings on with my standard WIP list as work has pretty much taken over my life for the past few weeks. That said, I reluctantly took out my aran tweed blanket and counted the number of squares I had. In my head, I had so many more squares to make that it was putting me off. However, I played around with the 30 squares I already had, and lo and behold there was enough to create a pattern. So I watched Strictly and crocheted the squares together and managed to work a couple of rounds of edging. Still more to go, but I'm definitely moving forward. I've called the blanket "Tess" after Strictly's Tess Daly.     I also started a new knitting WIP with some stash yarns, to play around with the design of a basic shawl, so that I can develop some ideas of my own. It's called "Abraham" (any Walking Dead fans may have guessed my naming theme this week - "Abraham" and "Glen" are my humble tributes to 2 amazing characters, so brutally taken).     7. Feeding the Habit Fay:  As I said in the last podcast, Matthew and I went to Glasgow for the weekend to meet my Dad and Nephew.  Whilst there I visited two yarn shops - The Yarn Cake and The Queen of Purls (officially my favourite yarn shop in the UK).  Both shops were nice but The Queen of Purls was exceptional - lots of their own hand-dyed yarn, a real focus on British yarn, great fibre tops, lovely yarn-based wall art, a really inviting space...     I have also been looking for a yarn to pair up with my Daughter of a Shepherd 100% Hebridean skein.  I want something that will really help the brown to come alive, but it has to be a match in softness too.  I bought some of Ewe & Ply's Shropshire DK in Wenlock Hedge (an acidic yellow) but I am going to see how much the Shropshire softens up before I match the two. There is a pattern slowly building in my mind so I will be taking my time on this one. I received my second instalment of Life in The Long Grass yarn club and it is a bramble overload - I love it.  I wonder what my final instalment will be? Below is the jumper that I am thinking of making with Barley Cove, the first batch of yarn I received from my Life in the Long Grass club.   Grazing over Instagram on Saturday night I saw a post from Hedgehog Fibres to say that in 2 minutes time they would have a shop update selling off "lucky dip" bunches of three skeins that were no longer available because they were old club colours or simply discontinued.   I was very tired, I was snuggled up on the sofa with Matthew, I was in a very happy place, I was even happier when I had ordered the yarn.  I don't know what I am going to receive but it is definitely my final cork in the speckles hole of my stash.  A final Feeding the Rabbit item was a surprise addition.  In the UK we have a shop called Home Sense which is the sister company to TK Maxx. Both TK Maxx and Home Sense sell books and often carry current crochet and knitting books.  I have been coveting Molla Mills' latest book 'Crocheterie' and there it was on the shelf for £6.99 instead of £19.99. That went straight in my basket! If you ever go into TK Maxx or Home Sense, check out the book area for crafting books, I have had many a bargain from them. Lynne: My yarn box arrived from BaaBaaBrighouse, although I purchased that in September. I have plans to design a nice, simple scarf and I'm planning on using this yarn. I haven't bought anything else as I'm still organising and sorting my stash - not just my yarn but also my books and magazines too. I have started a blog series called "Thrifty Knitting & Crochet" so I'll be sharing my processes for sorting and grading my stash and deciding what to do with it. I'll be sharing this through a series of blog posts and on the podcast too. My aim is for it to be interactive so I'd love to hear how you keep on top of your stash too. 8. Christmas CAL We would love to know if you are interested in being part of a holiday CAL? The idea is to pick a smallish project that can be started from 24th December onwards and finished by 31st January 2017.   If you are interested, let us know via Social Media or within the Ravelry thread.  We would need to know whether you would prefer: 1 - We pick a pattern (a cowl, scarf, something like that) and we all crochet the same thing. 2 - We each individually pick our own patterns (this may be a better option for those that are coming into Summer months).  Either way is fine and we would set up hashtags as well as the Ravelry thread so that you can show off your progress.   9. What’s Good?  Fay: I have been trying really hard to take better photos for my own work, Provenance Craft Co. Instagram feed and for The Crochet Circle Instagram feed. I get lots of lovely engagement and had a really nice email from somebody to say that they were really enjoying my photos.  It is nice to know that people like and appreciate the photos I am putting out there for public consumption because it makes me want to do more and get better at it.   Lynne: I'm constantly surprised and amazed at how versatile crochet is. I've managed to make 3 things out of just 28g of yarn and they're all useful too. My flower brooches use even less yarn  (about 15g max) and make great little gifts that won't cost much at all - just the price of a brooch back. I can't wait to see what I can make with the rest of my yarn oddments in The Woolnest.   Happy listening and crocheting.   Fay and Lynne x   Instagram: Crochet_Circle_Podcast  Instagram: provenance.craft.co   Instagram: FayDHDesigns YouTube: The Crochet Circle Podcast Crochet Clan on Mighty Network: Invite     1.        

This week Vickie talked with Lena Skvagerson, the Lead Designer for Annie’s Signature Designs and one of the experts on public television’s Knit and Crochet Now, hosted by Deborah Norville. During their conversation they talked about what she’s learned about the knitting & crochet industry over her triple decade career, whether or not perception of needle arts is different in her Native Sweden than in the United States, and what still excites her about producing collections to be made by the masses. Show Note Page: http://vickiehowell.com/podcast/lena-skvagerson/

Robyn Chachula is the author of Vintage Modern Crochet, Blueprint Crochet Sweaters, Unexpected Afghans, and Crochet Stitches Visual Encyclopedia. Her work has also been featured in many popular crochet publications such as Crochet! and Vogue Crochet.  Robyn is also a contributing crochet designer in Annie's Autumn Bliss, a stunning collection of 40+ knitting and crochet patterns and is one of the crochet experts on the Annie's PBS television show Knit and Crochet Now!. She is also a crochet instructor for Annie’s Online Classes. Episode highlights: 03:10 Robyn shares her excitement for crochet and other types of crafting. 04:09 Robyn tells about her positivity while working on Knit and Crochet Now! 04:44 Robyn describes when crochet entered her life. 06:41 When to decide to turn crochet design into a business 10:04 Robyn discusses the TV show, Knit and Crochet Now! 11:48 Robyn shares her viewpoint on rejections. 13:26 Finding the balance between your day job and creating a business 16:07 Robyn elaborates on how she became involved with Knit and Crochet Now! 30:12 Robyn describes her biggest challenge as a designer and business owner. 32:05 Annie’s Autumn Bliss Collection 36:03 Robyn describes her online teaching style. Receive a 20% discount on any of Robyn’s Annie’s Online Crochet Video Classes with coupon code: 20offrc. Click here to learn more!

Welcome to The Crochet Circle Podcast. Here are the Show Notes from Episode Seven - Buzz, Buzz, Buzz.     In this episode we continue with our crochet journeys, including helpful hints on sewing up; Yay Crochet or Nay Crochet; Yarn Club; Magazine Round-up; WIP's and FOs; Feeding the Habit, including Fay's trip to Fibre East; a sneaky peak at a couple of projects from our first book "Take Two" and finishing with What's Good.   This podcast is sponsored by my online crafting company, Provenance Craft Co. and Lynne Rowe Knitting and Crochet Thanks to everyone who tunes into the podcast whether it is through Stitcher, Podbean, Spotify, iTunes or the YouTube Channel. Your support and engagement are really appreciated and makes running a podcast very special and worthwhile.    If you would like to support the podcast, you can do that through Patreon:   Thank you for helping us reach over 4100 audio downloads.  Thanks to all of our lovely listeners and watchers for tuning in.  As well as our audio podcast, we will also upload each audio episode to Youtube. We've now taken the plunge with Episode Seven and recorded it live for Youtube, which was exciting but a bit nerve-wracking too. So shortly you can see us as well as hear us. We also have a new backdrop, curated by Fay: You can find us here on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUpBm_Y5l_7S4Q114eKd11g   1.Yay Crochet or Nay Crochet (at 10:00 mins) It's a bit of both from Lynne: I recently went to Portugal on our family holiday and spotted quite a few crochet garments and accessories. The first thing I spotted was a gorgeous long cover-up which I  don't think was handmade, but it was lovely all the same. I also spotted a few nice crochet bags and some bright pink crocheted tops that seemed to be very popular. But the icing on the crochet cake was a crochet swimming costume – yes indeed I did spot a crocheted costume. It was quite like a bikini that was then joined down the middle. I didn’t see it in water – only on the sunbed, so not sure how it held up when wet.   It's a Yay Crochet from Fay: One of my book designs is a bag.        I finished it about a week ago and wasn’t 100% sure of the bag flap that I had designed.  So, come Monday morning I took the time to very carefully undo the flap - easier than it sounds because the yarn is a Mohair and Wensleydale mix and it took me a couple of hours.  I redesigned the flap and am now really pleased with the overall design and functionality of the bag.  It was worth taking the time out and getting the project to where I wanted it to be.   2. Our Crochet Journey: Weaving in ends when finished and when changing colour (at 20:00 mins) The easiest method is when joining double crochet row ends together as you can join the pieces by simply working double crochet (US single crochet) through the row ends of your work (working 1dc into each row end). This produces a neat, slightly stretchy finish. If you want a non-stretchy finish, use slip stitch instead.   If your work is in treble crochet (US double crochet) or half treble (US half double crochet) then it's not as straight forward because the posts of the stitches are longer, so working 1 stitch through each row end doesn't work. It's often a case of trial and error - try working 2 stitches into one row-end then just 1 stitch into the next row end, and repeat to the end. The good thing with crochet is that you can easily rip it out if there are too many or too few stitches.   Alternatively, you can use whip stitch to join trebles and half trebles, inserting your wool needle through the posts of the stitch (rather than underneath them, which can create a gap and leave the seam looking a little unsightly). Fay decided to add a row of double crochet (US single crochet) along the side of her garment, to create a much neater finish.      Granny Squares are easier to join as you already have a neat chain edge all around. You can use either double crochet (US single crochet), working through the back loops of the outside stitches (on the right side or wrong side depending on if you want a visible seam or not). You can also use a slip stitch to join Granny Squares but only use this on the wrong side of your work.    When changing colour when working, you can work over your yarn ends (like Tapestry Crochet), so hold your yarn end across the top of the stitches being worked and when you insert you hook into the stitch, wrap yarn around hook and pull back though, you will trap the yarn end into the stitch. Do this for about 6 or 7 stitches.   Links to useful websites for joining your work: Joining seams with a slip stitch and double crochet (US single crochet): http://www.simplycrochetmag.co.uk/2013/01/09/beginners-class-joining-shapes-together/   Joining Granny Squares using 4 different methods: http://blog.deramores.com/how-to-crochet-joining-granny-squares/ Joining Granny Squares as you go: http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/joining-asyougo-sqaures.html     3. Magazine Reviews (at 41:00 mins) Let's Get Crafting issue 84: Theme is Christmas (is this too early?? - what do you think). There are lots of cute toys and decorations.   Lynne's favourite is the Bear from North Pole Buddies (page 40) designed by Aine Marriott.   Fay's favourite is the article "From Barn to Yarn" on pages 20 and 21. See issue 84 projects here on Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/lets-get-crafting-knitting--crochet-84/patterns   Inside Crochet issue 80: Theme is still summery. Lynne's favourite is Star in a Star Blanket, by Red Sparrow Crochet, page 77 Fay's favourite is Wayfairer's Jumper by Molla Mills See issue 80 projects here on Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/inside-crochet-issue-80-2016   Crochet Now Issue 5: Theme is 'bright'. Lynne's favourite is the free Mandala pattern booklet - The Big Mandala Swap which includes Lynne's design in Reds and Oranges, called Passion, page 42.   Crochet Now has teamed up with charity Rethink and yarn shops across the country so you can make a Mandala to swap, and maybe find a new crochet friend. Pages 80 and 81. Find out more about the Big Mandala Swap here: http://www.crochetnow.co.uk/mandala-swap/ Fay's favourite is Patchwork Garden Baby Blanket by San Beee, pages 60 and 61. Link to Crochet Now: http://www.crochetnow.co.uk/     4. FO's (at 51:50 mins) Fay: Blanket and cushion for our book.  Both were using Alafoss Lopi wool: http://alafoss.is/knitting-yarn/alafoss-lopi/ which is from the Icelandic sheep and is a chunky yarn.  I used a 5.5mm hook (US size 9). The fourth sock as part of my study in sock stripes – I have no HOs!    I have used four different techniques to try to find the best way of adding even stripes to socks and other projects knit in the round.  I have written a blog post about it so if you are also a knitter and like me have been striving to find the perfect stripe technique, take a look here: https://www.knitit-hookit-craftit.com/blogs/news/jog-free-sock-stripes-two-pairs-of-socks-from-100g-of-yarn    I was using two different John Arbon sock yarns.  The pink is Exmoor Sock Yarn in shade Blossom: https://www.jarbon.com/yarns/exmoor-sock-yarn/exmoor-sock-yarn?zenid=u4mj75qpai6ncafru3fd9blr22#.V73Q9ZgrLic  The grey is Alpaca Sock Yarn in shade Charcoal: https://www.jarbon.com/yarns-wools/alpaca/alpaca-sock-yarn/uk-alpaca-sock-yarn?zenid=u4mj75qpai6ncafru3fd9blr22#.V73RC5grLic I use 2.5mm needles and generally knit a 60 stitch sock. A pair of these lovely socks will be donated to Winwick Mum's Yarndale sock appeal: http://winwickmum.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/yarndale-sock-line-2016.html     A few episodes ago I'd been a bit eager and put this shawl in my FO list and then had to admit within the podcast that I had messed up the rows.  I left it on the naughty step for two months, then frogged it back and then inside of four nights, I had knitted the lace and done the picot edge bind-off.  I used Rowan Finest for this project in shade 067 Cool: http://www.knitrowan.com/yarns/rowan-finest   It was glorious to work with, so soft and warm.  I used 4mm (US 6)  Knit Pro Symphonies. It is made from extra-fine merino, cashmere and royal alpaca.  I didn’t know what ‘royal alpaca was so I looked it up.  Baby alpaca is between 19 and 21 microns in diameter.  Royal alpaca is anything below 19 microns and so is supposedly the finest alpaca that you can get.  Only about 1% of the alpaca produced is deemed to be royal alpaca. Human hairs range from about 17 – 181 microns depending on age, colour, weather etc. You can find out more about Royal Alpaca here: http://www.alpacacollections.com/natural-fibers     I mentioned a couple of episodes ago that I had bought The Book of Haps by Kate Davies Designs, even though I had tried my hardest not to.  I also tried to not join the KAL and failed miserably! I used Rowan Felted Tweed in five different colours and really love the outcome.  All of the details on yarn and needles can be found on my Ravelry page:  http://www.ravelry.com/projects/MaDashper/nut-hap   I have added extensive notes, so if you were thinking about doing a Nut-Hap, you may want to take a look at my Kingfisher version before you start.  Mine is huge (but still lovely)!   I would definitely use this yarn for crocheting with and am currently dreaming up a cowl design for my leftover Rowan Felted Tweed.    Lynne: The only FOs I can share are the projects for our book – I finally finished my cushion which I LOVE, especially as it uses one of my favourite yarns (Wendy Ramsdale). I love the texture that I’ve created, which works perfectly with the yarn (which almost feels a little felted). I finished a shawlette (also for the book) and lots of projects for my latest Search Press book – I did have some knitting help with a couple of the projects, which was a relief, but there was still a lot of work to do, alongside some regular commissions that I do each month, so I’ve literally been knitting or crocheting all day pretty much every day and will be doing so for the foreseeable future. This month I've made: 2 hot water bottle covers, boot toppers, crochet collar, bunting, hats, washcloths, a deep cowl, a pincushion, a dress-up doll with outfits and some stuff I can't even remember. I've worked with some gorgeous yarns, including Sublime's Evie and Superfine Alpaca DK - both are beautifully soft to work with and are firmly placed on my "favourite yarns" list: http://sublimeyarns.com/       5. WIPs (at 72:45 mins) Fay: My WIPS are five in total plus some projects that didn’t even make the WIP list. I still have some standard items like the Tardis cushion and shorelines blanket which have had NO LOVE!  I have had to work on lots of crochet projects for the book and so these two WIPs have been placed on the back burner for now.   I've made a decent amount of progress on my Wrap Over Top from Simply Crochet issue 41.  Again I am using Rowan Finest but in shade 069 Star.  It's really lovely to crochet with even though it splits occasionally. So far I have used 9 balls worth and will probably need to put 12 into it.  Luckily I got the yarn at the Black Sheep Wools sale and so got 10 balls for under £30 instead of £65!  I had to do some maths to rejig the pattern for this yarn, and now that I am on the last 6 rows (but I will probably extend it) I can see that my calculations seem to have worked, so very worthwhile doing the swatching, blocking and maths.     I may have also started two new haps from The Book of Haps… Uncia – using John Arbon’s Harvest Hue’s 4 ply in Blue Spruce https://www.jarbon.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=36_184_176&products_id=245#.V73ZDZgrLic Uncia– using John Arbon’s Devon Wensleydale 4 ply which is an undyed natural grey.  Lynne: I'm the same as last month at 14, as I haven’t had any time to work on my own WIPS. I’ve started and finished lots of projects (work related) but nothing for myself so I’m really looking forward to a yarn dying workshop next week, organised by Fay, as it will be a nice to step away from knitting and crocheting for  few hours and learn a new skill. 6. Feeding the Habit Rabbit (rabbit... rabbit... rabbit) Link to Chas and Dave song "Rabbit, Rabbit": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOSseI1hao8   Fay: Since we last recorded, I've been to Fibre East. Unsurprisingly the yarn that I got was John Arbon mini skeins and some BFL fibre tops, also from John and Juliet.  The stand across from them at Fibre East was selling spindles and so I bought one of them too because I am desperate to learn how to draft, ready for the inevitable spinning wheel. Other habit feeders were our new mascot, who remains nameless until the competition has been judged at the beginning of September.  I also bought a new shawl pin which is ceramic and made in the UK: http://an-caitin-beag.myshopify.com/    I also bought some 2 ply linen to  play with and Verity’s new sock book  –  The Sock Drawer: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/449213136/the-sock-drawer-pattern-collection?ref=shop_home_active_1  If you haven’t heard the interview with Verity from Truly Hooked yet, then take a listen - it's been one of our most popular interviews to date.     However, that was on the 31st of July and so I created a self-imposed yarn diet throughout the month of August. Today is the 25th and, so far I have not bought any yarn that will be in my hands in August (apart from signing up to a yarn club).  I have six more days of no yarn buying and can prove a point to myself.   Lynne: I haven’t bought anything either this month, as I know I don’t have any time to crochet or knit and the Woolnest is just overflowing with stuff. So rather than buy new yarn I’ve gone through my drawers and bags and sorted out all the yarn I know I won’t use and will be selling this at Yarndale and hope that it will go to a good home and that someone will make something lovely out of it all.     7. Our First Crochet Circle Book (at 101:55 mins) We're really excited to tell you a little about the book that we have been working on.  It is called "Take Two" and the premise is simple.  We've each designed four crochet patterns.  Lynne has designed a long cowl with matching mittens, a blanket and a cushion. I have designed a short cowl, a bag, a narrow shawl and a purse.   So there's something for everyone - from accessories to homewares. There are two key differences with this book. The first is that the yarns we used had to be British and in particular had to be spun in the North of England as we feel proud of our industrial heritage and that fact that we still have working mills that produce amazing yarns.    The second is that we both re-made each other’s patterns using our own stash yarn.  This has allowed us to showcase British yarns and to also show how a change in yarn weight, colour or a slight variation in the pattern can create an entirely different project.  You don’t always have to use the yarns stated in a pattern and so we hope to encourage you to look to your stash when you are crocheting from a pattern and don't be afraid to substitute yarn and make the pattern your own.   Take Two is essentially two designers, eight patterns with two interpretations, creating sixteen designs.   Lynne’s favourite pattern from the book and yarn is: I'm twixt between my textured blanket which uses West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4-ply yarn, and my textured cushion, but I think may be cushion just takes it (and has yet to be named).     The basis of the cushion is treble crochet worked in rounds, but for the front piece the rounds are worked in back loops only, leaving the front loops free for working a picot - this creates the deep texture (resembling a Chrysanthemum Flower). You could make it in almost any yarn, from 4-ply to chunky so it’s really versatile and looks like a shop-bought cushion. The size I made with DK yarn took just 6 balls of 50g. I used Wendy Ramsdale which is bred, spun and dyed in Yorkshire and is a sturdy yarn, which is great for a cushion, but it’s definitely a design that you could use up different yarns from your stash. Yarn support was kindly provided by Laughing Hens: https://www.laughinghens.com/ Fay's favourite design is Colosseum.  It is a narrow shawl that uses just one skein of 4 ply yarn.  The pattern is really simple and memorable, yet elegant and light.  I really love all of the yarns that I used for my patterns – Erika Knight and Whistlebare.  The yarns were specifically chosen to be soft or lustrous where they needed to be or hard-wearing where required – like the bag.              8.Yarn Clubs (at 115:20 mins)   We mentioned in Episode 6 that we wanted to do a review on yarn clubs.  We know that a few people that have signed up to them but neither Lynne nor I ever have.  So, in the interests of fair reporting and for you lovely Crochet Circler’s, Fay has selflessly signed up to a yarn club with Life in the Long Grass - a husband and wife team based in Ireland: https://www.lifeinthelonggrass.com/clubs/   Fay will open her parcel when we record the next podcast so we'll capture her excitement.  Lynne will look into other clubs, including Baa Baa Brighouse Yan Tan Tethera's club: https://www.baabaabrighouse.co.uk/shop/yan-tan-tethera-yarn-club/yan-tan-tethera-subscription/   So, in the next episode, we will be able to report back with a list of available yarn clubs, the cost of Fay's LITLG club and reaction to it, people’s feedback on yarn clubs that they have been part of. So, if there is anything that you would like to know about yarn clubs, please let us know through Ravelry – we will start a thread called ‘Things to know about yarn clubs’ and we will endeavour to answer your questions.     9. What’s Good (at 123:15 mins) Fay: I'm organising a workshop under the banner of KNIT IT – HOOK IT – CRAFT IT on hand-dyed yarns on the 3rd September and 10 of us will get to try out three different yarn dyeing methods – kettle, hand painted and dip-dyed.  I'm really looking forward to spending a day learning to dye with some lovely people.  It will be a welcome break from all of the work that I have been doing.    Lynne: I received advanced copies of my Mandala Book earlier this week, which was really exciting. I’m delighted at how lovely it looks. It’s one of the "20 to Make" titles by Search Press, and the idea is that the projects are quick to make, yet all different and interesting too. Hoping to have them for sale at Yarndale but not sure if they will arrive in time – fingers crossed: https://www.searchpress.com/book/9781782214342/crocheted-mandalas    Happy listening and crocheting.   Lynne and Fay x   Instagram: Crochet_Circle_Podcast  Instagram: provenance.craft.co   Instagram: FayDHDesigns YouTube: The Crochet Circle Podcast Crochet Clan on Mighty Network: Invite                          

This podcast is sponsored by my online crafting company, Provenance Craft Co. and Lynne Rowe Knitting and Crochet Thanks to everyone who tunes into the podcast whether it is through Stitcher, Podbean, Spotify, iTunes or the YouTube Channel. Your support and engagement are really appreciated and makes running a podcast very special and worthwhile.    If you would like to support the podcast, you can do that through Patreon:   Featuring an interview with Hugh Metcalf, Editor of Crochet Now Magazine.   We learn more about Hugh and his journey to becoming Editor, his love of yarn, how to submit a design, what's involved in a photo shoot, how many WIPs he has, why he loves to crochet and how he brings Crochet Now together from his first ideas, through to the final product.   If you're interested in submitting a design for Crochet Now Magazine, you can email Hugh and ask to be added to his email list. Hugh puts together a mood board on Pinterest for each issue, which are based around a theme and a specific colour palette, so that designers can use the pins for inspiration.   Crochet Now on Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/hughmetcalf/ The theme for Issue 5 was 'Oranges are the New Black' (not literally, but punchy summery shades in gorgeous yarns) so from the designs submitted, Hugh has carefully selected designs to reflect this theme. Issue 5 mood board on Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/hughmetcalf/oranges-are-the-new-black/ Here are some of the final designs being expertly styled and photographed    A design submission would usually need to include: An outline of the design itself, including its construction, yarn, sizes, cost to make for the reader and any other information you feel is relevant to make your idea stand out from the crowd A sketch, including measurements A swatch photo, using suggested yarn, with stitches clearly visible Hugh is keen to work with new designers and is happy to talk you through the process and help with your submission.   Contact Hugh by email at: hugh.metcalf@practicalpublishing.co.uk Subscribe to Crochet Now: http://www.crochetnow.co.uk/where-to-buy/ Behind the Scenes of Issue 5 with Lynne and Fay: https://uk.pinterest.com/crochet_circle/podcast-interview-with-hugh-metcalf-editor-of-croc/   A sneaky peek at Crochet Now Issue 5: http://www.crochetnow.co.uk/1181/crochet-now-issue-5/   There is also another giveaway that is live throughout August 2016. We need your help to name our new mascot.   Look out for this tweet and a similar one for Instagram.   All of the details can be found on our Ravelry page and you can enter via Ravelry, Twitter or Instagram: http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/the-crochet-circle-podcast/topics/3478583   We hope you enjoyed the interview and thanks for listening to The Crochet Circle Podcast. Don't forget to tune in on the first Friday of every month for our regular episodes.   Happy listening and crocheting.   Lynne and Fay x   Instagram: Crochet_Circle_Podcast  Instagram: provenance.craft.co   Instagram: FayDHDesigns YouTube: The Crochet Circle Podcast Crochet Clan on Mighty Network: Invite

Welcome to The Crochet Circle Podcast. Here are the Show Notes from Episode Five.   In this episode we continue with our crochet journeys, including helpful hints on how to get through the next stages of working on a garment; Yay Crochet or Nay Crochet; World Knit in Public Day; WIP Wall and FOs along with our usual Magazine round-up, our competition winners so far, our new regular feature called "Feeding the Rabbit" and we finish with What's Good.   This podcast is sponsored by my online crafting company, Provenance Craft Co. and Lynne Rowe Knitting and Crochet Thanks to everyone who tunes into the podcast whether it is through Stitcher, Podbean, Spotify, iTunes or the YouTube Channel. Your support and engagement are really appreciated and makes running a podcast very special and worthwhile.    If you would like to support the podcast, you can do that through Patreon:       1. Yay Crochet or Nay Crochet It's a Nay Crochet from Lynne this month, as she lost her favourite crochet hook: My favourite hook is an Addi Swing Crochet Hook, size 3.5mm which I use all the time – it’s an ergonomic hook so it's really comfortable and sits in your hand perfectly, so I was quite annoyed at myself for losing it. The question is – do I just buy another one as a replacement? Do I try a different make, do I buy just one or a set? They're quite expensive individually and even more expensive for a set so these would have to be a Birthday/Christmas gift. I can’t decide what to do, so I’m having a think and will have a mooch around Woolfest or go to Black Sheep Wools. If anyone uses any other good ergonomic hooks and has a favourite - do let me know – it might help me decide. I bought my lost hook from Laughing Hens: https://www.laughinghens.com/knitting-needles/addi-swing-crochet-hooks It's a big Yay Crochet from Fay on her Liala Top by Designer Marie Wallin: I love my top and the way that it looks. It is easy to wear as summer chic or dressed down with jeans or over a dress with tights for some winter colour. The yarn I used has unfortunately been discontinued (Jeanette Sloan 4 ply alpaca/silk) but it was lovely to work with and produced a very soft garment with clear stitch definition.      Link to Jeanette Sloan: http://www.jeanettesloandesign.com/ Link to Marie Wallin: http://www.mariewallin.com/   Fay also sneaked in a Knitting Nay for picot cast off: I've knitted a lovely shawl for a friend which involves a picot edge bind-off which is a new technique for me. It involves knitting lots of stitches before actually casting off, making it a long-winded process. I gave up after about an hour and a half and seemingly getting nowhere, so I will choose a different method to cast off with.      2. Magazine Round-up We've have added Pom Pom Quarterly into our list of magazines because they generally feature a couple of crochet patterns in each issue.  As the title would suggest, it comes out quarterly so you will hear about Pom Pom every third episode.   Inside Crochet – issue 79 - Seaside Theme Website Link: http://www.insidecrochet.co.uk/ Lynne's favourite: Greta Stole designed by Claire Montgomerie using Coopknits Socks Yeah – I really love the colour combination and you could use up your oddments of sock yarn to create your own colour combination (pg 54).   Fay's favourite: Friendship Quilt, designed by Mica York, using Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (pg 80).   There’s also a great interview with Betsan Corkhill, who is a Wellbeing Coach who focusses on the therapeutic benefits of knitting and how it can help improve your health and mindfulness. It’s not just about enjoying knitting and crochet, it links to meditation, to calmness, to stress relieving and to helping you improve your mood by working with calming colours – it’s fascinating and I'd recommend going along to one of Betsan’s workshops if there’s one near you.   Betsan's Website: http://www.stitchlinks.com/ Simply Crochet – issue 46 - Nautical theme Ravelry link: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/simply-crochet-issue-46/patterns Website Link: http://www.simplycrochetmag.co.uk/2016/06/23/simply-crochet-issue-46/ Announces a Crochet-A-Long for subscribers, for a blanket using different crochet squares.   Lynne's favourite: I LOVE the cute little Beach Babe Piggy by designer Illaria Caliri – he/she’s so cute and even has a life ring, bucket, spade and beach towel, using DMC Natura Just Cotton (4-ply) (pg 42). Fay's favourite: Claude the Octopus by designer Kate E. Hancock (Fay is slowly being brought round to the fun side of crochet), using Drops Paris 100% cotton (pg 24).   Kat Goldin also talks about her local yarn shop and how it provides a sense of community and a place of creativity (pg 34). Crochet Now - issue 3   Website link: http://www.crochetnow.co.uk/ Lynne's favourite: Amigurumi Guard and Bus designed by Editor Hugh Metcalf.   Fay's favourite: Infinity Cowl designed by Vicki Brown. Let’s Get Crafting – issue 82 Ravelry Link: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/lets-get-crafting-knitting--crochet-82/patterns Website Link: http://www.letsgetcrafting.com/ Features The Crochet Circle Podcast on page 6 – thank you.   Lynne’s favourite: The Wildlife Rescue Nets by Kath Webber, which link to a charity knitting project for animal rescue centres who are looking for knitting donations (pg 28).   Fay's favourite: Baby Slippers - Summer Espadrilles designed by Jackie Carreira (pg 40).   Woman's Weekly Knitting & Crochet July Issue Website Link: http://www.womansweekly.com/ Lynne's favourite: Teal Appeal - Vintage Cardigan knitted in mohair (Rowan Kidsilk Haze) (pg 24).   Fay's favourite: Hi-Ho Silver - Cotton shrug, crocheted in DMC Petra Cotton 3 (pg 50).   Pom Pom Quarterley Website Link: https://www.pompommag.com/ Ravelry Link: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/pom-pom-quarterly-issue-17-summer-2016/patterns Lynne and Fay's favourite: Altair by designer Joanne Scrace. Love to Knit and Crochet - issue 3 Website Link: https://www.theknittingnetwork.co.uk/ Lynne's favourite: Crochet Stool Cover - Too Cool for Stool (pg 57). Fay's favourite: Feeling Tubby - crochet bowls (pg 56).   3. Our Crochet Journey - Next Steps and issues we've faced Lynne's progress with her Lisa Sweater: I had to rip back a couple of times due to losing stitches - in the end, I gave up ripping out and just added a couple of stitches along the row instead. Now that I'm in the flow of the pattern I've stopped dropping a stitch at the end. It isn't noticeable where I've added the extra stitches. I had to buy 4 extra balls of Rowan Purelife Revive which are a different dye lot than my original 5 balls. Luckily, the yarn is mottled so the slight difference in the shades is not noticeable. I will alternate the balls used but will do the same on each half of the jumper so that any difference will appear as if it's intentional as both halves will be identical. Fingers crossed they will blend nicely or look like gradient yarn.     For those new to crochet or knitting, on the ball band of every ball of yarn is essential information on the yarn itself – what it’s made from, what needle size to use, the tension and the weight. Also, you will find the shade number or reference and (like a tin of paint), the dye lot or dye batch that has been used. Like paint, a different dye lot will potentially produce a slightly different shade, so when buying yarn for a project, you need to make sure that all the ball bands have the same dye lot on them.   I found 2 balls of yellow Rico cotton in The Woolnest to show you how different the dye lots can be and therefore how important it is to use the same batch of yarn – you can see the difference below:     Fay's progress with her Liala Top: I had to rip back due to an error in the pattern, which I didn't realise until I'd ripped it back about 5 times. I also re-jigged the hook size and change the pattern a little to make it into a wearable top because of my body shape. I'm really happy with my crocheted top and will be making more. Full notes of my changes are on my Ravelry project page. Link to Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/MaDashper/liala It's fantastic to see the different garments that people are working on, over on our Ravelry forum.  Helen is motoring on with her Aberfoyle Cardigan and Jo is working on a wrap-around top from issue 41 of Simply Crochet which I love and I'm now making my own version using Rowan Finest.     After seeing Helen's Aberfoyle, Lynne has mooched in The Woolnest and found enough balls of Garthernor Organic 4-ply to make her own. Garthernor produces sustainable, organic yarn in and ecological way. They started out in the 1990s with their own sheep and now buy raw fleeces from other UK farmers, so all their wool is fully traceable and fully certified organic.  At Wonderwool this year Lynne had a lovely chat with the owner and they had some beautifully knitted samples on show and once washed, the yarn is really soft and much softer than it is on the ball.   Link to Aberfoyle Cardigan by Joanne Scrace: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/aberfoyle-cardigan So our next patterns are Aberfoyle and Simple Wrapover.  We have been inspired by the folk in the Crochet Circle podcast to make the same items that they are making - so thank you. Feel free to join in with our Stylish Crochet CAL and don't forget to wear your garment at Yarndale.   Link to our Stylish Crochet Ravelry forum: http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/the-crochet-circle-podcast/3438284/26-50#31     4. Woolfest We're off to Woolfest in the morning.  Whilst we are there, Tamara, one of the listeners to the podcast will be at a yarn festival in Houston, Texas.  Tamara lives over there now but we've noticed that lots of people seem to be travelling much further afield to go to yarn festivals.  At Edinburgh yarn festival, people had come from all over Europe. TNNA (The National Needle Arts Association) was on in America a couple of weeks ago and lots of folks were there from the UK.   So, given that Tamara is going to be at a yarn festival at the same time as we are we thought we would share notes.  We have the same set of questions to answer and photos will be taken from both sides of the pond and added to the Pinterest board for Episode 5.      5. World Knit in Public Day This was held on Saturday 18th June. Link: http://www.wwkipday.com/find-a-kip/kips-in-europe/  Fay experienced the East London Yarn Triangle, Hackney made up of 3 shops - Fabrications, Wild and Woolly and Knit With Attitude. They offered 10% off if you posted 3 photos with their hashtag on Instagram, and they also had refreshments. The yarn shops are within walking distance and maps were provided which highlighted the photo locations and I bought lots of wool and concluded that you can indeed crochet on a swing.   http://eastlondonyarntriangle.com/   6. Finished Objects Fay: Liala top by Marie Wallin, Cowl for The Crochet Circle book using Erika Knight British Blue and Shawl for the book using Whistlebare's Yeavering Bell (Mohair/Wensleydale blend). http://www.whistlebare.co.uk/ Fay also has an answer on whether a sock from an unfinished pair is an FO or a WIP.  It’s a HO (half object). Lynne's FO's are mainly secret commissions but she finished her Cowl for The Crochet Circle book, using Baa Baa Brighouse yarn called Baa Baa Brew. https://www.baabaabrighouse.co.uk/     7. WIP Wall Fay: I'm currently at 8 and many are the same as last time.  A new one on the list is the Wrapover Shawl from Simply Crochet issue 41, and I don’t have much to report yet other than I have done a yarn and hook substitute to change the finished fabric a little. Lynne: I’m at 11 – I frogged a pair of socks as the yarn wasn’t showing off the lace pattern properly, in fact it was barely visible. I finished the secret project for our book and I haven’t really started the Studio Linen Shawl so it doesn’t really count. With my Lisa Sweater I'm back up to 12 and my next book project will take me up to 13 WIPs.   8. Feeding the Rabbit (aka feeding the habit) Fay's purchases: I bought quite a lot of yarn during my visit to London on World Knit in Public Day, including: From Fabrications - Recycled Fibre (in lovely creams, whites and denim blue from UK); 100% Bluefaced Leicester Roving yarn (brown) and 100% Bluefaced Leicester Roving yarn (cream), both from West Yorkshire Spinners, suitable for hand-dying and felting. From Wild and Woolly - Rowan felted tweed and Erika Knight British Blue Wool from the Stash Depot (buying another person’s stash); Kalinka linen from Sweden in colour cyan  (Fibre: 100% linen Yardage: 320m per 100g skein Gauge: 28 stitches per 10 cm, recommended needle size: 3-4 mm needles) From Knit with Attitude - Hedgehog Fibres in colourway Dragonfly  (DK weight yarn, 100% merino wool, superwash. 115g/200m); Socks Yeah! – in colourway 110 Malachite -(75% superwash merino, 25% nylon, 50g/212m/231 yds). Mirasol – Kingfisher 14 (4-ply, 60% merino wool, 20% Alpaca, 20% Silk, 250m/274yds, 50g). http://www.wildandwoollyshop.co.uk/ http://www.fabrications1.co.uk/ http://knitwithattitude.com/shop/ I also sneaked a visit to Ewe and Ply in Shrewsbury - and still resisted the spinning wheel. Ewe and Ply have a great selection of British wools and is well worth a visit. I bought some Eden Cottage yarn, and one of the natural roving yarns from West Yorkshire Spinners. Link to Ewe and Ply, Shrewsbury: http://www.eweandply.co.uk/   Lynne's purchases: I bought a gorgeous skein of yarn from I Knit (London) – I had a spare few hours a couple of weeks ago when in London, so I jumped on the tube to Waterloo and found the shop quite easily. I’ve wanted the yarn ever since seeing it - mainly because it’s called Starman – one of my favourite songs by my favourite artist, David Bowie, so I just had to buy it. I’m going to try my crochet cowl from the book and see how it works with the hand-dyed yarn.     Link to I Knit London: http://iknit.org.uk/   9. What’s Good                For Lynne: About a year ago I was commissioned by Search Press to write a book for their "20 To Make" series. I had great fun designing the Mandalas for the book and have also designed a few more for commissions. I’m definitely hooked by Mandalas – they’re meditative and you can make them your own by using your favourite colours and favourite yarns. They’re useful for all sorts of things, like placemats, wall hangings and you can even sew them together to make a throw. The Search Press book is out in October and you can pre-order it on Amazon at the moment. Link to pre-order on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1782214348/ref=s9_simh_gw_g14_i2_r?ie=UTF8&fpl=fresh&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=8GEY1S41T0EQ7PTJK30T&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=26de8ef0-2ad7-412c-8634-6cd03b7b73e2&pf_rd_i=desktop For Fay there are 2 things: Firstly, I was contacted recently by Knitting magazine who would like to review and feature my stash tags, so I'm delighted and excited. It came out of the blue and it was because of Erika Knight and Emma Knitted!   Link to Stash Tags KNIT IT - HOOK IT - CRAFT IT: https://www.knitit-hookit-craftit.com/products/stash-tag Knitting magazine: https://www.thegmcgroup.com/pc/viewPrd.asp?idProduct=2327&idCategory=717 Erika Knight: http://www.erikaknight.co.uk/ Emma Knitted: http://www.emmaknitted.co.uk/         Secondly, we were sent Daughter of a Shepherd mini-skeins by Rachel Atkinson to test for crochet. We love how they smell and can't wait to try them out. Rachel is manufacturing Hebridean wool from sheep her father breeds in the UK. Link to Daughter of a Shepherd: https://daughterofashepherd.com/ As we both smelled the sheepiness of the yarn we realised that we were both sporting Hebridean moustaches. Other things we've mentioned: Winners Round-up - Who's won what so far: 200g DMC Natura Medium and DMC hook – Kerryd19 from Australia Arne & Carlos Sock yarn (with signed Stash Tag)  - Curlylou – UK Lynne Rowe's Once Upon a Time in Crochet (signed copy) - JojoTwinkletoes Erika Knight’s Simple Colour Knitting (signed copy) – DianeB 2 x 50g Erika Knight’s Studio Linen – Emma from Woolgathering Sandbach   Happy listening and crocheting.   Lynne and Fay x   Instagram: Crochet_Circle_Podcast  Instagram: provenance.craft.co   Instagram: FayDHDesigns YouTube: The Crochet Circle Podcast Crochet Clan on Mighty Network: Invite                                                              

Rohn Strong is an artist and entrepreneur from Raleigh, NC. His work has been features in many magazines and collections in the worldwide. He is the author of three books including the forthcoming, Step Into Crochet (F&W, 2017). He can be seen on the popular PBS television show, Knit and Crochet Now! as well as in his online classes with Annie's and Craftsy. For more information and to connect with Rohn, visit his website at www.rohnstrong.com Listen Live for chance to win great prizes! Stay up to date with the Yarn Thing podcast with the App available on iTunes and for Droid.Find our more about Marly at www.MarlyBird.com or follow her on Facebook Sponsored by:  Red Heart YarnsKnitter's MagazineCraftsyLo-Lo by Bar-MaidsErin.Lane BagsCreativebugBuffalo Wool Co.Green Mountain Spinnery

In this episode we talk about getting started on a crochet journey, including substituting yarn and the importance of making a tension square; lace-weight yarn; myth-busting – does crochet really use more yarn than knitting? WIP Wall and FOs along with our usual magazine round-up and our look towards Woolfest. Welcome to The Crochet Circle Podcast. Here are the Show Notes from Episode Four.   This podcast is sponsored by my online crafting company, Provenance Craft Co. and Lynne Rowe Knitting and Crochet Thanks to everyone who tunes into the podcast whether it is through Stitcher, Podbean, Spotify, iTunes or the YouTube Channel. Your support and engagement are really appreciated and makes running a podcast very special and worthwhile.    If you would like to support the podcast, you can do that through Patreon:   Rooster Delightful Lace Competition Prize is sponsored by www.roosteryarns.com   First, we have a few thank you’s for helping us to reach over 1,200 downloads on Podbean.   Thank you to Kathryn at www.crafternoontreats.com who mentioned us in her podcast Episodes 7 and 8 and also to Tamara at www.craftyescapism.com for a great review on her website.   Thanks to Trinketknits for her lovely iTunes review and to everyone else that is engaging with us through Pinterest, IG, Ravelry and Twitter.   You may have spotted us in Crochet Now, Let’s Knit magazine and Simply Crochet - so thanks to Hugh, Sarah and Sara for featuring The Crochet Circle on their News pages. We're really chuffed to bits.                   1. Yay Crochet or Nay Crochet (at 3.55 mins) It's a nay from Fay about lace-weight yarn and having to use anything below a 3mm hook:  I love what other people can create, however, it just isn’t for me as I prefer more instant gratification. I don’t intend on doing everything in chunky yarn but I found lace weight crocheting and knitting REALLY frustrating and I’m very happy to leave that in the hands of others... Such as these brilliant examples of miniature crochet, from Suami: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SuAmi    Its a yay from Lynne on teaching crochet: Last week was the last of my 5 Learn to Crochet Classes at Sandbach in Cheshire. I’ve been running crochet and knitting classes through the Sandbach Adult Education programme for about four or five years now and I’ve met some lovely people along the way – many of whom have become really good friends and even work colleagues J. This time round I had four enthusiastic ladies who had all tried to teach themselves but hadn’t been able to get to grips with crochet and felt that they need to be physically shown, rather than learning by book. It was great that I have a wide range of ages, from a lady in her late 20’s up to a lady who was 79 (and who came on her bike!!!). We learned the basics of crochet and made a flower, granny squares, ripple stitches, shell stitches and we worked in a spiral. I’m always amazed when my pupils return the following week with things they’ve made from the stitches learned and even happier when they tell me how much they’ve enjoyed making things with their new skills.       2. Helpful Hints on how to get started on a project (at 8.05 mins) We're both starting a crochet garment (or two) that we aim to wear at Yarndale.   You can join in too and we can see just how stylish crochet can be. We've set up a board here on Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/the-crochet-circle-podcast/topics/3438284   In this episode, we talk about choosing or substituting yarn and the importance of working up a swatch or tension square. We recommend http://yarnsub.com  as one method of checking which yarns you could substitute to. We covered making a tension square in the last episode and you can find the notes here: http://thewoolnest.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/explaining-crochet-tension.html Then in upcoming episodes, we’ll cover: Finishing off the project  - best way to sew it together Washing and blocking the project so that the stitches look as they should Wearing/using the object Aftercare Darning if required – dealing with holes etc. Lynne has chosen Aster, by designer Marie Wallin from her book 'Filigree collection three' Ravelry link: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/aster-14                                                 Filigree Book link: http://www.mariewallin.com/filigree.html I love Marie's Filigree collection and have chosen a design as my first 'proper' crochet garment. I will raid my stash for an alternative as I'm desperately trying not to buy yarn. I've written a blog post here on how to substitute yarn: http://thewoolnest.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/substituting-yarn.html Fay has chosen Liala, also by Marie Wallin – it's a free pattern available on Rowan's website: if you subscribe: http://www.knitrowan.com/designs-and-patterns/patterns/liala                                   The pattern calls for you to use Rowan Panama which is a 55% viscose, 33% cotton and 12% linen mix and although the ball band suggests a 3.25mm hook.   I also considered a few other things such as: I want to use my stash; I want the finish to be a little more fitted; I want to use something with wool content and I don't want to use anything below a 3mm hook. After raiding my stash, I found a suitable alternative with Jeanette Sloan Baby Alpaca and Silk and started my tension square.   Link to Jeanette Sloan yarn: http://www.jeanettesloandesign.com/ourshop/cat_835200-Baby-Alpaca-Silk-4ply.html   It's important to block your tension square as the size of your stitches may change after blocking. For my first square, there was about a 9% increase in size for both stitches and rows which was going to work perfectly for me in substituting yarn and pattern size (so I'll make a small size rather than the medium). It's worth remembering that most yarns when knitted or crocheted up will change when blocked. I like to wet-block almost everything because it helps release the dirt that builds up and it helps to bring out the pattern in the fabric especially if there are cables or lace. But be careful not to over-stretch the fabric when you block.   I gently squeezed my square, rolled it up in a towel and then pinned it onto a blocking mat and leave it to dry.   It's worth taking the time to assess whether you're using the right yarn, hook or needle, rather than get to the end of a project and then not being happy with the fit or finish of the item having put so much work into it. Here's a link to Fay's Ravelry project for Liala:   http://www.ravelry.com/projects/MaDashper/liala We also promised to let all of the Rowan yarns that are being discontinued.  This list was provided by St Trinians on Ravelry: Superfine Merino DK & Aran Pure Wool 4 ply Kidsilk Haze Stripe Mohair Haze Wool Cotton Rowan Finest Rowan Tweed Fine Art & Fine Art Aran Alpaca Colour Tetra Cotton Cotton Lustre Panama Revive Pure Linen All Seasons Cotton Soft Knit Cotton Truesilk Lima Lima Colour Fazed Tweed Colourspun Thick 'n' Thin Alpaca Chunky British Sheep Breeds Fur Creative Focus Worsted Chenille Big Wool Colour Big Wool Silk   3. Yarn Review - Manos Del Uruguay Marina (at 28 mins)              Shade Shantung N1765 Lace-weight yarn 100g/800m 100% superwash merino wool RRP £16 Recommended needle size 2-4mm Hand-dyed in Uruguay by Ellta, who is part of a fair-trade cooperative.   Link to full range of shades: http://www.roosteryarns.com/manos-marina.html   Read about the Manos Del Uruguay fair-trade cooperative here: http://www.roosteryarns.com/about-manos-del-uruguay.html     Link to Lynne's full yarn review: http://thewoolnest.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/yarn-review-manos-del-uruguay.html     4. Myth-busting with Fay (at 34.50 mins)              Fay investigates the generalisation that crochet uses more yarn than knitting. Is it a myth or a fact?  Well, it's a bit of both really, with some interesting results! Read Fay's full investigation here: https://www.knitit-hookit-craftit.com/blogs/news/179247111-in-the-ring-its-crochet-v-knitting-but-who-is-the-heavyweight     5. Magazine Round-up (at 43.10 mins) Inside Crochet Issue 78 Theme: Bright Ideas – all about colour and texture for Autumn. Lynne's favourites include Scullis Shawl in Rachel Atkinson's Column http://www.ravelry.com/projects/knittingtastic/scullis Lisa Sweater designed by Annelies Baes Fay's favourite is also Lisa Sweater There are also lots of lovely bags and baskets Link to Inside Crochet issue 78: http://www.insidecrochet.co.uk/blog/bright-ideas-with-issue-78/ Crochet Now Issue 2 Theme: Rainbow brights – creative with colour – things that make use smile Lynne's favourite is Nerida Shawl by Anna Nickipirowicz – a deep semi-circular with a simple lace pattern In my yarn stash diaries this month is a crochet staple – a washcloth which is great for last minute gifting Fay's favourite is Spring leaves cowl, designed by Mary Renji Link to Crochet Now: http://www.crochetnow.co.uk/956/crochet-now-issue-2/   Let's Get Crafting issue 81 Theme: Brights with Fiesta yarn kit – lots of toys including a very cute pair of Pandas by Sachiyo Ishii Lynne's favourite is the Hanging Heart wreath designed by Irene Strange and everyone loves a bit of bunting - Fiesta Bunting designed by Tilley Bancroft   Link to LGC issue 81 projects: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/lets-get-crafting-knitting--crochet-81/patterns Woman's Weekly June issue Theme: Crochet Special including five crochet garments and some lovely crochet homewares We spotted an interview with Louise Walker who is a member of our Ravelry group and we love Louise's very cute animals and blanket.  Link to Woman's Weekly: http://www.womansweekly.com/ Simply Crochet Issue 45 Theme: Summer Brights, including a great article on how to sort your stash. There's a very pretty Ladder stitch top designed by Editor Sara Huntingdon and a fun giant doughnut cushion by the renowned Twinkie Chan.   Link to Simply Crochet: http://www.simplycrochetmag.co.uk/     6. WIPs and FOs (at 45.30 mins)               We haven't done a great deal this month as we've both been really busy with our businesses and the podcast content. Fay has been working on her Shoreline Blanket and Lynne is ready to start the beading rows on her Odeletta Shawl.   We'll be adding to our WIPs with our crochet garments, and we'll be keeping a record of how long they take us.     7. Our Book (at 52.50 mins) We're delighted to announce that we're writing a book of 8 crocheted accessories - 4 designed by Lynne and 4 designed by Fay.   We’ve currently secured yarn support from Erika Knight http://www.erikaknight.co.uk/ BaaBaaBrighouse https://www.baabaabrighouse.co.uk/ Laughing Hens https://www.laughinghens.com/   We’ll say more in time. But it will be a really useful collection of crochet essentials that are straight forward to make, using gorgeous yarns 8. Charity Projects We're still collecting your fungi an mammals for the National Trust's Woollen Woods project. You can read more here on our Ravelry page: http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/the-crochet-circle-podcast/3425147/1-25 10. Competition to Win Rooster Delightful Lace (at 54.30 mins) We have a new competition open on our Ravelry forum to win a gorgeous skein of Rooster Delightful Lace in Shade Talara 623.                      Rooster Delightful Lace is well, delightful! A blend of 80% Alpaca and 20% Silk creates a stunning 2-ply lace weight yarn which is perfect for light garments and shawls. http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/the-crochet-circle-podcast/3438319/1-25#7     9. What's Good (at 56.05 mins) We're looking forward to Woolfest: http://www.woolfest.co.uk/ and Fay is looking forward to visiting Caithness on a retreat organised by Louise Hunt from the Caithness Craft Collective podcast: http://caithnesscraftcollective.podbean.com/   Happy listening and crocheting.   Lynne and Fay x   Instagram: Crochet_Circle_Podcast  Instagram: provenance.craft.co   Instagram: FayDHDesigns YouTube: The Crochet Circle Podcast Crochet Clan on Mighty Network: Invite                

Today I'm chatting with Lena Skvagerson, the lead designer and visionary behind Annie's Signature Designs. Lena draws from 25 years in the European design markets before joining Annie's in 2014. We talk about her vision for the new Annie's Signature Designs Summer Love Collection and her experience as Associate Producer and Expert on the Annie's PBS television show, Knit and Crochet Now! Enter to win the Chamisal Knit Tee Kit here: www.powerpurlspodcast.com/LenaGiveaway (Contest ends midnight, April 30, 2016) To read the show notes: www.PowerPurlsPodcast.com/025-lena-skvagerson To subscribe on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/power-purls-podcast/id1043956186

Today I welcome two-time Emmy© winner and New York Times Bestselling author Deborah Norville to Power Purls! Deborah is known to millions as anchor of Inside Edition, the nation's top-rated syndicated news magazine. She is also a huge crafter, loving knitting, crochet, sewing, macrame, embroidery, needlepoint and cross-stitch. Deborah kicks off Season 7 (April 2016) as the new Host of Knit and Crochet Now!, the popular Annie's television show seen on PBS stations across America. In 2008, Deborah partnered with Premier Yarns to create her own collection of high quality super-soft yarns named the Deborah Norville Collection, which started with just four yarns and now boasts over 20 yarns and a full range of dyed birchwood knitting needles and crochet hooks. She is also the author of Knit with Deborah Norville a collection of more than 18 projects and classic patterns for knitting. Deborah is married to Karl Wellner and is the mother of three. She can be reached via her website www.DeborahNorville.com and on social media as @DeborahNorville. For more episodes like this visit: www.PowerPurlsPodcast.com To subscribe on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/power-purls-podcast/id1043956186

Today I'm chatting with Ellen Gormley, Editor of Crochet! magazine and expert on the Annie's PBS television show, Knit and Crochet Now! Ellen has authored five crochet books and published hundreds of crochet designs and she teaches for Annie’s Online Classes. Ellen shares her insights about designing, the importance of persistence, work/life balance and why it's time to create a bridge from knit to crochet. In this episode, we also discuss details for how you can enter for your chance to win a 1-year subscription to Crochet! magazine. Enjoy! For more episodes like this: www.PowerPurlsPodcast.com To subscribe on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/power-purls-podcast/id1043956186

Today I’m chatting with Laura Scott, Co-Chair of Annie’s Craft Festival, debuting in Ft. Wayne Indiana, October 30th through November 1st. This is a really exciting world-class crafting event, and Laura was able to take the time out of her busy schedule to share the details about this really unique Festival. Annie's is one of the largest and most diverse sources of craft designs, instruction and supplies in the U.S. Annie’s produces a catalog, several craft publications, such as Creative Knitting, Crochet! Crochet World, Quilter’s World, Cardmaker and Just Cross Stitch. Annie’s also has a kit club, a fiction book series, video classes and the popular PBS TV show series, Knit and Crochet Now! with Deborah Norville, who will be the new host starting this coming January. To listen to the show notes: www.powerpurlspodcast.com/011-annies-craft-festival/ To subscribe on iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/power-purls-podcast/id1043956186

Hi, Knitters,The podcast and all of my other videos are available for viewing and subscription on my YouTube Channel (click here!) and on iTunes (click here!).Today on Episode 11 I chat about all kinds of things knitting-related and beyond. I especially focus on my friend, the multi-talented Kristin Nicholas, and all of the wonderful new ventures she has going on. I am giving away some of her beautiful Regia Colorations jacquard sock yarn and her re-released book, Colorful Stitchery.If you can't see the videos through the email for subscribers, please hop over to my blog to view. Click here! The video below was filmed at Kristin's farm for Creativebug.com where she has several classes. It is a very well-done video and it is fun to get a visual of Kristin and her home and farm. Kristin lives on her farm with her husband, who she affectionately calls The Farmer, and her teenage daughter, Julia. More of Kristin's links:Kristin's Blog Getting Stitched on the Farm! I subscribe and you should, too!Kristin's Shop and all of her links!Kristin's new Craftsy Crewel Embroidery Class called Stitch It with Wool!The Craftsy Kit for the class and more embroidery kits through Kristin's website!Buy Kristin's books directly from her website! You can purchase all of the books I show in the podcast on her website. Kristin signs them, too, upon request which is an added bonus for purchasing directly from the author.Kristin's sock yarns are available at a variety of yarn shops locally and online. Here are a couple online options: Websters, and Webs. It comes in 50 and 100 gram balls so don't forget to check when ordering.3 interviews with Kristin on Ready, Set, Knit! with Steve and Kathy Elkins of WEBS (you'll really enjoy these!):Click here!Click here!Click here!(My Monkey Socks knit in Regia Garden Effects by Kristin - aren't they pretty?)Click here to see more about today's giveaway book, Colorful Stitchery!Knit and Crochet Now! PBS show where Kristin is the knitting expert.I am giving away a copy of Kristin's re-released book Colorful Stitchery and enough yarn for an adult pair of socks in her new Regia Colorations Color jacquard sock yarn line! Read at the end of the post about how to enter to win!I've finished this pair now ~ Regia Colorations Design Line by Kristin Nicholas color #3311.Other links from the podcast:Free Press Plush Tights (I said Fresh Press but it is Free!)Jill Draper Empire Yarn ~ My skein is in the Charcoal colorway.Tolt Yarn and Wool (I bought the Jill Draper Empire here and Veronika of YOTH Yarns works here!)Taproot MagazineAmanda Soule ~ SouleMama.comBarn Sweater by Carrie Bostick HogeThe Knit Girllls ~ Leslie recommended the sewing patterns.100 Acts of Sewing patterns ~ I got the tunic, sleeveless dress and dress with sleeves patterns.Yoth Yarns ~ Mine is the DK weight Big Sister in the Caviar colorway.Yowza Weigh It ShawlYowza Whatta Skein by Miss BabsHayward Shawl kitsInfinite TwistYou don't need to watch the video to enter to win the giveaway!Giveaway Information:Please leave one comment on the blog post that includes your Ravelry username/id or your email address so I can get in touch if you win. Please be patient for your comment to appear, there is a delay. One randomly selected winner will receive a copy of Colorful Stitchery from the publisher and the Regia Colorations sock yarn, enough to knit a pair of socks (colorway to be determined) from Kristin. I'll be back in a few days to randomly select and announce the winner.Good luck and let the comments begin!I think that's it! Enjoy!xo ~ susan

Ellen Gormley, crochet designer, popular blogger and teacher will now oversee the planning and editing of Crochet! Ellen brings a wealth of crochet knowledge and expertise to the magazine. She has been designing and teaching for eight years and is currently one of the crochet experts on the Annie’s television show, Knit and Crochet Now!, which is broadcast on PBS.  Listen Live for chance to win great prizes! Stay up to date with the Yarn Thing podcast with the App available on iTunes and for Droid.Find our more about Marly at www.MarlyBird.com or follow her on facebook Sponsored by: Knitter's MagazineCraftsyIndian Lake ArtisansFiesta YarnsDecade by Drew EmborskyLove of KnittingLove of CrochetBijou Basin RanchKnitCrateBuffalo Wool Co.

Candi Jensen, crochet and knit designer extraordinaire, joins us to talk about season five of Knit and Crochet Now!, which just finished taping. Can't wait!