Simply Crochet Sample Issue

OUR FAVE RIBBON YARNS!

PERK UP YOUR CRAFTING CORNER MAKE A GUINEA PIG!

ISSUE NINETY-SIX £6.99

10 cheery, mood-lifting makes CROCHET THROUGH THE CRISIS

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onlINe EvEnts tO jOin tOdAY

ISSUE 96 PRINTED IN THE UK • US $14.99 • CAN $15.99 DISPLAY UNTIL 8 JULY 2020

INSIDE! FILET TOP 2 ONE SKEIN MITTS 2 FLOOR CUSHION 2 BABY BLANKET 2 MOSAIC BAG

Crochet 28

Say hello to me on page 33!

ISSUE NINETY-SIX

CONTENTS

SPRING CARDIGAN

CRAFT room MAKES P14

Cover

EXCITING CROCHET IDEAS TO INSPIRE YOU

star!

14 CRAFT ROOM MAKES 28 SPRING CARDIGAN 33 GUINEA PIG 43 EMBELLISH: CUTE COLLAR 46 FILET SUMMER TOP 51 KATIE JONES 2-IN-1 CAL

57 DOG BANDANA 59 HOOK TO HOOK 67 STRIPY MITTENS 69 FLOOR CUSHION 78 BABY BLANKET 83 SUNNY GREY SHAWL

Dazzling collar embellish on page 43

Turn to page 59 anged ch- ecyokuoucotuloudr designer challenus yarn! win gorgeo WIN

YARn reVIEWs P74

62

67 mIttenS

78 46

83 GOOD READS

HOW TO...

09 HOOKED 38 JOURNAL: TECHNIQUE AND

36 SUBSCRIBE Never miss an issue!

72 CROCHET UNRAVELLED Improve your chain stitch 74 YARN REVIEWS Explore tape yarns 89 THE GUIDE Essential step-by-steps for you

PATTERN

54 PROFILE: ISA CATEPILLรงN 64 FEATURE: CROCHET CLUBS 76 SHOW US YOURS! 98 HOOKY TREASURE

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69 floor cushion 57 doG bANdAna

SUBSC

Get Sche RIBE Stone W epjes as River Wahed and s Colour P hed a ck!

Se e p36

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BLANKET FAN Hexagons and stars give this attractive blanket a softly geometric look

CRAFT ROOM MAKES

mix & match makes!

the art of craft

Hook up a creative haven in your home with this cheerful collection of pastel projects

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CRAFT ROOM MAKES

THE FRIENDLY CATERPILLAR Keep track of your pins and have a buddy to keep you company!

CELEBRATE YOUR SPACE Every day is a special occasion if you’re crocheting, so why not shout about it with word bunting 16 WWW.GATHERED.HOW/SIMPLYCROCHET

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CRAFT ROOM MAKES

COMFY CORNER Create the perfect hooky nook and cosy up with these tantalising textured cushions

POTS OF SPACE Organise and display the tools of your craft with this sweet set of crochet pots WWW.GATHERED.HOW/SIMPLYCROCHET 19

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Flat tering neckline

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SPRING CARDIGAN

spring make

Petal power Bring the beauty of flowers to your wardrobe with a feminine cardigan by Lisa Richardson

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CARNABY CAL

EASY PEASY DK WEIGHT

4MM HOOK

YOU WILL NEED For entire CAL (Blanket or Jumper) ■ Stylecraft Special DK (100% acrylic, 100g/295m) 3 balls of each: Yarn A Black (1002) Yarn C Fiesta (1257) 2 balls of each: Yarn B Jaffa (1256) Yarn D Kelly Green (1826) Yarn E Mustard (1823), Yarn F Aster (1003) ■ A 4mm (US G/6) hook ■ Stitch markers For your local stockists contact: Stylecraft Yarns 04184 848435 www.stylecraft-yarns.co.uk For other stockists, see page 53

CAL TENSION Tension is not critical for the Blanket; the finished measurements will be approx 138x138cm (54¼x 54¼in) if you make your motifs to the sizes stated. The fully reversible Jumper is one size only with an actual Bust measurement of approx 120cm (47¼in), although there are guidelines at the end on how to adjust for a larger size. If you want to make sure your Jumper comes out at this size, check that your motifs are the sizes stated, adjusting your hook size if necessary.

SQUARE FLOWER MEASUREMENTS 15x15cm (6x6in)

ABBREVIATIONS

A bonanza of colour and brimful of cheer, our two-in-one crochet-along puts the ‘CAL’ in ‘superCALifragilisticexpialidocious’! Hook up the motifs month by month, and choose to make up a bright jumper or bold blanket.

For a full list, see page 94

SQUARE FLOWER NOTES

CAL NOTES

Worked in the round with RS facing throughout.

There are nine different motifs that make up the CAL, and you can use these motifs to make either a Blanket or a Jumper. In each issue we will give you instructions to make a different motif, along with how many motifs you will need if you are making a Blanket, and how many for a Jumper. You will need twice the number of motifs to make the Blanket. There is one motif each issue for the first nine parts, and the final part will include instructions on how to make up your Blanket or Jumper.

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SQUARE FLOWER Blanket: Make 4 Jumper: Make 2 MOTIF With Yarn B, ch4, ss to first ch to join into a ring.

Round 1 (RS) Ch3 (counts as tr throughout), 11tr into ring, ss to top of beg ch-3. [12 sts] Fasten off, join Yarn C between any st.

Round 2 (Ch3, tr, ch3, 2tr) in same st, *skip 3 sts, (2tr, ch3, 2tr) in sp before next st; rep from * twice more, ss to top of beg ch-3.

[8 2-tr groups, 4 ch-3 sps]

Round 3 *Dc into sp between next 2 sts, (3tr, dtr, ch1, dtr, 3tr) in next ch-3 sp, dc in space between 2-tr groups; rep from * 3 times more, omitting last dc on final rep, ss to beg dc.

[24tr, 8dtr, 4 ch-1 sps, 4dc] Fasten off, join Yarn E in any ch-1 sp with a dc.

Round 4 *(4dtr, ch3, 4dtr) in next dc, dc in ch-1 sp; rep from * 3 times more, replacing final dc with a ss to join. [32 dtr, 4 ch-3 sps, 4 dc] Fasten off, join Yarn A in any corner ch-3 sp.

Round 5 (Ch3, tr, ch3, 2tr) in corner ch-3 sp, *8tr working between each st to corner, (2tr, ch3, 2tr) in corner ch-3 sp; rep from *twice more, 8tr working between each st, ss to top of beg ch-3.

[8 2-tr groups, 4 corner ch-3 sps, 32 tr] Fasten off, join Yarn D in any corner ch-3 sp.

Round 6 (Ch3, tr, ch3, 2tr) in corner ch-3 sp, *11tr working between each st to corner, (2tr, ch3, 2tr) in corner ch-3 sp; rep from *twice more, 11tr working between each st, ss to top of beg ch-3.

[8 2-tr groups, 4 corner ch-3 sps, 44 tr] Fasten off, join Yarn A in any corner ch-3 sp.

Round 7 (Ch3, tr, ch3, 2tr) in corner ch-3 sp,

CARNABY CAL

*14tr working between each st to corner, (2tr, ch3, 2tr) in corner ch-3 sp; rep from *twice more, (2tr, ch3, 2tr) in corner ch-3 sp, 14tr working between each st, ss to top of beg ch-3.

[8 2-tr groups, 4 corner ch-3 sps, 56 tr] Round 8 Dc in each st around working (dc, ch1, dc) in each corner ch-3 sp, ss to first dc. [80dc, 4 ch-1 sps] Fasten off and weave in ends.

The square flower slots in neatly to fill a gap between large areas of wavy stripes

Super brig!ht colours

CARNABY CAL

SHOW US YOURS! We want to see how you’re getting on!

Join our group at www.facebook.com/ groups/SCtreblemakers and post your pics on Facebook and Instagram #carnabyCAL

Black Sheep Wools 01925 764231 www.blacksheepwools.com Ann Louise and Thistle Wool Shops 023 9264 4242 Cheap Shop Tiptree 01621 815576 www.thecheapshoptiptree.co.uk

Deramores 01733 777345 www.deramores.com LoveCrafts 01409 404010 www.lovecrafts.com Wool Warehouse 01926 882818 www.woolwarehouse.co.uk

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DOG BANDANA

great g if t !

Dashing doggy Never lose sight of your furry pal with Eleonora Tully’s eye-catching bandana WWW.GATHERED.HOW/SIMPLYCROCHET 57

DOG BANDANA

EASY PEASY ARAN WEIGHT

3.5MM 4.5MM

The latest in canine chic, this bright bandana will ensure your furry friend stands out from the pack. Why not make several in different shades to match your outfits!

NOTES YOU WILL NEED Scheepjes Cahlista (100% cotton, 50g/85m) 1 ball of each: Yarn A Cyan (397) Yarn C Shocking Pink (114) A small amount of Yarn B Rich Coral (410) ■ A 4.5mm (US 7) hook ■ A 3.5mm (US E/4) hook ■ Dog collar For yarn stockists contact Scheepjes www.scheepjes.com/en ■

TENSION Tension is not critical for this project, but it may affect the yarn quantities required

MEASUREMENTS Bandana measures 12cm (4¾in) in height and 19cm (7½in) across widest points Flowers measures 3.5cm (1½in) in diameter

ABBREVIATIONS For a full list, see page 94

Bandana is worked in increasing rows from the point up.

A rib is worked from the top of the Bandana for the collar to sit in.

The bandana’s flower embellishments are worked in just two quick and easy rounds

DOG BANDANA Using a 4.5mm hook and Yarn A, ch2.

Row 1 (RS) 3dc in second ch from hook, turn.

[3 sts] Row 2 (WS) Ch1 (does not count as st throughout), 2dc in first st, dc in next st, 2dc in final st, turn. [5 sts] Row 3 Ch1, 2dc in first st, dc in each st to final st, 2dc in final st, turn. [7 sts] Rows 4-19 As Row 3. [39 sts] Rows 20-28 Ch1, dc in bl of each st across, turn.

Fold straight section so that the top of Row 28 is in line with the unused loops from Row 19.

This should leave enough space for the collar to slide through; if not, continue to repeat Row 3 until you reach desired size.

Ss the unused loops from Row 19 with the final row of sts to join.

Do not fasten off.

EDGING With RS facing dc evenly around Bandana working 1dc into each st and row end and 3dc into the point of the Bandana.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

At the last row, fold the edge over and make a channel for the dog’s collar to slide into

Fasten off and join Yarn C into any st.

Round 2 (RS) Ch1 (counts as dc), (htr, tr, htr, dc, ss) in same st, (ss, dc, htr, tr, htr, dc, ss) in each st around, ss into st at base of beg ch-1.

Fasten off and use the tails to join the Flowers onto the Bandana.

FLOWERS (MAKE 4) Using a 3.5mm hook and Yarn B, make a magic loop.

Round 1 (RS) Ch1, 6dc into loop, ss to beg dc to join. [6 sts]

SIMPLE STEPS HOW TO MAKE A DOUBLE CROCHET

1 To make a double crochet stitch, insert the hook under the top two loops of the next stitch on the previous row.

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2 Wind the yarn around the hook (yrh).

3 Pull the yarn through the stitch, giving you two loops on your crochet hook.

4 Yarn round hook again, then pull the yarn through both loops. There’s your double crochet made and you’ll have one loop left on the hook ready to do the next stitch.

MOSAIC BAG

mosaic e must-hav

Mixed bag

Shop in style with Elisa Oldman’s two-tone tote 62 WWW.GATHERED.HOW/SIMPLYCROCHET

MOSAIC BAG

GO PRO DK WEIGHT

3.5MM 4MM

Reasons why we love this bag: the symmetrical pattern looks fab in mosaic, and grey and white goes with everything, so you can pack it for every shopping trip.

NOTES YOU WILL NEED ■ Go-to DK (100% acrylic,

100g/289m) 1 ball of each: Yarn A Grey (020) Yarn B White (018) ■ A 3.5mm (US E/4) hook ■ A 4mm (US G/6) hook ■ Stitch markers For yarn stockists contact The Knitting Network www.theknittingnetwork.co.uk 01795 570303

TENSION Tension is not critical for this project, but it may affect the yarn quantities required

MEASUREMENTS Bag measures approx 22x26x12cm (8¾x10¼x4¾in)

ABBREVIATIONS mtr Work standard treble into skipped st 3 rows below keeping the ch-sps on the WS of the work reverse dc Working opposite direction, insert hook into next st to the right (or left if left-handed), yrh and pull up a loop, yrh, pull through two loops on the hook

Bag is made up of two Mosaic Panels and a Middle Panel. All Panels are worked in turned rows and joined together at the end.

Handles are made in the amigurumi method, working in a continuous spiral without closing off each round with a ss.

The Mosaic Panels are worked using the mosaic crochet method. Change colour every 2 rows; when a second colour appears in a row, skip those sts and ch the number of skipped sts plus 1. On the next row in a new colour, you will work an mtr into the skipped st 3 rows below, leaving the ch-sps on the WS. On the second row in the new colour you will work a dc into each mtr across.

Change colour on the final yrh of row before colour change is indicated and carry the unused yarn up the side of your work.

Mosaic crochet creates a sturdy fabric, which is ideal for hard-wearing shopping totes

CHART NOTES Refer to the Mosaic Bag Chart on page 97. when working the Mosaic Panels. Each small square represents 1dc st and each long rectangle represents 1mtr. Read all RS rows from right to left and WS rows from left to right. The first few rows of the Chart have been written out to guide you.

MOSIAC BAG MIDDLE PANEL Using a 3.5mm hook and Yarn A, ch25.

Row 1 (WS) Dc in second ch from hook and each ch across, turn. [24 dc] Row 2 (RS) Ch1, (does not count as st throughout), dc in each st across, turn.

Rows 3-58 As Row 2.

Row 59 Ch1, dc in fl of each st across, turn.

Rows 60-110 As Row 2.

Row 111 As Row 59.

Rows 112-168 As Row 2.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

MOSAIC PANELS (MAKE 2) Using a 4mm hook and Yarn A, ch44.

Change to a 3.5mm hook.

Row 1 (RS) Dc in second ch from hook and each ch across, turn. [43 dc] Row 2 (WS) Ch1, dc in each st across, turn.

Change to Yarn B. Row 3 Ch1, dc in first st, (ch2, skip 1 st, dc in next 19 sts) twice, ch2, skip 1 st, dc in final st, turn. [40 dc, 3 ch-2 sps] Row 4 Ch1, (dc in each st to next ch-2 sp, ch2, skip ch-2 sp) across, turn.

Change to Yarn A. Row 5 Ch1, dc in first st, mtr in next st, ch2, sk next st, dc in next st, (ch2, sk next st, dc in next

3 sts) 4 times, ch2, sk next st, mtr in next st, (ch2, sk next st, dc in next 3 sts) 4 times, ch2, sk next st, dc in next st, ch2, sk next st, mtr in next st, dc in final st turn. [28 dc, 3 mtr, 12 ch-2 sps] Row 6 As Row 4.

Change to Yarn B. Rows 7-65 Continue using the Mosaic Bag Chart on page 97.

Fasten off.

HANDLES (MAKE 2) Using a 3.5mm hook and Yarn B, make a magic loop leaving a long tail.

Round 1 (RS) Ch1, 5dc into loop. [5 dc] Round 2 Dc in each st around.

Repeat Round 2 until Handle measures 30cm.

Fasten off leaving a long tail.

TO MAKE UP Pm in bottom corners of Mosaic Panels and through row-ends of fl dc rows of Middle Panel (Rows 59 and 111).

Using a 3.5mm hook, join Yarn A through the top left corner of a Mosaic Panel and through the top right corner of the Middle Panel. Make sure you have the RS facing out.

Reverse dc the Panels together, working 2 sts in each corner and lining up the stitch markers on both Panels.

Repeat for the second Mosaic Panel.

Sew a Handle onto the WS of Rows 63-64 of each Mosaic Panel, approx 20 sts apart. You can use the image as a guide.

Weave in all remaining ends.

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GOOD READ

Join the Club Why joining a crochet group is the best thing you could do all year

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GOOD READ A “little creative haven” at the Village Crochet Club Photos by Chris Orange

S

haring a passion with other like-minded people is an amazing way of bringing people together. Crochet and other crafting clubs create their own community, building a bond between the members who regularly meet, whether in person or through an online community, to stitch and socialise. We spoke to founders and members of different crochet clubs to find out exactly what they love about them and why they want everyone to get involved.

This piece was written before the pandemic, so the clubs are not meeting in person, but are still providing support to each other.

WHY CROCHET CLUBS? Becky Skuse is the founder of the Keynsham Crafters in Bristol. The team meet every other week for two hours. “We bring our own project or have a group activity,” explains Becky. With a love for all craft, Becky was inspired to start the club to share her passion with others. “I’d been thinking about setting up a craft club for a while. I ran the idea past friends who were enthusiastic, so I organised a place and time, and lots of people came!” The group help each other, teach new skills, and build unique bonds.

“We make things together that are better than we could make alone. It’s really rewarding.”

Verity Budd joined the Keynsham Crafters after learning to crochet a few months ago, hoping to gain expertise from other crocheters and the motivation to keep up with her new hobby.

“Committing to a regular crochet session is what I needed to stay focused,” she says.

Similarly, Janey Messina started the Oxford Drunken Knitwits in 2012 to meet people and make friends who had similar interests. “I advertised the first gathering and 11 people showed up, which indicated to me that I was definitely not the only one in Oxford who thought knitting in pubs would be fun,” says Janey. “Nearly eight years on, we still have 15-20 members showing up every week.”

While the Knitwits are self-isolating, they’ve found a new way to keep the club alive, using Zoom. The members grab their hooks, cosy up on their sofas and dial into the group on their phones, tablets and computers where they chat and crochet – all from the comfort of their home! “We share the Zoom link each week on our website,” says Janey.

A MEETING PLACE Crochet clubs are a gateway to meeting people with whom you have a shared passion – a foundation of relationships. “I love that we have a support group,” says Chrissie Asbridge, who runs the Village Crochet Club in Surrey. “We applaud a finished project, we help with understanding tricky techniques, we interpret patterns to make them easier to follow.” This support extends beyond crochet.

“We find out the latest with each other’s personal lives, we are there if life is tricky for someone. We are a little creative haven away from ‘real life’,” she continues. “A few months ago I was looking around the table at my crochet-club friends and I was struck by our diversity. We are such a motley blend of women: different ages, different generations, different ethnicities, different occupations. Many of us never would have met had it not been for crochet, and our lives would be all the poorer for it! I am so lucky!”

Verity agrees, explaining it’s been more than

“ I was definitely not the only one who thought knitting in pubs would be fun”

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YARN REVIEWS

p a t e c y i f a i r r n r e s T k stuck in with these six top tape y o o h r arns you … Get GRANNY OCTAGON MOTIF Make a magic loop.

ROUND 1 Ch1 (does not count as stitch), 8dc in loop, ss in first dc to join. [8 sts] ROUND 2 Ch5 (counts as tr and ch2), *3tr in next st, ch2* rep from * six times more, 2tr in st at base of beg ch-5, ss in third ch of beg ch-5.

FASTEN OFF AND WEAVE IN ENDS.

You'll quickly be on a roll wit h t hese tape motifs!

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YARN REVIEWS

Wool and the Gang Tina tape

Rico designs BÄndchen

WEIGHT Aran CONTENT 100% Lyocell (TENCEL®) BALL 100g/150m HOOK 5mm RRP £10.50

WEIGHT Chunky CONTENT 100% viscose BALL 100g/120m HOOK 6mm RRP £4

This tape yarn has a lovely silky smooth feel to it, and comes from a rather surprising source – it’s made from eucalyptus tree fibres grown using renewable energy. The chainette-style construction complements it further, helping to give you nice big stitches, but still producing a nicely lightweight fabric. It’s

available in 17 fab colours ranging from natural shades to bold brights, and as well as being sustainably produced it’s also vegan friendly and doesn’t use any nasty chemicals in the production process either. Hand wash only. www.woolandthegang.com

Rowan Sultano

WEIGHT Super chunky CONTENT 60% cotton, 40% polyester BOBBIN 250g/120m HOOK 8mm RRP £8 which helps to keep your fabric light and floaty, as well as a nice subtle halo thanks to that mohair content. Sultano comes in four sumptuous shades and with that fibre combination it’ll be no surprise to hear that it’s hand wash only. www.knitrowan.com

Paintbox Yarns have really been stepping up to the meet the eco demand recently with a range of new recycled yarns, and their recycled ribbon yarn is a fantastic option in the tape yarn category. The ribbon feels solid and strong, making it perfect for your super chunky projects like

Fab Fabrics Mighty Weave

Berroc0 Estiva

WEIGHT Extra chunky CONTENT 100% fabric wool BOBBIN 500g, length may vary HOOK 25mm RRP £8.99

WEIGHT Chunky CONTENT 100% cotton CAKE 150g/307m HOOK 6.5mm RRP £25.99

If you like your tape yarns on the large side, then you’ll love the mighty weave yarn by Fab Fabrics. Made in Wales and constructed from fabric scraps that would otherwise end up in landfill, this jumbo yarn is great for your super-size crochet projects like cushions and rugs.

the fabric has a lovely soft feel to it, as well as having a nice level of bounce and stretch to it.

The yarn is available in seven pastel shades, of all which complement each other nicely.

It’s machine washable at 30ºC. www.rico-design.de/en

Paintbox yarns Recycled Ribbon

WEIGHT Chunky CONTENT 35% mohair, 42% silk, 23% cashmere SKEIN 50g/85m HOOK 6mm RRP £29.99 As you’d expect from Rowan, Sultano tape yarn falls into the luxury category. With its cashmere and silk combination giving you silky-smooth stitches, and the mohair adding that extra bit of fluffy softness, it really is a very special yarn. It features a chainette structure,

There are silky feeling yarns… and then there’s Rico Design’s Bändchen, which is so silky it’s probably better to describe it as slippery. This is largely thanks to the 100% viscose content produced from bamboo fibres, which is also helped by the incredibly intricate chainette construction. When worked up,

Due to the nature of the way this yarn is produced, every bobbin has different colour combinations and has thick and thin sections where the pieces are joined together. As it’s made of 100% wool, hand wash or delicate machine wool wash. www.lovefabfabrics.com

If you’re after a bit of luxury in your tape yarn, then Berocco Estiva is a great choice. True, it’s not the most economical choice available, but you do get a generous 300 metres plus of yarn on the cake. Estiva also comes with an extra bonus – a beautifully subtle yarn fade

bags and baskets. As usual, Paintbox are excelling in the bright bold colours, and their Recycled Ribbon is available in 16 awesome solid shades – plus there’s also a metallic recycled ribbon range too if you like a bit of sparkle. Hand wash only. www.lovecrafts.com

running throughout the cake, which combined with the lovely crisp stitch definition and the soft drape of the fabric, means this yarn would suit a wide range of projects. Available in 10 colours, it can be machine washed but on a cool setting. www.berroco.com WWW.GATHERED.HOW/SIMPLYCROCHET 75