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January Update

So the new year has started after a wonderful but very busy Christmas with family and friends.  The weather is topsy turvy, sun shining brightly one day and frosty and cold the next.  Heating on, heating off.  Walk the dog, coat on, coat off.  Ride the horses – lightweight macs to keep them dry in the rain or thick, heavy beat the freeze rugs.  Just don’t know what to do or where we’re at.

 

Nothing changes for crafting for me though.  I’m addicted to crochet just now.  I’ve got UFOs at the sewing machine, UFOs in the jewellery-making and beading box, UFOs in the cross stitching bag.  But nothing pulls me away from my yarn and crochet hooks.  During 2016 I created 3 blankets which were given away as Christmas presents to family and special friends.   I made a dress, lovely to wear during the hot summer, and even crocheted a bag – currently a UFO at the sewing machine…

 

My wonderful husband treated me to some marvellous yarn for Christmas.  A 45% silk/55% mohair mix in a deep purple/maroon shade.  I’ve chosen to use it for another throw.  Two of last year’s blankets were crochetalong’s and the third was a very simple pattern.  This time I’ve chosen something more complicated to push me.  The first challenge being the chain of 177 stitches.  Never worked a chain so long before.  Found a tip online – create a chain in counts of five.  Worked well.  Got the right number of stitches first time.

 

I found that once I mastered the basics – a slip-knot and chain, a double crochet and a treble – anything is possible.  However complicated a pattern, stitches are all built around these basics.  So my new pattern with woven stitches, cables, arrows and celtic weave amongst others, are all just building on the basics.  And I have to say I’m enjoying learning and pushing myself with this.  I’m only on row 34 but loving every moment I am able to find half an hour in an evening to work on this.   There has been a certain amount of frogging but fortunately not too much.

 

“Frogging” I hear you ask.  What is frogging?  I had to google it too.  Quite simply, “to frog” is “to rip out stitches”.  It is a play on words alluding to amphibians and their chorus of “ribbit, ribbit, ribbit”.

 

Whatever your craft, I hope you have a wonderful 2017.

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FREE Angel Scarf Knitting Pattern

Once the new year starts, we all start to evaluate just how much fabric and yarn we have stashed around our house. This scarf is the ideal stash buster. Perfect for chilly spring mornings, it has pointed ends, and is nice and quick to knit. You can use any yarn and each scarf will be unique!

We recommend: 1 x 50g ball of Adriafil Sfumato

5mm needles.

Cast on loosely an even number of stitches depending on the width required – 50 stitches will produce a scarf approximately 25cm wide.
Knit 2 rows.
Pattern Row 1:
Knit 2 *Yarn over needle, knit 2 together, repeat from * until 2 stitches remain, knit 2.
Pattern Row 2:
Knit.
These 2 rows form the pattern. Repeat until the required length is achieved.
Knit 2 rows.
Cast off loosely.
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Not Christmas Already?!

Well no, but panels and fabrics are arriving thick and fast so that we can all be ready in time. Gifts
created and decorations made.
Today, I’m at the sewing machine making Christmas Stockings.
It’s a bit of a chore, however, to find inspiration when the sun in beating down and the temperature
is topping 26 degrees C. Not that I’m complaining about the sun at all, just finding it hard to think in
terms of Christmas and the Winter season.
What embellishment will enhance the stockings? Do I go for glitz and sparkle or something more
subtle? It is a Christmas stocking after all so maybe sequins and seed beads. The panel I’m using has
a Scandi feel to it so perhaps embroidery with a bit of glitzy DMC. Watch this space.
Jon has already been busy putting together an incredibly simple “folded” advent calendar. We are
all amazed by how quick and it easy it was to make and customers are loving the end result. Proving
popular already.
Who else has started getting ready for the festive season? Tell us about the projects you’ve got in
mind. My mum is making bags for her friends this Christmas, it was cushions last year, and already
has 2 completed. Only 5 more to go!
Delighted with the finished result. Only took a couple of hours, computer had to be worked at and
customers had to be looked after in between!
I’ll be in touch with my next sewing challenge….Joy
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DMC Big Pink Ribbon Project

Tudor Rose Patchwork is supporting DMC to make the World’s Biggest Pink Ribbon which will be on display at The Handmade Fair 2016. The ribbon will be made up of lots of little pink projects made by hundreds of crafters from across the country.
The project is to raise money and awareness for The Pink Ribbon Foundation which supports UK Breast Cancer charities.
It’s so easy to get involved, all you have to do it is pick up any pink DMC product and embroider, crochet, cross-stitch, tapestry or stitch a little something (10cm X 10cm max).
It can be any design or technique you like, as long as it’s pink! You can also make as many as you like! Even something as small as a Pom Pom or tassel will fit the bill, so now mater what your crafting ability is you can get involved!
We will be collecting all projects until the 26th August, then they will be sent as a group to The Handmade Fair. We will also include a card signed by everyone you donates a project (you can remain anonymous if you wish).
Thank you in advance for your support.
Happy stitching!

N.B DMC will not be able to return any of the donated projects.