Hello and welcome to Patchwork House . . . . .
my little corner of the world in England, where you will find me addicted to colour and playing with yarn!


30 June 2014

Playing with flowers

This week I am playing with flowers





combining different flower squares and colours


I am experimenting with 3D texture to add dimension



using shades of pink lilac and turquoise


This special blanket
 is a gift for my mothers 80th birthday next month
and is called
Emily's Garden

when complete I will write up the pattern
 giving links to the granny squares used


Don't forget
 to take advantage of the super offer from 
which you will find in my previous blog post
you can get 3 issues for £5 !!!

Have a great hooky week my friends

HEATHER
XXX







22 June 2014

Granny Emily


So excited!
At last I can tell you
 that I have been working with the lovely people from


as you all know
 I am a crochet addict!
I love nothing more than a weekend 
full of crochet therapy
 and
 it is always such a delight
 when the postman brings a new magazine!

I love trawling through my magazine stash
to find new patterns
 and
 inspiration


Simpy Crochet
have now also launched a new free app called
where they are releasing a new
 free granny square pattern each week. 
This is available for Apple users
but
 others can also sign up to receive details by 

the patterns are available in UK and USA crochet terms


You imagine my delight
 when I was given a preview of one of the granny squares
 to be released in their app
 and asked to trial it in my own colour combinations!

Here is

Granny Emily


oooohhhh
 don't you just love that deep swirling centre!
I was given the privilege of naming this square
and have named it after my lovely Mum
 who taught me to crochet as a child . . .
she is nearly 80 and still crocheting daily!


Oh what excitement
 to be able to give this square The Patchwork Heart treatment!
 I dived into my stash and decided to use
which comes in 18 lovely bright shades

it seemed only right
 to make these squares into a gift for my mother
 so I have chosen
 to use her favourite colours of pink and green


I'm often asked by readers what I do with the tails
and as you can see
 colour changing always makes for a lot of them!

I prefer to sew them
 in using a big darning needle at the end . . . 
think of it as embroidery
 and enjoy running them into the same colour stitches
 on the back of the square . . .
they will soon disappear
 and you will have a much more professional finish
 than if you crochet over them!


I decided to make Granny Emily
 in 4 different combinations of the 5 shades


I love to play with colour


and find it amazing how the squares look so different


when the colours are used in different orders!


I chose 2 brighter shades and 2 paler shades with the white
and notice
 that I kept round 3 white
 on all 4 squares to make them match!


the squares were then joined
 using the
and finished with a little picot edging


Simpy Crochet
 have kindly given me permission
 to share the pattern for Granny Emily with my readers

Granny Emily in UK terms

2-ttr cluster (Yrh 3 times, insert hook in sp, yrh and pull up loop, [yrh and draw through 2 loops] 3 times) twice, inserting hook in same sp each time, yrh and draw through all loops on hook.
With Yarn A, ch8, join with a ss into a ring.
Round 1 Ch5 (counts as ttr), ttr into ring, ch1, (2-ttr cluster into ring, ch1) 15 times, ss to top of beg ch-5. Fasten off.
Round 2 Join Yarn B in any ch-1 sp with a ss. Ch1 (does not count as stitch), dc into same ch-1 sp, *ch3, dc in next ch-1 sp, ch3, (2tr, ch3, 2tr) in next ch-1 sp, ch3, dc in next ch-1 sp, ch3, dc in next ch-1 sp; rep from * twice, ch3, dc in next ch-1 sp, ch3, (2tr, ch3, 2tr) in next ch-1 sp, ch3, dc in next ch-1 sp, ch3, ss to first dc, fasten off.
Round 3 Join Yarn C in next ch-3 sp with a ss. Ch3 (counts as tr), 2tr in same ch-3 sp, *ch2, skip next ch-3 sp, (3tr, ch2, 3tr) in next ch-3 sp, ch2, skip next ch-3 sp, 3tr in next ch-3 sp, ch2, 3tr in next ch-3 sp; rep from * twice, ch2, skip next ch-3 sp, (3tr, ch2, 3tr) in next ch-3 sp, ch2, skip next ch-3 sp, 3tr in next ch-3 sp, ch2, ss to top of beg ch-3, fasten off.
Round 4 Join Yarn D in next ch-2 sp. Ch3 (counts as tr), 2tr in same ch-2 sp, *ch2, (3tr, ch2, 3tr) into corner ch-2 sp, (ch2, 3tr in next ch-2 sp) 3 times; rep from * twice, ch2, (3tr, ch2, 3tr) into corner ch-2 sp, (ch2, 3tr in next ch-2 sp) 2 times, ch2, ss to top of beg ch-3, fasten off.
Round 5 Join Yarn E in next ch-2 sp. Ch3 (counts as tr), 2tr in same ch-2 sp, *(3tr, ch2, 3tr) in corner ch-2 sp, (3tr in next ch-2 sp) 4 times; rep from * twice, (3tr, ch2, 3tr) in corner ch-2 sp, (3tr in next ch-2 sp) 3 times, ss to top of beg ch-3, fasten off.
Weave in all ends.

Granny Emily in USA crochet terms

2-dtr cluster (Yrh 3 times, insert hook in sp, yrh and pull up loop, [yrh and draw through 2 loops] 3 times) twice, inserting hook in same sp each time, yrh and draw through all loops on hook.

With Yarn A, ch8, join with a ss into a ring.
Round 1 Ch5 (counts as dtr), dtr into ring, ch1, (2-dtr cluster into ring, ch1) 15 times, ss to top of beg ch-5. Fasten off.
Round 2 Join Yarn B in any ch-1 sp with a ss. Ch1 (does not count as stitch), sc into same ch-1 sp, *ch3, sc in next ch-1 sp, ch3, (2dc, ch3, 2dc) in next ch-1 sp, ch3, sc in next ch-1 sp, ch3, sc in next ch-1 sp; rep from * twice, ch3, sc in next ch-1 sp, ch3, (2dc, ch3, 2dc) in next ch-1 sp, ch3, sc in next ch-1 sp, ch3, ss to first sc, fasten off.
Round 3 Join Yarn C in next ch-3 sp with a ss. Ch3 (counts as dc), 2dc in same ch-3 sp, *ch2, skip next ch-3 sp, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) in next ch-3 sp, ch2, skip next ch-3 sp, 3dc in next ch-3 sp, ch2, 3dc in next ch-3 sp; rep from * twice, ch2, skip next ch-3 sp, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) in next ch-3 sp, ch2, skip next ch-3 sp, 3dc in next ch-3 sp, ch2, ss to top of beg ch-3, fasten off.
Round 4 Join Yarn D in next ch-2 sp. Ch3 (counts as dc), 2dc in same ch-2 sp, *ch2, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) into corner ch-2 sp, (ch2, 3dc in next ch-2 sp) 3 times; rep from * twice, ch2, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) into corner ch-2 sp, (ch2, 3dc in next ch-2 sp) 2 times, ch2, ss to top of beg ch-3, fasten off.
Round 5 Join Yarn E in next ch-2 sp. Ch3 (counts as dc), 2dc in same ch-2 sp, *(3dc, ch2, 3dc) in corner ch-2 sp, (3dc in next ch-2 sp) 4 times; rep from * twice, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) in corner ch-2 sp, (3dc in next ch-2 sp) 3 times, ss to top of beg ch-3, fasten off.
Weave in all ends.




The lovely people at Simply Crochet magazine
 have also set up
 a special trial offer to my readers

Try 3 issues for just £5 when you subscribe 
* Receive 13 issues a year - saving £9.97 on your first 3 issues
* Direct delivery at no extra cost
* Receive a FREE gift on every issue
Terms & Conditions: 
This offer is for new UK print subscribers paying by Direct Debit only. 
You will receive 13 issues in a year.
  Offer ends: 31st July 2014

and you can take up this offer by following the link 


and now I must get back to my hook
sending you all lots of hooky love

Heather
X X X








15 June 2014

The Jammy Dodger


Oh its been such a busy week
school is very busy
we wind up and get busier and busier towards the end of term
sadly this means little time for hooky
but when time allows
I am working on an unusual colour combination
using Stylecraft Special DK in
lipstick grey and white


I love the willow block from Jan Eatons book 200 Crochet Blocks


and this gorgeous
 heart square
 from Simply Crochet magazine


oh what fun to sort through my magazine stash
 and find this gorgeous
 Little Love Hearts pattern in issue 14


it made me smile when I photographed this layout
as all I could see was jammy dodgers!
I have many more squares to make
 but eventually they will be joined and edged with black


Sunday is a day for relaxing at Patchwork House
after church we enjoy time at home together
time to relax and refresh

I hope you had a relaxing Sunday too

Happy hookin
Heather
xxx







8 June 2014

Carnival Colours

This week has been a frenzy of colour
here at Patchwork House
 and it has caused quite a stir across the airwaves!

everyone loves Stylecraft Special DK

it is so soft
can be machine washed and tumble dried
which makes it perfect for
 baby blankets 


so when commissioned to make
 a baby blanket in the stripey design
I get ever so excited when I can can choose the colours 


this time I went for bright carnival colours
 suitable for boy and girl
aspen
turquoise
aster
violet
plum
lipstick
pomegranate
shrimp
spice
and
saffron


I am making this up as I go
 along incorporating different stitches and colours
but the pattern idea comes from
the as we go stripey blanket
 and you can find the pattern on

I use a 3.5 and 4mm hook for different stitches
but you can choose whichever you are comfortable with 
depending on your tension

my all time favourite hooks are by
the handle is soft and the steel so slippery
with a super grip
 this makes for speedy hooky!


you cannot help but be cheerful working on this blanket
it provides tons of colour therapy
 and
 feeds your crochet addiction well


even running in the ends was a pleasure
I think of it as embroidery
running each tail back into its coloured stripe


then my favourite part
the border

this somehow brings it all together
 and
 hides the wobbly edges nicely


so here we go
another cheerful pram blanket on its way tomorrow!

If you haven't yet used Stylecraft Special DK
I recommend it
and you can buy it
 HERE
 at just £1.59 for 100g
it is a winner!

Have a good week my friends

Heather

x x x








2 June 2014

Mandala magic



Last week was half term
heaven
a blissful week at home
 full time at The Patchwork Heart

the weather was poor
 and
 I found myself housebound without a car all week
so what a good excuse for
playing with colours!

I dug out my stash of
 magazines and spend a lovely relaxing hour
 sifting through choosing patterns


I have always liked mandalas
for the sheer fun of choosing colours and trying new stitches

what are they for
???
well sheer pleasure I think!

having had a little go last year
at mandala making
 these fabulous patterns by Wink from
had caught my eye and
were on my to do list

so I dug out my stash of cottons and started playing with colours!



the magazine patterns
 have very clear simple instructions
 with step by step photos
 which made them a joy to follow
and once I started I couldn't stop!


oh so pretty and a riot of colour
but far too nice to hide under a bowl!


Mandala is Hindu for circle
 and the shapes are often seen as a symbol of wholeness


I have used
Stylecraft Cotton Classique
which is DK weight
but with a 3mm hook to give added firmness to the mats


I highly recommend this cotton yarn
 as one that doesn't split and is a pleasure to hook


It is available in 18 gorgeous bright colours
 and you can buy it
 HERE

So with that I will wish you happy hookin
 and get back to my next pretty mandala!

Heather
X X X


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