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Picking Up Stitches

Knitting, crochet, cross stitch and more - the wonderful world of working with wool

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Autumn colours come round again

September 19, 2018 by Annie Leave a Comment
Crocheted autumn leaves acorns and flowers

 Autumn is a welcome relief

Autumn is finally here, thank goodness. The summer was so hot that I rarely felt like knitting. Lily my dog found it all too much too, and spent lots of time lazing in front of the fan dreaming about the park!

White and black Staffy lying on a bright coloured sofa

Lily is bored with all the sunshine

So, now that autumn is in the air again, Lily’s enjoying finding sticks in the park, and it’s time to get back into knitting and crocheting with a vengeance!

turning colours of autumn leaves

Noticing that the leaves were changing colour gave me a burst of inspiration. I soon came up with some new leaves and flowers to create an autumn wreath. Here’s the original inspiration…

Autumn leaves and acorns

And here’s what I came up with: a special sunflower, acorns and three different types of leaves. I particularly love the oak leaves I created eventually.

Crocheted autumn leaves acorns and flowers

I used Stylecraft Special DK as there’s such a huge choice of colours. Then I decided to add some Michaelmas daisy-type flowers, too, and crocheted a jade background. I made the background in Deramores Studio DK to fit a 17cm polystyrene wreath. The technique I used,  I found on the  Attic24 blog. I love this blog and the wreaths Lucy makes on there.

Positioning and sewing the items on the wreath took as long as crocheting some of the motifs. Eventually it was all in place, though. I love the result. So much so that I’m going to run classes on how to make one in Crouch End in October. I’m running an autumn wreath class at The Village Haberdashery West Hampstead mid October too. But, this September, I’m teaching simple autumn leaf and flower classes here in North London.

Here’s the finished wreath…

Autumn wreath

Keep the coffee cozy

This month, I discovered some Sirdar yarn I’d forgotten in my stash, and it was perfect autumnal colours. (Sadly, it’s now discontinued, otherwise I’d have bought some more). I used it to crochet some autumn takeaway coffee cup cozies, which were popular at last month’s Makers Market…

Mug cozies in autumn colours

For knitters, I’ve come up with a basic knitted cup cozy and coaster which I’m teaching at my beginners knitting classes throughout autumn in Crouch End. In October. I’m also teaching them at an afternoon course at Fringe in Muswell Hill.

Mug cozy and matching knitted coaster

Not wanting to leave out the crocheters, I’ve also designed a couple of simple crochet mug cozies too. Don’t worry, I’ll put the pattern up on the website very soon! Classes for these this autumn too! 

crocheted mug cozies

Be prepared for autumn winds

Realising that it’s soon going to be gloves and hats season, I decided to knit a new hat. I chose a WoollyWormhead pattern called Toph which is a really interesting to make.

This is me modelling my finished hat. You may notice that I used the rest of that Deramores Jade DK for the motifs.

Annie wearing her Toph hat by Woolly Wormhead

It’s knitted from side to side and uses a technique called German short rows, for which I’ll be adding a ‘How to’ section soon. By the way, I’m going to be putting up a lot of knitting video and pictorial tutorials as well over the next few weeks, as lots of people are coming along to my knitting classes at the moment.

Black and white staffy cross smiling

Happy again!

And finally, just in case you were wondering, here’s a picture of our Lily looking a lot happier with the temperature!

Posted in: crochet, inspiration, knitting Tagged: craft, crochet, crochet classes, German short rows, knitting, mug cozies

Teaching a granny square class

August 11, 2017 by Annie Leave a Comment

Time for teaching

I love teaching beginners to knit and to crochet. I’m always so grateful that my wonderful grandma taught me those skills back when I was just 5 or 6. She set me up for a lifelong love of working with yarn and creating all sorts of items for myself and for friends and family.

So it’s been wonderful since I started up Picking Up Stitches to share my knowledge with those new to knitting and crochet.

A few weeks ago, I was asked by Annie, the founder of the brilliant shop The Village Haberdashery in West Hampstead, if I’d teach some crocheted granny square classes there. I jumped at the chance, as the large, bright, airy shop is so homely and welcoming and a treasure trove of materials – a perfect place to teach.

Here’s Kym from the shop – she took part in the class

Inside The Village Haberdashery with lady at the counter

Just look at some of the things on offer here. I must confess that I’m always tempted to buy something whenever I visit. Even though I don’t do much sewing, the fabric display always makes me think I should be getting out my sewing machine!

Colourful fabric on shelves at The Village Haberdashery

Teaching the first class

I’ve just finished teaching the first of these classes – a two-hour evening class to teach a basic granny square, though people stayed on at the end – they just couldn’t stop crocheting!

The six crochet newbies were met by this gorgeous round table, all set up with crochet hooks scissors and yarn.

Table set up with crochet hooks, yarn and in front of a display of wool

The ages ranged from teenage upwards, with everyone eager to learn. The concentration was intense, but it was fun too.
Crochet class in progress at The Village Haberdashery

I’m glad to say that everyone completed a square by the end of the class, and some went on crocheting when they got home and posted their results on Instagram. There are more classes there in the months to come. And there are also my own Crouch End classes as well – see the timetable here. So glad to share the crochet love…

after teaching crochet squares, hooks and leaflets on a wooden table

 

 

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Posted in: classes, crochet, Crochet patterns Tagged: classes, craft, crochet, haberdashery

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  • Blog
  • Favourite links to blogs, places and people
  • Features and Interviews
    • An interview with Dee Hardwicke
    • Knitwear designer Martin Storey – an interview
    • Louisa Harding, knitwear designer talks to Annie Windley
  • How to guides
    • 1 Making a slip knot
    • 2 Cast on – a step-by-step guide
    • 3 Knit stitch – a step-by-step guide
    • 4 Purl stitch – a step-by-step guide
    • 5 Cast off – a step-by-step guide
    • 6 Making a chain stitch
    • 7 Making a double crochet stitch
    • 8 Making a treble crochet stitch
    • How to make a Basic Granny Square
    • Joining granny squares
  • Lessons in Thanet and North London and by Zoom
    • Crochet projects
    • Now We’re Knitting! (beginners)
  • Patterns
    • Annie’s Advent Calendar: Christmas CAL 2018
    • Carrot & pea bunting pattern
    • Fallen Leaves Autumn Cowl
    • Floral granny squares & little flowers pattern
    • Little crochet heart pattern
    • Little Tea Cosy pattern
    • Waffle Blanket
  • Shop
  • Spring Granny-Square Bag CAL pattern

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