knitting Archives — Picking Up Stitches

What they’ve made!

September 10, 2026 by Annie Leave a Comment

Just look what they’ve made! I’m always delighted to hear from people I’ve taught and over the years, I’ve taught so many people how to knit and crochet –from 6-year-olds to 80-year-olds! The students have been both beginners, and also those wanting to learn more. I’ve also helped those who’ve got stuck on a personal project, who just needed a bit of advice!

And it’s always such a pleasure to see them and especially when they show me what they’ve made!

I thought I’d share a few pictures to give you a glimpse at just some of the wonderful projects. You’ll see why they’re so proud of their makes… (and if they inspire you to have a go, check out my links at the bottom of the post)

Granny squares – what they’ve made with them

First up we have the gorgeous dog blanket that Michelle made after just having just one lesson to learn how to crochet granny squares. I went to her house and saw all her lovely patchwork, so knew that once she got the hang of crocheting the squares she’d come up with something colourful. Just a week after I’d taught her, she sent me this pic of her dog, who obviously loved the new blanket so much that the blanket was in use even before Michelle had sewn in all the ends!

I taught Cat and her mum in Margate – in a lovely cafe in the International Food Centre. Although they could knit, they said they’d never got to grips with crochet. However, a couple of months after their two-hour lesson, Cat sent me this picture of a beautiful blanket that she’d made…

Tricky patterns

Some people just want help to follow a more tricky pattern. Sarah got in touch in North London to say she had a shawl pattern that she needed advice on. I was so pleased she did as I loved the pattern and actually made one myself afterwards. Here’s Sarah’s finished shawl – doesn’t it look fab?!

What they’ve made – knitting!

I’ve taught people to knit from scratch on many an occasion. Usually people have a few lessons over a number of weeks, and that was the case with Marsha, who wanted to knit a jumper for herself. Quite an ambitious project for a beginner, you’d think. But we found a pattern that was fairly straightforward and over a series of lessons at a little coffee shop in North London, Marsha perfected all the steps required. And not long afterwards she sent me this (headless!) picture of the fantastic finished article!

A class to suit you!

I’ve taught classes all over – in London, in Thanet and, over Zoom during the lockdown, all over the country! Sometimes I teach in cafes, sometimes in colleges, sometimes in wool shops, sometimes in people’s home. I’ve even taught a workshop in a holiday rental for a group of ladies celebrating their friend’s 50th birthday at the seaside!

So if you want to learn to knit or crochet, just get in touch with me. You can send a message to me at info @ pickingupstitches.com and check out here for prices etc for an individual or group lesson. Or else check out the Coastal Community Learning website for the midweek beginners, intermediate and knitting courses I teach at their college in Broadstairs, or Bayside Yarn wool shop in Broadstairs High Street where I teach on some Saturdays.

And soon I’ll be posting a picture of what YOU’VE made here too!!!

Blanket coverage – time to get cosy!

February 17, 2021 by Annie Leave a Comment

A blanket was just what was called for over the past few weeks. It’s been FREEZING here, so I’ve been busy finishing yet another one. Although they take some time, I really like to have a blanket on the go to pick up and crochet while I watch the TV.

I thought you all might like to see the blankets I’ve made so far. There’s also news of my Waffle Stitch blanket. The pattern’s here! (And don’t forget, I’m offering 1-2-1 Zoom lessons if you want to learn how to crochet any of the stitches seen in this post!)

Here’s the oldest blanket I have. I didn’t make it, my grandmother Vera did, back in the 1960s.

She knitted it in strips from wool left over from garments she’d made (hence the rather odd colour choices!). We lived with her as a child and I always remember her with a blanket on the go. This is the one that I had on my bed all through my childhood. It came with me to college and to every place I’ve lived since. It’s now full of holes, but my dog Lily doesn’t seem to mind, as it’s now on her bed!

Lockdown blankets

I started my first lockdown blanket during the summer of 2020. I chose to order the Attic24 Dune kit. You can find the pattern here and the kit here. It seemed relevant, as I live at the seaside, and it has a lovely shell-like pattern in soft, shoreline colours…

Although it was so boiling hot, I crocheted it happily outside in the garden, and it didn’t take too long once I got started!

I used it in my craft room at the end of the garden – mostly as a blanket for Lily to lie on at my feet while I stitched!

My friend Ellen has spent all of lockdown alone in her flat near the Yorkshire moors. I knew she’d love a cosy blanket for Christmas. I used another Attic24 stitch pattern – this time Neat Ripple – but I used blues and greens with shots of mustard and orange. She loves it!

It’s big enough for a single bed (or the end of a sofa!)

Strangely, my sister Helen sent me a picture of the blanket she’d just finished – the colours are very similar, aren’t they!

One for our home

I then thought I’d crochet my partner David a contemporary style blanket. I decided to design one in waffle stitch. I’ve put the pattern here (and if you’d like help with making it, I offer 1-2-1 Zoom lessons too). It’s ended up being a stylish addition to our sofa – so warm, in modern colours from Stylecraft DK.

Blanket design that's coming soon - the Waffle Blanket

A blanket-coat for Lily

Of course, Lily couldn’t be missed out. As she didn’t need yet another blanket, I designed her a blanket-style waffle coat which she wore happily when out in the freezing snowy weather.

I’d love to see your blankets!

Learning to crochet or knit on Zoom!

November 6, 2020 by Annie 10 Comments

Learning a new skill is a brilliant thing to do at any time. But especially during lockdown, it’s wonderful to take up a new craft to keep you busy while you’re stuck at home.

For me, teaching people to knit or crochet has been so difficult since the beginning of lockdown. I always like to be able to see clearly what people are doing when I’m teaching them. That way, I can help them with whatever they’re finding most challenging. Here’s one of the lessons I held in North London last year, before the pandemic hit our shores.

Of course now, with the two-metre rule, teaching like that is almost impossible. I’d been wondering about how I could carry on teaching people who were interested in learning to crochet or to knit during lockdown, and I’ve now decided to offer one-to-one lessons using Zoom!

That way you can still get individual attention and learn how to make exactly what you want! Also, I’ll be able to teach you, wherever you live! Even if you live outside of London or Thanet, where I usually teach

So although I won’t be teaching you like this…

Learning to crochet at a cafe before lockdown

… you’ll still have my undivided attention, just via a screen.

If you haven’t yet used Zoom, all you need is a computer or tablet and an internet connection – it’s so easy! Don’t worry, I’ll explain exactly what you need to do…

Just think what you’ll be able to make!

And what a brilliant pastime knitting and crocheting is while you’re stuck at home! I’ve been busy finishing all sorts of projects – I finally had time to crochet a blanket by Attic24 I’d been meaning to make for ages…

Just think – if you learn now, you’ll still be in time to crochet or knit some Christmas presents! So take a look at the crochet projects on my page here or decide what you’d like to learn to knit and drop me a line if you’re interested in arranging a lesson… More info here
UPDATE: Because the lockdowns are thankfully a thing of the past, I’m no longer offering Zoom lessons, but instead just offering face-to-face sessions in London and the Thanet region of Kent.