knitting Archives — Picking Up Stitches

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.

Broadstairs – yes, we’ve moved to the coast!

January 31, 2020 by Annie 4 Comments

Broadstairs by the sea!

I’ve moved – Broadstairs is now the place we call home. More precisely, the lovely village of St Peter’s on the edge of town…

Yes, after decades in North London, we’ve taken the plunge and moved to the Kent seaside. It’s a beautiful little seaside town, with stunning bays and cliffs and lots of shoreline walks.

My new village not only has a village green, complete with stocks for anyone who misbehaves, it also has a stunning Medieval church – St Peter-in-Thanet – and one of the longest churchyards in the country that leads out to fields!

The medieval church of St Peter-in-Thanet

Angel statue in st peters thanet graveyard

The graveyard is a peaceful place to visit

Fields at end of graveyard of St Peters Thanet

The view of the fields from the end of the graveyard

Cauliflowers growing in the field beyond the woods

Floral delights

You probably know that I love crocheting flowers (like my floral wreaths and Flora gloves) so I’m more than happy that I’ve now got my first ever garden. I’m currently swotting up on what to do when, and being surprised by all the lovely bulbs and flowers that are appearing all over.

Beautiful Christmas rose Hellebore

Gorgeously scented winter honeysuckle is blooming now and smells wonderful.

There’s also a bird feeding station just outside our living room window, and I’m also enjoying a spot of birdwatching from the warm – robins, magpies, collared doves, sparrows, blue tits, long-tailed tits, wood pigeons, blackbirds and starlings are all regular visitors (as well as the greedy squirrels).

Lily’s enjoying watching the birds too!

Dedicated craft room!

Best of all, I now have a dedicated craft room at the end of the garden, with the woods behind it, so, as soon as I finish unpacking, I’ll be organising my yarn and fabric and getting cracking on some brand new designs.

I can even use it at night!

Lessons in Thanet

My move, of course, means that I’ll no longer be available to teach in London all the time, though I will be returning on a regular basis (as long as enough people want to learn on the same day). So if you’d like to have a lesson, just join my mailing list, or drop me a line so that I can tell you when I’ll next be back.

It also means that I can now teach in the Broadstairs-Margate-Ramsgate area as well – I already have a few lovely places to teach, so I’m looking forward to meeting some Thanet crafters soon… (If you’re interested in a lesson, email me at pickingupstitches@gmail.com.)

PS Lily’s loving life in Broadstairs too!