Crochet in the Sunshine

I had forgotten how nice it is to crochet in the sun, well you can forgive me for that really, with the horrible weather we have been having!

I had the opportunity this week as I have to produce two new designs for a beginners crochet class. I have been asked to teach at very short notice,  I will be teaching this Saturday.  I have produced a teaching pack with course layout, broken down into different learning sections.  I has been a really good exercise for me and all though time consuming I now have a teaching pack I can use again, that's if I am asked again!  

A funny thing happened last weekend, my mother rang and said "I am just putting you on speaker phone", before I could protest, I heard my step brother, Theron's voice on the other end of the phone, quote " Nicola, I am trying to CROCHET!!!!!, I have done a chain how do I do the first row"!  My brother sadly lost his wife to cancer 2 years ago and they have a daughter Elizabeth who loves learning new crafts, so Theron was trying to learn in order to teach her.  After picking myself up from the floor, I did my first crochet tutorial over the phone and he was well away!  Later on that day I got another phone call from my mother, both Theron and my Stepdad were sitting at the dinner table crocheting but there was a bit of swearing too when they made a mistake.  Elizabeth was mortified and had retired to the lounge to watch DVD's and my mum had escaped upstairs, for some peace and quiet, but oh how we did laugh.  Incidentily my step brother is a police officer so is he the first 'Crochet Copper'? I wonder!!!!

Until next time................Nicky xx

Charting Crochet..Whatever next!!!!

Just before Christmas I happened upon a software designer advertising his wares on Ravelry, which caught my eye.

I love all aspects of crochet and Brian Milco has designed the perfect software to create your own crochet charts!!!!  Generally, I think most charts are created on Adobe Illustrator?  I welcome any confirmation about this?  

Brian's download which is crochet only software, Stitchworks Software, is quite simple to use.  If you go to his site he has trial versions to download, if you want a taster, which I highly recommend, and the total cost for the software download if you go ahead, is very reasonable.  One of the most important factors is that if you have any problems or questions Brian is very good at responding promptly with easy to understand advice, 'non techy speak'.  So just for you, see below a little example motif, this is one of the first ones I done, I hasten to add that I have tided my technique up a little since.  I am working on a full pattern for this, so watch this space and do check out the software.

Until next time .............. Nicky xx

Drum Roll Please........!

The winner is .......... fabriquefantastique, easy really, only two comments so did a heads and tails and the winner chosen was tails.  So the lovely little pattern book Vintage Handknits by Artesano, will be winging its way to a new home!

On another note, I have been busy on the crochet front again with two forthcoming commissions for a couple of magazines which is very exciting kept me busy this weekend, good job really because gastly weather kept me out of the garden! For one commisson I am using Sublime Lustrous extrafine merino dk, comes in a gorgeous colour palette.  Good excuse to take a trip to a proper yarn shop and have a look and a squeeze.  

Anyway back to the crochet......ho hum what a life!

Until next time......Nicky.