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Crochet Extra – September 2024
Welcome to Spring in September! It’s a brilliant time of year with cool mornings and warmer days – perfect for getting out and about and enjoying the beautiful country or cities around us.
Last weekend was a brilliant weekend at the 2024 Sunshine Coast Crochet Retreat. 44 ladies attended to crochet for the weekend! Many completed all three of the projects on the agenda, and catching up with friends made last year, making new friends, showing off their makes for the last 12 months. It was lovely seeing everybody and their fabulous creations. View all the highlights of the event here.
Our next retreat will be for a weekend in the Hunter Valley in May 2025. Or if you wanted to get some sunshine – our next Sunshine Coast Crochet Retreat will be in August 2025. Find out more about each of the retreats here.
On Tuesday 10th September we have a scheduled power outage in the area and as such we will be closed that day. All orders that are made via the website that day will be shipped out on Wednesday 11th September.
This month we are getting the shelves ready for new colours in several of our yarns – ready for the coming summer! The Queensland Collection – Coral Reef
has 10 new colours coming in, and we have the Ocean Mist 4ply coming in as well. The Queensland Collection Ocean Mist is a variegated 4 ply cotton, with some of the stunning colours from the Ocean Mist range!
Lastly in the new colours – Superb Prints – a beautiful range of acrylic variegated yarns – will also be arriving. 
Next week we begin our classes for September where we will be making the Meandering Vines Japanese Knot Bag. Join us Monday nights online, or Tuesdays or Wednesdays in store, where I will lead you through creating linked stitches, and coloured cables. We’ve also loaded up the classes for the next two months – take a look at these here.
We are also busy preparing our calendar for next year – if you have a special project or technique you would like to learn – email us and tell us about it and if more would like to do it, we’ll add it to our class list.
Until next time
Lynda
Theme—It’s in the Bag
Summertime is just around the corner, and we can’t get through summer without our bags. But not just any bag! Crochet Bags are on trend and we are beginning to see them everywhere for sale – but you can avoid the exhorbitant prices and make your own. And a hand-made bag brings so much joy.
Bags come in many shapes and sizes – but it’s not just about choosing the bag large enough to carry what we need – it’s got to have elegance, chic and suit the occassion. This year, the tote and market bags are in demand for that casual chic look when heading to the markets, a picnic, or the beach. The thicker cottons make these sturdy and practical. Or had some some tassels, beads or metallic yarn for some sparkle and flair.
For day time adventures, a crocheted backpack, crossbody bag, or satchel will do the trick. Our Japanese Knot 
Bag class this month will make the perfect day-to-day bag, or the Cross Body bag in our November class will make the perfect choice when going to festivals, short beach walks or walks around town. Or perhaps crochet a handbag to hold you daily essentials.
Add a touch of glamour to an evening out with a crocheted clutch or purse. Made with finer cottons and adding a touch of metallic yarn will add elegance and a touch of femininity to any outfit.
Cotton yarns are the most suited to bags as they hold their shape better. The Fiddlesticks Finch, Wren and Posie are perfect unmercerised cottons, or Create Handmade and Catona are perfect mercerized cottons for bags. Many bag patterns are designed to be tight so having good comfortable hooks is a must!
Browse the next section for a selection of patterns, kits and tools available to help you get started with your crochet bag. We also have a range of extra accessories for your bags, such as metal feet, magnetic clasps and even leather bases.
Or try this ‘On the Go Bag‘ by Toni Lipsey – perfect for your day-to-day activities.
Book of the Month
Nakai Purse
By Kim Kotary “Rock On” with this super stylish “guitar-strap” purse. Made using lots of fun techniques like puff stitches, French knots, split stitches, waistcoat stitches and more. Includes detailed instructions for optional lining. ﾠDesigned for the experienced crocheter Made using worste weight yarn – shown here in 100% hemp yarn with superior strength and durability. Sample shown was made using 3 balls of Night and 1 each of Parchment, Hazelwood and Poppy Red. Finished bag measures 17 inches (45cm) wide and 10.5inches (27cm) high.
US terminology
