Crochet Extra – May 2021

Wishing all the Mums and Mum like figures a “Happy Mothers Day” for the 9^th of May. I hope your day is filled with many happy moments with you families.

May is a beautiful time of the year – the garden and lawn growth slows down and the mornings are cool for an invigorating walk with Roxi. The evenings are crisp and clear and perfect to snuggle in blankets or under that blanket WIP you’ve had on hold over the summer months.

May is the lead up to a busy June and July in all things Crochet…….

• The Crochet Guild Australia Conference is happening on the 4^th, 5^th and 6^th of June. I will be hosting a workshop on the Friday for Mandala Earrings and Sunday teaching the Waterfall Crochet Technique so be sure to get in quick and book your spot, I’d love to see you there. We will also have a stall at the conference and of course there is the Dinner on Saturday night with a guest speaker and fashion parade. Loads of crochet fun for all levels. See the details on their website
• The Beanie Festival kicks off in Alice Springs on the 25^th – 28^th A great opportunity to use up your stash and be creative. You can enter the competitions or sell you beanies by mailing them to the organisers. For more information visit their website.
• Knitfest in Maleny will be 3^rd – 4^th The theme this year is “There’s a Dragon in my Garden”. The workshops will be open soon for bookings via their website 
• Craft Alive Sunshine Coast takes place 30 July – 1 August. We will also have a stall there with a make take table.  More details will be released as information is published by Craft Alive – stay up to date by visiting their website.

Plans are also in full swing for our 2021 Crochet Retreat here on the Sunshine Coast. Make sure you keep the 28^th and 29^th of August free to join us for a weekend of crochet fun.  Full details will be released next week when bookings will open.

Most of our clover hooks are back in stock again …not as many as we expected but some of the popular sizes are now available in store or online.  As noted last month all yarn prices will be increasing from 1 May by 4%.

Have you signed up for our workshop in May? This month we will be starting Part 1 of the Pleated Cardigan – Add a touch of elegance to your wardrobe with this cardigan by Kat Goldin. It is made with airy stitches, simple gathers and pleats for a soft look. Part 2 will continue in the month of July – instore (Tuesday mornings or Wednesday evenings) or online (Monday evenings or Thursday mornings).

Next month we will be learning a new technique – Mosaic Crochet. See this and our other workshops throughout the year here

Until next time

Lynda

Theme— Stash Busters

We’ve all heard of and loved the Ghost Busters movies. We have a wonderful movement in the craft community and its called “Stash Busting”. Yes, I am talking to all you yarn lovers out there.  Our stash builds quickly, whether it be….

• that yarn you had to buy but still don’t have a project for;
• that project you just never got around to begin/finishing and have no intention of doing/finishing; or
• the leftover yarn you have from your past makes.

Everybody needs a clean out some time.  And with the cooler weather now beginning to arrive, now is as good a time as any to settle in to some serious crochet time.  And of you course clearing out your yarn stash means you can make way for all the gorgeous new yarns available.

Well never fear “Stash Busters” is here…for that’s our theme for May.

There are so many ways to create beautiful items with your stash of yarn. They range from small to large projects such as blankets or afghans of all shapes and sizes, mug mats, dishcloths, toys, works of art, doilies and so much more.

Get inspiration from many of the pattern books featured this month or with accessories such as pom-pom makers and tassel makers.  Projects using up your stash can be easy and fun and really bring out the creative spirit.  If you need to undo (frog) any partly made yarn goodies then make life easier by using a yarn winder, we have a few available in store again.

There are also various sizes in hoops to display your mandala makes, which are also great stash busters.

One of the difficult things I find when using up stash is putting colours together – invariably I don’t have the exact colours I need – use a colour wheel to help you choose alternatives or see the effect of your yarn colour combinations. There are also wonder knitters, French knitters and looms available to help you on your stash busting mission…these are also great to get the kids involved in making things.

Stash Busting is mostly about leftovers – but sometimes you need just that little bit more –  the Scheepjes Catona cotton mini 10g balls are excellent for this. So if you happen to find yourself in a losing game of yarn chicken and need that little bit more to finish your make, or you find you just want a very small amount of a particular colour to use in one of your stash busting makes to get the desired look you are after …..then Catona minis to the rescue.  Or get one our Stash Buster Mystery Pack.

Try making something quirky – like this easy wrist pouch.

Look What We Found