Crochet Extra – September 2023

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Welcome to Spring! A brilliant time of the year when the gardens all begin to grow with vibrant colours. Hence our theme this month – Spring Cleaning. But it’s not all about the drudgery of cleaning – read below to find out more!

We are now recovering from our Crochet Retreat here on the Sunshine Coast last weekend. 50 ladies attended the event to sit and get some ‘guilt-free’ crochet in, while catching up with friends made last year, making new friends, showing off their makes for the last 12 months and producing some fabulous projects! It was lovely seeing everybody and their fabulous creations. See a round up of the weekend here.

If you missed out on the fun, we are holding a second retreat in May 2024 in the Hunter Valley book your spot here. The Sunshine Coast Crochet Retreat for August 2024 is now sold out – but you can put your name on the waiting list here.

It’s also been exciting as we received all the new colours in Finch in the last few weeks – I love looking at these shelves of the new colours! We’ve also now got more sizes in the Knit Pro hooks, more darning needle sets and digital row counters back in stock! See these and other items that are new here

We announced last month an increase in the Scheepjes products – these will be introduced at the end of this month – giving you a few more weeks to stock up based on the current prices!

Next week we begin our classes for September where we will be learning the waterfall technique to create a colourful place mat or table runner without the midrow colour changes. Join us Monday nights online, or Tuesdays or Wednesdays in store, where I will lead you through this fabulous technique.

We’ve also loaded up all classes for the rest of the year – take a look at these here.

For October we will not be open on the first Saturday (which is the 7th) We will instead be open on Sunday the 30th September (the week before). So please note this change in your diary!

Until next time

Lynda

Theme— Spring Cleaning

Spring is in the air, chasing the winter chill away. And with the warmer weather we see the new growth of the flowers and trees as the sun shines brighter and warmer. My pansies have started blooming and the smell of sweet peas and jonquils are floating through the air.

This beauty and freshness makes us want to open our homes up and is an opportunity to cleanse our living space, chasing away the winter blues – a bit like the saying ‘out with the old and in with the new’. – or ‘spring cleaning’.

But spring cleaning isn’t just limited to ‘cleaning’ your home – it also encompasses reorganizing our workspaces and environment, decluttering our craft room and stash, redocrating or even refreshing our wardrobes. It’s objective is not just to clean, but to feel happiness living within your environment – an opportunity to hit the reset button on your life. Crochet, knitting and other yarn crafts can help us do all of these things.

Make your own cleaning cloths – dishcloths, face cloths, mop covers, scrubbies or even soap savers. These are also great ways to use up yarns that have accumulated in our stash, or experient with learning new stitches.

Rearrange your workspace and craft areas while you clean them out by making your own storage solutions – some that come to mind are baskets, hangers – for toys, plants fruit or creating new shelves – hanging organizers to hold your craft items, or hang over a chair to hold the TV remote, or covers to protect your furniture. Check out the new hangers and organizers in store this month for some fabulous ideas.

Redecorate with fabulous new and fresh wall hangings, throws, cushions, table runners, coasters, tissue box covers or floor mats – just to name a few. New decorative items will give a sense of cleanliness and a whole new ambience to your rooms. We feature a selection of these patterns and kits below.

For the kitchen, bathroom or laundry, add a new colour without the need to repaint, by creating your own wash cloths, soap sacks and topping your tea towels/hand towels in colours that will pop. We have a large range of patterns and books and the cottons to create them – they are not only a good look, but are super functional!

Why not bring some of the garden blooms indoor, creating your very own bouquet, or plant pots with yarn. The beauty of these type is they can’t die on you if you forget to water them. They are also a great way to use up your stash. We have a selection of patterns to help create your indoor space.

If you haven’t managed to use up much of your stash by now, it’s time to clean it up too! Consider donating some to local charities such as CWA or Assisted Living Organisations. Some schools, churches and hospitals host groups that will also gladly take yarn supplies. Or begin your makes for gift-giving – there are many projects out there that help use up your stash. And when you are cleaning out, don’t forget to take out all the WIPs that have been taking up space and make time to complete them to help freshen up your home or wardrobe!

Add a bunting to the fireplace to freshen it up for Spring, your bedhead, window frame or stairs, with this free Summer Flower Bunting pattern Felted Button

Be inspired by our selection of patterns, kits and tools featured below.

Tip of the Month – Crocheting with Doubled Yarn

Using multiple strands of yarn together in your crochet and knitting can help achieve that bulky look – read our tip for other advantages of using multiple strands and some tips to make it work for you.