Tag Archives: handmade

Cosy Crochet Projects for Chilly Evenings

Last week, I introduced you to my latest Tunisian crochet design, the Mistwood Hooded Scarf. This week, as the evenings draw in and the temperature drops, I wanted to share a few ideas for cosy crochet projects that are perfect for slow, comforting making on chilly nights.

For me, truly cosy projects begin with the yarn. Choosing fibres that feel warm, soft, and satisfying in the hands makes all the difference when you’re settling in for an evening of crochet.

One of my long-standing favourites is Drops Nepal, a wool and alpaca blend classed as an aran weight. It has a lovely warmth and weight, and because it’s aran, projects grow quickly – always a joy when the evenings feel short. I’ve recently designed a particularly cosy project using this yarn, which will appear in the next issue of Simply Crochet magazine, out on 23rd December.

I also regularly use King Cole Fashion Aran, which comes in a huge range of colours. With 30% wool, it’s a more affordable option, making larger projects such as blankets feel achievable without worrying too much about cost. More recently, I’ve discovered King Cole Merino Blend DK, a superwash 100% wool yarn that has worked up beautifully and feels wonderfully soft.

Of course, if you’re able to spin your own yarn, you can really lean into seasonal colours and textures. This very Christmassy Corriedale and sari silk blend from Adelaide Walker, called Medina, is a perfect example – full of depth, warmth, and character.

Once you’ve chosen your yarn, it’s time to find a project you’ll genuinely enjoy. A quick search on Ravelry using the yarn weight you have to hand will reveal plenty of hats, gloves, and scarves that work up quickly and make satisfying gifts. That said, I don’t think there’s much better than crocheting a blanket or throw at this time of year. The gentle weight of the fabric resting in your lap is incredibly comforting, and as the piece grows, you almost find yourself wrapped in its warmth.

Over the years, I’ve built up a small library of pattern books, and the ones I still return to most often include:

  • Crocheted Throws and Wraps by Melody Griffiths
  • The Art of Crochet Blankets by Rachele Carmona
  • Rainbow Crocheted Blankets by Amanda Perkins
  • Beautiful Blankets, Afghans and Throws by Leonie Morgan

If you’d like to try your hand at Tunisian crochet, Toni Lipsey’s The Tunisian Crochet Handbook is full of cosy, inspiring projects. One of my own bestselling patterns, the Winterborn Throw, is a Tunisian crochet design worked in Fashion Aran yarn and is ideal for slow winter evenings.

However you choose to spend your crafting time, I hope these ideas encourage you to embrace slower making, warmer fibres, and projects that bring a little extra comfort at this time of year.

Happy crafting until next time – which will be after the Christmas break, when I’ll be turning my focus to fibre.

Sue

New in the shop: introducing my Mistwood Hooded Scarf

Last week, I explored one of my favourite topics: colour — and how to spark your imagination when choosing palettes for your next project. This week, I’m excited to share something brand new: the journey behind my latest design, from that first tiny spark of inspiration right through to the finished piece.

The Mistwood Hooded Scarf began as a simple question I asked myself while playing with my handspun yarn: what if that cosy autumn wrap I’d just finished… had a hood? I’d been experimenting with Tunisian crochet stitches, enjoying the textures and the meditative rhythm, and the finished wrap had such lovely weight and drape that I couldn’t help imagining more.

But as these things often go, my first attempt taught me exactly what not to do! The original shawl was far too wide to fold into a hood — a quick try-on left me with fabric flopping in front of my eyes. Practical, it was not.

So I went back to the sketchbook and re-imagined the piece as a narrower scarf: still enveloping and warm, but proportioned perfectly for a folded hood. With that settled, I knew the next step was choosing the right yarn. I loved the feel of my handspun wrap, so I set out to find a worsted-weight yarn with a high wool content and good structure.

A browse through Wool Warehouse (dangerous, as always…) led me straight to Cascade 220. It ticked every box — and then came the matter of colour. I like to pretend I considered several options, but the moment I saw Lepidolite Heather, a soft purple with subtle depth, the decision was made. A quick bit of yarn maths told me I’d need four skeins. Maths isn’t my strongest skill, but happily, I was spot on.

The scarf itself worked up quickly. The hood folded neatly, just as I’d hoped. But it needed one final playful touch — something a bit whimsical. So I crocheted a set of curly “tails” to sit at the point of the hood. Completely unnecessary… and completely delightful. They made me smile, and I hope they’ll do the same for anyone who makes or wears this piece.

The pattern is now available in my Etsy shop and on Ravelry (hence this slightly late blog post!)..

Whatever colours or yarns you choose, I hope the Mistwood Hooded Scarf brings warmth, joy, and a little touch of magic to your making.

Happy crafting until next week, when I’ll be focusing on cosy crochet projects for chilly evenings.

Sue

Colour Inspiration for Crochet

Last week, I wrote about my twin passions of crochet and weaving. This week, I’m exploring one of my favourite topics: colour. Choosing colours for a new project can be exciting, but also a little daunting—and you definitely don’t need to stick to the shades shown in a purchased pattern or rely solely on self-striping yarns from the manufacturers.

Let’s look at a few ways to spark your colour imagination.

The Colour Wheel

A colour wheel is exactly what it sounds like—a circular diagram showing the three primary colours and the shades between them. Many wheels also highlight pairs of opposite colours known as complementary colours. These pairings often create bold, high-contrast combinations, such as the pink and pale green I used in my Haworth Wrap.

Using the same wheel, you can also explore Diad schemes: colours that sit two steps away from each other. These pairs offer a harmonious blend. My Tracery Cowl, worked in shades of red and orange, is a lovely example of how this method can bring warmth and depth to a design.

Nature as Your Palette

Sometimes the best colour advice is simply to step outside. A walk in the garden, a woodland path, or even a changing hedge line can ignite instant ideas. Take the rich, russet tones of a beech hedge in autumn—those very colours inspired the palette for my Bracken Scarf. Nature rarely gets it wrong, and its combinations are endlessly adaptable to yarn.

Reference Books & Tools

When I’m sifting through my yarn stash and want fresh ideas for pairing shades, I often reach for Haruyoshi Nagumo’s book ‘Swatch This’. It’s full of clever palettes that help me see familiar colours in new ways. This approach guided my choices for the Isel Throw, bringing together tones from my stash yarn that I might not have paired instinctively.

Whichever colours speak to you, I hope they bring joy to your making.

Happy crafting until next week, when I’ll be focusing on one of my latest designs.

Sue

Crocheter or Weaver – Which Are You?

Last week, I wrote about blocking and how to give your finished projects a truly professional finish. This week, I’m exploring the two crafts I spend most of my time with: crochet and weaving. Both bring me so much joy, but in very different ways.

Crochet: My First Craft Love

My mum taught me to crochet when I was in Primary school. I still remember making long chains to use as ties for a classroom project! Crochet has stayed with me ever since—partly because it’s incredibly versatile, and partly because it’s so portable. One hook and a ball of yarn can go anywhere.

Over the years, I’ve explored lots of different crochet styles, and each one offers something unique:

Standard Crochet

Probably the most familiar style, with a huge range of stitches to create texture, lace, or dense fabrics—whatever your project calls for. Patterns range from simple and soothing to wonderfully challenging, using both written instructions and charts.

Tunisian Crochet

One of my favourites. This style uses a long hook (or one with a cable) to hold multiple loops, almost like a hybrid of crochet and knitting. When worked flat, you keep the right side facing and alternate a Forward Pass and Return Pass. It’s also lovely worked in the round for throws or tall cowls. I learned this technique from books and from Toni Lipsey’s excellent YouTube tutorials.

Mosaic Crochet

There are two main types: inset and overlay mosaic.

  • Inset mosaic uses simple stitches and two colours on alternate rows—no endless ends to sew in! Esme Crick’s Mosaic Crochet Workshop is a fantastic introduction.
  • Overlay mosaic is more complex and creates those dramatic, slanting patterns. Each row is cut at the end, so there are plenty of ends to deal with, but the results are stunning. Alexis Sixel’s Dark and Dramatic Mosaic Crochet is a brilliant guide.

Mochila Bag Crochet

This technique creates sturdy drawstring bags, often paired with a woven strap—a perfect blend of the two crafts I love. It’s a slow, meditative process, and I can’t recommend Marion Verloop’s Facebook group, Mochila Style Crochet, highly enough—the files section is a treasure trove.

Freeform Crochet

Anything goes! I learned freeform crochet at my local wool shop, and I love making small motifs and joining them onto bags or felt boxes as decoration. It’s improvisational, creative, and wonderfully freeing.

Weaving: A Newer Creative Journey

Compared to crochet, I’m still relatively new to weaving.

I first learned inkle weaving when I discovered Mochila bags, as it’s the traditional technique for making the straps. My husband even built me a loom from shed scraps during the Covid lockdown—and it’s still going strong!

In the summer of 2024 I moved on to a rigid heddle loom so I could create scarves and shawls. Mine lives on the kitchen table, always warped and ready to go. I’ve experimented with patterns, but I’ve realised that for me, weaving is a way to decompress. Rather than counting picks or following charts, I weave whatever I’m feeling, usually resulting in organic, random stripes in beautiful yarns.

Lately, I’ve also started exploring off-loom weaving, using interesting stones I find on my walks as the base. These tiny woven pieces scratch a completely different creative itch, and for these, I do enjoy following a set pattern. If you’re curious, Lark and Bower offer excellent online classes.

Whichever craft speaks to you—crochet, weaving, or both—I hope you find joy in the making.
Happy crafting until next week, when I’ll be sharing some of my favourite colour combinations.

Sue