Are you joining in the Crochet Sock Along 2018?

Hello! Are you joining in the Crochet Sock Along 2018? If you know me, even a little, you will know that I am addicted to crocheting socks and you have probably guessed that I am joining in the fun! This crochet along (CAL) is being hosted by The Crochet Circle Podcast and Crochet Luna with an accompanying blog hop organised by Crafty escapism. The blog hop kicked off on the 15th of September and you can find that post on top tips for crocheting socks here.  I am really pleased to have been asked to take part in the blog hop and I will share a post on the 13th October focussing on colour and colour patterns.

my latest pair of crocheted socks

Last week I finished this pair of Sweetheart Socks by Vicki Brown working in Paintbox Yarns sock wool and West Yorkshire Spinners Signiature 4ply for the contrasting details. I really enjoyed making these and watching the colours emerge as I went along! You can find the pattern here.

I was crocheting fast to finish these socks and have time for a breather before the CAL starts this Saturday! I quickly decided upon Rohn Strong's Le Becque Socks as the pattern I would be following and ordered a skein of 4ply hand dyed SW merino/ nylon/ stellina blend from Vicki Brown Designs in a beautifully soft, pale purple colour called Mascari. It has subtle variations in tone and shade and SPARKLES! I love it and think it will work up beautifully in this design by Rohn.

my skein from Vicki Brown Designs

Then, I saw an instagram post by Tamara of Crafty escapism with news that Vicki Brown had released a special pattern for the CAL with yarn kits available too! A few clicks later and I had placed an order!

Magdalen Sock Kit

So, it turns out I will be crocheting 2 pairs of socks which should be achievable for me - I will certainly give it my best shot! Are you joining in too? I should add that if you are a knitter, you can join in too, the more the merrier!

Marta xx

Free Crochet Pattern - Jute Plant Pot Cosy

Hello! I am back this week with another FREE pattern release! It's for a jute plant pot cosy, crocheted up using just 2 bobbins of Hoooked Natural Jute. The finished pot cosy has a raw, chunky quality which heightens the lush greenery of the plant placed in it. The pattern is written out below and is also available as a free pdf download in my Ravelry Store.

finished Jute Plant Pot Cosy

You will need:

2 bobbins of Hoooked 100% natural jute in colours of your choice (link above)

12mm wooden or metal crochet hook

stitch marker/ piece of yarn to keep track of rounds

Tension:

5.5 stitches and 6 rows per 10cm using 12mm hook or appropriate hook to achieve gauge.

Finished size:

22cm diameter, 19cm tall

Abbreviations (UK terms):

ss - slip stitch

dc - double crochet

BLO - back loop only

close up

Pattern:

Begin with a magic loop with 8dc worked into it.

Round 1 - 2dc in each dc around (16 stitches)

Round 2 - (2dc in 1st dc, 1dc in next dc) 8 times (24 stitches)

Round 3 - (2dc in 1st dc, 1dc in each of next 2dc) 8 times (32 stitches)

Round 4 - 1dc into the BLO of each dc (this is unseen from the outside of the pot but gives a good crease for the base of the pot cover) (32 stitches)

Rounds 5-10 - 1dc in each dc, changing colours once the first colour runs out.

Finish with a ss into the next st. Cut yarn and sew in ends.

That's it! A very simple pattern which you can easily adapt to suit the size of your plant pot! Simply continue increasing 8 stitches per round until you are a few centimetres short of your required diameter then move on to Round 4. Please note that the specified dimensions used almost 2 bobbins so you may need more yarn if you want to go bigger.  

end of Round 4 & piece of blue contrast yarn 

moving on to the second colour

I hope you enjoy following this pattern! If you are on Instagram, you can find me there - @mrsdaftspaniel - please tag your photos with #mrsdaftspaniel so that I can see them!

Happy hooking,

Marta xx

Free Pattern Release: Heart Shaped Bunting

Hello! Today I am really pleased to be releasing my pattern for Heart Shaped Bunting - and the best thing for all you crochet fans out there? It's FREE!

Heart Shaped Bunting

I wrote this pattern in the summer of 2017 as an exclusive for Crate Crochet's subscription box. Crate Crochet are based in Australia and they deliver mystery boxes through your letterbox with a pattern and the yarn you need to make the item featured as well as a few other goodies - it's a wonderful idea! I have collaborated with Carmela at Crate Crochet on 3 occassions now and I have found it very rewarding, not only because of the coverage it gives me as a designer but due to the lovely, welcoming Facebook Group which she has formed. I love being involved in this project!

bunting hanging in the garden

So, after this period as an exclusive Crate Crochet design I can now release the pattern into the wild and have decided to make it a free pattern as a first Friday in September treat! Today my eldest son, Niall, helped me update my YouTube video with the tutorial for the back back loop stitch. We filmed this together back in October but the lighting was poor and Niall now has a better camera and microphone so I was keen to reshoot it. Today's video was fun to make - my parents' dog is in it, his head on the table in front of me, just out of focus! You can find it here.

My favourite platform for buying and selling patterns is Ravelry.com and this is where you can download the pattern for FREE: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/heart-shaped-bunting

close up!

I hope you enjoy following thi pattern! If you do, please share your creations on social media, particularly Instagram where you can add the hashtag #mrsdaftspaniel for me to see and for the chance to be featured in my Insta gallery!

Marta xx