Tickets selling fast for the Scottish Wool Producers' Showcase

Culross Yarn's stall, 2024

Hello! I know that I have readers all over the world which is amazing when I stop to think about it! I also know that I have a good cluster of readers who are much more local, and this week's newsletter is specially for you.

It was announced this week that there are less than a third of tickets left for this year's Scottish Wool Producers' Showcase, to be held in Perth in the Civic Hall & Council Chambers on the 22nd of March. This annual event has sold out in the past and it looks likely that the same will happen this year, so if you haven't already purchased your ticket, please don't delay!

Lammermuir Wool's stall, 2024

What can you expect at the Scottish Wool Producers' Showcase?

The event is centred around the Scottish wool producing industry and consists of multiple stalls packed to the gunnels with good quality Scottish wool. It's probably the most tactile yarn event I've been to - in fact you're encouraged to squish and sniff the various types of wool on offer. There's a very relaxed atmosphere which enables discussions with the stall holders, many of whom run small holdings and farms (raising the animals which produce their wool) to take place.  After last year's event I recorded and uploaded a podcast special to YouTube which you can watch if you'd like to hear me talk about my day and show off my purchases.

As I've mentioned in previous emails and in my regular podcast, I'll have a stall at the showcase which is super, duper exciting and I'm working hard behind the scenes on the details of how it's all going to look and what I'm going to sell.

I'm going to do two things: 1) shine the spotlight on the many crochet patterns which I've designed in Scottish wool and 2) sell paper copies of 2 of my patterns which call for Scottish wool. The physical copies will be my Perth Beanie pattern, designed to be crocheted in one skein of The Scottish Yarn Festival Clan DK and (all things going to plan!) my River Never Sleeps Cowl, designed to be crocheted in two colours of The Scottish Yarn Festival 4ply.

An update for you: the River Never Sleeps Cowl (above) has now been tested and is currently with my tech editor (Ruth at Orchard House Editing in the USA). Next week I'll be out and about doing the photo shoot with my eldest, which is one of my favourite final steps! Once I'm happy with everything, I'll prepare it for printing and selling on the day of the showcase, which will be a special pre-release day! I will launch the pattern on my website and on Ravelry the following week. So, if you want to be first to get your hands on a copy, come along to the Scottish Wool Producers' Showcase!

Stay tuned for more upcoming news from me - the best way to do so is to subscribe to my mailing list and have it delivered straight to your inbox!

Until next time, happy crocheting,

Marta xx

Discover Your Inner Designer: How to Crochet the Perfect Cowl, Part 2

Hello, I'm returning, as promised,  with the second installment of my two part series on designing your own crocheted cowl. I hope you found the first part useful and have perhaps even begun to think about your first möbius cowl crochet design. However, if you missed that blog post, not to worry, you can find it here.

Crocheting Your Own Möbius Cowl Design: Step-by-Step Guide

Once you're happy with your cowl design idea, gather your materials and follow these steps:

1. Work out how many pattern repeats, if any, you're going to need (for a super simple one stitch cowl, there won’t be a pattern repeat): I suggest the circumference of your möbius tube should be around 40cm, but this will depend on the length of your pattern repeats, it may be a little less or  a little more. So, for a 5cm pattern repeat you will need 8 repeats to achieve a round of 40cm (thus creating a tube which is 20cm across).

2. Create a Foundation Chain: Begin with the appropriate number of chains based on your calculations in step 1. Join to work in the round, making sure your chain isn’t twisted.

3. Work Your Stitch Pattern: Follow your chosen stitch pattern to create the desired length of your cowl (I suggest around 80cm).

4. Colour changes: If you’re using more than one colour, yarn can be carried up the inside of your cowl. If it’s a longer jump, cut the yarn and knot the two ends together after joining - with this design method all ends will be hidden inside the tube.

5. Join the Ends: To achieve the möbius twist; (1) with RS turned out, line up both ends of the tube, (2) add a half twist to one end to offset the line up, pin in place. Thread the long tail on a needle & sew the ends together with mattress stitch. Sew in these 2 final ends.

Click here to receive your copy

Tips for Success: 

• Write notes as you go: Keep a notepad or use your phone to keep track of everything you do. It will make it so much easier to come back to, especially if you decide to make a second one or write up the pattern!

• Practice Makes Perfect: I know it's a cliché, but practice really does make perfect, so don't be discouraged if your first attempt isn't quite how you imagined it would be. Simply enjoy the learning process and go along with your own journey of creating. As with all things. It does get easier (promise!).

• Ignore Imposter Syndrome: This kind of follows on from my tip above; try not to compare yourself too much with established crochet designers. They will have been doing this for much longer than you, they'll have more experience and will have made all sorts of mistakes along the way.

• Show Off Your Creation: Share your masterpiece with the world! Post photos on social media of your process and your finished cowl to inspire others.

Next steps:

Did you know I’ve written a course to help you write up your first crochet pattern? If you’re ready to take your scribbled notes to the next level and publish your crochet pattern, check out my How To Write Up A Crochet Pattern Course which will guide you through all the steps in the writing up process. I really encourage you to give this a go and, as always, I'm on hand to answer any questions you have.

Final Words of Encouragement from Me:

Designing and crocheting your own cowl is a very fulfilling experience that allows you to express your creativity at the same time as crocheting a functional accessory you'll cherish for years to come. So, why not discover your inner designer (I bet you’ll surprise yourself!), go gather what you need and embark on this exciting crafting adventure!

Until next time, happy crocheting,

Marta xx

Discover Your Inner Designer: How to Crochet the Perfect Cowl, Part 1

Hello! As you probably know, crocheted cowls are a much loved accessory, offering the perfect blend of warmth and style. However, if you’ve been crocheting for a while now, have you thought about designing your own cowl? This can be an immensely rewarding experience because your cowl will be unique. No one else will have one quite like it!. I’ve just finished designing and crocheting my River Never Sleeps Cowl (pictured above), so in this 2 part blog post series, I'm going to guide you through the essential steps of designing a crocheted cowl which perfectly reflects your personal taste and style.

I’m going to lay out the steps for designing a möbius cowl which is a cowl that’s worked in the round as a long tube and sewn together upon completion. The twist in a möbius cowl creates a continuous loop with a subtle but nonetheless intriguing visual effect. The way the fabric drapes and moves is different from a standard circular cowl (worked up and down the way), adding a touch of unique style with the twist highlighting stitch patterns in interesting ways. One huge advantage of the möbius cowl is that all the ends are hidden in the inside, which is especially good news if you choose to work with multiple colour changes!

First Up, Inspiration: 

Before jumping into the technical side of things, take a moment to gather your inspiration: browse through crochet pattern books, magazines and online platforms like Pinterest and Ravelry to explore different cowl styles, stitch patterns, and yarn choices. You may wish to sketch out some ideas, but this is not essential - it depends on your way of working.

Stitch Patterns:

Next I want you to choose the stitch pattern for your cowl. For this construction method, you’ll be working in the round, so choose a stitch pattern which works well in the round - the right side will be showing all the time. Most stitch patterns can be adapted to work in the round, but there are some exceptions. Perhaps you crocheted a hat or a sweater recently and you liked the stitch pattern you used? Well, if it was crocheted straight (without any increases) this will work well for a cowl. You are looking for anything from a 1 round repeat to a four round repeat (let’s keep it simple for your first one, ok). Another place to find stitch inspiration is in a stitch dictionary, although these are usually written for rows of stitches so you’ll have to do a bit of figuring out to switch to rounds, but it’s certainly doable. Searches on Pinterest, Google etc will also bring up stitch patterns and combinations.

• Simple Stitches: Explore basic stitches like double crochet, half trebles or trebles for a clean and classic look.

• Textured Stitches: Stitches such as bobble stitches, popcorns, or shell stitches will all add depth and visual interest.

Gorse Cowl - another of my möbius cowl designs

Yarn Choice:

The yarn you use will have a huge impact on the look of your finished cowl. At this stage you may wish to crochet up a practice version in stash yarn, in which case as long as it’s roughly similar to your final vision, yarn choice isn’t so important. However, if you’re going for it with this version, then here are a few things to consider.

• Fibre Content: Consider the warmth, drape and texture you want to create. There are lots of different wools to choose from as well as cotton, linen, acrylic and blends.

• Weight: Choose a yarn weight that complements your chosen stitch pattern and desired drape. As a general rule of thumb, the finer the yarn the softer the drape and the warmer the finished cowl (because more body heat is trapped in the fibres). However, I have crocheted up a few cowls in chunky yarn and they look fab!

• Colour: Select a colour or colours which resonate with you and complement your wardrobe. This is a chance to show the world your personality!

Size:

For this exercise, the finished depth of your cowl will be around 20cm and the finished width of your cowl (after joining with a twist) will be around 36cm. The 20cm measurement will be worked in the round as a tube, so it will actually be a round of 40cm. The 36cm width before sewing up will be a long tube of around 80cm in length.

Click here for your free copy

Swatching:

Create a swatch, in the round, to ensure your stitches match the vision you have in your head. It doesn’t need to be as wide as your intended cowl width, just enough to try out the pattern and check how it looks and drapes. You may need to play around with stitches or hook sizes to achieve the look you have in mind. 

Note down the following details for later:

• The length of your pattern repeat in centimetres.

• The height of your pattern repeat in centimetres (although you can simply crochet until you reach the desired length, this measurement is less important)

• How often you envision any colour changes.

This is the end of Part 1 of this two part series on designing your own cowl. I'll publish Part 2 next Friday here on the blog or you could sign up to my mailing list to have it delivered straight to your inbox.

If you decide to have a go at this project, be sure to tag me in your photos on social media, I'd love to see! Any questions? Leave me a comment and I'll get back to you.

Until next time, happy crocheting,

Marta xx

Show Notes for Crochet Podcast Episode 61

 

Hello! Marta here! I know, I know it’s been AGES, but I’m back podcasting with a bumper bundle of crochet and knitting projects to share with you. You can find the episode on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/7hHOxEj099w

The knitted jumper I’m wearing is my recently finished Little Bousta Yoke by Gudrun Johnston. I knitted it in Shetland jumper weight wool from various sources, some from old cones, some Jamieson's which I purchased in The Woolly Brew, Pittenweem. Find the pattern on Ravelry here:  https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/little-bousta-yoke

The teether thingy which is fresh off the hook will become my next pattern release. It was crocheted in Stylecraft Cotton + Bamboo (I knew I’d find the name once I started searching!). I thoroughly recommend this yarn for baby items and amigurumi projects, it feels beautiful.

The crocheted socks I’ve (almost) finished were made following my own pattern, Lazy Days Socks. I used a subtly variegated yarn from West Green Loft Yarns. You can find my sock pattern here:  https://martamitchelldesigns.com/products/lazy-days-socks

And the knitted socks I’ve just finished were made following Stephen West’s Pierre Socks pattern, which I’d thoroughly recommend! The yarn for these was Lang Yarns SOXX which I know my sister purchased at The Woolly Brew, Pittenweem. Ravelry link for the Pierre Sock pattern:  https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pierre-socks

The cowl which I forgot to show off properly will be my March pattern launch, coinciding with The Scottish Wool Producers Showcase on the 22nd March. Find out more about the yarn and this fabulous event on the website:  https://thescottishyarnfestival.com/

The Christmas Eve Box was from Rachael at Sew Ray Me: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SewRayMeUK

Future plans! Next up I plan to cast on the Tresoro sweater by Isabell Kraemer and I have gorgeous non-superwash merino from Crafternoon Treats set aside for this project. I hope to return to more regular podcasting too - I’ll aim for once a month initially, see how I get on from there.

If I've missed anything or you'd like more info, please do give me a shout! 

Until the next time, happy crocheting,

Marta xx

PS. If you’d like to be kept up to date with the release of my next video, sign up to my newsletter to stay in the loop! There’s so much crochet goodness coming your way when you do!  https://martamitchelldesigns.com/pages/about-me