5 of the best cowls to crochet as gifts

Hello! I don't know about you, but I'm beginning to panic about the amount of crocheted items I've yet to make as Christmas gifts! Once again, I'm asking myself why I leave it until the last 2 months of the year?

If you're in the same boat - a cowl is the answer! It's fairly small so it won't take you much time and many of the designs I'm about to share with you are stash busters, so they're easy on the pocket!

All the cowl patterns have been crocheted up BY ME and the opinions are my own, this is not an affiliate email. The photos are all my own. 

Claigan Cowl by Claudia Dingle

This cowl was first published in Moorit, issue 2 and was the first thing I crocheted from that issue! It's worked in the round in 4ply weight yarn and has an easy to remember repeat, making it perfect to relax with in these busy months.

 

At the moment this cowl is still exclusive to Moorit magazine; physical copies are still available, digital copies too.

Find the pattern here.

Spilling the beans!

 

At last! I can share this project with you, it's been soooo tough keeping quiet on this one!

I was the featured designer for Crate Crochet's October box!

I was delighted to be asked to create a new sock design and I'm really pleased with how this one turned out. Crate Crochet are a crochet subscription box service based in Australia, run by the lovely Carmela. This was the 4th pattern I've designed for them but the first one since the pandemic, it's been a while!

Like I say, they're based in Australia and deliver throughout Australia & New Zealand as well as the USA. Click this link to learn more - their boxes are beautifully curated. 

I designed the socks in Manos Del Uraguay Alegria Grande which is a 10ply weight yarn, 75% superwash merino/ 25% nylon and comes in the most amazing aray of colours!

 

It was fun to create a sock in 3 colours, something I hadn't done before, but because the yarn comes in 100g skeins and 20g minis it was totally possible!

The photos for the socks were taken on our local beach when the tide was out. It was a nippy day, so I was wearing my Fair Isle Mitts to keep cosy! My youngest son took a turn at being my photographer and I think they did a great job!

 

At the moment, this pattern is exclusive to Crate Crochet but once this exclusive period is up I will be releasing the pattern myself - sign up to my newsletter be first to be notified.

 

I've also been invited to collaborate with them on another box, which I'm really excited about!

Well, that's my exciting news for now! Until next time,

Marta xx

Winter Coorie Collection release day!

 

Hello! I'm pleased to be able to offer you this carfeully curated bundle of crochet patterns! And to ensure your stitching journey is smooth and stress-free, I've included clear written patterns alongside helpful video tutorials for any of the trickier techniques. So, grab your favourite yarns, dive into these inspiring patterns, and experience the joy of crafting something beautiful with your own two hands!

In case you're wondering ... coorie is the Scots' answer to hygge, which embraces cosy nights by the fire, but also extends to enjoying the crisp outdoors and finding contentment in the simple pleasures of Scottish life.

A bundle of 3 crochet patterns all suitable for wearing in the chilly winter months;

• Fields of Wheat Beanie

• Lyre Socks

• Cornflower Cowl

Immerse yourself in the ultimate comfort zone with this Winter Coorie Collection! Crafted from luxurious, natural fibres, these patterns promise a delightful sensory experience – both while you crochet the soft yarns and as you snuggle up in your finished creations. Get ready for cosy nights in and compliments galore!

All patterns are rated Intermediate level and are written in UK terminology.

There are video tutorials to accompany the patterns too.

A little bit about each pattern;

Fields of Wheat Beanie

A pretty crocheted beanie with intricate wheat stalk motifs. Juniper Moon Farm's baby alpaca wool was chosen for this design because it's so soft and delicate against the skin. Available in 6 sizes! 100g of DK weight wool is enough for all sizes.

Lyre Socks

Crochet yourself a pair of socks that FIT! This is my 6th sock design and features a textured detail which goes down the outside of each foot. Extended double crochet stitches are used for their superb stretch! 100-150g of 4ply yarn required.

Cornflower Cowl

A lacy cowl made in King Cole baby alpaca DK which feels luxuriously soft & gentle. The pattern is quick to make up due to repeats of chain stitches - they give the cowl a light and airy feel too. 150g of DK weight wool required.

The Winter Coorie Collection is exclusively available on my website. I'm offering blog readers 10% off this beautiful collection of patterns, simply use the code COORIE at the checkout on my website.
 
If you have any questions about the collection or about the individual patterns, please reach out by leaving me a comment or emailing me at crochet@martamitchelldesigns.com

Until next time, happy crocheting,
Marta xx

Pattern of the month for November!

Hello! It's the 3rd of November and I'm here to introduce you to my crochet pattern of the month! I've chosen the same design as this time last year because it's a super one for keeping cosy - Mavis Mitts!
I love this mitt pattern a) because it works up quickly and b) because the stitch pattern is so pretty!
It's a fantastic choice If you have a skein of sock weight yarn in your stash and are wondering what to crochet with it, this pattern is a fantastic choice. 100g is enough for even the largest size.
A solid or semi-solid colour way is the best choice for shaowing off the shell stitch pattern.
As with all patterns on my website, there are video tutorials to help keep you on track. This pdf also includes a chart.
If you're interested in this pattern there is 10% off on my website throughout November with the code NOV22

Fun fact: the image above is actually on the home page of the Enamel Happy website! The gorgeous mug I'm cupping is from Enamel Happy - a UK based company with outdoor alternatives to plastic.

I'll be back with more crochet news soon,

Marta xx

Your Guide To Choosing The Right Crochet Hook

Hello! With so many crochet hooks out there to choose from, maybe you're confused on which type to go for? Maybe you've tried a few different types and would like to explore further options? Here's my guide to choosing the right crochet hook ...

In this blog post, I'm listing the variety of materials that hooks can be made from and giving you a little info on each one. I also turned this post into a YouTube video if you're more of a visual learner you might want to check that out here.

1) Steel: these are generally super fine hooks (0.5mm - 2mm) which are ideal for working with thread and very thin yarn

2) Aluminium: are a good all rounder! They are cheap to buy and smooth to use. They come in a large range of sizes and are easy to find in charity shops.

3) Bamboo: an excellent choice if you prefer natural materials. Bamboo hooks come in a wide range of sizes, all except the really fine and the super chunky. Personally I have found that these hooks can catch on yarn, especially the finer ones (up to 4mm), but I do enjoy the feel of working with them.

4) Plastic: nice and light to work with. The smaller hooks are solid plastic, larger sizes are hollow plastic. Like aluminium hooks they are cheap to buy. You may want to avoid these if you're considering the environmental impact (unless second hand of course!).

5) Ergonomic: this is where your options explode open! There's a huge range of ergonomic hooks on the market, starting from very cheaply produced ones to luxury ones which feel so good to hold. The handles are formed of soft pastic moulded around an aluminium hook.

6) Hand crafted: these hooks are lovely if you're looking for something a little bit different. A polymer clay is added around an aluminium hook to create a chunkier handle. These hooks range from plain colours to quirky & fun!

7) Hand carved: if you're looking for something special, this is your option! These hooks are lovingly and expertly hand carved from wood. They usually have a bees wax finish to keep them supple and smooth.

8) Resin: Another luxury hook! A quick scroll through Etsy brought up so many pretty options, many of which are combined with wood. These tend to have a chunky ergonomic handle.

9) Interchangeable: A slightly different option; these hooks come with one ergonomic handle and a range of hook sizes to click or screw in place. I haven't tried them, but they are popular.

10) Light up: Similar to interchangeable hooks but with a light up tip. The hook itself is made of clear plastic with a light in the end, these click or screw onto a USB rechargeable handle.

Phew! Did you realise there were this many options?

Which type do I prefer?

Do you know, I tend to default to my trusty aluminium hook for most projects; it's probably because they're what I started crocheting with and they feel familiar to me.

I do also use a range of ergonomic hooks, particularly if I'm doing finer work. For super chunky and T-shirt yarn I like to use a hollow plastic hook because it's lighter. Basically, I mix things up!

A beautiful handcarved or resin hook is definitely on my WISH LIST! (I wonder if the hubby will read this?)

I've deliberately not linked to any hooks here. If there are any types you'd like to look up they're only a quick search away.

As well as different materials for hooks, there's also a difference in the design of the hook head and neck. However, I feel this needs a diagram to explain the technicalities and is probably a whole other blogpost for another day!

Until next time, happy crocheting,

Marta xx

PS. If you'd like to receive practical crochet info like this straight to your inbox, sign up to my mailing list here. There's a free pdf for you when you do - 25 Top Tips Every Crocheter Needs To Know!

Everything you need to know about dye lots

MY 200th BLOG POST!

Hello! Following on from the top tip I shared about yarn bands last week, I feel there is a lot more to say about dye lots! If you missed that email, you can find the info in this blog post. Can you believe I've now written 200 blog posts? Crazy!

So, what are dye lots? A dye lot is the batch number that a yarn dyer or manufacturer puts on the yarn band or label. See the photo above for an example, it's usually located beside the colour name or number.

Due to the nature of the dying process, each batch is going to differ slightly from the others. Now, this is only a problem if you're creating something with multiple balls or skeins of yarn - then you want to make sure they all come from the same batch or dye lot.

Has the following ever happened to you? You've crocheted a jumper or a blanket and noticed that there's a stripe going across your work that's a slightly different, but ever so noticeable, shade?

So, now you know, always check the label or band!

I have a few pro tips for you here:

1) If you're working with hand dyed yarn there isn't always a batch number and even if there is there can be variations between the skeins! 

In this case the best thing to do is alternate between the skeins, round by round or every 2 rounds (depending on the scale of your project). This will give you an even looking finish.

2) Some yarn shops will keep yarn back for you if you let the owner know you're working on a large scale project and may need to buy more. 

If you find a local shop that offers this AMAZING service, please support them as much as you can! Also, don't forget to let them know when you've finished your project so they can put their stock back on the shelves.

3) If you ordered your yarn online and find you need more you can email or phone them with your dye lot number and they may be able to supply you with the correct batch. 

Oh, one final thing - hang on to those ball bands!

Until next time, happy crocheting,

Marta xx

PS. Top tips like these can be delivered straight to your inbox so you never miss them! Sign up here. 

Storing Ball Bands

Hello! I'd like to share a neat trick I've come up with for looking after my yarn bands. It's simple: when I start a ball or skein I snip off a 10-15cm strand and either sticky tape or staple it to the ball band. That's it!

I then store them together in a tin so if I need to order more of any of the colours I have all the info I need, including the dye lot numbers, which is very useful! (Edit: I've written a blog post all about dye lots, if you'd like to know more about them you can read it here.)

It's also an easy way to begin building up a bank of colour samples for when you need some inspiration for a project. 

What do you think? Is this something you do already? Have you got a different way of doing things?

Leave me a comment, I'd love to know your thoughts on this.

Until next time, happy crocheting,

Marta xx

PS. If you'd like to receive tips like this straight to your inbox, sign up to my mailing list here.