Warm hands, warm heart!

 

Hello! Do you suffer from cold hands? I certainly do, that's why I've chosen my Bandwagon Mitts as January's pattern of the month offer! There's sure to be another cold spell coming our way here, we're not out of Winter yet and I think I'll whip up another pair of these myself!

Whether they're for yourself or for gifting, these mitts will work up in a matter of hours - why not buy the pattern today and make them this weekend, ready for the next period of cold weather?

Are you ready to throw that snowball? Here are all the pattern details ...

• It begins with a stretchy rib worked as a long strip, next it's joined to make a round and then crocheted up to the fingertips in a continous spiral. A gap is made for the thumb and the thumb is crocheted in at the end.

• I've rated it as intermediate level.

• The pattern is available in 6 sizes ranging from child to adult XL.

• Yarn requirements range between 50g of DK weight yarn for the smallest size up to 150g of DK weight yarn for the largest.

• There is a video tutorial for closing the fingertips and thumbs.

• It's written in UK and US terms.

• As with all my designs, this one has been tech edited and tested.

• I used West Yorkshire Spinners Aire DK which is sadly discontinued in solid colours but is still available in variegated colourways.

• On Ravelry one of the download options is for a full photo tutorial accompanying the pattern, (ideal if you are fairly new to crochet).

Use the code JAN23 for 10% off the pattern this month only. Code is valid on my website and on Ravelry.

Have fun crocheting, whatever you choose to make this weekend,
Marta xx

Looking after your hands: 5 top tips every crocheter should know!

Hello! Today I'd like to focus on the important topic of looking after our hands. It's something we all know we should be doing but in reality it's something we often overlook - myself included!

When we crochet our hands and wrists are doing a lot of work and we do need to take care of them to avoid stress or injury to the muscles, ligaments, tendons and bones that we use. Prevention is always better than cure, so I have 5 top tips for you which I'll share with you below.

1. Take frequent breaks

I know, I know! You're really enjoying sitting comfy on the sofa, the stitches are flying off your hook and you want to do one more row! BUT, taking breaks is really important. Even if it's just 5 minutes, get up, move around, go empty the dishwasher (shudders!), anything that means you're not crocheting for long periods at a time. 30-60 minutes is the max you should do in 1 session.

 

2. Change where you're sitting

Switch things up! If you were sitting on the sofa, move to the dining table. You could try standing at a counter top or a standing desk if you have one. This will change your whole body's alignement and help relieve strain on certain areas.

 

3. Do some stretches

A few simple stretches before a crochet session will help to prepare your hands and wrists for the actions to follow. At the end of your session you can repeat the exercises to help relieve any tension which has built up too. I've uploaded a short YouTube video sharing a few simple exercises - go check it out here!

 

4. Have different projects on the go

YES! I am hereby giving you permission to have multiple WiPs! By switching from an amigurumi project with a 3mm hook to a chunky jumper with an 8mm hook you will be using completely different muscle groups, meaning you can crochet for longer periods!

 

5. Give your hands and wrists a massage

Apply some handcream and gently rub it in, feeling out for any niggles and easing them away as you go. I really enjoy this little ritual and my hands feel softer and less likely to catch on the yarn too!

My commitment to you!

Hello and Happy New Year to you! Here's a selfie I took out on my first longer walk of 2023 - the light was just beautiful! My topic for this post is words for the year.

Do you like to choose a word for the year ahead? I began choosing one as my focus for the year 5 or 6 years ago and this year I've chosen the word commitment. 

This means

• a commitment to you on my mailing list. I will continue to send my Crochet Chit Chat on a Friday morning with one or two emails in between.
• a commitment to those who buy my patterns & courses. I will be there for you throughout your Marta Mitchell Designs pattern/ course journey; you can come to me with all your questions and I will get back to you promptly.
• a commitment to showing up and recording podcast episodes over on YouTube. I currently record every 2 weeks which I think is a good schedule.
• a commitment on Instagram. Showing up, replying to comments on my posts, encouraging others on their posts. Building up the supportive community that I have around me on Instagram.
• a commitment to producing new and exciting patterns & courses and a commitment to making them the best they can be.
• a commitment to creating interesting and useful crochet blog content. Did you know I wrote 75 ad-free blog posts in 2022? Link at the bottom of this email if you want to check that out!

I want the word commitment to spread to all the other areas of my life too. Basically, if I'm doing something I want to be doing it whole heartedly and to the best of my abilities.

 

Obviously, I accept that I am human and there are times when I am going to mess up. Please give me a gentle nudge if you think I need it and forgive me for the times when I don't live up to expectations.

 

What about YOU? Have you picked a word as your focus for 2023? Let me know by leaving me a comment, I'd love to encourage you on your journey.

That's all for this week, happy crocheting,

Marta xx

PS. If you'd like to receive these blog posts straight to your inbox so you you don't miss a post, sign up to my mailing list here.

 

Merry Christmas (and some quiet days crochet inspo for you)

Hello! I wanted to take the time to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and to offer some crochet inspiration for the quiet days between Christmas and New Year!

This past week has been a mix of getting ready for Christmas (some cleaning & tidying, present wrapping, cheesy music playing, menu planning, list writing, carol services, crocheted presents finished, testing the mince pies are good enough to be handed round, bedrooms prepared for guests, last minute gift buying) and finishing things off for my business so I can enjoy a good break (emails like this to write, pattern finalising, with my tech editor, working on that new design I can't talk about yet, podcast recording, planning ahead for 2023).

What about you? Are you organised for Christmas and the festive break?

Maybe you're looking forward to putting your feet up at the end of the big day and realxing with some chocolate and a new project. If so, I've put together my top 3 best selling patterns of 2022 to inspire you!

 

No.3 Scrappy Blanket III

This pattern only came out in September this year and has already shot to the number 3 position!

• super easy to remember repeat pattern

• great stash buster, can be worked in any yarn weight and has instructions for 5 sizes

• beginner level pattern

Baby it's cold outside!

Brrrrr, it's cold out there! We're experiencing a real cold spell at the moment, with temperatures just below freezing for nearly a week now.

On the plus side, it has been dry and sunny so I've been out for lots of beautiful winter walks with my dog Jazz. She is perfectly happy to sniff around while I fill my camera roll with icy puddle photos - future inspiration for a crochet design, perhaps?

The bonus of getting outside every day is the way walking gets my blood pumping and warms me up. I always feel so much warmer afterwards and I know the sunshine must boost my mood too, win-win!

The other good thing about going out in winter is the chance to show off all my crocheted accessories! I now have such a big selection of hats, scarves, cowls and mitts to choose from I love it!

If you're looking for something to crochet up for yourself or perhaps as a gift, there are lots of patterns to choose from as pdf downloads on my webiste. I'm going to share 3 of the most popular ones below, but there are more to choose from if you click through to my website.

Bandwaggon Mitts

 

The perfect pair of mitts to wear on a winter's walk! I patiently waited for snow back in February 2021 for this photo and I can confirm they did keep my hands cosy that day!

 

• Written for DK weight yarn
• Available in 5 sizes (child - adult, large
• Intermediate level pattern

Pattern release in The Journal of Scottish Yarns

 

Hello! I've some exciting news to share today! Another of my patterns has been published in print, this time in The Journal of Scottish Yarns (affectionately known as Yarn for short).

Susan Anderson, the editor, reached out to me back in May and we had a video call about possible designs for issue 2. I left the conversation fuelled up with ideas and inspiration, Susan has such a lovely personality and is full of energy. Both our dogs made an appearance on screen too, cute!

Once my head stopped whirring with possibilities, I settled on creating a robust pair of scocks for wearing in the house. The yarn used is from New Lanark Spinning Co. and it aran weight, 100% pure new wool - perfect for the look I was going for!

It's a toe up sock with a fully turned heel and gusset, finished with a rounded toe. 

The journal contains several in-depth articles on the history and tradition of wool in Scotland, lots of knitting patterns and a few crochet patterns.

 

My Dunkeld Slipper Socks pattern is currently exclusive to Yarn and I'm going to wait until next early autumn to release the pattern myself. 

 

If you'd like the pattern before then, go to Yarn's website where you can find physical and digital copies of issues 1 & 2 as well as kits to make many of the patterns.

Until next time, happy crocheting,

Marta xx

Not socks for Christmas again!

 

Yes! But what if the socks were lovingly crocheted, cosy and comfy?

I'm receiving more and more positive feedback on the fit and comfort of the socks you have crocheted following one of my patterns. I'm really pleased because I'm always trying to improve on my last design to create an even better pair of socks!

I currently have 9 sock patterns out there and number 10 is on it's way! Why not have a look and see if there's a pattern there that would make someone special very happy on Christmas morning?

• There are 5 patterns to choose from on my website (you'll find Lyre Socks in my Winter Coorie Collection)
• I have 2 designs which are currently exclusive (Spring Into Autumn Socks with Crate Crochet subscription box and Dunkeld Slipper Socks in The Journal of Scottish Yarns, issue 2)
• Two of my patterns are only available on Ravelry & LoveCrafts (simply because I'd like model photos before I list them on my website)

The good news (for this time of year) is that socks work up fast and they're a very portable project that you can add a few rounds to here and there when you have a moment.

My patterns all come with video tutorial links, giving you the confidence to go create that perfect pair of socks!

I hope this post has been inspirational for you. Sign up to my mailing list to receive a weekly dose of crochet news, tips and advice here. 

Until next time,

Marta xx