How To: Sew A Crochet Hook Roll

UPDATE: this tutorial is now part of my Patreon pattern library xx

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Today I'm sharing a tutorial for using felt, fabric and ribbon to make a roll for storing your crochet hooks or other creative tools like pencils, pens, or knitting needles.

 

This project originally appeared in docrafts Creativity magazine in 2014 and was made using cute heart fabric from this bundle, ribbon from this pack and coordinating felt.

The measurements listed are for a crochet hook wrap. To adapt this project to fit different tools you’ll need to draw your own templates. This is very easy! Just lay out your tools on a piece of squared paper and measure the size you need for the pocket. Then draw a larger rectangle for the wrap template, leaving at least 1cm space around the bottom and sides of the pocket and plenty of space for the tallest of your tools.

 

 

A Royal Park, Two Royal Colleges and The Royal British Society of Sculptors

Way back in November, I met up with an old friend from Uni whom I'd not seen in about ten years. It was so nice to catch up and have a good old natter.

We popped into the Kioskafé to check out their truly awesome selection of magazines (my goodness, I could spend so much money in this shop!) and to buy a coffee for him and a cuppa for me...

...then we headed to nearby Kensington Gardens, which was looking pretty gorgeous in the bright autumn sunshine.

We stopped off at the Serpentine and Serpentine Sackler galleries to see their (then) current exhibitions. The art at the Serpentine galleries isn't always to my taste, but they show such an interesting mix of things and all for free! They have a great shop, too, with great selection of art books and creative magazines. I always pop in when I'm passing.

On the other side of the park, we visited the Royal College of Art which was hosting a rather fabulous Crafts Council exhibition of contemporary jewellery. The exhibition was only on during November but you can read a bit about it here if you're interested in that kind of thing.

Then, just round the corner and opposite the Albert Hall...

... we visited the Royal College of Music museum, which was delightful. I was going to write about how great this little museum is and how it's free and quiet and so close to all the big, famous museums in South Kensington that you really must visit it sometime if you're in the area... but it turns out it's now closed for redevelopment, until 2019!

In the meantime, you can tour some of the highlights of the collection in this online exhibition.

After visiting the museum, our walk continued past lots more splendid buildings...

... to one particularly special building I'd wanted to visit for ages: the Royal British Society of Sculptors.

Apparently they have a gallery with regular exhibitions here, but it was the building itself I was interested in - or, rather, the fantastic sculpture that's been installed in a gap at the front of it:
 

Pretty cool, huh?

Quirky things like this are such a joy!

I feel like a bit of a weirdo every time I've mentioned this building to friends visiting the area - "a really cool building" doesn't have quite the same on-paper appeal as an exhibition or other "proper" attraction - but it's well worth a look if you're nearby.

Aaah, London. Always so many interesting things around each corner!

Work In Progress: Sewing, Knitting, Mending & Sorting

As always, I've got lots of projects in progress...

This weekend I spent several relaxing hours sewing felt flowers onto this cushion cover, which I last worked on in November (!!).

Back in November I'd got so close to finishing this but it's been sitting in crafty limbo ever since.  All the flowers I'd pinned and tacked in place back then have now been properly stitched in position and I just need to add a few more small flowers at the edges to fill in the remaining gaps.

I've also re-started a much-neglected knitting project (visiting a knitting festival does tend to put one in the mood to knit!).

Let's not talk about how I was determined to get this finally finished in time for Christmas 2015 and it's now February 2016, okay??? Shhh, it can be our secret.

This weekend I've also been mending my much-beloved vintage coat. After sewing on a missing button, I'm now mending some tears in the lining and holes in the pockets. Not at all exciting - and sewing black on black is such a pain - but important!

Does a project count as "in progress" if you've just bought the materials for it? Because I think this one might technically be a new project as I've yet to start it (or even make a real plan for how I'm going to make it) but I have bought the fabrics and washed/ironed them.

Semantics aside, these lovelies are going to be a small quilt for summer picnics and (of course) trips to the beach.

I'm also continuing my ongoing "sort out everything in my studio" project. Everything is looking so neat and organised, it's quietly thrilling.

One of this weekend's tasks was to sort through my stash of sewing thread - you probably can't tell from this photo that this is the "after" photo but it is!

My most-used colours (which match the felt shades in my stash) are in the drawer on the left, and the rest are in the drawer on the right. Not the most complicated system, I'll grant you, but a system nonetheless :)

Meanwhile, the urge to sort and declutter is contagious and my mum has been bitten by the bug. I've been helping her clear out assorted cupboards and take things to charity shops... and I've ended up with some new/old things that she's decluttered!

I've inherited a few bits of vintage crockery that belonged to my grandparents, including these pretty dishes (one Poole, one Carlton Ware). Aren't they lovely?

 

I'm also now the proud owner of some craft supplies which were left over from our childhood crafting sessions, then forgotten about in the back of a cupboard. These tubes of glitter will be an especially useful addition to my crafty stash!
 

Right, that's enough waffling about WIPs... I'm off to make the most of my "extra day" by doing something crafty :)

Unravel Festival of Knitting 2016

Last Friday, after a walk around the centre of Farnham (exploring the town's history and architecture), I headed to Farnham Maltings to visit Unravel: an annual "festival of knitting" which also celebrates crochet and other fiber arts.

As any regular reader of my blog could tell you, I am not the world's best knitter (or crocheter). I've made a couple of big projects like my Sky Blanket and my Granny Square Blanket but I mostly stick to very small, simple things like basic scarves and plain squares for patchwork blankets.

But I'd been to the textile-themed Thread festival at the Maltings a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it, so when an old friend said she was visiting Unravel and did I fancy coming along? Well, a day of nattering and tea and cake and lots and lots of yarn seemed like a pretty good plan to me.

There was a lot of beautiful yarn for sale, plus books and patterns and kits and knitting/crochet accessories and loads more crafty goodness. The whole building was jam-packed with stalls, but here are just a few that caught my eye.

The Little Grey Sheep had such a fabulous selection of colours! Passion for their product was something that radiated from every seller at the festival, and this family farm was no exception. They have a flock of sheep which they shear themselves, the fibre is washed and spun within the UK and then returned to the farm where it's hand-dyed in all those lovely colours.

Charming kits and patterns for your dog, from Redhound for Dogs. You'd be knitting the coats for the dog, of course, as I'm not sure even the most talented of pups could master knitting. 

(Do excuse these slightly blurry photos, my camera was struggling a little with the lighting!)

Fabulous pompom yarn (handmade in Chile) from Añañuca. How much fun would this be to knit with?? 

Needle felted awesomeness by Jenny Barnett. I love that little sign: You CAN make these.

 

Spin City had roving and other spinning supplies in some magical colours! And sparkles, too! Even the product names are magical: Mermaid's Hair, Cinderella's Slippers, Nebula.

Cute and quirky faux taxidermy and other knitted animal fun from Sincerely Louise. I especially love the triceratops and the little mole door stop.

More beautiful yarn in delicious colours, this time from John Arbon Textiles.

 

 

Finally, beautiful patterns and kits by Jane Crowfoot.

The flower blanket on the top right is called Frida's Flowers, and has been designed for a "crochet along" with yarn company Stylecraft. Kits to make the blanket will be available from March, and the free patterns will be published in instalments over 4 months, starting from early April.

I really don't need to start another project (especially one as big as a blanket) but I have to admit to being very tempted by this one!