Hook & Scumble

1940's Inspiration

2012-02-11T11:37:00.000Z

Apologies.

It's been a while since I have had the time or voice to post.

The last few months have been chaotic and in-between the run up to Christmas, attending various craft fayres and teaching quite a few crochet workshops the Hook & Scumble household relocated.

As a result a new dawn of design inspiration has begun...1950's style ...a work in progress and currently I'm gathering ideas , swatches , sketching and designing.

In the meantime crochet this week is inspired by a 1940's brooch I spotted at The Imperial War Museum, London.

The original brooch was made of felt - this is my crocheted version,

ready for tomorrow's workshop at cakestand & Crumb.

Vintage Granny Chic

2011-10-17T12:11:00.000+01:00

I spent the afternoon yesterday at cakestand & crumb with a group of ladies eager to try their hand a crocheting Granny Squares.

By the end of the 2 hours we had several granny squares made,with a few people well on their way to making a cushion cover.

If you fancy joining me for crochet, cake and vintage inspiration I've listed our

my Spring 2012 workshops here

Scrumble Stones & Fossil Finds

2011-09-14T17:08:00.000+01:00

Over the summer I spent some time working on some "scrumble stones," -

freefrom crocheted covered beach stones.

The shape of this stone I found on the beach particuarly reminded of the shape of a fossilised sea urchin,

If you search carefully you can sometimes find

them on the Norfolk beaches.

I decided this stone deserved its own fossil cover

This trio was inspired by the greens and browns of the seaweed

that clings to the sea defences,

This year I was lucky enough to find one of those prized fossilised urchins,

and this shot I plan to make into a print to sell..

"Norfolk Scrumble Stones & Fossil Finds."

Stylish Stitches

2011-09-13T21:44:00.001+01:00

Way back in June I spent most of my time designing and crocheting a piece of headgear for the WI and UK Handknitting Association Stylish Stitches Competition.

The inspiration for my design was based on the fascinators and hats worn at the Royal Wedding earlier in the year and I decided I wanted to create a decadant crocheted version complete with gold plated and colour copper crocheted wire.

One of the judges this year was knitwear designer and author Erika Knight so I was pretty excited to learn today that I came second overall - apparently the only fascinator entered too !

All the winners work will be on display at the fothcoming ICHF Exeter and Blue Water Creative Stitches & HobbyCraft Shows so I'm looking forward to trying to get along and see all the other great designs.

Pink Inspiration

2011-08-27T22:49:00.000+01:00

Pink Sea Glass,

Pink |Rocks,

Pink Seaweed,

Pink inspiration from the sea piled high.

"Crochet for Children"

2011-08-19T22:21:00.000+01:00

This arrived in the post today, I pre-ordered it a little while ago from here

It's written by Claire Montgomerie who blogs here.

I was looking forward to seeing the book and the designs as I've always been a fan of Claire's designs and her creatures - her book did not disappoint .

I however, had little time to absorb all the book offered before it was whisked away by the eldest Hook & Scumbler who had already arrived with yarn and hook ready to make a start

"...after all it is called Crochet for Children " I was reminded.

True enough, I could not argue and by the end of the day she had completed her first project and was deciding what colour to start the next..

.....a girl after my own heart !

Crochet & Cake

2011-08-16T22:39:00.000+01:00

This weekend saw the launch of my crochet workshops at the lovely cakestand & crumb.

Two hours of beginners crochet surrounded by vintage inspiration with tea and delicious home made cake.

By the end of of the afternoon everyone was well on their way to mastering the basic crochet skills

needed to make their very own vintage inspired coathanger cover.

More workshops are planned for Septemeber through to Christmas and I'll be posting details soon !

cakestand & crumb

2011-07-08T14:36:00.000+01:00

Sometimes , when you least expect it, you stumble across one of life's little treasures.

cakestand & crumb is a beautiful little shop that has recently opened in Bedfordshire's small market town of Ampthill , and is open for homemade cakes, tea, coffee and cordials, vintage homewear, plants and herbs.

When you step into the shop you are immediately transported back to a bygone era,

beautiful dressers displaying vintage glasswear and linens,

cosy inviting corners with vintage crochet throws

retro sweets

gorgeous home made cakes displayed using vintage cakestands,

all served using beautiful vintage china,

in what could easily feel like home,

so much so you just don't want to leave...just my cup of tea !

Mollie Makes

2011-07-06T13:28:00.000+01:00

The third issue of Mollie Makes landed on my doorstep this morning.

This magazine seems to have taken the blog and crafting world by storm . I think the team who produce the magazine have managed to create a perfect balance of crafting, handmade and vintage all in a beautifully presented format.

I was particularly excited to get this month's edition as I knew I would have a small mention in one of the news features...

p72 to be exact...

...and a lovely paragraph about my Crochet Graffiti work that can also be seen here.

My plans for the day have now been re-organised in order to accommodate a morning of pure indulgence .... ...the only crochet I'll be doing is reading about the project on the front cover ..bliss !

Freeform Crochet Necklace

2011-06-27T11:20:00.002+01:00

Coats Craft UK is featuring another of my patterns this month -

a Freeform Crochet Necklace .

I really love this necklace as you can pick and choose your colours to match your outfits and crochet more than one as it doesn't take long.

If you fancy having a go at making one yourself the pattern can be found here

( Photo courteousy of Coats Craft UK)

Knittypedia

2011-06-13T14:46:00.000+01:00

If you've never taken the opportunity to visit "The Knitty Pedia of all things handknit and Crochet," I'd encourage you to hop over to the UK Hand Knitting Association web site here

The site details all that is going on in the UK in the world of knit and crochet such as news, competitions, shows and a whole host of resources - including some very talented Textile Artists . They also feature a monthly free knit or crochet pattern and for those who've never picked up a hook there are beginners instructions on how to crochet here

..it really is a Knittypedia !

Summertime Crochet

2011-06-02T21:35:00.001+01:00

In between working on commissions and organising workshops I've been working on putting some of my designs into pattern form for Coats Craft UK.

This month they are featuring a Table Runner I designed that was inspired by family holidays at the seaside, beach combing and rock pooling.

The central panel is made up of starfish and surrounded by a barnacle border, finished with a freeform edging inspired by seaweed.

I've added it to my new page of free tutorials and patterns, but in the meantime

the pattern is available on their website as a free download here .

Perfect summertime crochet !

( Photo courteousy of Coats Craft UK)

Housekeeping

2011-05-30T20:43:00.001+01:00

Just doing a bit of tidying up. I've now added an additional page with my tutorials and some forthcoming patterns.

I've also realised just how neglectful I have been of my blog since the beginning of the year and will be attempting to try and be a bit more regular in its attention !

There's lots coming up in the next few months - workshops, open studio events and fibre festivals so they'll be lots to blog about .

So please continue to pop in.

Freeform Lace Graffiti

2011-04-27T10:06:00.000+01:00

Freeform lace is something I combine in my wearable work on a regular basis, however I have for a while been wanting to use this technique more in my Freeform Graffiti.

As part of my working on new designs and gaining inspiration I cam across the work of Margaret Oomen - she blogs here and her work is truly inspirational .

I have used sea stones in my work before, and have favoured photographing my work in more natural surroundings aiming to blur the boundaries between nature and art.

So, for the past few weeks I have been just focusing on the use of freeform lace and the

motifs I commonly use in my work,

and over the past couple of weeks have managed to finally photograph the finished pieces.

This work is one step further towards a design that encompasses all of my freeform techniques.

I would also like to thank Margie for her inspiration and for her allowing me to share this with you too.

Royal Wedding Preparations

2011-04-21T20:11:00.000+01:00

I'm not a great knitter.

I can confess that when I knit my tension is all over the place , I find it difficult to concentrate on a pattern, let alone the complexity of having more than one stitch , as well as the fact you require two needles...really I've never had the desire to practice this skill and try and improve, as when I have tried it's just turned out to be a complete disaster. All in all crochet is my one true love.

However, when I recently saw this book publicised in the press a few weeks back, I had a small pang of yearning for my very own knitted Royal Wedding.

For about a week I contemplated whether in fact I could perhaps get it together and have a go. Whether my very basic skills would be enough to produce the mini Hook and Scumblers their own unique knitted heirloom .

So I took the plunge and bought the book and having studied it carefully have in fact decided that the only way I was to acquire this knitted heirloom was to get someone else to knit it for me !

So, thankfully I have a friend who has taken up the challenge to do just that.

Meanwhile I am busy with embroidering and sewing bunting....

as well as crocheting a few red , white and blue decorations.

I'm just hoping I'll have it all done in time !

Originate

2011-04-12T20:47:00.000+01:00

Looking forward to joining the other stall holders here ....

Vintage Crochet

2011-03-07T20:13:00.000Z

So sorry I have been away for a while.

Things have been a little crazy here at Hook & Scumble with finishing designs for exhibitions as well as pattern writing and a commission .

I have however managed to find 5 minutes here and there to to indulge myself with some recently sourced vintage 1940's and 50's crochet patterns ....more of that to come .

In the meantime I'll leave you with a reworked bag design from the era, ,

published in this book here.

Stash busting "Fern Cowl"

2011-01-24T12:58:00.004Z

In between commissions and madly crocheting exhibition pieces ,
I sometimes need to escape and crochet something for myself.

February 2011 edition of Inside Crochet was just what was needed,

and I was inspired to use some of my stash to create

Claire Montgomerie's gorgeous Fern Cowl.

My version is crocheted using Rowan's Felted Aran Tweed,

finished with a crochet corsage.

Edit: There are some errata for this pattern , which I believe will be available in the next issue of the magazine

2011

2011-01-10T15:14:00.000Z

This year Hook and Scumble is planning new designs, workshops and exhibitions...

as well as some"freeform fashion."

This freeform shoe is a sample I worked on at the end of last year,

not really a practical piece of footwear,

and not my usual style of freefom.

More of an experimental statement to show that you can use hook and yarn to create....

almost anything !

Quiet Reflection

2010-12-31T23:15:00.000Z

2010.

How this year has sped past.

new skills learnt,

some enhanced,

workshops taught,

work completed and plans a foot for 2011.

Happy New Year.

Christmas Crochet 2010

2010-12-23T17:25:00.001Z

As I spend most of the year designing my sculptural freeform work, sometimes it's nice to just spend the time following a pattern that some-one else has designed.

This year's Christmas Crochet has combined not only crochet , but some of my hand made felt, as well as some off cuts of material I bought at Libertys and various buttons from my button box.

And the result ...

Bag Charms

A little late perhaps for Christmas,

but if you fancy having a go at making these yourself they can be

found in Erika Knight's book " Beads & Buttons."

I'm having a few weeks away from Blogland ,time for some well deserved R&R and I will return next year, so I would like to wish you and yours,
a very

Happy Christmas and New Year .

Jam for Christmas

2010-12-02T22:48:00.003Z

A few weekends ago it was the WI Real Jam Festival.
I sent in my token jar of foraged Wild Plum Jam , really just to see if it was up to standard and good enough to add to some home made Christmas gift hampers.

My score card arrived this week .....

No prizes this time round,
some room for improvement ,
but I think this year it's Jam for Christmas !

"Felt Better"

2010-11-24T12:55:00.000Z

Having recently been under the weather with the usual winter coughs and colds, I decided that a day with Sue Pearl from "Felt Better," could well be just the medicine I needed to get me back up to speed, especially as this particular workshop would result in me leaving with my very own pair of warm and snuggly felted wool slippers.

The day started with thinking about our design and colour of our slippers, and being a fairly novice feltmaker I decided on something relatively simple - pink merino uppers with some spun silk embellishment with mauve merino soles.

First post of call was cutting out templates and then making the resist

The weighing and laying out required the most thought and concentration, thankfully Sue was on hand to help, and then the felting began - lots of elbow grease at this stage

The slippers are made inside out, so once felted needed to be cut open to reveal all.

Sue did the honours...

I just hoped I remembered which was my sole and which was my upper...otherwise I'd have an odd pair of slippers

then....

Ta..dah !!

A matching pair- phew.

After adding a few finishing touches at home so they would be safe to wear.

I can honestly say they are the warmest and snuggliest slippers I have ever had - the perfect prescription !

Stitch !

2010-11-22T09:34:00.000Z

For the last few weeks I've been indulging my evenings with cross stitch and needlepoint having been inspired by Cath Kidston's latest book - "Stitch!"

The book really is beautiful and contains some of Cath Kidston's signature designs translated into beautiful needlepoint or cross stitch designs.

For those who have not dabbled in either of these crafts, the book contains full instructions and pictures describing and illustrating both techniques.

The book comes with a kit for this delicate cross-stitched Garden Flowers Purse.

A few of the projects have already caught my eye.

I particularly love this Union Jack Needlepoint Cushion,

along with these gorgeous motif badges,

and I couldn't resist the cute cherries,

as well as this pretty lavender heart...

...and my own is nearly finished,

All, in all a beautiful book

with some beautiful projects to "Stitch,"

to bring some colour

to these cold, dark, winter evenings.

Hand Spun, Hand dyed & The Number 8

2010-10-30T17:02:00.000+01:00

Whilst in London, I took a nostalgic ride on my old bus route home
- the No. 8.

I enjoyed the journey through the city, but was keen to arrive at my destination to seek out some hand spun and hand dyed yarns.

Finally I arrived at the stop for Globe Road, just after Bethnal Green Tube.

I've been wanting to visit this shop for a while and the window display didn't disappoint..

drop spindles and hand spun yarn ,

Inside, and eclectic mix of yarn and various sculptures

including this crocheted plastic bag pelican in a nest constructed from various hooks, yarns and knitting needles .

All, in all a worthwhile trip on the No. 8 along with some worthwhile purchases !

Knit & Stitch in Old London Town

2010-10-27T15:05:00.002+01:00

I've been hibernating in Old London Town for the past few weeks.

I've lots to share, but first some photos of the beautiful scrumbles created during the Freeform Crochet workshop I taught at The Knitting & Stitching Show, Ally Pally.

The three hours flew past. Techniques were revised , taught and then applied in freeform style.

I'm hoping my students are now inspired to push the boundaries of crochet further and go onto create their own wearable and sculptural freeform art !

Freeforming at Knit & Stitch 2010

2010-10-06T21:13:00.000+01:00

This week Alexandra Palace once again opens its doors for the 2010 Knitting and Stitching Show.

This year however, my visit will be a little different ...

.....this year I'll be freeforming .

Felting

2010-10-05T13:55:00.000+01:00

A few weekends ago I attended a felt workshop run by Emma Jackson of Silversoles .

Laying out of merino and silk tops,

wetted down and ready to roll,

pre-felted stage,

fibres starting to felt,

the finished piece,

Silk & Merino Nuno Felted Scarf.

Completed !

2010-10-04T15:19:00.000+01:00

My Autumn Sardinia completed.

Bamboo & Wool Mix.

Just right for chilly autumn days !

Fibre East 2011

2010-09-20T16:04:00.000+01:00

A date for the diary !

Dotty about Emma

2010-09-10T10:45:00.000+01:00

I love British Design and I love the fact that you can still find British Design handmade and produced in Britain.

One of my favourite designers is Emma Bridgewater and just recently, as a birthday treat, I Visited her factory in Stoke-on-Trent.

The great thing about this factory visit, is that its a real day out for the whole family.

A factory tour to see how her designs are produced from start to finish ,

followed by

shopping in the main store...

or the Factory Outlet ...

and a chance for those who feel creative,

to have a go at painting their own "Emma" inspired design

followed by tea and cake..

..baked in a spotty Aga,

all served in signature designs.

A "Truly Great" day out !

Seasons, Stiffkey & Scandinavian Inspiration

2010-09-08T20:31:00.000+01:00

Hello, I hope you are well !
Here in our little part of Bedfordshire the weather in the morning has turned a little chilly and the last of the Victoria Plums were picked today on our allotment...it seems that autumn is started to make an appearance. However, I'm not quite ready for the season change, despite the plentiful bounty from the hedgerow it brings and my thoughts and memories are still very much in our little holiday in Norfolk - which to be honest was really not that long ago. Every time we visit Norfolk we seem to find yet another little piece of it we have not discovered.

This year, our visit to Wells required a gentle journey along the coast that requires us to pass through the tiny village of Stiffkey.

We have made this journey a few times, but have never had the time needed to make a stop.

This year was different , and we pulled into here...

.....The Local Village Store.

Now, this is not your ordinary village store, yes there are provisions, a post office and even jars of sweets, but the owners have taken in one step further and stock fine seasonal fresh produce, home wear as well as serving gorgeous home made cakes and tea and coffee.

So, time was taken to eat cake,drink tea and peruse one of the books stocked ...

...take a look at the contents of here, I really loved the simple clean cut designs, and the embroidery was exquisite, and the mini Hook & Scumblers already have their eye on a pair of embroidered mittens and booties for their cousin . I on the other hand have been thinking of cosy Scandinavian inspired seasonal decorations, just right to get started by the fire on a chilly autumn evening ..needless to say I left Stiffkey Stores with a new purchase !

My Autumn Sardinia

2010-08-25T18:52:00.000+01:00

Rowan's Summer Crochet has been a welcome read this summer. So lovely to have a whole book dedicated to crochet. I've spent a while perusing the pages, deciding which project I could reasonably manage to crochet within a small time frame.

So, inspired by this blog post, I decided to raid my stash and see whether I had enough balls of yarn of the same colour (....always a challenge for a freeform artist) to give it a go.
I have however decided that my version of this project will be more suitable for Autumn...bearing in mind its nearly the end of Summer.
I've picked a moss green colour in a bamboo /wool mix - light enough for the design, but warm enough to take me into those chilly autumn evenings.

It's still on the hook, but progressing nicely.
Back nearly completed, just shaping the neckline and front just reached the shaping for the arms .

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Vintage Textile Treasures

2010-08-24T09:05:00.000+01:00

During our time in Norfolk, I like to take the opportunity to peruse Charity Shops, Car Boot Sales and Second Hand Book Shops to see if I can stumble upon any Vintage Treasures.

My first port of call was The Vintage Little Lovers Fair which was held in the beautiful little town of Burnham Market. Before we found the Fair, we spent some time perusing the second hand bookshops and I was very excited to find an Original Coats Manual on Lacecrafts.

The book contains a whole chapter on Hairpin Lace ,

With patterns combining traditional crochet methods,

and inventive ways of joining hairpin strips,

After a few wrong turns in the Norfolk Countryside, we eventually found the Fair. We unfortunately arrived with only half an hour before the end, so the Hook and Scumble family split up and went on their very own Treasure Hunt.

I managed to find some gorgeous Vintage Sewing Patterns for a bargain price of 50p each,

as well as some Vintage Lace Crochet patterns, perfect for complimenting my new book.

As for the other members of the Hook & Scumble Family, apparently a few Vintage Treasures were acquired, but I've been told I'm going to have to wait until my Birthday to find out exactly what they are....

..can't wait !

Holiday Hairpin

2010-08-23T08:27:00.000+01:00

It's that time of year when I have little time to concentrate on my actual art work, and in between enjoying the summer holidays with the mini Hook and Scumblers I take the opportunity to crochet something just for me.

This something mind you, usually has to be fairly quick off the hook ,so I was pretty taken with the Hairpin lace top in this month's Inside Crochet.

The top is designed by Claire Montgomerie and it takes only 200g of yarn to make and being hairpin lace should crochet up pretty quickly .

So I bought the yarn ...

Sublime dk Soya Cotton from here

If you've never tried hairpin lace before I'd throughly recommend it - the magazine devotes a whole spread on the technique, as well as where you can get hold of a loom .

I was fortunate enough a couple of years ago to be bought a handmade loom by Ed Jenkins of Jenkins Woodworking. The loom is adjustable and allows you to make wide and narrow strips of the lace. It's a delight to work with, the sort of thing that is sure to last and become a crochet heirloom in this household.

Hairpin lace is a technique that needs a bit of practice to master, but I would really encourage you to give it a go and persist. The results are worth it.

If you are really wanting some further inspiration of what hairpin can achieve take a look at designer Jennifer Hansen's work at Stitch Diva.

I've still got a few strips to make, and then I have to join them, if you want to take a look at what the finished product should take a look here - I'm hoping mine won't be to far behind completion either.

All in all perfect holiday hairpin !

Summer Time

2010-08-22T21:47:00.000+01:00

I'm not sure where the summer holidays have gone, but time has flown past. Summer this year has been spent at the beach, visiting friends and family, acquiring some vintage finds, as well as managing to squeeze in a few artistic treats.

There has been to indulge myself with some much needed summertime reading ,

yarn,

and crochet,

and I promise to share all during the week.

Vintage Chic for a Vintage Chick

2010-07-25T19:51:00.000+01:00

Just recently I have had a few girlfriends reach that milestone in their life that is forty.

For this birthday I actually find it quite difficult to find a suitable present, as , if you're anything like me , your house is already bursting with "stuff."

So for this particular 40th I opted for the handmade crocheted route - vintage style.

Handmade vintage inspired food & jug covers with vintage buttons .

This particular pattern is from Loop Vintage Crochet by Susan Cropper , and currently I have on the go my own modified larger version of a pattern from Rowan Knitting & Crochet Pattern No. 45 Magazine.

Vintage Chic for a Vintage Chick !

Art in Action

2010-07-23T21:23:00.000+01:00

Hello, I know my blogging has been rather lacking of late. Things have been extremely busy so I hope you will forgive me and be content with me popping in every so often to let you know what's happening in the world of Hook & Scumble. So, as I have managed to find a quiet moment to sit and reflect and I thought I would share with you what I have been up to lately. Last week, along with some fellow artists, I spent the day being totally and utterly inspired by some very talented people at Art in Action.

The event is well know in the world of Art & Craft, and allows visitors to see both Art and Craft demonstrated, buy work direct form the Artists as well as having the opportunity to take part yourself in practical workshops.

There were so many tents , each exhibiting a particular art/ craft such as ceramics, sculpture, jewellery & metal work, glass...the list goes on....

Being a textile artist I was naturally drawn to the Textile Tent, where I had the chance admire the gorgeous woven textiles of Margo Selby of MasterCrafts fame, as well as hear her talk about her work. This piece was exhibited in the marquee "Best of the Best," where each exhibiting artist displays what they consider to their best piece - the colours were far more vibrant than my photograph portrays, and ,although not a weaver myself, I do have some appreciation of the technical expertise needed to produce such a piece, and I was completely in awe.

I was, however very excited to find that I could purchase my own small pack of her woven textiles just perfect for applique and embellishing...and 101 other ideas I have for their use.

Jill Flower's textile pieces incorporating magazines,fabric and machine embroidery techniques were fascinating , and I was very much inspired to start exploring incorporating other mediums into my own work.

Of course I couldn't resist having a go at something myself, something that I wouldn't normally have the opportunity to do, and something so completely in contrast to my own work .... I chose to try etched printmaking and designed a plate inspired by my Barcelona Trip earlier in the year.

If you have the opportunity, I would really recommend a visit - truly inspirational and truly Art in Action.

All the Fun of the Fayre

2010-07-15T21:39:00.000+01:00

I love Village Fayres, and here in our little county we have many villages and consequently in June and July could spend most weekends at one Village Fayre or another.

I particularly love the chance to enter a cake, preserve or a few veg ...just to see whether, one year I might get placed...not that I'm the competitive sort mind you, but just to see whether my Home Economics and Gardening skills are improving.

So, with this in mind, and having been in -undated with Strawberries from a productive PYO visit mid-week ( 25lbs to be exact !!!) I decided to enter one of the local village shows .

Slight disaster on the Victoria Sponge entry...it didn't even make it to the competition tent as with the heat the jam melted and the sponge slid everywhere ! However, I was glad to say the jam and textile collage made it one piece .

So, how did I do ?

First Prize for my Textile Collage...

::Freeform crochet & nuno felt with beaded embroidery::

..... and Second for the Jam..

- just need to work on filling my jar a bit better apparently - but a good flavour ...which I think for most, is the thing that matters ...and you never know I might have the confidence to enter a jar ( I have quite a few with the amount of strawberries picked !) here later on this year.

Crochet Art

2010-06-30T12:39:00.000+01:00

Just recently I have been looking at ways in which to push the boundaries of my work.

So, in order to gain some textile inspiration I decided a visit to the V & A was in order , with the intention of specifically visiting the Quilts Exhibition.

The Exhibition was truly inspiring, and I was particularly taken with the detail of the hand stitching, the materials sourced and used due to difficult times, as well as the stories behind each quilt. At the end of the exhibition I found myself in the museum shop surrounded by gorgeous vintage inspired fabrics and the desire to make my own heirloom. This, however, was not the main reason for my visit. I wanted to look at how those contemporary artists exhibiting had used a traditional textile technique , in this case patchwork, to inspire their work.

With this in mind I could not also resist a good hour or so in the museum bookshop and came away with Mandy Moore and Leanne Prain's book - Yarn Bombing , The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti.

The book contains several Artists work who use knit and crochet techniques to make visual statements.

One of the British Artists featured is Art Yarn who, co-ordinated the Yarnbombing installation at The Manchester Craft & Design Centre . You may remember at the end of last year , I submitted this scrumble for the project.

I have to say, I have been very impressed and inspired with the scale and the impact of the projects Art Yarn has co-ordinated and was flattered when I was asked if I could be featured on the Art Yarn blog - you can read the article here here.

As for my next piece of work ?

Let's just say I'm thinking bigger, boundary breaking and a little more contemporary...watch this space !

Essence of Summer

2010-06-26T13:35:00.000+01:00

Home grown Strawberries

Colourful home grown Sweetpeas from this morning's Farmers Market

Home made Elderflower Champagne with a picnic ready for later on.

Enjoy your Weekend !

Goal !

2010-06-25T13:30:00.000+01:00

Well, you could be mistaken for thinking that I am referring to "that goal," but on this occasion I'm referring to another type of goal. You may remember back here, at the beginning of 2010, that I set myself a small goal of spinning and dyeing my own yarn.

Well, I am very pleased to share with you ( albeit slightly later than anticipated) that last month I arrived at a Natural Dyeing Workshop with my very own handspun yarn .

The workshop was fantastic, and was lead by the very experienced natural dyer, Jenny Dean, who has written several books on the subject two of which I have on my bookshelf and can be found here and here, and there is of course her blog.

So, a few photographs to show you...

and finally some photos of my very own handspun, hand dyed yarn..

..a goal I am proud to have achieved !

Open Studios

2010-06-09T20:50:00.001+01:00

June is the month for Open Studios here in Bedfordshire and also our neighbouring county of Buckinghamshire.

I love Open Studios.

I love meeting the artists and talking to them about their work, as well as seeing where they work, and then there is always the opportunity to come away with your own unique piece of art or craft.

As this is my first year of participating, I've chosen to show, as a guest , collectively with a group of artists and makers who are exhibiting as part of the Buckinghamshire Open Studios Event.
More details about Open Studios in Bedfordshire can be found here and for Buckinghamshire here.

Somewhere in My World

2010-05-26T10:00:00.002+01:00

Well it has been a month since I've managed to find some time to sit and blog, especially with all the recent activity in the Hook & Scumble household. I have had so much to share, but time has been precious and so blogging has had to take a back seat, and all that I've managed is the odd tweet here and there. I am however, glad to say, that things are a little bit less hectic, and so I thought I would share with you the work of some very talented freeformers from around the globe.

The International Freeform Crochet Guild sets its members an annual freeform challenge. This year the brief was "Somewhere in my World," and this week the work of 61 fibre artists was published in an on-line exhibition that can be viewed here .

Beaching Combing Treasures - Freeform Crochet Sculpture

These particular scrumbles make use of three beaching combing treasures treasures as each uses a rock or pebble that has been collected by a member of the Hook & Scumble household. These have been incorporated within the piece, to provide a three-dimensional tactile memory that aims to remind us of the beachy landscapes we love to comb.

Freeformin' this Summer

2010-04-28T12:55:00.000+01:00

Adding to my Summer Workshop Dates.

This scrumble uses all the traditional crochet stitches - doubles, trebles and half trebles - in different combinations , as well as some fancy bullions and puff stitches, with some hyperbolic techniques thrown in for good measure to create a unique piece of fibre art.

Want to have a go ?

Join me for my 1 day Introduction to Freeform Crochet Workshops at Moonstone Yarns on 26th June,and The Tudor Rose Patchwork on the 24th July.

For further details and booking, please visit their websites.

Looking forward to it already !

Vintage Visits

2010-04-23T11:33:00.001+01:00

Well the sun is shining here today in this little corner of Bedfordshire , and I've finally had some time to sit down and download my photos from our little trip to Lucy's Seaside hideaway,

you can take a look yourself at the Seaside Hideaway here.

The Hook and Scumble family have been very fortunate to visit the hideaway on a number of occasions,and each time we visit we always seem to discover something new to see or do.

This time however, I was particularly looking forward to my visit as I had discovered that our trip co-incided with The Little Vintage Lover Fair, so we headed off to Blakeney to take a look.

There were some fantastic stores, with all manor of vintage collectables, but I particularly spent some time perusing through vintage sewing patterns and books, as well the vintage crochet and materials.

I also met Mrs Kitschen Pink, whose stall was covered with delightful goodies, all very tempting .

And, sitting right next to Mrs Kitschen Pink, was Mrs BoBo Bun, with her equally delightful stall.

So, I can hear you asking "Did you buy anything?"

Well, with all the beautiful vintage crochet that was available it was very hard not to come away with some tiny momento. The stall holder was equally puzzled that I wanted to spend my money on crochet when I could just as easily make it myself..this is true, however I rarely get the time to make for myself.

So, I bought the sweetest vintage granny lap blanket, that now sits in our little cottage on our arm chair.

All in all, a delightful Vintage Visit !

Summer Time Workshops

2010-04-21T10:01:00.001+01:00

Well, with the weather warming up and summer just around the corner Hook & Scumble is pleased to announce the first of my summer workshops.

The first workshop is to be held on the 8th May at The B Gallery , Toddington, Bedfordshire.

The day will be truly inspiring as you will be encouraged to break the boundaries of traditional crochet techniques and create your own unique work of art.

Art, Letters & Cupcakes

2010-04-15T17:48:00.000+01:00

Spent the day here today...

admiring the works and writings of a great artist.

Followed by a visit here,

admiring row upon row,

of delicious cupcakes,

of which a few were beautifully packaged up for us to take home and enjoy later !

Long Time No See !

2010-04-13T20:31:00.000+01:00

Yes, it has been a "long time no see."

Nothing to worry about, just very busy with Easter Holidays as well as trying to work on some new pieces for exhibitions and organising my workshop schedule.

I'm hoping next week will be a little calmer and "normal transmission" can resume !

Springtime Baking

2010-03-31T20:37:00.000+01:00

For sharing with friends and family.....

.... this Easter.

Chillin' Crochet

2010-03-31T14:15:00.000+01:00

Just a sneak peak of something I've been working on lately.

No free form in sight.

Crochet that doesn't require me to draw and design .

Crochet that's full of one type of yarn, with lots of lovely bright colours.

Crochet that allows me to switch off and enjoy its soothing repetitive nature.

Chillin' Crochet.

Niddy Noddy

2010-03-24T13:29:00.001Z

Well, for some time I have been intrigued by this piece of kit used by spinners, but alas ,despite all the hints I have dropped since my birthday last year I was still without and hadn't done enough spinning to actually justify buying one myself.

You may remember here, that one of my goals for this year was to hand spin enough yarn to dye...and from my research, reading and attendance at my local Guild.. a Niddy Noddy is required in order to wind my skeins of handspun yarn to set the twist on my singles and prepare for dyeing. I may sound like I know what I'm talking about,but believe me, it's been a steep learning curve !

I have a new whole insight into the amount of work it takes to produce a ball of handspun yarn, and am in greater awe of the fact that prior to industrialisation this technique was the only way in which yarn would have been prepared for knitting , crocheting or weaving into garments - just amazing.

So, finally I have got to the job and have been using my Turkish drop spindle rather regularly.

In fact...can you see ?

'm nearly ready to wind my first skein , which requires this...

my very own niddy noddy...all I need to do now is work out how to use it !

Jersey Textile Showcase 2010

2010-03-20T21:21:00.000Z

I have just realised it has been a fair few days since I have had the time to sit down at the computer and blog !
This month, I must admit I have been busy trying to organise workshops and visit galleries that maybe interested in stocking my work and submit pieces for exhibitions, which has not left much time on the blogging front. I'd just also like to say a "big thank-you" for all the recent comments left about my work, it has been really encouraging to read them all.

Well, some of you may remember me showing you this freeform crochet scarf here not that long ago. Well this was just before it was carefully packaged up and sent to Jersey for their annual textile showcase - more details can be found on their web page here.

I entered the piece into their creative & knitting crochet category.

The brief for the open event was"All is Revealed."

The scarf was infact inspired by the Jurrasic Coastline of Dorset where many a summer holiday has been spent fossil hunting. It represents the explosion ofmarine life seen during this period where ammonites were plentiful. Today, after the storm "all is revealed" as the shore line is eroded and marine life of this period can be collected as fossils. Hyperbolic and freeform crochet techniques were used to depict the ammonites and coral found in abundance during this pre-historic era.

All pieces entered were shown during the week long exhibition and today I recieved this in the post ....

I must admit I was quite suprised I'd won, as from having seen the work of the winners from the previous years , they were all of a very high standard.

Never-the-less, It didn't take me long to decide what to spend my winnings on...but more of that in another post ....lets just say it was most definately fibre related !!

Natural hyperbolic planes

2010-03-09T20:57:00.001Z

Inspiring colours,

inspiring planes,

inspiring pattern,

inspiring nature,

inspiring my current freeform work.

Signs of Spring

2010-03-06T15:07:00.000Z

The Sun is shining and today really feels like Spring might just be around the corner.

Nature is also joining in with Snowdrops,

Crocus,

and Primroses,

that sit side by side in an explosion of colour...

...as they carpet the " Secret Garden."

Catalonian Inspiration

2010-03-05T15:38:00.001Z

Barcelona is a city that does not fail to provide artistic inspiration .

This is a city where modernism, cubism and surrealism have their roots, and just knowing that several great early 20th Century artists were heavily influenced by their time spent in this city resulted in much time spent filling my sketchbook .

The city's modernistic architecture included many colourful mosaics.

Much of Gaudi's work was inspired by natural forms.

Attention to detail and design was evident on the exterior with this also being carried through to the interior .

Parabolic curves

and arches were a common feature,

My sketchbook is full to bursting with modernistic designs and motifs,

cubist and surreal sketches.....

all to be used as a springboard for my own textile inspired designs.

"Work, Rest & Play"

2010-02-24T10:37:00.002Z

I don't know about you, but I find the whole process of juggling work and home can be quite challenging at times, expecially with deadlines to meet . So there hasn't really been much rest over the last few weeks as I have been busy finishing commisssions and pieces for exhibitions. This weekend however, I'm looking forward to some "me" time and plan to enjoy myself as I hop on a plane for a long weekend of persursing art galleries, fine architecture as well as hopefully catching some sun...but more of that next week !

So I thought I would just share with you a few quick snapshots of what I have been up to lately ...

Ok, back to work !

Sunshine

2010-02-23T20:00:00.003Z

Very Kindly I have have been given the same blog award twice in the last week.
The Sunshine Blog Award is given to bloggers whose positivity & creativity inspires others in the blog world. So "thank-you" to Rainbow Cottage and Created & Felted for giving me this award !

As with most awards they need passing on, but I am afraid to say that I feel that I would find it very difficult to choose which Blogs inspire me the most as I am afraid there are so many Bloggy Writers, artists and crafters that have in one way or another have had a very positive influence on my work.
So, instead of passing this on to just a few, I am just going to award this all those who have inspired me along my creative journey..to many to mention, but you know who you are !

Turquoise

2010-02-19T17:55:00.001Z

For some reason, no matter how hard I try, I continue to be drawn to the colour and shades of turquoise.

There is something vibrant about this colour that inspires me.

The varied shades and yarns available in this palette have resulted in several recent works.

I was also interested to read here that I'm not the only one who thinks that Turquoise will be making a statement this year, which is a relief as I think there will be many more pieces to follow using this shade of blue.

This wearable piece of textile art is inspired the Jurrasic Coastline of Dorset where many a family holiday has been spent fossil hunting. The work represents the explosion of marine life seen during this period where ammonites were plentiful. Today,after a storm as the shore line is eroded the marine life of this period is slowly revealed and can be collected as fossils.

Hyperbolic & Freeform crochet techniques are used to depict ammonites and coral found in abundance during this pre-historic era

J'adore...

2010-02-14T20:22:00.000Z

Using up all my scraps of material that I knew would come in handy one day
Using my sewing machine again
Making a Valentines card for each member of the Hook & Scumble household

Hope you enjoyed today too.

Best of British

2010-02-06T20:00:00.000Z

This morning I was up at 5:30 am and headed to W1B to join the queue here.

I arrived at 7:30am and already there were at least 40 others in front. Thankfully the British weather was kind, not to cold and it didn't rain. So with my work packaged up , and my nerves just about in tact , I waited with everyone else and was given the opportunity to speak with a member of the team.

Five minutes is not long to talk about your work. Although I wasn't shortlisted the feedback was very useful, and confirmed that I'm on the right track with my plans, ideas, designs and market. All in all, it was a great experience, I met some fantastic designers and I came away with new contacts, ideas to develop and some people to ring !

Freestylin'

2010-02-02T17:24:00.000Z

I've been meaning to have a go at freestyle machine embroidery for a while. It's a technique I used quite alot...about 20 years ago, and I got, though I do say so myself, to be quite good.

So for the last few months, I've been trying to remember how to drop my dog feed on my machine. My machine is about 12 years old, and it was one of the first things I bought after I was married. I knew I would have bought a machine that had this feature, but having lost the manual, I just could not remember how to drop the dog feed. This weekend I woke up remembering exactly what to do ..perhaps it's just old age .. so I found my darning foot ( at least I remembered where that was !) , dusted it off and got started.

I'd forgotten that it takes a while to get used to this technique, so quite a few practice samples were made using odds and ends from my fabric stash. Having said that however, one of practice pieces will come in handy in adorning Mr Hook & Scumble's homemade valentine's card....

...but I think I'll need to practice some more before I apply some freestyle to one of my felt and crochet pieces !

Today

2010-02-01T14:40:00.000Z

Today,

I am inspired by...

.... the embroidery on my sketchbook cover from Snapdragon's Garden.

....my wooden bobbin of Liberty bias binding

...and the colours of my new wellies.

What brings you inspiration today ?

Experimental

2010-01-31T19:55:00.000Z

This weekend has been a weekend of experimental textiles, mainly for myself as I'm trying out some mixed textile techniques to work along-side my freeform crochet. If however, there is a hint of anything creative in the air, you can guarantee that the eldest Hook & Scumbler will be right there by my side.

For me, this not only enabled us to spend some quality time together doing something we both enjoy, but also allowed twice the experimentation ! So we were both able to try out different techniques, colour combinations and fabrics, make notes and decide which ones produced the best effects.

And, what fun we had with our various felting techniques, both wet and dry as well as trying out some nuno techniques and layering . We experimented with Shetland wool tops and dyed coloured merino tops as well as synthetic organzas and silk chiffons. My eldest Hook & Scumbler was thrilled with her sample, and was able to explain in quite some detail and length to Mr Hook & Scumble how to nuno felt.

My sample on the other hand did not turn out quite as I hoped, but I think that was probably due to my lack of patience and a bit more elbow grease next time should produce the desired effect !

Notes were made, techniques compared and so now we are both ready to embark on our something more adventurous...I wonder what it will be ?

W W W dot

2010-01-26T20:53:00.000Z

Just to say that finally my new website is up and running and can be visited here ! I've also put a link in my sidebar too. Any feedback is welcome ... it's always a little difficult to guage whether your website is itwhat's expected, or it's easy to use to name just a number of things .Over the coming months I will be slowly adding to the site with the aim to eventually have an on-line shop, but all this is WIP as for now I am also frantically working on two exhibition pieces- the first deadline is at the end of Feb and the second at the end of April.

February, I promise will be a better blogging month, as this month has been taken up with mainly getting the site up and running and testing etc...who knew there could be so much work ?

So, for now I shall leave you, and I hope you enjoy your virtual tour around the Hook ans Scumble Galleries.
TTFN x

Arts & Crafts

2010-01-20T11:33:00.000Z

For the pass few weeks since Christmas it's been a bit quiet on the Hook & Scumble blogging front as I have spent time sketching, planning, reading and thinking. Thinking for me has taken up quite alot of my time as it's a process that usually starts with one hundred million thoughts and ideas for new projects that need to be filtered and refined before something tangible emerges. The other process that has taken up quite a bit of my time has been reading. Now I'm not a great reader, but having said that our little cottage is packed with books...books to inspire, books to tell you how "do" or "make" something, historical and factual books, books packed with inspiration . So, when I say "I'm not a great reader," on reflection that's not entirely true, I'm not a great reader of fiction. So what book I hear you say, has captured my time ?

The reason I love this book, and am in the throws of reading it from cover to cover, is it is an excellent history of the Arts & Crafts Movement. From Morris & Co, to Liberty of London, the book details how these companies and their owners influenced the move away from the mass produced to unique handcrafted and handmade beautiful products that could also be functional and useful. The author, catalogues the many influential artists and craftsman of the time and provides detailed history and photographs of their work, which ranges from wallpapers, prints, furniture , glass and jewellery. Many of these individual's work and design processes I have admired and have been influenced by and , in some small way , the revival in recent years of "handmade and handcrafted," has allowed me to feel that perhaps my work continues to contribute in a very small way to the ideals this movement were true to . As William Morris himself once said, " Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful, " and I'm hoping this year, the pieces I design and make will be both useful and beautiful and treasured by someone for that very reason.

New Year, New Site

2010-01-15T14:19:00.000Z

After some careful thought and planning, Hook & Scumble is planning to grow a little in 2010.
The first step in this small, but realistic expansion is the Hook & Scumble Website - currently under construction here, but to be launched very soon.

There are a few other things in the pipeline that amongst others include, some more freeform fantastic workshops as well as other thoughts and developments, that for the time being are kept under wraps until things come to fruition.

I'll keep you posted though !

New Year, New Skills

2010-01-11T12:12:00.002Z

I'm not a great one for New Year Resolutions, however I am someone who likes to set a goal and work my way towards achieving it. So this year, I have three goals for the year , two of which are to learn two new skills, and I aim to do this with the help of my local Weavers, Spinners and Dyers Guild.
Last year, my goal was to learn how to spin, and I can confidently say, that with the help of several Guild members and a search for the right spindle, I have managed to learn to spin using a drop spindle.

This however, in terms of production, is going to take me rather a long time to produce enough hand spun yarn with this method to be able to crochet a garment. I have managed to used small amounts of my handspun yarn in my freeform work, but what I really want to do is spin enough to make something to wear. So, with this in mind, I am hoping to hire a spinning wheel, and glean some knowledge from some experienced Guild members in order to learn how to spin using it. I hope to be able to achieve this and have spun enough yarn by the middle of this year, so that by the summer arrives I can learn the art of natural dyeing.
With these two goals in mind I hope by this time next year I'll have completed goal number three and will be wearing my own warm hand spun, hand dyed, hand crocheted hat , gloves and scarf !

Snowy Epiphany

2010-01-06T20:19:00.000Z

Hello dear Bloggers, how are you all ? Wrapped up and cosy I hope !

I'm sorry I have not been here for a while, but the past few weeks have been extremely busy both on the crochet and Christmas front. I'm still way behind with my new designs and was hoping that this week would allow some normality to return to the Hook & Scumble household and then of course today, yet more snow has arrived ...so for now I'm having to put plan B into action which included some sledging .............

you can just see the sledge marks in the left of the picture, snowmen and hot chocolate.

I did however manage to complete some lovely quick crocheted Christmas presents from Gina Alton's book Crocheted Finger Puppets, that you may remember me blogging about here

These little creatures went down very well in the Hook & Scumble household and we have had several pantomines performed featuring the above crowd .It has been lovely to see that something so simple can bring quite a few hours of entertainment. So , I too shall be content with the simple things and enjoy our snowy Epiphany too.

Farewell...

2009-12-30T21:07:00.000Z

to 2009 that is.
I am looking forward to next year, and am counting my Blessings for all the good times that were had over the last year, and so I look forward to your visits in 2010 and wish you all a very Happy New Year. See you then !

Festive Frantic

2009-12-19T21:21:00.000Z

Just thought I would say a quick "hello" as this week seems to have shot by, and then finished with the White Stuff arriving yesterday morning. All in all, I have successfully managed to start and complete a few handmade presents ( show and tell next week ) but with the arrival of the snow, this was somewhat put on hold as snowball fights and snowmen seemed much more important, especially with school closed for the day...the eldest hook and scumbler indeed thought Christmas had come early !
Amongst all this, it's been somewhat "festive frantic" here , what with trying to get ready for the "Big Day," as well as make a start on some new commissions- thankfully not needed until after Christmas. I've even sucumbed this week to tweeting more rather than blogging as finding any time in amongst ferrying children here there and everywhere, wrapping and writing cards has been somewhat difficult . Right, time to finish the on-line food shop, and I have decided to choose a few very quick and easy festive treats from"Nigella's Christmas," so I can indeed at least feel like a "Domestic Godess," even if by Thursday I don't look like one !

TTFN xx

Playing Santa

2009-12-14T19:54:00.000Z

There are days where the normal daily chores and errands needed to run a house just have to wait.

Today was one of those days.

Today, the miniest Hook & Scumbler and I spent a few hours this morning " Playing Santa."

It went something like this....

"You be the reindeer, I be Santa, I need soot in my sack,"

How could I resist ?

..soot in the sack , how was I meant to come up with that one ?

I needn't have worried, I don't actually think she knew what "soot in the sack" was and was very content with filling her santa sack with cards from her shoppping game.

"I need presents,"..

..she heads for the tree, there are a few sitting there already, quick divertion tactics and I produce wrapping paper and sticky tape and we spend the next 20 minutes or so wrapping presents from the toy box.

"I need a sleigh and helpers reindeer"

Big teddy, snowman and Cuddly Santa with various hats become the helpers.

Santa herself also finds a red cloak and puts on her Santa hat.

"We need moo - sic, and bells ," ...um ... Christmas songs...

So, we sit on the sofa together, one in front of the other, Reindeer and Santa ,helpers, sack and bells and ride along to the sound of the "Sleigh Ride."

Finally, when the song comes to an end, Santa gets off her sleigh and delivers her presents, and of course couldn't resist opening one herself .

Some days are priceless !

Handmade Christmas & A Winner !

2009-12-11T10:29:00.000Z

Helloooo!
I hope you are all well, not feeling to overwhelmed with the prospect of all the things needing to be done between now and the "Big Day." This year, I have, in the words of my friend's mother, decided "not to mind" and just do what I can do. So, with this new philosophy ,my handmade project for this year, still needs to be started, and I'm not going to fret about it !
I have however, really enjoyed reading about everyone else's lovely handmade Christmas decorations, ranging from quilts, to crochet, to cards and the adorable decorations that arrive proudly home from school and nursery.

I do though, have some handmade decorations to share with you from by-gone years that include,

Christmas Kit 2008...

A Pumpkin Patch felt decoration kit from here, bought last year at The Festival of Quilts

And a CK Inspired Stocking,

And a Dandelion Designs "Twelve Days of Christmas" Redwork Stitchery Garland

And to top it all, I have made a start on my homemade festive fayre - courteousy of our very own Country Markets Stall ...who said you couldn't have some help ?!

And now to the Winner !

Having totted up all the entries, and using the Random Generator.....

..the winner is...

Victoria !

Congratulations...please e-mail me your address and I can post your prize in time for Christmas .

Hope you have a great weekend,

I shall be at The Purple Poppy Gallery Christmas Show at Woburn Sands,

pop in if you're passing !

Birthday Button Holes

2009-12-09T11:12:00.000Z

My local WI have their Christmas Event this evening.
During the evening those with a birthday in the month are presented with their "Birthday Button Hole." For the month of December I volunteered to make the button holes having spent a few months eyeing up what was expected...needless to say I have realised that floristy is perhaps not a skill that I excel at, more one that I can "just about get away with." So alternative measures have been called for ,that do not involve any floristy skills what-so-ever.

Hooky skills are where my strength lies, and consequently I have made ...

hooky Christmas roses

along with hooky holly and lillies,

and finally with hooky mistletoe ,

....Hope the December Birthday Girls like them !

p.s thanks to all those who entered the Sew! giveaway, I shall be drawing the winner sometime today

Trees & Christingles

2009-12-07T09:20:00.001Z

Yesterday the Hook & Scumble household spent most of the day "Decking the Halls," and so our little cottage is looking a little more festive now.

We also paid a visit here,

One of the local Churches in the Town.

For the past few years this Chrurch has held a very lovely Christmas Tree Festival.

The Eldest Hook & Scumbler was particuarly keen to go as she had contributed to two of the trees in the festival, and the youngest Hook & Scumbler was super excited to see all the Trees decorated and looking very Christmassy indeed.

This was one of my favourites...it's mounted in a tuba and was decorated by one of the local brass bands - very ingenious.

We managed to spot one of the Hook & Scumble decorations,

There were about 30 trees in total and each visitor was asked to vote for their favourite.

The Festival concluded with a Christingle Service,

This is the one that made it home....

...in-tact,

with it's 4 decorated prongs of fruits & sweets representing the 4 seasons and the fruit of the earth,

I'm afraid to say that the others were devoured either during the service or directly en- route home !

Seasonal Sewing & A "Sew !" Giveaway

2009-12-02T13:03:00.002Z

Hurrah December !

A month of preparation for Christmas, and I also like to find some time to reflect in amongst all my chaos that can surround the run up to the festive season. I also tend to find this is the time when I manage to go up a gear and finally get on with all those crafty Christmassy ideas I intended to start waaay back in the summer...but as usual seemed to have left it to the last minute. So with this in mind, what better way to start this seasonal sewing than to get out my much loved stash of CK fabric ....

and find some inspiration here....

Now, I know many of you are fans and will already have this book adorning your shelves, but for those of you who have yet to put it on your Christmas list , I thought I would have a little flick through to inspire you and what a gem this book is !

The book is aimed at both the beginner and the more experienced sewer alike. Techniques include signature CK applique designs, patchwork , quilting, hand and machine sewing.
To inspire you to get going straight away, the book also includes a pre-cut kit , in CK fabric, with all accessories to make the bag featured on the front of the book.

For me,one of the best features was the inclusion of a pattern sheet - so you just need to get out your greaseproof and trace away ! The introduction covers all the sewing techniques needed and is clearly laid out with some lovely photographs.

There are over 40 projects in the book,some quick - useful for the last minute Christmas Gifts, and some larger projects which would require some time to complete.

My favourites in particular for some quick Christmas gifts include the padded coathanger covers, which would look very pretty in any bedroom,

A knitting (or in my case crochet) bag, and revives the technique of handpieced patchwork..something to make a start on for those long winter evenings, and perfect to ensure you use up any scraps of fabric from your stash ,or even upcycle some pretty prints that have seen better days from your wardrobe.

I couldn't resist including this photograph from the book..more hand pieced patchwork..

And finally some sweet Lavender Bags.

I've really only just touched the surface of the book, as there are some great projects throughout. All in all this book will be adorning my bookshelf for many years to come .

And now to the Giveaway...

If you fancy owning your own copy of the book and can't wait until "The Big Day," then this is the Giveaway for you ! In order to win a copy of "SEW!" all you need to do is comment on this post, by answering the following question:

" What handmade Christmas decoration will you be putting up this year ?"

Want to increase your chances of winning ?

As a bonus, if you are not already a follower and become one ,let me know and I will enter you twice. For those who are already followers, if you blog about the giveaway and let me know, I will also enter you twice too !

Giveaway Official-ness

I'll randomly draw the winner in a weeks time on 9th Dec 2009, (so all comments need to be the 8th ), and announce the winner by the end of next week.
Please check back to see if you have won, and if you are the winner, please e-mail me with your details at hookandscumbleATyahoo.com using the appropriate @ in the address
If the prize is not claimed within 1 week of the winner announcement , I will be carry it forward to the next Giveaway.
I'll also announce the winner blog post on Twitter next week too when it's up.

Have Fun, I'm looking forward to hearing about all your creations...hope there are some crochet ones in there too !

"It's beginning to look alot like...."

2009-11-30T19:31:00.000Z

...Christmas...well it is in the Hook & Sumble Household !

Firstly, there was the most important letter that needed to be written and sent off in good time for a reply....

I think Santa will be relieved when He reads the list, as was I. All reasonable and the most extravagant item a pair of sparkly high heeled shoes...how is Santa going to resist that request ?

Secondly, this ...

I've been longing for this issue of Crochet Today every since I knew it was featuring a "Retro Inspired Crochet Christmas," as well as this fantastic Crochet Gingerbread House.
Thankfully my Opera Singer friend recently made a trip the Big Apple and consequently was given strict instructions that should a newsagent be spied, a small detour would be much appreciated...and that's just how I manage to have a copy .The magazine is packed full of wonderful crochet Christmas creations, including crocheted candy for the tree, and the Christmas Tree skirt.

Another of my particular favourite projects were these..

...starched crocheted baubles..

which I think would look spectacular grouped together and hung in a window.The only problem I have is whether I have enough time to complete it for this year...

or should I start now for next ?

Workshops & Temptation

2009-11-28T19:33:00.002Z

Today I spent the day here teaching how to make this crocheted clasped purse.

The purse body itself is crocheted in Rowan Cocoon, a merino and kid mohair mixed yarn, and then machine felted.

The Clasp is hand sewn in and the purse is finished with a crochet ruffle edge and freeform embellishment.

The day went very fast, and it was also incredibly hard not to get side-tracked by all the lovely other Rowan Yarns and Amy Butler Fabrics on display...I was however very controlled with my purchases despite all the surrounding temptation and came away with another purse clasp and ball of Rowan Cocoon to try another of my purse designs.

Scrumbling or Scumbling ?

2009-11-27T11:41:00.000Z

Thank-you to all of you who have commented lately.

With this in mind, I've had a few comments asking what exactly is a scumble ?

So I thought I'd spend this post trying to explain !

"Scrumbling" is a term that was first coined by the UK Crochet Textile Artists ,

James Walters and Sylvia Cosh which describes crocheting in a very abstract or freeform way.

Over the years this term seems to have become interchangeable with the word "scumble," and today many freeformers use these two terms interchangeably.

There are some fantastic freeform artists whose work is very inspiring....

....just take a look at the links in my side bar.

As for this scrumble or scumble...it measures 7cm x 40cm and

has just been packaged off to here and if you fancy adding a piece yourself there's still

time to get out your hook and scrumble or scumble !

P.S apologies for the "blueness" of my pictures, they were actually take outdoors, but the light has not been particuarly good inside or out !

It's the Holiday Season ...

2009-11-26T19:56:00.003Z

....I just love that song,

and today across the pond The Holiday Season officially starts so I wish you all a very

Happy Thanksgiving !

I must say, that a couple of times I have been fortunate to make the trip across to NYC at this time of year to meet up with a dear friend. My recollections of the Big Apple at this time of year include Macy's Parade and ice skating with Santa under the tree at The Rockefeller Centre, followed by shopping on 5th Avenue ( I mean window shopping !!) and lunch at Saks which usually includes reflecting on all the things we have to be thankful for since we last saw each other.

This year I haven't managed to make the trip across, but have sent my very dear friend a Thanksgiving present instead. This year is a special year for us as we've been writing to each other , in the traditional pen pal sense, for 25 years.

So to celebrate this milestone I sent her one of my silver plated crocheted brooches, similar to this, but accented with amethysts and a purple freeform embellishment...to say "thank-you" for our friendship and all it means to us in the Hook and Scumble House.

I hope she likes it, and that we continue to write for many more years to come.

Christmas Shopping

2009-11-25T11:18:00.002Z

Just to say, if you've still got that odd present to buy and are looking for something unique , designed and handmade, I shall be at The Purple Poppy Gallery Christmas Show on Saturday 12th December at The Institute Hall, Woburn Sands 10 - 5pm

Along with some other very talented designer makers too.

Pop by and say hello !

Mrs Pink Milk

2009-11-24T20:36:00.000Z

I thought I'd post you in the direction of Pink Milk Photography here.

Mrs Pink Milk is very talented and has posted some fantastic pictures of the

Made by Artisans Fair on Saturday , take a look !

Made by Artisans

2009-11-22T19:40:00.000Z

Hello, here I am, back home and recovering from all the work that goes into preparing for an Art & Craft Show...but what a show !

The setting for the show was housed in the Beckett Chapel of Peterborough Cathedral.

Unfortunatley this photograph doesn't quite do the Cathedral and its grounds the justice it deserves, it was beautiful.

When I arrived all the stall holders were busily preparing their stalls and putting out their beautiful handcrafted wares.

All my preparation paid off as my stall set up was pretty smooth and ready for 10am as visitors started to arrive.

Meanwhile the very talented pinkmilkphotography was on hand to record the day..and I shall post you in the direction of the website when the photos are uploaded..in the meantime I quickly managed to rally around and take a few shots of my pitch from either end...

Thankfully the weather held off for most of the day and Mrs Crayons did a fantastic job of professionally marketing and organising the whole event and was on hand through out the day to support all the Artisans , consequently there didn't appear to be a quiet moment through-out the day !

It was also lovely to meet some of the other Artisans, all of whom had beautiful stalls . I didn't manage to get photos of everyone's stall, but managed to snap a few quick pictures which included

Slugs & Snails

Beautiful frames, folded Danish Christmas stars ,cards and pictures and winner of the best dressed stall, I really loved all the attention to detail..including a handmade "stall owners" pinny...I think I might have to crochet myself one for next time !

Penny Dog

resin jewellery

Ruby Wren

eco friendly cards

Wall Envy Art

vintage book art - I particuarly loved this one...I'm feeling Christmassy already !

Eco Wood DesRes Bird Houses

which I thought were a really original idea

and finally Land Cuckoo which had the whole room smelling of Christmas with scented pot holders and

spiced mug mats...just lovely

...and of course I couldn't resist a few treats for myself..which included a photo of the mini Hook and Scumblers courtesy of Pink Milk Photography's mini photo shoot - the photo just captures how angelic and cheeky they can both be , and some resin fridge magnets from Penny Dog.

I think the day was a great success and I'm hoping Mrs Crayons will make this a regular event !

"Making a List, Checking it twice...!"

2009-11-20T22:26:00.000Z

Just time for a quick hello !
The week has been spent labelling, packing and sewing in preparation for ...

The last couple of weeks have been chaotic, but now everything is ready to be packed into the car very early tomorrow morning for the drive up to Peterborough.

List upon list has been written and re-written and finally tonight after having a pratice run at setting up my stall everything has been ticked off and all systems are go.

Here is a small sneak preview of a small corner of my stall, and I have the camera packed and ready for taking lots of photos of tomorrow's event. I'm looking forward to meeting all the other designer makers and may even get a chance to do some Christmas Shopping !

So for now, I shall leave you as I head off for an early night ready for an early start and if you are able to make it tomorrow, please pop by and say hello .

Super Quick Christmas Crochet

2009-11-13T20:32:00.001Z

Just time to show you my latest idea...having realised I'm leaving it a bit short on time to make my presents this year I've decided super quick Christmas crochet projects are the answer. So with this in mind, this arrived through the Hook and Scumble letterbox recently...

It's a gorgeous little book with some very clever finger puppets in. The patterns look simple enough to follow, which is definately what I need as my head is in a hundred and one other places at the moment. So I have visions of crocheting fingers puppets that will fit on little fingers in order to act out various nursery rhymes. If time I'd like to sew some little drawstring bags to store each set in ...infact I think I'm going to have to make myself a whole set too, the difficulty will be in choosing which ones !

Busy Bloggers

2009-11-07T21:46:00.001Z

Well, hello dear bloggers !
Finally I have managed to fight off the lurgy, return everyone to school and get the house into some assemblance of order after the madness of half term and have amazingly managed to find some time in Crochet Corner . I have also been able to steal a few minutes here and there to escape to blogdom and have also discovered that it seems to be not just myself that has been needing at least 50 hours in each day ...there has been business here, ( I have to admit I was partially responsible for at least two of the items on the list !) here and here . So, I have felt somewhat reassured that it is possibly the time of year that has resulted in all this, and I still need to start making Christmas presents for my own family...goodness knows when I'm going to fit that in especially with Nativities, Pantos, Christmas fairs as well as all the usual other things that go along with the run up to Christmas....any suggestions would really be most welcome .......pleeeease.

Anyway, first things first , most of this last week I have been spent crazily crocheting to get ready for the Made by Artisans Fair in ...just 2 weeks time !!!

I'm in the throws of putting together a line of my crochet and button necklaces,

I am now in the stages of planning my pitch ...which in itself is taking rather alot of my thinking time up. Last week was the preview , which was a great success and if you fancy taking a visit yourself a beautiful record of the event can be found here courtesy of Pink Milk Photography

So ,as I said any suggestions are more than welcome for strategic time management !

I shall leave you to enjoy the rest of your weekend TTFN x

Busy ..Busy...Busy

2009-10-28T18:21:00.000Z

Apologies for the lack of photos.
Half term this week, and it has been busy...busy...busy.

Busy.....entertaining mini hook and scumblers
Busy......trying to prioritise those household chores that need to be done
Busy....trying to recover from the lurgy last week
Busy....thinking about crochet designs

Hoping that by the end of the week life will have slowed down to a more manageable level !

Peterborough Press

2009-10-24T11:22:00.002+01:00

Well it's not that long until I shall be packing up my wares and heading here.

Last week the Fair had an article in the local press, and next week is the preview.

Unfortunatly I am unable to attend in person, but I will have some work on display .

It's always nerve wracking waiting for the feedback ...

....but then again...

nothing ventured nothing gained !

Crochet Corner

2009-10-21T12:03:00.000+01:00

For some time now, I have been coveting a space to work.
I've flicked through various magazines and read many a blog and have been envious of all those pictures I've seen of attics, dens and huts for just that purpose. I think Mr Hook and Scumble had picked up on this need and on my return from Ally Pally was in full swing of sorting, tidying and DIY-ing just for me... so I know "it must be love", as I can't imagine any other reason why he would make me.......

CROCHET CORNER !

Isn't it great ?

A few finishing touches needed...like perhaps a crochet lampshade ?

Or on the other hand ... maybe I might just be pushing my luck ?!

An Afternoon of Felt

2009-10-19T14:37:00.000+01:00

On Saturday afternoon, the eldest Hook and Scumbler and I attended our local Guild's workshop on Felt Jewellery Making...just right up our street.

Having had good intentions over the summer to try some wet felting, we never quite made it and have continued to practice our needlefelting techniques instead, so this workshop was one we were both looking forward to.

There was indeed lots of water, soap and the usual other things needed for wet felting.

So we have learnt about the art of making felt beads using some simple techniques, and some more advanced ones ...although despite both of our efforts...lots of practice still needed.

We both came away with some interesting pieces of jewellery and were very inspired, as the tutor was excellent and gave lots of ideas of how to use felt in jewellery.

....and thank goodness...

I have found another use for all those merino tops...Mr Hook & Scumble will be pleased !

Show & Tell

2009-10-14T13:44:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone,
I hope you all had a good weekend. I think I have just about recovered from my Ally Pally visit and am just settling down into deciding what to do with all my yummy purchases. For a while back there I was feeling a little lacking in crochet inspiration, which was leaving me feel a little dispondant, but having spent the day absorbing the creativeness that comes with a visit to this show, and along with some choice purchases, I feel like I've got all cylinders firing.

So....are you wanting to know what I came back with ? You are ? Great, you're in four a veritable treat of sumptous colours and yarn.

I managed to only purchase 3 balls of yarn, bearing in mind I have a whole drawer full, so really quite restrained.....but I could not resist these three.

Gorgeous recycled sari silk, handyed cotton from Peru and some Lousia harding Kimono Ribbon. I love the colour combination, as the blues complement the glorious warm tones of the red.

Would you like a closer look ?

Just inspiring !

I also came back with a fat quarter , embroidery hoop and buttons for my eldest ..

I love the design and colours in this fat quarter..and I'm hoping with her hoop and buttons we'll see a project soon.

Then of course the "special treasure button," for my youngest

Huge and pink for little girls hands.

I also bought some felt and a Christmas Felt Kit, which will all look much more interesting when assembled...so I shall leave that for another time.

All, in all fairly restrained..with my total yarn purchase coming in at £11.99...not to bad if I say so myself !

Ally Pally 2009

2009-10-11T21:12:00.012+01:00

I love Ally Pally, not just because every year it is host to the annual Knitting and Stitiching show, but that it also has been played a part in making some very good memories whilst I flat-shared with some girl-friends in Muswell Hill some15 years ago. So, I always enjoy the drive through north london ( despite needing to do a few U-turns and quick lane changes....I'd forgotten what it's like to drive in London !) as it gives me a chance to reminisce. After setting off at what seemed like the crack of dawn, before we knew it Lucy & I had arrived just as the doors opened at 10am - perfect timing !

I had gone with a list...with the aim to stick to budget, and for the most part I managed to...it was just the "other list" provided by my eldest which made me tip a few pennies over the agreed amount !

So, armed with a show guide to ensure I was able to navigate to my favourite suppliers we eventually arrived at The Eternal Maker and The Button Company. I'm glad we arrived early, as we were told that the queues yesterday to get to their gorgeous buttons and fabrics were pretty difficult to negotiate, and it's not difficult to see why.....

...gorgeous colourful buttons..

after button..

after button !!

I came away with my £3 bag of buttons - to share with the eldest Hook & Scumbler and bought an enormous pink button for my youngest as a "special treasure." I also couldn't resist some of their lovely felt...especially when I saw this....

I have the pattern in my latest Sew Hip magazine...and thought it maybe the perfect project to attempt with a tortoise mad daughter !

I also popped into ...

they stock lotsof gorgeous roving and felt embellishments, you can find them here

these looked great for jewellery, but I managed to restrain myself for a very good reason ( all will soon be revealed).

Lucy and I then decided that as the crowds seemed to be winning and we were tiring, a nice comfy sofa was called for...the Rowan stand was obliging and as there were piles of their yarn, along with hooks and needles it wasn't long before we started a granny square to contribute to the Macmillian Comfort Blanket Campaign and we then dropped them into their stand and admired some of the finished blankets ..

This one had a few more crocheted squares..

the campaign closes on the 30th October, so there's still time to take part.

On our way home, we managed to stop and admire the exhibits in the Palm Court Foyer, which was a little less crowded than when we arrived..the first by Rachel John

Can you see these enormous knitting needles ? She was also selling enormous crochet hooks too, but for the time being I shall leave extreme crochet for another day...apart from the fact I don't think Mr Hook & Scumble would be to impressed if I turned up with such an enormous hook...another thing to squeeze into our little cottage !

We then spent some time admiring the exhibit "Casting Off - A Coat for A Boat"

Apparently it took over 350 knitters to create this piece..

I particuarly liked all the colourful fish...

It would be great to see the hyperbolic crochet coral reefs and this piece exhibited to complement each other.

It was then off home.

I shall unpack my goodies and do "show and tell" later on in the week, for now I need a hot cuppa .

Take Care x

I'm getting the itch to stitch !

2009-10-09T10:58:00.000+01:00

Although I would say crochet is my first love, sewing comes in a very close second. Infact I learnt to sew before I could crochet on my mother's vintage Grain Child's Sewing Machine. Eventually at about aged 10, I went to stay with a Great Aunt near London,who had a sewing room....the holiday was heaven. In fact this Great Aunt was already into "upcycling, " "swishing "and "make do and mend." I spent the whole week in that sewing room, she taught me everything...how to use an electric sewing maching, put in zips, freestyle embroidery, quilting and patchwork... the works. She had an enormous stash of material...all thrifted..and we even spent a whole day scouring charity shops in the local town looking for 10 year old garments that could be customised and "swished" into something fashionable...I came away with a whole new wardrobe for pennies. I have very fond memories indeed of this holiday and this Great Aunt ,and all the zips, buttons, vintage materials and patchwork pieces I have since inherited are very precious. Consequently, it's no real suprise that every so often I "get the itch to stitch," and it's again not to suprising that this "itch to stitch" comes around this time of year as I think about getting ready for Christmas...yes I've gone and said it !
Last year I did manage to finally make a stocking I'd been promising my youngest and was even fortunate enough to win a whole pile of CK sewing goodies in the process !
So, with this in mind I have bought a few books to inspire...

And if all else fails..where else would be a place full of inspiration ??

Of course, the Knitting & Stitching Show at Ally Pally this weekend...you may remember back here, that lovely Mr Hook and Scumble had already pre-emptied the need for me to attend...along with my lovely friend Lucy.

So, with that in mind, I'd better take an inventory of my yarn ,material and notions stashes so I don't go over budget and I shall be back to report !

Have a great weekend X

War Time Remedies

2009-10-08T19:42:00.005+01:00

There have been a fair few coughs, colds and sniffles in the Hook and Scumble house of late. So, with this in mind Mr Hook & Scumble and I decided to take matters into our own hands and set off for a few hours of foraging .

After about a 20 minute walk in the lovely Bedfordshire Countryside we finally came across what we were searching for. Mr Hook and Scumble is fairly meticulous when it comes to foraging, and so after a few minutes cross referencing with one of our favourite guides , which is always a recommended to ensure you have correctly identified what you are planning to pick, we made a start....

.......and picked, and picked !

Now, I'm reliably informed by Grandpa Hook & Scumble that as part of the war effort, these gorgeous autumnal treasures were also picked and you were rewarded 3d for every 1lb picked....so by our reckoning...bringing it right up to the 21st Century, we would be rewarded about 2p for our kilo !

Now back home to pick over our harvest, and consult that Wartime Receipe reliably found in here....

So after a few hours of boiling....

and straining....

and boiling and straining again.. it's time for bottling and sealing.....

And I am hoping this will be enough to chase any sign of a sniff and a cold away !

And the Winner is ....

2009-10-05T16:12:00.000+01:00

Well thank-you so much to all of you who entered the giveaway...I had great fun reading what everyone would crochet on their desert island...and was relieved to find that I obviously wasn't the only person to have thought seriously about such a scenario !

Ok...down to business - 45 entries in total, all handwritten and folded into the tea-cup.

The winner is picked..

And revealed .....

Felicity from Joshy & Belle !

Fliss's winning entry was as follows ....

"I would prob unravel whatever I was wearing and crochet a hammock to hang from some palm trees, then I'd just sit on my hammock crocheting grass and tiny teeny flowers into weird and wonderful bits until someone came and rescued me! ."

So, Fliss's prize will be on it's way by the end of the week, and I also know that she's quite interested in learning more about freeform crochet..so I'm hoping this will give her just the start she needs to get going, as well as some vintage crochet collectables too to add to her own !

Hooked on Ammonites

2009-10-02T22:39:00.000+01:00

Not sure what it is I find so fascinating about crocheting these...maybe it's the colour or the their soothing yet repetitive bullion stitch or perhaps it's because they remind me of happy memories searching for these on family fossil hunts.....

.....whatever it is I'm definately hooked !

Have a great week-end .

Tortoise Tactics

2009-09-30T10:35:00.000+01:00

September is a month of celebrating birthdays in the Hook & Scumble household.
Not so long ago, during the summer holidays I attempted to try and find out what it was my eldest really wanted for her birthday...as you can imagine with a nearly 8 year old it has been changing every week for the past 6 months ! Eventually, after several "general" discussion about birthday, how much things cost etc etc...she finally decided that she would really like a pet. Now we've been down the "wanting a pet for my birthday," route before, and to date we've requested rabbits, dogs, cats, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs and horses, all on a weekly basis, and with a different request each week. However, this time, our pet discussion was different. This time the requested pet was a tortoise and this time there was a plan. This time, my eldest had researched the pet tortoise scenario by speaking with other previous pet tortoise owners. She had researched the cost, their needs, and her role...and most importantly ( for her) she loved the idea that she could have this pet for a good 50 years, if not longer. Consequently, for the last 2 months she has also been saving for her tortoise...she understands how much money such a pet is likely to cost and realises she will need to keep saving for quite a few more months yet....so how could I refuse ?

So, this birthday she was fortunate to add to her "tortoise fund" so by next Spring she will be able to go ahead and buy one.

I on the other hand could not resist getting her one for her birthday, and yes you may be thinking...has this mother gone mad ? Surely these are all good responsible lessons to be teaching a child and she's given in ?

Of course I have, I am after all her mother , so let me introduce you to Charlie...he's adorable, cuddley and ...of course crocheted !

(If you fancy creating one of the cute critters yourself you can find a similar pattern to mine here )

Crochet Capers & A 100th Post Giveaway !

2009-09-26T14:00:00.001+01:00

Well I can't believe that this is my 100th post .
When I started blogging waaay back in the autumn of last year, I had really only intended my blog to be a record of my crochet WIP's. I suppose I never really expected anyone to be interested in my crochet capers, or even my dream of actually doing more than crocheting for friends and family. Infact, when I think about this time last year, it really was all a bit hazy, as this was about the time I started on a lengthy road to recovery, a time when crochet really kept me going and gave me a sense of achievement at a time when there was very little else I could do - and now when I think about the set back I had back then, a year later it feels like perhaps I've now made a bit of a "come back."

So thank you to all of you who read my blog, for your comments and encouragement through the last year, it's been great ...and so , to say "thank-you" along with this post there is a giveaway !

Of course this giveaway is all crochet related, and includes....

A lovely vintage Ladybird "Learning to Crochet" with hook and gorgeous rooster almerino dk yarn - I love the colour !

So ,if you've always fancied learning how to crochet and never got the hang of it...this is a great book to start - the pictures are easy to follow..and you'll be mastering that hook in no time !

Then, once you learnt the basics a lovely Vintage Patons Bazar Collection crochet & knit booklet

And moving on a Hook & Scumble Introduction to Freeform Workshop pack along with one of my handmade hyperbolic corsages, embellished with buttons.

.....hopefully you'll be freeforming in no time !

I hope there's something for everyone in this giveaway..whether you've fancied having a go at crocheteting, wanted to experiment and move away from the traditional, just like the look of crochet corsages or even if the vintage crochet look is your thing.

So in order to be in with a chance of winning leave an answer to the following question...

Q: If you were stranded on a desert island with only your crochet hook..what would be the first thing you'd crochet and what would you crochet it with ?

I'll get the ball rolling...

A: I would dry out some kelpy seaweed , knot it together and crochet myself that Girl Friday crossed with the Cate Blanchett look in no time !

If you want to be in with an extra chance of winning, and you're not already following my blog, start following and you'll be entered twice. If you already follow my blog and you leave a comment, you'll also be entered twice , blog about it and let me know and you're in with a 3rd chance ...so lots of ways to increase your chances of winning so... Good Luck !!

I shall close the giveaway on October 3rd and announce the winner during the following week

Good Luck !!

Stylish Stitches

2009-09-23T21:14:00.000+01:00

Do you remember me sharing with you a these crochet WIP's back in July ?

Well, there is a story behind these ...I didn't want to give to much away at the time, as I was pretty sure that once posted off to their destination, it wouldn't be to long before they would packed up and returned.

However, last week the postman did post something through the door, something from this destination I really wasn't expecting...

....inside this envelope were not one, but two letters from Denman College.

You see way back in February, when I needed a goal to work to, I decided to enter the WI National Stylish Stitches Competition. The competition was run in conjunction with the UK Handknitting Association. To be honest, I never really expected to do very well , as National WI Competitions go, they generally attract some very talented ladies. However, I decided I would never-the-less enter the competition, as any feedback regarding my work would be useful.

So, I entered the crochet classes - a crocheted fashion accessory and a crocheted accessory for the home. The other classes included a knitted fashion accessory and a knitted accessory for the home ...needless to say I left these classes well alone, as my knitting skills have much to be desired. So, I was really, really suprised to find this letter on my door step informing me that I had won 1st Prize with my crocheted table runner and 3rd Prize with my crocheted necklace. All the winners , in all the categories will be exhibited at The Creative Stitches Exhibitions held in Cardiff, Brighton and Liverpool over the coming months.

Now, the best part to this competition ....

the prize.....

£175 worth of yarn ,

...needless to say Mr Hook and Scumble is not amused !

Waiting A While & Awards

2009-09-21T13:25:00.002+01:00

Well, this item has been waiting a while for me to finish, mainly due to sourcing the purse clasp, but eventually I found just what I was looking for and finally it is done !

::Felted Crochet Ruffle Clasped Purse::

It's crocheted in one of Rowan's new season yarns Cocoon and then machine felted,and finished with a crocheted ruffle,again in Cocoon.

Finally the purse is embellished with a shore line inspired scrumble.

I really enjoyed working with this yarn, it's incredibly soft , and felts well.

Now, if you fancy making one yourself, I will be running a workshop here on Saturday 28th November, 10-4pm where you will get started on making the body of the purse, and finish the scrumble...it's then home with full instructions for you to machine felt and sew in your purse clasp - perfect for anyone with basic crochet skills who wants to combine the traditional with freeform crochet techniques !

And as for the award ?

Kindly given by Lyn,

Thank-you !