Granny Square Day is on Saturday 15th August this year.  I have designed 2 new squares very recently, based on Noughts  and  Crosses.  In fact when I designed Noughts and Crosses I had these 2 other ones in mind (and a few more) but never finalised their design.   Like Noughts and Crosses they will be free.  As Granny Square Day is very close, I decided that would be a perfect time to publish them.  So look out for a bog post on 15th August.

Meanwhile I thought I’d share an old CAL I did in 2015 using traditional granny squares – the Spring Lifter Bag.  This was a free CAL on my blog in 3 parts – start reading here.  If you prefer the easier to read pattern there is a paid version on Ravelry here.

Will you make a Spring Lifter for Granny Square Day?  If you do please share your progress.

Happy crocheting xxx

During this month (July 2020) Drops has a cotton sale, a generous 40% off cotton and cotton blend yarns until the end of the month.   Despite my large stash and my aim to control it better I do give in to temptation from time to time and I have often been tempted to try Drops Bomull-Lin, a linen and cotton blend yarn.  Well it’s a cotton blend so it’s in the sale!  You’ve guessed – I bought some, rather a lot actually, with a view to making practical gifts.  But what to make?

The best thing was to start something straightforward and see how I liked the feel of the yarn.  So I decided on a tea towel and before long these dropped off my hook:

The tea towel is perfect for drying glassware as the cotton has absorbency and the linen is good with glass.  I had plenty of the brown left so added a simple glass polishing cloth.

These use only chain and double crochet (for US that is single crochet), have an easily memorised pattern and make up quickly.   The pattern is written and available on Ravelry here, but use coupon code SUMMERLINEN and you will get it free, valid until end of July (midnight GMT).

There are so many other practical uses for cotton and linen in homeware (this yarn would be good in summer garments as well) and now is the perfect time to use it during the warm weather in the Northern Hemisphere.  My thoughts will turn to warmer items in a few months and I have a couple of scarves languishing on the hook waiting for the opportunity.  Meanwhile I have a large quantity of linen/cotton yarn in my stash and plenty of summer hooking ideas!

Happy summer crocheting xxx

PS If you are struggling to find the yarn try Purple Sheep Yarns or Woolwarehouse, both based in the UK, I’ve bought Drops from them before and they usually have a good stock.   (And no – I’ve not been sponsored by them or paid to mention them!)

 

When the weather is warm it is good to choose yarns that work easily in the heat, for me that means cotton and linen.   So when we had a mini heatwave a few weeks ago I started on some cotton dishcloths for the Yarndale Community project.  I worked them on and off over the last few weeks using aran weight cotton yarn (because it makes up quickly in the heat!) until I ran out.  I ended up making 5 dishcloths which will be posted soon.

Three were simple and quick granny squares, with linen st borders and a hanging loop

One was a practice of my Tunisian crochet, based on (loosely in several meanings!) this lovely pattern.  And one I just made up from scraps.

It was only when I finished the square made of scraps that I realised it would be a good square for a blanket as well.  So I decided I should draft a pattern.  It is now available on Ravelry here and, whilst it costs £1 normally, if you use coupon code COMMUNITY on checkout you will receive it free, valid until the end of the year.

I’ve also been working on with some linen/cotton blend.  I could bore you with details now, but I suspect you want to have a go at the square, so I will publish details of that in a few days.

Happy crocheting xxx