Blogs

Half Term Heaven

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Well hello my lovely ones. How are we all? Hoping you are all well and ready for a fun filled half term. I certainly am. Can’t wait to have my little lady under my wing again for a week. Feels like it has been too long since the last holiday. She is definitely ready to break up and chill out for a bit. I always think the Spring Term is always the hard one for both teacher and pupil. Yup, my little one is in need of some serious down time.

I think the order of the week, will be, have as much fun as possible! Bake as many cakes as possible and definitely a spot of crocheting together. I think I need to get my daughter going again with her blanket. She’s managed a few rows so far, but think she could do with a bit of a recap!!

In my own pile of crochet loveliness, I seem to be acrewing a serious amount of projects that are ongoing! Not sure why I’m not finishing each one before I start another! I seem to be flitting between each one, which is never a good thing!! I seem to have too many ideas going on in my head. I wonder whether it is because of last year being quite structured with the Year of the Stitches Blanket being published every week. Hmmm… I reckon it’s time for a good old fashioned cup of tea and a mindmap of all my projects for this year. That way I can sort and order the projects. Should be fun! I can hear my dear sister getting excited about the thought of felt tips and crayons coming out!!!

I’m seriously enthused by our Using Up Year though! It’s such a fab way to get rid of all those little balls of wool that you have lying around. Still got so many projects to share with you this year. And hoping that they will all be useful to you. One of my favourites is my Easter project, can’t say too much but let’s just say their names are Mr & Mrs Eggy. Hee, hee – get ready with those odds and ends chaps.


So here’s a few of my projects that I have on the go at the moment.

The cabbage patch blanket. This one is a cracker and can’t wait to share it with you. (Pattern to follow.)

Mr and Mrs Eggy – can’t show you too much as yet. (Pattern to follow at the beginning of March.)

Socks – 4ply style. These are yarns from the incredible West Yorkshire Spinners range! Can’t wait to share this pattern with you. Better get these made up first!

And here’s a few of my finished projects…

Ally Alicorn – this little one went down rather well at my friend’s charity quiz night. Pattern can be find in the Pattern section.

My son’s snode with the incredible Luxury Yarns yarn from Abby Parkes. (Pattern to follow.)

My Mother in laws Infinity scarf. (Pattern to follow.)

My husband’s hat. (Pattern to follow.)

Little rainbow heart for Valentine’s Day.

And for some reason, I seem to be making a serious amount of mini pompom monsters. I think all my daughter’s friends have one now!! Loving the pompom hair with these. My sister says I should design a crocheted troll! Does sound fun. Watch this space…

Crikey – just looking at my list of patterns to write up! Think I had better get a wiggle on with these!!

So here’s to a lovely half term. Hope you all have a super week.

Happy hooking everyone!!

🌈Xx

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Patterns

Snuggle Snood

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Snuggly Snood

Well hello my lovely ones. I thought I would bring you this little pattern for a warm and snuggly snood today. I couldn’t resist making it for my daughter, but I can see a certain little old me borrowing it or making one too! It’s a one size pattern, which fits both child from about 5 years old to adults. I think for those busy little children in our lives, who will fly out of the door with their coats flailing in the wind at break time, to the busy person, who doesn’t even get chance to look in the mirror before they leave the house, this is perfect. As it will sit where it’s suppose to sit, you don’t need to worry about tieing knots or working out where the end are on a scarf, just pop it over your head and tuck it into your coat. Jobs a goodun!

It’s 12 inches wide so is plenty big enough for both child and adult. If you did want to make it a little longer, all you need to do is just add more rows. As we are using a trinity stitch which is reversible, you don’t need to worry about how many extra rows you put on!

Now the stitch used is called a Trinity stitch. This is because it comprises of 3 different segments, which it gathers together into 1. It’s a beautiful stitch comprising of a dc3tog and a chain stitch. It’s ever so easy and works up really quickly. I hope you like it.

Level – Easy

Supplies – 

So I have used one skein of Aran weight yarn for this snode from the amazing Abby Parkes at Luxury Yarns, but you can use any Aran weight yarn you wish to. I used about 100g of yarn which was about 166m. This Luxury Yarns skein is Cashino which is a mix of merino, cashmere and a little nylon, so it is incredible soft.

My little ball of loveliness came out of this little box of magic. It’s my first instalment from the wonderful Abby Parkes over at Luxury Yarns. It’s called the Oil Yarns Club and comprises of a skein of beautifully hand dyed yarn by Abby, two little oil gems (that my daughter has already nabbed) a lovely little jewel stitch marker, a pattern for a pretty cowl and a pair of circular wired knitting needles. (Will definitely be using those next year.)

Now for this pattern you will need to use a 7mm hook for the foundation chain and then 6.5mm hook for the rest. You will also need some scissors and a blunt ended tapestry needle to sew in your ends.

Stitches – 

Chain (ch) – To make a chain, place the yarn over the hook then pull it through the loop on your hook.

Double Crochet (dc) – Insert the hook through the stitch, front to back, then yarn over hook and pull back through stitch. You will have two loops on your hook. Then yarn over your hook and pull through both loops.

Double Crochet 3 Together (dc3tog) – work your dc3tog by inserting your hook into the previous stitch, yarn over and pull through, then inserting it into the next stitch, yarn over and pull through and next stitch, yarn over and pull through. This will give you 4 loops, then yarn over again and pull through all loops.

Trinity Stitch – Ok so to start this stitch, work your dc3tog by inserting your hook into the previous stitch, yarn over and pull through, then inserting it into the next stitch, yarn over and pull through and next stitch, yarn over and pull through. This will give you 4 loops, then yarn over again and pull through all loops. Now to finish the Trinity stitch work a chain 1 stitch.

Ok so here we go… 

1 – Ok so start off by chaining 30 with your 7mm hook. The reason we are using a 7mm hook for the foundation chain is because it needs to be a little looser, as otherwise you get this semicircular curve on your foundation chain.

2 – Now change to a 6.5mm hook and turn your work. Now chain 1 and then work 1dc in the second chain from the hook. Then continue working 1dc in each chain across the row. (30)

3 – Ok so turn your work and chain 1, then work 1dc in the same stitch. Now you are ready to start your Trinity stitch. So to do this insert your hook back into the first stitch (where your first dc stitch is.) Yarn over your hook and pull through. Then insert your hook into the next stitch, yarn over your hook and pull through and then finally insert your hook into the next stitch, yarn over your hook and pull through. This is your dc3tog. Meaning that you are crocheting 3   double crochet stitches together. So it’s worked across 3 stitches. You should now have 4 loops on your hook.

Now to finish the Trinity stitch, yarn over your hook and pull through all 4 loops. Then to finish work 1 chain. This completes your Trinity stitch.

Now repeat the process. *So insert your hook in the previous stitch, yarn over and pull through, then insert your hook into the next stitch, yarn over and pull through and then finally insert your hook into the next stitch, yarn over and pull through. Now you have 4 loops on your hook. Yarn over your hook again and pull through all 4 loops. This is your dc3tog stitch. Finish the trinity stitch by working 1 chain.*

Repeat this ** across the rest of the row.

At the end of the row, work 1dc in the last stitch. (30)

4 – 70 Ok so now turn your work and repeat the process in row 3 for each row. (30)

Phew – that’s quite a few rows!

Right then, so now it’s time to fasten up the snode. So to do this, place one half of the snode on top of the other. Now chain 1 and then insert your hook into your first stitch, then also into the first chain in the foundation stitch. Now yarn over your hook and pull through the chain and then also back through the dc stitch. You should now have 2 loops on your hook.

Now finish the dc stitch by placing the yarn over your hook and pulling through both loops.

Now continue working 1dc into each stitch in this same way – so working through both the dc stitches and the foundation chain stitches.

At the end of the row, once you have worked the last dc stitch, work a slip stitch in the same stitch and fasten off. (30)

Now you should have a nice little ridge. This little ridge will be the inside of your snode. All you need to do now is sew in your ends. I always make sure I work it around the last stitch a few times, just to secure it a little.

And here’s the finished article. All you need to do now is turn it inside out.

I hope you have enjoyed this snood pattern. Please give me a shout if you get stuck. I bet it would look mega in a plain colour such as a grey. Can’t wait to see your finished articles. Don’t forget to link it to @pipsrainbow if you share it on social media.

Happy hooking everyone!!

🌈Xx

(Free pattern brought to you by PipsRainbow.)

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