PUBLISHED!!!!

I am sure that most of you will have noticed how crochet is currently undergoing a bit of a resurgence. Crochet classes are filling up within days of being publicized and new magazines dedicated to crochet are being released. Crochet is no longer being squeezed in along side knitting – it is becoming a craft in its own right.

If you knit  (and even if you don’t) you will be aware of the many places where you can find knitting patterns. They are all over the web on countless sites and yarn and craft shops usually have a good selection to choose from. When it comes to crochet however there is not usually the same choice. Crochet also has a bit of a reputation linked to the 70’s and there are quite a few patterns around that reflect this.

        

(Yes these really are from the 70’s – so much orange!)

Now please don’t get me wrong, there are some patterns that just need a bit of updating (colour, yarn etc) but Joanne Scrace (notsogranny) and Kat  Goldin saw an opportunity in this and went about setting up The Crochet Project:

The aim of The Crochet Project is to promote beautiful, modern crochet patterns to the online market.

They have both worked very hard to bring all the good  things you expect from modern knitting patterns to the world of crochet. The patterns are all written in the same consistent style, the yarn is beautiful, the patterns contemporary and the photographs stylish.

I realise that I am writing as if I am selling this idea. In a way I am but I really wanted to share with you all the background behind this project. I am not being paid directly for doing this and the opinions are my own BUT …..

I AM ONE OF THE ‘DESIGNERS’ FEATURED IN THEIR FIRST ISSUE!!

Loud enough? Can you tell that I am excited?

Back to the beginning:

In October I saw the mood board that they had put together. The title was Botanicals and was all floral and summer picnics. I decided that I had an idea that may just work and set about making a prototype:

Here it is – my prototype.

Being my first submission I really wanted to know whether it would work and also to get some idea of how I could write the pattern down.

A close up of the flower.

I included the flower as a bit of detail and to link in with the floral theme.

Roll on to December and I received the wonderful news that my pattern had been chosen as one of the ten from the first edition. WoW. I was really shocked and very unprepared as to what it would involve.

When doing a piece like this you get sent the yarn – the suppliers will usually provide it as a way to get some publicity. Unfortunately the yarn for my project got held up and I only received it just before the deadline date. Luckily Joanne and Kat were very nice and realistic, giving me enough time to get the project made without any pressure.

The yarn I was sent.

Isn’t it lovely? It is merino, really lovely and soft  – great to work with too. I had been asked to make the pattern in three child sizes and three adult. Fine in theory! I only had to make one size for the photo shoot.

The making of the gloves was not too hard. The writing of the pattern harder. Poor Joanne must have had a bit of a shock when she saw what I had done. She was ever so kind however and I had another go at getting the format correct.

Then, finally on Friday the whole thing was published. I had always said that I didn’t want my name and photograph out on the internet….it soon became clear that this was one rule to be broken!

So here is the finished mitt.

I think that they have a real vintage feel and I managed to get some beads in with the flower! Wouldn’t they be perfect for a bridesmaid or a ball?

If you would like to see what the other patterns are like and see the proper ‘professional’ photographs then do head over to the  website here.

Thank you so much in indulging me in the blowing of my own trumpet. I am very passionate about this project and yes, I would have been even if I hadn’t been accepted! Joanne and Kat have spent a lot of time on this but I truly believe that it has been worth it! Now onto the next submission – a woodland theme this time. 😉

As always I shall be heading over to Handmade Harbour to catch up on the lovely things that everyone else has been up to this week. I am thinking that there will be some Easter ideas cropping up?