 Since I have starting designing my own crochet patterns, I have had less time to sell customised orders. When I'm not designing patterns, testing patterns for other crochet designers or making items for my family, I crochet for charity. At the beginning of 2017, I made a new years resolution to make 365 items for charity by the end of the year. I have made different items such as blankets, hats, angels, teddies, dolls and this month I have been making poppies. You can see my progress on my 2017 goal HERE. There are so many charities that need our help. Whether you can crochet, knit, sew or just donate money or items that they use, you can help. I thought I would make a list here of a few charities that are needing help. If you know of any charities that need knitters or crocheters, please let me know and I will add them to the list. **NOTE : Please be wary of places that claim to be a charity. If it is a true charity, it will always have a registered charity number that they are proud to share. UK Hand Knitting - Charity (website) Woolly Hugs - Ongoing projects (website) RSPCA - Knitting for animals this wool week (website) The Donkey Sanctuary - Get crafty (website) Knit for Peace - Donate goods (website)
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 March is National Crochet Month! I think it should be International Crochet Month so the whole world can celebrate what a great skill it is to have. Let's share the skill with those who want to learn! I am taking part in the Crochetville's celebration of all things crochet - designers and yarn shops. The theme this year is Glamping. This is not a subject I know much about. I have tried to convince my family that we should go camping or glamping but they don't seem very happy to even try it. So in my absence of knowledge about glamping, I thought I would write about crochet instead. What does crochet mean to you? Crochet means a few things to me. It's not just a hobby and it's not just a business for me. It is my daily release of stress and a way to be creative without (too much) mess. You will usually find me at the end of the day crocheting in my favourite spot on the sofa and "listening" to whichever TV show or movie is on. I don't crochet in my little office upstairs, because it is 1) too small, 2) there is no comfy sofa in there and 3) it's too cold in that room, especially in winter. I find that making items for everyone that I love can be daunting at times. Will they like it, will it fit, is this the right style for them....or the worst is – will they look at it and laugh and then throw it away not knowing how long I have spent making it? I have had a few bad experiences concerning that issue, which is why I am more careful about who I gift crocheted items to now. My children are the ones that I make items for the most, whether it be amigurumi or hats and jumpers. I would say that they are my biggest fans and they encourage me so much. I crochet a lot of items for charity which offsets the stress of making items for people I know. Making items for people in dire need is so rewarding and it is something that I am truly proud of. You will find a page of charities that I support on my webpage. My favourite charity is Woolly Hugs and I have challenged myself to send a package of as many items to them each month as I can in 2017. In just 2 months I have sent them 41 hats, 6 blankets, 3 sets of gloves,1 scarf and a few Easter amigurumis for their annual Easter craft sale. You can keep up to date with my charity challenge on my Facebook page or my website. Whatever crochet means to you, I hope it brings you joy in many ways. If you don't crochet but you receive something that someone has made for you, don't just cast it aside. Look at it, study it and think about how each stitch was made with someone thinking about you. When you see a tag that says “Handmade with Love” - it really is telling the truth! To celebrate NatCroMo, many designers and yarn shops are having sales or even freebies - so head over to Crochetville's website to see them all. I am offering you a FREE copy of my most popular design - Petals In The Wind Blanket. All you have to do is go to Ravelry, add the pattern to your shopping cart and add the code "natcromo" and it should become FREE. Please make sure the code works before checking out, as no refunds will be given. The code is valid from 18/3 until 25/3.  Reindeer Gift Bag  Make a Little Reindeer Gift Bag using the same pattern from my Little Gingerbread Bag but with the addition of the Reindeer face and antlers. Here's how you do it.... Basic Bag Row 1 - With Mocha, CH 21, SC in the 2nd CH from hook and in each st, then SC in each st on the opposite side of the CH. (40) Do not join from now on. Row 2 - 3 SC in the next st, SC in the next 19 sts, 3 SC in the next st, SC in the next 19 sts. (44) Row 3 - SC in the next st, 3 SC in the next st, SC in the next 21 sts, 3 SC in the next st, SC in the next 20 sts. (48) Row 4 - 23 SC in each st for 20 rows Row 24 - SC in the next 4 sts, CH 15, skip 12 sts, sc in the next 12 sts, CH 15, skip 12 sts, SC in the next 8 sts. (24) Row 25 - SC in the next 4 sts, work 15 SC over the CH, SC in the next 11 sts, work 15 SC over the CH, SC in the next 7 sts. (52) Row 26 - 27 SC in each st for 2 rows. F.O. And weave in all ends. Antlers (make 2) Row 1 - With Dark Brown CH 11, sl st in the 2nd CH from hook and in the next 4 sts. Row 2 - CH 6, sl st in the 2nd CH from hook and in the next 8 sts. Leave a tail for sewing and F.O. Nose Row 1 - With Red, CH 2, 6 SC in the 1st CH. Do not join. (6) Row 2 - Work 2 SC in each st. Do not join. (12) Row 3 - Work * SC, 2 SC in the next st * x 6. Leave a tail for sewing and F.O. (18) Eyes (make 2) With Black, CH 2, work 6 SC in the 1st CH. Sl st to join, leave a tail for sewing and F.O. (6) I hope you enjoy this pattern! Don't forget to add your finished projects to Ravelry or post them on my Facebook page. I would really love to see them! Merry Christmas! I'm so excited to say that I am taking part in this round of Battle of the Stitches! There are some huge names in the crochet designers world taking part so I am very nervous. The secret stitch has been given and the theme has been shared so we are all creating our entries right now! It's all top secret at the moment, so I can't share anything else. Here is a link to the Battle of the Stitches blog page where you can see who else is taking part in Round 11.  This week I have been making squares to be donated to Woolly Hugs to be used to make a kinship blanket for the family of Mia Ayliffe-Chung. You can find more information on this project on the Woolly Hugs Facebook page. So I took on the challenge to create a different square each day using the colours requested (as ones that I have in my stash). I have learnt new techniques and patterns that I was scared to try but now I'm so glad I did! If you would like to donate or be involved with Woolly Hugs, you can find their website here or have a look at my page named Charity to find their details. Here are the squares I have made :
I sponsored a Design Your Own Hat and Scarf competition at my children's school in October. It was only for the Early Years children and I worked together with the school to get the children involved in this creative competition. There was a bit of a hiccup as not every child got an entry form but it was a learning curve and something that won't happen for next year's competition. It was a tough decision to make but I chose two first prize winners and two second prize winners. The toughest set to make was the princess hat and scarf. It took me almost 2 weeks just to figure out how to make the hat work. In the time I had to make the prizes, I had to repaint my office really quickly which threw my schedule out the window but I still managed to get it all done just in time! I hope all the winners loved their prizes. It was a real challenge to make the hat and scarf sets but it was all worth it to see photos of them wearing their prizes. Here are the 2 first prize winners and their designs next to the finished prizes :
After a very long and hard process, we have finally moved house! 2013 was a slow year for Kims Colourway as we thought we were moving near to the beginning of the year but it was only in October that we actually sealed the deal. I am now in charge of redecorating the house which involves removing lots of wallpaper and filling holes before even considering painting! This could take a while. So far I have done 2 rooms in 6 months. I think 2014 will be a better year and I hope you will be there to share my journey.   I am sponsoring this month's giveaway over at the Handmade Crafts Directory UK blog. I am giving away a pink crocheted bag with wooden handles as shown in the photo. I don't choose the winner, just post the prize out to them. I have got lots of lovely comments from the entrants. All entries must be received before midnight (GMT) on 27 January 2013.
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