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Dive into Summer with the Under the Sea Bag Crochet Pattern

Lucia & Francesca / / Design

As the sun shines brighter and the weather warms up, many of us are planning trips to the beach to soak up the sun and enjoy the cool breeze. Stylecraft has launched a combination of patterns to celebrate the summer vibes. I have thought about what to make to show some beachy vibes and I opted for a bag.

I’m excited to introduce the new Under the Sea Bag digital download – a perfect crochet project featuring 3D starfish, sea anemone, and coral with beautiful stripes on the main bag. Whether you’re an experienced crocheter or a newbie, this pattern is quick and easy to make and is perfect to prove your skills while embracing the summer vibes. So let’s explore what makes this pattern unique and how you can make it yours.

 

The Under the Sea Bag pattern is a versatile design with a beautiful combination of colours that will immediately bring the ocean to mind. It features a sturdy base and lovely bamboo handles to ensure it can carry all your beach essentials. Stylecraft Organic cotton yarn gives the bag a soft and durable touch while maintaining its shape for many seasons to come. In addition, the pattern’s sea creatures create a texture that gives the bag a 3D effect, making it a unique and eye-catching design.

 

Another feature that makes this bag perfect for summer is how quickly you can complete it. The pattern is easy to follow, and you can have the bag ready in just a day or so. You only need basic crochet stitches such as double crochet, trebles and slip stitch to complete it. If you’re a novice crocheter who would love to try something new, this bag is a great project for you. It’s a beginner-friendly pattern that will add a great bag to your collection.

Moreover, the Under the Sea Bag digital download includes detailed instructions, and photos, that make the process even more comfortable. To make it even more fun, you can customize it to your liking by choosing your favourite colours, and with  STYLECRAFT NATURALS ORGANIC COTTON you have 38 shades to choose from!

You can also change the placement of the sea creatures or add some more or maybe some lovely shells too I  Imagine another bag with a beautiful combination of purple, blue, and turquoise that best represents your dream ocean.

Under the Sea Bag – Digital Download

 

Crochet bags are not only practical but also beautiful accessories that enhance your style while carrying your essentials. The Under the Sea Bag crochet pattern offers a unique design that goes perfectly with summer, and it’s an excellent opportunity to test your crochet skills. With easy-to-follow instructions and eye-catching sea creatures, you’ll fall in love with the finished product. Whether you’re a seasoned crocheter or someone just starting, this pattern is worth adding to your summer bag collection. So grab your hook and start diving into the Under the Sea Bag right now!

Happy summer to you all and I can’t wait to see your lovely bags !!!

Lucia xx

ST KILDA

Lucia & Francesca / / Blog, Design, Lifestyle, Patterns, Stories, Travel

Hi everyone. I cannot believe it is already June…I don’t know if it is the same where you are but here in Scotland, we are experiencing the most amazing and glorious weather!! the sky is blue no rain… and it is a lovely pleasant mild temperature it is just amazing and the perfect weather for taking pictures! So last weekend Francesca and I went by the sea to take a few snapshots of my new blanket ST KILDA…

I am so pleased with this new blanket so I am going to tell you all about it…

Believing or not all started nearly a year ago… I saw on my Facebook an amazing picture that a friend of mine, Stephen took of some puffins…

     

 I thought they were the cutest thing ever and when something catches my eye it always ends up being an inspiration for a crochet creation…

I always wanted to design a mosaic blanket because I love how versatile this technique is so the puffins seemed to me the perfect opportunity…

There are 2 designers that make the most amazing mosaic creations .. one is my bestie Tinna Thórudóttir Thorvaldsdóttir @tinnahekl who you all know and the other,  I have been following closely, is Abi  at Get Yer Hook On

Abi’s talent for creating stunning blankets is truly amazing, and what’s even more special is that her inspiration comes from the beautiful country we both call home. As a fellow Scot, I was thrilled to work with her on our latest creation – the breathtaking St. Kilda blanket. Through a few chats and a lot of back and forths on design ideas, we were able to bring to life a one-of-a-kind masterpiece that showcases the best of Scotland’s natural beauty. I couldn’t be more proud of the end result, and I’m sure you’ll fall in love with it just as much as I have!

So why we called the blanket  St Kilda?

St Kilda, is an archipelago, and UNESCO World Heritage Site located off the north coast of Scotland, is known for its stunning natural beauty and diverse wildlife.

One of the most iconic and beloved creatures found in this region are the puffins, with their distinctive black and white markings and colourful beaks.

 

From the delicate swirls of the ocean waves to the shimmering scales of fish, the ocean life around St Kilda provides a rich tapestry of colours and shapes that  provides the most amazing colour palette for  the blanket

In my version I chose moss and granite for the rugged terrain of the island and deep teal for the waters, rusty reds and orange hues from the lichens, the yellows of the gorse… a happy school of fish is swimming in an ever-changing sea and the piece of resistance are those cute puffins hopping in between.


 

I look at it and makes me very happy and I hope I have captured or at least attempted to give justice to their wonderful habitat.

Now a few details about the blanket so you can make one yourself and have a little bit of Scotland in your home …

 

Abi’s version

 

Abi and I have crocheted  2 versions of the blanket and they are both included in the pattern so you have some choice.

Abi version uses some Sirdar Jewelsun and Sirdar Hayfield Bonus Aran

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My version uses   Stylecraft Yarn, I love Stylecraft because it is so reliable, has amazing colours and is widely available.

As I am always on a quest for the “perfect” shade I have used 3 different ranges of Stylecraft:  Highland Heather,  Life DK  and a bit of Special Dk, the result is a soft gorgeous blanket, with a hint of tweed that is perfect for our Scottish theme.

     

 

So what can I say..to close my blog post? A massive thanks to Abi McIntyre for her patience to put up with me first… I kept tweaking the design.. adding lines, turning the puffins.. and general shenanigans.. she did a fantastic job in transforming an idea and a few sketches into a beautiful professional pattern, more thanks to my forever-suffering daughter Francesca.. that put up with my temper and my amateur dramatic performances on a daily basis, she did the pictures and most of the technical work for our version and to all of you out there that never stop to encourage me to design something new and exciting!

So love to you all and let me see your beautiful St KIldas!!! 

Lucia xx

St Kilda – Digital Download

 

THE NONNO BEPI BLANKET

Lucia & Francesca / / Blog, Design, Lifestyle, Pastime, Patterns, Stories

One very BIG blanket…

Hello everyone,

Firstly thank you very much for all the likes and lovely messages  I received both on Facebook and Instagram for my blanket!  I am overwhelmed.

This is a project that started without a precise plan and mainly as a way to relax during a rather difficult time and has ended up being a rather successful one.

Sometimes it is really true, the less you plan, the better the results.

It all started at the end of January, I  needed something to do while in Italy looking after my dad that was very sick, and the blanket kept me going during those long weeks.

Mosaic crochet is a straightforward and rewarding technique, there is something quite cathartic in working rows upon rows of double crochet and trebles, so it seems, at the time, the perfect choice for the circumstances.

I had seen Winter Wonderland and Winters Heart on social media and in order to create a bit more of a challenge I just mixed the 2 patterns together.

Drops Alaska seemed to be the most sensible choice as it is widely available in both Italy and the UK, and, at the time was also 30% off. ( which helps…)

After Dad passed, I  have to say, I got tempted to abandon the project as it reminded me of a difficult time, but then I thought, that my dad never left anything half-done, he was a perfectionist and everything he did was always done at the best of his abilities and he took great pride in his work…

 

So I kept going and I  finished! And I am very glad I did!

I called the blanket  NONNO BEPI ‘S BLANKET, in his memory, to remind me, not of the sadness of his departure, but of all the lovely times we had together.

A BIG THANK YOU also to ABI  @getyerhookon and ANA @oneskeinoflove , they created 2 beautiful blankets that inspired me!

As promised I have pulled together as many pieces of information as possible, so you can make the blanket yourself.

Please bear in mind that I have combined two patterns of other designers to make my blanket and I take copyrights very seriously so I will give you the colour I used, their placements and quantities but you need to buy ( as I did ) both the patterns for the charts of the different sections.

To make it easier I also added a diagram with the position of the different charts in the blanket.

You need to figure how ( depending on how wide you want your blanket to be ) the number of repeats for the blanket and how wherein the repeat you want to start to create and combine the 2 different patterns together.

I added some close-up pictures of the edges so that should help.

Both Patterns are very comprehensive and they already give you the number of repeats so it is just up to you how wide you want your blanket to be.

My blanket is 200 cm wide by 180cm long in total.

those measures are UNBLOCKED.

I had not a chance to wash or block the blanket because it is huge, it weighs 5 kilograms..

The weather in Scotland is still pretty awful at the moment and there is a big chance, if I wash it , that it will NEVER dry!

So that is my excuse for not blocking… Besides the fact that being so heavy it sits perfectly flat and square and I am not so bothered about the blocking.

So lets start:

As said on social media I used 2 different patterns combined:

-WINTERS HEART designed by Abi McIntyre ( a fellow Scot!) @GetYerHookOn

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/winters-heart-mosaic-blanket

and

– WINTER WONDERLAND  designed by Ana Morais Soares @One Skein of Love.

ttps://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/winter-wonderland-mosaic-cal

You can find both patterns on Ravelry and here are the links

YARN:

I used 108 balls of DROPS YARNS:  ALASKA.

ALASKA is a 100% wool,  Aran weight yarn that comes in 50gr balls,70 metres.

As said on social media it is a LOT of yarn but it is reasonably priced, well tested, widely available and also Drops does regular 30% discounts sales during the year ( I bought mine at the sale).

I have used Drops many times for my projects over the years and I think it is an excellent choice.

The Wool warehouse sells the yarn so please click on their logo on the side of the blog.

COLOURS USED:

– 58 MUSTARD: 4 balls
– 62 FOG MIX: 6 balls
– 66 TOFFEE: 15 balls
– 67 MAROON: 10 balls
– 12 NAVY BLUE: 12 balls
– 63 PEARL GREY: 10 balls
– 64 NORTH SEA: 21 balls
– 65 SAGE GREEN: 16 ball
– 50 DARK BROWN MIX: 9 balls
– 49 LIGHT BROWN MIX : 5 balls

PLEASE NOTE:

The quantities are approximate and are based on my tension so bear that in mind

I used 2 hooks:

-5.0mm  for the body of the blanket
-4.5mm  for the foundation round of the border.

TENSION:

BASED ON A SQUARE 10CM X 10CM worked in MOSAIC TECHNIQUE AND A 5.0 HOOK:

16 stitches x 15 rows.

 

PATTERN REPEATS:

You will have to do a bit of maths to fit the repeats of the 2 patterns as they are not the same, but it is very easily done by looking at the blanket edges.

 

In order to calculate your stitches counts and me not breaking copyrights

I give you the number of repeats I used:

I took as reference  WINTER WONDERLAND’s reindeer  as they are easily spotted in the blanket (PATTERN 4 in Oneskeinoflove’s pattern)

MY BLANKET HAS 14  REINDEER.

 

For WINTERS HEART I took as reference the STAR (PATTERN 9 in Getyerhookon ‘s pattern)

MY BLANKET HAS 9 STARS.

 

Some advice…

Please study the picture of the blanket…  and the start of the patterns. You will notice that I have respected the start of the WINTER WONDERLAND  chart but  I had to MOVE  the beginning of  WINTERS HEART to fit the discrepancy between the repeat.

I am also a bit obsessed with symmetry so I always try to centre the patterns, even though I might have to fidget a little, for example, the centre of the pine trees is in line with the centre of the star… but again it is up to you.

PATTERN SECTIONS/COLOURS USED

 

I made a chart for you to see which pattern I used in each SECTION.

There are 13 SECTIONS  which I numbered with letters from A to M .

Please see the chart below:

 

SECTION A :

Pattern 1 of  WINTER WONDERLAND.

COLOURS:

C1: 64 north sea

C3: 66 toffee

SECTION B:

Pattern 2 of  WINTER WONDERLAND (small hearts)

COLOURS:

C1: 50 dark brown mix

C3: 65 sage green

Small variation:

Row 2 and Row 14 are in NAVY BLUE

SECTION C:

Pattern 3 of WINTER WONDERLAND

COLOURS:

C1: 64 north sea

C3: 58 mustard

Small variation:

I added 1 extra row of DC ( UK ) and SC ( us) at the top and at the bottom of the pattern and they are both in sage green (65).

SECTION D:

Pattern 4 of WINTER WONDERLAND, The reindeer is my favourite!

COLOURS:

C1: 67 maroon

C3: 63 pearl grey

Small variation:

I added 1 extra row of DC ( UK )  SC ( us) at  the top and at the bottom of the pattern and they are both in navy blue (12)

There is some INTARSIA technique in this section, the diamonds between the reindeer are done in NAVY BLUE.

To do the intarsia you carry 2 strands at the same time and you switch colours following the chart. If you have never done intarsia before there are several videos on youtube. The colours that you are not using you carry in the back, to avoid the floats being a nuisance in the following row when you do the DC ( UK term) you can include the float. it will not appear on the front. Please look at the picture of the back as a reference.

 

 

SECTION E:

Pattern 9 of WINTERS HEARTS ( stars)

COLOUR A: 65 sage green

COLOUR B: 66 toffee

Small variation:

I added 1 extra row of DC ( UK )  SC ( us) at  the top and at the bottom of the pattern and they are both in the north sea (64)

Row A1 and Row A35 are in a Dark brown mix (50)

Also in this section, there is some intarsia (the diamond and the centre of the star are in MAROON (67) and row 18 and row 20

are in the north sea (64) plus take note of row 16 the intarsia to frame the square around the centre.

 

Close up of star E

SECTION F:

Pattern 5 of WINTERS HEARTS ( pine trees)

MY BLANKET HAS  8 PINE TREES

COLOUR A: 49 light brown mix

Colour B: 50 dark brown mix

 

Small variation:

Intarsia for the star in between the pine trees is worked in the north sea (64)

I added 1 extra row of DC ( UK )  SC ( us) at  the top and at the bottom of the pattern and they are both in mustard (58)

 

SECTION G:

Pattern 7 of WINTER WONDERLAND

COLOURS:

C1: 65 sage green

C3:  58 mustard

 

Small variation :

R1  is in light brow mix (49) and R11 is in north se (64)

 

SECTION H:

Pattern 14 of WINTER WONDERLAND (snowflakes )

MY BLANKET HAS  14 SNOWFLAKES

COLOURS:

C1: 62 fog mix

C3:  12 navy blue

 

Small variation:

I added 1 extra row of DC ( uk )  SC ( us) at  the top and at the bottom of the pattern and they are both in north sea (64)

SECTION I:

Pattern 9 of WINTERS HEARTS ( stars)

COLOUR A: 66 toffee

COLOUR B: 65 sage green

 

Small variation:

I added 1 extra row of DC ( uk )  SC ( us) at  the top and at the bottom of the pattern and they are both in north sea (64)

Row A1 and Row A35 are in Dark brown mix (50)

Also in this section there is some intarsia (the diamond and the centre of the star are in navy blue (12) and at the same time  you carry an extra strand of maroon for the centre of the star.

Closeup picture star I

SECTION J

Pattern 4 of WINTER WONDERLAND, The reindeer  again

COLOURS:

C1 : 63 pearl grey

C3: 67 maroon

Small variation:

I flipped the original chart!

So the reindeer are looking to the RIGHT ( that is easily done with a phone using the edited photo and you mirror the original chart )

I think they look much better but obviously is up to you. I added 2 extra rows of DC ( UK )  SC ( us) at  the top and at the bottom of the pattern and they are both in fog mix (62) and navy blue (12)

There is some INTARSIA technique in this section, the diamonds between the reindeer are done in NAVY BLUE.

SECTION K:

Pattern 3 of WINTER WONDERLAND

COLOURS:

C1: 64 north sea

C3: 58 mustard

Small variation:

I added 1 extra row of DC ( UK )  SC ( us) at the top and at the bottom of the pattern and they are both in fog mix (62).

SECTION L:

Pattern 2 of  WINTER WONDERLAND (small hearts)

COLOURS:

C1: 50 dark brown mix

C3: 65 sage green

 

Small variation:

Row 2 and Row 14 are in NAVY BLUE

SECTION M:

Pattern 1 of  WINTER WONDERLAND.

COLOURS:

C1: 64 north sea

C3: 66 toffee

 

BORDER:

My border is a double border so I can sandwich the pesky ends!

the foundation round  is done in dc ( UK terms) and a size 4.5 hook  and the following rounds  are half trebles(UK term)  the back is 4 rows and the front is 4 rows too, both made in the north sea (54), I joined the 2  sides of the border with a row of dc ( UK term) in maroon (67)

Also …

Make sure you have the same number of stitches on the vertical sides!!! otherwise, your blanket will squint.. the best way is to take a note of how many stitches you do per section, and make sure you do the same on the other side!

 

FEWWWW IT IS DONE!!!  I hope it helps

HAPPY CROCHETING TO YOU ALL

Love,

Lucia xxx

EASTERN JEWELS

Lucia & Francesca / / Lifestyle, Patterns

Hi Everyone!

Firstly I would like to thank you for the amazing response I got for my FOLK QUEEN!

I am still recovering…

But today is not about the FOLK QUEEN, but my first ever colorway … the EASTERN JEWELS !

I cannot believe that  it was exactely 3 years ago! I have to say it has been a fantastic experience and over the years I have seen countless version of my Eastern Jewels. As you probably already know the booklet for my colour version was available only as a part of the yarn pack. That was how, Stylecraft and Janie Crow had decide originally to promote and distribute the colorway.

BUT… the GOOD NEWS IS…

I now have exclusive  permission to sell the booklet of the Eastern Jewels as a PDF!!!

I cannot thank enough both Stylecraft and Janie for this opportunity because still now, after 3 years, I get emails asking if it is possible to have the PDF of my colour version.

 

So now you can download it on my raverly store or here for the price of £1.99.

Eastern Jewels Lucia’s Fig Tree Colourway of Janie Crow’s Persian Tiles

Wool Warehouse

But please do remember you still need the Persian Tiles pattern for the instructions how to crochet the motifs as my booklet lists only  the colours  used round by round for each of the motifs in the blanket , plus the joining and border colours.

this is the link to Janie Crow’s persian tiles pattern if you do not have it already.

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/persian-tile-blanket

So PLEASE Share the news because I am sure there are , out there , many crocheters that have been waiting for the PDF!!

happy crochet,

Lucia xxx

THE FOLK QUEEN BLANKET IS HERE!!!!!

Lucia & Francesca / / Lifestyle, Patterns

Hi Everyone,

Another sleep before … THE BIG DAY!

I am so excited about this post and  to be able to share my FOLK QUEEN BLANKET , and more so my lovely limited edition PACKS!

As you most likely already know the FOLK QUEEN BLANKET is the result of  a collaboration with my wonderful friend Tinna Þórudóttir Þorvaldar. And it has been an amazing opportunity to design my own colourway for her upcoming QUEEN CAL.

THE QUEEN CAL  ( crochet-a-long) will be available on Tinna’s Raverly from the 18th of September, BUT on her RAVERLY ACCOUNT there is already the introduction available so please do check it out!!

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/queen-cal

The Queen CAL will be hosted in Tinna’s  Facebook Group, Tinna’s Crochet Club, where you will be able to get lots of support, inspiration and just general good fun! Please join us there!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TinnaCrochetClub/

If you are new to Mosaic Crochet, then I recommend you check out Tinna’s YouTube channel where she has various tutorials available.   She will also publish step by step tutorials for the Queen CAL there, once the CAL starts!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCLETbuS9Y_v1o2BpSjj-oA?…

I am going to give you some more details about my version: and  I made a little video  about too that you can watch here:

So let’s list some facts…

I called my version THE  FOLK QUEEN  because the inspiration has been Northern traditional national costumes and landscapes a tribute to Tinna’s Nordic Heritage and mine too , as I come, originally , from a small village in Northen Italy .

You can get a pack ( kit)  to make The Folk Queen Blanket  EXCLUSIVELY FROM MY WEBSITE, no other retailer either brick and mortar or on-line  sells   this version .

What you get in the pack?

  • 17 BALLS OF YARN   : A mixture of Stylecraft LIFE DK  ( 100gr balls ) and Stylecraft BATIK DK  (50gr.balls) .Both yarn are a  blend of  75%premium acrilic and 25% wool.

  • A  personalised wooden tag with engraved ‘THE FOLK QUEEN’ that you can sew in your blanket once it is finished.

  • A print out with details and Tips about my version and a list row-by-row of the colours used in the same order as they are worked following the Charts provided in Tinna’s Pattern.

If you have read Tinna’s intro to the CAL you already know that there are several sizes and vesions to choose from:

For THE FOLK QUEEN I used the charts for:

TRADITIONAL STYLE QUEEN, the SMALL HORIZONTAL version.

My blanket measures ,once blocked,  105 cm x 135cm so a lovely throw size that you can see in full details in this video:

The PACK RETAILS  at  £62.99  here…  plus shipping costs which are listed too.

PLEASE DO READ THE CONDITIONS BEFORE YOU MAKE YOUR PURCHASE.

I can’t tell you how excited I am about been able to offer my version in a PACK! And if you purchase one of my packs I can’t thank you enough for your support!

There are 50 packs available on my shop on MONDAY 17th AUGUST at 10:00 am UK time.

Happy Crocheting

lots of love

Lucia x

The PEACHY PETALS BLANKET

Lucia & Francesca / / Lifestyle, Patterns, Stories

The PEACHY PETALS a new blanket…

After some silence I got a new blanket for you!

The time in lock down has given me the opportunity to reflect on what ‘s really important to me and it has been a time to re-evaluate priorities and to think about resetting goals for the future.

This doesn’t apply just to crochet but also to my life in general.

Crochet has played, without exaggeration, a vital role in these past few months, it has entertained me, distracted and brought some well needed focus.

I crocheted a lot, I made several samples, but mainly I focused on two new blankets.

One is a collaboration project with my friend Tinna Porudottir Porvaldar ( but I will write about all of that in my next entry…)  and the other is PEACHY PETALS !!

Over these past months I have been looking into my work and what I like about designing.

And I think I am a bit of an ‘odd ball’ ( no surprise in that…)

I don’t know how other designers work but for me every blanket is a long journey, it takes a lot of energy and time to come up with a concept or something that I think is new or interesting… so you will wonder why do I do it?

Because I love it! I love the excitement of starting something new, I like making samples,  choosing and tweaking the motif ,and at the same time my favourite part… picking the colours and fibres.

So the Peachy Petals is the result of all the above and several months of work.

Let’s start from the name.. why Peachy Petals….

‘Petal’ in Scotland is an old fashioned term of endearment, I heard Glen, my daughter Olympia’s boyfriend, calling her petal once, on a car journey, and the combination of the Scottish brogue plus the actual word made me smile ( don’t ask me why, it just did! ) , she is a bit of a petal after all!

And peach is her favourite colour… so there we go, a blanket came in my mind to emulate who Olympia is .. a lovely soft sweet girl that always smiles.

I wanted warm, light suffuse hues to emulate her character hence why the Peachy Petal is very different from my much bolder style!

So could I create something that is not so familiar to me? The answer is yes, as I do love a challenge.

Then came the practicality..how can I create something with tonal and subtle hues that is pleasing and interesting  without using a ridiculous amount of different yarns and costing a fortune?

The secret is mixing…

I started with a colour “Blooming Dahlia” or Pantone 15-1520

then I made a mood board of basic tonal palette inspired by interiors .It came apparent that the most important thing  to create a well balanced project while using several variations of the same colour.

The aim of this blanket was to use natural fibres and to create an array of tonal suffuse pale hues without using a lot of different colours and making the blanket prohibitively expensive!

I am very aware of the cost impact on my projects and I strive to offer projects that are beautiful but cost effective .

I think the combination of a mercerised cotton like Muskat and the Mohair silk yarn is a fabulous way to achieve the above.

The Mohair works beautifully in combination with the silkiness of the mercerised cotton and create not only subdued variations in colour but also gives a beautiful soft halo to the blanket. and… they work perfectly together, no knots, no tangles.

I have also added to the pattern  a bonus version of the blanket ,made by one of my testers , Susan Cox.

 

Susan sent me this lovely picture of her blanket that she called  ‘SPRING PETALS’ .

She  made her blanket in 100% cotton too but without Mohair. and she also crocheted a lovely cushion made with a combination of cotton and mohair.Am I not a lucky girl to have such lovely ladies helping me?

My testers Janet and Julie tested the motif and Maggie  draw a chart of the motif that I added to the pattern.

The pattern has also all the details on how to use the different yarns and the placements for each of the 96 motifs in the blanket, plus all the stats for Susan’s version.  I think it is a lovely variation to the pattern and I hope it will give you the confidence to use this versatile pattern with the colours of your choice.

You can download the  pattern  either from here  or from Raverly

Peachy Petals Blanket- Digital Download

 

So THANK YOU Susan for sharing your project, and Maggie Bullock for the motif’s chart.

LasT but not least you can get all the yarn for the blanket from the Woolwarehouse just press the icon , they have just started to send yarn internationally again after teh lockdown and  the MUSKAT is on sale at 40% less until the end of JULY !!!!

Woolwearhouse MUSKAT LINK

Wool Warehouse

So I hope you will give my new blanket a go !

Happy crocheting,

Lucia

 

A Tyrolean table set

Lucia & Francesca / / Patterns, Stories, Travel

If someone had told me last Christmas , that the world was going to change and I would spend the best part of the new year in lockdown in my home and scamper trying to rally all my children back I would first thought you have been watching far too many sci-fi movies .

Travel bans and self-quarantines across the globe have led to ‘U-turns’ and majour change of plans…

Today I should be packing ready to leave and spend a few weeks with my family in Italy , instead my flight has been cancelled and I am going no where…What I found more frightening is not the disruption of my plans but the fact that even visiting your parents is an impossible idea.

So while spending another week under lockdown, myself as many of you all over the world are looking cautiously and hopefully to better times.

So what is the best way to focus on positive thoughts?

Making something that remind you of happier and better times!

That is the thought behind my TYROLEAN TABLE SET.

 

 

As few of you know I come from a small village in Northen Italy and I love the Dolomites. I am so lucky that I had the opportunity to spend  weekends and long holidays on the most amazing beautiful mountains since I was a little girl and now my children are enjoying visiting the same village as I did.

Photography@martino pietropoli

I love everything of the landscape of South Tyrol  the picture perfect villages, the fresh air, the majestic mountains, the trees,the food and …obviously the textiles.

photography@ patrick baum

The Tyrolean region  has an amazing tradition of beautiful fabric, natural materials, yarn and garments.

One of my favourite garment of the Alps is the Dirndl. My girls ,over the years, have enjoyed wearing this beautiful  folk costume and  traditional dress for women and girls in the Alps.

With a lot of colours and textures in mind I created this new project and ,if you want to make something that is not too challenging or time consuming , a little project to enjoying between other works in progress, or a quick present to give to a loved one I think the TYROLEAN TABLE SET is a great option.

The pattern has written instructions and there are charts for both place-mat and coaster.

Tyrolean Table Set

I used Drops Muscat dk, a 100% mercerised cotton yarn, the quantities are specified in grams and there are 3 different colours options

You can find your yarn here:

Wool Warehouse

WOOL WAREHOUSE DROPS MUSCAT LINK

 

With a dk yarn the place-mat measures 39 cm/15.5 inches  in diameter and the coaster measures 12 cm/5inches.

All the best to You all out there, stay safe and keep crocheting!

love,

Lucia

 

THE TOBERMORY BLANKET

Lucia & Francesca / / Lifestyle, Patterns, Stories, Travel

Hello Everyone,

I hope this entry will find you all well despite the current situation. We are living unprecedented times and those past few weeks have been, certainly for me, a bit of a challenge, as I said in my previous entry.

So to keep my mind off it I have done a fair amount of crochet!

I have a couple of projects in the pipeline, one lovely new blanket that I am very excited about it  called ‘Peachy Petals’ which, as I am writing, is getting tested and my newest finished project:

The Tobermory Blanket.

Tobermory Blanket Pattern

I wanted to make something bright, warm and not too challenging to enjoy crocheting while chatting and spending time with the family and an opportunity to test some 100 % wool yarn. I also made a couple of videos on my Youtube channel in tandem with the pattern to give you a visual aid on the process behind creating a pattern. If you haven’t seen them please do, they might be of interest to you and if you subscribe to my Channel it is an extra bonus for me!

Youtube Channel

 

Anyway, back to the Tobermory…This Blanket is another chapter of my life in Scotland.

I have been here for nearly 30 years! and I am so lucky because this country has welcomed me with open arms and I have always felt as if I truly belong in Scotland and now it is, with no doubt. my home.

When I arrived, all those years ago, I thought I could speak English, but on my first cab ride upon arriving, when ‘I coudnae understand a wee word from ma  Glesga cabby mooth’…I realised I had to do some serious homework!

In these years I have grown used to be called anything like; love, pet, petal, lass and even hen!

Despite this, I am consistently amazed by this great country that cannot be beaten for beauty, history and it’s wonderful people.

The inspiration for this blanket is a small fishing port, 2 hours north-west of  Glasgow on the island of Mull called Tobermory, famous for the brightly painted buildings along the main street on the pier-side. The village is etched in my mind, I remember visiting a few years ago and thought that the combination of the buildings’ vivid bright colours in the Scottish light was beautiful and completely unexpected!

So while I wish I could make the journey and take the Tobermory to the source of inspiration, I have to opt for some pictures in my garden instead and wait for better times!

The square is not complex at all and is suitable for enthusiastic beginners.

I love the 3D effects of the popcorns! They create a beautiful visual geometry that makes the blanket appealing to the eye.

It is a big girl!  210cm x 140cm perfect for two people to snuggle under on a sofa and big enough for the bottom of a double bed as a gorgeous warm big runner!

As I wanted something cuddly and warm, after a few considerations I opted for DROPS Yarns  KARISMA. It is a  100% wool, DK (double knitting ),4 strands sport yarn which give a great stitch definition and it is superwash treated, which means that it is machine washable and perfect for daily use.

Once washed it is soft and comfortable to the skin.

This particular range has been on the Scandinavian market since the 80s! It is well tested indeed!

That being said, I always like to do my own testing. Hence why I bought (and I stress on the ‘bought’ because that makes my review completely unbias) one ball of each of the 48 shades so to make my mind about the colours/quality and I made several samples that I have washed and blocked to make sure it was good enough to recommend to you.

I bought my yarn from the Wool Warehouse.

Wool Warehouse

Wool Warehouse

The price is very reasonable too which is an important factor especially because a blanket requires a substantial amount of yarn, and as many of you are not in the UK, it is Oeko-Tex® certified, made in the EU and widely available internationally.

I am also aware that some of you can not source yarn at the moment due to the situation, hence why, in the pattern,  I have added the quantity used for each round of the square so to give you an approximate idea on how much yarn is required.

The colours are easy to be replaced with something similar so you can use either your favourite brand or something you already you have at home.

 

So, here you have a blanket full of colours, which I hope you will have as much fun making it as I did in creating it!

Stay safe and Happy crocheting,

Lucia xx

 

 

 

 

 

The Coorie shawl, Tinna and I…..

Lucia & Francesca / / Lifestyle, Patterns, Stories

Hi Everyone,

Well two posts in the space of a few days.. things are indeed changing…

I normally stay clear from talking about myself or my life and I focus on general topics or a crochet project, mainly because I do not think my life is so eventful to be worth it sharing but I am going to make an exception with this post.

I still find quite surreal what is going on around me at the moment but I guess I am not alone in my bewilderment.

By last Thursday the adrenaline that fuelled me over the mad rush to try to sort out as much as possible before the lock down dwindled to fumes, and I suddenly got hit by the enormity of the situation not only for me and my family but for the entire human race. That subsequently morphed into an overwhelming anxiety based on  tsunami of “what if…” dreadful scenarios.

I was so engulfed by the all thing that I couldn’t even pick up my hook and work on something.

I just went to my bed…

then, as I couldn’t sleep, I picked up my phone, which normally I NEVER do, as all Electronic devices are banned , in purpose,from my bedroom, but in these past few weeks I made an exception  and kept it by my bedside just in case I end up missing  a call from my parents or my brother in Italy…

Any way, I am scrolling  down my messages and I see one from Tinna .

I post a screen-shot for you…

So I  downloaded the pdf expecting the new pattern we had chatted about while she was here instead there is something new: the Coorie shawl…

and I am like awww a Scottish inspired pattern, so nice of her…

then I read the introduction and I started to cry…

What can I say?

Serendipity…things happen to you when you most need them!

 

I am posting the introduction here, but, please ,forgive me if it might seems a bit self indulgent.

I assure you that it is not the reason why I am posting it at all.

I am sharing it with you because those lines encompass all what I love about crochet!

Crochet is about feeling good ,enjoying the craft, it is about friendship,gifting, sharing, exchanging. Crochet is about hard work behind the scenes, it is about an overwhelming addiction to yarn, but what Crochet is for me is people!!

Please do not get me wrong, it is not all pretty rainbows and fluffy clouds,

more you share more you put yourself out there .

Bigger is your presence on line bigger isyour exposure to all sort, and you do encounter some unpleasant people which take vantage of you and your craft, but, thank goodness, there aren’t so many of them and the overall experience is so worth the effort, the sleepless nights, because the pattern is not right, the frustration with technology, the worries, the lack of time and more so the going back and start again…

The magical bit happens when, in your journey, you stumble in someone very special indeed.. and you find out that besides crochet you got loads of other things in common!

So when I picked up Tinna at the airport that Tuesday it felt like I was picking up a old friend,I opened my home to her and she fitted in like a glove as simple as that and if wasn’t for the crochet I will never have met her!

So yesterday I set aside what I was working on, pull out the lovely Icelandic  Plötulopi yarn Tinna brought me and I am making my Coorie, with this lovely surprising light unspun yarn  it will remind me of the lovely time we had together and I cannot wait for the next time we will see each other again.

As the real magic in life is just human kindness.

So all the best to you all out there, stay safe

Peace and love,

also  last but not least, if you want to make your COORIE too you can find Tinna’s pattern here:

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/coorie-3

LUCIA XXX.

 

 

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