Busy busy patterns

HELLO


It has been a busy couple of weeks in the Hook Geek studio. I have been finishing my crochet a long blanket, Which I highly recommend doing by the way. it is a project you can easily do alone or with other people, you can pick it up and put it down at your leisure.

for more information check out hoophaberdashery for classes or Hannah Davis for the designer.







We have also been busy designing two new patterns a frog and a sweet little mouse. The frog (Frederic) is all ready to be typed up. He even comes with instructions for a top hat and a bow tie. This is a fairly easy pattern to follow but like most of my patterns I suggest you have some knowledge of crocheting in the amigurumi style. This style is an easy process of increasing and decreasing and has a pattern that is written in basic terms.

This particular frog has stripy legs and I've used the method of changing colours where I continue the thread on the inside of the leg. so instead of fastening off each time I finish the last stich of the round off with the next colour and just leave the other thread there until I need it two rounds later. this way you can just pick up and drop each thread as you need them. it is a quick and easy method and once you get into the rhythm you never use a different method.

The mouse pattern (Dotty) will be available  nearer the end of the week as I'm yet to design a little jacket for. upon doing my research I found that not many characters have clothes. A lot have capes and things which is great for me to be able to bring a different style of clothing to the characters I make and hopefully you too. This little muse is quite special to me because I used mohair and DK together to create her. which has left her very soft and fury. not quite suitable for little babies but I wouldn't give her to a baby any due to her glass eyes.  I'm thinking my next pattern will also be made of the mohair and DK combination because I like doing it so much and it has such a great effect at the end. I know this means she works out to be a little more expensive to make but it is so worth it in the end.

During these last couple of weeks we've also tried out hand at making crowns for children. My children have grown and are not quite little enough for these crowns so gauging the size has been hard and I have had to borrow the heads of friends children.  Plus my children seen to have massive heads so getting an average size crown is difficult in my house. Never the less I think I have managed a couple of styles and techniques. One crown I was quite proud of would not keep its shape as well as I hoped so I ended up straying it with a glue and water mix and this worked quite well. so well in fact I have a huge crown in mind for my next task.

My next step is to get typing these patterns up. they will be available via Etsy and Revelry.

Will there be snow

Will there be snow?

Every year here in the UK we are told that there will be snow. We don't actually get it every year though. When there is snow we as Bits do not cope very well our transport systems go down, people panic buy food in supermarkets and the whole country is a mess. I personally don't like the snow, I don't like the cold, wet and icy weather. I stay at home and hide. This year my preparations for the snow is not to buy loads of milk and bread like the rest of the country. (what is with that? do you drink more milk in the snow?) I have got in stocks of yarn so I can crochet my new designs.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/09/uk-weather-blast-arctic-blow-snow-britain/

I will of course still have to walk the dog and do the school run but at least ill be sporting a woolly hat and scarf which I have made from the softest, warmest yarn. It will be a quick dash out and then back home in the warm and dry and crochet crochet crochet.

I have plenty of new designs to write up, a couple of paid patterns to try out and plenty to watch on Netflix.

 

Are you a pattern snob

Are you a pattern snob?

Now that everyone has packed Christmas away, celebrated New Years, cleaned their homes, realised how big their house actually is and how many toys their children own, its time to get back to normality and to return to work. So January is here and so is the time of year to fill out our tax return. Even though my accounts are well kept and its quite easy it is one of those jobs that's just a bore. I'd prefer to be designing my next pattern or even crocheting it.

This time of year people are thinking about their future and changes they might make to achieve them, I of course did that too. Just the usual stuff, get healthy, stop binge watching Netflix but I know by February I'll be well in to my third boxset while eating my weight in chocolate reminding myself that I'm not going on holiday this year so don't need that beach bod.
But what I also thought about what crochet patterns and the snobbery that goes with them.
When I design a pattern and type it up I'm very aware of the person that will be using this pattern and their needs for it. Each pattern usually comes with a grade easy, advanced etc. Over time I have collected many different types of patterns, some I've paid a lot of money for and some I have got free from a magazine. They are very different in their style, photos and the way they are typed up. There are also the branded patterns, the ones written by our favourite designers.

Crochet patterns are a lot like fashion. We have our everyday generic items which we love but are not really special and our designer black dress patterns. Our special handbag which we get out to impress. Of course we need a target audience for these, someone who knows the difference between luxury alpaca wool and market acrylic wool, someone who knows the difference will applicate the quality of the design the advanced nature of the pattern. All these things do not make us a better crocheter but it in some small way makes us happier that we own a pattern from a well known designer that we are able to recreate the item in the pattern.
Are you a pattern snob? Will you turn your nose up at a poorly displayed pattern, a pattern that has bad quality photos, one that clearly has been written by a novice. I certainly think I am. I realised this when I was looking to purchase a new pattern and one was so cheap I made a judgment before even looking at it. I actually shocked myself that I would do this. I re looked and as it turned out I was right in my pre judgement it was a pile of rubbish.
I do prefer a pattern that doesn't have too many photos as printing and storing these long winded patterns are a pain and they have an air of patronisation, almost like the designer thought the person reading this doesn't know what a hook is. To me a pattern should be quick to read. To the point. Have a list of needed items, stitch abbreviations and if necessary a small explanation in to the stich type. A photo of the end product and maybe a photo of a tricky bit that is hard to explain in words. A chart is helpful for those who don't like words. The designers name and website or email address. But that's it. Not a photo of each step. Certainly not instructions into every single stitch and a long winded bio of the designer. Its like giving a child a toy and explaining every part of the toy before allowing them to play with it and not letting them figure it out for themselves. The sense of achievement I've had from finishing a complicated item was amazing. I felt very proud that not only did I finish it but I leant something from it.

In conclusion if you like a long winded pattern that coaches you through every single stitch and hundreds of photos, my patterns are not for you. If you like to learn how to read a pattern I will of course help you and there are plenty of resources at your disposal via the internet and in books. My patterns are well informed in what you need and are quick to read. I'm on stand by if you do come across a section you need help with, as we all need help and we all are still learning new ways of doing things. 2017 will bring you lots of patterns from me. I'm already in the process of designing a whole range of animals and science fiction characters. Because this takes time I will be releasing a coupe of patterns I designed last year. I will be attempting to release charts with every pattern and lots of free items and patterns too.  

I hope your new year is great and that 2017 brings you all you hope for. Now go away I have Netflix to watch and chocolate to eat.