Get this book - Hallo, Crochet! / Hallo, Hekel!

What is brilliant?

When three of your hooky friends publish a big, fat crochet book, full of beautiful patterns, that is brilliant.

Hello, welcome and thank you for Hello, Crochet! / Hallo, Hekel! by Cornel Strydom, Elsbeth Eksteen and Anisa Fielding, three beautiful, creative hookers, each with a very unique style.  The result resembles all of them: contemporary neutral, romantic arty and bright, bohemian quirky. 

Hello Cornel, Elsbeth & Anisa!

The book is divided into four main sections: Contemporary, Arty, Romantic and Bohemian, each showcasing this specific style in terms of colour and styling.  

Contents (Afrikaans version)

A variety of patterns are included, eg. a tea cosy, 2 blankets, scarf, wrist warmers, shawl, toy, three different bags, a skirt, a placemat, a children's jumper, a dress, a hat and top in the Contemporary section.  Paging through Arty, you'll find similar, but different, plus a beanie, a coat, a doilie and mini-shawl, and this continues through Romantic and Bohemian, a total of 64 patterns (yes, there's enough patterns!).

Then you realise that these 64 patterns are made up of 11 motifs, 4 written patterns and 2 diagrams...that's the cleverness of this book! One diagram can be interpreted as a neutral, basic shawl; a chunky mini-shawl/neckerchief; a romantic summer shawl in pastels and a bright, gypsy-like shawl with pom poms - and they all look different. 

The layout is clean and fresh without being clinical.  Each pattern has an information box that includes an indication of the skill level required, recommended yarn (used in the example), hook size, completed size, special abbreviations and tools needed.  Some also included diagrams of joins, pattern repetitions or simple motifs to to include, or instructions for assembly, all hand-drawn by Elsbeth (as is the pattern diagrams in the back of the book).

A Bohemian baby cardigan

I quickly tested the Amber mini-shawl in both Karoo Moon handspun and Malabrigo Silky Merino. It worked up easily to a nice neckerchief size.  I did prefer the softer Silky Merino that also drapes better, but a bigger hook size might have served the Karoo Moon well.  

Blocking the Karoo Moon mini shawl

Done in Silky Merino, it came out a bit bigger, with better drape:

One can almost see the softness of this yarn!

I thoroughly enjoyed making these quick projects and look forward  to working through more of the book (8 yellow Post It Notes mark those that required earliest attention!).  I can really recommend this book as a versatile pattern book for the intermediate hooker, showcasing the best of South African yarns (this is such a bonus - we now have beautiful yarns available and patterns were designed with these in mind).  Even just reading through it takes  me back to the good old Craft Share days at Cornel's dining table!

Well done,  ladies.  There was a gap in the market and it was waiting for you!

(Next up: Review of Beatrix Snyman's Afrikaans book "Raak Hekelslim", soon to be available in English as well)

Blog-hopping in Mzansi

The International Blog Hop has reached the capitol of the southern tip of Africa - thanks to Dorien of Just Do  and local girl Anneke of Crochet in Paternoster (yes...we have a beautiful little town in South Africa with a name out of a prayer).

It is such a treat to learn of many new blogs this way!

Photos of me can be scarce, but here's a nice one Cornel took last week when she did a Craft Share with me.  I love her new blog with fellow creatives Elsbeth & Anisa.

This is me :-)

Cornel cleverly took a picture of an empty, grey frame I hooked on a lone nail just to get it out of the way, just changed the colour a bit, and voilà, a pretty portrait :-)

(Cornel's Craft Shares are legendary - a random group of super-creative women met at her house to share and work together, accompanied by anything from yarn temptations, scrummy snacks to bubbly. She has now changed to concept to individual Craft Shares, of which mine was the first, and I really look forward to see who (and how!) she meets up with next.

What am I working on?

I just finished a CAL with my sis that I will blog about later, and declared the past weekend A Creative Weekend For Myself, during which I started a few things (I am a great starter...)

This beautiful square, designed by Cornel for the Sorbet & Lace blanket  in the Ideas Crochet magazine.  I'll use the blanket's edging to join as I go. It will be a slow project, 2 squares per weekend, maybe.

Square 1 of my Project Bohemia!
Ideas Crochet Magazine
(Video tutorial here - but in Afrikaans)
Find Ideas Magazine on Facebook

I've also started a blanket for my husband:

Defaulted into this pattern after
a) Elle Marco (top right) was discontinued, and therefor,
b) I couldn't do the single-coloured blanket I was after and,
c) I want to use wide stripes for another blanket later...

I rescued a baby blanket, my first attempt ever, and I don't think I'll ever have the nerve to do it again!
(Teacher Shan at the preschool asked me a week or two ago...could I? Would I?  This was her son's, and he used it almost to pieces...and he is now about to become a dad...
Awwww.)

See how I did it here

I started a collar for a t shirt:

Found in a men's shop and it looks near enough to doilies.

And I cheated a Summer Throw!

From discarded table cloth to my new summer throw in 1 trip to the Hospice Shop and 2 boxes of  dye!

How does my work differ from others in its genre?

I don't think it differs much from any other crocheter who wants to make pretty things.  

I dislike "old" crochet - toilet sets, frilly doll's clothes, antimacassars - I'll try to get new uses for vintage items.  

My colours are also muted/deep, never too bright  (primary) or sugary.  I don't think I've ever used pure white!
Although I haven't yet made anything to wear (something that I really, easily, intensely dislike), I've come upon a beautiful pattern by a friend and this will be attempted soon. 

Why do I create what I do?

I like the craft of crochet.  It's quick, it gives me something to do while waiting in the car at school, at swimming, at Kumon...I can do it while chatting with friends over a coffee. When done right, it produces beautiful work, and I hope to get there! Meanwhile, I get pleasure out of making my own scarves, cowls, blankets, trying out new things growing in the craft and helping to preserve it by developing it in a whole new way with all the great new yarns we have available.

How does my creative process work?

Oh, jeepers. Let's not pretend :-)

Does this sound familiar...
"Oh, what beautiful yarn!  I need it, to make...something!"
(and then thinking up something)

Or..
"Oh, look at this beautiful pattern! I want to make X, Y, Z with it!"

(and then rushing to the yarn shop to add to the stash)

And sometimes, sometimes, you'll see something in nature (a rock rose on a Free State farm stoep), a photo (a friend 's photo of mountains in Tajikistan), or have a vague plan for useful item - and let that simmer away in your brain while contemplating another visit to the yarn shop...

This is my story!

Anisa also did a profile on me at Hello Hart

I want to pass the baton the friend and fellow crochet, and yarn shop owner (stocking NO squeek) and bistro owner Hilda of Yarn in a Barn.  She is busy with the most exquisite heritage blanket that I can't wait to see finished. 

(I'm coming for breakfast  this weekend, Hilda!)

Craft Share - when we get together for crochet (and more)

I've previously mentioned Craft Share, a regular get-together with fellow hookers on a Friday.

Craft Share is hosted by the talented Cornel of the blog "I love pom-poms", and she is also a regular contributor to local magazine "Idees/Ideas".  It started as a "let me show you how to hook over coffee at my place"and has grown into a great get-together more or less every second Friday.  We rock up with our hooky in hand, but usually end up not doing much, because so much time is spent drooling over the others' beautiful work!  Really, this is the place where I have seen the most beautiful hooky work together in one room, and always leave inspired again.

Craft Sharing in Cornel's dining room

In the above pic, we were "absolutely relaxed" and acting "totally natural and at ease" (yeah, right) for a photoshoot of the annual edition of Sarie Kreatief, a local women's mag. Looking forward to see that edition!

I was very lucky that my sis was visiting here from Ireland and could join us for this event - her second magazine shoot in a week!  We had to pose, chatting and showing off our work.  My Rainbow Ripple came to visit from the beach house, and I'm showing off one of my flowery scarves.  Sis had a beanie she just started.

That's me, pulling the face.  Why, why, WHY?

And here's Elsbeth, illustrator and artist, on the left, with Cornel. My green picnic basket peeps out in the corner.  I must still show-and-tell about the lining I made for it, from vintage fabric bought all the way from Switzerland, from Annette of My Rose Valley!

Two talented friends

Craft Share is a visual feast, everything is pretty, from the hooky, to the snacks and dogs that join us :-)

Something to drink

Inspiration - Cornel knits a mat for her beach house with thick rope and humongous needles

Inspiration - a beautiful blanket hooked up in Vinnis

Inspiration - a basketful of beautiful Vinnis yarns

"Architectural"...how this pose was described.  They don't just sit or lie down, they take up position

Pretending to work

Still chatting and posing

At every Craft Share, Cornel photographs us with our work, and post this on her Craft Share Page on Facebook. It's always a treat to see what she does with the photos, to catch up when you missed a Craft Share, or just to refer back to what you worked on.  As I often give my work away, this would usually be one of the best photos a have of a finished piece (or the journey towards finishing!). My first Craft Share was captured in the 4th from left shot in the top row - extremely camera shy, and I can't even remember what that green piece in my hands was! The last shot (Jou Gha!) was taken this Friday - almost finished with the bag for my yoga mat.

Almost two years of Craft Shareing

I always look forward to Craft Share. I've made so many great friends who inspire me each and every time, and who share my love of hooking...thanks, Cornellie!