Bob the Blood Blob – Free Crochet Pattern

Crochet for Charity…

Earlier in the year, I was approached by Leukaemia Care UK with regards to #SpotLeukaemia which is Blood Cancer awareness month that takes place annually in September. Although this blog post is late, it has taken me a long time to write as I wanted to get it right. This is a sensitive subject, but so very important, and better late than never.  It doesn’t have to be September for you to be aware, and able to support such an amazing charity.

#SpotLeukaemia is a campaign to help raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of Leukaemia and how to spot it earlier rather than later. I was asked if I could design a crocheted ‘mascot’ that people could make and share to help fund-raise and promote  education and understanding for this cause.

“September was the official month for the #Spotleukaemia campaign, but why not continue to raise awareness for this critical disease?”

I was delighted and thought a small plush would be perfect as it would be easy to make, require few materials, and great for beginners through to advanced crocheters. I chose a blood drop as it can easily be visually related to the cause and is symbolic of the blood cancer.

Read an article about Bob the Blood Blob here…

Make him and give him to local hospitals (enquire first) or make him and sell him to raise money for Leukaemia care UK (donate here). Or give him to friends and family – he is extremely cute after all. (I’ve just made one for my uncle who works in phlebotomy). Leukaemia Care UK is a fantastic charity that focuses on carrying the emotional strain that Leukaemia enforces on patients and their families and continues to support those in need and provide answers and advice. This charity aims to improve lives through earlier diagnosis, access to effective treatments, information and support. Please head over to their website to read more. https://www.leukaemiacare.org.uk/

Click here for a printable Free Bob the Blood Blob crochet pattern…

Many people have been making Bob already…

 

However there is one Bob that caught my attention When I saw that a little girl called Arabella had been made a Bob, I approached Arabella’s mum to ask a bit about her back story.

Arabella was diagnosed with Leukaemia when she was only 4 years old in May 2018. She was transferred to Adenbrookes hospital where she received her first round of chemotherapy as a clinical trial. Unfortunately this was unsuccessful and she was put in a high risk group. She underwent a second round of chemotherapy before being transferred to Bristol for a stem cell transplant, despite non of her siblings being compatible for a match. Arabella had only 4 possible matches from the DKMS register, however her condition was so critical that her consultants didn’t want to risk the wait. Arabella undertook a transplant using an umbilical cord instead and was doing really well; however contracted a virus and chest infection soon after. She is now doing better and has been transferred back to Adenbrookes Hospital, which is one step closer to home for this incredible family. Arabella loved her Bob, and by making Bob you can help raise awareness for Leukaemia and in turn support little girls like Arabella and their astonishingly strong families.

Follow Arabella’s progress here… ‘Arabella Scannell Blog’

If you follow my blog, or my Instagram or YouTube, please support me by taking 1 day (Seriously… Bob can be made in one sit-in) out of your crochet plans to make a Bob and post a picture using the hashtags #spotleukaemia and #bobthebloodblob

Let’s show Instagram how thoughtful and caring our crochet community is. Please tag @lovecharlie.co and @leukaemiacareuk

Find me on Ravelry to upload photos of your Bob…

Love Charlie, Xx

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Let’s catch up…

It’s been a long time since I have published a blog post; but it’s not for the lack of trying or want. So I’m going to “take the bull by the horns” and “get my foot in the door” so to say, and brief you on what’s been going on… if you’re still interested, that is. And if you do read on… I’m sorry it isn’t exactly crochet related.

*Disclosure: Shit’s about to get real personal.

I have had, and still have a lot of anxiety surrounding this blog and my YouTube channel. In August last year I threw myself into both and it was great. I gave my “crochet career” everything I had and I felt as  though I was really achieving goals I had set myself. But I didn’t leave any time for myself, Katie or life in general. There was also a big stressor in our lives (I’ll explain shortly) and I burnt out. It’s taken me a long time to realise that, and I feel that I am struggling still – despite not feeling depressed and life is so much better now. I feel as if I failed.

I worked so hard towards what I wanted and then I just stopped. I didn’t have the mental energy to reply to comments and interact with online friends. I was, and still am scared of what people will think of me when I “come back” after removing my online presence for so long without warning or an explanation. The anxiety and fear of failure has been crippling but I enjoy blogging. I like writing about crochet and my crafty life, and it’s a nice outlet from the 9-5 (or 8-5 in my case) Monday to Friday (and sometimes Saturday) job. I am embarrassed that I have been an awful friend to the kindest people who have supported me online, and still comment on my Instagram pictures. I’m sorry to anyone and everyone that I have let down.

Let me fill you in a bit more…

For 15 months myself and Katie lived in Gran’s old house with the best intentions of renovating it for various reasons I don’t need to share. We lived in a house that we were unhappy in, a house that caused tension with relatives, looked like a building site and felt like a warehouse. Several things went wrong whilst we were there; we didn’t see eye-to-eye with the neighbours and we spent most of the winter without heating for fear the boiler would pack in (it’s older than me). I had two birthdays in that house (literally) the first spent waiting for a charity furniture collection that was never arranged in the first place – and the second waiting for British Gas to arrive to attempt to re-light the pilot light on the aforementioned boiler. This house and the time we lived in it broke me. We both worked so hard, and it was too much.

We never felt like we had a home together the entire time we lived there; never fully unpacked from the flat we lived in before, and didn’t even get the Christmas tree or any decorations out in December because we were both so miserable. (P.s I LOVE Christmas)

It was taking its toll on us both mentally and physically. This also upsets me because it was Gran’s house and I loved her more than anything and it feels disrespectful for me to have these feelings about her house. It shouldn’t have worked out the way it did but it happened and it’s over now. I was just exhausted and I didn’t want to be fake online and be like “everything’s great… crochet… crochet… crochet…” when on a Friday evening I’d cry on my way home from work because I didn’t want to spend another night in that house.

My crojo was at an all time low, and I was scared I was losing everything after working so hard to build a following on here, Instagram and YouTube. I was finding it difficult to do anything and everything. Katie and I got engaged after 8 years together, and although both of us want to get married, we were finding it hard to be enthusiastic and excited. The house and situation was making us lose ourselves…

At the beginning of the year we started to look for somewhere new to live: and eventually in May we found the house we’re living in now. In less than a month we had put a deposit down (we’re renting) and had packed up and moved. Within 2 weeks of moving everything was unpacked and I felt as though we had a home again. I feel so in love with Katie; and excited for our future. My crojo came back immediately – I have literally never crocheted so much (or finished so many WIPS) and it’s fantastic. Although I still have anxiety which is fogging my brain. It makes it hard for me to articulate what I want to say and that makes me feel stupid. I’m not depressed. I’m very happy. But anxiety is an issue so please be patient with me.

We are still facing challenges… as everyone does. The stress and physical demand of our move triggered a flare up of Katie’s Ulcerative Colitis and she has been so poorly. Although we’re not out of the woods yet – she is  so much better than she was 2 months ago. [Thank you for the kind comments where I have mentioned this on Instagram] If anyone lives with a loved one who has a long term chronic health condition you’ll understand how mentally and physically demanding it can be for everyone involved – But you’ll also know how much love and strength there is in a relationship between both/all parties. Now Katie’s getting better we can start enjoying our new home to the max and more importantly start some serious wedding planning.

Now I have published my ‘first’ blog post, the next should be easier. Then I have to tackle YouTube (which is scarier) but I need to pace myself, take my time, and learn how to balance things. YouTube is scaring me a lot, and even though I want to put content up, I don’t want to put pressure on myself unnecessarily so I’m going to concentrate on my blog and Instagram until I’m ready. I don’t know when that will be – but please don’t forget about me. Why not subscribe to my blog in the meantime?

There are lots of exciting things happening which I’m looking forward to writing about and sharing with you including: –

• The pattern I designed for Leukaemia Care UK.
• Yarndale 2018.
• Socktober.
• A project I’m co-hosting in November.
• Wedding crochet plans.

If you made it this far. Thank you. Sorry for the brutal honesty, but I feel as though I have just got rid of a huge weight that’s been on my shoulders for months, and hopefully moving forward it will be easier to blog now I have explained what’s been going on with me. Thank you for all the love and support from the crochet community, my friends, and for Katie’s unconditional support.

P.s: there was no way I was putting photos of that house on here so I’ve filled this blog post with photos of our new place instead 🙂

Love Charlie, Xx

Tools – #MarchingForwardWAL18

 

Last week, it was been my turn to host the weekly theme for the Marching Forward WIP-along. I have been asking you to share the tools that you use to craft – whatever they may be, on Instagram.

I LOVE looking at everyone’s tools and now I get to share my thoughts on our most loved, and curated collections!

From what I have seen on Instagram, the tools you use range from your bog standard (but loved all the same) steel crochet hooks, to soft touch, and ergonomic hooks. I say crochet hooks, as the majority of my followers crochet, but we all know there are so many other wonderful crafts out there, and they are all as brilliant as each other. But before I go into hooks, I want to share with you the most important tools that we have – The tools that don’t cost us anything, and a few of you have also shared on IG.

Hands & Brain…

Whether you’ve inherited your love of craft, learnt it easily, or worked very hard to learn a new skill. Maybe you learnt through YouTube Videos, your mother, your Grandma, the library, a class or a friend… None of us would be where we are without the use of our hands and our brains. I am extremely grateful for the full use of my hands, and that my brain allows me to express myself and create the things I imagine. If I lost the use of my hands, I don’t know what I’d do… learn to crochet with my toes? Not only does my brain allow me to craft, but craft also aids my brain, and can provide such a comfort and peace that is very welcome in the stressful world in which we reside. So, in conclusion to this very long, rambley point… my most important tools are my brain and my hands. We can all literally turn a bit of string into something incredible! (I know right? We are amazing human beings!)

Crochet Hooks…

Well I have seen a lovely variation in the hooks that my followers have shared on Instagram. What struck a cord with me though, is how sentimental many of your tools are. You have shared tools that you have inherited from your mothers and grandmothers. As 70% of my wool and craft supplies are inherited, I can really relate to this. This last week I have been in Edinburgh for EYF – the Edinburgh Yarn Festival. I was talking to a friend about inherited tools, and when her friends mother died, she gave her the knitting needles (as her friend couldn’t knit) My friend said that her friends’ mum would knit her something every year for Christmas, so the first year without her mum, my friend knit her a gift using her Mums old knitting needles. I couldn’t believe what a thoughtful and special idea this was. And how lucky this friend was.

My Gran’s knitting needles

Our tools are extremely important to us and each of us are extremely particular as to what constitutes as the perfect piece of equipment. Our tools become an extension of who we are, and what we leave behind in the world after we have gone. It amazes me how material things last so much longer than we do, and for crafty people, these tools leave a part of the person, and allow us to carry on and keep them with us for longer. I made my Gran a crochet hook roll to keep her hooks in, and I leave them in this on the shelf. I take them out every now and again to look at them; although I am afraid to use them in case I lose or damage them. My Gran inherited these hooks from her mother and Grandmother, so there are generations of hooks in this case, and I can’t begin to imagine how many beautiful things have been made.

Birgit, @neat_sweet_petite a co-host of the Marching Forward WIP-Along shared her Mum’s crochet hook and said that when she uses it, she feels as though a part of her mum is crocheting with her. I think this is just so lovely, and true. Sam of @nans_olive_torana also shared an inherited hook of her Grandmas, and much like me, she if afraid to use it as the sentimentality is much more important than practicality, and she doesn’t want to damage it.

 

Storage…

Jars, cases, rolls and pouches – handmade or shop bought. It seems that we all have different preferred ways of storing our tools. Up until recently, I always stored my tools in a large pencil case. This case had everything I could possibly want, and was clear so I could see everything from the outside without having to rummage for ages To see how this used to look, and what I kept in it head over to my YouTube Channel ‘lovecharliecrochet’ and watch this video… (Hit subscribe to make me smile!) However, I think that I had overfilled it for too long, and abused it so that the seams split open. I also started to lean how to knit socks, and got many 9 inch needles and DPNs for Christmas. I wanted to be able to store these all together. I ended up buying a case off Amazon that has a place for everything. Here’s the link in case you’re interested…

 

Notions…

Another important element to our list of essential tools are notions… Needles, stitch markers, calculators, scissors, measuring tapes, highlighters, notebooks and pens. There’s also the continuous publications of Magazines, not to mention Ravelry, Pinterest and Instagram as important resources for patterns and inspiration. I like to store small notions such as stitch markers in a small tin that Fay of the Crochet Circle Podcast gave me for Christmas, and the rest have a pocket in my new hook case. The tin is great as it can easily be moved between project bags. 🙂

Anyway, here is my small insight into the tools I use, and my thoughts on sentimentality and how our tools are so much more than bits of plastic and metal.

Use the hashtag #MarchingForwardWAL18 on WIPs until the 31st March 🙂

Love Charlie, Xxx

#OneSkeinWonderlandCAL – Winners…

WOW! What an incredible CAL this has been! It has been amazing to see what everyone has managed to make with onlY 1 skein or 100g of yarn. Fay and myself have enjoyed seeing how many FOs there are, and there has been a phenomenal amount of FO posts on Ravelry and Instagram… 174 to be exact (excluding Fays and my own.)

We would like to thank everyone who participated and interacted on the Ravelry chatter thread, used the #OneSkeinWonderlandCAL hashtag on Instagram, and posted in the Ravelry FO thread. We hope that you all relished the challenge of only using one skein, and were happy with the results. From hats to scarfs, socks to shawls, cowls to mittens… there has been a project from everyone within this CAL, and now when you buy, or get gifted a lovely skein of yarn; hopefully you won’t be so hesitant to chose a project for it. We hope that the FO thread on Ravelry will provide some inspiration and encouragement that you can make something wonderful with only one skein!

There have been some absolutely stunning projects, and here are our winners. Using a random number generator, we chose 2 from the Ravelry FO thread and 2 FOs from the #OneSkeinWonderlandCAL hashtag on Instagram.

From Instagram…

@hayrie with her marvellous green Hilsborough crochet cable socks. Hayley has won two skeins of undyed yarn and a set of icing colourants. We hope Hayley enjoys playing around dying some yarn!

@crafternoontreats with her clever use of variegated yarn to colour pool in this stunning cowl. Kathryn has won a lovely project bad made by Emya Handmade. The perfect size for One-Skein projects…

From Ravelry…

Stephanie (aka tattedtatter) with her beautiful Boo Shawl. Stephanie has won the Accessories book by The Crochet Project, a lovely little book full of wonderful projects.

Gill (@jpohren) with her lovely Calm cowl using Fjord Fibres yarn. Gill has won a gorgeous autumnal skein of Crafternoontreats yarn. We can’t wait to see what Gill will crochet with it!

Here are a few FOs that stood out for us… I can’t show them all, although I would love to… (Please head over to IG and Ravelry to see everyone’s FOs – We loved every single entry)

We can’t wait to host this CAL again THIS year! Thank you so much to everyone who got involved, and helped to create the FO thread which is now a lovely database for One Skein projects.

Love Charlie & Fay, Xx

My Cro-jo’s Under the Weather…

Where has my Crojo gone?

Well, it has been two weeks since I put a photo on Instagram or even picked up my crochet hook. What is wrong with me? This is unnatural for me. The thing is, I just haven’t felt myself… and I don’t know why. I’ve been having a think about why I feel like this, and I thought I’d share my thoughts.

I want to be honest with you guys, and I want to share with you the good parts; but also the not so good. Social media means that a lot of us only get to see edited parts of each other’s lives, the tidy work-spaces, and uncluttered surfaces. Blemish-free skin and picture-perfect angles. This is all OK, and why would you want to share something that is not perfect?

Why would you want to share with your followers when you’re not feeling yourself? I’m scared that this post will prompt a bad reaction – but I don’t want to be fake, and I think it’s important for us, as a community (that is generally really supportive and kind) to be honest with each other.

This is kind of a therapy ramble, and I’m hoping that I’ll feel better after writing everything and getting it out. I may regret it once I’ve published though.

Maybe it’s just January blues… but here are the things that I think are bothering me.

1. I am on a diet (*lifestyle change*) eating mostly raw fruits and vegetables, and fresh foods. I have cut down the takeaways and the chocolates, no longer buying microwave meals and pre-packaged lunches. Opting for fruit and salad, whole grains and home-cooked food. This is absolutely brilliant for me; and I don’t want to turn it into a negative. Although I’m half feeling like I have more energy and half feeling drained and tired. I think my body is just going through a trans-formative period of figuring out that it needs to take it’s energy from different sources. I definitely feel refreshed and ‘lighter’ (not in a weight sense) and I know that what I am doing is so good for my health and happiness.
2. All the CALs… How many CALs are there this month? I already have too many WIPs, but recently I’ve felt overwhelmed by the amount of CALs I’m participating in and struggling to keep up. I currently have 2 WIPs for the OneSkeinWonderlandCAL, a shawl for the Olannandcrisscrosscal, and the Woodland CAL blanket… and a pair of socks I started a while back… and after counting how many WIPs I have all together, I feel overwhelmed. When I’m splitting all my time between 5 projects; it is hard to see any progress on any singular project. Also after having the Christmas break, and enjoying the time off crafting, I feel like my productivity has drastically reduced and pretty much come to a halt.
3. SADs… well January has been cold, wet and miserable. The days are grey and drizzly, frosty and damp. The day’s are short, and the evenings even shorter. How am I supposed to feel optimistic, creative and energetic when the weather has such a draining effect on my mood?

I think I need to finish a WIP to feel better. I know this sounds silly, but I think when I finish something, I’ll feel like I have accomplished something and achieved something small. I think this will trigger an upwards spiral to feeling more myself. When I finish one WIP, it will be one less WIP on the list, and one less project to split my time between.

My plan is to forget keeping up with the Woodland CAL, and put it to the side until I finish my Cosy Stripe Blanket. It is a lovely blanket and the colours are stunning, however the stitch is slow-going, with every other row a row of dc in the front loop only. Much slower than both the Cosy Stripe and the Moorland CAL blanket. Quite frankly, I’m putting too much pressure on myself to keep-up with the weekly installments despite the fact I’m doing my own colour order. This is a WIP that I can pick up any time, so for now, it is getting put away until I have fewer WIPs on my list.

I am going to leave the Simple Shawl I am knitting for the OneSkeinWonderlandCAL, and concentrate on the Triangle Infinity Scarf (which seems to be taking me forever!) – I think because it is single ply… In fact, I am going to make my aim for the rest of January to finish the triangle infinity scarf and put my other WIPs on hold. I want to finish the cowl, then my second sock… which means that I have the Cross Cross Shawl, and the Simple Shawl left as working-WIPs. (With only 4 days left of January, I doubt I’ll even finish the triangle scarf… but at least February should start with a FO.

In February,  I’m going to concentrate on the Cosy Stripe Blanket and the Fruit Salad TV Blanket. Generally just trying to reduce the number of WIPs I have on my list to reduce the stress. Hahaa. I think I should never have counted all of my unfinished projects…

Today I’m spending the day at Liverpool Central Library with Katie. I’ve brought all of my to-dos with me, and I’m hoping some productivity will cure me. I have 2 new crochet magazines with me, Crochet Now & Simply Crochet, and I have commissions with me to work on. Lots of wool packed into a suitcase, and #OneSkeinWonderlandCAL admin to catch up on. 🙂 I am feeling positive about today – and I hope I can put the last fortnight behind me.

How do you get your Cro-jo back? If you have any tips please let me know! It’s making me feel so odd not crocheting constantly. Maybe the break is good… but It’s making me anxious. I hope I didn’t over-share in this blog post – I didn’t want to be depressing and moany. But I wanted to be honest with you guys, and I thought you may be able to help…

Love Charlie, Xx

2018 Crafty Goals…

It’s taken me a little while to gather my thoughts and sort out what I actually want to achieve next year in terms of Crochet, Knitting an AOCB (Any Other Crafty Business). I have compiled a few lists of various things here… so if you’re interested… this is what I’d like to achieve in 2018.

Nb. These are personal craft targets and are not related to ‘Love Charlie’ i.e I’ve not listed my Instagram, YouTube targets and what patterns I’d like to release this year. That’s all going to be a surprise!

Firstly, before planning what new things I’d like to make; I thought it would be useful to write a list of all the WIPs I have lying around the house. This took a little while, and every time I thought I was done, I found more hidden away. This is embarrassing and shameful. Here is my lest of all projects that are started, but unfinished.

• Hexagonal Flower Blanket. Pattern by Blue Ammonite Designs
• Beautiful Shell Blanket. Pattern by Lahoma Nally-Kaye
• Country Socks in DK
• Amigurumi Rabbit.
• Chunky Knitted Scarf
• Criss Cross Shawl Pattern by Fay Dashper-Hughes
• Knitted Simple Shawl. Pattern by Jane Hunter
• Triangle Infinity Cowl. Pattern by The Friendly Nettle
• Woodland CAL Blanket. Pattern by Lucy of Attic 24
• Knitted Socks (Sidar pattern)
• Fruit Salad TV Blanket
• Cosy Stripe Blanket. Pattern by Lucy of Attic 24
• Crochet Socks (Vikki Brown pattern)
• Lake District Embroidery
• Gran’s Spring Embroidery
• Norway Embroidery

Wow… that’s 16 W.I.Ps. I’d like to say that by the end of the year I’d like all of these to be finished… but that’s not really attainable. Some of these will take a long time; and there’s 5 blankets in this list. I’m just going to try my best to reduce the number of W.I.Ps that I have. The embroideries are also going to take a long time, as generally, I only pick these up in Spring and Summer when the light is good.

Next, I went through my Ravelry Library and Instagram, and made a list of projects I’d like to make. Here goes…

• Granny Stripe Blanket (Stylecraft Yarn Pack)
• Charity Blanket (Stash Buster)
• Doppio Colleseum Shawl
• Hydrangea Blanket (Stash Bust)
• Winwick Mum knitted Socks
• Vanilla Latte knitted Socks
• Arne & Carlos Knitted Socks
• Rohn Strong Crochet Socks
• Vicki Brown Hop Socks

There’s 2 more blankets in this list and lots and lots of socks! (I did warn you 2018 would be a year of socks!)

Next, I went through my stash and gathered together all the yarn that I want to use this year. I have some beautiful yarn, and I’d like to get it hooked up…

• 2 skeins Arne & Carlos Sock Yarn
• 2 skeins John Arbon Alpaca Delights
• 1 Starry Nights River Knits
• 1 Shroom River Knits
• 1 Eplekake Fjord Fibres
• 2 100g balls of Woodlander DK
• Stylecraft Sock yarn x 3
• Opal sock yarn x 2
• WYS sock yarn x 2
• Chunky Alpaca
• Lace weight yarn
• WYS 100g DK weight
• 1 skein Mothy & the Squid Sock yarn
• 1 skein Vixbrown sock yarn

I would also like to stash bust the Acrylic DK yarn I have. Various skeins of yarn in the above list were bought at Yarndale in September, and I’d like to – if possible, use this before I go back this year. I am also going to the Edinburgh Yarn Festival and possibly Unravel; so there is every chance I will be buying more hand dyed loveliness (so I want to use some of the gorgeous skeins I already own)

The next step in sorting out my scatter brain to try and figure out a plan for 2018, was to try and match the Yarn I already own to the Patterns I’d like to make in 2018.

Here is how I got on…

So, I think the easiest plan, as I’ve mentioned on previous blog posts – is to make a charity blanket by stash busting my Acrylic DK. This will be an ongoing, long-term project. That’s fine with me though, and I know that there is every chance I will be taking this project into 2019.

I will use my Stylecraft, WYS, and Opal sock yarns to make Winwick mum socks, Vikki brown socks, and Rohn Strong socks; and of course I will use my Arne & Carlos yarn to make Arne & Carlos socks. When I get comfortable with making socks, I will start to use my hand dyed yarn, the River Knits ‘Shroom’, Fjord Fibres in ‘Epplekake and my Vicki Brown Yarn.

I haven’t decided on the River Knits ‘Starry Night’ or my Mothy & the Squid yarn yet, and I’m struggling to find a pattern for the gorgeous Woodlander DK. These could be for shawls…

The John Arbon was picked with the Doppio Colleseum in mind so that one’s an easy decision.

The chunky alpaca and the Laceweight yarn is going to be used for Love Charlie Designs.

So there we go… Here’s the general plan for 2018 WIPs. Over the next week or so, I want to create some kind of check-list or WIP-bingo in my bullet journal so I can visualize my progress. Sorry is this was a boring blog post! It took a while to put together, but is probably uninteresting to you all.

Love Charlie, Xx

 

2017 Reflections… Blogmas No. 10

Happy New Year! (I know I’m a little late) This is the final blog post in my series of Blogmas posts… Until next Christmas. 😉

How was your 2017?

My 2017 has brought me so many new experiences, opportunities, friends & achievements. This post is going to be a quick round up of my favourite & most treasured memories from the last 12 months.

Before I start, (in case you don’t want to read my ramblings) I just want to say a huge thank you to every single person that has encouraged and supported me on my journey to becoming  a crochet designer. If you’ve watched a YouTube Video, read a blog post or liked a photo on Instagram, whether you’ve liked one of my patterns on Ravelry, subscribed or followed; I am so extremely grateful and feel incredibly lucky to be part of such a loving and kind online community. Thank you, and I wish you all the best for 2018. I hope all your dreams come true!

Here goes…

January

January seemed to be full of baths! (I bought the Lush advent Calendar half price on Boxing day) and seemed to get itno the habit of having a luxury bath each week. I also worked on the Moorland Blanket CAL, and started to post my crochet on Instagram more than ever.

 

February

February I made lots of amigurumi Rabbits using a Tracy Coldwell design from Simply Crochet Magazine. I made one, then it seemed like everyone wanted one. I personalised them by embroidering initials onto their feet. I also managed to win a prize from Simply Crochet Magazine by using the hashtag #SCtreblemaker on a photo of a shawl I made using Elisabeth Davis De Herraiz‘s Cherry Sundae Shawl. This made me smile, as my New Year’s goal was to get a photo into the magazine. It just so happened that the photo was of a Shawl I started on New Year’s Day.

 

March

March was a busy month for me and Katie; and very stressful. We worked tirelessly everyday and to be honest it was a low point of our 2017. It made us appreciate each other though and we are stronger. If not for the tough times, the good wouldn’t feel so good. There wasn’t much time for Crochet and I became behind on my Moorland CAL.

April

April is my Birthday month and Katie had bought me surprise tickets to see Disney on Ice! It was wonderful & I would definitely go and see it again. (I really am just a toddler in an adult’s body) We moved house, and the weather started to change… Finally. I do love a bit of Sun! Apart from this, nothing else really happened; and there still wasn’t time to crochet, although I did gain a craft room, and finally started to sort through the craft materials I inherited from Gran.

May & June

Nothing much happened in May. June is always a month in which I remember my Gran, as it holds both the anniversary of her death, her Birthday and her name. This year (2017) I planted wild flower seeds all over her grave so that in the Spring and Summer it creates a small Wildflower garden for the Birds, Bees and Butterflies. In June I decided that I wanted to become a crochet designer. I had thought this for over a year but kept pushing the urge aside and letting negative thoughts swallow the idea down. I talked to Katie and I made the decision to start putting time aside to work on designs. Katie’s Uncle got married which was lovely.

July

In July I had an admission in hospital and had  a laparoscopy & appendectomy. I had been in pain for quite a while had various other health issues which turned out to be Ovarian cysts; and a complete coincidence but my Appendix was also inflamed. This discovery lead to me feeling so much better and being able to enjoy life again without pain (it was starting to affect my day to day life). I also finished the Moorland Blanket for Katie, who loves that she has her own crocheted blanket.

 

August

In August it was Katie’s Birthday and I surprised her with an overnight stay at The Titanic Hotel in Liverpool. We went out for a meal and drinks, and it was just so nice to have a ‘mini break’. We also got engaged in August! Katie finally proposed and I couldn’t be happier. We have a venue and registrar booked and now we have to plan the rest of the wedding. I also published my first blog post and first crochet pattern… the Trinity Stitch Dish Cloth. I also published my first YouTube Video and got an incredible reaction and support from the online Crochet community. Clarisabeth gave me a shout out on her YouTube channel Crochetcakes and I literally couldn’t stop smiling for days. August seemed to be a turning point for me, and my happiness. I finally made steps in the right direction to pursuing my dreams of becoming a crochet designer and very decision I made for ‘Love Charlie’ made me happier and just felt ‘right’.

September

In September, I had a WIP-Ban and worked on specific projects. This helped me to finish things that I needed to and helped trigger list-making for my crafting. I also met Fay from the Crochet Circle Podcast & I also went to Yarndale for the first time (with Fay.) I can’t explain how grateful I am and lucky to be able to say I know a person like Fay. She is incredibly kindhearted and full of knowledge. To say she has helped me would be an understatement! I also participated in Hannah’s (Thecozycottagecrochet) September Shawl-along. I also attended Woolgathering Sandbach for the first time and met lots of beautifully talented knitters, crocheters and sewers. It is so nice to have found ‘my people’.

 

October

In October I co-hosted a WIP-along with Laura from GoslingandPlumb. We called it the #AutumnWIPalong and it was fantastic. So many online crocheters & knitters (and embroiderers) joined and encouraged each other. There was so much kindness and motivation, people who had never met cheering each other on. It was so heartwarming. I also went to London and made some new crafty friends. Flic, Helen & Corrine. I am grateful once again for Fay introducing me to these lovely, very talented ladies who share the same love for craft as myself.

 

November

In November, I finished my Cocoon Cardigan that I started for the #AutumnWAL17. It is my first ever crocheted garment and it is very nice and slouchy, and perfect for snuggling under and chilling. It is a free pattern on Ravelry by Alexandra Tavel called the Movie Night Cocoon Cardigan. Click here for Pattern. I also enjoyed watching’ I’m a Celebrity’… and dying yarn for #FridayisDyeDay using icing colourants. I was absolutely amazed with the results and have since crocheted both up. One was a DK weight and the other Sock weight which I bought from Laxtons at Yarndale. I also made a couple of commissions; a crocheted shawl and two sloths.

 

December

December has been a whirlwind. I decided to do Blogmas, with the aim of uploading every other day and publishing some free patterns and tutorials. Blogmas has been challenging but great! I have pushed myself and am very happy with how productive I’ve been. Christmas was lovely! I was spoiled rotten and am very lucky to have a family that appreciate and enable my love of yarn. I’m also co-hosting the #OneSkeinWonderlandCAL with Fay of the Crochet Circle Podcast, which encourages you guys to use up that treasured (or impulse bought) single skein of yarn with the aim of showing Knitters and Crocheters what beautiful projects can be made with only 100g of yarn. This way, next time you have a special skein; you can start right away without worrying about finding the perfect pattern.

 

There we go, in a nutshell, my 2017 was like a roller-coaster. I think that August was my favourite month. (Of course because I got engaged!) Hahaa, but it also triggered a lot of ‘firsts’ for me. August changed who I am and I plucked up courage from somewhere to start this blog and my YouTube channel and really commit to my aspirations. From August on wards, Love Charlie has continued to develop and it is very exciting. I hope 2018 continues with the same momentum.

Happy New Year again if you managed to read through my boring ramblings. Thank you for reading. My next blog post is going to be all about my 2018 goals and targets…

Love Charlie, Xx

December Progress and SMART Targets… Blogmas No. 9

With only 1 more day left of December (and of 2017!) I thought I’d show you what I’ve been up to. I’m also going to share some of my Tips for making goals in the penultimate days of 2017. I know a lot of you, like myself have a lot of motivation and like to set goals and resolutions in the New Year. I’ll share some of the methods I’m going to use for setting goals and targets.

I’ll make one thing clear – December did not go to plan. The reason why? My plan was completely wrong. (Part of the reason for sharing my strategy for making better plans in the future) I had made a list of my monthly goals without taking Christmas into consideration. I’m also stupid, and decided to do Blogmas when I already had a lot on my plate. But I don’t regret it for a minute! It has pushed me to get patterns out there that I didn’t want to leave until next Winter; and it has pushed my writing abilities whilst trying to keep up with an ‘every other day’ deadline. However, I was planning to publish a third pattern for the Hobbycraft 3 for 2 offer and make some mitts – they turned out way too chunky so I haven”t published the pattern. Please let me know if you’re interested and I may re-think publishing. They are just SO chunky! I’m going to have a think over the next few weeks and see if there’s something else I could make. 🙂

My original December list looked like this…

• Finish Katie’s Harry Potter Scarf
• Finish Cosy Stripe Blanket
• Make 20 Squares for a Charity Blanket
• Edge 20 Squares for Fruit Salad TV Blanket
• Finish 2nd ball of wool on Chunky Knitted Scarf
• Make 2no. Amigurumi Cacti

Here’s where it all went wrong.

1. I wasn’t planning to make any Christmas presents; but in the end made 4.
2. I didn’t plan to do Blogmas until the Christmas season started.
3. I didn’t incorporate the time for Magazine submission work.
4. Christmas is busy! and I underestimated the time that would be spent shopping/wrapping/preparing.

December has been incredibly busy, and I didn’t realise how much I’d achieved until I consulted my bullet journal last night. I realised just how different what I achieved was to my original list of goals. I decided to make a new list for December; despite only having a few days left. I think this ordeal has been a lesson in trying to chose more realistic, achievable goals for myself to avoid feeling disappointed.

My new list looks like this…

• Finish Katie’s Harry Potter Scarf (Done)
• Make Christmas Presents (Done)
• Blogmas (Getting there)
• Publish Hat & Cowl Pattern (Done)
• Start #Oneskeinwonderlandcal (Done)
• Finish 1no. Knitted Sock (Done)
• Write up pattern & make ? for ? magazine (Nearly there)

Baggy 1st knitted sock ft holes… but I’m still proud!

See… how different is this list than the original list? It has taught me that maybe I should only start off with a couple of goals because plans can change midway through the month. I am trying to set goals that are SMART targets. I haven’t used these since High School – but I’m hoping that it will make me think through y plan more thoroughly before committing pen to paper (In a notebook I don’t want to tippex/scribble in… see how obsessive I can get?)

SMART is an acronym and stands for:-

Specific – Set specific goals that relate to more descriptive items. Instead of saying your goal is to crochet, it could be, crochet a scarf and a hat. It helps to compartmentalize tasks so you can tick them off (and ticking feels so good!)

Measurable – Goals should be measurable; and if my monthly goal isn’t to finish a WIP, then the goal should be specified in terms of a measuarble goal. For example; finish a ball of wool, repeat a whole section of colours, reach a halfway point, make a particular number of squares/hexies/circles… etc. This way, it is easier to manage time and tick off goals when they are completed. Write down your goals so that you can tick, highlight or scribble each off as you achieve… believe me – it is very satisfying.

Attainable – This is the one that I really need to consider when setting my goals. Is it attainable? There was no way I was going to finish my Cosy Stripe blanket in Decemeber. I haven’t even picked it up. Who was I trying to kid? I think I loved the idea of finishing it before the end of the year and having a little Christmas present for myself. I think this is the hardest part of setting SMART goals because you can both over and under-estimate what is attainable and also it isn’t ‘set in stone’ what you can achieve from one month to the next. I think it is important to take into consideration what other committments you may have for that period of time, and whether other distractions are likely.

Relevant – (although I like to reiterate the ‘is it Realistic? question here.) Is your goal relevant to your overall aspirations? Does your goal relate to a bigger picture? For example, my goal of knitting socks contibutes to an overall goal of ‘Improving my knitting skills’, and making charity blankets contributes to my overall goal of stash busting and crocheting for a cause.  However I’m not too sure thet relevance is 100% necessary when it comes to crafting (unless it is your job) as it is not for exams and coursework. This is a hobby, and should be something you enjoy. Goal-making isn’t for everyone (I’m just weird and like to push myself)

Time-based – They all are because they are monthly goals… so the time-goal is the end of the month. However if you are making goals for the year (like I will be for 2018) it is important to have a ‘deadline’ to keep you motivated. For example in Crochet I could say, I want to make the Doppio Colleseum Shawl before I go to the Edinburgh Yarn Festival so I can wear it.

I hope you find some use in this random blog post. My failed plan for December has made me re-think how I should be setting my goals, and what better time to share my advice than the days before New Year when everyone is making new years resolutions.

Love Charlie, Xx

Happy Holidays – Christmas Gifts… Blogmas No. 8

I hope you’ve all had a wonderful holiday. This Blogmas is going to be an ‘All about my Christmas’ blog post and I’m going to share all the yarny gifts I received… I’ll also share a few bits that I made as gifts too.

I wasn’t going to make any handmade Christmas presents this year as I found it very stressful last year. This year I wanted to spend more time designing my own patterns and working on ‘Love Charlie’ however there was no compromise for a handmade gift and I still ended up making  few.

This year, I made a scarf for Katie themed on Gryffindor house colours, a winter wreath, a sprout Christmas tree decoration and a felt needle book. Katie absolutely loved her scarf, and I really need to make a needle book for myself. It is getting hard to part with them.

 

For some of you, it’s time to go back to work – luckily I have a few more days to enjoy some time knitting and crocheting, spending time with Katie and eating ridiculous amounts of chocolate before the New Year diet kicks in.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was the ‘calm before the storm’, the house had been tidied and cleaned (I mean I finally put all the craft supplies from Christmas preparations away) presents were wrapped and I had time to start my Christmas Eve Cast Ons for the ‘OneSkeinWonderlandCAL.

 

Katie and I managed to binge watch the full 2nd season of the Crown in a day and it was so nice to be able to sit on the sofa in PJs drinking wine and actually relaxing – yes – relaxing. I thought I’d forgotten that word existed. Both of us have been very busy and stressed; so the relief of putting your feet up and turning your brain off was very well welcomed and appreciated.

 

Christmas Day

 

This year I spent Christmas with Katie’s family, swapping gifts, drinking copious amounts of alcohol and eating far far too much… all followed by singing Christmas songs merrily around the dining room table and Disney, 80s and 90s karaoke in the lounge. Dogs in Christmas jumpers, lots of yarny gifts, and my #OneSkeinWonderlandCAL WIPs to hand. What’s not to love?

 

 

 

Usually I enjoy giving gifts more than receiving them, but this year I was very excited for my presents as I had only asked for wooly bits and bobs. I was given so much more than I ever imagined and I have been extremely spoilt. I have lots to keep me busy for a long time. I am very grateful and thankful to my friends and family for their generosity and thought for me.

 

 

My next crafty venture is knitting; and knitting socks in particular. I asked for some of Arne and Carlos’ Pairfect sock yarn, Super Socks by Christine Perry, some short circular needles and DPNs. I was also given some wool wash and needle end protectors specially for circular needles. I literally have everything I could ever possibly need so there is no excuse. 2018 is the year to advance my knitting; and also have warm toes!

Katie bought me some beautiful River Knits and Fjord Fibres hand dyed yarn, some Wilton icing colourants and a double stranded sock blank ready for New Year’s #Fridayisdyeday. My Nan & Granddad bought me a yarn swift, so I wound up my #OneskeinwonderlandCAL yarn in my enthusiasm. I also received the KnittyGritty book, a Star Wars Crochet set, and my Mum bought me the Woodland CAL yarn pack ready for Attic24’s CAL in the New Year. My Mother and Father in Law also bought me another year’s subscription to my favourite Crochet Magazine, Simply Crochet.

Well, I sound like a spoilt brat now… and maybe I am.. but I’m a happy one – does that count? I hope you all got some crafty bits and bobs for Christmas – but more importantly, I hope you all got to spend valuable time with your friends and family over the Holiday period.

 

Boxing Day

On Boxing Day, Me and Katie went on a little trip to Liverpool in the afternoon. I bought this beautiful ‘project bag’ (supposed to be a cosmetics bag) from TKMax and it has a pocket on the inside perfectly sized for crochet hooks. This currently has 2 of my #OneSkeinWonderlandCAL WIPs in it so it is very roomy. We had a lovely Yo Sushi! meal and went home to do some online bargain shopping.

Overall I have had an absolutely amazing Christmas, and I have so many new projects lined up; I’m going to have to do some serious planning to stop me from having about 50 WIPs at one time. I can’t start them all now; although the ‘force is strong’ – forgive me; I’m preparing for our Cinema trip to watch the new Star Wars… Katie is very happy with my Star Wars Crochet kit) Hahaa. What did you get for Christmas?

Love Charlie, Xx

 

 

#OneSkeinWonderlandCAL Preparations… Blogmas No. 7

Are you ready for the Christmas Eve Cast on 100g Challenge?

I think I’m just about ready now… I can’t believe how quick Christmas has come around this year.

If you don’t know about the #OneSkeinWonderlandCAL head over here to read about it, or head over to Fay’s The Crochet Circle Ravelry Group to find the chatter thread. FOs will be shared on a FO thread on the Love Charlie Crochet Ravelry Group. Three winners will be selected randomly on the 1st February from the FO thread.

My first job was deciding realistically what I could achieve in January. But let’s be honest I’m not a realistic kinda gal. That’s why I’m stupid enough to pick 4 projects to cast in in January. Yes. 4! Am I crazy? (Or do I just have a WIP addiction) I’ve been working on Katie’s scarf for a couple of months now so I’m ready to start something new.

 

Yarn

First there was the job of picking what yarn I want to use. I know I’ve asked for yarn for Christmas; but I wanted to use some of the wooly bits I bought at Yarndale this year. It’s been sat in the same bag since September and I think it’s unfair to leave it there. This yarn is very special to me as it’s the first hand-dyed skeins of yarn I’ve ever bought (and had to cake up)

I have decided to use:-

1. #Fridayisdyeday Laxtons sock yarn (Bought from Yarndale, dyed in November) This colourway was inspired by sunsets and fairycake confetti.
2. Manos Del Urugauy Alegria (Lost the tag so I don’t know the name of the colourway or yarn content) But it’s colour’s are deep purples and blues.
3. EasyKnits Fidget in Peach Melba, which is a lovely grey colour with vibrant pink and orange flecks.
4. Fjord Fibres in Petal Power. This is the only skein that’s not from Yarndale. I bought this skein of Norwegian Sock Yarn recently after seeing on Fay’s Instagram how beautiful the yarn was. This colourway is a soft combination of delicate pastel shades and is so pretty!

Patterns

It has taken me a long time to finally decide on what patterns I want to use. A couple of these patterns are ones that I’ve had my eye on for a while and others are last minute choices. Here are my final picks… if you’re still struggling to pick a pattern, check out the Bundle that Ravellers have put together especially for this CAL here

Spring Fling Triangle Scarf

The first pattern that I’ll be casting on tomorrow is the Spring Fling Triangle Scarf by Heather J Anderson. For this pattern I will be using my #fridayisdyeday hand dyed sock yarn and a 5.5mm hook. I’m hoping that this will work up quickly and show off all the colours I put into the yarn when dying. It is a free pattern on Ravelry. Click here.

 

Fantail Stitch Fingerless Gloves

The second pattern is the Fantail Stitch fingerless gloves by Hooked by Robin; and is a free pattern on Ravelry. Click Here. I’ve seen this pattern on Ravelry for a while and recently I’ve been suffering with cold hands when crocheting and typing and thought some mitts may help the cause. I’m thinking I may even be able to make two pairs from this Manos Del Uruguay skein.

 

Triangle Infinity Scarf

With my EasyKnits Fidget in Peach Melba, I am going to make a triangle infinity scarf by the Friendly Nettle. Click here. Zeens & Roger inspired this make as she has made a few and wore them on her podcast. She has also written a blog post about her love for this pattern. Click here to read. I picked up this Skein at Yarndale with this pattern in mind, and I think perhaps this was the only skein I bought at Yarndale where I knew 100% what I was going to make with it. This yarn is very tactile, and soft, and I thought the flecks of colour and geometric pattern would suit it well.

 

Simple Shawl

This pattern is the only knitting pattern I have chose and I am almost certain that I won’t finish this shawl by the end of the CAL. But the CAL is a challenge at the end of the day… and knitting for me is a challenge. This is also the most last minute choice of pattern (and yarn) for the CAL. I bought the yarn recently and is is so pretty that I can’t bare to put it away in the stash – but because it’s so beautiful; it took me so long to pick a pattern. I wanted to chose a pattern that would do the yarn justice and I wanted it to be perfect. A lady at Woolgathering Sandbach made this shawl recently and I thought it may have been a good pattern then. This Thursday, I was asking people what they would make with it and she suggested this pattern to me. I’m hoping I can pull it off! The pattern is free on Ravelry and is called the Simple Shawl by Jane Hunter. Click here.

Use the hashtag #OneSkeinWonderlandCAL to share your pictures on Instagram

I know I’m not going to get all four finished by the end of January; especially the knitting one, but I want to continue to develop my knitting skills and I do like a challenge!

#OneSkeinWonderlandCAL

I can’t wait to start tomorrow. I hope you’re all as excited as I am. Two of my skeins haven’t been caked up yet as I don’t have a swift. But I have asked for one for Christmas so fingers crossed! 🙂

I hope you all have a lovely Holiday. Merry Christmas everyone. Enjoy time with your loved ones and get some good craft time 🙂

Love Charlie, Xx