Tuesday 5 May 2015

Lily Pond CAL - Block Three

You can download the third set of patterns for the Lily Pond CAL from the Stylecraft web site today by following this link.

The patterns this time are for a small flower within a block which I have called Lily Bud. The flower is supposed to represent a brand new lily flower which is just beginning to bloom on the surface of the pond water, with the green of the leaves sitting behind it. This block is made in a very similar way to the Tiny Lily which was the focus of the last set of patterns, so you may want to follow this link to a place further down on the blog where I talked about the techniques used within the block.

Things have been really busy for me over the last fortnight with lots going on here at Janie Crow. We have had a delivery of beautiful Hamanaka Crochet Hooks direct from Japan. You can read my blog about them and a tutorial for how to make lovely crochet bullion stitches by following this link.

Below I have posted the step by step images for the Lily Bud so that you can see them larger than in the pattern should you wish to. Instead of putting all the images on the blog I have picked those where you may need to see a technique in close up, such as changing yarn shade or working into a stitch on a previous row:


Adding the new shade on Round 3


Where to put your hook at the back of the work to make a frame work for the next round


The work after Round 8 - sewing your yarn ends in as you go along keeps things nice and neat!




Working a treble crochet (US double crochet) into a stitch 2 rounds down


Completed Block

You need to make a total of 4 of these motifs and so far you have been given the patterns for there following pieces:


Block One - Make 4


Block Two - Make 4


Block Three - Make 4

If you have seen this month's copy of Inside Crochet Magazine you will probably know that they have a preview of a later block which is a larger Lily motif. This will be available to everyone in a couple of months so don't worry if you've missed it. 


I hope you enjoy working through the patterns this time, a new pattern will be launched in a fortnight's time for Block Four which features one of my favourite stitches called 'Pin Wheel'. This is a relatively easy stitch that can look so effective, especially when you play around with colour combinations. 


Pin Wheel stitch has been used in the exclusive bag project I designed to accompany the kits we sold via our web site and I have used it in projects from my book 'Kaleidoscope' which Debbie Abrahams and myself published a few years ago. Below you can see an image of my iPad cover which uses a beaded pinwheel stitch.




Kaleidoscope features 24 knit & crochet projects for the home and is available from our web site. 




So that is it for another fortnight, in terms of my CAL blogs anyway! I try to blog a couple of times a week as things crop up, so do try to keep an eye on the blog and on my Facebook page if you have a bit of spare time over the next few weeks. I am off to Wadenhoe at the weekend to tutor a workshop with Debbie and the following week I am heading to Black Sheep for an afternoon tea event. There are currently just 4 places left so you need to be quick if you want to come. You can find more info here.

I will also be tutoring a workshop at the Stylecraft Mill at the end of next week (on Friday 15th May). Participants at the workshop will be provided with the pattern, yarn and bag handles to make the Lily Pond Bag project (pictured below). 


Despite lots of chat about it and a previous indication from me that this pattern will be released for sale in the future, I have now decided that this pattern will not be available as a download for sale in the future. The bag pattern will only be given to participants at a CAL workshop or it may be available in relation to special offers every now and again. 
This being the case, the Stylecraft workshop is one of your few chances to work through this project and the added bonus is that you get to do it in the surroundings of the Stylecraft Mill in Yorkshire. You can find more info about the workshop and book palace by calling Emma on the following number 01484 848430

Happy Crocheting!
Janie x