I bought this magazine last week, it's a special one-off summer edition by the same people who produce Simply Knitting magazine. Truthfully I very rarely buy crochet magazines as they don't often contain anything much that appeals to me. I find the style and content of them is often quite a long way off the mark for me, they simply don't excite me or rock my hooky boat.
Having said that, this one is actually pretty good. There is a good range of projects, plus lots and lots of interesting recommendations for inspiring blogs, shops, books, products and people. The pages are pretty chocka full of stuff, there is lots to take in.
There is lots of Granny Square Love in the pages which is certainly right up my street.
I quite like this scarf, although I would replace the back joining colour with a beautiful deep navy blue I think.
On the back page, there is a bit of a colour explosion. Oh, that must be me then.
Yes that's definitely me! I'm sorry my photographs today are pretty awful, the light here has been dire as we've had heavy rain All Day. But I'm going to give you a link to open up a PDF of this page, I hope it works out as my brain is fairly weary and I'm not quite sure I'm up to doing anything technical......did you click the link? Did it work? Do please let me know? Ta.
When I agreed to answer some questions for this feature, I ended up writing a surprising amount of blurb. Only a smidge was included here on the printed page so I thought you might possibly like to read the long winded version? I'm going to have a rootle through my photo archives and share some colourful crochet Ta-dah's with you too.
Enjoy.....................................
When did you start crocheting?
Summer 2007. It was the same time that I discovered the world of creative blogging and fell head over heels in love with granny square blankets.
Who taught you to crochet? What do you remember about learning to crochet?
My friend Sarah taught me, we were sat having an afternoon cuppa at a mutal friends house (we all had small children the same age, were part of the same post-natal group), and that’s how it all started. Sarah had recently taken it up and convinced me to give it a go. She gave me a ball of yarn and a hook and got me started with the very basics, ie how to hold the hook and yarn, how to make a chain, and how to produce a wobbly line of double crochet. I then bought a small book (“Learn to Crochet” by Sally Harding) and worked my way through all the basic stitches that very same day. I knew I wanted to make granny squares more than anything else, so I searched the internet to find a pattern and sat for hours practicing until I could do it. I was so excited! Within a few days I had bought a big stack of brightly coloured cotton yarns and began my crocheting adventure. It changed the whole direction of my life.
What is your advice to crocheters who are just beginning?
My very best advice is to try and find someone to get you started. The way that you hold the hook, manipulate the yarn and control the tension is the hardest part of learning, and it’s made so much easier if you can get shown this by a real person instead of a book page.
The other thing I wish someone had told me in the beginning was that there is a difference between UK and US stitch terminology. Always make sure you know which language the pattern/book is written in before you begin trying to decipher it, other wise you will end up pulling your hair out with frustration when it all goes wrong. I learnt that one the hard way.
Who is your crochet hero?
My crochet heroes are all the thousands of folk the world over who take time to share their creations on the internet. Through Ravelry, Flickr, Pinterest and Blogs, there is such a generous spirit of sharing and such tremendous inspiration to be found. I am full of gratitude for the online creative community, and so glad to be a part of it.
Where is your favourite place to crochet?
Wherever my heart is happy. In bed is always a pleasure. Or maybe sat in a warm, sunny corner of my home, or perhaps beside the fire in winter. But I think my favourite place of all is on a beach....I always think when I crochet at the seaside that the sound of the sea will weave it’s way into the stitches, trapping the essence of holiday feel-good into whatever I’m making.
How would you describe your style?
Playful, fun and colourful with a smidge of quirkiness.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
I absorb visual inspiration from everywhere, from books, magazines, artwork, stationary, ceramics, flowers, fabrics, interiors. Anything with an element of colour and pattern has the ability to inspire.
What is your greatest crochet triumph?
Coming up with my first design and writing a pattern for it (it was the yarn bag, still very popular the world over)
What is your most spectacular crochet disaster?
Choosing to edge a whole pile of large blocks for a double bed spread in white, then deciding 2/3 of the way through that the white was killing the other colours and had to go. It was the most unravelling I’ve ever done.
What is your favourite crochet snack?
Homemade cake with a frothy milky coffee.
What music do you like to listen to when you crochet?
Nah, no music! I prefer absolute quiet, or the gentle sound of birdsong or the sound of the sea. I like to be able to hear my own inner voice when I crochet, I do a lot of creative thinking when I’m hooking, and music/tv gets in the way.
Are you a member of a crochet group?
Yes, I think sociable crochet is one of the things that makes it so appealing. I go to a weekly “knit and natter” at a local cafe. I also started up my own little group which meets on a Monday night in the local pub. There are 8 of us, all good friends, it’s a very special and creative group and I love it. We laugh a lot, and yes some crochet gets done, but it’s become much more about the sharing of our lives in general, with the crochet providing the link that pulls us all together.
Do you have any unfulfilled crochet aspirations?
Oh cripes, yes of course, far too many to mention. I am chockablock full to bursting with ideas for new projects, they spill over in my mind at an alarming rate. I would also love to write a book one day.
What do you crochet when you’re on holiday?
It’s usually whatever project I’m working on at the time.
What is your top crochet tip?
Always make sure you are in love with whatever colours and yarn you choose for a project so that the whole making process is a complete pleasure.
Where do you keep your stash?
My current project sits in my basket ready to be picked up whenever there is a spare moment in the day. The rest of my stash is sorted into clear plastic tubs and stored in the Attic eaves.
Has crocheting ever caused you to neglect your duties?
Of course! Most days I choose to crochet when I should really be doing something else. Occasionally I also forget to feed the children, but they are now quite good at nagging me when they are hungry.
Who is your favourite crochet companion?
I really prefer my own company when I’m “in the zone” with a crochet project. But my Monday night pub gang are great crochet buddies.
What are you working on at the moment?
Currently near to the end of a single bed sized ripple blanket using Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino. I also have a couple of small decorative projects on the go :: a circular cushion and some small roses for a summer wreath idea. I’m also in early stages of sampling some crochet using embroidery thread, kind of a cross between a scarf and a necklace made up of delicate leaves and flowers.
Describe your family life growing up.
The first part of my childhood was spent in London, we lived in a small rented terraced house on a busy urban street, opposite a famous football ground. I remember lots of noise and traffic and being scared of the busy main roads all around. Playtime was confined to the garden. The second part of my childhood was spent on the south coast of Dorset which has given me a love of the countryside and the coast. We had much more freedom, and playtime extended out into the fields and woods near our house (a rented semi on a new housing estate).
My parents are both creative, there was always lots of making, drawing and creative play. We had no television, there was very little money, I would say that out of necessity we lived very simply. Frugal even.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Oddly I always wanted to be a Librarian, I adored my weekly visits to the library as a child and for a long time was obsessed with the whole way in which libraries functioned. This was in the age before computers, when library book information was recorded on little tickets and catalogued in huge drawers in alphabetical order. To this day I still adore old cabinets with lots of drawers, it would be my dream to own one.
Describe your family life now.
Happy! I am married with three children and I absolutely love my role as Stay At Home Mum. We live in a Victorian terrace house in a warm, friendly neighbourhood within walking distance of a beautiful old market town. I love being able to walk everywhere and don’t own a car now. I would say we live quite simply, we holiday in our old caravan, or at my parents down in Dorset, but mostly we are happy to stay close to home as we have the glorious Yorkshire Dales on our doorstep.
Describe your home today.
It’s relaxed, warm and cosy, a tad scruffy but in a comfy way. Still a work in progress, we are slowly decorating and making some changes as time and money allows.
Which is the best home you’ve ever lived in?
Without a doubt it’s this one, number 24. This is the first time I’ve felt truly “home”
Where would you like to live, apart from where you live now?
Beside the sea! If I could transport this house and town to the coast I would.
What would you change about yourself, if you could?
I would be less forgetful and disorganised, I often feel so ditsy and out of touch with reality!
Besides crochet, what are you really good at?
I would hope I am a good Mummy and a good homemaker, two things that I am passionate about.
What are you terrible at?
Remembering names, dates and facts, my memory is atrocious.
Besides crochet, what do you do to relax?
I bake. It’s my fail safe stress buster.
What are some of your favourite things?
Fresh flowers in the house, blankets, clear starry nights, the sound of the sea, caravans, wooden childrens toys, carrot cake, stripy socks, little houses.
Do you have any favourite colours and colour combinations?
I like bright, pure colours, not necessarily rainbow colours, but colours without white or grey added. Undiluted, saturated tones. Happy colours.
What are your favourite decorative styles?
My favourite decorative style is homespun/handmade. Lots of textiles, colours, artwork, pretty objects and painted furniture against plain walls. Relaxed, colourful and fun.
What is your most irresistible temptation?
Danish pastries, ooooohhhhh how I adore them.
Do you have a motto you live by?
To Love Life. It’s such a gift and we only get to live it once.
Tell us a secret (it doesn’t have to be about crochet)!
I can’t swim. I love the sea, but I really don’t like being in water.
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Edit to add :: thank you SO MUCH for all your wonderful, heart warming comments on this post, it has absolutely made my weekend to read them all. Thank♥you.
I just wanted to add that the super-talented Sarah London has written about her own inclusion in the magazine along with some delicious photos. She also mentioned that the mag will be distributed in the UK, USA and Australia, and that a digital copy will be available via Apple Newsstand (enter Simply Crochet in the search bar). Thanks to Sarah for this info, she is obviously very much more in-the-know than I am!
Second edit :: 3rd July :: Simply Crochet magazine is available to buy mail order with world wide shipping, yaaaayyyy!!! GO HERE to buy youself a pretty copy!
♥
Congrats, I love love love your site. You have helped me so much. Your colors are fantastic.
Posted by: Phyllis | March 15, 2014 at 02:55 AM
Loved reading all about you Lucy, I was disappointed to see NZ was left out of the list but I am sure it will come here, I collected my Issue 14 this week from my Village Bookshop, loved reading your page, and hope to see the one off mag. soon. So pleased for you, you deserve the lovely things happening and do hope you write a book one day! Thanks you I now have a lovely new hobby, Caro NZ.
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Posted by: super real | November 26, 2013 at 01:07 PM
Good for you!!! I am sending a friend in the UK out to buy this one for me! Which store in the Windsor area would sell it do you think? I live in Canada so I am not familiar whether its a Waterstones or the local shops.
Thanks! Heather
Posted by: Heather Roberts | September 25, 2013 at 06:51 PM
Just came across this post and it's lovely to see so many of your crochet projects. Do you have a pattern/tutorial for your hand warmers?
http://thisdaytodaylife.blogspot.co.uk/
Posted by: Gemma | May 29, 2013 at 06:10 PM
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Posted by: Deals | February 01, 2013 at 10:40 AM
I love the flower motif shawl. Would it be possible to get a copy of the pattern?
Posted by: Edna W. | October 29, 2012 at 02:36 AM
Hi, my friend just taught me how to crotchet and told me about your blog - you are amazing, can't wait to make all the cool things you made - thank you for the inspiration. X
Posted by: kKat | October 22, 2012 at 06:14 AM
Lucy, hey from Russia) you are my hero since I've found your blog!
Exciting post!
I've even forgotten about my duties=)
Posted by: NatuZZi | September 12, 2012 at 11:13 AM
I LIKE YOUR LIFE SO COLORFULL.
GOOD COLOR!
I'VE BEEN INSPIRED!!
KISSES ANTONELLA
Posted by: ANTONELLA | September 03, 2012 at 11:33 AM
Wow!! Congratulations! I've only just met you on your attic blog. I am a virgin hooker (sounds dodgy but not sure if that's what you call someone new to crochet????) and my friend gave me the link to attic24! I'm so impressed by your work, creativity and passion! Your interview read beautifully and has filled me with much enthusiasm!! Well done! Angie74 x x
Posted by: Angela Sykes | August 05, 2012 at 10:24 AM
Great! I loved to read it!
Posted by: Lique | August 02, 2012 at 12:25 AM
What a wonderful interview! It only would have better if we could have heard your real voice answering the questions. Being from the US, my daughter and I enjoyed some of your unfamiliar to us but delightful expressions. Please work on writing that book. My 13 year old is already begging for a copy!
Posted by: Charlotte | July 22, 2012 at 02:42 AM
I am so bummed- I was a slacker and just now went to order the magazine and it looks like I can't now =( I kept forgetting to calculate the cost (I am in the US) and finally did, went to order on the link and its gone. I even tried looking on ebay. I never saw it for sale here in the US. =( I'm glad I have your awesome hooky blog to satisfy my need for grannies lol.
Posted by: Angie | July 18, 2012 at 02:13 PM
Crochet magazines are valuable because they keep me up-to-date about new products, yarns and techniques. They display new ways to use older patterns. This week I was lucky enough to find three current crochet magazines for fifty cents each at the public library book store. Thrifty. Hope that you get to write a crochet book and I'm happy that you are getting involved with tours and magazine articles. Your blog about the colorful and innovative ways to crochet are very much appreciated by me.
Posted by: Julie2 | July 13, 2012 at 03:02 PM
I bought this in Gatwick airport as we were about to fly off to Jamaica. Really good read.
Posted by: [email protected] | July 13, 2012 at 02:26 PM
You have a wonderful feast for the eyes here. Not only the beautiful pictures on other days' postings, but your crocheted pieces and items are fantastic! I wondered, though, what the graduated 'stack' of crochet was in one of the pics from 23 June (the magazine article). Is it one item or many nested together?
I have bookmarked your blog. It is the only one I have so marked. I just love feasting my eyes on the colours and creativity. :-)
Posted by: Wendybyrd | July 11, 2012 at 11:23 PM
It's very nice crochet...
Posted by: Jen | July 11, 2012 at 01:43 PM
I'm just now catching up on my favorite blogs after surgery. CONGRATULATIONS! I'm so very excited for you. I must admit, I check your blog daily. I really do enjoy the little glimpse of your colorful world and the wonderful hooky creations you make. I do hope there will be a book in the future. You can be certain, I'll pre-order it and share it will all of my friends here across the pond!
Happy Hooking!
Beth
Posted by: Beth | July 10, 2012 at 04:57 PM
I went out as soon as I read your post and bought the magazine. So deserving you are to be in it. I adore your blog, have been inspired to more and more color connecting in my crochet.
Posted by: SewLindaAnn | July 10, 2012 at 01:00 PM
congratulations Lucy !!very much inspiring.
you really deserves this recognition.Very well done.we really love all your work and even do the same.
Posted by: mau | July 07, 2012 at 09:45 AM
What an honor to be in the magazine and how kind of you to share it all with us! Happy Crocheting!!
Posted by: Rani | July 06, 2012 at 04:20 PM
Well done Lucy. I've been following your blog for a couple of years now and always find something to inspire me. I saw the flower scarf picture on this entry and would be really grateful if you could direct me to the pattern for it? Many thanks and happy hooking. Kate x
Posted by: Catherine | July 06, 2012 at 10:20 AM
I looooove your blog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Danibriani from Nova Prata - Brazil
Posted by: DaniBriani | July 06, 2012 at 02:27 AM
Aa always you are an absolute inspiration and make me want to go running for my hook ; )
I would definitely buy any hooky book you publish. Go for it!
I have just taught my little girl how to knit, left-handed too! I swear my heart is fit to burst just watching her!
Posted by: CrochetyKat | July 04, 2012 at 10:21 AM