The Comic Relief Crafternoon 2017

I was given this gorgeous collection of Stylecraft Batik yarn last Summer and it spent many months in my studio being stroked and admired. The colours are really lovely, sort of soft and vibrant all at the same time, and the yarn itself is super-soft and squishy (it's an 80% acrylic / 20% wool mix). The yarn inspired me to think about some ideas for simple scarves as it feels so good snuggled right next to the skin. There is absolutely none of the itch that you tend to think about with wool, but there is still a welcome amount of warmth.

As so often happens, these scarfy ideas jiggled around inside my Creative Mind for many, many months until one day the perfect opportunity sprang forth. I was asked to design a simple project to be included in the 2017 Comic Relief Crafternoon publication, following on from the little Spring Posy brooch I made for the same charity event in 2015. I already had a very good idea about what sort of scarf I wanted to make, but the hardest bit of all was trying to choose just five colours - uh-oh - what a tough job for someone like me who generally chooses All The Colours!

I was asked to think spring-like thoughts and come up with an appropriate soft and gentle colour palette. Ok then, I can do soft and springy, of course I can! So after much umming and ahhing and colour-filled sampling, I settled on the above selection : Stylecraft Batik DK in Biscuit, Pistachio, Heather, Sage and Coral.

I opted to make a very simple, and very long skinny scarf, using a really easy stitch to form those long, long stripy rows.

And to finish those skinny rows off, I made some neat tassels, which was a first ever thing for me, and a huge amount of fun. Who knew that making a tassel fringe could feel so satisfyingly good?!

Oh yummy, just look how pretty those colours are (very Springlike indeed, wouldn't you agree?), and how impossibly neat my fringes look. That was a Proud Tassel Moment for sure.

Did I mention that this skinny scarf is loooooooong? I made it six foot long (180cm) as I do like to feel like I can wrap a cosy scarf right around my neck a good few times and still have length enough to tie a jaunty knot.

Nobody told me how damn near impossible it is to actually photograph a six foot length of crochet though. I took a gazillion pictures of it draped hither and thither - folded, curled, tied, un-tied. On a table, on a hanger, on a hook, around my neck, and finally on a chair. I liked the chair picture a lot in the end.

So have you heard of the Comic Relief Crafternoon? It's a fabulous idea dreamed up by my lovely friend Emma Mitchell, and brought to life by the team at Mollie Makes. This is essentially a wonderfully creative way to raise money for a charity that does amazing things to beat poverty and help people in need in the UK and Africa. You can find out all about the Comic Relief charity and the work it does here.

This year's Crafternoon magazine is a thing of beauty and inspiration - 130 colourful pages chockablock full of creative ideas and fun makes. A whopping £5 from the sale of every magazine goes directly to the Comic Relief charity (the 2015 Crafternoon magazine raised over £60,000!!).

Shall we have a little peek at some of the pages?

Oooooooooooooo looky right there - that looks mighty familiar! I am ridiculously chuffed to see my Skinny Minnie scarf looking rather pretty and not too badly styled on that chair against my lush blue studio wall. On the next page (which I'm sorry I forgot to photograph), there is my crochet pattern, which is accompanied by a whole lot of step-by-step photos to help you along the way to skinny stripe and tassel perfection.

There are fifty (FIFTY) different creative projects included in the magazine which cover a whole host of creative disciplines. Sewing, weaving, papercrafts, embroidery, pom-poms, crochet, jewellery making etc etc, all designed by some very clever makers from around the world.

I was so happy to see this cute little crochet birdy designed by Clare of Little Conkers (remember when I made one of her robins for my Winter Wreath?). Definitely on my list of things to whip up in a spare moment or two.

Eat, Sleep, Craft, Repeat.....the story of my life!

I absolutely fell head over heels in love with these Blooming Lovely flowers made by the super talented Lia Griffith. They are made from crepe paper - yes, paper!!! Oh, aren't they just rather lush?

Emma's tag line for this incredible Crafternoon endeavour is "Make your Craft Matter", which I think hits the spot rather nicely. Because as well as knowing that a whole £5 from the sale of each magazine is going to charity, there is a way we can help raise even more. Emma encourages us to think about making some beautiful little things which can be sold to friends, acquaintances and work collegues to make more crafty cash for Comic Relief. You can go the whole hog and organise a crafty coffee morning or hand made fair, or you could simply grab some yarn and make a little flower brooch, a soft skinny scarf or a pretty little birdy and ask someone lovely to buy it from you to help those in need.

Remember, every little helps, it really, really does.

Just £2.50 can buy an insecticide-treated mosquito net to protect a child in Africa from contracting deadly malaria while they sleep.

You can donate your handmade money easily and safely via the Crafternoon sponsorship page (using a credit card or Paypal) - the goal is to raise a creatively inspired £2000, so please spread the word and join in if you can.

Here is the link you need to donate your money directly >>

https://my.rednoseday.com/sponsor/MollieMakesCrafternoon

I've loved seeing all the gorgeous creative makes pop up on social media since the Crafternoon magazine went on sale last month. If you are on Instagram, you can use the hashtag #molliecrafternoon to share your projects and find inspiration. The (Mini) Skinny Minnie scarves shown above were made by a lovely lady called Kay for her great nephew and niece....cute eh?

So it goes without saying that I would love it if you felt inspired to go forth and snag yourself a copy of this fab magazine. Every copy sold will help do something wonderful for those in need.

In the UK, you can find copies of The Big Comic Relief Crafternoon in the larger branches of Sainsbury's supermarkets. There is a handy list for you to check which Sainsbury's stores are participating here >> http://bitly.com/crafternoonstock.

£5 from each and every magazine goes directly to Comic Relief.

Alternatively, if you are overseas you can acquire and download yourself a digital version via these places :

Apple: http://apple.co/2lXAez6
Amazon: http://bit.ly/MollieCrafternoon
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.im.crafternoon2017
Zinio: http://bit.ly/crafternoonZinio

£4 from each and every download goes directly to Comic Relief.

And finally - here is a rather second rate selfie of yours truly to show you my Skinny Minnie scarf in action. I wish you could feel how light and soft it feels.

You can share your crafty news and makes via the Crafternoon Facebook page, the community over there is fab and there are already lots of plans afoot for Crafternoons (and mornings and whole days!) all over the country.

Comic Relief this year is on FRIDAY 24th MARCH.

Here is the link again if you would like to donate directly to Emma's fund raising page >

https://my.rednoseday.com/sponsor/MollieMakesCrafternoon

Thank you so much for any support and sharing you can give to this, it is very, very much appreciated,

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Comments

[Connie Fryrear]

Are there complete instructions for the ripple 2 blanket which you discussed in September of 2011. I love the pattern and colors. I have the color list.
It would be nice to have the order of colors and the number of rows for each as they occur in the blanket. Thanks so much!

[Arlline Nash]

Oh dear. Lucy, I'm sorry to be a bother here...I regret saying anything about the paper flowers. Is there any way to delete that comment. Lia IS supremely talented and she should gets the credits, all of them. Not me.

[Arline Nash]

Quietly commenting. Late, but happily so. I've been following you , your happy hooking and your delicious colorways for ages. You bring me heart joy with each post. Today, finding this post, late, was so perfect I can only believe it to be providential. I needed to see this post today. That magazine! I don't have a copy, though I'd love to! I saw it and took a quick gander at it at work, right after it arrived. I LOVE Molly Makes!!! The thing that delighted my heart today is that... my work was with Lia Griffith! Lia is my sister and I spent the last year plus working with her. And...(shyly) I made/invented those crepe paper flowers! I retired this last month and am feeling a bit droopy...grief mixed with exhaustion, perhaps...this post was a blessed infusion into my tired soul. THANK YOU!!! Thank you for this and for being exactly you.

[Carol Derbis]

Hi, Friend!
I know you don't know me - and no doubt never will - but when I read your blog, I feel as if I'm visiting with a friend - and can almost taste that cuppa tea (or coffee for me, please!).
I'm wondering if you can help me out. I was just looking through my Ravelry Queue and hoping to see the Mandala for Yarndale -2014 that was in my favorites - and only Number 2 in my queue. But now it says "no longer available!" I'm devastated! I just love that Mandala and think it would look just lovely on my living room wall....except now I can't get this pattern? Is it available anywhere? - PLEASE!????
Love your patterns...and hubby and I just love your "blooming cushion" - which was such a joy to hook! But now I need that Mandala for Yarndale - and can't get it?
Please tell me that it is available somewhere. Once again your keen sense of color combinations in that Mandala are just so awesome and the stitch-work impeccable!
Thank you, Lucy, for all of the inspiration and joy that your bring into the lives of so many of us!

[Claudia Garcia]

You are an absolutely beautiful lady outside and in!!!

[Michele De La Cruz]

Hi Lucy, first off I love your blog and appreciate you and sharing your gift with the world. I would love to order the comic relief magazine except I live overseas and the tablet I am using I cannot download on, it's my daughter's and she uses it for her studies, is it possible to order the magazine from the store itself? Is there one I could contact you could recommend that may ship over seas? I'm on ravelry also. Thank you again for sharing and inspiring.

[AnnieOB]

Your scarf is super and I love the Springy colours. There are so many great projects in the Crafternoon magazine it is difficult to decide which to do first.

[Sophie]

Gorgeous scarf, I shall have to get the crafternoon magazine and have a look at these lovely ideas!

[Charlotte.]

Such a good cause, hope that it does very well.

[Karen Greenfield]

You are cuter than a bug's ear! That teeny photo on your blog (which I've read since before Little B was born) doesn't do you justice! The scarf is also good but you outshine it for sure. It's been many years since I was in the North of England and I love seeing your photos and hearing about your children and life. Hope you won't get tired of blogging. Very truly yours, Karen

[Angela-Southern USA]

A fantastic scarf for a fantastic cause! Well done Lucy! Have a great weekend.
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[Leah Lynch]

Lucy you and your scarf are looking lovely!

[CJ]

Lovely scarf Lucy, it really is. And for a great cause, no doubt the magazine will do brilliantly. CJ xx

[Joan]

Peggy ?? What four letter words ??

[Teresa Kasner]

I love your skinny minnie scarf and you look adorable modeling it.. seeing it on you is the only way to get a good idea of how it really looks! How cool to be included in such a special project! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

[Rachel]

I ordered a copy of Craftanoon a few of weeks ago and as soon as it arrived I immediately went stash diving - a week and half later I had 3 scarves in 3 colour ways!! Your pattern is addictive and very versatile.

[Annie C]

Yeayyyyyy! I was hoping to find a way to get this publication in the U.S. Going to download from iTunes to my iPad forthwith!

[Peggy]

Love the scarf. Just a personal note......please don't start using four-letter words in your posts. U seem like a gentle soul ......so keep your writing gentle please. The world is so filled w hard stuff...... keep your blog a place to gently land after a hard day. Thank you.

[Carol]

Love the scarf and I hope I can get a copy f the magazine.

[PixieMum]

As soon as I heard about this your contribution to the Crafternoon publication I dispatched DH to buy a copy. Loved the scarf, also the other crafts look interesting as well.

Thank you for your time and energy to do this, do hope you are feeling better.

[bekki]

Your skinny minnie scarf looks great. I love the colours. I didn't know about this magazine so thanks for sharing.

[Arlene]

I love the idea of a long skinny scarf and it looks terrific on you and especially with your lovely corduroy coat. Job well done! I will be ordering some of this yarn very soon.

[Rita]

You are beautiful! And I love the scarf! Happy spring scarf!

[Kimmy]

Lucy, your new scarf looks fabulous on you - especially with your coat. When I saw the Stylecraft Boutique yarn for the first time last year, it was love at first sight. I ordered a bunch of colors from Deramores.com and Loveknitting.com. Here's what I made so far using one of the colors you used in your scarf:

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/kimmyz/thistle

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/kimmyz/thistle-2

Then I went on to complete a cardigan using another Stylecraft yarn which unfortunately, has been discontinued:

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/kimmyz/rosie

I don't know why they would discontinue the "Breeze" yarn because it came in the most gorgeous heathered colors and holds it's shape perfectly. So easy to knit with too. Perhaps Stylecraft is planning another line of heathered or tonal cotton blend yarn to take its place. I hope so because the solid colors don't do much for me - at least by themselves. Combining them as you do, does redeem the solid colors in a GREAT way, though. Love everything you create! Hugs from Kimmy

[Winwick Mum]

You would think that by the time you want to choose spring-like colours for your wardrobe then you wouldn't need a scarf, but this year you absolutely do! Those colours and that scarf are perfect for bridging the gap between needing to bury every exposed part of yourself in layers and being able to enjoy the sunshine - with your coat on, of course! :-) xx