Stylecraft Blogstars Garden Party

Ever since Stylecraft first introduced their new range of organic cotton yarn it has been a firm favourite of mine. If you've not had the opportunity to give it a squish yet or try it out on your own hook or needles, then you have to trust me when I tell you it is absolutely beautiful to work with.

And don't get me started on the colours.....I mean, just look at the above photo, aren't they the most delicious shades? There are 38 colours in total (which includes black and white) and I think they are the perfect mix of cheery brights, pretty neutrals and soft pastels. This cotton has become my go-to yarn when I want to whip up something decorative.

So today is all about a project I've been working on with some of my talented fellow Stylecraft Blogstars, a collaboration of sorts to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and summer in general. We named it the Blogstars Garden Party, and will be bringing you a "feast of festival patterns" inspired by outdoor living, warm summer days and tea parties in the garden. Starting from today and then every other day, there will be new patterns released by the Blogstars which include bunting, placemats, tea cosies, table runners, mandalas and cupcakes....oh, you really are in for a treat!

Lucky me, I get to be the first in line, so may I officially welcome you to the Garden Party, I'm sure you're going to have a lovely time. 

As the patterns are revealed during the next few weeks, you'll notice that each designer has used their own unique palette of colours (and yarns) but they all fit beautifully together as a collection. Our brief was very wide (my favourite kind!) and the only specifications were that we use a pretty pastel colour palette and come up with something decorative that would fit a garden party theme.

I chose six shades of Stylecraft Yarns Naturals Organic Cotton DK :

Bone, Peppermint, Artichoke, Citron, Coral, Papaya

I adore these colours together, they evoke summertime and warmth and are perfect for the project I had dreamed up inside my Creative Mind.

So would you like to see what I came up with?

TINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Of course I did. I don't know where the idea came from but it flew into my head one morning and would not be shifted no matter how hard I tried. So tins it had to be.

It's a simple concept - I figured I could crochet some pretty pastel jackets to fit around everyday food tins that would normally find their way into the recycle bin. I had the idea that the prettified tins could be used on the garden party table to display  flowers, or to hold napkins and cutlery, or even as a container for some fresh herbs (I was thinking mint would be nice, you know, for your Mojito or Pimms)

I set to work straight away, working on the first design that had come to life inside my mind. I actually had more than one idea fighting for my attention, so I ended up making three different designs using the same set of six colours.

Would you like to see them?

↑↑

There you go!

Aren't the colours pretty?

Yes, the lacey edged one is especially lovely I think.

Haha - I am teasing you really, because the above photo is the backside of my creations.

Shall we turn them over so you can see the front?

OK....

Here they come.....

.....Ta-dah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

These are my Summertime Tins - they are very Attic24-ish I think, and I couldn't love them more. 

I know they look a bit weird in their flattened out state, so I took some more photos to show you them hugging their tins.

Do you remember me showing you these gorgeous flowers back in March? I bought them especially to take photographs of my tins and chose the colours to match the crochet.

Ahhhhhhhh, don't they look fab? I'm so pleased with how they turned out.

Lets take a closer look at each one...

↑↑ This one is named FLORA, because the large flower in the centre is a design that I've used a few times before, and it's called Flora's Flower.

I added some leaves and a couple of smaller flowers to make a summer posy, and with the soft blue and cream striped background I think it works well.

↑↑ This one is called the LACE TRIM tin, for obvious reasons. It's actually a neat design - the lacey trim is worked from the wrong side, then folded over at the top so that the right side comes to the front.....

....isn't it pretty? I've actually got this tin on my shelf at the moment with crochet hooks and pens in, it makes such a cute little storage solution.

↑↑ I've saved my favourite tin till last, please say hello to the ✿ FLOWER LADY ✿

She was the first thing that came to mind when I thought about designing tin covers and I absolutely adore her.

I made her a little frill to go around her stripy top, and decorated her with two little flowers. Originally I was going to stitch flowers all the way around like a crown, but in my head I always saw this tin with real flowers in it. So I simply decided to let the real flowers do most of the decorative work.....

.....Ta-dah!!!!

This was so much fun to design and make, and I hope you love her as much as I do.

As always, I've opted to keep my patterns freely available for you all. I've created a very lengthy full photo-heavy tutorial to help encourage beginners, and there is also a 7-page PDF pattern which you can download/print if you wish. Both are FREE and will stay here on my blog for you to access whenever you like. I've named the pattern Summertime Tins, so if you're looking for it in my alphabetical list in the left hand sidebar ← then it starts with S.

✿ SUMMERTIME TIN TUTORIAL ✿

✿ DOWNLOAD PDF PATTERN ✿

Photo Credit : Stylecraft Yarns

Now the good folks at Stylecraft Yarns did something very special for us Blogstars (and for you too) and arranged a professional photoshoot to showcase the Garden Party projects. I'll be honest, I had no idea what to expect and thought it might just be a table with all of our crochet and knitted things arranged together.

When we were sent the above moodboard a few weeks ago I couldn't believe my eyes - WOW - just wow.

The photos are incredibly atmospheric and very beautifully styled, bringing the whole feeling of a summer garden party to life.

Photo Credit : Stylecraft Yarns

I literally squealed out loud when I noticed the gorgeous model holding one of my tins!!!

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!!!!!! I was so, so excited, it made me feel like I was a Professional Designer and I can tell you that I very rarely feel that way. 

Photo Credit : Stylecraft Yarns

So to say I was thrilled with how the photos came out is a massive understatement, I think they look crazy-beautiful and do a great job in bringing together all the different designs that the Blogstars worked so hard on.

I know this has turned into a long-winded post, so I hope you're still with me at this point because I've got a few more things to tell you.

Firstly, Stylecraft is holding a little giveaway competition where each day of the blog tour, there will be a chance for one lucky winner (and a friend) to win the yarn to make the featured pattern of the day. In my case today, the yarn bundle will be the six balls of Organic Cotton for you to make my Summertime Tins - you need to hop over to the Stylecraft page on Facebook to enter >>

https://www.facebook.com/stylecraftyarn

Photo Credit : Stylecraft Yarns

Secondly, if you feel inspired to make any of the Garden Party projects featured in the coming days and wish to share on social media (please, please do show us what you're making!) then please could you tag your photos with the following hashtag >>

#stylecraftgardenparty

This will allow us to find your work and share it with others. Thank you so much.

Now it's time for me to tell you about who is coming next in the Garden Party tour - say HeLLo to the lovely Julia who is the talented designer and author behind "Hand Knitted Things". 

You can find her blog here >> https://handknittedthings.blogspot.com/  and she is @handknittedthings on Instagram. Julia will be sharing her project with you in two days time, on Thursday 12th May.

↑↑ Here is a little taster for you - she's chosen the most perfect palette of Stylecraft Special DK for her knitting design, I'm sure you're going to love it.

Ah, all this excitement has sent me into a giddy spin, and I think I'm going to need a little lie down now. I really hope you've enjoyed seeing what's been on my hook and in my mind of late, and I'd be thrilled if you felt like making your own tins to pop pretty things in. Here are the links again for you >>

✿ SUMMERTIME TIN TUTORIAL ✿

✿ DOWNLOAD PDF PATTERN ✿

Thank you as always for your most excellent company, and don't forget to visit with Julia on Thursday,

Lots of love, and happy Summertime hooking!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

 

Comments

[J Crafter]

Thank you so much for a delightful pattern, Lucy. You are a talented and inspiring designer. Please do not think otherwise. This particular pattern has given me several ideas to make small gifts of jars of preserves much more exciting. I appreciate your detailed photo tutorials. I love reading your blog! Thank you. Jx

[Donna]

You are a wonderful designer and don't ever think you aren't. My home is full of inspiration from your patterns. I am planning to use these to make a cutlery, napkin, and flower holders to put on a tray and give to my daughter-in-law for her patio. I wish I could enter the drawing but I don't do Facebook.

[Charlotte]

Think Summer Fun !

[Susan]

Wow, love them & they put my papered tins to shame. Will download later & give them a try soon. Take care & hugs.

[Linda from Boston]

How adorable. I went to Wool Warehouse’s site but a couple of colors are out of stock. Have to wait a bit. Also, I didn’t see Citron. They call it Citronelle. Same thing?? Thanks for all of your ideas. Now I have to get some canned goods!!

[Linne]

Thank you so much, Lucy! I love these and have entered the draw. I plan to make some of these regardless of winning or not. By pure luck I happen to have a large number of tins that I've been saving up for 'something' and now I know what that will be . . .
(and please be nice to our friend and let her know that she IS a professional designer!! ) ~ Linne

[Mary]

Lovely idea Lucy, but mostly a massive thank you for sharing your patterns free of charge. So many bloggers these days expect you to become a patron before you can access their patterns. The amount of work you put in with instructions is phenomenal, really I can’t thank you enough.x

[Debbi Robertson]

Your posts can NEVER be "long-winded", they are bright, beautiful moments that augment our days with such deliciousness (and I'd venture to bet that even who say they prefer the shorter ones love them just as much!). It is always such a treat to find a new photo on your front page when I serendipitously check-in, because that means a new post from you in the Attic. Such a treat!

[Angela]

Oh the tin cosies are so pretty! Love love love them! I’m also excited to have a go at the organic cotton yarn!! Thank you for the patterns!

[Lenore]

Gorgeous Lucy. I use a large tin with a piece of string tied around it to hold knives and forks when we have a barbie. I can now knit it a coat. 😁😁❤️🌺

[CJ]

Lovely, I am SUCH a fan of organic cotton, it's just wonderful. Really gorgeous colours as well, I am off to have a browse and think what I might make. Absolutely love your tin covers, just brilliant. CJ xx

[Carol]

Love them and can't wait to try the patterns out ..... now which one first 🤔

[Kathryn Grimshaw]

Three little masterpieces as usual Lucy! I will definitely be having a go at these to give away to friends.What better way to show them that I care!
Thank you once again! Xx😊🌸

[Cheri]

Oh how utterly adorable! I ♥ love ♥ these crocheted Summertime Tins covers! And thank you so very much for the free pattern! ♥

[Barbara Harrison]

Can’t wait to have a go at these!Pity we are on holiday(Anglesey) and all my yarn is at home.
Barbarax

[Lynn]

Thank you very much for the sweet happy Lovely pattern. You are a real designer and you have beautiful designs!

[Louise Fisher]

ohhh so lovely cotton !!!

Glad I clicked on this also ~ :)

Thank you Lucy ~ x ~

[rebecca kleibrink]

These tin covers are so sweet! I had to download the patterns to make as a gift for my sister & also for my kitchen window. I enjoy reading your blog every week.

[Kim]

Love them, Lucy. Absolutely gorgeous... Just to add that you are a professional designer and my favourite one on my favourite blog ❤️

[Charlotte (MotherOwl)]

Aww, cute. Gratz on the photo shooting. And I just love, that you make the patterns free!

[Kath]

Lucy, you're awesome - I absolutely love these!!!!!
Guess what I'm doing today. ^^ Thank you.

[Loucat]

Merci pour ce modèle !

[Tineke]

Awwwww, cute <3

[Winwick Mum]

What lovely tins! Perfect for all kinds of uses :) xx

[Jacqui]

Love them !