Tag: Tutorial

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Creating the Perfect Craft Space · Seven Top Tips for a Gorgeously Creative Area

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Although I could point out a ton of flaws in my craft room (the ceiling is super low, it suffers from damp, beetles and spiders seem to love hanging out there, the fact that it’s an attic space and gets as hot as heck in the Summer), I admit that I am mightily privileged. Not a day goes past where I’m not eternally grateful for it. If anything, just to have a place to shove all the crafty mess I create without it bothering my family too much, well, that’s enough for me! Erm, and them. They aren’t fans of having yarn in the kitchen and squished into random places.

However, I am also aware that not everyone has an entire space to keep their craft things in. Most of us creative folk have to make do with pretty makeshift areas. Let’s talk laundry baskets shoved full of yarn (been there, twice), cramming Cricut machines and macrame supplies into offices shared with other halves… The list goes on!

If you follow me on Instagram and Tiktok (I caved, ugh) you’ll have most definitely seen my craft space at some point. I do have a great deal of trouble keeping it all tidy and organised, but when it is neat and looking lahvley I take a ton of photos and pretend like it always looks that way. Sad and unrealistic I know, but I can’t resist! One of my favourite things to do is arrange things nicely – from my Kawaii sticker collection to organising my crochet hooks by composition – and just sit and look at it. I’ve also learnt some pretty cool things over the years about how to keep spaces tidier for longer, making craft areas work for you and generally making rooms look nice, and that’s what today’s article is about – yay!

The point of this article is this: you do not need to have a huge room, warehouse studio or dedicated space in order to have a functional, beautiful place to craft. Using a few of these hints and tips you can improve any area and make it work for you rather than against you. You also don’t need to spend a lot of money either, if at all! Let’s see..

1. Be a Trolley Dolly

You’ve probably seen some of these multishelf trolleys around, right? I’m not sure if ‘multishelf’ is even a word, but you get my drift. These were everywhere five or six years ago and for good reason. If you’re short on space, having a portable trolley can really save you all the energy that putting shelves up requires! The original and best (just my opinion, man) trolley is the beloved RÅSKOG trolley from IKEA but many stores now sell their own versions of this iconic space saver for around the same price or cheaper. These trolleys are great for storing hanks of yarn (notoriously hard to keep tidy due to all the flopping about), pots with pens and crochet hooks in, notebooks, actual books, the bones and organs of your enemies, anything you like. Plus you can wheel them around with you! Yay!

Don’t have an IKEA near you? No biggy. Check out these trolleys from Wayfair & Hobbycraft, the latter of which comes in some incredible colours!

2. Make Your Own Storage

One of the most inspiring and fun ways of keeping all your bits and pieces neat is by – shock – making your own storage solutions! It might sound obvious, but by making your own baskets and ‘cozies’ for your craft goodies you are not only making a totally unique item but also saving a lot of cash in the process, especially if you use up scraps of yarn. Squishy baskets are good for storing all manner of things in and make a quick, fuss-free crochet project. You can even buy wooden basket/bag bases to give your baskets extra sturdy (plus they make them look SO PROFESH), not to mention the fact that by making your own accessories you can choose colours and textures that complement your craft space perfectly.

Basket: The Joyful Basket, crochet pattern available in my Etsy shop or at Hobbii.

3. Grab Your Go-to Books

If you have a lot of craft books it only makes sense to keep them neatly together in your creative space! This might seem obvious, but, speaking from personal experience, you’d be surprised how many times I’ve had to search around the house for my fave knitting stitch books and found them nestled among some random cookery books or something. Aside from craft-related literature, I also keep books and magazines that inspire me nearby, which range from Vogue graphic and interior design magazines to children’s picture books and books about specific artists. If a book gives you creative energy, keep it close to you!

3. Show Off Your Creations

Given the amount of time we spend making gorgeous things, why not display them in your space? No matter if it’s a squishy stack of blankets or washcloths, handmade storage, granny squares used as coasters (love this) or a chunky crocheted rug or cute bunting, keeping your finished objects around you will give you an extra burst of energy and inspiration! There’s nothing better for the soul than looking at sometimes that you’ve made and feeling that sparkle of satisfaction.

This is especially useful if – like me – the style of your designs doesn’t match the rest of your house. My home is decidedly beige, wooden, moody and rustic-modern, whereas my creations are BRIGHT AF! Obviously a neon pink blanket wouldn’t fit in my living room, so I use my space to let those OTT bright makes shine and take center stage.

4. Surround Yourself With Joy

I have a bit of a problem regarding hoarding cute knick-knacks in my craft room. I can’t tell you how difficult it is to reign myself in and avoid buying stuff to fill every space! However, I am trying to be good and have discovered that less really is more. I now only keep objects on my shelves if they truly make me happy. I still have a lot of ornaments but I keep them stored away rather than having them spread everywhere! In my space you can find crystals, gifts from friends and objects that mean something rather than just looking nice. Here I’ve got a mint-green Buddha representing ‘hear no evil’ (right?), a golden maneki-neko (招き猫) to bring luck (and maybe a winning Lotto ticket?) and a gorgeous gift from a friend in the craft community. Surrounding yourself with joy is exactly that – meaningful objects that make you happy and inspire you every day.

5. Keep it Organized

Okay. This is probably the trickiest of all these steps! Keeping things tidy and organised is easier said than done, especially if you are working on big commissions and have all your yarn spread all over the place! One thing that really helps me keep on top of tidiness my studio is doing a little tidy every day. Put your hooks away, put oddments and scraps into wherever you keep them, take any mugs downstairs… One thing I like to do is keep a small spray bottle of my favourite surface cleaner in a drawer with a cloth so I can wipe down the shelves and units every couple of days. Doing little things like this every day or so can help you avoid those daunting, marathon cleaning sessions! It also goes without saying that having a clean, airy and tidy craft area helps those of us with depression and anxiety. Working in a place that looks and smells fresh can help clear your mind. Take it from someone who knows, #PMDDcrew!

6. Grid Inspiration

I am a huge fan of inspiration grids and pegboards and they are now the staple of any creative person’s craft area! Not only are they relatively cheap to buy and easy to assemble, they take up minimal wall space and are ideal for keeping your inspiration in order and showing off your ideas. I use mine at the beginning of each season to pin up swatches, images and notes and between projects I decorate it with cute postcards (Flying Tiger sell amazing ones) to keep my area bright and cheerful. Switching up the things you display is also a nice way of changing the energy in your craft space seasonally and can be a lot of fun!

My grid is from an independent retailer, but check out the fabulous SKÅDIS pegboard in white, available from IKEA for only €20, cool accessories sold separately.

7. Materials on Display

A lot of us like to have our yarn stored away in bags or boxes – especially if moths and insects are a problem in your home – but I love having all my yarn out in the open. Not only do I love stacking it up nicely and organising it by brand or shade, but yarn can be a decor item in itself! I also keep my scraps out in a large, shallow storage box so I can grab what I need easily. My favourite storage solution for yarn is the famous KALLAX shelving unit as it is spacious, clean-looking and available in cool colours. Even the larger options are very reasonably priced. Can you tell that I am in love with KALLAX shelving?
No matter how you store your yarn, always make sure that the yarn you have is yarn you love! Try to avoid hoarding yarn just to say you have a huge stash. It’s better to have a stash that’s filled with yarn you’ll actually use rather than yarn you don’t like. If you don’t like it, sell it or donate it to someone who will.

Do you have any tips that you’d like to share? How do you store your craft supplies? Don’t forget to let me know in the comments and share this post if you enjoyed it… ♥

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Crochet Tutorial · Slip Stitch Rainbow Wall Hanging

EmmaknittyLeave a comment

Can you remember what daily, boring, routine-based life was like before Covid-19 hit us all? Can you remember the school run? Can you remember having ‘normal’ problems, like the supermarket being sold out of your dog’s usual food, or your daughter refusing to get out of the bath? I do, and it all seems small fry compared to the devastaing panic and worry that millions of people are around the world are suffering these days.
My family and I live in Spain and we are just ending our second week in isolation. We are young(ish), healthy and are privileged. We have a large detached house and garden. We can work(ish) online. We have a car with a full tank and can access the supermarket, albeit individually. Privilege matters at times like this and we are counting our blessings even though the worry can be overwhelming. It makes you want to go to bed early and sleep for a week, but we can at least go out in the garden and breathe the fresh air.

Police are everywhere and people in hazmat suits are disinfecting the streets where we used to stroll about. The other month my husband and I went for a random lunch just as this was starting to kick off. We chatted about how this would probably all be over in the next few days and the tabloids would get tired of it and things wouldn’t escalate. My goodness, how wrong we were.

I apologise if you’re here just for the craft tutorial, but I can’t get on with telling about that without giving you a bit of context. The quarantine situation has become the new normal and it would be insensitive not to address it and pretend that everything is okay. That’s not my style as a maker and, well, person.

So, let me tell you about this project. For many, rainbows represent hope, positivity and a brighter future. My feed has been chock-full of beautiful rainbow crafts recently, people doing gorgeous, rainbow-themed activites with their family and putting them up in their windows to spread good vibes. I’m not a rainbowy person, but I thought I’d jump on the bandwagon and create a sweet crochet tutorial for those of you who need a quick, relaxing and pretty project.

Slip Stitch Rainbow Wall Hanging

This little rainbow hanging is a lovely way of showing solidarity and hope during difficult times and uses up scraps – always a bonus! For this design you will crochet a small circle in super chunky wool yarn, create some fluffy clouds using silky bouclé yarn and finish off by slip stitching an adorable rainbow in the shades you choose. This project also has a lovely ‘punch’ needle’ effect which adds a touch of texture and bulk to any interior.

Level: Confident Beginner.

You will need: A ball of We Are Knitters The Wool in ‘Natural’ (or other super chunky 100% wool yarn), a small amount of bulky/chunky yarn in three colours (I used Deramores Studio Chunky in ‘Seashell’, ‘Salmon’ and ‘Mustard’), small amount of white super chunky/bulky bouclé yarn (I used Rico Design Fashion Inuit in Creme), a small amount of Rico Lamé in gold (or dk weight lamé yarn) a 15mm & 6.5mm crochet hook, a clip stitch marker, scissors, a yarn needle.

Skills (US terminology): Chain stitch, slip stitch, single crochet, basic embroidery skills.

Method:

Using the super chunky/bulky wool yarn, Chain four and slip stitch into the first chain to join and form a circle. Chain one (mark this stitch with a clip stitch marker to avoid confusion later) and make seven single crochets into the center of the circle. Slip stitch into the first chain one to join (eight stitches).

Chain one, remembering to mark the stitch as before, and work a single crochet into the same stitch. Work two single crochets into every stitch around. Slip stitch into the first chain stitch as before (16 sts). Now you’ve completed the circle that you’ll decorate.

Break your yarn and fasten off, weaving in your ends on the right side. For this project the wrong side will be visible to give a different, more bumpy effect.

Making sure that the ‘wrong side’ of your circle is facing up, thread your bouclé yarn onto your yarn needle and sew on some small clouds next to each other, making sure to keep them even and with a gap between (see photos).

Using long stitch, carefully embroider the clouds, making sure to fill up any gaps that may appear. When you’re happy, break your yarn and weave in the ends on the reverse side.

Now we’ll make the rainbow. On top of one of the clouds, insert your hook from front to back and pull up a loop of yarn, using one of the three shades of chunky yarn you have chosen. Insert the hook again into a space near this stitch, yarn over and pull through your work. Pull though the loop on your hook to complete the stitch. Careful with your tension! Try and keep your stitches not too tight and not too loose to avoid puckering your work. If you make a mistake just pull the working yarn to undo your stitches and start afresh.

Continue in this way until you have formed the first arc of your rainbow. Break yarn. Repeat with the two other contrasting colours and fasten off, weaving in or knitting the ends on the back of your work as neatly as possible.

Now for the hanging thread, thread the gold lamé yarn through the outer v of one of the top stitches from front to back. Thread through the next stitch, leaving the two free ends on the back of your work and knot firmly together, making sure that your hanging loop is big enough and hasn’t puckered in.

If you like you can sew a backing onto your project, especially if giving it as a gift.

Display your rainbow hanging in a window, in a bedroom, or anywhere you need a touch of positivity and love! If you’ve enjoyed this tutorial, please feel free to share in on social media, tagging me @emmaknitty so I can share your work!

This tutorial is dedicated to the tireless work of healthcare workers the world over and those who have lost their lives to Covid-19.

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Tutorial · Crocheted Drawer Knob Covers

Emmaknitty1 Comment

Every new season I try and change up my studio and refresh it a little with colours and items that I’m planning on using for my designs – it just helps with inspiration! I find that upcycling and making subtle changes to things I already have saves money and, above all, gives me an excuse to knit or crochet some accessories that I can also share with you all!

So, let me tell you the story behind this tutorial. last year I rescued a plain pine chest of drawers from IKEA that got attacked by mould and damp (the perils of living in the wettest region in Spain!) and would probably have been chucked into a skip. I really needed that chest of drawers to stuff WIPs and finished objects in, so I had the bright idea of treating it and repainting it white, but it looked far too sterile and I’m not painter and don’t have the skills to paint beautifully trendy patterns or motifs – I destroy everything I touch with a paintbrush – so I thought it needed something else. Then I thought, “knobs!” but not in a bad way. How about crocheting some teeny cosies for the drawer knobs? It was such a simple idea but it worked a treat!

I don’t think you need to do anything particularly epic or mind-blowing or magazine-worthy to make an old item look 100% Mollie Makes (as in, cool as heck), it’d the simpe things that can really make your upcycle pop and look amazing! If you have some yarn in the shade you want, a spare ten minutes and can crochet a circle you can get on board with this fun project.

Level: Beginner

You will need:

· Depending on the amount of knobs you’d like to crochet, a varying amount of yarn in the weight of your choice. I used DMC 100% Baby Cotton in the colours 771, 752, 764 and 763 and the recommended 4mm hook. I think DK is best, but you can achieve a finer look with Sport weight, or go statement with chunky yarn which is also very quick to work up, a crochet hook in the correct size for your chosen yarn, a pair of scissors, a yarn needle and an item or furniture or object with knobs to crochet over.

Skills:

US TERMS USED.

· Chain stitch (ch st) , slip stitch (sl st), magic loop (optional), double crochet stitch (dc), weaving in ends.

Notes:

The amount of rounds you crochet will vary depending on the size of the knob you want to cover. As you work each round, place you work over the knob to check the size and, when it fits comfortably over it with a little extra (I’d say about half an inch extra at the edge), you can stop crocheting. For example, if the knob is 3″ in size, you’ll crochet a circle that is 3.5″ in diameter. Easy, no? This means that the cover will have enough give when you attach it and won’t look too stretched out.

Method:

Take your yarn (for this tutorial I used the shade 764) and hook and ch 4 (or make a magic loop). If you worked a ch 4, sl st into the first ch to join. Ch 3 and work nine dc into the center of the circle, working over the tail end of the yarn to minimise weaving in ends later on. Sl st into the top of the first ch three to join and finish this round (10 sts). Pull the tail end of the yarn tightly to close the hole in the middle of your work.

Ch three again and work two dc into every stitch, including into the same st where you worked the ch three (see photo). Work two dc into every st around until the end. Sl st into the top of the first ch 3 as before to join (20 sts).

Ch three once more and work another into this stitch, making two dcs into the same st. Work one dc into the next st, then work two dc into the following (third) st. Continue this way working an increase st followed by one dc until, the end. Sl st to join into the top of the first ch three to join (30 sts).

I only needed to work three rounds to make the circle big enough for my knobs so this is where I stopped. If you need to make yours bigger or smaller, simply stop after one or two rounds or work more for to make it larger. To do this you should work your increases by simply working more individual dc sts between each increase (two dc) st. For example, work two dcs in the same st followed by two individual dcs, then on the next round work two dcs in the same st folllowed by three individual dcs, etc.

Now comes the fun part – putting the cover on! First we need to do a bit of prep, so break your yarn, leaving a tail of around 30cm and pull through the st to secure. Whilst you’re at it, check that the tail of yarn in the center of your circle has been pulled tight then snip this off.

Thread your yarn tail onto your yarn needle and weave it in and out of the inner ‘v’ of the outer sts.

Place over your chosen knob and pull the yarn tight to pull it in and cover it. Magic! If need be, feel free to weave the tail around once more, or simply weave it into a nearby stitch and tie a double knot. You’re all done!

At the moment the only way to remove these covers is to cut them off – sad face – but I’m working on a way of making them removable so you don’t have to destroy them! If you have any ideas about how to do this why not drop me a line?

I love to see your makes, so if you whip up your own #emmakknitty projects remember to tag me on Instagram so I can share your work!

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Tutorial · The Invisible Chain Granny Square

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Today I wanted to share a gorgeous technique with you that’ll help make your granny squares look flawless, neat and just brilliant! I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that I really cannot stand chain stitches: they look thin and weird and stick out like a sore thumb! Thankfully there’s a really quick and easy technique you can use to minimise the look of chains (by still chaining) and keep your granny’s looking like a snack.

What’s the secret? Well, by chaining two instead of three at the beginning of the round we eliminate that skinny starting chain and create a shorter, firmer but still working chain. It really is as simple as that. Plus, but flipping the square over (but not reversing it – sorry, I couldn’t resist) you are able to work into the nearest chain space to you, again making the starting chain even less visible! I’m all over this technique and I hope you will be too…

What you’ll need:

Your yarn of choice and a crochet hook in the corresponding size. I used Rosa’s Crafts Merino Molón 6 in shade 102.

Now turn your work over… You’re almost done!

Repeat this technique at the beginning of every round and you’ll soon see that your square looks a lot better. I hope you enjoyed this quick photo tutorial. Hit me up if you’ve tried it yourself!

How To · Tutorial

Half Double Moss Stitch · Tutorial

Emmaknitty4 Comments

Who loves Moss Stitch? We ALL love Moss Stitch! It’s one of the most beautiful crochet stitches and, best of all, it’s super-easy to work up and gives a gorgeous knitted look to your project. The other day I was making my umpteenth Moss Stitch blanket and decided to experiment a little using Half Double Crochet (US terms) to see if it was any good. Boy oh boy, was it! I wasn’t sure if I’d seen it around before so I gave it a quick Google around and couldn’t find it anywhere. I looked on Pinterest – natch – and still nothing. I asked my knowledgable friends on Instagram and, well, nothing. “OH EM GEE!” I thought, “have I discovered a new stitch?”.

This stitch looks fabulous when worked up using chunky yarn. Here you can see a swatch using The Wool by We Are Knitters (gifted).

Sadly not, friends. What I have done however is named a stitch that before was languishing in obscurity. There are a couple of patterns over on Ravelry that use this stitch but nobody had thought of giving her a name, the poor babe, so I thought I would. Tempting as it was to give it some sort of funky name (or annoyingly egotistical one like ‘The Knitty Stitch’) I’ve simply called it ‘Half Double Moss Stitch’ to keep things simple and practical.

One of the most beautiful things about this stitch is the latticed effect it gives which lends itself well to cowls, scarves, statement blankets and rugs. It look particularly lush used with chunky or super chunky yarn or worked up teeny using cotton yarn. I can just see some dishcloths looking the bizznizz in this stitch!

Keep your eyes peeled for a wonderful project using the Half Double Moss Stitch very soon, but for now, here’s how to work it up.

Lending itself well to giant chunky accessories and statement homeware, this stitch is quick, easy and beautiful.

The Half Double Moss Stitch

(Instructions using US/American terminology and working flat)

NOTE: This stitch is a hdc stitch separated by a chain stitch, so it’s identical to the regular moss stitch but using hdc instead of single crochet.

1. Chain an even number of stitches.

2. Work a hdc into the fourth chain from your hook.

3. Chain one, skip one chain, work a hdc stitch into the next chain.

4. Chain one, skip one chain, work a half double crochet into the next chain. End with a hdc into the last stitch.

5. Turn your work, chain two and work a hdc into the first chain one space. Chain one, skip the next hdc and work a hdc into the following chain one space. Continute like this (chain 1, skip 1 stitch, hdc in the next chain 1 space) until the end.

Repeat step five for the pattern, making hdc stitches into the chain spaces.

That’s it! I would love to see your makes using this stitch, so tag your creations with #halfdoublemosstitch and I’ll take a look!