Flash sale on all patterns

If your stuck for any last minute homemade gifts, I’ve got you! There’s 15% off all patterns in my Etsy shop until Christmas Eve and there’s lots of Christmassy patterns that can be made in an evening, so don’t sweat it! Just use code JINGLEBELLS at the checkout!

ETSY SHOP

Christmas Bib Set | Crochet Pattern

I am really thrilled to introduce you to my latest baby pattern

 Christmas Bib Set

They are just the sweetest festive accessory for a little one this Season; with a pretty scalloped edge and whimsical festive foliage.  These bibs are not only perfect for Christmas photo’s they are practical too.  Made from 100% cotton, these bibs are super absorbent making them ideal for dribblers!

I have really enjoyed designing this bib set and I hope that you love them just as much as I do. The pattern is available for download in both UK and US crochet terminology, so there is no need for any pesky converting and is suitable for intermediate crochet with each bib using less than 50g of Cotton.

I have used DMC Natura Just Cotton which is a 4 ply yarn as I just adored the colour range they offered and felt the colours gave the vintage vibe I was hoping for.  Not only is this cotton absorbent, but it is Oeko Tex standard 100 approved; which means the cotton has been certified to be free of harmful chemicals and is safe  for human use, as well as being verified as both safe and non irritating  to human skin.  This element of the design was very important to me as baby will most likely chew on the bib, so this certification gives me peace of mind.

I think these bibs would make ideal festive themed baby gifts or stocking fillers and what’s more you can easily make a bib in an evening, so if you are a last minute gifted these bibs are ideal. 

Why not couple them with my FREE teething ring pattern to make the perfect festive handmade gift for that special little someone in your life.

 If you like this post, please leave me a like and comment below as this is a great way to support me and don’t forget to tag me in your makes using

#Christmasbibset @yarnyrobin 

as I love to see your takes on my makes. Each Month I share a photo that I’m tagged in and that person will win a FREE pattern.

Here are some more festive patterns you may like also

Simple Crochet Basket – FREE pattern

Elf Hat

Santa Hat

Reindeer lovey

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Crochet basket | free pattern

With Christmas fast approaching I wanted to share with you a fabulous and practical pattern, perfect for this festive season. These handy baskets can be used to gift or store festive chocolates or just add a little seasonal decor around the home.

These baskets are super versatile. You can swap the colours to suit your own style and add whatever decorations you choose, here I have chosen to add a sweet wooden snowflake, but ribbons, bows and bells would look just as good. The best bit about these baskets is the wooden base.

The wooden base makes this a super quick make and means the basket has a great shape and is sturdy…all good elements for a useful basket to have. You will find bases in all sorts of shapes and sizes on lots of different shopping sites. I got mine from Etsy, as I like to support small business owners when I can. Take a look here to get started

I would just like to talk about your choice of yarn or cord for a moment also. I purchased several versions before I settled on one I was happy with. Some were too splitty, or dull, or just didn’t crochet well. I highly recommend using this 5mm braided recycled cotton cord because it is economical, comes in a great colour range and is easy to work with. I used colourways Candy red and Natural.

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Pattern notes

The pattern that follows can be adapted to any size or shape base. The pattern uses English crochet terminology, but you can find US crochet terminology in brackets just below. Round 3 onwards is worked in continuous rounds, so I strongly advise that you mark the 1st stitch of each round with a stitch marker. Repeats are marked by *

What you will need

5mm braided cotton cord in colour of your choice

wooden base(s)

scissors

hooks – see below

stitch marker

decorations of your choice – bows / bells / small tree ornaments

Stitches used

DC – double crochet ( SC – single crochet)

slst – slip stitch

Ch – chain stitch

Dc: Insert hook into chain or under both loops of stitch, yarn over and pull through so there are 2 loops on hook, yarn over again and pull through both loops on hook.

Hooks used

5mm and 8mm

To start

Start by holding cord underneath the base. Using smaller hook pull up a loop through the first hole in the base.

Yarn over and pull through loop on your hook.

*Pull up next loop from the underside of base through next hole and complete DC* Repeat around base to last hole. Slst in 1st st.

Now turn work so outside of the basket is facing you.

Round 2: Using larger hook. Ch1 (does not count as a st) place marker. DC in same space and in each st around. At end of round place marker.

Round 3: Do not ch 1, continue to place DC in each st for desired height of basket, placing marker in 1st stitch of each round. Change colours as desired.

eg/ large basket pictured had a base with 37 holes / 17cm diameter. I completed rounds 1 – 8 in candy red and rounds 9 – 11 in natural. Final round in natural also. My basket measures 14cms tall.

Final round: Do not ch1, slst in each st around. Fasten off.

With smaller hook weave in loose ends. Weave starting tail at base so that it fills in the gap.

Now decorate your basket as desired.

Next steps

If you have enjoyed this pattern you can help support what I do by

• Pin for later on your Pinterest board

• leave me a like or a comment below

• tag me in your makes using

#simplecrochetbasket. @yarnyrobin

• join my monthly newsletter for more crochet goodness, exclusive offers and more FREE crochet goodies

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Free Christmas Gingerbread Star crochet pattern…

crochet gingerbread stars

I haven’t got much spare time at the moment, but I wanted to give you all a little Christmas present to say thank you for stopping by and supporting me over the last year…I really appreciate every one of you that reads my posts, likes my posts or leaves me a comment, so I thought a little free Christmas crochet pattern would be the perfect gift for you.

Enjoy…and Happy Christmas to you from me

XXXXX

Team Elf or Team Santa?

End of year review…Bring on 2018

2017 has certainly had it’s ups and it’s downs.  I am pleased  to report that it is ending on an up.  I have really enjoyed perusing back through my posts and have picked out my favourite from each month in way of  reviewing 2017 here at the nest.  Before we begin I just wanted to say a huge thank you to all of my seasoned readers, to those of you that have recently discovered this little corner of yarniness and to you if you have  just stumbled across this post by accident.

Without all of you, I would just be here, hooking and writing and hooking some more; annoying my family by taking photo’s every 2 minutes and whilst that would be ok, it is so much more fun with you dropping by and saying hi every once in a while.  You encourage me and inspire me to keep blogging about all things yarny and for that I am very grateful. 

So grab a glass of prosecco or the bottle!  or maybe a cuppa if you prefer and lets look back at 2017 here at the nest.

January 2017 

shawl crochet ayarnyrobin
crochet in bed.

2017 began with shawls, having completed x2 virus shawls I had the bug for more.  This‘ is the ‘pink shawl’ by Cecile Balladino,  and it is still one of my favourites although I still can’t call it the ‘pink shawl!’

February 2017

#yarnlove challenge 2017

I had so much fun doing the yarn love challenge during February.  A post a day was a challenge, but I relished the daily prods to share. 

I’d love to do this again in 2018. 

Here is a little link to my favourite #yarnlovechallenge post and another favourite… well I couldn’t just pick one!

March 2017

Sunday Shawl by Alia Bland
Sunday Shawl hooking

Another month another shawl…This time the beautiful Sunday Shawl by Alia Bland.  This project proved to be the perfect way to jump into spring, maybe it was those delicious pastels against the warmth of the grey.

April2017

Alpaca cake…

A milestone birthday, an alpaca birthday cake, and a graduation. I couldn’t have imagined a happier set of celebrations. I was so  blissfully unaware of the catastrophe about to beset us.

May 2017

Interlocking stitch

At least I got some crochet in whilst juggling hospital trips and the absence of a critically ill Mr R…crochet is not only my joy it’s my default when things get tough…my sanity. 

This Baby Wilmer blanket, filled me with hope, a new life just entering this world, whilst life at the nest  felt as if it had paused in some horrific nightmare.

June 2017 

yarnbomb, ayarnyrobin gate installation
yarnbomb

Mr R had prayerfully turned a corner  and our healing had begun, it was time for some fun and this yarny gate installation celebrated that!

July 2017

free dog collar crochet pattern...simple free pattern which you can crochet in under an hour
Jess… with her new crochet collar.

Still healing, but healing well! 

Small projects worked best and this ‘Oh so cute’ free dog collar pattern went down a treat with little Jess.

August 2017

C2C crochet baby blanket, crochet heart squares in paintbox cotton yarn
crochet and coffee

I fell so in love with these adorable C2C (corner to corner)hearts that I just couldn’t stop hooking them!  I couldn’t!! 

They fell off my hook so quickly that before I knew where I was I had enough for a blanket of hearts. 

I have to confess that I still need to border this lovely…yes it is still a PHD (project half done).  In my defense I just can’t decide what colour to border it in!

September 2017

crochet barefoot sandals - Corfu designed by ayarnyrobin.wordpress.com, summer feet
Corfu – Barefoot sandals

September felt much more ‘normal’ although I don’t know why…I spent a large majority of it bobbing around on a lazy river being drenched in golden sunshine on the amazing island of Corfu.  I didn’t forget about you though…look I made these barefoot sandals  by the pool… here’s the link to the free pattern just in case you fancy a pretty 20 minute hook up!

October 2017

Autumn woodland walks a plenty, a suprising wildlife sighting and family…I am so blessed.

November 2017

The Grandma Dot Tea Cosy, crochet tea cosy, The Grandma Collection by ayarnyrobin
Grandma Dot Tea Cosy

Finally, the release of my newest tea cosy in the Grandma Collection…the Grandma Dot tea cosy.  I don’t know why this took me so long to publish but it did.  Anyway, thank you for your frankly very kind feedback about this free pattern…there will be another one coming very shortly in the new year.

December 2017

loom knitted hat, ayarnyrobin
loom knitted beanie…

I told you 2017 ended on an up…the hat fit!

Enough said. 

Thank you 2017 for the joy, for the triumphs, for the challenge and even for the heartbreak…for all the folk that have stood alongside me whether that has been for a few minutes, a few days or for those lifers that are always cheering me on… you know who you are.  

Finally, thank you once again to you, for riding this journey with me… I think you are amazing and want to wish you all a very blessed and  extremely yarny 2018…

wherever it may take you.

xxxxx

 

Just in time for Christmas…

I just wanted to bob in and out quickly to let you know I did it…I got the hat done and this time it fits!

What do you think?

loom knitted hat, ayarnyrobin
loom knitted beanie…

I am really pleased with it! 

I used Stylecraft Special Chunky in Midnight and King Cole Tonal Chunky in Misty Teal this time and this seems to have made all the difference in terms of size and stretch.  It still needs to stretch a bit…it is an only just fit, but I am hoping it will stretch a little more as it gets worn.  The hats I have made previously have always stretched a bit when worn. 

If you are interested in the pattern details the links to such can be found in this post. I modified the brim slightly by adding a row of double crochet to the bottom of the brim once I had taken it off the loom.  I found the edge curled outwards otherwise and didn’t lie flat.  I think this may have something to do with my cast on technique and being a novice loom knitter!

So there it is… just in time for Christmas! 

I would recommend this pattern if you are still outstanding a hand made gift for Christmas…4 hours and I had this knocked out, so there is still time!

Talking of which if you do celebrate this festive season then I wish you a peaceful and very happy Christmas.    If you are not celebrating then I wish you a happy and crafty weekend.  I will try and pop by before the new year, I’m sure I will feel the need to escape the madness at some point.

xxxxx

Picture Perfect…

A picture perfect weekend…

With all this snow, I have started another hat…let’s see if I can make this one to fit Mr R’s head this time!!! 

Yes, the countdown to Christmas has begun at the nest. 

xxxxx

Crochet, senior moments and mud!

What do crochet, senior moments and mud have in common? 

Well the answer is me! 

It has been a looooong week…let’s just say that.  Yesterday I was the Duty Health Visitor in the office, we take it in turns to triage calls and sort out various problems…I won’t bore you with the detail.  I took a call from a worried parent and said I’d get the Duty Health Visitor (which was me…I just forgot!!)  After  several enquiries amongst my colleagues I was gently reminded (actually,ribbed to the max) it was me.  I returned to the phone and in a posher voice said Duty Health Visitor, how can I help you? 

This was followed later in the day when I received an email from my GP asking me to attend a well woman check (for women over a certain age)…sigh! 

Then…yes there is more! I had to ask to borrow my Mom’s glasses for the very first time ever to read a food packet. 

Oh my!…little signs.

Another feature looming large in my week has been mud…lots of mud.  I have become a rugby mamma and I need help!  How on earth do I get this….erm…earth out of his kit.

Proud of my boy…he sure can tackle!

Please let me have any top tips for getting rid of all this mud! 

I also need your crochet help…pattern recommendations.  I want to make a few beanie style hats for Christmas, male and female.  I have a few, but they always seem to come off my hook too large or I am always a little disappointed with them.  Can you wholeheartedly recommend a superb pattern?  I would be  so very grateful. 

Have a great weekend.

xxxxx

Homemade Christmas Damson Gin…

If you are new to these parts and are thinking…great! last minute homemade Christmas present then you may be disappointed, BUT you are very welcome here though and I may suggest how to cheat at the end, which might just get you out of that last minute hole. 

This process commenced way back in August

making damson gin...
making damson gin…

I have been really very disciplined and I have been gently shaking the gin each week and more importantly (and amazingly) I have not drunk any…if I did it would have been purely for quality control purposes!!! 

So today was the day to open and taste and Oh Joy…it is absolutely gorgeous, the type of sticky, sweet alcoholic gorgeous that one would expect when drinking a damson gin…the type that warms you from the inside. 

With a little bit of help from my brewing genius brother I sterilised my newly purchased gin bottles and began to fill them up. 

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Brewers sterilising fluid…

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Sterilised bottles ready to fill…

x5 lovely bottles of Damson Gin
x5 lovely bottles of Damson Gin

With the addition of a cute little cork heart they are going to make a lovely Christmas stocking filler don’t you think?

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detail added with a sharpie…

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a perfect stocking filler…or tipple for Santa!

Ok, so I said I would help you out of that last minute hole.  You could buy some bottles, sterilise them, add purchased alcoholic beverage and add a cute little label, but only if you promise to be more organised next year and make your own!!!

xxxxx