My resolve to blog between Autumn and Christmas was impossible to fulfil sadly. Commissions, poorly daughters (seven weeks’ worth of poorly!), writing for the wonderful Standard Issue Magazine and the Big Comic Relief Project meant it was perpetually shunted to the bottom of the priority list. Evening would come and we were mopping brows or staring exhaustedly into the middle distance.
I can’t reveal the full story about the Comic Relief plan. It’s hugely exciting and I can tell all on the 9th January but essentially I have been working with a truly fantastic and kind group of people to make a craft magazine filled with tutorials and patterns from hugely talented designers and bloggers. I’m bursting with the details but I have to keep a crafty lid on it for secret squirrel-ish reasons. If you’re on Facebook it’s here. Above is a picture of Ron and Audrey the felt guinea pigs, the patterns for whom will be in the magazine. You may be able to guess who designed them.
I wrote about an alternative handmade Christmas in Standard Issue several weeks ago along with a tale of a pair of wristwarmers I’d crocheted using Mrs Moon ‘Plump’ yarn. I made up the pattern (I’m fairly gobsmacked about this development). It’s only the second crochet pattern I’ve written -more about the first very soon- and I promised readers I’d send it to them. Failure number 2. I’d half written it and then another cough reared its head, requiring Florence Nightingale action. The pattern was a shameful UFO until today.
I discovered Mrs Moon Plump at Yarndale. Yes, I visited Yarndale as part of a craft retreat weekend organised by The Coffee Lady, and accompanied by Monica, Tess and Ali. We met Lucy. I have blogged none of this. For shame.
Each skein in this yarn range* is like a jewel-like, baby rabbit-soft long sausage of woolly joy. It’s chunky. I love chunky yarn-crocheted things grow so quickly that it makes me feel yarnily accomplished (far from true). The wristwarmers are crocheted in ‘damson jam’ – a perfect name for such a rich, delicious colour. They also make me think of damson gin. Ahem.
The pattern is below. It’s an apology and a thankyou to those who still read my blog. Massive thanks to Monica who has helped me to translate my hooky doings into readable patterns recently, with her astonishing knowledge, skill and patience.
Hello and Happy New Year!
Thankyou for clicking over here despite my erratic and infrequent posts. x
Damson gin crocheted wristwarmers
You will need:
1 skein of Mrs Moon ‘Plump’ yarn in damson jam.
10 mm crochet hook
Yarn needle
With 10mm hook: 16
foundation ch, join to work in the round making sure you don’t twist the
chain.
foundation ch, join to work in the round making sure you don’t twist the
chain.
Row 1 1ch (count as a dc), *tr in 1st st,
dc in next st* repeat to the end, sl st to top of initial chain to join
dc in next st* repeat to the end, sl st to top of initial chain to join
Row 2 2 ch (count as a tr) *dc in 1st
st, tr in next st*, repeat to the end, sl st to top of 2 chain to join
st, tr in next st*, repeat to the end, sl st to top of 2 chain to join
Rows
3-10 Repeat rows 1
and 2 (8 more times)
3-10 Repeat rows 1
and 2 (8 more times)
Row 11, 1ch, 2tr in first stitch, continue
with pattern (alternating tr and dc) for 3st, 2 tr in the next st, continue
with pattern for 3st, 2tr in the next st, continue with pattern for 3st, 2tr in
the next st, continue with pattern for 3st, sl st to top of chain to join – 20sts (4st
increased)
with pattern (alternating tr and dc) for 3st, 2 tr in the next st, continue
with pattern for 3st, 2tr in the next st, continue with pattern for 3st, 2tr in
the next st, continue with pattern for 3st, sl st to top of chain to join – 20sts (4st
increased)
Row 12 2ch, beginning with a dc work in pattern (alternating dc and tr) to
end, sl st to top of 2 chain to join
end, sl st to top of 2 chain to join
Row 13 1ch , beginning with a tr work in pattern (alternating dc and tr) to
end, sl st to top of chain to join
end, sl st to top of chain to join
Row 14 2ch, work in
pattern for 3st, 2ch, skip 6sts, tr st on 10th st, continue to work
in pattern to end, join with sl st to top of 2 chain to join. (16 working sts)
pattern for 3st, 2ch, skip 6sts, tr st on 10th st, continue to work
in pattern to end, join with sl st to top of 2 chain to join. (16 working sts)
Row 15 1ch, beginning with a dc work in pattern (alternating dc and tr) to
end, sl st to top of chain to join (treat the 4ch that have created the thumb
hole as regular st to work into)
end, sl st to top of chain to join (treat the 4ch that have created the thumb
hole as regular st to work into)
Row 16 2ch, beginning with a tr work in pattern (alternating dc and tr) to
end, sl st to top of 2 chain to join
end, sl st to top of 2 chain to join
Row 17 Repeat row 15, sl st to top of chain to join
Weave in ends
Revel in the floofy hand joy.
*This is not a sponsored post, I haven’t even received any free yarn, I’m simply very excited about Plump as it’s truly gorgeous.
Hi Emma, thank you for sharing your lovely pattern – I shall have to give it a try 🙂 Having made some damson gin this year, I can verify that the yarn colour is true to its namesake. Happy New Year to you!
Cathy x
Happy new year to you and the little pebbles Emma
Twiggy x
OOh, Mrs P they're lovely!! I may even have just the yarn right here to make a pair of my own – although not quite the gorgeous squishy stuff you've got there.
So looking forward to hearing all the Comic Relief crafty news!!
Happy New Year 🙂
Moogs xx
Happy new year to you and the family Emma. Hoping it's a healthier one. Very pretty wristwarmers!
Love those felt guinea pigs, they are just perfect. And the wrist warmers are things of beauty. I shall look forward to hearing about the big Comic Relief project. I do hope your girls are all better now, seven weeks of poorly sounds no fun at all. Wishing you all a very happy New Year Emma. CJ xx
Hoping your daughters are feeling 100% at last…that sounds like a very long haul!
I'm looking forward to the big Comic Relief reveal 🙂
wishing you a very happy new year, one that is filled with health, and perhaps a little work/life balance x
they look lovely and warm and chunky! great colour. All the best for 2015! x
wow, 7 weeks of poorly girls is tiring!
but so much goodness still been made.
the plum is a delicious colour.
Hope the family are all properly better again now!
Belated happy new year Emma – hope it's a healthy one. Your wristwarmers are the perfect pair of cosy handcoverings and I especially love that you've written a pattern and are in love with woolly doings!
I keep meaning to give Plump a try and now I shall have to! Lovely mitts.
And Happy New Year!