Simply Crochet 104

As lockdown life continues, us crocheters turn to our hooks to get through. We’ve got plenty of projects to fill your heart with Christmas cheer – think warming winter accessories you can whip up with just one ball of yarn on page 14, adorable penguin decorations for your tree on page 60 or a gorgeous cardigan on page 26 for classic winter style. Thank your lucky stars that you have crochet in your life with our 2021 Zodiac Calendar, and make your character to signal the better times ahead. Please share your makes on Instagram tagged #sctreblemaker, or on our Facebook group Simply Crochet SCtreblemakers, as we love to see them!…

LISA COOK Lisa has been in love with crochet since childhood. She loves designing wearable pieces to help us create our crochet wardrobe, like her diamond jumper on page 44 – it’s a real gem. PAT STRONG Pat loves to add to her collection of crochet books by raiding charity shops. The plaid cardigan on page 26, and the hot water bottle cover on page 65 are Pat’s lovely creations. CATHERINE VENNER It’s hard for Catherine to imagine life without her crochet hook. Dedication to her craft has produced the wintery cushion on page 50 and cute penguins on page 60. LUCY CROFT Not just a massive colour fiend, Lucy also enjoys a complicated mathematical pattern. Check out her mitts and earmuff covers on page 20 – don’t worry, they’re not complicated! OTHER CONTRIBUTORS Natalie Beard, Khuc Cay, Lisa…

BIG KNIT IS BACK Innocent want to help Age UK keep older people safe and well, especially during these really tough times. You can be a part of it by crocheting a little hat for a smoothie bottle which will raise money for Age UK, and do an older person some good – for every hatted bottle sold, 25p will go towards looking after them. Since 2003 when the initiative started, incredible volunteers have made nearly nine million hats, meaning £2.8 million has been raised for Age UK. Can you hook up a hat this year? Find lots of great patterns and details of where to send your hats at www.thebigknit. co.uk Thank you for helping older people. KIDS KIT W Give the gift of crochet to a child this Christmas, and you…

Rowan’s Merino Aria is a chunky yarn with an amazingly lightweight feeling. Merino fibres are chained into a delicate tube that’s blown with air to create a wonderfully ethereal yarn that works up into almost weightless garments. ‘Aria’ is Italian for air, which perfectly describes this innovative yarn that is as light as air to hold. Aria has a soft halo and is made of 100% merino wool, so you can wear it against your skin with confidence. Merino wool is loved for its soft feel and pure white natural colour, which takes dye beautifully. There are nine practical shades to inspire your next jumper, including pale Biscuit and enveloping Velvet. Visit www. knitrowan.com to find your nearest stockist.…

Every month, three subscribers win a prize as thank you for their loyalty to Simply Crochet. This month, the winners (below) will each receive will each receive 8 balls of Caron Simply Soft yarn plus a pattern to make this gorgeous blanket worth £46.99. Enjoy! Check next month to see if you’re a winner! Leila Bradley, West Yorkshire Lisa Rumbelow, Cambridgeshire Megan Rutty, Lincolnshire Immediate Media Company, publishers of Simply Crochet, Subs Stars giveawayTerms and Conditions. Prizes were dispatched before the on sale date of this issue. There are no cash alternatives. Three winning entries will be chosen at random from all current subscribers. The draw is final and no correspondence will be entered into.…

MAKING WITH MEANING JESSICA CAREY (£17.99,Abrams) From the creator of The Hook Nook, here is a thoughtful, purposeful approach to prioritise time for making, and adding more meaning and intention to your life. Featuring more than 20 different crochet patterns to inspire you, the book offers instructions to beginning a crochet journey and teaches how to crochet through detailed explanation and visual guidance. UNICORNS, DRAGONS AND MORE FANTASY AMIGURUMI 2 JOKE VERMEIREN (£13.95, Meteoor Books) Pour your favourite yarns together and stir them with your best crochet hook: these crochet spells will bring the most fantastical amigurumi to life with 14 enchanting characters to open the door to a magical world. Chase after the untraceable yeti, take a nap with a sleeping baby dragon, hitch a ride on the smart hippogriff and much more! GIVING BACK…