KATE EASTWOOD COLUMN
Kate Eastwood, the designer behind our fab seasonal wreath calendar and author of the Just Pootling blog, shares her 2018 adventures...
Looking back over the past year, it has, without a doubt, been my busiest crocheting year to date, with my little hooks hardly being put down between projects! From my own book of crocheted projects to Simply Crochet ’s 2019 calendar (included with the magazine you’re holding), it’s been pretty hectic. But I’m absolutely not complaining as that’s exactly how I like it.
BACK AT THE START
For the past few years I have begun each year with a little self-indulgent crochet treat for myself! I get everything ready to start a new project in that limbo week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, when a little bit of calm descends and there’s time to sit on the sofa, catch up on the Christmas television and relax with a bit of crochet therapy before the real work starts again in the New Year.
2018 was no exception, as I had a little baby blanket on the to do list (see below) – with six of the girls at work expecting, it was to be the first of many blankets slipping off my hook in the months ahead.
While the winter months are made for lots of cosy crochet time, come the end of March I find that I’m longing for the arrival of spring and a good blast of pastel brights. Crocheting spring flowers, egg cup cosies and Easter eggs provides the perfect opportunity to scratch that itch!
SPRING INTO ACTION
No sooner than the yarny eggs were hooked and the chocolate eggs were eaten, I was flying at full speed into the next crochet project. And I have to say, this one pretty much topped any crochet make of mine so far – I was contacted by CICO Books and asked if I would be interested in designing and writing a book featuring 35 crocheted wreaths and garlands. Obviously I thought long and hard about this (for ooh, at least 2 minutes) before I said “Yes!” and then became completely immersed in new ideas, designs and the heavenly job of choosing all the yarn to use.
The next few months seemed to absolutely fly by in a flurry of scribbled notes, lists, pattern writing and, of course, crochet, and I have to say that I can’t begin to put into words how thrilled I am with the finished layout of the book. The photography and styling has been so beautifully done and, I hope that as well as being full to bursting with nearly every wreath and garland pattern you could wish for, the book will also serve as a feast of inspiration for people to have a go at putting together their own versions to decorate their homes.
for “By March I’m longing the arrival of spring and a blast of pastel brights”
“The ideas and designs were all ready to burst out”
SEASONAL INSPIRATION
Now, you’d think that after designing a bunch of wreaths for the book I’d be all wreathed out, wouldn’t you? Well, it turns out that, when you need it, inspiration just keeps on coming, and so when the idea was put to me about coming up with four fabulously seasonal wreaths for this year’s Simply Crochet calendar, I didn’t hesitate in saying “Yes!”! Such an amazing opportunity was not to be missed and so, after a brief break to make another baby blanket, I was back to the wreaths again and loving every minute of it. (See the summer one above.)
As we headed into late summer, I had one last commission to complete – and as this one had been in the pipeline for some time, the ideas and designs were all ready to burst out. The brief was to come up with 24 small Christmas decorations (above left) that could be made on a daily basis during the month of December. All the patterns and everything needed to make each item was to be packaged up in The Little Box of Crochet’s Advent Calendar Box. This too was such a fun project to work on, and wonderful to imagine all those crocheters making up a new decoration every day and feeling their festive anticipation grow.
CHRISTMAS IS COMING
As they say, time does indeed fly, and suddenly here we are hurtling towards Christmas. Will I be sitting quietly now that all my projects are done ? No, of course not! I have a 50s-inspired festive blanket on the hook at the moment, and then it will be time to get out all the Christmas makes from past years to start decorating the house, and to decide what will be first make of the year for 2019. Keep up with Kate via her blog at justpootling.blogspot.co.uk or follow her on Instagram @just_pootling. Order the Advent Calendar Box at www.littleboxofcrochet.co.uk.