Crochet Therapy – hook your way to mindfulness

If you are a hooker like me, you won’t find the idea of crochet therapy the least bit unusual. I’ve been using it for a looong time without even realising it.

However, the gorgeous new book by Betsan Corkhill, Crochet Therapy, made me look at what I was doing in a whole new light. Mindfulness has been about for a little while now, I have an app on my phone and I really do find it helpful. However sometimes its quite hard to empty your mind, especially if you are the creative type.Filling it with yarn means there really isn’t room for anything else!

Betsan Corkhill gives us the chance to find an oasis of calm in our hectic lives with step-by-step wellness exercises and beautiful crochet patterns. There are cushions and throws, mandalas and coasters, wall hangings and bunting. I also love the idea of a Friendship quilt, getting together to make lots of individual small flowers which are knotted together as a symbol of friendship. friendship flowers - Crochet Therapy

And if you haven’t yet mastered the art of crochet, the instructions at the back of the book for getting started are clear and concise, perfect for a beginner.

These are a few of my favourite patterns from the book… Mandalas - crochet therapy bracelets - Crochet Therapy bunting - crochet therapy And I made … No-Stress Balls, just what I need…! No Stress Balls - Crochet Therapy …and a soothing mandala.

I’d love you to have the chance to share a spot of yarny mindfulness, so there’s not one but two copies of Crochet Therapy waiting to be won by one of you lovelies out there.

Just leave a comment below sharing your favourite ways of de-stressing with us all. I’ll put all of your names into the proverbial hat and draw out the winners and the nice people at Quarto will send a copy on it’s way to the lucky recipient. The closing date is Friday 7th October.

And if this isn’t exciting enough, I’ll be back again at the end of the week with another freebie! See you soon …x

Finding the pattern…

Planet Penny has been about pattern making for a while, what with mice, and bunting and other colourful things. However I have long hankered after learning a different sort of pattern making, surface pattern design.

I’ve always been fascinated by fabrics and wallpapers. I used to lie in bed as a very small child finding faces in the flowers in the curtains, and trying to spot identical areas and wondering how on earth it could go on and on repeating.

So that’s why, some time ago I signed up to Pattern Camp, run by Jessica Swift, the painter, surface pattern designer and author. This has meant a lot of time sitting in front of the computer, waaay out of my comfort zone, learning how to use Adobe Illustrator. And although I’ve been using Photoshop for years, I’ve had to discover an awful lot of stuff I didn’t know!

Because I haven’t had my brain in gear for a lot of this year I ground to a halt a couple of months ago and with the course over I hit a brick wall of frustration. But a couple of weeks ago the lovely Jessica announced two free weeks of access for previous campers, exactly what I needed to get me going again.

This time, it all started to click into place, and I’ve had so much fun, especially now I can not only tile a pattern, but make half drop repeats too! (I’m even learning the lingo!)

So, here are my very first attempts… Pink and Gold pattern by Penny GJ Painted flowers pattern by Penny GJ Autumn Colours Bold Flower Pattern - Penny GJ Purple flowers pattern - PennyGJ I only ever wanted to try this out of curiosity, but I love it!

These designs are all about the process, a learning curve, but I really want to push it further. I keep thinking about what I could sew…and wrapping paper! It’s very exciting.

And, in case you are wondering, I haven’t given up on knitting or crochet. There are a couple of posts in the pipeline guaranteed to hit the spot, a different sort of pattern altogether!

See you soon…x

That September Term Feeling…

The start of the September Term… (Higgins…who chewed my pencil case?)

September Term - back to school for Higgins the dachshund! That September term feeling. It never goes away really. By the time you’ve done umpteen years at school yourself, and then however many with children buying shoes and sewing on name tapes then it’s sort of ingrained in one’s psyche. (I DO need a new pencil case!)

So it’s a good time to start something new and inspiring, to make something happen.

To that end I have signed up to the Business Bakery’s 100 Day Goal which started on 1st September. If you’ve not heard of it, the 100 day Goal is a fantastic way of giving procrastinators like me some much needed oomph and focus instead of just drifting along. I’ve been adrift for sometime!

So, my goal is to give Planet Penny a bit of spit and polish, and possibly a sprinkle of glitter. I’ve been blogging since 2007, definitely time for a spring clean. You might find my 100 days of actions just a teensy bit tedious if I list them, but I hope as the weeks go by you will notice some differences, and spot a few sparkles! And of course, any feedback will be gratefully received.

Do you get that September term feeling? It’s much easier to make new plans at this time of year whilst you’re still shaking sand out of your shoes. Not during the dank days of January when you are trying to eat the remains of the Christmas cake and left over toffees in the Quality Street tin! (or maybe that’s just me!)

See you soon…x

Crochet Scarflet – Rowan Hemp Tweed Chunky

A little while ago I was asked if I would like a sample of a new yarn to try (I’m sure you can guess my answer!) and the postman duly delivered a gorgeous ball of soft sea green loveliness, Rowan Hemp Tweed Chunky, a mix of 75% wool and 25% true hemp.

Rowan Hemp Tweed Chunky - Sea It’s sometimes a problem to find just the right pattern to show off a sample, isn’t it? I really didn’t want to just knit a swatch to look at, I wanted a ‘thing’, and a lovely one at that. Fortunately, in the wee small hours one night, Madame Serendipity came to call and I came up with a pattern which I think ticks all the boxes.

It’s simple, it’s cosy and makes use of every scrap of the 100gms of the Rowan Hemp Tweed Chunky. I couldn’t ask for more. So without further ado, just a quick Ta – DAAA… may I present my Chunky Scarflet with Pompom… Rowan Hemp Tweed Chunky Scarflet …or button…or even a pin…It’s a really quick and simple weekend project suitable for all skill levels and a perfect little snuggler to pop in your handbag in case of unexpected Autumn chills. The yarn is lovely to work with and makes up very quickly. I used a 7mm hook, didn’t have any problems with splitting and the yarn is soft and light.

I am working on writing basic instructions in much the same way that I did for last year’s crochet sweater so if you are interested do let me know in the comments. The Rowan Hemp Tweed Chunky yarn itself is available for pre-order from the online knitting and crochet shop Laughing Hens and there are eight fabulous colours (so maybe I need to make one to match everything I wear!)

It’s been a busy summer and I’ve missed being here but I have that September ‘New Term’ feeling coming up (does it ever go away?) and lots of things to share.

I’ll be back soon…x

Guest Post: Higgins and the Pawsome Box

Hello! Higgins here. It’s been sooo long since mum let me loose on the keyboard but I really wanted to tell you about my Pawsome Box, cos I love it when I get my very own post.

(Mum gets soo grumpy when I open hers.)

Pawsome Box I had to give it a bit of a chew and a thump about to get in, but when I did it was PAWSOME! Pawsome box contents There were TREATS! treats for Higgins the miniature dachshund from the Pawsome Box There were TWO bones! And some more treats, a lead, and some wiping things to make me smell cleaner (Hmmph! I smell lovely already!)I LOVE the stripy bone…it squeaks!(Well it did, until I had a little accident) but I STILL love it… Toy from the Pawsome box And the other bone I can just chew…and chew… and chew… Higgins jumping I thought this was just for me because I’m special, but mum says ALL the dogs in the WORLD can have this treat too because there is a special code from the lovely Pawsome people to get a discount. So I thought I’d better tell you all so that my doggy chums can have some post too.

You just have click here to find out all about the Pawsome Box and use this discount code ukbtswem when you buy.

It’s my birthday next month… I’m not hinting or anything, mum…..MUM?

An office in the sun!

Well, this is a rare occurrence, Higgins and I have moved outside. We’re on the veranda outside the studio, there’s blue sky, sunshine, flowers, birdsong…What could be better? office_in_the_sun

Only last week we were huddled under a blanket (in Higgins case, three blankets) watching the rain lash down so I’m making the most of every minute now.

There is just one weekend left of Open Studios here in Norfolk and it’s been good, as usual. Really nice to meet the people who come to visit who are really interested in what we do, and in who, in turn, have interesting stories to tell. Higgins has been working well with the meeting and greeting, he even had an assistant! Higgins&Coco It did get very tiring in the end though… tired Higgins

I have been been diligent in my decluttering efforts. So many things which I have made in order to create patterns, but eventually I have to reluctantly part with them in order to make room in the studio, and in my head, for new ideas.

It’s not easy! The knitting mobile has been sold…

it’s off to Germany as a present.

And the Hearts and Flowers Mobile is off to grace a little ones bedroom which is lovely. It’s nice to know it will have a good home.

Hearts and Flowerts Mobile from Planet Penny Quite a few little needlefelted pieces have been sold too, although I’m not going to part with Clover the sheep!

Flock of needlefelt sheep - Planet Penny

Clover is the one in the middle!

So if you are in the area next weekend do call in. There’s bunting and baubles and fairy lights and books too! I’m never going to rival decluttering queen Marie Kondo, but I’m trying!

Back soon…x