Advent calender launch

Happy Christmas from me.

Its here this is the lauch of my free crochet pattern advent calender.

So what is it?

Well I've come up with 24 brand new pattern designs. There is amigurumis, tree decorations, winter warmers and gifts and every day till Christmas I'll be posting up a new pattern here on the blog.

I've written up the pattern in the style I use for magazines, so they are all written with UK abbreviations. For those of you more happy with US abbreviations its pretty easy to understand the conversion, you just need to remember that in the UK we don't have a single crochet stitch so your single crochet is our double crochet so its like this:

UK dc = double crochet which is the same as US sc = single crochet
UK tr = treble crochet which is the same as US dc = double crochet
UK dtr = double treble crochet which is the same as US tr = treble crochet

its really simple so hopefully that won't put anyone off joining in.

Right so why am I doing this advent calender?

The first reason is just a say a big thank you to everyone out there who reads this blog and like my designs. Its because of you guys that my work is becoming so popular and I can keep doing this wonderful job.

The other reason is I really want to enjoy Christmas again. As many of you know my lovely partner Andy died a few years ago, I've been on my own since and I haven't really done much at Christmas.

This year I decided that needed to change. Christmas is a happy time and I need to start letting myself be happy again. I have worked hard and I now have a job I love doing, I have great friends and family, lovely fans and of course my two stunning and silly cats. I lots to be thankful for and celebrate. Next year is going to be very exciting too as I start work on my first book of my own designs, so its time to start looking forward.

After taking the photos for the advent calender I trimmed my Christmas tree last night. Its not elegant but its full of love. I have baubles I've collected over years, ones me and Andy bought together, things I've made myself and even a very old glass bauble in the shape of my first cat Jinx. Now it is also decked with some of the items I've made for the advent calender. Its a memory tree, it makes me smile and it makes me a bit sad and that's just as it should be.

The cats of course are loving having the tree up as they think its just for them to play with.

(can I just point out the perfect placement of the jingle bells in front of Cals face!! Makes me giggle every time I look at it)

So I ask you to join in with this advent calender. Share it around. Make things and post photos to my facebook page or email me at lizwardcrochet@mail.com and I'll share your pics for you. Comment to share some love and festive cheer. Lets make Christmas 2014 one of the best Christmases ever and lets all try and be just a little bit happier .

all my love Liz xxx 

this month

Sorry I've been so quiet. Needless to say I've been very busy, mainly with magazine work but also with a little pet project of my own I'll be telling you about later.

So first the magazine round up and this month there are quite a few.

I missed last moths Craftseller so I'll tell you about that one first.

This commission was for two wintery cats.

I really wanted the Christmas jumper look. The zig zag pattern wasn't what I'd planned but happened by accident and I really liked the look so stuck with it. I've also used a new stitch in these to create the ribbing on the jumper and the hand band. I'm really happy with how these turned out they look great pals in this photo from the magazine :)

So on to this months Craftseller and this time they were sticking with the winter theme and asked for a native fisherman and penguin friend.

I like the sketch I did for this one and I was really pleased that I was able to get the finished design as close to the sketch as possible.

Here they are before they when off on their adventures. There was some debate as to the finished colour of the fish they wanted, so in the end I made lots and let my editors decide but as you can see from the finished photo from the magazine they just used them all.

I really want to know where they get all the lovely little props they use, I love this little sledge.

This is quite a simple amigurumi design but I've added some embroidery work on the braid to really give it that native feel. I think he's a real cute one and his chubby penguin friend is never short of a fish or two by the looks of him :)

Right where to next..

Your handmade home magazine has re-printed the trio of Christmas characters I made last year for Craftseller magazine so if you didn't get your hands on them last year you have another chance in this fantastic magazine full of many different crafts for Christmas.

Next up I've had some more patterns re-printed in some wonderful bookzines made by the people behind Inside Crochet magazine.

There are loads of pattern in these lovely books I'll just give you a quick photo round up of some of my designs you'll find in them.

 needlework set

 wash mitts

t

 beaded crochet earrings

 Ice creams

 Lucy bunny

 Squirrel

Walter the whale :)





Last up you may have notice in the photo of the book-zines that I've included the next issue of #Crochet magazine.



I did a few new designs for this issue and first up is a selection of kilt pin animals.

This was a really fun project to work on and they turned out great. My favorite is the fish, I just love the air bubbles that join him back to the kilt pin, its just too cute :)

finally another small project from #Crochet magazine is these Crochet buttons

These were completely addictive to make and while I was only asked for three buttons I couldn't help myself and gave them six to choose from.

I'll post up the patterns for the two they didn't pick when I get a spare bit of time.

Right that's its. sorry for being quite for ages and then rushing through this months magazine projects but I really am short of time this month. As well as having lots of design work on I've been creating 24 brand new wintery and Christmas patterns for a free pattern advent calender that will be here on the blog from the first of december.

Every day till Christmas I'll be posting up a new free pattern for all sorts of Christmas crochet goodies to celebrate the festive season.

So don't miss out. if you don't already follow my blog you can click on the Follow button at the top left hand side of this page (just under the owls) or you can like my facebook page and I'll keep you all up dated there