These brightly coloured beaded crochet decorations first appeared in Inside Crochet magazine, issue #130. They use small amounts of Stylecraft Naturals Bamboo + Cotton yarn, but you could use any left overs of DK weight yarn. The 16 page pattern includes step-by-step instructions (with images) for adding beads to your crochet. There are 4 decorations included in the pattern, ​each shown in two alternative colourways. ​I love putting the decorations on the tree or around the house at Christmas time. I have a really eclectic assortment of hanging baubles, adornments and trimmings that I use to make our home feel festive. Our decorations have been collected over the years - some belonged to Andy's Grandparents and we have baubles we found whilst on trips away and some were made by our children when they were small. My favourite is probably the paper angel with a head made from a ping pong ball, with a wonky smile drawn in felt tip pen and a dress made from a paper dolly that Charlie made when he was at primary school. I think he cringes a little when I pop it on the tree! I love the way unpacking the decorations year after year and arranging them around the house brings back lots of lovely memories and good feelings. Handmade decorations make extra special gifts as they convey that sentiment too and are a great way of using up odds and ends of yarn from your stash. I have used 4 shades of yarn for a more contemporary, simple look, but I think these would also look great made with all sorts of yarn types and colours with added buttons, beads and ribbon to add in a big splash of fun! I am a bit of a magpie. I am a sucker for a bit of bling and get easily side-tracked by sequins, sparkles and shiny things. These days I find it a little easier to resist the temptation of glistening, shimmery items as I wander around the shops, but I am still madly in love with the technique of adding beads to my crochet. I loved creating these twinkly decorations, which would look great hung from the tree or worn as a stunning corsage.

Timeless fashion and modern practicality are at the core of Crochet Crush, the book from Molla Mills. The 23 crochet patterns include both ideas for home decor and accessories to brighten up your everyday life. The patterns in the book form a cohesive collection, making it easy for the reader to combine different patterns and change colours to fit their own personal taste. The designs have been influenced by current trends as well as the moods and aesthetics of past decades. Most importantly, however, they have been inspired by Molla’s journeys around the world. Molla Mills (born 1979) is an internationally known Finnish designer who learned how to crochet from her mother as a little girl in Kurikka, Finland. She has studied fashion, marketing and art and has written several crochet books that have been published for instance in Brazil and in South Korea. Molla also designs pattern collections for different yarn brands and travels around the world teaching crochet workshops.