Tottington & Heydon - Quail Studio Heydon hat is a versatile knit with options to knit either in the round or flat. Crafted with warm and cosy Alpaca Cotton, you may choose to finish with a pom pom for a touch of luxe! Tottington snood is knitted in a simple lace stitch using Softest Alpaca. This straightforward yet highly effective pattern adds intriguing detail to this cosy piece. Featured yarns - Mode Alpaca Cotton, Mode Alpaca Wool, Mode Softest Alpaca

I love how decorating the house at Christmas time brings back so many family memories. We have some decorations that date back quite a few generations and I especially like these old pieces. When setting out to design this bunting I wanted to create some crochet motifs that echoed the shape of our precious vintage Christmas tree baubles. ​I have added beads, bells and little 'shisha' mirrors to add a touch of sparkle and I am so pleased with the results. ​ The pattern for the bunting is written with three classic shades in mind - Navy, Mustard and Grey, ​but you could raid your stash for multicoloured left overs to create a very different, vibrant look.

Knit in aran weight yarns. This blanket is inspired by the bright, exciting and high-contrast graphics of comic books and American Pop Art. Who doesn’t love a good polka dot? This blanket is inspired by the bright, exciting and high-contrast graphics of comic books and American Pop Art, and my love of polka dots in general. MMMmmmm who doesn’t love a good polka dot? Blanket can be made any size desired. When made to the gauge suggested, the squares measure approximately 6.25” square.

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.