Here are 3 new women’s freeform ear warmer/headbands, or.. are they cowl/neck warmers, that I finished this week & are now available for sale on Etsy. I used beautiful Artisan rainbow yarns with long variegations & just love working with them… for their colour combinations, durability & softness. These are always popular pieces, which is just as well because I really enjoy making them… 
Tapestry Crochet – 64 Playful Patterns for Children… Book Release….
I’m so happy to announce the release of my latest pattern book ‘Tapestry Crochet, 64 playful patterns for children’, published by Sally Milner Publishing.
This book is another crochet sampler & my aim is to introduce readers to yet another crochet technique & encourage avid experienced crocheters & beginners alike to try something new, expand their repertoire & enjoy themselves with some colourful, fun designs.
Utilising all 64 patterns will result in a rug (afghan) approx 152cm x 152cm (60” x 60”) in size but there is no reason why you can’t choose a selection of favourites (say 30 to 36 squares) for a smaller knee rug (afghan) or, by putting together just 4 squares you’ll have a colourful cushion face.
The patterns are divided into 8 sections:
(1) Figures & letters ~ (2) Signs & symbols ~ (3) Children & toys ~ (4) Transport (5) Fruit & veg ~ (6) Around the house ~ (7) This & that ~ (8) Birds & animals
so you can please yourself which designs suit your project… be it for a boy or girl, baby, young child or teenager… or even work just a few patterned squares alternated with plain coloured squares…
In Tapestry Crochet (as in Intarsia/Jacquard) a chart, graph or grid is used instead of written instructions for coloured patterns. Each square equals a stitch, each line equals a row and each blank square equals the main colour. Follow grids from the bottom and read right-side rows from right to left and wrong-side rows from left to right. All squares are worked in double crochet [dc] (US: single crochet [sc]). And, for reader convenience, I have written the required number of stitches for each colour, with arrows indicating row direction. 
I’m really pleased to be able to bring you this collection of Tapestry designs & I hope it gives you hours of creative enjoyment – Renate
Aussie Inspired… A women’s handbag
This piece is one that I finished recently where I’ve attempted to impart the colours of Australia into a woman’s handbag…. the purple blues of the sky, blue greens of the ocean & the vibrancy of our fascinating bush in its winter glory. 
Freeform crochet Gum leaf motifs, red bullion gum blossoms, metallic buttons, an assortment of beads & Vilene patches were melded together to create this Australian inspired piece… a medium size women’s handbag lined in a Royal Blue satin, with sturdy twisted cane recycled/repurposed handles – you can find this bag in my Etsy Shop
Crochet Felt Cloche Hats with flowers… another collection
Hello everyone, this is my new collection of crochet felt cloche hats with flowers that I finished a couple of months ago with only the photos needing to be taken before I could post about them & list them in my shops. There were 10 in all originally, but 3 have sold before I even had time to photographed them, so thought I better get a move on, otherwise, I’ll have no record that I ever made them at all.
I’m so pleased that his crochet felt cloche design is proving to be so popular. They were created in the usual way as I’ve written about in previous posts… using 100% pure wool I crocheted the crowns, which are then felted in the washing machine. I crochet the band directly to the felted crown. The flowers are first crocheted, again with 100% pure wool, & then embellished with crochet, embroidery & beads before being attached to the hat. For this collection I also came up with a plaited crochet braid that I’ve attached to each cloche between the band & crown… I think it adds a nice touch…
It always amazes me… I use the same technique… crochet, felt, embellish… yet, no 2 are ever the same…
Over the coming days, I’ll be listing these cloche hats in my Etsy shop
Reversible Freeform crochet, knit, felt & beaded scarf….
This piece is one I originally created for a competition for the Embellish Magazine in 2010. No… I didn’t win but did make it in the 1st 50, the photos of which were published in the June 2010 issue. The scarf, (I called it ‘Carnival’), has been sitting idle in a box since then & I was delighted to rediscover it. There & then, I decided that it’s time for it to see the light of day again so I’m offering it for sale in my Etsy shop.
Now… this freeform crochet, knit felt scarf wrap is not for the faint-hearted. This is a OOAK, never to be repeated scarf, wrap… A Unique piece of wearable art for someone with attitude & who dares to be different.
A pain white silk scarf has been ornately embellished incorporating felting, beading, freeform crochet & knitted motifs. I used all sorts of yarn from acrylics & metallic to cotton & pure wool & all sorts of techniques: crochet, knitting, felting, beading, tassels & even a little hand-dyeing. It’s double-sided with each side being different so it’s totally reversible.
I know, I know… it’s absolutely ‘over the top’…. but, enthusiasm sometimes has no bounds. I’m so glad I found it… it made me smile… I hope you enjoy it too…
