Felis Silvestris Crochet and Craft Blog

 The Rise of AI in the Art World What do you think of this image? It's very pretty at first glance, isn't it? Does it make you immediately want to seek out the pattern to make them yourself? You're not alone. I took this image from a random page on Facebook that showed up on my newsfeed. I have no idea who originally made it. It's being shared by pages that appear to be run by bots, as the caption is always the exact same.  So What's the Problem? The problem is these crochet parrots are not real. That is not real crochet. The photo is generated by AI. How can you tell? Firstly, they are too perfect. Creating crochet birds that could sit like that on a perch without falling over would be challenging. The direction of some of the stitches doesn't make sense. If you zoom in, you can see the stitches on the head especially do not look like crochet stitches. The yellow feathers on the left bird's head look like real feathers, which you wouldn't be able to rep...

  Happy Pride! Hello, it's been a while but I'm here with a new free pattern. This is a closed granny square washcloth pattern. I recommend using cotton yarn for it, I used the Hobbii Rainbow Cotton 8/8 for the rainbow one. You can obviously use any colours you like. The pattern uses US terminology. dc - double crochet (treble crochet in UK terms) sc - single crochet (double crochet in UK terms) ss - slip stitch ch - chain FO - fasten off You will need: Yarn - cotton, in the colours you want Crochet hook: I used a 5mm for this project, but you should tailor it to your yarn weight. Scissors A yarn needle - if you follow my advice, you will have minimal weaving at the end Pattern: Start with a magic ring or you can chain 4 and join into a ring using a slip stitch.  R1: Chain 3, 2 dc into ring, chain 2, *3dc into ring, chain 2 - repeat from * twice more. ss into top of chain 3 to join the round - FO if changing colour. R2: chain 3. dc into next 2 stitches, *(2dc into chain space,...

 My Pattern Design Process Part 2 So, the pattern draft is done and I'm happy with it. What next? Well, I like to make at least a couple for photos and for safety testing. I finalise the written pattern and ensure the photos are included. I use Canva for creating my digital patterns. It's really easy to use and I can even use it on my phone. It's free to use with a selection of royalty free graphics and images. You get more with the premium membership. They also print documents for a decent price, things such as business cards and my care sheets for my items.  The next important step is to look for some pattern testers. As a rule, most designers will recruit crocheters on social media. For me, I have found Instagram and TikTok to be the best places. Why do this? Well, when you write something down, it'll make sense to you but it might not be as clear to other people. So testing ensures that the pattern works and makes sense for other people as well. It's easy to mis...

 How I Design My Crochet Patterns Want to know how I design my crochet patterns? I'm still relatively new to designing patterns, although I have been crocheting for a good few years. Everyone has different methods for designing, and I'd like to take you through the process that I follow.  Inspiration and Ideas I find it hard to describe where I get ideas from, but often an idea will just appear in my brain. I do most of my thinking in the shower and when I'm lying in bed trying to sleep. I always write them down to make sure I remember them for when I am able to start putting them into action.  My first pattern, Barry the Bat was a whim. I just started making something and it turned into that. I think it was because I had treated a bat at work not too long before. The little guy was quite tired and weak, but when I picked him up to check him over and give him some water, he was so mad and yelled at me. I like bats, I think they are cute, but I know they're often seen as...

 Let's Talk Yarn: Wool Welcome back to my series on yarn types. Today we're looking at wool. I'm sure you know where wool comes from, sheep. Sheep are one of the oldest domesticated animals, as they are a good all-in-one farm animal. Sheep produce a woolly coat, as well as being bred for milk and meat production. Sheep farming is also one of the most eco-friendly as they can cope with a variety of climates and spend most of the year grazing outside.  Some people will insist that it is cruel and unethical to shear sheep for their wool. That's not the case, as sheep are not harmed in the process of shearing. It's actually more cruel not to shear them, as the wool gets matted and tangled, and if not sheared every summer, they can overheat or get skin infections. These can lead to fly strike and eventually death. There are hundreds of breeds of sheep, with different types of wool. Merino wool is a popular example.  Properties of Wool Fibre Wool is a natural fibre shorn ...

 Yarn Types: Cotton Yarn Cotton yarn is one of my favourites to work with. It is less prone to splitting and fraying, and it gives good stitch definition. It has many applications and can be dyed in any colour you like. It also comes in different weights and thicknesses, for any project. Mercerised cotton absorbs dyes better and has a bit of a sheen to it, while non-mercerised cotton is duller and more matt. What is Cotton Yarn Best for? Cotton yarn has wide applications, it is durable and can be machine washed, making it suitable for baby items, blankets and clothing. It isn't as warm as wool and acrylic, so it is useful for lighter summer clothing. It has a soft feel to it, and is comfortable on the skin and breathable. It holds water well, and works nicely for washcloths and face scrubbies, which I have a YouTube tutorial for here. I like making flowers with it, the stitch definition really makes the designs pop. Such as my free daffodil pattern, here . It also looks nice for am...

 Let's Talk Yarn - Chenille Yarn What is Chenille Yarn Chenille is a synthetic yarn,  usually made from polyester, and it is soft and fluffy. As a synthetic fibre, it can be dyed in an endless number of colours, and even some patterns like the floral one I used to make the cow above. It's essentially soft fluffy fibres attached to a thread.  Chenille yarn is great for making warm soft blankets and it is ideal for soft toys as well, as it feels so nice and squishy. It has become really popular in recent years, especially among those who like making amigurumi, like me! Pros of Chenille Yarn The texture is lovely and soft, making the finished project feel and look really nice. The yarn is smooth as well, it won't split like acrylic yarn and is fairly easy to work with.  It comes in a huge range of colours, some even have glitter through it or patterns. It is a chunky weight yarn, which means it works up quite quickly.  It is also fire resistant. In the UK, all soft...

Crochet Basics Tutorials Here's my latest tutorial where I cover the basics of decreasing stitches to shape your crochet piece. I hope you find it helpful. I cover beginning and end of row decreases, crocheting two stitches together (standard decrease) and the invisible decrease. Once you've mastered the basic stitches of crochet, learning to increase and decrease stitches is the next important step. This allows you to begin to create different shapes with your crochet, and is essential if you want to begin making toys and amigurumi projects. 

 Let's Talk About Acrylic Yarn Welcome back! Today we're going to talk about acrylic yarn. It's one that is quite divisive in the fibre arts community, and often looked down upon. I like it and use it a lot, for a lot of different projects. Like all yarns, acrylic has its pros and cons. It is cheap though, and I do recommend it for beginners who are just learning to knit or crochet, as it is quite forgiving compared to other yarns. So let's get into it. What is Acrylic Yarn? Acrylic yarn is a fibre made from polyacrylonitrile. It is derived from petroleum, and was first manufactured in 1941. It is an alternative to real wool and does feel a lot like it. It is lightweight, soft and makes for warm clothing. It can also be made to mimic other yarn types. It dyes really well so acrylic yarn comes in just about any colour you can think of and can be very bold and vibrant. It is a very resilient fibre. Pros of Acrylic Yarn Cost: acrylic yarn is often a lot cheaper than natura...

 Let's Talk About Yarn Types As a fibre artist, one of the things I've spent a lot of time buying is yarn. If you're just starting out in knitting or crochet, it can be a bit overwhelming when you go to the craft store and see the wide selection available. So I'm going to help you out! Over the next few weeks we're going to talk about the different types of yarn, and how to choose the right yarn for your project.  Fibre Type There are basically two groups of fibres that yarn can be made from: synthetic and natural fibres. The names give it away, but natural fibres are sourced from nature - animal hair or plant fibres such as cotton. Synthetic fibres are manufactured, such as acrylic or polyester. Is one superior to the other? Not really. They all have their pros and cons, and in part, the fibre choice depends on what you are making.  For clothing, you probably want the fibre to feel soft but be hard wearing and washable so cotton and wool would be the better choice....

 Fast Fashion and Making Ethical Choices Let's talk about fast fashion and crochet items that are available for sale. A lot of companies like SHEIN and Temu are selling crochet items for really cheap prices. I saw a crochet top made up for five large granny squares with straps and tassels that definitely look crocheted although it's hard to see clearly. The top is being sold for £7.49, and from the look of it it would take me a good 3-4 hours to make by hand. I'm not the slowest crocheter, nor am I the fastest.  Why is this a problem? Well, even if you ignore material costs, and if we give a generous estimate of 3 hours to make. we're looking at £2.50 per hour, except you have to assume that the company intends to make a profit as well, so it's likely that the person making these items is being paid much less per hour to hand make these items.  As we discussed last week, crochet cannot be replicated by a machine, so if these items are truly crochet, then whoever is ...

  Crochet Machines Aren't Real Why can crochet only be done by hand? That's what we're going to explore today. Crochet is back in fashion, and crochet items are everywhere on social media. Many fashion retailers are selling crochet items, and AI images are trying to get into the game as well.  Last week we talked about pricing of handmade items and why they may be more expensive. Knitted garments have been around for a long time. They can be mass produced, as there are very clever machines that can make knitted items faster than a human can. Which is great!  Crochet is different. Crochet involves countless types of stitches and ways of combining these stitches to create so many different shapes from the humble granny square to an entire plush toy. You can crochet into the top of a stitch, into the spaces between stitches, and around the middle of stitches. Front loops, back loops, twisting the yarn before completing the stitch. The more you learn about crochet, the more y...

 The True Cost of Handmade One thing a lot of crocheters often hear is how expensive their handmade items are. Commonly alongside a comment about how you could just buy the materials and do it yourself. Do you do that anywhere else? Do you tell the supermarket that apples are too expensive, so you'll just buy the seeds and grow your own?  Handmade items are just that, handmade. This means that someone has put a lot of time and effort into learning a skill, and used that skill, and yet more time, to create an item. Many business people say that 'time is money', but doesn't that mean we should value our time? No matter what job you do, you expect to be paid for your time and effort, so why should that be any different for someone who has created art with their bare hands? When you are buying a handmade item from a small business like mine, you are getting a carefully crafted item that has been made with love. It's also a business, so making a profit is important, othe...

 Hello Blog, It's Been a While I haven't updated this blog for some time, I realise. There's a few reasons for this. Firstly, I spent the latter part of 2023 embroiled in a lot of health problems and dealing with some hardcore chronic illness flare ups. I have quite the list of chronic health conditions now, so it's been quite the adventure trying various different medications and whatnot.  It has meant I've not really been in the crafting space for a while, although I have managed to find my inspiration again and I have been making, which has been nice. I still can't do quite as much as I would like, as my hands do get sore after a while. I've not been in much of a writing space either, but that has also improved recently. So I want to get back to writing on this blog more regularly.  What does that mean? Well, regular posts will be happening and I will hold myself accountable to that. I have decided to keep my tutorials for YouTube, and my free patterns wi...

 New Pattern Coming Soon Bertie the Bunny Pattern will be available soon! It's currently being tested by a handful of lovely crocheters so there will be updates soon when I get feedback and photos from them. So if you want to make this little cutie, watch this space.  This is my second ever plushie pattern, and it took a little bit of experimenting to get it right, but I was able to incorporate some of the feedback and lessons learned from the Barry the Bat pattern and apply it to this one. I've designed it so that the ears can be placed in either upright or lop position and it will still look cute.  I've got a few other ideas in mind I'd like to work on so there will be more patterns coming soon. I'm also planning to write up and share my daffodil pattern fairly soon, this one will be available for free, and will come with lots of photos and video guides. 

Welcome to Part 3 of my Crochet for Beginners Today we're going to cover changing colours in straight crochet and how to follow a basic pattern. For now, we'll stick with text-based patterns as they are the most common ones crocheters use. There are diagram based patterns as well but they are a bit more challenging for beginners to use, so we'll cover them at a later date. Changing Colours Changing colours is quite straightforward when crocheting on a straight line. Once you reach the end of the row before the colour change, before you make the chains to start the next row, cut off the yarn you've been using, leaving around a 10cm (4") tail. Then use the new colour to make your chains to start the next row, again leaving a 10cm tail on the new yarn. I find it helps to hold the two tails while making the chain and first stitches to ensure you don't accidentally unravel your work. Once you've done the first couple of stitches, you should be good to ke...

  Crochet Basics Part 2 Hi, welcome back. This is part 2 of my crochet basics series introducing crochet and teaching you how to get started. In the first part we went over the basics of beginning a piece of crochet, the slipknot, the chain stitch, double crochet (single crochet in the US) and how to fasten off at the end. Today we're going to cover a couple of new stitches you can use for different textures. The half-treble and treble crochet stitches are fairly easy to work. These stitches are taller than the double crochet. You'll see what I mean.  Half-Treble Crochet (htr) Half-treble is between double and treble crochet in height. It is worked very similarly to a double crochet, the difference is you wrap the yarn around your hook before pushing it into the next stitch, then you pull the yarn through, pulling up another loop. This leaves three loops on your hook instead of two. You wrap the yarn around the hook again and pull it through all three loops together. That's...