All posts filed under: Featured Now

Vibrant Vintage Crochet-Along (VVCAL) FAQ Page

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Hello, lovely crafter! With the 2024 VVCAL starting on Friday, March 22nd, I thought it would be nice to make a separate page with the frequently asked questions so that anyone new to the VVCAL can take a look at the concerns I have compiled over the past years. We’ll also take a walk down memory lane to give an intro to the VVCAL! I start with an introduction to the CAL so if you’re new to it, you can get a good sense of what it’s all about. I hope you enjoy this long and photo-driven post! I really brought out all of the good pics to show you the possibilities. 2024 VVCAL Quick Links

2024 VVCAL Main Info Page

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Quick Links to Each Week of the VVCAL: Note: Past and current CAL weeks are in BOLD. All subsequent links will go to 404 Error pages until they are published. PDF Version The PDF version will be released on Etsy, Ravelry, and my online shop when we are about half-way through the VVCAL. Introduction Hello, gorgeous crafter! Today I am shouting out the announcement for my 2024 VVCAL! You may have heard of my 2016 VVCAL, my 2018 VVCAL, 2020 VVCAL, which are made with squares. They tie up nicely in a neat bow in my VVCAL Mega Pack which you can find on Etsy or Ravelry. For the 2022 VVCAL, I wanted to do something different, so I decided to change the game with hexagon motifs. This 2024 VVCAL will be hexagons as well, and they will mix and match with the 2022 motifs. This is going to be a very exciting make, as I know many of you are very interested in making a hexagon blanket, but are looking for new ways to …

Free Crochet Pattern: Fiesta Mandala Blanket (US Terms)

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Hello, gorgeous crafter! Today I want to share with you my latest crochet pattern. I was playing with mandalas a couple of months ago and decided to make them into a hexagon-style layout blanket. This piece would be great for a stash buster, or with a planned layout, but it is written for 2 Scheepjes Stone Washed and River Washed Colour Packs and some 50g balls as well. It is quite a large piece, but you will enjoy every stitch, especially the mandalas. Happy crafting! PDF Format The PDF version of this pattern is available on Etsy, Ravelry, and in my online shop, and both US and UK Terms PDFs are included. This pattern is in US Terms – Click here for UK Terms If you are saying “All Those Ends!!” I have a blog post for you!

“All Those Ends!”, “Layouts are Hard!”, and More… A Definitive Guide to Multicolor Motif Blankets, Plus Bonus Free Demo Blanket

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Hello, lovely crafter! Today I want to share everything I know about multicolor motif blankets. Every time I post a motif blanket with lots of colors, I get the same exclamations, responses, and questions, and so I decided to compile all of my knowledge into an ultimate guide. There is a wide variety of thought that goes into creating a motif blanket, like the design, color choice, layout, management of ends, joining method, etc., so I have a lot to share today. I’ll do my best to keep everything organized, and in an effort to do so, here is a little rundown of what you’ll find in this post:

Free Crochet Pattern: Jubilee Blanket (UK Terms)

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Hello, crafter! The Jubilee Blanket pattern is here! Written instructions are below for this beginner friendly blanket. I am so happy to have been able to provide this pattern just ten days after I started working on the blanket design. Hope you enjoy this one! PDF Format The PDF version of this pattern is available on Etsy and Ravelry and in my shop, and both US and UK Terms PDFs are included in the purchase. This pattern is in UK Terms – Click here for US Terms

Free Crochet Pattern: Jubilee Blanket (US Terms)

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Hello, crafter! The Jubilee Blanket pattern is here! Written instructions are below for this beginner friendly blanket. I am so happy to have been able to provide this pattern just ten days after I started working on the blanket design. Hope you enjoy this one! PDF Format The PDF version of this pattern is available on Etsy and Ravelry and in my shop, and both US and UK Terms PDFs are included in the purchase. This pattern is in US Terms – Click here for UK Terms

Creative Clarity, Episode 4: 5 Ways to Increase Blog Traffic, Guaranteed

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Announcement: For one day only, September 12, 2023, everything in my Ravelry shop is 50% off! Enjoy this half-off sale while it lasts! Snag those patterns you have been on the fence about. No coupon needed – the discount is automatic. Head to my Ravelry shop to browse! Hello, crafter! Recently, I cast a poll in my Instagram stories asking how many of you crafters are also creative entrepreneurs, and I found out that about 40% of you have a creative business or would like to start one. This episode of Creative Clarity is for you! I have been running CypressTextiles since 2012, so I decided I would start sharing blog posts with Creative Business Strategy on my website! Creative Clarity is not written specifically for crochet artists; rather, it will benefit any type of creator who is looking to cultivate a thriving creative practice. But, we all know that I’m a crochet blanket designer, so for my crochet peeps, each post in this series has a relevant free crochet pattern released in the same month, …

Blanket Border Collection Volume 1 is Out Now!

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Hello, lovely crafter! Today I am proud to announce that I have gathered nineteen of my blanket borders in one place and modified them so that they are written for any size blanket! This bundle of blanket borders is available as a convenient PDF, and I even included 2 PDFs, one with US Terms and one with UK Terms. PDF Collection You can find Border Collection: Volume 1 on Etsy and Ravelry, and both US and UK Terms PDFs are included in the purchase.

Free Crochet Pattern: The Color Riot Blanket (US Terms)

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Hello, lovely crafter! Today I have a special release for you – The Color Riot Blanket free crochet pattern! Wildly colorful motifs come together more simply than you think. Helpful instruction to take care of yarn tails makes this a calming piece, perfect for remnants. Express yourself with this color riot! You can hide all sorts of odd colored remnants in this blanket and it will look wonderful. This piece works great with different lengths of remnants as well. Use them all! Omit the border motifs and just join the Color Riot Motifs together if you like, for a whole different look. PDF Format The condensed PDF version of this pattern is available for convenient printing on Etsy and Ravelry, and both US and UK Terms PDFs are included in the purchase. This pattern is in US Terms – Click here for UK Terms

Creative Clarity, Episode 3: Phase 2 of the Artist’s Journey and How to Beat Creative Burnout

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Hello, fellow crafter! Today I have the third episode of Creative Clarity ready for you. As a lifelong creative, I know there are a wide variety of barriers, blocks, and struggles in the life of an artist, and whether you are a hobbyist or a career artist, they can stop you from being your best creative self. Every month, the Creative Clarity series will share knowledge, tips, and know-how to help you overcome these obstacles and deepen your practice. Creative Clarity is not written specifically for crochet artists; rather, it will benefit any type of creator who is looking to cultivate a thriving creative practice. But, we all know that I’m a crochet blanket designer, so for my crochet peeps, each post in this series has a relevant free crochet pattern released in the same month, so you can channel the energy of the Creative Clarity series into a fresh project. I am super excited to share this with you, and my goal is for you to have at least one ah-ha moment in every …

2016 VVCAL Reboot: Main Information Page

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Introduction Hello, gorgeous crafter! Today I am shouting out the announcement for the reboot of my 2016 VVCAL! You may have heard of my 2018 VVCAL, 2020 VVCAL, and 2022 VVCAL. Well, those are my latest VVCAL blanket projects, and as you may know, I design and host the VVCAL every 2 years since 2016. But on the odd-numbered years, I have been missing the VVCAL so much! I decided to start hosting a reboot throwback on the odd-numbered years. So the first reboot will be the 2016 VVCAL! This will not be a full length VVCAL, rather an abbreviated 10-week version and I will update the patterns as well if needed. Here is what the schedule will look like over the next few years: PDF Version Updated reboot PDF coming soon! You can find the current 2016 VVCAL PDF on Etsy. Quick Links to Each Week Theme The theme for the 2016 VVCAL is Names of important people in my life (This is so personal because it was before I knew the VVCAL would …

Free Crochet Pattern: Hearts in Bloom Blanket (US Terms)

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Hello, crafter! This month, I am focusing on Phase 1 of the Artist’s Journey, and the importance of imitation when just starting out in your craft. You can read all about that in Episode 2 of Creative Clarity. I shared a bit about my first phase of designing in that post, but in 2014 while I was still in the beginning stages of crochet design, I saw a heart mandala that I fell in love with and wanted to turn into a blanket motif. I reached out to the designer, Crochet Millan, and asked if I could add on additional rounds to her design, and create a quarter motif and a half motif to make a full blanket. She gave me permission, and I made the additions a freebie on my website. Hearts in Bloom For the accompanying crochet pattern to this month’s Creative Clarity episode, I decided to revisit that pattern, but the original mandala is no longer available as a design online anywhere. This was indeed almost a decade ago! So my updated …

Creative Clarity, Episode 2: Phase 1 of the Artist’s Journey and a Deep Dive into the Realm of Copying

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Hello, fellow crafter! Today I have the second episode of Creative Clarity ready for you. As a lifelong creative, I know there are a wide variety of barriers, blocks, and struggles in the life of an artist, and whether you are a hobbyist or a career artist, they can stop you from being your best creative self. Every month, the Creative Clarity series will share knowledge, tips, and know-how to help you overcome these obstacles and deepen your practice. Creative Clarity is not written specifically for crochet artists; rather, it will benefit any type of creator who is looking to cultivate a thriving creative practice. But, we all know that I’m a crochet blanket designer, so for my crochet peeps, each post in this series has a relevant free crochet pattern released in the same month, so you can channel the energy of the Creative Clarity series into a fresh project. I am super excited to share this with you, and my goal is for you to have at least one ah-ha moment in every …