Round 3 – Sl st into the
ch sp, 1ch, *(1dc, 1htr,
1tr, 2ch, 1tr, 1htr, 1dc) in
the sp, 1ch,* rep from * to *
fi ve times, sl st into the top
of the fi rst dc of the round.
Round 4 – Sl st into the
next 2 sts, sl st into the ch
sp, 1ch, *(1dc, 3ch, 1dc) in
the 2ch sp, 3ch, 1dc in the
1ch sp, 3ch,* rep from *
to * fi ve times, sl st into
the top of the fi rst dc of
the round.
Round 5 – *Sl st into the
next ch sp, (3ch, sl st, 4ch,
sl st, 3ch, sl st) all into the
same sp, 3dc into the next
sp, sl st into the dc, 3dc
into the next sp,* rep from
* to * fi ve times, sl st into
the sl st at the beg of the
round. Fasten off.Finishing
Weave in the ends of the
yarn with the needle.
Block the snowfl akes,
taking care to pin out the
loops and picots evenly
into the correct shape on a
surface such as an ironing
board or fl at sheet of
polystyrene. Wet the fl akes
thoroughly with either
water or spray starch and
leave them to dry
overnight. When they’re
completely dry, unpin
them carefully and tie a
loop of extra yarn through
one point for hanging.For contact details for Sandra
Paul, of Cherry Heart, turn
to Stockists at the back of
the magazine.SANDRA’S STIFFENING TIP After blocking,
carefully paint PVA glue (diluted a little with water, if you wish)
on the back of the dry snowflakes with a brush and leave it to dry.
It gives the snowflakes a nice stiff finish and keeps them in shape
when they’re hung. It will keep them strong for next year, too.SANDRA PAUL
Why this particular craft? I think crochet has
to be my absolute favourite craft, because it’s
so quick, compared to knitting, and just a very
few basic patterns and stitches will give you
an endless variety of things to make. It’s very
rhythmic and soothing, so I find it relaxing, too.
Have you tried plenty of others? Oh yes! I love
to knit, and sewing is a new passion of mine; I’ve
even managed to make a few quilts. I suppose
I can be a little prone to fads, as I’ve tried my
hand at weaving and even have my own loom.I’ve dabbled in embroidery and some cross stitch,
and I quite like making things with paper, too.
If you weren’t doing this, what would occupy
your time? I think I’d probably be drawing. I had
quite a thing for pencil sketches at one point,
and every so often I think I should get my art
equipment out again and try to coax my rusty
drawing skills back into shape.
Who taught you your crafting skills? I started
out as a knitter. My Nan taught me, as a child;
it was an often-started and never-finished
activity on our holiday visits. It didn’t stick
until my adult years, but once it did, it wasn’t
long until crochet followed.
Any good stories from those lessons? Well,
my sister claims that I was an awful learner.
I remember us both sitting down with a crochet
book on our laps, trying to follow the pictures.
I was dreadful – my fingers got in a pickle and
wouldn’t do what I wanted. Luckily, my sister
had a little previous experience and set me
on the right track.
What does this craft mean to you? It’s one
of those things that’s just ‘clicked’ with me,
I can’t remember anything else feeling so
natural so quickly. I feel like I’ve found a little
crafty niche that suits me beautifully, so that
makes it pretty special.
Is it hard to find time to do it or is it a profession?
I find it all too easy to make time; it’s more a case
of dragging me away. I probably should spend
more time doing other things, like cleaning the
house or something!
From where do you draw inspiration? I think
it’s mostly colours that inspire me. I often seea certain colour and that will conjure up an image
for me. Or, sometimes, it’s a group of colours, in
the garden, on wallpaper or clothing, and I’ll want
to use that palette. I might think, ‘I want to cuddle
up in those colours’, so they become a snuggly
scarf or blanket. Or they might feel really fresh
and bright, and I’ll think of cotton shawls or
a flowery garland, maybe.
What are your favourite materials to work with?
The soft but also smooth yarns, like merino blends
and the soft cottons. I can sometimes find natural
wool and alpaca quite itchy, so I generally prefer
to use yarns with a mixture of fibres.
Are you married with children? I’m married to
a lovely, generous husband, and we have a little
girl who is now the ripe old age of eight. We also
have a black and white cat, called Stanley, who can
generally be found making a nuisance of himself,
but we love him all the same.
Where do you live and work? I live in a modest
house in a small village in England. It’s close
enough to the fields and countryside to be
peaceful and close enough to shops and
civilisation to feed my stash-gathering habits.
I’m lucky enough to have a husband who doesn’t
mind that I’ve taken over the spare room and
turned it into a little crafting haven, so I have
a nice desk with my sewing machine set up in
there, and I’ve filled as much of the rest of the
space as I can with fabric, buttons, yarn and other
crafty bits and bobs. I still managed to spread
craftiness about the house, though, and my
favourite place to sit and crochet is in my armchair
in the living room. Yarn and hooks on one side,
a warm coff ee on the other, and I’m quite happy.Gett ing to know ...
46 Homespun