Catherine's Crochet Corner

Hello! And welcome to the Stylecraft ‘Blogstar on the Beach’ party 😀

After the fun we had last year, working on the Blogstars Garden Party, we decided we simply had to do something similar again this year.

This year, rather than a garden party, we’ve geared up to head out to a beach. And this week’s glorious summer weather (at least here in the UK) seems to have arrived just in time to join in. So find yourself a nice cool drink and come and join us – Lucia at Lucia’s Fig Tree, Phil at The Twisted Yarn, Helen at Crystals and Crochet, Emma at EmmaVarnham, Emily at The Loopy Stitch, and Polly Plum at Every Trick on the Hook. And me, of course!

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So to begin with, after we’d come up with the beach theme idea, the lovely people at Stylecraft came up with a couple of different colour palettes for us to pick from, one in Naturals Organic Cotton, and one in Naturals Cotton + Bamboo. And ohhh, let me tell you, there are some gorgeous colours in those ranges, and I had a really hard time picking!

They also offered us some suggestions for things we might make, and one of those was a beach umbrella.

Folks, you all know I like a challenge. And oh boy, was this a challenge.

But I think you’ll agree, it was absolutely worth it! I am so, so pleased with how this parasol came out, I can’t tell you – not least because it was, to be honest, quite a bit of brainwork to sort out, and at the time (post-Christmas) I was suffering post-covid brain drain!

I went with stripes to echo the sort of striped deck chairs that I always think of when I think of a beach, in beautiful bright colours so it’ll really stand out on a beach – though why limit yourself to a beach? Take it for a stroll, on a picnic, anywhere in fact that you might need a bit of shade from the hot sun.

It’s crocheted in eight wedges, which are sewn together to create the parasol cover. I used Naturals Cotton, held double, with a 6mm hook, which creates a thick but drapey fabric.

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Here’s what you need to make this:

• Stylecraft Naturals Organic Cotton in the following colours and quantities:
  • Sea Green x 3 balls (approx. 133g)
  • Poppy x 4 balls (approx. 171g)
  • Carrot x 4 balls (approx. 166g)
  • Amethyst x 2 balls (approx. 80g)
  • Gypsum x 10 balls (approx 485g)
• A 6mm crochet hook
• A large button, approx 1.5cm/1” in diameter
• A needle for sewing in ends
• A stick umbrella with eight spokes and a canopy of 102cm/40.2”

Bear in mind that umbrellas do vary! I’ve given a gauge in the pattern, but you may need to adjust up or down a hook size according to your particular umbrella frame, as well as your personal tension. There’s a lot of stretch in the pattern, so if in doubt, err on the side of slightly too small, rather than slightly too large.

Stylecraft are going to be giving you a chance to win all the yarn you need for this project (as well as for all the other projects created by my fellow Blogstars). Keep an eye on their social media for details of how to enter – either on Facebook or on Instagram 🙂

The pattern is available in US terms and for free on Ravelry.

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However, as always, if you like the pattern, it would be great if you could make a contribution to charity.

Today, I am particularly asking you to donate to 4louis or Aching Arms.

Why these two charities?

Both of these are UK charities working to support and comfort families following pregnancy and baby loss, including miscarriages, stillbirths, and termination for medical reasons. And, as regular readers of my blog will know, I have just had to terminate a much-wanted baby for medical reasons.

The maternity hospital gave me a memory box, donated by 4louis, which included things like an ink kit for hand and footprints, an SD card for pictures (taken by ward staff), and an acknowledgement of life certificate (because in the UK, babies don’t get a birth certificate before 24 weeks gestation)

They also gave me a teddy bear, donated by Aching Arms, sponsored by another family who have suffered this loss, in their name of their child. Coming home from the hospital empty-armed was made a tiny bit easier by having something physical to hold and to cuddle.

Both of these charities inhabit a very specific niche, and provide a very real source of comfort to other parents like me.

So please do, if you’re able, donate the price of a cup of coffee to one or both of these charities, in return for this pattern. I know they will be very grateful, and so will I.

xx

Catherine