You will need:

1 Felting needle

1 Foam pad

1 Shape cutter (otherwise known as a pastry cutter!)

Felting wool (called roving wool which is simply wool that has been combed)

String

Normal sewing needle to thread the string

This beautiful bunting is a great introduction to felting; you can recreate it with any colours and shapes you like. A short string of felt shapes would make a magical Christmas tree decoration or a long string could decorate a whole room all year round. Just follow these 10 easy steps.

Before you start, look closely at the needle and you will see little barbs on the tip. These barbs drag the wool fibres into each other and mesh them together. The more you stab (ooo that sounds nasty, shall we say needle?) the more the fibres mesh together thickening the wool and turning it into felt. Think woolen jumper put into a hot wash by accident - it’s exactly the same process! All the woolen fibres tangle together getting tighter and tighter, shrinking your lovely jumper, or in the case of felting, creating your shape.

1. Take some of your wool and pull it from the main ball.

Top tip - Never cut roving wool, always pull it apart to avoid damaging the fibres.

2. Stuff it into your shape cutter. I'm using a heart but you could use ANY shape large or small. Don’t overfill - you want just enough that it sits comfortably in the shape and is not bursting out.

3. Gently stab the wool with the needle. Don’t push the needle all the way into the foam pad. Remember those barbs? That’s as far as the needle needs to go in.

Top tip - punch the needle straight down at 90 degrees. Try to avoid angling it too much as you run the risk of breaking the needle against the shape cutter.

4. Keep needling/stabbing the felt until it has compacted down by 50%.

5. Remove the shape cutter and turn the felt 'shape' over. Don't worry if it doesn't yet resemble the shape ....it will. Notice the fibres in the foam pad? Thats the barbs in the felting needle doing their job!

6. Place the felt back in the shape and continue working it with the needle concentrating on edges to get the shape definition. I tend to repeat this process of turning the felt over several times for each side. It will depend upon how much wool you use. The more you needle the wool, the denser it becomes.

7. Once you are happy with it. Remove the shape cutter and shape the detail with the needle. Be careful not to stab your finger!

8. Repeat this entire process using different coloured roving wool to create a rainbow of coloured shapes.

9. Once you have a good selection, thread them together to create your bunting.

10. Hang up your beautiful creation with pride!

Metropolis Mitts

£3.50

Enjoy winter like never before with these adorable mitts that are guaranteed to get noticed! They are a heady mix of style and function combining a joyous blend of colours whilst being warm and cosy to wear. What’s not to love? Given a good box set and an uninterrupted weekend of crochet you can hook a pair in no time at all!

Mitts are worked using a 3mm hook and Scheepjes Metropolis yarn in a variety of colours. All the shades used in these samples are listed in the pattern and most 4ply yarns this can be used as a substitute (Its the same weight as most sock yarns). Each glove is made of two squares joined together across two sides leaving space for the thumb opening. Edging is added around the top and the bottom and is where the creative magic happens. Once you have worked a few rounds you will be free to follow the sequence to the letter or go off piste and create your own colour versions, adding more rows to make the wrist part as long as you like!

Cosy Cable Blanket

Made with snuggling in mind this chunky blanket is a glorious blend of colour and comfort that will look equally lovely draped across a bed or sofa. Inspired by classic cable sweaters the simple repeating cable pattern works beautifully to create a warm and stylish patchwork blanket. This is the perfect project for those wishing to dip their toe into the world of cable crochet without getting lost in it! Once you have mastered the first 19 rows its just a simple repeat with colour changes creating the patchwork effect.

This patterns includes full written instructions together with a chart detailing every stitch row by row. There is also a little colour diagram to help you with the layout and all the colours used are listed. I have used Rico Design Mega Wool Chunky which is a blend of 55% wool and 45% acrylic (100g/125m) but any chunky weight yarn will work.

The blanket is constructed from six strips, and each strip has seven ‘patches’. The strips are crocheted together (so no sewing!) and finished with a super simple border and tassels at each end.

Bright Lights C2C Crochet Blanket

Inspired by the bright colours and bold shapes of Moroccan Boucherouite rugs this blanket is perfect for anyone wishing to add a splash of colour to their lives. It will brighten up any bed and look equally at home hung over the sofa for cozy nights in front of the tv. This blanket is a firm favourite with all the family and the pattern is easily adapted to be as large or as small as you like.

This blanket is worked using a 7mm hook and a chunky, aran weight yarn in a selection of bright colours making it a great ‘stash-buster’ project. Emma used Scheepjes Chunky Monkey and the yarn colours and quantities are listed in the pattern. You can watch Emma teach you how to crochet C2C in the round here however please be aware that part two of the video differs to the final pattern for this blanket (but the video is perfect to get you going!)

Rainbow's End Crochet Stash-Buster Blanket

It’s time to dive into that yarn stash and get hooking this timeless classic! The pattern is designed to use all those leftover part balls from previous projects and get you feeling the joy of working with colours as you move through the rainbow spectrum from cool blues to hot pinks. The easy to follow pattern lists all the colours and quantities used for those wishing to top up their stash and replicate the sample you see here and you can use any combination of colours to suit your mood. The border can be any colour and would look equally as beautiful in grey or black.

Mosaic Dream Crochet Blanket by Emma Leith.jpeg

Mosaic Dream Blanket

£4.50

Originally designed as a crochet along this blanket remains one of my all time favourites. The gentle grey tones of the main body of the blanket contrast beautifully with the bright pops of colour that push through the textured stitches to create a classical piece that will look good in just about any setting.

This blanket is worked using West Yorkshire Spinners Colour Lab DK pure wool which includes several balls of their self striping yarn. For a more budget friendly project any dk weight yarn can be used and the little ‘Floral Tiles’ that form the white middle border can be worked using any scraps of dk from your stash. All shades and quantities are listed in the pattern. With over 50 detailed step by step photos this pattern will hold your hand very step of the way and is ideally suited to the more experienced crocheter.

Please note this blanket does not include mosaic crochet technique despite its name!

Dot to Dot Linen St Shawl

£3.00

Gentle on the mind and pleasing for the soul this simple pattern promises beautiful results every time. Detailed step by step colour photos accompany the easy to follow pattern to guide you every step (or stitch!) of the way. Included are full details of two colour palette options - autumn colours worked in double knit and a chunky yarn version using bright springtime colours. The double knit version includes a lovely picot edge finish with tips on how to achieve a relaxed drape. Linen stitch is a wonderful way to explore and play with colours making the perfect project for anyone wishing to brighten up their winter wardrobe!

Sweet Clover Crochet Blanket

Welcome to the Sweet Clover blanket which is designed to have you combing colours with ease. Made up of 42 squares using 20 balls of Ricorumi DK this blanket is packed full of colour and texture. At first glance it may seem a little complex but the Sweet Clover square is only 6 rounds and you get to repeat each square in any colour combination of your choice. The pattern walks you through 3 simple colour tips ensuring balance and harmony with any palette guaranteeing spectacular results every time. 35 colour photos accompany the written pattern guiding you every stitch of the way.