Two weeks ago, I had a fantastic opportunity to visit h+h cologne in Cologne, a major international trade fair for handicrafts and hobbies held every year. I was invited by De Bondt to their booth to do some crochet demonstrations and also to talk about my A City Walk book.
About Flow Slipover (my new crochet design)
I brought a few of my crochet projects to showcase at the booth. One of them was my new design, the Flow Slipover, named after the recent Stone Washed Flow (affiliate link) yarn by Scheepjes (a colorful gradient addition to the well-established Stone Washed yarn family).
The pattern for the Flow Slipover has already been published, and you can find it on Ravelry HERE and on Etsy HERE.
The pattern comes in 9 sizes (from XXS to 4X) and can be adjusted for both width and length. It includes written instructions in English (US crochet terms), a detailed photo tutorial, and links to external video tutorials for additional support.
The construction of the Flow Slipover is quite straightforward. It consists of front and back panels worked vertically in turned rows. The front and back are then joined at the shoulder seams. Next, the bands with buttons and buttonholes are added along the sides, and finally, the collar is worked around the neck opening. The collar is optional, and you can leave a crew neck by working a few rounds around the neck opening.
I made three samples:
- one using the new Scheepjes Stone Washed Flow yarn, as I was curious about how it would work up in crochet, and I must say I was not disappointed at all,
- another one also using Stone Washed yarn (affiliate link), but this time in a single color,
- and a third sample made with Scheepjes Kindsome yarn (my current wool-blend favorite due to its softness and excellent stitch definition).
The Future of the Craft Industry (happy news)
At h+h cologne, I met many lovely people and had interesting conversations about the yarn industry and crochet in particular. This made me reflect on the future of crafts and the possible directions in which modern crochet is developing.
The good news is that the yarn industry is alive and doing very well. I met many people wearing handmade garments, saw a wide variety of beautiful yarns for all tastes, and spoke with young people who already run yarn businesses, teach classes, and design patterns themselves. I also met yarn shop owners who have moved to larger spaces in recent years and saw children who are passionate about yarn and crafts.
In a world of rapidly advancing technology, people tend to turn to crafts more often to keep their minds balanced and to reconnect with themselves.
My thoughts about “transitional crochet”
Most shop owners who stopped by our booth were knitters who crochet occasionally. They often had very straightforward views on crochet, suitable yarns, and the possibilities for creating crochet garments. Some were even doubtful that a nice drape and refined garment shaping can be achieved with a crochet hook.
Crochet has often been perceived as a “second-class” craft compared to knitting. However, modern crochet can produce sophisticated, drapey fabrics that are sometimes indistinguishable from knitting. Many designers are now moving away from traditional granny-square crochet and are pushing the craft forward.
This made me think that today, alongside traditional crochet as we know it (often associated with blankets, shawls, home décor, bags, and amigurumi, and sometimes hesitant about garments), there is also a new direction emerging — what I would call “transitional crochet,” supported by many modern designers.
It feels like transitional crochet sits somewhere between traditional knitting and crochet. Designers and makers are exploring modern techniques and garment construction, showing interest in “knit-look” crochet with good drape and refined aesthetics.
As a crochet designer, I feel that I belong to this category. Through my work, I aim to show that modern crochet is very different from what it was 10 years ago. With a crochet hook, we can create a wide variety of stitches — some that mimic knitting and others that celebrate the unique texture of crochet.
Conclusions
I returned home from h+h cologne filled with inspiration and bright emotions. I had the opportunity to connect with people from different parts of the world and to share a love and passion for crochet and yarn.
I strongly feel that modern crochet is not only alive and thriving, but also has an exciting future ahead — with many talented designers continuing to innovate, and adventurous makers who are not afraid to explore new techniques and contribute to the evolution of crochet as a craft.
See you next year at h+h cologne in Cologne?
Hello! I hope the beginning of the new year has been kind to you. My own start was a bit slow, as I decided to slow down in general and take life a little easier. I’ve been finishing up WIP projects from last year and preparing them for publishing. But new creative ideas have already started knocking on my door again, so hopefully a new design will jump onto my hook very soon.
Over the past weeks, I’ve been finalizing a new garment design that I am truly happy with—the stitch pattern, the yarn choice, the fit, and the overall look and feel. It has been a pure joy to design and make, and today I’m incredibly excited to share it with the world.
Please give a warm welcome to the Freya Cardigan.
The pattern is now available on Etsy HERE and on Ravelry HERE.
A special construction
Freya Cardigan is quite different from the garments I’ve designed in the past. It features a unique construction, worked vertically from side to side. I also used a short-row technique to create a leafy stitch pattern on the front. The fit is oversized, and I can safely say it will suit a wide range of sizes and body shapes.
It can also be adjusted as you go, both in width and upper arm circumference. The pattern has been tested in multiple sizes, and each version turned out beautifully.
Yarn
For the Freya Cardigan, I chose Scheepjes Kindsome yarn, which has a balanced composition of compostable polyester and responsibly sourced wool.
The yarn is incredibly soft and lightweight, coming in a sport weight with 50 g balls and 150 m per skein. It glides smoothly on the hook, and the stitch definition is excellent.
Kindsome yarn is currently available in a limited color range, but I truly hope new shades will be introduced in the future, making it an even more wonderful choice for both crochet and knitting—especially for colorwork.
If you prefer to use a different yarn for your Freya Cardigan, I recommend choosing a soft sport-weight yarn. The best results will be achieved with a single, solid color.
Pattern details
Freya Cardigan comes in 9 sizes, with a finished bust measurement of 112–208 cm / 44–82 in and a recommended ease of 45–55 cm / 17¾–21¾ in. It is designed as a roomy, cozy garment.
You can make it as an open-front cardigan without a closure, or optionally add buttonholes at the front for extra practicality.
The shoulder line is dropped, with no visible transition between the back and sleeves. Working half double crochet stitches into the back loops only gives the finished piece a knitted look rather than a crocheted one.
The pattern includes full written instructions in English (US crochet terms), detailed photo tutorials, and links to video tutorials explaining the construction, short-row technique, and finishing. The videos guide you through every step of making the Freya Cardigan.
If you’d like to get your own copy of the pattern and create your own Freya Cardigan, you can find it HERE on Ravelry and HERE on Etsy.
Hope you enjoy,
Hello and welcome to the final part of the Mystery Sparkle MAL! In previous weeks, we tried our hands at surface slip stitches with Sparkle Star, overlay crochet with Sparkle Bauble, and crochet short rows with Origami Square. I hope you enjoyed this variety of projects and techniques—because today, something different is waiting for you once again.
Today we’ll be making a beautifully textured Sparkle Snowflake using the beloved brioche crochet technique.
Where to Get the Pattern
If you already own the Mystery Sparkle MAL ebook, simply refresh your Ravelry library and today’s pattern will appear.
If this is your first time reading about the MAL, you can find all the details on how to join HERE on my blog and purchase the ebook HERE on Ravelry.
The collection of all four patterns will remain discounted through December 24th, 2025. After that, all four patterns will also become available as stand-alone patterns on Ravelry.
The ebook will be listed at its regular price after December 24th. So, if one or two of the previous patterns have caught your eye, now is the perfect time to grab the entire ebook at a special price.
About Brioche Crochet
As mentioned above, Sparkle Snowflake uses the brioche crochet technique, which is easy to master if you’re familiar with basic crochet stitches. This highly textured fabric consists of two layers, featuring intricate stitch patterning on the right side and two-color stripes on the wrong side.
If you’d like to dive deeper into the basics of brioche crochet, you’re welcome to join my free online workshop HERE.
After signing up, you’ll receive an email with general information and links to all lessons and additional resources. The workshop includes written explanations with step-by-step photos, a stitch video library, and several video tutorials that guide you from basic brioche patterns to more complex ones. There’s also a dedicated lesson on how to read brioche crochet charts.
The workshop is completely free! If you’d like to take your crochet skills to the next level, you’re warmly invited to join.
And if you’re looking for even more brioche patterns, have a look at my new book A City Walk. It’s entirely devoted to brioche crochet and includes 12 modern patterns for wearables and home décor. The book is available in our webshop HERE, with worldwide shipping.
About Sparkle Snowflake
Sparkle Snowflake is a round ornamental mandala that can be used as a coaster or a hanging decoration. You can also make two snowflakes and join them together with a bit of stuffing to create a lovely 3D effect.
For a festive look, I used Scheepjes Catona together with Scheepjes Catona Shine, which adds a beautiful metallic sparkle. Of course, the snowflake can be made with any yarn from your stash.
You can choose just two colors (with good contrast), or use one color for the snowflake motif (Yarn B) while adding several colors for the background. For the best effect, try using ombré or closely related shades for the background.
Only one color is used per round, and there’s no cutting between rounds. This means that even with two colors, you’ll have just four ends to weave in.
This marks the final part of the Mystery Sparkle MAL, and I’d like to thank everyone who joined me on this exciting journey.
See you in the next adventure!
Hello and welcome to Part 3 of the Mystery Sparkle Make-a-Long! I hope you’ve had fun making the Sparkle Star and Sparkle Bauble over the past two weeks. I’ve absolutely loved seeing your projects pop up online, and I hope the patterns were easy to follow. This week, we’re switching things up and exploring something completely different. Let me introduce the Origami Square!
How to Get the Pattern
If you already own the Mystery Sparkle MAL ebook, simply refresh your Ravelry library and today’s pattern will appear.
If this is your first time hearing about the MAL, you can read all the details about how to join HERE on my blog and purchase the ebook HERE on Ravelry.
About the Origami Square
Today’s design has nothing to do with paper craft—but its structure reminded me so much of the Japanese origami art that the name stuck. Although you’ll crochet a flat square, the construction is built from small triangles, and when arranged in stripes, they create a beautiful graphic motif.
With clever color placement, the pattern even forms little fir trees! One square shows two trees, but you can “grow your forest” by adding more stripes with triangles.
Just like the real origami does not involve cutting or gluing, the Origami Square becomes a continuous, meditative project with no ends to weave. When made in one color. But of course, if you choose multiple colors, you’ll have a few ends, but many can be woven in as-you-go.
After the design of the Origami Square was finished, I played along, making several more samples to see how the pattern can be improved, and how the square will look with different yarns.
For two squares, I used the same yarn as in the rest of the Mystery Sparkle MAL—a mix of Scheepjes Catona and Catona Shine. One square uses only two colors for a minimalistic look; another version features six colors with each stripe worked in two different shades.
Then I became curious about a monochrome version and tried Scheepjes Stone Washed from my stash. The result? Soft, drapey, and absolutely lovely—with zero (almost) ends to weave!
Endless Possibilities
The Origami Square is an infinity design you can grow to any size. The stitch pattern is based on a multiple of 11 stitches, so you can start at any width you like. Adding more stripes with triangles lets you increase the length—or even transform your square into a rectangle.
I truly hope someone turns this into a blanket. If you do, please share it online with the hashtag #origamicrochetsquare and tag me—I would LOVE to see your creations!
What’s Included
Just like the previous MAL patterns, the Origami Square includes:
- Full written instructions in English (US terms)
- Detailed photo tutorial
- Step-by-step video tutorial
I hope you enjoy working on this week’s design as much as I enjoyed creating it.
See you next week for the final part of the Mystery Sparkle MAL! The last pattern will be released on December 20th, 2025.
With love,
Hello and welcome to Part 2 of the Mystery Sparkle Make-A-Long! Last week we warmed up with the simple Sparkle Star and learned surface crochet with slip stitches. I absolutely loved seeing all your beautiful stars on social media, and I hope you enjoyed making them. Today, we’re moving on to a slightly more complex pattern: the Sparkle Bauble.
For this project, you’ll need leftover yarn in three colors and a bit of stuffing. I’m using Scheepjes Catona yarn* (affiliate link) together with Catona Shine for some festive sparkle—but of course, feel free to dive into your stash and choose your own colors. This make-a-long is all about freedom and creativity!
If you’ve joined my previous mystery MALs, you know we make stuffed hanging ornaments every year—often baubles. This time, however, I wanted to try something different and step away from the traditional round shape.
I’m not even sure what this shape is called in English (or in my native languages!), so if you know, please leave a comment—I would love to learn it! For now, I’ll simply call it a Sparkle Bauble. 😊
This pattern introduces an overlay crochet technique that creates rich, colorful texture. We’ll be working with two layers at once, but don’t worry—only one color is used per round, and you won’t need to cut or weave in ends.
To help you place the stitches correctly, I’ve prepared a detailed photo tutorial and recorded a video explaining all the trickier moments. So, you have no excuses not to give this pattern a try!
If you’d like to make a whole set of ornaments, you can use the same three colors each time and change their order for every new bauble. Or keep two colors from the previous one and add a new color for the next. Lots of possibilities!
If you already own the Mystery Sparkle MAL ebook, simply refresh your Ravelry library and today’s pattern will appear.
If this is your first time hearing about the MAL, you can read more about how to join HERE on my blog and grab the patterns HERE on Ravelry.
Hope you enjoy this part, and I’ll see you next week with a new pattern!
A quick reminder: Part 3 will go live on Monday, December 15th. I’ll be away from my desk (hopefully enjoying a Radiohead concert in Copenhagen!), but everything will be prepared in advance, so the pattern appears right on time—around 3pm CET.
With love,
