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Dying arts
It used to be a common sight to see parents, grandparents, and even children in every household regularly pick up a sewing kit to sew on a button and meticulously darn their own clothes. But these skills are a dying Art
It seems despite a growing interest in sustainability, fewer people are able to fix or make their own clothes with needlework falling out of daily use.
It may also come as a surprise to learn that only 16% of a surveys participants are proficient knitters. This comes despite 2025 having seen a boom in celebrities such as Gigi Hadid and Tom Daley publicly sharing their love of this relaxing and productive skill.
Despite a rise in interest in ‘slow fashion’, the skills needed to make or repair your clothing are no longer taught to young people on a regular basis, with only those willing to seek out lessons are learning these skills.As someone who runs workshops in various handcrafting skills, I find this quite surprising. My courses are always full, but I suppose if you want to learn, you seek out classes.
One of the things I’m passionate about is not wasting materials. As a crocheter, I try to use up every bit of yarn. Any piece to small to be useful,I keep for stuffing, along with scraps of fabric.
You can be creative about using your yarn scaps. Try these ideas:
Conquering the Leftovers:
We’ve all been there – our project is complete, but now we have a basket overflowing with colorful yarn scraps. These beauties are perfect for creating all sorts of small projects such as amigurumi or hats. You may need to get creative in the way you combine your yarns, but that’s all part of the fun!
Patching Up Perfection:
A small snag doesn’t have to spell doom. Crochet patches are both a fun and functional way to extend the life of your favourite garments and reduce landfill waste. Choose contrasting or complementary colours to create a unique design element.
Visible Mending Magic:
Embrace the current trend of visible mending! Instead of trying to hide your repair, use contrasting yarn to mend tears in a bold and artistic way. Darning can be done in several colours to create a woven patch. Crocheted applique patches brighten up a garment as well as hiding a tear. More subtle patches can be made using delicate doilies.
From Scraps to Spectacular:
Tiny yarn ends don’t have to gather dust either; you can turn them into a vibrant scrappy blanket! I have a ball winder and make scrap cakes, joining in all the scraps as I wind. I group my yarns by weight and colour to avoid clashes. These scrap cakes are ideally suited to patterns that work in stripes, like C2C.Learning these basic skills can enhance your wardrobe, saving you money and perhaps rescuing and reviving an old favourite piece of clothing. So, embrace make do and mend and enjoy slow fashion.
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Take one doily…
I’ve always loved vintage crochet doilies. From early memories of them on my Nana’s sideboard in the front parlour, to trawling car boots and junk shops and I’ve built up quite a collection.
Although, I love them, they are not really my style of decor, but I use them in lots of other ways. They can be added to bags, cushions, even used to embellish a t-shirt or skirt, ideal for covering a stain or damage.
I’ve used the ones that are damaged or stained to create print blocks for ink, paint or even to make an impression on clay. Tiny pieces like flower motifs can even be added to acrylic resin pieces.
Even better if you can repurpose some fabric as well. I’ve used napkins bought at charity shops and used them to make a bag and adding a doily to decorate.
If you can’t source vintage doilies, and you are a competent crocheter, then make your own. They don’t have to be made with a tiny hook and fine cotton, the patterns look great made with 4 ply or even DK in vibrant modern colours. Just be aware they will come out much bigger.
Whether you make your own or scavenge the car boots, you will have a unique piece of clothing, decor or accessory.
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How crochet can help you maintain a positive mental attitude.
Crochet fidget and emotional support toys are everywhere this year. From beaded hedgehogs to Bee positive toys, patterns abound.
Fidget toys are small, handheld objects designed to help with focus, stress relief, and sensory regulation. They are particularly helpful for individuals with ADHD, anxiety, and autism, but can be beneficial for anyone needing to manage nervous energy or improve concentration.
Emotional support toys, like stuffed animals, offer comfort and security, helping individuals, both children and adults, manage stress, anxiety, and emotional challenges. They can be particularly helpful during times of change, trauma, or when experiencing feelings of loneliness or isolation.
My Crochet Crew, who create postbox toppers for our village, also make emotional support toys. We have made worry worms in the past and more recently little bees with a ‘bee positive ‘ message. These are left around our village for people, young and older, to find and take home. We leave them out at times when we think people will need them, like a school change for children or family times for people who are on their own.
Fidget toys have grown in popularity as a means of managing stress and anxiety. The comfort of having something physical to focus your attention on has a calming effect. For many years now, twiddle muffs have helped dementia sufferers and people have used worry beads for centuries.
If you are looking to use your crochet skills in a more thoughtful and supportive way, then try some of these ideas.
Engaging designs, including colorful octopuses and plush popcorn, invite tactile interaction and promote stress relief through playful creativity.
Functional crochet accessories like fingerless gloves and textured rings enhance personal style while providing fidgeting options for relaxation
Classic crochet fidget toys like stress balls and worry worms effectively reduce anxiety and enhance focus through tactile engagement.
Customizable crochet projects like yarn balls and multi-color twists allow for personal expression while offering calming fidget benefits.
Even making their own crochet toy can help a person. The feeling and texture of the project as it grows and the need to focus your attention, effectively blocking out ambient noise and distractions, help calm and soothe.
Whether you are making the project yourself, or supporting someone else to make it, both of you will benefit from an uplift in mental wellbeing.
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Why are Gen Z so keen on crochet?
When you read or hear the word ‘crochet’, your first thought may be of your grandma, or perhaps a scene from a Jane Austen novel. For me, crocheting means self-expression and hours of fun. Crochet has always received plenty of love from a wide range of people, but during the Coronavirus pandemic, it has had a sort of renaissance, especially amongst the young women of Generation Z. Now I am far away from being Gen Z (who are defined as mid 90’s to 2010) but I appreciate it for the same reasons.
Crochet started trending because it has the same pull and attraction as thrifting does, which is also incredibly trendy amongst Generation Z. Making your own clothes is a form of sustainable slow fashion. Despite whether you use ethically sourced yarn or not, you are at least in some way avoiding the endless cycle of waste that is synonymous with the fast fashion industry. Additionally, the crochet boom can be linked to the resurgence of 70s fashion trends that we have seen over the past few years in the form of platform boots and flared pants.
The pandemic saw a resurgence in multiple household skills and activities such as baking, knitting, embroidery and cross-stitching, but the one that has seen the most growth in the wider world is crochet, today a whole new generation is discovering and using crochet as an embellishment of their identity. And frankly, it is very trendy.
My crochet journey started way before Gen Z were even twinkles. In fact, I was taught in the 70’s by my Nana’s who all crocheted, knitted and sewed as a matter of necessity. I started with granny square blankets, still my go to pattern. I lapsed in my punk teenage years, then took it up again when I was pregnant. Again blankets and baby clothes. In my most recent and longest lasting crochet period I have developed my own patterns. I’ve a passion for traditional patterns and different forms of fibre craft, from granny square to Nalbinding.
Learning to crochet is so much more accessible now thanks to YouTube and TikTok. But, a word of caution, especially for the UK crocheter. I learnt my skills before the Internet or even video was invented, entirely from printed patterns.
The outcome of these viral videos can be seen on Depop a fashion marketplace platform. Depop enables users to sell and purchase clothing items, often second-hand or hand-made to create a more sustainable shopping experience. Depop functions on a peer-to-peer basis, meaning anyone can post their items for sale. As such, there is a wide range of crocheted items available which sell for increasingly higher prices, especially if they contain some of the viral crochet TikTok creations such as the Taylor Swift Dress or Hexicardigan.
I am so happy crochet is ‘in’. If anything, learning to crochet has provided me with an outlet for my stress and anxiety during difficult times and has taught me a little more about resilience. Not to mention that there is honestly nothing better than saying “Oh this, well I made it myself”
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Trending Technique – Filet Crochet
Filet crochet is making a major comeback in the fashion world! From high-end runway collections to modern handmade pieces, this delicate and structured crochet technique is everywhere, proving that this classic craft is now a must-have trend. Whether you’re creating a breezy summer top, bag or an elegant home décor piece, filet crochet offers a structured yet artistic way to bring patterns to life.
Filet is a crochet technique that combines trebles and chain in solid blocks and spaces to create a light and airy pattern. You can incorporate solids shapes like heart or flower, surrounded by a light mesh or repeating patterns of smaller motifs. Its great for decorative shawls, for garments, accessories almost anything you can think of.
As to patterns, Filet is traditionally worked from a grid or chart like this. The filled blocks on the chart are groups of three trebles and the empty block are spaces made by working three chain. It is worked in rows from the bottom up.
Filet can be worked in a number of different yarns, although a smooth yarn is preferable, such as cottons.
Whatever you choose to make with filet crochet, you can be sure it will be admired wherever you go.
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Have you tried the Hexi Cardigan?
The rise of the Hexi Cardigan has continued thanks to Jason Momoa gifting one to Jack Black on the release of Minecraft – the movie.
The hexi cardigan was on everyone’s to do list last year but it has been around for a ling while ( I made mine in lockdown) but it has seen a recent surge in popularity. Crochet was once thought of as ‘granny’ clothing but when a celeb wears ti everyone wants it.
My recent hexi make was the bluey and bingo cardigan from the popular kids cartoon.
My great-niece is a big fan of the the Australian puppy pair, but Bingo is her favourite, so I had to make her the Bingo cardigan. A
A hexi cardigan is made up of 2 crocheted hexagons, folded and joined together. you can add extra rows for lengthening the body and arms and adding a collar or hood.
I hope my niece likes her cardigan. Bingo would be proud.
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Not ‘mushroom’ for mistakes…
I’ve been developing my own patterns for a long time now, particularly for toys but I don’t always make a written pattern, particularly for character dolls.
My latest patterns under development are mushrooms. This one will have to be written because I’m planning a workshop for these.
Writing a pattern is like writing in a different language. You have to make sure that is not only correct but that you follow the ‘grammar’. You want the reader to be able to understand what to do.
I always wrote patterns in a notebook by hand but with so many scribbles and crossings out, they got really messy.
I have started to use my tablet to write my patterns, easier to delete, copy and paste.
One of my crochet students recently gave me a tip. Use an AI app to write patterns! If you input a photo of what you want to make, then ask it to write a Crochet pattern. I’ve given it a try but with mixed results. However, if you input your pattern it will generate a diagram, which is really helpful.
I think AI still has ‘ mushroom ‘ for improvement.
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Garden Nostalgia
Over the last 5 months, I’ve become involved with our local community garden and it really has brought back so many memories.
My dad, who sadly developed Alzheimer’s and passed away some years ago, for most of his life was a market Gardner and Nurseryman. He did it part-time whilst he had a growing family and then later full-time until he sold the business and retire in his mid 50’s.
During my childhood every weekend was spent in the garden. His place was beautifully situated in a shabby neglected Victorian walled garden and he gradually restored some of it and installed modern green house where they couldn’t be saved.
it was magical for children with lots of nooks and crannies to hide in, although nowhere near modern safety standards. We drank water from a spring fed system that was barely potable, played in mud, and ate berries and fruit straight from the tree. There were a lot of ‘minor’ injuries too, including falling into a nettle patch!(not me).
The reason all these memories have come back is that I have been using all the propagating and planting skills my dad taught me from a very early age. Sowing seeds, potting up seedlings, taking cuttings, all those skills came straight back.
My problem is that as soon as plants were ready to sell, they went, so I have very few after care skills but my fellow community gardeners are teaching me new skills. And I get to use my skills teaching another generation the joy of gardening.
The aim of our garden is to demonstrate that it can be easy to grow your own food and flowers in a way that benefits you and the environment, we want to educate and inform by showing people how to make the most of their space however big or small.
I’ll keep you updated on how our garden progresses but here’s the story so far.
In the future, we hope to be self financing but we have born a lot of the cost so far. We are looking for sponsors, both individuals and businesses. If you would like to help us, please email us with the word sponsor in the subject:
elswickcommunitygardens@gmail.com
Thank You
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Grandmacore
Have you heard of grandmacore? If you Crochet sew, knit, and bake (like me ), then you already live a grandmacore lifestyle.
Grandmacore in the UK, also known as “granny chic,” is a trend embracing the comfortable, whimsical, and nostalgic. Think handmade cushions and blankets, freshly baked cakes and biscuits, junkshop finds lovingly restored or repurposed. In fact, if you are a craft addict like me, you probably are already living the grandmacore life without realising it.
As ever in this day and age,social media is all over this. Search grandmacore onTik Tok, Pinterest, or Instagram to be flooded with ideas on the aesthetic – fashion, home, lifestyle, advice, videos, projects – there is a wealth of information.
Take a look at some of these links. Before you know it, you will be living like a Grandma.
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Why buy a kit?
Do you buy craft kits? Do you think they are value for money? Now, I will buy kits if I want to try a new craft that needs equipment I don’t have, rather than buy lots of equipment I might not use. I will also buy a kit if it’s on sale or cheap. I buy kits for the bits in them that I might use for other purposes. The answer is yes, I buy kits.
But, do I use them? The answer is not always, as you can see from this photo. Sometimes it’s because I just don’t get round to it or I’m busy with other projects or something shiny takes my eye!
I won’t buy part works, they do not represent value for money. You may get a magazine with instructions but you are as well following a YouTube video.
I will buy yarn bundles for making blankets, it often works out cheaper and they quite often are crochet-a-long or CALs, so you get support from the company and fellow crafters.
This calligraphy kit was a cheap buy at a certain budget supermarket (well, yes, Aldi). However, my community art group is doing calligraphy at our next session, so I will get to use it.
When I started needle felting, I bought a kit for a little goose. It was a great way to have a go and see how hard it was. There are some great needle felt kits available. If you enjoy the craft then you can gradually build up your materials.
I bought a number of embroidery kits because I wanted the hoops for another project and added the silks and fabric to my stash. The kits were cheaper than the hoops.
I recently turned 60 and among the craft gifts I received was this kit for a wooden greenhouse model. Not something I would have bought myself but I’ll give it a go. It might be the start of a whole new skill set for me!
But my favourite kind of kit is the one off bag of coordinating fabric, ribbon, beads and threads that is simply bounding with possibilities a feast for the imagination. I’m still thinking of the right project for this one.2025, blanket, budget, craft, crochet, crochet pattern, Elswick, fabric, handmade, home decor, recycle, sewing, Spring, well-being
Confessions of a crafty butterfly
What Kate Made Today 