Germander Cottage Crafts | Knitting Patterns | Crochet Patterns | Tutorials

Author: Hanna Gough

  • Shawls are the easiest thing to crochet.

    Find out why shawls just might be the easiest thing to crochet when you’re a beginner. If you’ve been hesitant to commit to a blanket, try a shawl instead!

    Written by

    Hanna Gough
    One of the most beginner-friendly items to crochet is a shawl. Shawls are great for beginners as they can be made with minimal shaping. They're a great opportunity to practice stitches without the huge commitment of a throw or a blanket. Here are some simple crochet shawls for beginners, as well as some easy rectangle shawls and simple half circle crochet shawls.

  • Yarns to watch out for in crochet: How to stop yarn splitting.

    How to crochet with confidence. Find out why your crochet yarn keeps splitting and find out how to fix it. Learn about how to work with yarn to ensure you don’t get your hook stuck.

    Written by

    Hanna Gough
    How to stop your yarn from splitting when you crochet. Here;s why your yarn keeps untwisting when you work with it. Yarns to avoid when you're learning to knit or crochet. Stop your yarn from splitting.

  • The Gift List: The best storage bags for knitting and crochet.

    The ultimate bags for knitters and crocheters. Find the perfect bag for their practical needs.

    Written by

    Hanna Gough
    Gifts to give to a knitter. What to buy for a crocheters. Gifts that are great for people who knit and crochet. The best yarn storage bags. Great project bags for knitters.

  • Crochet Myths

    Here I will debunk several crochet myths and misunderstandings that I have encountered on social media.  1. Crochet is just like knitting but with one needle.  Lies. It is a completely different craft. Firstly, crochet requires a hook, not a needle. The hook is used to pull loops through chains. Do not let anyone mansplain crochet…

    Written by

    Hanna Gough
    Crochet myths. Things that aren't true about crochet. Common misconceptions about the craft of crochet. Crochet and knitting and different.

  • A brief history of crochet

    A brief history exploring where crochet came from and what impact it had on our DIY fashion trends.

    Written by

    Hanna Gough
    a brief history of crochet. This image is for a blog post exploring the history of crochet, from ancient times to modern day. A comprehensive history of the art of crochet. Crochet history.

  • The Breeze Crochet Cardigan. Simple V stitch crochet cardigan in worsted weight yarn.

    Here’s a free pattern for a worsted weight crochet cardigan. Crochet the Breeze cardigan in a few hours thanks to the breezy V stitch!

    Written by

    Hanna Gough
    v stitch crochet cardigan. Simple crochet sweaters to make. V stitch sweater pattern free. easy crochet cardigan pattern pdf free.

  • Patterns that combine knitting with crochet: the Jewel Hat Pattern

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    The Jewel hat falls under the categories of both knitting and crochet as it contains both techniques and it really does have the best of both worlds. You can mix crochet and knitting with the Jewel hat pattern and crochet this slouchy beanie with a crochet body and knit brim. Get the best of both…

    Written by

    Hanna Gough
    crochet hat with knit brim./ The Jewel Hat granny stitch beanie hat. Easy crochet hat patterns.

  • How to create crochet fabric that drapes.

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    In this post, I’ll be talking about drape in crochet and how you can make a few simple tweaks to ensure your crochet fabric hangs as you want it to. You may have heard that crochet fabric doesn’t look as good as knit fabric. Did you know that it can? Here I will explain how…

    Written by

    Hanna Gough
    How to make your crochet drape. Stop your crochet from being too stiff.

  • Crochet Shawl Pattern: The Daphne Shawl.

    Learn how to make this elegant, openwork shawl. This is a free crochet pattern for a half-circle shawl. It’s an intermediate pattern.

    Written by

    Hanna Gough
    The Daphne Shawl free pattern. Crochet shawl using 4ply yarn. Simple half circle crochet shawl pattern free.

  • There’s more to crochet than granny squares but it’s a good place to start

    It’s a common misconception that crafters make to think that crochet is only about granny squares and anything that vaguely resembles a granny square. That’s not true. There is so much more to crochet than granny squares but it is a good place to start and I will tell you why in this post.  What…

    Written by

    Hanna Gough
    granny squares to crochet. Why granny squares are a great place to start with crochet.