I’ve been teasing people over on my Instagram and Facebook during the last couple of weeks with little progress photos of my ‘Pollevie‘ wrap which I’ve been crocheting on and off since September last year.
Well… it’s finally finished and it deserves a blog post all of its own… I love it!
I’ve been following the Dutch crochet designer Ellen from Pollevie over on Instagram for sometime and was so excited when I discovered she was hosting a workshop last year at Closs and Hamblin in Brighton, a yarn shop close to where I live. It had been organised by another fellow designer Katie from Katiejo_hookandsew seen here together with Ellen…
I booked a place on the workshop for both my mother and I and on 8th September 2018 we enjoyed a delightful day of crochet!
That’s me there below, next to my mum!
You could choose to work on either a wrap/shawl design or bag and I really wanted to do a shawl… I could see myself wrapped in one when down on the beach on cooler summer evenings! I chose some Stylecraft Special Aran, only because it was inexpensive and readily available on the day in the shop…
I was totally inspired by Ellen’s completely freestyle approach to crochet! I’ve become accustomed to designing and writing patterns that have every single stitch, row or round accounted for and instructions that involve counting! Ellen doesn’t count when crocheting and her designs are based on a simple base pattern but then rows are added and increases made to suit your own preferences… so every single shawl really is truly unique!
Here’s a group photo from the workshop back in September and a photo of Ellen and I together…
I then didn’t pick my shawl up for a long time. Other crochet commitments meant there was little spare time to give to it. But then I discovered that Ellen was again returning to Brighton in February and I thought if I booked onto another workshop I’d have the motivation I needed to pick it up again and have some precious time during the workshop to crochet. Well it worked… because I got going with it once more…
This time three generations came along as I treated both my mother and my daughter to a place on the workshop! My mum enjoyed doing the flowers and my daughter started a scarf…
And I enjoyed hours of uninterrupted crochet!
It’s always so lovely to attend crochet workshops or groups. You know you’re spending time with like-minded people who also love to crochet and it’s always special to finally meet in person people you may have had contact with online.
And in the recent workshop I absolutely fell in love with a new cardigan design by Ellen…
Isn’t it gorgeous?! And I was so lucky to be able to try it on!
More group photos..
And this very special photo of me with my mother and daughter…
It was such an enjoyable and relaxing day of crochet… And since then I’ve been determined to get my shawl finished!
And my daughter’s been working on her scarf… We enjoyed some unseasonably warm spring weather last week and I knew all the elements for a good photo opportunity would be there on the beach after work on Tuesday… high tide, clear skies and sunset all at the same time. So I rushed down with two of my children and Salty and was really pleased with these photos…
My daughter helped me to get the shawl into position… whilst my son took the photos!😊❤️
But the shawl looked almost too at home, blending in with the surroundings, especially against the blue waters and seaside backdrop with sunset lighting! So I took another opportunity earlier this week to photograph the shawl with a more contrasting background!
If you look at Ellen’s work her shawls are stunning… real pieces of art! Mine is modest in comparison. But that’s the beauty of this design… add as little or as much as suits you! Yes, I could keep adding flowers (and I probably will over time 😉) but for now and for me, it’s just enough!
Happy Crocheting… 😊
It’s absolutely stunning Eleonora. I have followed her for a while too and would love to have a go at one of her wraps. Yours is so ‘you’! X
Awww, thanks Sharon… I highly recommend it… you can make a wrap so personal to you! You should give it a go for sure… 😊❤️❤️
Beautiful wrap! I’d love to attend a workshop. May I say an excellent breed of dog choice as well – I have the larger version. 😉
Oh I love seeing the big schnauzers!! We don’t see too many of them around where we are… thank you so much! 😊❤️
I have been following you for a couple of months now and I love everything you do, I am going to join in with you next cal and hopefully end up with something beautiful. I love,love,love the bags made in your latest blog, my next next project i think.
Thank you so much Judith.. it’s lovely to hear you’re enjoying my blog and also fabulous that you will be crocheting along! 😊❤️
Ooh, I love everything about this ❤🌼 💐🌸🌼
Awww, thanks so much Tracy… 😊❤️
I love this, especially how your mom and your daughter crochet too! 🙂
Awww, thank you so much! Yes, I learned to crochet through my mum and I’m happy to have been able to pass it on to my daughter… 😊❤️
That photo of the three of you is just the cutest thing ever! It must be lovely to crochet with your family 🙂
I looove your shawl, that blue makes me think of spring skies
Thank you so much Hannah… yes that’s a special photo for sure! 😊💙💙
Keep your style please for the less embossed ones of us. I love your post and especially enjoy the pictures. Jan USA
Awww, thanks so much Jan! 😊❤️
I really like the colours you chose for your shawl. It is lovely.
Thank you so much! 😊❤️❤️
This is so gorgeous!!! I’ve been a big fan of Pollevie as well! Her colors and designs are so inspiring! I love yours and thinks it’s just beautiful!!
That’s very kind of you… thank you so much! 😊💙💙
that is outstanding great for a fun date, or a cold summer night ty
Thank you so much Janice! 😊💙
it’s beautiful and I love that it’s made freestyle too!!
Thank you so much! Yes, I agree… it was great to crochet like that…. 😊💙💙
Sounds like a wonderful workshop and how liberating to crochet like that. Your shawl is lovely and those photos on the beach with the glow of the sunshine- just stunning! Liz
Awww, thanks so much Liz… yes it’s certainly liberating to crochet freestyle! 😊❤️❤️
Beautiful work again Eleonora, I do hope to be as good as you one day. Just stunning 😍
Awww, thanks so much Marie… so kind of you! Keep crocheting and your crochet will be perfect! 😊💙💙💙
Wow, what a fun group of people! Such beautiful work from all of you. I can’t wait to see what other lovely creations you share with us.
– Stephanie, http://www.uniqueyarndesigns.com
Thank you! 😊❤️❤️
Hi Eleanora, I’ve been following your blog for a little while and I love your colours and designs (and photos!). I was just wondering if you have any advice about part 2 of Pauline Tuner’s diploma. I am just coming to the end of part 1 and contemplating part 2.
Hello… lovely to hear from you! I am slowly coming to the end of Part 2 (there’s a little article about the Diploma in the new Issue of Simply Crochet Magazine out on Thursday)… I would certainly recommend Part 2 as for me it was what really gave me the skills to write patterns professionally. You continue crocheting samples as in Part 1 but you have to write the pattern for each sample… good luck! 😊❤️
Thanks for the tip about Simply Crochet. I’ll definitely get one. Jane 😀
Just gorgeous, all of it!
Can’t find instructions anywhere for that awesome white cardi with bobbles & tiny flowers.
Can you help?..
Hi Mary… it’s a beautiful cardigan isn’t it?! 😍 Here’s a link to Ellen’s website and the pattern… https://www.bypollevie.com/product/crochet-pattern-cardigan-by-pollevie/
Oh, one more question:
About how much yardage of the white yarn did you use for your bobble lattice cardi? (without the flowers). The Drops Aair is on sale @ woolwarehouse.co.uk!!!
Sorry I can’t help you there Mary… maybe try contacting Ellen at Pollevie direct… https://www.bypollevie.com
Hi, Elleonora! I got the Pollivie cardigan pattern & will use Drops Air in cream.
I want to put the bobbles lattice embellishment on it. I dream about yours, so hopefully it will turn out like that, maybe a tad shorter.
********Do you have a graph or tips for placement of your nice straight diamond lattice lines?..
I don’t want it to turn out crooked & ruin the look of it.
I know how to make bobbles, only made a pillow, but bobbles inserted as I went along, so each counted for me.
Thanks!
Your creations are beauties!
I really like the way you inserted the pink pastels variegated yarn band in the blue sleeve with the pink bobble band. Very pretty!, oh, yes, I will be using that, too! haha
Sincerely,
Mary~
Hi Mary… the cardigan I’m wearing was actually made my Ellen herself… she just let me wear it for a moment!! I know that for the placement of the bobbles (which she puts on at the end) she did some loose stitching in a contrasting yarn in the pattern she wanted and she then followed this and removed it once the bobbles were in. Hope that makes sense! 😊❤️
Great idea, thx!
I’m looking at designing my own pollevie wrap (and live somewhere near you on this stretch of south coast it seems as I’m in Eastbourne) and love this post for some inspiration!
Fantastic! Yes… we’re not far from you along the coast! Happy to have provided a little inspiration… 😊❤️
Your shawl is ABSOLUTELY STUNNING !
Thank you so much! 😊❤️❤️
Your work is all so fantastic ! I wish I could do this too. I’m in the USA are you in England?
Hi Lillian… yes I’m based in England… 😊❤️
I wish I could be there ! Always wanted to be in England
😊💙💙