Search Results

*This posy may contain affiliate links It’s no secret that I am crochet obsessed. From the moment I picked up a hook, 8 years ago (wow!), I completely fell in love with this craft and there's hardly a day that goes by where I don't pick up my hook. There’s something so special about slowing down and making something with your own two hands. Whether you’re a busy mum carving out a few minutes of quiet time, seeking a way to ease stress and anxiety or someone looking for a new creative hobby, crochet offers so much more than just playing withe a ball of yarn and a hook. Here are SEVEN reasons I think you should give it a go, even if you’ve never picked up a hook before. 1. It Sparks Your Creativity You don’t need to be “artistic” to enjoy crochet. I definitely would never have described myself as artistic or creative before I began crocheting and honestly it’s not really how I’d describe myself now! The real joy of crochet is in the process; picking colours, choosing the yarn, learning new stitches and techniques, watching something grow from your hook one stitch at a time. As you go, you'll find yourself experimenting with different project types and yarns, developing your own style and with every project you finish your confidence will grow. Even those questionable first attempts are something to be proud of! (I always remember my first attempt at an amigurumi dragon and my husband saying it looked like a cock sock 😂 It’s safe to say my amigurumi skills never really improved) 2. It’s an Affordable Hobby (or as affordable as you make it!) Unlike many hobbies that require lots of expensive tools or materials, crochet is super accessible. A single hook and a ball of yarn are all you need to get started. Nowadays you can find these pretty much anywhere - I saw yarn in my local Tesco yesterday! B&M, Home Bargains, The Range and Poundland all sell yarn and crafting materials, you can head to Hobbycraft if you have one locally and don’t forget your local yarn stores! Of course, you can order from online craft stores such as Wool Warehouse and LoveCrafts or even Amazon but with minimum spends for free delivery you may end up spending more money than necessary. When you are first starting out you can often reuse yarn or repurpose materials as you go. Frog a swatch once you’ve completed it and then practice another stitch. Once your skills improve and you feel ready t o tackle a project then you can buy more yarn, experiment with different hooks sizes and brands etc but still you can keep it as affordable as you want to. Don’t let anyone convince you that you need an entire set of £30 each hooks and to only use £25 a hank hand-dyed yarn for your projects - yes these things may be beautiful but if you can’t afford them or simply don’t want to use them then don’t! (I personally don’t find the fancy ‘ergonomic’ hooks comfortable to crochet with!) Use the yarn, hooks and notions that are within your budget - there’s no yarn snobbery here! 3. It Teaches Patience and Promotes Lifelong Learning Crochet is relatively easy to start but it never gets boring as there is always something new to learn and ways you can improve. Whether it’s a learning a new stitch you’ve never tried before, tackling your first garment or amigurumi project or learning to read patterns so you’re not totally reliant on YouTube tutorials, you’re always learning and there’s always something new to challenge yourself with. As an ex-teacher I am hugely passionate about encouraging a love of learning and crafts can be a great way to do just that! As you experiment with your crocheting and work to improve your skills mistakes will inevitably happen, and as frustrating as frogging (pulling back your work) and starting over is you do learn to embrace it as part of the process. As previously mentioned, crochet is a slower craft and your perseverance builds patience and resilience which are skills you can use in your daily life not just when crocheting! 4. It Builds Confidence and a Sense of Achievement As you learn and your skills improve you’ll find your confidence starting to increase. You begin to challenge yourself to try a new stitch or technique and when it finally clicks - it’s absolute magic! Every time you finish a project, even a small one, it feels amazing and you have that sense of ‘I made that!’ I think that’s really special. Crochet gives you tangible proof of progress, compare your first project to your tenth and you’ll be amazed by the difference. Each stitch is a step forward, and every piece is something to be proud of. 5. You Can Make Beautiful, Practical Things You Can Use! One of the best things about crochet is that it’s practical  and  beautiful. Your time and effort results in something that can bring you joy for years to come. From cosy blankets and baby bonnets to cardigans, hats and market bags - there’s no better feeling than using something you made with your own two hands. And handmade gifts? Always a winner! Crocheting is a slower, more thoughtful way to create the things you and your family need. Could I buy my boys new hats from Primark every winter? Sure, but then I wouldn’t get the warm and fuzzies every time I see them wearing it like I do when they’re wearing a beanie I made for them with love. 6. It’s a Gentle Way to Support Your Mental Health Crochet has a calming rhythm that naturally encourages you to breathe slower and focus. It's no surprise that so many people turn to it as a way to manage stress and anxiety or simply to unwind at the end of a long day. I find a lot of comfort in crocheting whilst dealing with my anxiety. When I’m having a particularly rough time it’s the thing I turn to rather than doomscrolling on my phone or laying on the settee bing watching Netflix, both of which have their place but when my anxiety is high they exacerbate the issue. Sometimes I need a really complex pattern that’s going to require all of my focus and attention so that my mind cannot wander. Other times I need a simple, meditative project, such as a ribbed beanie or ripple blanket, that doesn’t need my attention at all and I can just relax into the rhythm of the stitches. It’s like a mini reset button and I don’t know what I’d do without it. Setting yourself mini goals with a crochet project such as ‘I will crochet two rows of my blanket today’ can be a gentle way to motivate and remind yourself that you are capable of doing things. Because you can do things, you’re amazing! 7. You Can Find Community ♡ Crochet is a lovely way to connect with others, I’ve made a lot of friends online through my crochet and they’re honestly some of the kindest most supportive people I know! Whether it's a local crafting group, a hosted CAL (crochet-along) online (like the Sirdar Halloween CAL that starts on 23rd July), or just sharing your makes on social media there’s a whole world of makers ready to welcome you into the community. It's a shared language of stitches, a love of yarn hoarding and a whole host of abandoned WIPs (work in progress) and there’s always room for one more in the club so grab your hook and yarn and come join us! Bonus reason: It’s a super portable hobby. I love to have a small project such as a hat, washcloth, a panel of a cardigan or something that I can pack into my bag when I go out and then whip out when I get a spare 5 minutes. It stops me from feeling like I have to reach for my phone whilst I’m waiting at the doctors or waiting to pick up the boys from Beavers. Ready to Get Started? You don’t need much to start, just a hook, some yarn and a little creative curiosity. If you're looking for a simple, beginner-friendly project to try, I’ve got plenty right here at Brambles & Hart to get you going. Try the free Flower Power Garland , get a Dino Beanie on your hook or if you're feeling ready for your first garment then the Hazel Cardigan is a great place to start! Crochet isn’t just a hobby—it’s a way to slow down, create, and connect. And I’d love to help you start your journey. Shelley ♡

Last month I did not post my monthly update for May (sorry!). I kind of got in my head a bit about nobody reading the posts anyway but actually I need to remember that these posts are for me. I want to be able to look back on them and see what I was reading, what books I enjoyed, what I didn't and have a reminder of this process. With that being said - let's get into the June update. This one is going to be slightly different to my normal monthly updates. As we have now officially entered into the second half of the year (how?!) I want to take a look back on the books I've read and give a little run down of my top ten books of the year so far. At the end of June, I had read a total of 66 books ! Just 4 shy of my overall yearly goal of 70 books - I've honestly amazed myself, audiobooks have absolutely played a huge part in this number and if you've not tried listening to audiobooks yet then I highly recommend it. So out of the 66 books that I read in the first half of the year I'm going to attempt to pick my top five. I have read some absolutely incredible books so I feel that this is going to be quite the challenge! My Top Five Books of 2025 so far!      (Title, Author, Format, Rating) Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman - 6 stars! Yes 6 stars! My husband and I listened to this during our road trip from Scotland to England to visit family. It had been on my TBR for a while but never near the top as I wasn't sure that I would actually like it. It's a LitRPG and as someone who doesn't play video games I wasn't convinced that this genre would be for me. Oh boy, how wrong I was. The story is so well written and the audiobook is absolutely phenomenal! It's hilarious, really laugh-out-loud funny, there's action, mystery and intrigue, a talking cat named Princess Donut, trolls, monsters, battles and more! It all sounds a bit crazy but it works. We're now listening to book 3 in the series and so far they've all been amazing. Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid - 5 stars This was a new release last month and I had been waiting patiently for it to come out since I'd seen it advertised at the start of the year. I've read a few books by TJR and I really enjoy her writing style, I'm also a bit of a space nerd so knowing that this was about a female astronaut at NASA had me really excited. It was so much more than I expected, oh my heart! TJR writes people and relationships so beautifully. I was fully invested in the characters and their lives. The NASA storyline was perhaps not quite the star of the show like I was expecting but it was still really well written and I enjoyed every moment of this book. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E Schwab - 5 stars This book is now one of my favourite books of all time, it may even top The Time Traveler's Wife which has been my number one for the last 15+ years! I was so enamoured with the life of Addie LaRue. Such a beautifully written story. It broke my heart and put it back together and broke it all over again. The story of Addie’s long life as a result of the deal she made was engaging, I enjoyed the time-hopping chapters and also the dual perspectives of both Addie and Henry. Henry himself was a well-written, multilayered character who I just wanted to give the biggest hug. The whole thing was just beautiful. Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L Wang - 4.75 stars This book was incredible, I listened to it back in February and it's still one that I keep on recommending to people. It has such an original plot and a really unique magic system. The main characters are great, the world building immersive and the pacing good. The magic system is complex and at the beginning it was a bit of information overload and it took me a while to get my head around but once I was in I was locked IN! I laughed, I cried, I felt hopeful and heartbroken all at the same time. I highly highly recommend this book. Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah - 5 stars I also listened to the audiobook back in Februrary and I still think about it often. The characters are fantastic, the plot original and engaging, the world believable (unfortunately perhaps too believable), it’s fast paced and action packed. Everything you could ask for in a book. The book addresses many complex and important issues such as racism, injustice, the American prison system and how society is becoming desensitised to violence and it does so in a way that is both thought provoking and impactful. This book really will stay with me for a long time. What have been your top reads so far of 2025? I realise that all of these are books of which I listened to the audio version. There is something so immersive about audiobooks that I am truly obsessed with. I have clearly spent hours and hours listening to audiobooks this year and I'm not mad about it - I hope I have many more amazing listens this year. As always, you can follow my progress on Fable App and if you decide to join me in making a book blanket then be sure to tag me in your content @brambles.and.hart and use #BookBlanket2025 and #Booksandcrochet. I'm loving connecting with people who love both books and crochet like me! I'll be back with another update on my book blanket next month so be sure to keep an eye out for that. Happy reading and crocheting! Shelley ♡

This month saw me finally pull myself out of the horrible reading slump that I'd been in all of March. I started strong with a couple re-reads of books that I knew I would enjoy and then let's just say that the month got kind of interesting and I read books that I certainly never envisoned myself reading much less enjoying! Books Read This Month      (Title, Author, Format, Rating) The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith. Audiobook. 4.5 Stars (re-read) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Physical. 4 Stars (re-read) Diddly Squat: A Year on the Farm by Jeremy Clarkson. Physical. 3.5 Stars The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith. Audiobook. 4.5 Stars (re-read) You Are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero. Kindle/Audiobook. 4.5 Stars Wild and Wrangled by Lyla Sage. Kindle. 4.25 Stars The Seventh Girl by Andy Maslen. Audiobook. 3.75 Stars Diddly Squat: Til' the Cows Come Home by Jeremy Clarkson. Physical. 4 Stars Stay in the Light by A.M Shine. Audiobook. 3.75 Stars The Witches of Santo Stefano by Wendy Webb. Audiobook. 4 Stars (re-read) 12 Week Year by Brian P Moran and Michael Lennington. Audiobook. 4 Stars This makes a total of 53/70 books read this year so far! You can follow my progress on Fable App ! Best Book of the Month: I don't really have a stand out favourite book this month, nor was there any particularly bad reads which was nice. What I do have is perhaps the most surprising book that I've enjoyed, or rather the two most surprising books - Diddly Squat by Jeremy Clarkson. Never did I think I'd be reading a book by Jeremy Clarkson let alone enjoying it! But at the start of the month my husband and I started watching Clarkson's Farm on Amazon Prime. A bit late to the party as Season 4 is due out later this month (May) but there's nothing unusual for us there! I have absoluetly fallen in love with the show. I've never been a fan of Jeremy Clarkson, I definitely never enjoyed shows like Top Gear but Clarkson's Farm very much shows a different side to him. I've loved learning more about British farming, seeing just how much hard work and blood, sweat and tears goes into running a farm and of course laughing at the hilarious goings on with Jeremy, Kaleb, Charlie and of course Gerald! If you've not watched it yet then you just need to take my word for it that it is very much worth the watch! If you have seen it and enjoyed it then I would recommend the books although it's worth noting that they're comprosed of Clarkson's Sunday Times columns that he writes about his farming exploits and it isn't written in. the style of a normal book. Some bits are a bit repetitive, particularly if you've watched the show, but overall I found them to be a nice read. Good for dipping in and out of. I found a copy of the the first two books in a charming little second-hand bookshop in Huntly for just £2 each...and yes I may have bought the next 2 on Vinted too 🙊 but at just £1.50 each it was hard to pass them by! Second-hand Books Whilst we're on the topics of second-hand books let's talk about why I think they're a great way to purchase books and the best places to get them! Charity shops and Second-hand Bookstores These are perhaps the most obvious places for second-hand books. They can be absolute treasure troves and I love nothing more than mooching about the charity shops and eyeing up the bookshelves to see what I can find. It feels nice knowing that whilst you're giving a book a second lease of life you are also helping to support a charity too! Vinted Now I started off on Vinted with the intention of selling a lot of the boys' outgrown clothes and I do do that regularly but I've found it's a fantastic platform to use for both buying and selling books. I've sold so many books on Vinted, ones that just aren't for me or that I know I'll never read again. I've also bought books from Vinted and whilst they are technically second hand you can get books that are practically brand new for a fraction of the price of a new copy. Amazon Marketplace You can buy new books on Amazon, normally at a much cheaper price than in a bookshop but you can also purchase second-hand books via their marketplace. If you scroll down a little you will find a section that says 'Save with Used' or the section that gives other format options and you can see used copies that are available from other Amazon sellers. Websites There are second-hand bookstore websites such as World of Books and Awesome Books where you can get great deals on used books, again many of which are actually in great condition. Buying second-hand/used books is a great way to enjoy your reading hobby sustainably, you save money and are also doing your bit to help the environment by preventing perfectly good books from being thrown away. It’s also a fantastic way to support independent bookstores, community groups and charities - do some good whilst treating yourself! It’s also nice sometimes to have a book that’s already been read because you don’t have to worry about cracking the spine or if a corner gets a little crumpled. A win all round! So go and find some bargain second hand books and enjoy some quality reading time - you deserve it! If you want to do decide to join me in making a book blanket then be sure to tag me in your content @brambles.and.hart and use #BookBlanket2025 and #Booksandcrochet. I'm loving connecting with people who love both books and crochet like me! I will be sharing updates of my book blanket on my Instagram/TikTok and my monthly wrap ups here on the blog so do follow along. I'll be back with another update on my book blanket next month so be sure to keep an eye out for that. Happy reading and crocheting! Shelley ♡