Since we last spoke…

I wrote my first ever feature for Mollie Makes (it's on how to crush it as a solo indie business gal – check out issue 95 here) and officially became part of the editorial team. Hurrah! It felt so good to be writing again.

Day job aside, most of my creative energy now flows straight into by beloved side hustle, To Be Adorned. I've spent the summer making custom wedding accessories for creative brides and colour lovers. It's been hard work but pretty wonderful. If you want to see what I've been up to, I share daily (mostly) updates on my To Be Adorned Insta, or you can sign up to my little monthly newsletter in the sidebar. 

And it wouldn't be a proper catch-up if I didn't tell you what's on my needles! I've got weekend of wedding fair prep ahead of me, but I'm definitely planning in some sofa Netflix and knitting time. I'll be catching up on Strictly, Bodyguard and maybe Neighbours (it's SO bad/good), knitting my long-overdue Bearly Bonnet for a special bubba. 

What have you been making lately? Tell me your news!

crochet wedding cake toppers

Love and marriage, cake and crochet – it all just kinda makes sense, doesn't it? 

So I'm breezing back in with another ta-da moment, this time something completely new. Back in January I was given the most beautiful little skein of blue Namolio linen thread (if you've never stitched with it, you need to get yours hands on some!) and commissioned to design some wedding cake toppers for Simply Crochet magazine. The theme was a burlap and lace look wedding decor set-up to chime in with the royal wedding excitement this spring. 

It was a perfect fit as I'd actually been pondering designing cake toppers for To Be Adorned. Right away I imagined a trio of little lacy crochet hearts on stalks, topping an icing-slathered cake. Cue some fun experimenting with my trusty 3mm hook, and this is what I came up with!

That Namolio thread blocks like an absolute dream, and check out those tiny picots!

Needless to say, I'm over the moon with how the team styled and photographed the whole collection (the other designers whipped up the loveliest wedding decoration bits), but have all the heart eyes for this shot. Want a closer look?

The pattern for my crochet heart wedding cake toppers is in Simply Crochet issue 70, out now! I kinda wish I'd made these for our wedding, though the pompom garland was a winner on the day. I'm also a huge fan of the really kitsch retro ones too. Are cake toppers your thing? 

What did you have on your cake? 

All cake topper photographs by Simply Crochet. 

Beaded garters and bridal sashes

They're here! 

My wedding garters and bridal sashes for To Be Adorned are out in the wild and I'm pleased as punch. Have you ever felt that warm glow of pride in your chest that makes your eyes shine?

It sparked up big time when I received these beautiful pictures that Bristol photographer Lesley Mayfield  shot for this collection. But maybe I should start at the beginning?

Alongside my editorial day job at Mollie Makes, my head and hands are busy with my beloved To Be Adorned side hustle. I dream up and create colourful, vintage-flavoured accessories, then pop them up in my Etsy shop and take to social media to spread the word. Or, I'm creating quirky custom orders, which is an utter joy.

I've been a little shy about sharing what's going on in the shop in this space, but it's what I spend most of my time making now and I want to share it with you! So, there'll be updates aplenty coming your way, as well as the usual knitty goodness and WIP natter.

The colourful sash belts and crochet garters were things I'd be creating for a little while (I'm all about adding colour wherever you can, especially for weddings), but I knew they needed to be photographed on a model to really show them off. Accessories are made to be worn, loved and danced in, right?

After connecting with lovely photographer Lesley online, we finally fixed a date for a photoshoot. Lucy stepped in as our model for the morning, I sourced a dreamy blush-coloured frock and packed up my crochet pretties and we set about making some magic (see some behind-the-scenes silliness here).

It was nerve-wracking yet totally exhilarating see the ideas I'd imagined actually coming together in reality! The pictures are even more beautiful than I could have hoped (I've shared heaps of them in this post – sorry not sorry) and I've been merrily adding them all to the Etsy store too.

The garters are available in six different colours so far (and I'm open to custom orders), crocheted in fine silk blend yarn, finished with tiny beads and satin or velvet ribbon – a little bit luxe, you might say! And the bridal sashes belts are limited edition as they're made with lace from a vintage wedding gown and I'm currently sourcing some more lace! You can check out the lot in the shop here and find me hanging out on Insta here.

What have you been working on lately? I'd love to hear about your magical 'project finally coming together' moments!

All images here by Lesley Mayfield Photography

taking stock: February

The less said about January the better, right? Moving swiftly on, I thought a cheeky taking stock post would be a good way to catch up on 2018 happenings. Congrats if you make it all the way to the end of the list. Either way, I'd love to know what you're loving and making right now, so let me know!

Making: baby bootees, a new To Be Adorned headdress and something top secret. Oh, and an embroidery hoop that's very almost done. It's WIP central over here, as per. 

Cooking: not cooking exactly, but trying to be dilligent in prepping my overnight oats on school nights. 

Drinking: green tea, please. 

Reading: Turtles All the Way Down by John Green (aloud to Mr P) and Show Your Work by Austin Kleon.

Next read: Any recommendations? I've got a stack of unread EM Forster, so I might start on that. 

Wanting: to find jazzy workout leggings. 

Looking: cosy in my latest knit – an easy-peasy beanie stitched with coral-coloured Mrs Moon Plump and some leftover Drops Eskimo, knitted with this free hat pattern by Davina Choy.  

Wishing: my headphones worked – I'm really missing my walk-to-work podcast time. 

Enjoying: seeing the Little Hearts for Grace project coming together. 

Waiting: on the pictures from a couple of exciting To Be Adorned shoots! 

Liking: the latest Paramour songs. Who even am I? 

Loving: the brave, bright spring flowers popping up everywhere. 

Considering: pitching some feature ideas and flexing my writing muscles.

Buying: surprise Valentine's flowers for Mr P from The Blossom Parlour.

Watching: ALL of Friends now it's on Netflix, and also loving Grace and Frankie. 

Next watch: catching up with the Stitch in Time series on BBC iplayer.

Marvelling: at the fact that my body (and new shoes) carried me through a post-work 5k last night.

Needing: new tights. I think I wear them how other people wear jeans (I mean in frequency, not that I wear them instead of trousers!)

Questioning: the necessity of literally everything I buy being packaged in plastic. Grinds my gears!

Smelling: Lush's Sleepy body lotion and having to resist grabbing a spoon and tucking right in. 

Wearing: all the moisturiser ever. Winter is an ordeal for my skin, apparently. 

Following: @heysweetpea on Twitter for affirming, soul feeding solo biz goodness. 

Worrying: about literally everything. And then worrying about why I'm worrying. Anxiety much?

Noticing: more grey hairs, exclusively in my fringe.

Sorting: my sock drawer this weekend. There, I've said it so now I have to do it. 

Getting: back into running, yoga and actually going to the gym. Hope it sticks. 

Coveting: stuff from Friends – Phoebe's statement coats and Monica's bee cushion and face vase. 

Feeling: exciting about my upcoming Copenhagen gal pal adventure. 

Snacking: on everything in sight, or sliced apple and peanut butter if I'm being virtuous. 

As always, I'm playing along with Pip's Taking Stock series. Thanks to Sam for this pic!

to be adorned is one!

Photograph: Lee Niel Photography

It's my birthday today, which also means it's one year since my To Be Adorned shop went live! Happy birthday to us.

And what a year of milestones and firsts – it's been a whirl of non-stop crochet, vintage lace snipping, precarious hot gluing, craft shopping, Instagramming, sewing machine wrangling, Etsy meet-ups, wedding events, 'I've made/sold a thing' happy dances, post office runs and impromptu photoshoots.

And (full disclosure) along the way there have been tears, very little sleep and a LOT of hard graft. Trying to balance full time work, growing something new and all of life's other commitments has been a whole new kinda challenge. Any and all tips welcome. I have no idea how people do these sorts of things AND raise a family, too. If this is you, you're basically a superhero.

But, having a creative thing that's all my own gives me so much joy, and I've met some amazing people along the way.  The real highlights for me have been meeting brides-to-be, dreaming up new designs and working on special custom headdress and wedding garter orders.

I wanted to say a BIG thank you to everyone who's been cheering me on this year (Mr P has been a positive saint), placing orders, sharing pics and saying hello at events - you're the actual best. That's the kinda stuff that keeps me going and helps me quiet those niggling, doubting voices that I think all makers have.

So, if you've been wondered why the blog's been so quiet for a while, it's because I've been hustling elsewhere! I'm planning to start sharing more of what I've been up to in this lovely space again, and in the mean time you can find me 'grammin like a mad thing at @tobeadorned and sharing on Facebook, too - I'd love to see a few more familiar faces cropping up!

To celebrate this exciting first birthday, and also by way of a thank you, I'm throwing a discount party! If you wanna join the To Be Adorned fun and help me celebrate, you can get 10% off absolutely everything in the shop (it's not just wedding stuff) this week with the code BDAYLOVE

Photograph: Viktoria Kuti

Photograph: Jacky Badenhorst photography

hello 2017

2016, it's been real. A little too real. I'm so glad it's 2017. 

I hope you managed to have a bit of a break over Christmas and New Year. We had some down time and as usual I'm feeling a little reflective now it's January. 

It wasn't the best year. With all the worldwide negative and dramatic goings-on, as well as some struggles with striving, comparison and not finding contentment myself, it did suck in quite a few ways. But I'm still a silver linings kinda girl. I know there's a plan for me and that I am very blessed. I just need that to sink in properly in 2017. Having a look back over the last year is a good way to bring the positives and milestones back to light.

As always, there were some firsts: visits to Italy and Scotland, gym membership, difficult goodbye, blogging workshop, sponsored post, clay pigeon shooting (don't ask), trip to A&E (unrelated), x-ray, soup run, big festival, serious hangover (never a good idea), falling in love with spreadsheets, 

There were births, deaths and marriages, joyful, rowdy gigs, there was some wobbly mental health, Mr P learnt to drive, I finally visited the wonderful Letty and we went to the Bronte parsonage (literature geek achievement unlocked!), I crocheted my way across Loch Ness with some marvellous colleagues, I had my long hair cut off (finally), we celebrated our third wedding anniversary in Sorrento, went for a windy Christmas Eve walk on the beach and saw in the new year with friends. 

Last year I challenged myself to, among other things, finish two garments. And I totally did! Orange You Glad was my first adult-sized crochet garment and Miette my first knitted one. I'm pretty proud of them both and now have plans for a knitted jumper. I also managed to tick off another crafty goal – designing a blanket. I'll keep you posted on that one! 

I carried on running and yoga-ing, too. With a running buddy, I ran further than ever before (no-one was more surprised about this than me) and am planning a longer run with my sister in 2017. 

By far the biggest stepping-out-of-my-comfort zone moment was launching my To Be Adorned shop in 2016. Here's what I had to say on the matter. It's all been quiet on the western front around these parts lately as most of my free time is now spent dreaming up new designs, crocheting, wrestling with my glue gun and trying to figure out how to run a tiny business armed only with an iPad and a whole load of yarn. I have a feeling 2017's going to be a busy one. 

In the year ahead I'd like to knit a jumper, make the shop a success, pray more, love more and find joy in the everyday. But who knows what adventures are ahead!

Have you set any goals for 2017?

the shop is open!

Guys, I did a thing. Last week I launched my To Be Adorned Etsy shop!

Yep, this is one of the things I've secretly been working on for ages. It's been one of my goals since about 2010 to create my own collection of bits and bobs and launch an Etsy shop. And I've finally done it!  

Inspired by antique jewellery, vintage fashion and my own love of crochet, I've designed a mini collection of handmade accessories with decadent details. Some of the items are wedding focused and some of them are just for feeling a little bit more fabulous! I'm absolutely bursting with ideas at the moment and getting creative in this new way has brought me so much joy, so I'm thrilled to finally be able to share this with you. 

To Be Adorned is basically a newborn right now and I know I've got a lot to learn and a shed load of hard work ahead of me, but here goes! 

I'd love to know what's inspiring you and bringing you joy at the moment. 

my secret crochet project!

Yep, it's one of those 'I made a thing!' kinda posts. But this is actually really exciting. You know that secret project I alluded to last week? Well, it's this! 

Image from Simply Crochet

Have you seen the latest issue of Simply Crochet? I designed a trio of pretty beaded wedding accessories for issue 44 and it hits the shops today! 

I used Debbie Abrahams beads (SO good) and scrummy BC Garn Silkbloom Fino yarn for these projects. It's a lovely silk merino blend that feels luxurious. There's a beaded bracelet, garter and a flowery hair comb. Now I'm just wishing I'd had the foresight and skills back in 2013 to hook these for our big day! And now I know how easy it is to stitch with beads, well, let's just say there'll be more where that came from! 

Have you ever used beads in your knitting crochet? 

Hello 2016!

Happy new year everybody! Our Christmas was busy; filled with family visits, an inordinate amount of meat, cheese and candles and blustery walks. Glad we were able to get to church on Christmas morning as it's so easy to be dazzled by the sparkliness of the season. I hope you had a special time celebrating with your nearest and dearest. As always at this time of year, in those funny in-between days after family have gone and before I head back to work, I try to reflect a bit over the year just gone. 

2015, you were a handful.

Firsts: hosting Christmas Day, Jane Austen Festival Promenade, dog walk, Airbnb trip, Bristol Balloon Fiesta, leg wax, bundt cake, published crochet patterns, IKEA trip, knitted shawl, visit to Cornwall, hair dye, sambuca shot (not wise), buying furniture, trouble sleeping, FaceTime, sloe gin sipping, successful pancakes, tablecloths, gym workout, makealong, attempt at quilting, seeing reindeer. 

There were job interviews, beautiful weddings, tears, prayers, job worries, trips to the zoo, laughter, serious illnesses, one horrendous stomach bug, many, many train journeys, dance classes, puppies, baking, zero trips to the hairdresser and a promotion. We did a big, scary home move, settled into a new city (still working on it), said goodbye to our commutes, made time for family and friends and watched loads of netflix. I worked hard, made stuff and was late a lot.

My highlights were swimming in the sea, catching up with old friends and spending time exploring Paris with Mr P. We were blessed. 

Looking back on the goals I set last year, I didn't manage to knit a pair of socks (though I did turn a heel!) or miraculously become a morning person, but I did try to write more honestly and be kinder to my body. I joined a yoga class, carried on running a bit and ate my greens.

In 2016, God willing, I hope to make more time for the important things, keep running and yoga-ing, finish two garments, give thanks, design a blanket, fall back in love with writing, be braver and make a difference.

The budget bride's guide to a crafty wedding

Our second wedding anniversary will be at the end of this month (crikey, already?), so I thought it was high time we shared some of our DIY hints and spilt the beans on how we got married in 2013 spending less than £4000. Here are 10 ways to get creative and cut costs. 

1. Anything you can do confidently yourself, do. 

Have you got mad calligraphy skills or sewing nous? Maybe you can bake up a storm or perhaps your other half is a wizard at graphic design, photography or making playlists. Using your creative (and let's be real - organisational) talents is a mega-thrifty and satisfying way to put together a day that feels personal to you. And remember, Pinterest can be your best friend here -  search for wedding craft projects based around your skillset. 

2. Call in favours

We're fortunate enough to have friends and family who are passionate about baking, music, sewing, bookbinding, photography, even driving and soapmaking. And said lovely people were kind enough to use their talents as gifts for the day, saving us an unthinkable amount of time and money. 

You're sure to have some talented people in your life. Consider asking them to give you a hand. Special input from people you love is priceless. But remember, if someone's doing you a favour or giving you mates rates, diva demands or a bridezilla attitude are completely out of the question. 

3. Be realistic

Don't give yourself more to do than your time, skills and resources can fairly allow. Organising a wedding takes a lot of work, whether you're crafting or not, so make sure you'll enjoy the process, too. Pulling an all-nighter to do last minute glueing, sewing or painting is no-one's idea of a good time - believe me, I did a textiles degree. Instead, be honest with yourself about your gifts and limitations. If you can't do something for whatever reason, scrap the idea or get some help. It's supposed to be fun!

4. See it as a chance to learn

That said, time allowing, planning a wedding can be a great opportunity for you to pick up or improve a simple skill you've always wanted to master. Basic origami, nail art or even just how to use double sided sticky tape could be on your agenda. I had a bash at doing my own makeup and had a lot of fun learning how to do different stuff to my face (read more here).  

5. A lot can be done in a crafternoon

It's all about sharing and delegation, my friend. Many hands make light work. Are you in a craft group or have some practical pals? Gather them together for an afternoon or evening of making. Whether that's cutting and sticking, baking, or faffing about with glitter, ribbon or yarn, keep the tea and or wine flowing, supply tasty snacks and you'll be amazed how much you'll get done. And your friends and family will have fun spotting stuff they made on the day. 

6. Go local, think small

Your local market, wedding fair or wedding magazine are great places to start hunting down local suppliers or venues that are likely to be much more reasonable! This is how we found a fab local florist and I tracked down a pretty vintage veil for a tenner. 

Picking local, fairly central venues with good public transport links and parking meant we cut transport costs for ourselves and some of our guests. Yes, we had to compromise on some of the more aesthetic things, but it was worth it. 

7. Spend the money where it's needed

Identify the areas where you'd like to splash out or don't have the skills to DIY. For us, this was groomsmen suits, a beautiful maid of honour dress, fresh flowers and a pair of killer heels. I'm pretty useless at hair, so I forked out for a hairdresser on the day. Best. Decision. Ever. 

8. Old, borrowed and (not necessarily) blue

It's a special day but, seriously, not everything has to be new. Borrowing, or using things you already own saves a fortune and adds personal touches to your day. Yes the dress was new, but we used buttons from my Nan's old button stash and the petticoat from my prom dress. Our teacups made cute decorations and my old case for art materials was ideal for collecting cards in. Be resourceful and make the most of your favourite things. 

   

9. Find your biggest cost and cut it

We quickly realised that feeding our guests was going to be one of the biggest pulls on the old purse strings. We got around this in two ways. Firstly, we decided to get married in the afternoon so we'd only have to arrange one meal (kinda stingy but very necessary). Secondly, we opted for a buffet, doing away with the sit-down-dinner idea. Nope, it wasn't fancy, but it was really fun and relaxed. And we used it as an excuse to scrap the nightmare of a seating plan.

10. Less is more (kinda)

Have a good look at your plans and see what you could do without - it's as simple as that. When it comes down to it, is anyone going to remember the chair backs, how fancy the tablecloths were or how many candles you had? They're not. Yes, making your special day pretty is cool, but not at the expense of your purse, sanity or relationships. And the less you have on your to-do list, the more time you have to relax and enjoy the experience. It's all about celebrating your union with the people you love. 

Wedding ring pillow in Simply Crochet

Just popping in to share a quick ta-da moment with you.

I designed this wee wedding ring pillow for the latest issue of Simply Crochet. It's my first ever proper printed project and it's so exciting to see it for reals! Watch this space for more chatter about the design, but for now, here it is!

The pattern is in issue 32, which is out now. Have you seen it? That mermaid and the baby cardi are definitely on my to-make list already.

P.S.  We finally found a new place to live (yay!), but now moving craziness ensues! So if I'm not here, I'll be cleaning, packing, rejoicing about a shiny new space, etc. Catch you soon!

Hello 2015

2015 has fallen, clean like a fresh covering of snow or a swimming pool before the first dip of the first toe. The start of a new year is a good time to take stock of the last. 2014, you're worth remembering. 

Firsts: anniversary, swing dance class, shawl, mittens, package holiday, supergroup gig, commute, sailing class, migraine, using airplane bathroom, run on the beach, interview, punt, eye test, dry cleaning, moussaka, sleepwalking, liking Taylor Swift, emergency passport.

There were weddings, baptisms, prayers, a funeral, job changes, laughter, sadness, silly dancing, sage cupcakes, train journeys, tears, new adventures, old routines, bad habits, favourite books, no haircuts and an unspeakable amount of peppermint tea. My highlights were celebrating a first anniversary with Mr P, exploring new places with my best girlies and feeding a baby alpaca. 

I've had a look back at what I wrote this time last year and it seems I did in fact meet a couple of my goals for 2014. I did start running again and I did crochet a blanket (it just needs joining. That still totally counts, right?). I'm still working on becoming a morning person. This year I want to pray harder, love deeper, be grateful, be kinder to my body, knit a pair of socks and write something that means something. That's enough to be getting on with, isn't it? 

Do you have goals for 2015? 

Embroidering again!

Hey folks, hope you've had or are still enjoying a blessed and peaceful Christmas period with your loved ones. We've been catching up with family, eating roughly our own weight in cheese and marvelling at the unseasonable sunshine (no snow to be seen in the South West as yet!) 

But just before Christmas I excitedly attended the beautiful wedding of a dear friend. And of course a wedding means Becca gets crafty. Only this time the needle I reached for wasn't a knitting needle, oh no. I stretched some polka dots over a hoop and set about stitching a sweet monogram embroidery hoop for the happy couple. 

Since finishing my textiles degree two years ago (crikey, that long ago already?), I hadn't so much as threaded a needle. I'm definitely more of a yarn gal these days, but making this hoop reminded me how much I love hand embroidery. I like the slow, stitch by stitch pace and how it really is just like drawing. My precious pal Letty is a dab hand at these sort of things and recommended that I draw out my design onto tissue paper, trap it in the hoop over the fabric and stitch through it. Let me tell you, it worked a treat. I was able to place the design exactly where I wanted it and avoided the inaccuracy and pitfalls of trying to draw directly on the fabric (I'm so not ready for that). Plus, I could tear away the tissue paper with a triumphant flourish at the end, like removing a dome from a silver platter. 

The final hoop is a lot simpler than the initial design I had in my head, but a cute heart-shaped button and a scalloped crochet edge (took absolutely ages but was totally worth it) made it pretty enough. I was glad I had made something special for a special day. I think I'll be embroidering again soon. 

off the hook: crochet ring pillow

Hey folks! Would you believe it? Another FO! 

I made this crochet ring pillow for a very special couple whose wedding we happily attended in September. (September weddings are the coolest, don't you know?)

The beautiful bride gave me a heads up about their colour scheme, then I gathered some yarns and got hooking. The cream is the same vintage cotton I made our ring pillow with, the burgundy is Rowan and the navy blue is the gorgeous Namolio linen I picked up at Unwind Brighton.  Add a big mother-of-pearl button and job's a good 'un. 

I love how the three colours work together and how sweet and squiggly the picots look in the linen thread! It was an honour to make this and a real thrill to see it used on such a special day. Ooh, I do love a wedding. 

off the hook: autumn crochet shawl

Yup, I've finished (and have been swanning about in) my first ever crochet shawl and I LOVE it! I managed to get it stitched and blocked in time to wear it to a rather special family wedding. It's the biggest thing I've ever made and I loved the whole process of matching up a yarn I'm crazy about with the perfect pattern, spending time making it, having it grow a little as it blocks and then actually wearing it! 

The yarn is Louisa Harding's Grace Silk and Wool Hand-dyed (the colourway is Oriental) and the pattern is Lucy Croft's Lime Pickle from Simply Crochet issue 20. 

Grace is a lustrous, single ply DK. I scored two yummy skeins of it from a Black Sheep Wools bargain bin at a fair earlier this year and was waiting to come across the right sort of pattern - something pretty and lacy to go round the neck, but not too complicated. This pattern was it! Transportable, easy to memorise and fun to hook. The delicate picots around the edge totally make it. 

The pattern uses two skeins of a different DK yarn. I ended up using four of mine (thankfully Laughing Hens still had a couple left - it's discontinued).  Really, I went a bit rogue. Once I'd memorised the stitch pattern, I just kept on going until I'd used all the yarn. The finished shawl didn't look like much until I'd blocked it. In fact, I wasn't sure about the colours at all and thought it would be too small. Ah, the wonders of blocking. My wobbly little shawl straightened itself out and grew and grew. As soon as I wrapped it around my shoulders, I was smitten. 

And once I'd fallen in love with it, I wanted to wear it ALL OF THE TIME. As it turns out, it was the perfect partner for a particularly wafty and wonderful frock I'd bought. Me, the shawl, the frock and Mr P got dressed in our best for the aforementioned beautiful family wedding a couple of weeks ago. I received a lot of kind comments about my dear shawl on the day (um, actually yes, I did make it myself *beams*), and had a good old chinwag with one of my lovely in-laws (outlaws?!) about how she'd crocheted a similar shawl way back when. Cleverly, I managed to not get any pics of me at the wedding wearing it (sometimes a blogger's just gotta live life and not be all bloggy, ya know?) but I did get up extra early one morning to snap these so you could see it.  All in all: love the shawl, definitely recommend the pattern. Much yarn, many treble.