Bonie The Cow & friends 20 loveable animals & birds to crochet using chunky yarn CLAIRE GELDER SEARCH PRESS Claire Gelder loves all things hand-made, handwoven and hand crafted She has been crafting for relaxation and fun for over 20 years. In 2015, Claire left her career as an NHS Director to launch her new business, Wool Couture, which specializes in knitting, crochet, weaving and macramé. She quickly got her DIY craft kits on the shelves of retail giant John Lewis and, in 2017, secured two Dragons’ Deninvestors to help her pass on her passion for crafting to the next generation. Adding a modern twist to age-old pastimes knitting and crochet, Claire uses giant, chunky yarn and oversized crochet hooks made in her own factory. As well as a successful entrepreneur, Claire is also a firm believer in the therapeutic side of craft, particularly its benefits to mental health and wellbeing. '(2 (2 + (1$ĵ2 3'(1# !..* -# (3 6 2 6 1#$# '(&'+8 ".,,$-#$# 3 3'$ 1$ 3(5$ ..* 6 1#2 ČĊČč (- 3'$ " 3$&.18 Ĵ 1."'$3ĵş Claire lives in Wakefield, UK and is proud to be continuing Yorkshire’s textile tradition. Her website is www.woolcouturecompany.com ABREVIATIONS The following terms are used within this book. For full explanations of the techniques used, see pages 16–39. You can fold out this flap to refer to while you read the patterns.
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Extrait
bônié thé Côw & iéŝ 20 loveable animals & birds to crochet using chunky yarn CLAIRE GELDER
SEARCH PRESS
Caié Géé loves all hings hand-made, hand-woven and hand crafed She has been crafing for relaxaion and fun for over 20 years. In 2015, Claire lef her career as an NHS Direcor o launch her new business, Wool Couure, which specializes in kniing, croche, weaving and macramé. She quickly go her DIY craf kis on he shelves of reail gian John Lewis and, in 2017, secured wo Dragons’ Deninvesors o help her pass on her passion for crafing o he nex generaion. Adding a modern wis o age-old pasimes kniing and croche, Claire uses gian, chunky yarn and oversized croche hooks made in her own facory. As well as a successful enrepreneur, Claire is also a firm believer in he herapeuic side of craf, paricularly is benefis o menal healh and well-being. This is Claire’s third book and it was awarded highly commended at the Creative Book Awards 2023 in the category ‘Crochet’. Claire lives in Wakefield, UK and is proud o be coninuing Yorkshire’s exile radiion. Her websie is www.woolcouurecompany.com
ABreVIAtIONs The following erms are used wihin his book. For full explanaions of he echniques used, see pages 16–39. You can fold ou his flap o refer o while you read he paerns.
fOr OUr AMerICAN reAders All he paerns in his book are wrien using UK croche erms. Please find he equivalen US erms below. UK terM Us terM dc– double crochesc– single croche htr– half reble crochehdc– half double croche tr– reble crochedc– double croche dtr– double reble crochetr– reble croche tensiongauge
ônié hé côw & iéŝ
Dedication To he brave people of plane Earh in 2022. Wha a ime! I hope crating in whaever form brough you a lile sprinkle of happiness.
ônié hé20 LcOVEôABLEwANIMALSC&LAIREGELDEiRéŝ & BIRDS TO CROCHET USING CHUNKY YARN
SEARCH PRESS
Acknowledgements A special hank you o Carol Ibbeson, Alison Holloway and he amazing moher and daugher duo Helen and Chloe Birch (picured below), wihou whom none of his would have been possible.
To Kaie, Lyndsey and he Search Press eam – hank you, i’s always a pleasure o work wih you. To eam Wool Couure, who work every day on he shop floor – you’re jus amazing! To our phoographers Mark Davison and Sacy Gran; hank you for making everyhing look so prey. To Sheila Jean Player for her croche prowess. To everyone who has suppored he developmen of his book – i’s been a pleasure o work wih you. To everyone who has suppored our work over he pas years, wihou you we would cease o exis, so hank you for supporing our small family business. Sending you big hugs from he UK – all around he world! Claire x
First published in 2022
Search Press Limited Wellwood, North Farm Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3DR
Photographs on pages 4 (left), 6, 8–24, 25 (top, middle and bottom left), 26 (top and left), 27 (top), 28, 29 (top and middle), 30, 31 (top and bottom), 32–34, 35 (top and middle), 36 (top), 37–38, 39 (top), 66 (top), 120 and 127 by Mark Davison at Search Press Studios; author photograph on cover flap by Claire Gelder; all other photographs by Stacy Grant
All rights reserved. No part of this book, text, photographs or illustrations may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means by print, photoprint, microfilm, microfiche, photocopier, video, internet or in any way known or as yet unknown, or stored in a retrieval system, without written permission obtained beforehand from Search Press.
The Publishers and author can accept no responsibility for any consequences arising from the information, advice or instructions given in this publication.
Readers are permitted to reproduce any of the items in this book for their personal use, or for the purposes of selling for charity, free of charge and without the prior permission of the Publishers. Any use of the items for commercial purposes is not permitted without the prior permission of the Publishers.
Suppliers If you have difficulty in obtaining any of the materials and equipment mentioned in this book, then please visit the Search Press website for details of suppliers: www.searchpress.com
You are invited to visit the author’s website: www.woolcouturecompany.com
CONTENTS Introductîon 6
Tools and materîals
Technîques Croche siches Bringing he oys o life
Meet Bonnîe’s amîly
AVA & MAYA LOVEBIRDS 48
OSCAR DEER 72
MARY BADGER 102
8
14 16 30
40
FINLAY DOG 52
DAISY DOE 78
FINN FOX 108
BONNIE COW & ISLA CALF 42
ELSIE CAT 58
RILEY ROBIN 84
HARRY TUFTY-EARED OWL 112
MAISIE HEDGEHOG 62
ROSA BLUE TIT 88
FREYA BARN OWL 116
MACK MOUSE 68
ANGUS GOAT & TILLY GOAT 94
FRANKIE FROG & FREDDY FROG 122
Wow, thîs îs our thîrd book! Never în a mîllîon years I would teach you how to chaîn stîtches first; I would dîd I îmagîne that I would be wrîtîng a knîttîng or keep you doîng thîs untîl you became amîlîar wîth crochet book, and now we have produced three. I look holdîng a crochet hook and yarn, and makîng thîs – the at my first two books on my shel and eel so proud most sîmple o stîtches. Then I would move you onto that we have been able to put our desîgns înto a book, makîng a double crochet, and we would ocus on thîs and that you have loved them! Everyday I’m so grateul untîl agaîn ît elt normal. Personally, I wouldn’t rush that I am able to do somethîng that I absolutely love… thîs stage; I thînk just gettîng used to holdîng the hook Cratîng brîngs such joy înto my world and I hope thîs and workîng wîth the yarn îs really împortant. book wîll brîng some o thîs love înto your world too. You may wonder when you are ready to start When I was on honeymoon în Scotland we travelled a pattern. Are you eelîng relaxed? Are all o your the Hîghlands and îslands, and my avourîte memory stîtches the same tensîon (do they look the same)? was on our way to clîmb the most northerly Munro, Do you know how to do chaîn stîtch and double Ben Hope. We came to a complete stop because în the crochet? Are you excîted to start a pattern? I the road was the largest Hîghland cow I have ever seen. answers are yes, then go or ît! Once you have spent The cow just walked down the road, saunterîng past a ew hours wîth a hook and some yarn, I’m confident our car, înches away – ît was amazîng! It looked înto you wîll start eelîng at home wîth the brîllîant crat my eyes and I was în awe. So when we created Bonnîe, o crochet. our crocheted Hîghland cow, she had to become the On any cratîng journey, I find choosîng a colour or star o thîs book. your project one o the most excîtîng parts…I oten When you make your own anîmal they become very crat-dream about the colours I wîll choose or ImNade thTe anîRmal orOa specîDal persUon, andCthenTtheyIOand mNuted: thîs îs my sîgnature. I’m sure that you wîll specîal to you. I oten hear rom customers how they dîferent projects. My colour palette îs naturally sot had to make another to keep or themselves. I thînk have your own sîgnature too…maybe ît’s brîght and that’s because when you make somethîng wîth your beautîul, maybe ît’s pastels and playul. Whatever your own hands, you create a bond; ît’s made just how ît colour palette, there are many optîons to choose, and should be made or you. Every tîme I see one o our I’m sure your choîce wîll be perect or you. anîmals crocheted, they develop theîr own character, I have to acknowledge that thîs book was developed and whîle they resemble our orîgînal toys, they are and wrîtten durîng the year 2020 – the year the very much your own. Each one îs unîque. I have to pandemîc started. Lîke many people, never în my admît I share my house wîth a ew o my personal lîetîme dîd I thînk we would endure such a tîme, avourîtes rom the books: I have Mabel Bunny, and thîs îs why I have dedîcated thîs book to the Patrîck Puin and Robyn Octopus. Bonnîe the Cow wîll strong people o the world. Durîng thîs tîme I ound joîn my clan once she has made her debut! mysel reflectîng on the sentîments o Frîda Kahlo, I have been în love wîth crochet or nearly 40 years; who belîeved that we can endure much more than we whîle I enjoy all crats, and have probably trîed most thînk we can. That îs certaînly what we all have done and mastered some, crochet îs my all tîme go-to crat. through thîs unprecedented and challengîng tîme. For me, there îs somethîng so peaceul and satîsyîng I hope you love thîs book as much as I do, and I hope about crochet. Once you have learnt the basîcs, I’m your days are sprînkled wîth happîness through the joy convînced that you too wîll be hooked by crochet. that comes rom cratîng and crochet! When startîng out, the hook and yarn may eel Claire x strange în your hands. I you were în a class wîth me