Tag Archives: scheepjes

Last Dance on the Beach

I can’t believe I can talk about this, finally!  Today is the day!  Scheepjes has just revealed the final images of the Last Dance on the Beach CAL which starts on April 20.

Scheepjes CAL 2016, Last Dance on the Beach. This is the beautiful Dance in the Rain colourway.

Scheepjes, together with a group of wonderfully talented designers (myself included!) have created the most beautiful CAL, based on my friend Marinke Slump’s last, unfinished design.

Marinke’s death hit very hard last year, so when I was offered the opportunity to participate in this last, beautiful tribute I couldn’t not take part. The results are spectacular.  It’s a design full of love, full of dreams, full of hope.

Scheepjes CAL 2016, Last Dance on the Beach. This is the beautiful Dance in the Sea colourway.

There are three gorgeous colourways, Dance on the Beach, Dance in the Sea, and Dance under the Stars.  I keep swinging back and forth between all three, unable to pick a favourite.

Scheepjes CAL 2016, Last Dance on the Beach. This is the beautiful Dance under the Stars colourway.

There will be kits available to buy on April 1, and the CAL will start on April 20.  There will be two kits in each colourway available, one will be the Luxury Kit, which is filled with the gorgeous Scheepjes Merino Soft, and the other will be using their Colour Crafter Premium Acrylic.  So there will be a kit to fit everyone’s price point.  The Basis Kit will retail for 43.40 euros, and the Luxury will retail for 159.90 euro.  2 euros from the sale of each kit will be donated to charities for mental health both in the Netherlands and the UK. Here’s what’s inside:

Here's what's inside the Basic and Luxury kits for the Last Dance on the Beach CAL by Scheepjes and Marinke Slump

The CAL will run for 14 weeks and each new installment will be released as a PDF on Wednesday afternoons (CET).

In the Benelux you can get hold of the kits via the wonderful Scheepjes stockistsScheepjes stockists, or internationally via Wool Warehouse, Deramores, and Paradise Fibers in the US.

Are you going to join us?  It’ll be the most wonderful shared experience.

Peek-a-Boo Button Wrap – For Kids!

I’m really not a fan of Dutch winters.  I’ve had this wrap ready to show you for ages, but haven’t had any decent light-filled days to photograph it. Finally at the weekend there was glorious sunshine, so Raina and I spent the morning outside taking pics.

Peek-a-boo button wrap for kids. Using Scheepjes Stone Washed XL, designed by MissNeriss.

Raina really loves her wrap.  It looks cute on her, don’t you think?

Peek-a-boo button wrap for kids. Using Scheepjes Stone Washed XL, designed by MissNeriss.

Peek-a-boo button wrap for kids. Using Scheepjes Stone Washed XL, designed by MissNeriss.

Peek-a-boo button wrap for kids. Using Scheepjes Stone Washed XL, designed by MissNeriss.

The Scheepjes Stone Washed XL is also a seriously snuggly yarn.  Even though it’s a cotton/acrylic blend, it’s warm enough that Raina had no complaints about the cold when it was only 5 degrees outside!

I’m in the process of writing the instructions for kids sizes.  I need to get hold of a few different sized kids and a tape measure!

Stay tuned, the instructions and measurements are coming soon.

You can pick up the yarn at Scheepjes retailers all over the Benelux, or internationally from Wool Warehouse*.

*Affiliate Link

#rusticlacesquare Blanket is Finished!

It has taken me months and months, but finally, it’s finished!

unnamed (55)

It’s absolutely beautiful.  Spectacular even.  I really struggled to capture the beauty in photographs, to be honest.

#rusticlacesquare blanket with edging border tutorial on missneriss.com

I used the joining method that Marianne from MaRRose-CCC came up with, which is essentially genius.  The blanket just grew beautifully and the joins are virtually invisible which I just love.  Especially as I hate joining motifs.

unnamed (52)

Once the blanket was done I had to come up with an border.  I searched the internet high and low for inspiration, but to be honest, there aren’t a lot of examples out there.  Cornel Strydom used a simple scalloped edging, which I loved, but wasn’t quite right for me.

In the end I went digging through my crochet stitch bibles, and found an edging that I liked, but wasn’t quite right either, so I decided to modify it slightly.

#rusticlacesquare blanket with edging border tutorial on missneriss.com

Here’s a close-up:

unnamed (51)

So how did I do it?  It’s really very simple.

The pattern works on a 10 stitch repeat, so first of all, what you need to do is do a lap around the blanket in single crochet stitches, to get the edging into multiples of 10.  Each finished square has loose loops at the corners, I joined those with one SC around both loops.  I had to fudge it a little bit, because the squares themselves don’t have quite the right stitch count.  I crocheted into each stitch, and in the chain sections I crocheted one stitch less than the chain.  So when the last round of the square has a chain 3, I single crocheted 2 stitches into that space.  Make sense?  Otherwise the edging will become too ruffly.

On the second round, start at a corner, skip the next 4 stitches, Treble Crochet into the fifth.  Chain 1, and TC, Ch1, 4 more times.  Skip 4 stitches, SC into the next, skip 4 stitches, TC, CH1 5 times into the next.  Repeat that fan pattern all the way around.  there should be a SC at each corner, so there is a fan on each side of the corner.

The third and final round, start at a corner and Double Treble, CH2 8 times into the SC in the corner of the previous round.  SC into the middle TC from the previous round, CH2, DTC (Double Treble Crochet), CH2 4 times into the SC stitch between fans from the previous round. SC into the middle TC from the previous round.  Repeat this all the way round, making sure that you have the 8 DTC stitches in each corner.  If you take a look at the pic above, you’ll see what I mean.

I cobbled together a chart.  It’s not fabulous because I’m still getting my head around the Stitchworks software, but it will help you get the idea.

C:UsersNerissa MuijsDesktop2016-02-17_1145.png

I’m so happy with the results, I just love the blanket. I just want to wrap myself in it, with a cup of tea and enjoy the sunshine.  You know what?  I’m going to do just that. #enjoyeverymoment

 

#rusticlacesquare blanket with edging border tutorial on missneriss.com

For this project I used Scheepjes Linen Soft.  I used almost 5 balls of each colour, and just over two for the border.  I have enough yarn leftover to make at least one matching cushion, when I get the chance.

ETA:  If you haven’t seen or made the square for yourself already, here’s the chart:

wpid-4493016b2e75b00c4f3e080b2d64b3fc.jpg

If you don’t read charts, I’ve found a written description by Crochet Tea Party on Ravelry.

You can pick up the yarn at Scheepjes retailers all over the Benelux, or internationally from Wool Warehouse.

WIP: Peek-a-Boo!

Has a week slipped by already?  The flu has been in residence here for the last week.  Wow, what a horrible virus it has been too.  I’m only just starting to come out into the light again, and my husband, well, the poor thing is on his fourth day in bed.  In all the years we’ve been together, he’s taken his first sick days from work.

I’ve been so unwell I haven’t even been able to crochet.  Can you even imagine?!  Luckily I’ve still made good progress on my Peek-a-Boo.  This Stone Washed XL wrap basically crochets itself.

I’m actually already at the stage where I’m choosing buttons.  Although I think I’ll let my daughter decide which she likes (I’m going to guess she goes for the flowers).  Which would you choose?

I also need to start writing the instructions.  You can see, not very far into that yet!

Hopefully next week this will be finished, and I’ll have been able to beg or bribe my daughter into modelling it so I can show you how it looks!

Until then, beware of the flu!

You can pick up the yarn at Scheepjes retailers all over the Benelux, or internationally from Deramores, Wool Warehouse, and at Paradise Fibers in North America!

New Yarn, New Design

It’s that time again.  Time to start working on something new. And time to revisit my old flame: Stone Washed XL.

You already know how much I love this yarn, it’s such a pleasure to work with. I also love the pastels that were added to the range last summer, they’re all just so pretty.

For this project I’m using the lovely soft pink  (860) and after many requests, am making a child’s version of the Peek-a-Boo Button Wrap!

This Easy Start tab, is without a doubt the single most innovative idea from Scheepjes.  This is them really thinking about the user experience.  I can’t rave about it enough.

For now, I’m off to crack on with this Peek-a-Boo.  What are you up to this week?

Don’t forget: You can pick up the yarn at Scheepjes retailers all over the Benelux, or internationally from Deramores, Wool Warehouse, and at Paradise Fibers in North America!

 

Warm Winter Crochet Beanie

In time for our recent winter holiday, I realised that even though I’ve made, oh, about a million crochet hats, my husband and daughter really needed a new one each.  Well, no.  They didn’t.  But I wanted to make them one!

Ages and ages ago I made myself a beanie using this design by Stephanie from All About Ami, and to be perfectly honest, it’s my all time favourite super warm beanie design.  Coming from Canada, I think Stephanie can be considered something of an authority on cold weather designs, no?

I had a ball each of the Scheepjes Vinci colours I used for my Chunky Crochet Brioche Cowl, both perfect for my loved ones.  A lovely pink/blue blend for Raina, and a steely grey for my Handsome Husband.

Warm Winter Beanie using Scheepjes Vinci on missneriss.com. Free pattern from allaboutami.com

Raina’s not such a fan of being my crochet model, and much more interested in carrying snow “rocks” so I struggled to get a pic of her in it.  Luckily it fit me too!

Warm Winter Beanie using Scheepjes Vinci on missneriss.com. Free pattern from allaboutami.com

And then there’s my husband.  Seriously, I’m not exaggerating when I say he’s handsome.  I can’t get enough of this!

Warm Winter Beanie using Scheepjes Vinci on missneriss.com. Free pattern from allaboutami.com

 

And I’m not a beard fan either.  But he ROCKS it in that hat!

Warm Winter Beanie using Scheepjes Vinci on missneriss.com.  Free pattern from allaboutami.com

The pattern is very simple, I whipped each hat up in a couple of hours, and the Scheepjes Vinci is SO warm! One ball is just the right amount, just make sure you have enough left over for a pom pom.  I wasn’t sure if I’d have enough, so I quickly took the other end of the yarn and wrapped it around my fingers to make a loose pom pom and it worked beautifully. I used an 8mm hook and a tapestry needle to sew the top closed and weave in the ends.  Easiest hat ever!

Don’t forget: You can pick up the yarn at Scheepjes retailers all over the Benelux, or internationally from Deramores, Wool Warehouse, and at Paradise Fibers in North America!

Chunky Crochet Brioche Cowl Reveal and How To

Chunky Crochet Brioche Cowl - free pattern available from missneriss.com.

It’s here!  Last week I was showing you the gorgeous Scheepjes Vinci yarn that I was working with, and this week here’s the result!  A beautiful crochet brioche cowl that has barely left my neck since it was completed.

Chunky Crochet Brioche Cowl - free pattern available from missneriss.com.

I even had to take a selfie or two at the top of a mountain!

Chunky Crochet Brioche Cowl - free pattern available from missneriss.com.

It was so cold up there, I needed that cowl let me tell you!

One of the cool things about this cowl, and what the photos don’t really show you (except that top one up there) is that the cowl is reversible!  So, if you prefer vertical colour stripes like I do, you wear it that way, but if you’re more into horizontal, just flip it over and you have a totally different accessory.

So, let’s get down to business.  I’ve created a pdf of the pattern for you.  The pattern also has a photo tutorial on how to do the crochet brioche stitch.  What would you think about possibly seeing a video tutorial?  Should I finally dip my toes in and make one?  Let me know in the comments.

As always, please do share your projects with me on social media.  You know I’m all over Instagram like a bad smell, so tag me @miss__neriss (that’s with two “_”) and also use the hashtag #obsessedwithcrochet.  This is a little community I’m going to build, with more info coming soon…

Click the heading below to be taken to the pattern, and I hope you enjoy!!

Chunky Crochet Brioche Cowl Pattern Free Download

Chunky Crochet Brioche Cowl - free pattern available from missneriss.com.

Don’t forget: you can pick up the yarn at Scheepjes retailers all over the Benelux, or internationally from Deramores, Wool Warehouse, and at Paradise Fibers in North America!

Show and Tell: New Yarn, New Crochet Brioche Design

Hello from Amazing Austria!
Alpbach forest by missneriss

Alpbach Forest by MissNeriss
I’m lucky enough to be on holiday in one of the most beautiful places on earth and because I’m really not a skier, I made sure I brought these beauties along with me!

Scheepjes Vinci in colours 9 and 21
Scheepjes Vinci in colours 9 and 21
This is the lovely Scheepjes Vinci, a 60/40% wool/acrylic blend that is just the softest bulky yarn ever. It has the warmth of wool and the softness of acrylic, which I love. Especially as I’m wool-sensitive and a bit of a Merino snob as you know!

The yarn calls for an 8mm hook (or needles), but for this project I’m going up a couple of sizes to a 10mm hook.  I’m also using colours 9 and 21 for this project.

So what am I making? Well from the title you already know that it’s crochet brioche, and you know I’m in the Alps and I’ve already made a Brioche Beanie, so because I need to keep warm I’m making a cowl!



I love the knit look and the reversible pattern of the crochet brioche, it’s just so versatile!

It won’t be long and I’ll have more photos of the finished cowl, and not to mention: the tutorial!

You can pick up the yarn at Scheepjes retailers all over the Benelux, or internationally from Deramores, Wool Warehouse, and at Paradise Fibers in North America!

Crochet Brioche Beanie – WIP

Last week I shared with you the beginning of a new project, using a crochet Brioche stitch that I’ve figured out.

Brioche Work in Progress, using Scheepjes Colour Crafter

This week I’m showing you some of the work in progress.

I love the stitch pattern, the colour change is so effective.  At first glance it really looks like knit!

Crochet Brioche stitch pattern by MissNeriss. Tutorial on missneriss.com

And then there’s the decrease:IMG_2380

This took a bit of figuring out, but the overall effect is amazing.

Then there’s the trim:IMG_2378

I’m considering making this a bit longer, because it’s going also turn up: I'm considering making this a bit longer, because it's going

And the final touch?  The pom pom!  According to The Guardian, pom pom beanies are right on trend in 2015, and lucky for me I’m all over it!

But aren’t these colours just insane?  The vibrancy of the Scheepjes Colour Crafter is amazing.  I haven’t edited the images to boost the saturation at all.  Quite the opposite, in fact!  Orange and hot pink (or is it really Shocking Pink?) are probably my favourite colour combination.  They’re just such happy shades.  I have a cousin who would rock these colours and my aunt would easily pull off decorating her house using these two.  In fact I think she may have even done it!

Next week, the reveal!  And you know what the best part is, I’ve made this hat to be One Size Fits All!  Well, most…

You can pick up the yarn at Scheepjes retailers all over the Benelux, or internationally from Deramores, Wool Warehouse, and at Paradise Fibers in North America!

More New Yarn!!!

Just when my yarn room couldn’t get any more full, Scheepjes goes and releases a brand new  yarn.  TWO new yarns, in fact!

Alpaca Rhythm and Mohair Rhythm, all named for our favourite dances

I’m totally in love with these laceweight yarns, all my favourite colours are there.  I think my absolute favourite is Lindy, but the Foxtrot is a close second!

Because the yarns are the same colours and weight, they can be combined perfectly.  But do remember, know what you’re going to make before you start – mohair is not easy to frog, so  you don’t want to waste any of this precious, precious yarn!

New Scheepjes Alpaca and Mohair Rhythm yarns New Scheepjes Alpaca and Mohair Rhythm yarnsI was playing around with my favourite colour combinations and suddenly the Dutch flag popped out at me! New Scheepjes Alpaca and Mohair Rhythm yarns

And I really love the Disco, Robotic and the Charleston together, who’d have thought those three dances would work…

New Scheepjes Alpaca and Mohair Rhythm yarns

I was very lucky to receive these yarns from Scheepjes directly, and the yarns will all be available very soon at Scheepjes retailers all over the Benelux, or internationally from Deramores, Wool Warehouse, and Paradise Fibers in North America.