Have you ever followed a crochet pattern and discovered that your finished piece just doesn't look right. This could be due to a number of things such as wool thickness, gauge and material.
​However one of the main things to look out for is whether the pattern is written in English crochet stitches or American crochet stitches.
I'm not quite sure why but for some reason there are two different versions.

Personally I prefer to follow the American stitches as in my my mind they  make more sense. It is also what I started learning with.
​If I follow a British pattern then I always convert it first.

To help make things a little easier I have put together a simple little conversion chart to show the differences for the basic stitches.

If you are a beginner or just need a quick reminder, why not print this chart out and pop it somewhere where you can easily glance at it.


Hayley x

Here’s my little tutorial on how to make your own basic Lavender Bags.
​Lavender Bags are great little gifts and brilliant for putting in your drawers. The natural lavender scent is also proven to relax and aid sleep – so pop one under your pillow before bed and dream away.

Step 2 – Decide how big you want your Lavender Bags to be. My finished bags are usually approximately 10cm. I then make myself a template using a piece of cardboard, this makes it easier to measure on the fabric and ensures each bag is the same size.For a 10cm sized bag you will need to make a 12cm square.
​Step 3 – Place your cardboard square on to the wrong side of the fabric (this is usually the paler or non patterned side) and draw around your square. You will need 2 squares of fabric that are exactly the same size.

Step 4 – Once you have your 2 squares of fabric place them together with the right sides (patterned) facing inwards and the wrong sides facing outwards. Don’t worry, once they have been sewn we will turn them back the right way. To keep the fabric in place while you sew use a couple of pins.
Step 5 – Using a sewing machine stitch around the edge of your fabric leaving about half a centimetre all the way around. Sew all 4 edges but remember to leave a small gap near the end so you an put your lavender in. If you don’t have a sewing machine you can hand stitch your bags making sure not to leave any big gaps (you don’t want your lovely lavender escaping).
Step 6 – Turn your sewn bag inside out – now making it the correct way round. Make sure to get all of the corners pushed through so you have a perfect square.
​Step 7 – You can now fill your bag with your lavender. Use a small kitchen funnel to help you get the lavender inside your bag. If you don’t want to use up all of your lavender in one go you can always add a bit of stuffing to help pad out the bag. It will still smell as good.

Step 8 – Once your bag is nicely stuffed you can then neatly hand stitch up the gap. Double back on your stitching for extra strength.
Step 9 – You don’t have to but I always tie a little ribbon and bow around my bags, it just finishes them off and and makes them look lovely if your planning to give them as gifts.
Step 10 – Admire your work and enjoy your hand made lavender bag.
If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
I’d love to see your finished lavender bags so please let me know if you follow my tutorial.
​Hayley x