New East Sussex venue for Crochet Workshops

I have a really beautiful venue for two Crochet workshop dates: 31st August (Beginners) and 14th September (Intermediate). It's just outside one of the prettiest villages in East Sussex, Mayfield. Rolling hills, woodland, gorgeous views - and crochet - what more could you want. Workshops cost £75 inclusive of a homemade lunch, cakes etc and all materials included. To book, just go to my website: www.nickitrench.com

The Table at The Shed Theatre

I went to see The Table at The Shed, the National Theatre on the Southbank yesterday afternoon. What a brilliant surprise. I loved this play and urge your to go and see it. The best thing I've seen for ages. The cast brilliant, fantastic script in an intimate little theatre so you feel you're really connected.

It's a story about 115 years of family life where the table is at the centre of all that goes on.  Go and see it. It's only on until the 18th May.

Knitting with colour

I'm running a workshop on Saturday 1st June on Knitting With Colour - Fairisle and Intarsia Knitting. Even if you have the most basic knitting skills you'll be able to learn to knit with colour. This is a really lovely workshop and we have lots of colours and charts for you to learn to follow and I'll teach you some simple Fair Isle techniques to get you started. We will serve you a lovely homemade lunch, teas, coffees, cakes and everything is inclusive. Cost £75. Nr St Albans, Herts. This will be the last knitting workshop in Hertfordshire. The next ones will be in Lewes, East Sussex later in the year.

Please let me know if you'd like to come and learn to knit something like this.......!

Come and Crochet

We still have some places on our two upcoming Crochet Workshops:

Beginners: Saturday 18th May
Intermediate & Flowers: Saturday 11th May

They are both getting booked up, so if you'd like to come, please get in touch soon to reserve your space.

Workshops start 10am, end approx 4pm. Includes homemade lunch, cakes, biscuits and lots of tuition in a warm and friendly atmosphere. £75 inclusive. Come and join us and have fun with like-minded people, near St Albans, Herts.

These are some of my last workshops in Hertfordshire until I move to East Sussex over the summer.

http://www.nickitrench.com/id4.html to book your space.

More Fair Isle Book Inspiration

Fair Isle

I've been rubbish at updating my blog. Mainly because I've been working flat out on designing some Fair isle for the knitting book I'm working on. I now have lots of knitters, so thank you all so much for passing on the word.

I thought you might like to see my inspiration for the project of the day which is a Baby Blanket. I plan to use Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino for this. There is a great range of colours that's needed for Fair isle. Some of you know that I usually use Rooster and I still love it of course, but I have to use a much wider range of colours for this book, though there will still be a couple of projects where I will use it.

Fair Isle Knitters Wanted

Desperately looking for some experienced Fair Isle knitters to help me on my current book. Please contact nicki@nickitrench.com
There will be garments and some smaller items too. Payments according to size of project.

Mad for crochet?

Can you crochet a little bit? Have you mastered doubles and trebles and would like to take it further?

Come along to our Intermediate Crochet Workshop this Saturday (13th April). It doesn't matter what level you are, we have techniques and practice for all. On top of that we'll provide you with a lovely day out with like-minded people in a rural location near St Albans, Hertfordshire. Delicious home-cooked lunch, cakes, teas etc. Only £75. No need to bring anything. We have all practice yarns and hooks available. Contact: nicki@nickitrench.com 

Crochet Living Projects

Crochet Living has arrived!

I now have lots of copies of Crochet Living in stock. Those who have reserved a copy please go to my website where you can buy using Paypal.

http://www.nickitrench.com/catalog/i57.html

Want to learn to Crochet?

Would you like to learn to crochet something like this?

We are running a Beginner's Crochet Workshop on Saturday 30th March near St Albans, Hertfordshire.
You'll learn to crochet like this. We start from the very beginning, learning simple stitches such as chains, double crochet and trebles. The workshop lasts from 10am till 4pm and we also make you a delicious homemade lunch and lots of cakes, biscuits and teas throughout the day.

Get away for the day over the Easter weekend. If you are chocolated out and would like a lovely day away learning with other like-minded people in a small group, this is the perfect workshop for you. You don't need to bring anything. We have plenty of crochet hooks and yarn for you to practice on and see lots of samples from my crochet books.

Expert tuition in a friendly and comfortable environment. The workshop only costs £75 inclusive of lunch and practice materials.
See: www.nickitrench.com or email nicki@nickitrench.com to book.

Quilting Day

It's Quilting Day today. See my Top Tips for quilted posted by Mollie Makes magazine: http://www.molliemakes.com/inspiration/top-tips-for-quilting-and-patchwork/

Do you bake, but don't know how to decorate?

Have you just mastered baking, but want to explore decorating your gorgeous cakes? Or do you have a wedding coming up and want to learn how to decorate the cake?

Come and learn to make something like this at our next workshop: Cake Decorating on Saturday 23rd March,  £90 for the whole day, with a home cooked lunch, cake, biscuits and learning in small group.


Go to: http://www.nickitrench.com/id4.html for more information and to book or email: nicki@nickitrench.com

Knitting With Colour

Do you fancy learning to knit with colour like this:

or how about doing some simple stripes like this:

 And eating some cake something like this?

Well, we're running a Fairisle and Colour Knitting Knitting Workshop on Saturday 9th March. £75 for the whole day, with a home cooked lunch, cake, biscuits and learning in small group.

Go to: http://www.nickitrench.com/id4.html for more information and to book.

Light Show

Going to see the Light Show at the Southbank Centre on Saturday - can't wait:

Stitches Show NEC Birmingham

Mandy and I will be giving a demonstration this Monday at the Stitches Show at the NEC Birmingham. We'll be on the Cico Books/Ryland Peters Small, Stand number K20 between 1pm and 2.30pm. So please come and see us or join in and learn how to crochet a simple square from Geek Chic. Mandy is left-handed, so this is a great opportunity for those left handed who are struggling to learn from right-handed people.

Cico and RPS are also doing a Vintage Teacup Pin Cushion demonstration between 11am and 1pm.

I have my lovely vintage tea towel Tablecloth design from A Passion For Quilting in 'Love Patchwork' magazine:

Patchwork for Beginners

Getting prepared for our Beginner's Patchwork Workshop tomorrow. Lots of fabric, rotary cutters and biscuits to prepare!

We still have a couple of spaces if anyone would like to book last minute...

Simply Crochet

Simply Crochet magazine is a new and very gorgeous magazine. Get this month's issue as it has a couple of my designs in... a baby blanket and a cardigan from Geek Chic Crochet...

New Dates Just Announced

We've just put up some new workshop dates going into Spring.

Dates are now:

Crochet Workshops (Beginners & Intermediate)

Saturday 16th February 2013 (Beginners)
Saturday 30th March 2013 (Beginners)
Saturday 13th April 2013 (Intermediate)
Saturday 11th May 2013 (Crochet Flowers)
Saturday 18th May 2013 (Beginners)

Sewing Workshops
Saturday 9th February (Beginner's Patchwork top)
Saturday 23rd February (Hand Quilting - piecing Hexagons & Hand Applique)
Saturday 2nd March (Basic Machine Sewing: linings, seams, enclosed zips & gaining confidence with your machine)
Saturday 16th March (Backing and Binding your patchwork blanket)
Saturday 27th April (Basic Machine Sewing: linings, seams, enclosed zips & gaining confidence with your machine)
Saturday 4th May (Beginner's Patchwork Quilt Top)

Knitting Workshops
Saturday 9th March (Fairisle & Intarsia - a guide to knitting with colour)

Cake Decorating Workshops
Saturday 23rd March (Sugarpaste icing and Roses)
Saturday 21st May (Sugarpaste icing and Roses)

Crochet Workshop Today

We had a fabulous workshop today at our new venue. Lovely to see Jill, Maria, Camilla and Sarah. Sorry you couldn't make it Elizabeth and we hope you're feeling better. Here are some pics from the day...

  

Nicki - getting ready

 Mandy our lovely host

 Afghan biscuits for morning coffee

 Workshop in progress

 Lunch break!

 Bread & Butter Pudding

Menu for this Saturday's Workshop

Morning:  Afghan Biscuits

Lunch: Pea & Mint Soup with fresh homemade rolls
           Bread & Butter Pudding

Tea:    Lemon Drizzle Cake

Photos to follow.......

Fee reduction for Crochet, Sewing & Knitting Workshops

I'm delighted to announce that we've managed to reduce our sewing, crochet and knitting workshop costs, so we can therefore reduce the fees. Instead of £90, we will now be offering our workshops for £75. This is a great bargain. We hold the workshops in a really beautiful environment, the classes are small, friendly and full of learning techniques, practice, free practice wool, a ball of wool and a crochet hook to take home to practice with.

On top of all that there is a homecooked lunch and homemade cakes, biscuits etc - what more could you want for!! Come on and join up... we have some lovely Beginner's Crochet, Intermediate Crochet, Beginner's Patchwork, Hand Quilting, Cake Decorating and Knitting classes coming up. Toasty and warm in the winter and under the trees with beautiful views in the summer.....

Book on: www.nickitrench.com

Geek Chic Scarves

Have you seen this scarf? It's a perfect scarf for this weather...

Or how about this one....

Handmade Living magazine

This is a new magazine that I'm definitely going to subscribe to. In their February issue they have a really nice interview with me and have a few designs from Geek Chic Crochet too.

Crochet Living - nearly here....

Here's another preview from Crochet Living. A really nice and easy project to make and easy to wear too. It fits like a shrug around the back and there's no shaping.

 Look out for this book, I haven't had my copy yet, but I'm sure it will be available in the next couple of weeks. I will also have some copies to sell, so if you're interested please email me and I'll put you on the list and send it as soon as it comes.

New Evening Classes Announcement

We will be running two evening classes:

Introduction to Crochet - 5th March
Introduction to Sewing - 4th March

Both start week commencing 4th March and runs for 6 weeks. Both teach the craft right from the very beginning and there will  be some exciting projects for you to make and take home.

Please check for further details on the website: www.nickitrench.com or email: nicki@nickitrench.com
Classes will be small, so you'll have lots of individual attention.
Times: 7pm till 9pm and cost £150 for all 6 classes.

New Crochet Cat Family Being Born Today

New Crochet Pattern book released this month

I have a new pattern book of 11 patterns coming out this month that I designed for Designer Yarns last year using Debbie Bliss wool. It's mainly a home leaflet with some throws, cushions and other items... here is a little preview and I'll let you know when the patterns are released...

New Year workshop special offers

To launch our first workshop of the year we are offering a special New Year discount on our Beginners Crochet Workshop on Saturday 19th January.

Instead of the usual cost of £90, we are offering this workshop for £80.  We are also offering a further discount if you bring a friend or family member of £5. So it will only cost you £75 for the whole day.

This workshop is aimed at people with no crochet experience.  You will learn how to hold the hook and yarn, make a double crochet, trebles, to read a pattern, make circles, a simple edging and a granny square.  We will also give you a complimentary ball of wool and crochet hook.  A signed copy of Nicki's Cute and Easy crochet book will be available to purchase at a discounted price of £10 so you can get started immediately.

In addition, you will have a great fun day, in fabulous rural surroundings.  Easy access via public transport - mainline station St albans City 2 miles ( pick up possible by prior arrangement) M25 J22  7 miles 3.4 miles from J4 A1M , 8 miles from M1 J9 and 10 miles from Luton airport.

You will also enjoy morning teas, coffees with homemade biscuits and lunch and numerous other culinary delights.

To book, contact Nicki or Mandy on nicki@nickitrench.com or phone 01727 847474

This Special Offer only lasts until Wednesday 16th January, so book today!!

Sneak preview of project for new crochet book

A little peek of some daffodils I've been sampling today. I've just made 16 of these which has taken me about 2 days. Not really difficult, just very fiddly. I've just blocked them out and pressed them. I managed to starch half of them so that they'll hold their shape for photography, but I've run out of starch!!

Exciting new development

I'm delighted to introduce Mandy - she is going to be looking after me as my new PA and business partner.

Mandy is brilliant at crochet and has been helping me with my new crochet book. She is a left-handed crocheter - so please email any questions to Mandy at my normal email address: nicki@nickitrench.com and she'll be delighted to answer any queries. Mandy will also be running the workshop with me from this month. Our first one will be Saturday 19th January - Beginners Crochet. Workshops now include a two-course homemade lunch, as well as the usual delicious homemade cakes and biscuits.

New Workshop Dates for 2013

Just put up some new workshop dates for crochet, sewing, knitting and cake decorating. Click on my site for details: http://www.nickitrench.com/

Interview

I've been interviewed by Underground Crafter:

http://undergroundcrafter.com/blog/2012/10/18/interview-with-nicki-trench-author-of-geek-chic-crochet/

New Workshop Dates

I have some new workshop dates for the New Year:
Saturday 19th January 2013 (Beginner Crochet)
Saturday 2nd February 2013 (Intermediate Crochet)
Saturday 9th Feburary 2013 (Beginner's Quilting)

These will be held at a new venue just outside St Albans in Herfordshire. It's a beautiful location, deep in the country with stunning views, lots of space and a great environment for getting away for the day and learning a new skill.

The workshops will now be all day and include a delicious home-made lunch with cakes, biscuits and lots of teas and coffees to keep you going throughout the day.

Workshops will be taught by me and the lunch served by Mandy Hawes (great cook!).

Cost is £90 and is inclusive all all materials and lunch for the crochet classes, but doesn't include materials for the quilting class. Fabric can be purchased at 0.40p per 6in square. Crochet customers will receive some wool and a crochet hook to take home so you can practice.
Please email me if you'd like to book, as my website is down at the moment. Tell all your friends and family - as this makes a great gift for Christmas! (Gift Vouchers available)