Issue 103 is out!

The totally tropical theme of this issue has been so joyful to work on. A celebration of bright colours, kitsch motifs and warm sunshine, the projects just shout summertime. From our fruity free gift stitch markers, which will add a splash of frivolity to your hooking, to the juicy colours of the Sunrise Shawl by Elisabeth Davis de Herraiz, we hope that you will agree that happiness just oozes from this issue. The fruity amigurumi dolls on page 62 are a personal favourite of mine. These adorable critters were designed by Jennifer Santos of Super Cute Design and like all of her work they make me smile! To balance out the citrusy colour palette, we have included a clutch of striking patterns inspired by tropical foliage, like the stunning Forest Shawl by Esme Crick, with its clever motif construction, cute bobble edge and elegant palette, and the bold Monstera Bag by Emma Friedlander-Collins with its modern graphic design. We think that the luminously bright shades work really well next to the deep leafy greens, so there is no excuse not to pile on the crochet this month!

Aside from the usual collection of gorgeous patterns, we also have a fabulous guide to blocking your crochet on page 34 to aid you in completing your projects with confidence. Have you ever struggled with how to handle your fabric after completing your projects – especially the lacy ones? A good steam can help your crochet fabric bloom with stunning results. Kath Webber guides you through all the best techniques, steers you away from the most common mistakes and runs through all the tools you will need to achieve a professional finish.

Happy crocheting!