Robyn Hicks Shares her Favourite Crochet Projects and Tips

March 20, 2017 by Emma No Comments

Robyn Hicks is an ultra-creative crocheter! She shares her two crochet favourite projects, her two top crochet tips and her love of crochet with us.

Robyn Hicks’ Favourite Projects

1. The Crochet Curtain

What rule book says that crochet can’t be used as curtaining? Not one on Robyn Hicks’ library shelf, that’s for sure. Robyn turned her back on convention and stitched up a storm of colour to make this unique curtain.

Cosy Project Crochet Robyn Hicks

2. Crochet Cushion

Robyn made this charming cushion by assembling two squares of nine motifs with join-as-you-go for the front and back. She connected the two squares with a mesh crochet pattern to form a shallow wall and inserted a white cushion before closing the last side.

Cosy Project Crochet Robyn Hicks

Get started on a new crochet project! Browse our crochet patterns

Robyn Hicks’ Favourite Tips

Technical Tip

The best technical tip I can give for achieving a more professional finish to your crochet is to learn how to do a standing treble crochet when starting a new round. Most patterns, even mine, say to start with three chains, but if you can learn to make a standing treble, your work will definitely appear much neater.

Tension Tip

When it comes to crochet, tension is so important. If you’re having trouble with your tension, work on holding your yarn and hook in different ways. There’s no right or wrong way to crochet – you just need to find ‘your way’ to be a success!

Cosy Project Crochet Robyn Hicks

Use Robyn Hicks’ tips to make this cute and practical Rainbow Collection Crochet Bag!

Get to Know Robyn Hicks

CP: Why this particular craft?

RH: Crochet is my forever craft. I love, love, love it. I rediscovered my love for crochet after a 10-year break. Now, I can’t imagine a time when I will not want to do it. I had my own little catering business a number of years ago and after I decided to finish this part of my life, I found I had an extraordinary amount of spare time. That’s when I decided to get back to crocheting.

CP: What does this craft mean to you?

RH: Crochet means the absolute world to me. A day without crochet is such a rare thing for me. It is my meditation. I’ve tried to meditate and just cannot do it. I have found crochet and its repetitive nature to be a vital part of my mental health. I’ve also discovered that I always ‘need’ a project on the go. I cannot randomly make squares – I need to always be thinking ahead and have an end goal in mind, be it a cushion or blanket. What I have also discovered about myself is that I need to start planning a new project before I have finished the current one. If I don’t do this, I can get a kind of ‘crochet depression’.

CP: What is your advice for beginners?

RH: If you’re absolutely new to crochet, I think it is worthwhile to learn with a 100% wool product. I find acrylic yarn can be ‘squeaky’ and hard to slide off the hook. I’m not a yarn snob, though! I just think for beginners that 100% wool is easier to work. I think it’s also better to learn with a 5.00mm hook. The stitches are easier to see. Once you’re happy with your tension, then choose to use a smaller hook. If your tension is still not as you would like, just keep practicing making chains. Chain, chain, chain away. I remember, as a girl, making metres upon metres of chain. I was taught that it was the best way to learn about tension.

Cosy Project Crochet Robyn Hicks — Robyn Hicks

CP: How do you like to display your crocheted makes?

RH: I have a real fondness for old furniture and re-purposing/restyling. I think handmade blankets look right at home in an old cupboard, even if it’s a bit worse for wear. One of my favourite items of furniture is an old wardrobe that cost me $10 at a local farm-clearing sale. Hubby took off the two side doors and put in extra shelving, and I painted it white. It is now one of my favourite things EVER, and I use it constantly to change up my blanket and yarn displays. It stands proudly at the back door of my home and is a reminder that everything has a purpose and can be restyled to be beautiful and useful.

CP: Do you teach your skills to others?

RH: I have taught a handful of people individually to crochet, however, my business partner and I have now commenced teaching workshops in our shop. We teach beginner crochet and will also be running other specialised crochet classes. I love that I can pass on my skills to others.

CP: If you weren’t doing this, what would occupy your time?

RH: Gosh, tough question! I can’t imagine not crocheting, now. Being creative is so important for me. During the times I haven’t crocheted, I’ve always had other creative outlets, like my catering business. I loved making and decorating biscuits and cakes and coming up with my own recipes. Even in my garden, I show a bit of a creative flair. I have a love of old rusty stuff and use old bits and pieces around the garden. Being creative is just a part of who I am. I hope I can keep creating for the rest of my life.

CP: Who taught you your crafting skills?

RH: I remember both my mum and grandmother starting me off in crochet as a young girl. I think I’d have been shown how to knit at the same time, but obviously crochet was the one that grabbed me .But I have really learned so much more about crochet since I rekindled my love affair with it about 6 years ago. One day I just googled the word ‘crochet’. Wow, what a world it opened up for me. So many patterns at your fingertips

CP: Is it hard to find time to do it or is it a profession?

It can be hard to find the time to devote to a chosen craft. That’s why I leave my current crochet projects in accessible places so I can pick them up at any time. I thought that having a yarn shop [Yummy Yarn and Co, in Dubbo, NSW] would give me more time to crochet but it seems I was wrong on that count. I still do most of my crochet at night time in front of the TV.