A Little Crochet By Maya Update

It’s been a little while since I sat down to write a proper blog update, and there’s actually quite a lot happening behind the scenes at Crochet By Maya at the moment!

From a second workshop venue, to some lovely new community perks, to a brand-new seasonal crochet series (and a little update on those four Explorers I’ve been teasing!), I thought it was time for a proper catch-up. ♡

The workshops are growing! 🧶

One of the things I’d really love to do next with Crochet By Maya is bring my workshops a little further afield!

My monthly morning workshops in Kirkby-in-Ashfield will continue as usual, but I’m currently looking for the right second home for an additional afternoon workshop once a month. ♡

The idea is to take Crochet By Maya into a new area around Nottingham, giving a whole new little group of crocheters the chance to come along and join us.

And there’s something I particularly love about how I’d like the two workshops to work together...

The afternoon session would repeat a project from one of my previous workshops. So, if you spot a project you really want to make but can’t attend the original date, you may just get another opportunity to crochet it with me! 🧶

It also means some of our favourite little workshop characters can make another appearance rather than disappearing forever once their month is over. 🍄🐭♡

I’m hoping to find somewhere cosy, creative and welcoming - somewhere we can settle in with our yarn for the afternoon, crochet together and continue growing this lovely little community.

The workshops will still have everything I love about them: small groups, relaxed sessions, all of your materials included and plenty of help along the way. ♡

There are a couple of possibilities being explored behind the scenes at the moment, but I don’t want to announce anything until I’ve found somewhere that feels just right.

Hopefully I’ll have another little workshop update to share very soon! ☕🧶♡

A few little community perks

Something else I’ve been quietly working on is finding ways to give a little something back to the people who support Crochet By Maya.

I now have two yarn discounts available for my workshop attendees and wider crochet community! Little Wool Shop and Wool Warehouse have kindly given me an ongoing 10% discount code, which can be used on eligible yarn and supplies that aren't already on sale, purchased via their website.

Simply use the code MAYA10 to add a 10% discount to your basket at checkout ♡

They may only be little perks, but I'm really happy to be able to offer them - particularly because one of my favourite parts of running the workshops is seeing people leave wanting to keep crocheting afterwards.

So if you finish your workshop project and suddenly find yourself wanting an entire cupboard of yarn... I accept absolutely no responsibility. 😂🧶

A little update on the Little Explorers… 🌎✨

If you’ve been following along behind the scenes, you may remember another project I’ve been working on: The Little Explorers.

I originally hoped to begin releasing this collection this year, but the more I worked on it, the more special it became to me. And with autumn, winter and Christmas quickly approaching, I realised something - I don't want to rush them.

There are four little Explorers, each setting off to discover a different part of the world God created... There are patterns to finish, stories to tell and lots of little details I still want to bring to life before I send them out into the world. So instead of trying to squeeze their adventure amongst pumpkins, Christmas trees and all of the seasonal workshop madness... the Explorers have packed their little bags away for now. ♡

I’m giving myself the remainder of the year to continue quietly working on their world, and their adventures will officially begin in January 2027.

But putting one project away for a little while has made room for something else...

Something much smaller.

Introducing Tiny Tales

For the cosy autumn, winter and Christmas months, I wanted to create something that could change with the seasons.

And that little idea became...

Tiny Tales 🍂

Tiny Tales are miniature, story-led crochet scenes. Rather than simply designing a plushie, I wanted each project to feel like you've stumbled across one tiny moment in a much bigger world. A little character. A handful of props. A miniature scene. And a few lines that tell their story. They can grow across the table, with tiny accessories and scenery that help bring each story to life. And the very first Tiny Tale is officially finished:

The Mouse and the Pumpkin Patch 🐭🎃🍂

Meet our little autumn mouse. Wrapped up in her tiny orange scarf, she has ventured into the pumpkin patch with one very important mission... to find a pumpkin that will fit inside her basket. Unfortunately, she seems to have underestimated just how tiny her basket actually is. 😂 There are big pumpkins. Round pumpkins. Orange pumpkins. Rusty-red pumpkins. And somehow every single one she finds is just a little bit too big.

Until eventually, tucked away beneath the autumn leaves, she discovers something rather special...

She searched through the patch,

from the biggest to small,

but none seemed to fit

in her little basket at all…

Till under some leaves,

a small pumpkin grew,

“Just right for my basket,

God knew what would do!” 

The finished little scene includes the mouse herself, her pumpkin patch filled with pumpkins of different sizes and autumn colours, her tiny basket, an extra-tiny pumpkin that actually fits inside it, and a couple of fallen leaves scattered across the ground. 🍂

I think my favourite thing about Tiny Tales is that the crochet doesn't have to stop with the main character. The little props allow the story to spread out across the table and turn into an entire miniature scene.

And because of that, I’m also playing with the idea of offering “Continue the Tiny Tale” kits alongside future workshops. You could make the main project with me during the workshop and then take home a little optional kit containing the yarn and instructions needed to continue building its world at home.

It’s something I’m still experimenting with, but I'm VERY excited about the possibilities.

So, what happens next? 🍂❄️🎄

For the next few months, expect Crochet By Maya to become decidedly more seasonal.

There will be pumpkins. There will be autumn leaves. There will almost certainly be an unreasonable number of tiny Christmas things. And there will be more Tiny Tales appearing throughout the autumn, winter and holiday seasons.

Meanwhile, somewhere behind the scenes, four little crochet characters will be getting ready for a much bigger adventure. Once the final Tiny Tales have been told, the Christmas yarn has been packed away and a brand-new year begins... it will finally be their turn.

I won't tell you too much just yet. But I'll leave you with this...

Four little explorers set out to see

the wonders of God’s mystery… ✨

Their journey begins January 2027. ♡

Maya

Crochet By Maya ♡