Look At What I Made

Passionate About Crochet

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About Me

Hi!

My name is Dedri, and I am so happy you’ve found your way to Look At What I Made.

Before we talk about me, let’s talk about you for a moment.

You are probably here because you love crochet… or because you’re curious about it.

Whether you’re holding a hook for the very first time or have been crocheting for years, I hope you’ll find something here that makes you want to dive in, try something new, and maybe even surprise yourself.

Because really… is there anything better than that moment when you look at something and think: “I made this!” That feeling — that little spark of pride and wonder — is at the heart of everything I share here.

From “Anything Goes” to Yarn-filled Days

This site started life as an “anything-I-can-make-or-bake-or-fake” blog and has since grown into a full-blown crochet home.

These days, you’ll mostly find crochet patterns, tutorials, and crochet-alongs – many of them free and designed to guide you step by step.

You can explore my free patterns and tutorials HERE.

I care deeply about making crochet feel accessible, whether that’s through detailed photo tutorials, clear explanations, or beautiful charts (created by the wonderfully talented Masako Kawahara from Crochet_hmmm).

I am also incredibly lucky to have my dear friend Jenny alongside me – helping me crochet, monitor comments, test ideas,  and keep me grounded.  You can read more about her HERE.

Every pattern is also shaped and strengthened by an incredible team of testers and makers who bring their time, skill, and insight to the process. Their feedback, encouragement, and creativity help turn each design into something far more robust – and far more special – than I could ever create on my own.

Some of my earlier video tutorials were created by the brilliant Esther Dijkstra from It’s All in a Nutshell, whose work has helped so many makers along the way.

These days, I create my own video tutorials, which has been both a challenge and a joy, and another way of connecting more directly with you.

Crochet as a Lifeline (and a Joy)

Crochet is more than just a craft to me.  It has been a constant companion through life’s ups and downs. It brings calm, focus, and a deep sense of accomplishment. It has helped me through difficult seasons, and it continues to be one of the most grounding, joyful parts of my life.

Projects like Sophie’s Universe (still my most iconic pattern) were created with that in mind – to help people create something intricate and beautiful, one small step at a time, and to realise just how capable they really are.

Seeing what others have made and hearing their stories remains among the greatest privileges of what I do.

Sophie’s Universe Bamboo Soft Colourway

A Little Bit About Me

I live in beautiful Devon with my husband, our three boys, and a Springer Spaniel called Buddy.  Buddy would tell you he is my ‘crochet assistant’.  I say he is a yarn-stealing menace!

By day, I work as a radiotherapist. Alongside my creative work, I am also training as a coach – something that feels like a natural extension of what I already love doing: helping people grow in confidence, find clarity, and recognise their own capability.

By night (and every spare moment in between), I am surrounded by yarn, colour, and ideas;  always chasing that next “ooh, what if…” moment.

Staying Connected

If you’d like a gentle, non-invasive way to keep up with new patterns, tutorials, and behind-the-scenes musings, you are very welcome to join my newsletter.

You can also find me on social media.  Instagram is probably where I share most openly, while Facebook is where I post most frequently.

You can find me on Facebook, Bloglovin, Pinterest, Twitter, or Instagram.

Thank you for being here,

Dedri

This blog post contains affiliate links. I only link to products I personally use or would use.  All opinions are my own.

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Comments

  1. Hi Dedri,

    I am about to start remaking Sophie’s Universe. I got half way through part 19 almost 2 years ago, when we lost our home (a 39 foot sailboat) during floods. Losing that work – plus some other items I was working on – was hard. We also lost almost every single thing we owned, including all our pre-digital-camera photos. I wanted to say thank you for sharing, not only your patterns, but the info about you and your family. Wishing you everything wonderful life has to offer.

    Reply

    • Thank you for the kind comments, Gay. Sorry to hear of your home loss, but we hope you enjoy Sophie this time round, and hope you find the journey healing.

  2. I love your patterns! Do you also do videos on You Tube? I have a hard time following patterns, I taught myself crochet 50 years ago and have made so many afghans to give away! You Tube really helps me to figure out crocheting on my own.

    Reply

    • Many of Dedri’s patterns have been worked up in the past by Esther of It’s All In A Nutshell. Most of the links are in the pattern descriptions :)

  3. My first Sophie is finished. She is large enough to cover the front of my car. She is made from yarn that belonged to my Mother. Sophie #2 is started. I am using the less vibrant colours from the garbage bag full of yarn.

    #scenicsophie

    Reply

  4. Hello, Dedri! This is a computer question, not a crochet question. I used to have a little icon on my computer screen that allowed me to create a printable PDF out of a long online document. So, for instance, if I found a free pattern I wanted but I didn’t want all the illustrations, etc., I could click the icon and create a printable PDF of just the parts I wanted.

    I’m pretty sure I originally found this on your website. I had service on my computer recently and it disappeared, and I can’t remember what it was called or how to get it. Can you help me?

    BTW, you do an absolutely smashing job on your blog and your crochet work.

    Reply

  5. Dear Dedri,
    Hello from SA and thank you so much for the gift of Sophie!
    Today I will finish my first Sophie, a 50th birthday gift for my best friend in England, and just as I was feeling just a little bereft, you offer Charlotte! Yay – and thank you.
    The blanket has meant such a lot to me over the months: a way to connect with the friend I am making it for (we chose the colours together, and I send her pics of the progress, the flowers I am making for her, with backgrounds of the various beautiful parts of SA I may be in…’I am crocheting a little bit of the Drakensberg in for you today, or here is Midmar Dam, or a row of red wine by the fire…”), as well as being something bright, challenging, creative, colourful, comforting and healing. I have loved every stitch and step of the journey. It has meant so much I have even written a poem (my first!) which I have photographed with my blanket and wanted to send to you, with gratitude.
    Can’t see how to add a photograph here, so perhaps you can send me your email or whatsapp and I will send it that way… if things are all a little hectic with Charlotte starting, then no worries, just a huge thank you!! And so looking forward to the Charlotte journey!

    Reply

    • Kim, we would love to see pics on the Facebook page, under ‘Community’.
      Failing that, Dedri is @barbertondaisy on Instagram and I am @jennybugs66. You could post a pic there and tag it under #sophiesuniversecal or tag either of us!

    • so sorry but I am not on Facebook or Instagram
      – I need an email address to send to please

    • Hi Kim,

      If you use the Contact Tab at the top of my website, you can send me an email. Upon my response, you can send me a photo. I hope that helps.

      Dedri

  6. Hi D
    Writing from Nelspruit RSA.
    Have crocheted 3 Sophie’s universe. Would now like to crochet Charlotte’s universe.
    Where do I obtain the wools etc in SA
    Thanks
    Ann More O Ferrall

    Reply

    • Hi Ann, there are many wonderful local yarns available in South Africa. My mom will be using Nikkim, and a friend of mine is using Moya. There are also some lovely cheaper alternatives (acrylic) around. I’ll ask my mom.

  7. Hi Dedri, I’ve used a one or two of your patterns before and looking for a tea cosy I came across your Lyme Regis Tea Cosy which I love and have the Inside Crochet issue it’s in. Then I saw your Floral Tea Cosy! It’s no longer available to purchase on eBay or Crochet in a Box. I understand why you couldn’t share it before but as it’s a while ago now, I wonder if you might now? Liz

    Reply

  8. Hi Deri, Happy birthday. My birthday was Saturday also on the 20th Of June. I love your patterns I have made several of them my favorite ar the animal puzzles. and Sophie.

    Reply

  9. Hola Dedri
    , me encanta el chal.también tus niños,,,hermosos.
    Afortunados padres con tres niños, disfrútalos , son tan hermosos los hijos, que cualquier tristeza se va, viendolos a ellos.

    Linda familia.
    Q bueno tus trabajos, a mi me encanta el ctochet , tengo un blog, y participo en muchos Retos, que organizamos las blogueras.

    Tu blog es interesante.

    saludos

    Reply

  10. Hi Dedri,
    Week – I don’t even know any more how long – or COVID 19 lockdown. I struggled with anxiety at the beginning. My salvation has been the Ubuntu blanket, I came across it quite by accident when ordering some yarn to teach myself crocheting beyond square pot holders and circles.
    I have now been working on it for weeks, picking it up every day. There was a lot of huffing and puffing involved at the beginning, I didn’t know any stitches besides double and triple crochets.
    I am nowhere near finishing still but happy with my slow progress.
    I count, recount, huff, unravel, re-crochet and know that at the end I will be very proud to have completed it. It will be the lockdown blanket, the thing that kept me sane.
    I cannot thank you enough for the design, your patient voice with that lovely accent. And I’m glad I didn’t know before I started that it is an advanced design, I’d never dared starting it.
    My daughter’s words, upon me having a bit of a hissy fit with anxiety: ‘I think you need to do some Dedri, mum, that’ll get you calm again’ (cheeky little madam!)
    Thank you so much, take care of yourself, stay healthy and stay safe. Maren

    Reply

    • Hi Maren.

      Thank you for your lovely message! I am so pleased that you DID pick it up. Any design, no matter how complicated, is just one stitch at a time, and now you will have the skills and confidence to do anything! I wish I could take credit for the lovely voice and videos, but those were done by the very excellent Esther from It’s All in a Nutshell. She’s the video genius that brings my patterns to life.

      Take care of yourself and I hope you will be able to move about more freely soon.

      Dedri x

  11. Hi Dedri, thank you so much for sharing your crochet design to the world! I just discovered your site TODAY (!!!) as I’m looking for some easy-to-follow crochet projects that wouldn’t bore me as I’m a beginner who wants to also make something adventurous! Thank you so much for keeping Sophie’s Dream free and online :D This project really gets me excited and I can’t wait to start!!! Thanks so much again. All best wishes to you and your family, Jamie.

    Reply

    • Hi Jamie

      I am delighted that this has brought you so much joy. I hope you enjoy every minute (even the occasional ripping out).

      Dedri

  12. Hello Dedri! I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your amazing work! I just finished Sophie’s dream and I am about to finish Charlotte’s dream. They are the most beautiful things I have ever made, so… really… thank you! Every day I try to find some time to plunge into yarn and forget all the rest. I can confirm that crocheting helps a lot in finding inner peace and makes you feel satisfied.
    Unfortunately here in Italy crochet is not quite popular, so I only have a few people to share my passion with…
    That’s why I appreciate what you do: it makes me feel connected to a very large community all over the world!

    Reply

    • Hi Monica.

      Thank you for your lovely compliment :) I’m sorry to hear that you don’t have many ‘real-life’ crochet friends. I used to feel like that until, slowly but surely, I started meeting up with people I had met through this ‘large community all over the world’ as you call it. I, too, feel connected through the patterns. I sincerely hope you find some more crocheters in your area to share your passion.

      Dedri

  13. Hi from Chicago, IL!

    I have been subscribed to your blog for several months now and just need to tell you how beautiful your designs are. I have saved many for “one day”. This Sunshine Baby Blanket just took my breath away. Now I’m waiting for someone to announce that a baby is on the way so I have a good reason to make it.

    Reply

  14. Hi! Dedri

    I found your website and I am very happy about that. I often visit many pages of “crocheteras” (crochet girls) but i never found a person as generous as you. Not only you do explain in such detail that it really makes us learn how to, but you also allows us to download it for free. You are really great and I want to thank you!!!!
    Beautifull projects. Excellent teacher. I believe you are a great human being.

    I’ll follow u in Ig

    See you

    Reply

    • Follow you from the Andes Mountains where i live, San Martín de los Andes, Neuquén, Patagonia Argentina, a little town in the Cordillera de los Andes. :)

    • Thank you very much. I try my best to be as helpful as possible, as it gives me the greatest joy to teach what I learn. I am really glad that you find my tutorials helpful.

      Love

      Dedri

  15. I follow a big bunch of crochet sites, and love to print out the patterns that interest me. I certainly don’t need another one! But I AM going to follow you. WHY? Because you have a “print friendly” button for the patterns!!! It saves me paper and time, and I am very grateful!

    Reply

  16. HI!
    Do you ever imagine where I’m from? I’m Korean.
    across the world , i reached your site how wonderful it is and iv read your post and felt so inspiring you are even share your all effort as free too.
    how generous and beautiful, here is a lot of crocheter who takes your effort so thankfully.
    thanks for your sharing!

    Reply

    • Hi :)

      How lovely to meet you. Thank you for taking the time to comment on my website.

      Dedri

  18. Hi, I too learnt to crochet when we first got married as my wife was so hopeless and we needed baby clothes. I’m male and 72 years old now.i have crochet most of my life bot my brain is not working the best now but have started my own patterns to try and jog it back in gear.works very well but takes some time, I used to be capable of designing my own wedding dresses and baby outfits now I concentrate on blankets. I have a reasonable large family so did them all one for Christmas. About 33 of them. Not much else to make as we live in the tropics of Australia. It was great talking to you and tell your husband to keep crocheting. Michael

    Reply

  19. Hola Dedri!!!! Soy de Argentina, me encanta tejer al crochet, lo aprendí de chica con mi abuela y ahora lo retome, cuando me hicieron abuela a mi, pero me gusta los desafíos y buscando material encontré tu blog, me interesa el desafío de Sophie, quiero q me acosejes q hilo me recomiendas, 100% algodón o mezcla, quiero hacerlo como colcha para la familia, que hilado tiene mejor vejez, l te sigo por YouTube los videos pero están en ingles por eso buscando llegue a este blog donde los bajo traducidos, espero tu consejo y te saludo desde Córdoba Argentina

    Reply

    • Hi Claudia. I would use a cotton/acrylic mix as it won’t be too heavy but will still wash and wear well. Dedri

  20. hello Dedri,

    I was wondering, I want to make the large Ubuntu and was wondering, if I use a size 5 crochet hook then what weight is the yarn you recommend? is is thicker than the small Ubuntu recommendations?

    Reply

    • The large Ubuntu uses chunky Stone Washed XL yarn and is a lot larger than the small which uses Cotton 8 yarn.
      A 5mm hook is used for the large blanket, and I would say anything like Aran/Worstead weight and above is suitable. The stone washed xl yarn is lovely and makes a big weighty blanket.

      Jenny :)

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