The crochet & textile diary

Good company. New ideas. A date in your diary.

Find crochet get-togethers around Manchester, textile exhibitions, festivals and online crochet-alongs. Free, paid and still-being-planned—with the useful details made clear.

Checked sources, not live booking availability. Last researched 25 October 2026.

Original illustration of a stitched calendar, purple yarn and a crochet hook
Colour, texture & a little imagination

A little plan for your next making day

What would you like to join?

Start near home or explore further afield. A CAL is a crochet-along: a shared project released or worked on over time. A free pattern does not mean free materials.

20 listings to explore

Check the linked source before travelling or paying. Regular groups may pause during holidays. Dates marked only by month or year are not exact start or finish days. Younger visitors should check age rules with a parent or carer.

Social groupGreater Manchester

A Monday yarn get-together in Droylsden

Monday afternoons · exact times to confirm

Droylsden Methodist Church, Dunkirk Street

The church lists a regular Knit & Natter afternoon. Crochet can be a lovely project to take along, but ask about the group, accessibility and younger visitors first. The published page does not confirm the suggested 1–3pm time.

Cost / access: Ask the organiser about any charge

Regular group · confirm your dateOrganiser / source
Social groupGreater Manchester

Knit & natter at Failsworth Library

Mondays · 12.30–2.30pm · confirm your date

Failsworth Library, Oldham Road, Failsworth

Oldham’s library programme lists knitting, crochet and conversation on Monday afternoons. Failsworth is in the Oldham area, not Levenshulme. The checked council calendar is a recurring programme: confirm your particular visit rather than assuming a Christmas-week session runs.

Cost / access: Free in the council programme

Regular group · confirm your dateOrganiser / source
Social groupGreater Manchester

Pins & Needles at Ryecroft Hall

Mondays · 1–4pm

Ryecroft Hall, Audenshaw

Bring your own sewing, knitting or crochet project to this group-led afternoon in the Lounge. The community directory lists refreshments with the session. Check holiday arrangements and the current charge before setting off.

Cost / access: Small session charge; confirm current price

Regular group · confirm your dateOrganiser / source
Crochet-alongOnline / at home

Year of the Crochet Granny

2026 · ongoing projects and tutorials

Online · Secret Yarnery

The creator’s announcement describes a year of granny-style projects and a separate memory-blanket side project: one square per yarn colour used, joined later. Those are related ideas, not one identical challenge. There is no need to complete every project or catch up in a rush.

Cost / access: Free tutorial projects · your materials cost extra

In its announced date rangeOrganiser / source
ExhibitionInternational

World of Threads Festival

23 September 2026–17 January 2027

Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre, Oakville, Ontario, Canada

An international exhibition of contemporary fibre and textile art, not a crochet-only show. Important travel detail: the organiser lists a closure from 23 December to 1 January, reopening 2 January. Check daily opening times before visiting.

Cost / access: Free admission

In its announced date rangeOrganiser / source
ExhibitionElsewhere in the UK

Handmade in Farnham

30 September 2026–27 March 2027

Museum of Farnham, 38 West Street, Surrey

A mixed-craft exhibition celebrating making in and around Farnham. Usual exhibition opening is Wednesday to Saturday, 10am–4pm, with Christmas and New Year exceptions. It is an exhibition to explore, not a downloadable crochet pattern or drop-in class.

Cost / access: Free · donations welcomed

In its announced date rangeOrganiser / source
Crochet-alongOnline / at home

Journey to Hogwarts crochet-along

4 November–9 December 2026 · retailer-announced schedule

Online · Sirdar branded CAL

Retailer information describes six weekly releases with digital instructions and videos through the organiser. Check the original registration and access conditions before buying anything. This is a neutral listing of a branded project; no licensed artwork, charts or instructions are copied here.

Cost / access: Commercial yarn pack; check digital-pattern access

WorkshopGreater Manchester

Colours in the Field: textiles and storytelling

5 November 2026 · 6–7.30pm

The Whitworth, Manchester

Arianna Tozzi and Himanshi Parmar explore cotton, natural pigments and stories connected with textile-making. A hands-on screen-printing activity is part of the announced session. This is a wider textile event, not a crochet lesson; check the organiser’s booking and age guidance.

Cost / access: Free · booking required

FestivalElsewhere in the UK

Knit + Stitch, Harrogate

19–22 November 2026

Harrogate Convention Centre, North Yorkshire

The venue confirms a mix of textile galleries, demonstrations and hands-on sessions alongside the marketplace. Look at the actual crochet programme before booking: a general textile ticket does not mean every workshop is crochet or included in admission.

Cost / access: Ticketed · check workshop charges separately

Crochet-alongOnline / at home

Starfall Advent crochet-along

Starts 1 December 2026 · planned through March 2027

Online · Meema Makes

A geometric patchwork project for confident beginners and intermediate makers. The creator lists the pattern at £7.50 plus VAT ahead of the CAL. The page contains a contradictory exact end-year in one paragraph, so confirm the final schedule rather than treating an inferred March day as fact.

Cost / access: Paid pattern · yarn extra

Social groupGreater Manchester

Crochet, knit and craft at Edgeley Library

16 December 2026 · 2–3pm

Edgeley Library, Stockport, SK3 9NB

A published December gathering for people bringing a knitting, crochet or other craft project. Beginners and experienced makers are welcomed in the listing. This is the verified 16 December session, not an assumed 9 December occurrence.

Cost / access: Free drop-in

Crochet-alongOnline / at home

Mystery blanket craft-along 2027

January–December 2027 · monthly subscription

Online / postal subscription · Stitch Kit

A year of yarn deliveries and pattern clues. When checked, the page quoted £270 paid in full or 12 payments of £25 (£300 total), with a £25 reservation deposit. Confirm how the deposit is credited, delivery costs and the full commitment before paying; it is not simply a £25 pattern.

Cost / access: Paid subscription · not a free CAL

FestivalElsewhere in the UK

unravel… a festival of yarn

12–14 February 2027

Farnham Maltings, Surrey

The February edition brings together yarn crafts, exhibitions, talks and bookable workshops. Its three-day format gives different ways to join in, but the final timetable matters more than the size of the event. Check your chosen session’s level and what to bring.

Cost / access: Check admission and individual workshop prices

WorkshopGreater Manchester

Danish cord weaving in Chorlton

13 February 2027 · 10am–5pm

The Spread Eagle, Wilbraham Road, Chorlton

An adjacent craft rather than crochet: weave the seat of a small stool using Danish cord. The listing includes materials. It is a full-day practical session, so check suitability, the booking request process and cancellation terms directly with the maker.

Cost / access: Paid workshop · listed at £150 when checked

FestivalElsewhere in the UK

Yarnival expands to two days

27–28 February 2027

The Amelia Scott, Tunbridge Wells

The venue has announced the weekend dates. More stall and workshop information is still to come, so treat this as a save-the-date rather than a finished programme or a promise of a particular crochet class.

Cost / access: Programme and charges to be announced

FestivalGreater Manchester

TexStyle at Manchester Central

5–6 March 2027 · 10am–5pm

Manchester Central, Petersfield

A broad textile festival with crochet among the crafts represented. The organiser advertises demonstrations, galleries, talks and bookable workshops, plus a shared making space. Check workshop choices, access arrangements and the current ticket conditions before planning a visit.

Cost / access: Ticketed · admission and workshops have separate details

RetreatInternational

Kraków knitting or crochet retreat

19–23 March 2027

Kraków, Poland · commercial travel package

The operator advertises three half-day workshops with Anna Nikipirowicz, with a project available in knitting and crochet versions. Compare the actual transport, room, excursions and cancellation terms. This listing is not a booking service or a guarantee of market dates or availability.

Cost / access: Paid travel package · request a current full quote

RetreatInternational

Croatia crochet retreat with Mandy Cameron

12–19 May 2027

Istria, Croatia · commercial travel package

The dated May departure names Mandy Cameron as tutor and includes workshop time and excursions. Jane Crowfoot is named for a separate October 2027 departure, not as a joint tutor for May. Basic stitches and following a written pattern are expected; confirm the full package directly.

Cost / access: Paid travel package · flight and join-direct prices differ

FestivalElsewhere in the UK

The Big Flock, Bristol

22–23 May 2027

UWE Enterprise Park 1, Stoke Gifford, Bristol

A yarn festival covering knitting, spinning, weaving and crochet. It is run by a commercial yarn business and is included as a neutral event listing, not a product recommendation. Check the 2027 workshop details and ticket prices with the organiser.

Cost / access: Ticketed · organiser announces sales from 16 November

ConventionInternational

Crochet Guild Australia Convention

4–6 June 2027

Deakin University Waterfront Campus, Geelong, Victoria, Australia

The Guild has confirmed a crochet-focused convention in Geelong. Planning, workshop proposals and further registration information are being developed. Dates being announced does not mean all workshops are bookable yet.

Cost / access: Registration details and charges: check the Guild

Know what you’re joining

Making plans should feel simple.

We keep the differences visible so you can choose something that fits your time, confidence and budget.

A group or a lesson?

A social group may be people working on their own projects. A workshop normally has a teacher and a plan. Ask what help and materials are provided.

Free, paid or still to come?

Pattern, yarn, admission and workshop costs can be separate. A subscription or travel deposit is not the full project price. We do not sell these bookings or use affiliate links.

Go at your own pace

A local afternoon or a single small CAL sample can be enough. You do not need an expensive trip or a race to keep up. Explore the CAL notebook →

Independent listings and original descriptions. External designs remain their creators’ work. No event photographs, paid patterns or licensed charts have been copied. Organisers can change their plans after our check.