I love designing crochet along projects and enjoy turning my inspiration source into crochet motifs for you all to work through. I tend to design my CALs in the same way, intending them to be used as a learning tool to guide you through lots of techniques, so that they start relatively easy and get progressively harder.
 
This project differs to my past CAL projects in that I want to encourage you to release a little of your own design potential to create a unique and personal project. 

​I have designed 12 patterned square blocks along with one plain one, all of which will be shown in alternative colour orders using a palette of 13 yarn shades. You can seek out the shades I have used from your local Stylecraft yarn stockist or purchase a starter pack. Alternatively, you could choose to stash dive and use up some of the yarns you have hidden away in your special place at home! Either way, the emphasis will be on creating a project that suits your style and purpose. You could choose to make a large blanket using 48 crochet squares or you might want to make a smaller one using fewer motifs or fewer repeated blocks. You might want to make a bag, a cushion or a shawl for example. There are endless possibilities and I really hope you will feel inspired to join me on this exciting block a month journey.

Getting Started:
 
The monthly block patterns will be published in Inside Crochet magazine over 12 issues from January 2023. You can find a great deal for digital download copies here and paper copies of the magazine here. Please note that the patterns will only be available in the magazine and that they might not be released in the same format once the CAL is over. 

If you fancy having a go at making a project using my monthly blocks it is important that you read through the following information to ensure that you have all that you need and that you understand the fundamental techniques needed to complete the project. Doing a little bit of prep now could help you save time and effort later on, especially when it comes to checking your tension.

Gather Your Yarns:
 
I used the following yarns:
 
Stylecraft Life DK 75% Premium Acrylic, 25% Wool 298m (326yds) per 100g
Aqua (2357)
Caramel (2446)
Cardinal (2306)
Cascade (2308)
Cranberry (2319)
Copper (2312)
French Blue (2447)
Oatmeal (2303)
Olive (2302)
Parchment (2445)
 
Stylecraft ReCreate DK: 100% Recycled Polyester 350m (382yds) per 100g
Avocado (3189)
Blush (3458)
Rose (1945)
 
If you want to find a ‘starter pack’ of yarn, which includes one ball of all those listed above, then checkout the list of Stylecraft stockists here. If you want to use yarns you already have in your stash, you will need to find DK weight yarns. I used 13 shades, some of them were used in very small amounts, whilst others are used more often. In my blanket, 7 of the shades used one ball of yarn, 5 shades used two balls and 1 shade used three balls, so I had a combined number of 20 x 100g balls. 

I really want to encourage you to use some yarns that you already have, but if you don't have a stash of yarn a good plan might be to source extra balls of yarn as you go along, especially as dye lots will not really matter. At this stage I don't really want to release the details of my yarn usage as you might decide to create a blanket with a different layout to mine or you may choose an alternative border for example, but it might be helpful for you to know that I used more of the following shades:

Avocado (3189)
Cranberry (2319)
French Blue (2447)
Oatmeal (2303)
Olive (2302)
Parchment (2445)   

It is my advice that you keep hold of all your yarn until the end of the project – by this I mean all the pieces you might undo and any pieces that look a bit frayed. Don’t be tempted to use any of the yarn for any other project until you have completed this one and make sure you keep everything in a safe place.

Equipment:
3.5mm (US E4), 4mm (US G/6) & 4.5mm (US 7) hooks – please see notes on tension below.
Knitters sewing needle
Stitch Markers 
 
Measurement:
Blocked measurement: Approximately 115cm x 155cm
 
Pattern Notes: 
 
Tension:
Crochet is by nature an organic and creative process – it is wonderful to pick up some yarn and a hook and create motifs and decorative pieces that eventually make up a larger project. Many crocheters are used to doing just this without thinking too much about how big their pieces come up and whether things are being worked to the correct tension. However, it is REALLY important that you check your tension before starting this project and that you do so regularly as you work through it. Changes in tension could mean that the size and drape of your shawl differs to mine and that you will use more or less yarn.
 
How to achieve the correct tension:
Many crocheters simply assume that they will achieve the correct tension. This is a totally logical conclusion to make; after all, the information on the ball band or within the pattern is based on what the ‘standard’ tension is. In practice, however, many crocheters do not naturally attain the correct tension and therefore do not achieve a tension that sits within the ‘standard’.
 
Working a tension piece:
Once you have your yarn and the correct hooks you are ready to work your tension pieces. Spending an hour or 2 to work these blocks can seem like a waste of time, but it is REALLY important that you are sure you are working to the same tension as the patterns are written for. 
 
When working a tension piece it is a good idea to work on more stitches and rows that the suggested tension. I used 24 stitches for both samples. The tension is taken from pre-blocked swatches. It is really important that you measure your tension to at least 10cm when working the test swatches – if in doubt measure over a larger piece, say 15cm or even 20cm just to be sure. Putting the groundwork in at this stage can save you a lot of heartache later on.
 
I have measured the tension over samples made using Stylecraft Life DK.
The pre-blocked tension you are aiming for is as follows:
 
Double Crochet (US single crochet) using 4mm hook = 20/21sts & 24 rows to 10cm (4in). 
Treble Crochet (US double crochet) using 3.5mm hook = 19/20sts & 10 rows to 10cm (4in). 

​How to make your double crochet (US sc) tension sample:
 
Using 4mm hook make 25ch.
Foundation Row: skip 1ch, 1dc into each ch to end, turn. (24sts)
Row 1: 1ch (does not count as a st), 1dc into each st to end, turn. (24sts)
 
Repeat last row until a total of 26 rows have been worked (including foundation row).
Lay your sample on a flat surface. Using a tape measure place pins 10cm (4in) apart along a central row (horizontally) and count the stitches between the pins
 
Stitch tension should be = 20/21 sts 
 
Using a tape measure place pins 10cm (4in) apart along the central point of the swatch vertically and count the rows between the pins
 
Row tension should be = 24 rows 
 
If you have achieved a tension different to this, then take a look at the advice a little further down.
 
How to make your treble crochet (US dc) tension sample:
 
A size smaller hook is used to achieve the treble crochet (US double crochet) tension compared to the double crochet (US single crochet) tension. This is because the space between stitches grows depending on the length of the post of the stitch. 
 
Using 3.5mm hook make 26ch.
 
Foundation Row: skip 3ch (counts as 1tr), 1tr into each ch to end, turn. (24sts)
Row 1: 3ch (counts as a 1tr), skip st at base of 3ch, 1tr into each st to end working final st into 3rd ch of 3ch made at beginning of last row (tch), turn. (24sts)
 
Repeat last row until a total of 12 rows have been worked (including foundation row).
Lay your sample on a flat surface. Using a tape measure place pins 10cm (4in) apart along a central row and count the stitches between the pins.
 
Stitch tension should be = 19/20 sts 
 
Using a tape measure place pins 10cm (4in) apart along the central point of the swatch vertically and count the rows between the pins.
 
Row tension should be = 10 rows 

​What to do when you have achieved a different tension to the pattern:
If you have done your tension pieces and achieved more stitches and rows to 10cm (4in) this means you are working too tight. Rather than trying to change your crochet method by consciously crocheting looser, simply change up to a size larger hook. If you are still too tight then try another size larger. Make a note of how many sizes you have had to change by so that you are sure to make the swap for each of the hook sizes.
 
If you have done your tension pieces and achieved fewer stitches and rows to 10cm (4in) this means you are working too loose. Rather than trying to change your crochet method by consciously crocheting tighter, simply change down to a size smaller hook. If you are still too loose then try another size smaller.  As above, make a note of how many sizes you have had to change by so that you are sure to make the swap for each of the hook sizes.
 
Pre-blocked and Blocked Tension:
The measurements given in the pattern are for pre-blocked sizes throughout. Measuring to a pre-blocked size rather than a blocked size is more accurate as you could over stretch your work in the blocking process. 
 
Once the project is complete, I advise you to wash and block your project before using it. This process will alter the tension slightly and will make the yarn appear smoother and the drape will improve. It is advisable to use a colour catching sheet when washing your project too, especially if using yarns from different ranges.
 
Factors that can affect your tension:
Many things can make a difference to the tension you achieve. I have listed 5 of the most common below:
 
1. Your level of expertise:
If you are a newcomer to the craft of crochet you may well find that your crochet tension will change as your ability improves. When launching into a project like this it is worth making sure you have put in enough ground work to ensure that you are working in the right way and that you have the ability to work consistently. 
 
2. Your mood or situation:
If you are a bit stressed or have had a bit of a tough day you may find your crochet tension is affected. Equally, having a few glasses of wine or watching a funny or enthralling movie whilst crocheting can also cause your tension to differ. As a general rule try to crochet in the same kind of situation whenever possible to ensure that everything stays as it should.
 
3. Hook size:
Make sure you are using the correct size hook. For most of the project you will be asked to use a 4mm (US G/6) hook. Please check that you have not mistakenly used a UK 4 (imperial size) or a US 4 or 4/E.
 
4. Number of stitches:
It is quite common to achieve the correct tension on a swatch only to find that it is not correct over a larger piece. This is because tension can change as we relax into the rhythm of a repetitive crochet action. Measure your tension at all the places I ask you to within the pattern just to be sure you are continuing to work at the correct tension.
 
Having trouble with your tension over treble crochet (US double crochet)? 
 
Look at the way you work the stitch: 
Because of the nature of a treble crochet (US double crochet) it is common to find variances in stitch length and width even if the correct hook has been used in relation to the one used to achieve the correct tension over double crochet (US single crochet)
 
When we make a treble crochet (US double crochet) we wrap our yarn around the hook first and then work 3 movements, drawing yarn loops through others to create the stitch. The tension achieved over each of these movements and the angle at which we hold our hook can have an impact on the tension of each step of the stitch.
 
Why you need to change hook size when you are told to:
The reason you will need to change hook size is to do with the tension achieved over different stitches. When you make a fabric using a dense stitch like double crochet (US single) you have very little room between the posts of your stitches, whereas when you work with stitches that have a longer post, such as treble crochet (US double) the space between the posts of the stitches gets bigger.
 
I recommend the use of a 4mm (US G/6) hook for the majority of the crochet within this project, but there are places where you will need to swap down to a 3.5mm (US E/4) or up to a 4.5mm (US 7). As a general rule, look out for hook changes when working treble crochet (US double crochet) and slip stitches.
 
Changing hook sizes can be a bit of a pain, but it is made easier if you have colour coded hooks – even a dab of different shades of nail polish on your crochet hook handles can make the process of identifying hooks easier. 

​Substituting yarn:
If you are substituting yarn it is important that you find one that achieves the correct tension and has enough metres of yarn on the ball – don’t assume that every 100g ball of yarn has the same length!
 
Most yarns on the market fall into set categories according to their weight. In the UK we have the following standard weights: 1, 2, 3 & 4ply, DK (double knitting), Aran and Chunky. The yarns used within this design are all DK weight. Yarns within each weight category should conform to the same standards, one of which is the suggested knitted or crocheted tension. Most ball bands will show you the suggested tension for knitting which is 22 stitches and 30 rows measured over 10cm [4in].
 
Yarns sit within the categories to make it easier to ensure that things come up the right size. This is especially handy when substituting yarn, as, in theory, a DK weight yarn should achieve more or less the same tension regardless of brand or yarn content. The ball band on the yarn will give you the suggested tension and also a needle or hook size that this tension is to be achieved on. For a standard weight DK this is usually a 4mm (US G/6) knitting needle or crochet hook.
 

I am incredibly pleased with the motifs I have designed and hope that you like them too. I am really looking forward to seeing how you will interpret my blocks and hope that some of you will embrace the idea of creating a unique project. However, if you want to follow my patterns using my suggestions on yarns and colours then I also hope that you will also enjoy yourself!

Sarah and I had a fabulous day out last week visiting Leighton House in London's Holland Park. The building was the home to Victorian artist Lord Leighton and it includes the most amazing decor, including the stunning 'Arab Hall', which features incredible tile panels and beautiful mosaics.  ​

The video that accompanies Part Seven of my Sunshine and Showers blanket pattern is live on our Youtube channel here. ​

​Janie x

​It is feeling decidedly chilly here in North London today and, after a very wet week, where the rain has seemed incessant at times, I have found myself indoors with my crochet quite a large proportion of the time. This is the time of year when I often feel inspired to work on new projects, so I have been busy trying to get myself organised for the forthcoming months. With autumn very definitely knocking at the door, I have been enjoying immersing myself in the world of lovely crochet to cheer myself up! 

I have quite a lot to tell you about this week including news of our Advent CAL, the Glad Tidings Wrap, which launches today. Gemma has also added in some fun things to this week's Quick Catch Up email, including her Facebook round up, her 'Words From The Web' piece and a lovely autumnal recipe.

I hope you have five minutes to spare to catch up with all things Janie Crow...

​It's already a really busy week here at Janie Crow and it's only Tuesday! I know I usually pop into your inbox on a Friday, but I am here today to let you know that my new pattern 'Twinkle Bunting' is now available.

I love how decorating the house at Christmas time brings back so many family memories. We have some decorations that date back quite a few generations and I especially like these old pieces. When setting out to design this bunting I wanted to create some crochet motifs that echoed the shape of our precious vintage Christmas tree baubles.​I have added beads, bells and little 'shisha' mirrors to add a touch of sparkle and I am so pleased with the results.

​We have had an amazing reaction to the patterns and kits for my Indigo and Crimson Dreams blanket, which originally featured as a crochet along project in Inside Crochet Magazine and I am so grateful to all of you who have shown so much positivity towards the design.

This week we have added a couple of helpful videos that Emma has shot to help with a couple of the more tricky bits of the design. You can find these over on our YouTube channel.

I had a great time at The Knitting & Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace here in North London last week. It was great to see so many of you and be out once again amongst fabulous yarny folk. Big thanks to the team at Stylecraft for allowing me to have a place on their stand. The show was the final one of the year for Janie Crow but we are looking forward to being at the show in Harrogate with Andy's hook, needle and accessory stock, so I hope to see some of you there too. ​

(c) Knitting Holidays in France

I will be doing my final spot of tutoring of the year during the last week of October when we will be in France with a group of lovely crocheters at Sue and Culli's 'Knitting Holidays in France' venue near Bordeaux. I haven't done a workshop for Sue for many years - this will be my first time back in France for more than 5 years, so I am really looking forward to the trip. Look out for images on my Instagram feed
while we are away. ​

When designing a new project I tend to choose to use yarns that have a wool content as they not only give the yarn a good drape but they also make the blanket warmer. Stylecraft's Life DK has 25% wool content and the fabulous ReCreate DK, which is 100% recycled, has 40% wool. ​

The video that accompanies Part Six of my Sunshine and Showers blanket pattern will go live on our Youtube channel here over the next few days. ​

I am pleased to be home for the weekend with not many plans after quite a few hectic weeks. Summer has already arrived with her lovely dog, Rocky and we are planning a weekend where we will not be venturing far from home.

Tonight we are lining up an evening on the sofa after a rare take away treat from our local Thai restaurant. We will be scouring Netflix for a film perfect to accompany my knitting as I have set myself the challenge of completing a sweater in a month - the same amount of time that it will take participants to complete the Stephen West MKAL. I have started the Orchid Sweater by Georgia Farrell after seeing it on display at Black Sheep Wools a few weeks ago on our way to Blackpool. ​

​We finally have patterns and kits for my Indigo and Crimson Dreams blanket, which originally featured as a crochet along project in Inside Crochet Magazine.

You can find kits for both colour ways, Indigo (shown below) and Crimson (shown above) by following this link and the 24 page paper pattern brochure by following this link. Download patterns are available via Etsy and Ravelry.

​Mystical Lanterns - Instagram colour ways here

Summer Palace - Instagram link here
​

Magic Circles - Instagram link here ​

The video that accompanies Part Five of my Sunshine and Showers blanket pattern is now live on the Youtube channel here. ​

We had an amazing trip travelling through Europe on the train for a few weeks through late August and early September and I am feeling really inspired by the places we visited and the things we have seen. It was a real joy to stare out of a train window and see the wonderful scenery pass by as we travelled down through France, Belgium, Austria and Italy, where we then took a ferry to Greece. ​

We visited some fabulous cities, including Brussels, Vienna, Venice, Patras and Athens. I have wanted to go to Vienna in particular for many years, especially as I focussed the designs for my final collection for my degree at art school on the work of Gustav Klimt, an artist who rarely left the city. We spent 3 full days there and filled our time visiting lots of galleries, finally getting to see The Kiss in ‘real life’ at The Belvedere Museum, but it was seeing the Beethoven Frieze at the Secession Building that was a real tick off the bucket list for me. It was just so beautiful. ​

Photos where blankets and throws, or scarves and wraps, are folded and placed in piles somehow give off a kind of warmth that really appeals, I think. ​

We came across this great little video on YouTube with lots of fabulous ideas for bags. We do love bags here at Janie Crow and they are also a great way to get some of that stash yarn used up! ​

Cornbread is a comforting kind of treat and with the addition of a little honey in this recipe it definitely appeals to a sweet tooth, whilst at the same time being quite filling. ​

Over the next few days we will be getting used to being back at work after our lovely summer break. With Yarndale in the mix we have quite a lot to sort out this week, so it will be back to work with a bang for us, but I am really looking forward to getting into the swing of working life here at Janie Crow again over the next few weeks.

I will be sending the September Newsletter on Friday 30th September, so do look out for that. After our short absence from social media we will be posting again from today onwards so I hope you will join us on our Instagram and Facebook 
feeds too. It's good to be back!

Janie x

***

I am excited to present you to my contribution to Granny Square Day 2022 - a floral granny that I hope you will like. You can find that pattern lower down this post.

I have always considered a granny square to be a piece of crochet that is built by making repeated blocks of treble stitches (US dc), but it seems the term can be used in relation to any square crochet block these days and I am sure we are going to see a wonderful variety posted on social media to celebrate the day.

According to Edie Eckman in The Crochet Answer Book a granny square is:

'.......a special form of square motif. Although there are many variations on the granny square, the traditional one is a double-crocheted (UK tr) square made with a series of chain and double-crocheted (UK treble) blocks - a kind of filet crochet in the round.'

The earliest recorded example of a granny square as we know it was designed by Mrs Phelps and the pattern was published in The Prairie Farmer, a publication that featured agricultural and rural news for the State of Illinois, in 1885.

My Great Grandmother, Alice, learnt to crochet when she was young and made the most intricate traditional lace crochet. She was taught how to make a granny square in the 1970s and from that time onwards, until she passed away in the 1980s, she made hundreds of granny square blankets, often buying sweaters from jumble sales to unravel and reuse the yarn. She donated her blankets to raffles and to charities for fundraising and many of her fabulous blankets still exist as cherished items throughout our family members.

I have called my floral granny 'A Flower For Alice' in honour of my Nanna Martin. Scroll down to find the pattern and some step-by-step images.

You will need 6 shades of DK weight yarn and a 4mm hook.

Stylecraft Organic Cotton DK 100% Organic Cotton - 105m (115yds) per 50g ball
Artichoke (7193)
Buttermilk (7174)
Papaya (7178)
Peach (7176)
Plum (7186)
 
Stylecraft ReCreate 100% Recycled Polyester - 350m (382yds) per 100g ball
Avocado (3189) 
 
Note: All rounds are RS facing.
 
Using Buttermilk and 4mm hook make a magic loop.
 
Foundation Round: 1ch (does not count as a st), 8dc into ring, ss to join, fasten off. (8sts)
 
Round 1: Using Avocado join yarn into any st by working 1ch (does not count as a st), 1dc into same st, 1ch, [1dc into next st, 1ch] to end, ss to join, fasten off. (8sts & 8 ch-sps)
 
Round 2: Using Plum join yarn into any ch-sp by working 1ch + 2ch (counts as 1tr), 2tr into same ch-sp, 3tr into each ch-sp to end, ss to join, fasten off. (24sts)
 
Pre-Blocked Measurement: Approximately 4.5cm wide.

Round 3: Using Avocado join yarn into st-sp between any group of 3tr by working 1ch (does not count as a st), 1dc into same st-sp, 4ch, skip 3sts, [1dc into next st-sp, 4ch, skip 3sts] to end, ss to join, fasten off. (8sts & 8 ch-sps)

​Round 4: Using Papaya and working in front of ch made on previous round throughout, join yarn into top of first tr of any 3tr group made on Round 2 (Plum) by working 1ch + 2ch (counts as 1tr), 3tr into next st, 1tr into next st, skip next dc, 1tr into next st; repeat from * to end omitting 1tr on final repeat, ss to join, fasten off. (40sts)

​Make sure you still have 8 ch-sps left at the back of the work as you are going to use these to create your square later on.
 
Pre-Blocked Measurement: Approximately 7.5cm wide.

Round 5: Using Peach join yarn into top of first tr of any 5tr group by working 1ch + 2ch (counts as 1tr), * 2tr into each next 3sts, 2ch, ss into next st, 1tr around front post of next dc made on Round 3 (Avocado) (I placed my hook through the tunnel created by the dc so that I wasn’t around the whole of the post), ss into first tr on next petal, 3ch; repeat from * to end omitting 3ch on final repeat, ss to join, fasten off. (8 petals made) 
 
Pre-Blocked Measurement: Approximately 10cm wide.

Round 5: Using Artichoke and keeping RS facing but working behind the petals throughout, join yarn into any ch-sp made on Round 3 (Avocado) by working 1ch + 2ch (counts as 1tr), 2tr into same ch-sp, 3ch, 3tr into same ch-sp, 1ch, [3tr into next ch-sp, 1ch, [3tr, 3ch, 3tr] into next ch-sp, 1ch] 3 times, 3tr into next ch-sp, 1ch, ss to join, do not fasten off. (36sts & 12 ch-sps)
 
Round 6: ss into each next 2sts, ss into next ch-sp, 3ch (counts as 1tr), 1tr into same ch-sp, * 1tr into 4th st on petal made on Round 5 (Peach) and same ch-sp at the same time, 3ch, 1tr into next st on petal and same ch sp at the same time, 2tr into same ch-sp, 1ch, [3tr into next ch-sp, 1ch] twice, 2tr into next ch-sp; repeat from * to end omitting 2tr on final repeat, ss to join, do not fasten off. (48sts & 16 ch-sps)

​Round 7: ss into each next 2sts, ss into next ch-sp, 3ch (counts as 1tr), 2tr into same ch-sp, 3ch, 3tr into same ch-sp, * 1ch, 3tr into next ch-sp, 1ch, 1tr into next ch-sp, skip 4sts on petal made on round 5 (Peach), 1tr into next st-sp and same ch-sp at the same time, 1tr into same ch-sp, 1ch, 3tr into next ch-sp, 1ch, ** [3tr, 3ch, 3tr] into next ch-sp; repeat from * to end finishing last repeat at **, ss to join, fasten off. (60sts & 20 ch-sps)
 
Pre-Blocked Measurement: Approximately 12cm wide.

Sew in your yarn ends and block if it's curling. I used cotton to make my granny so it has stayed pretty flat and doesn't need blocking. I sewed an orange bead at the centre of my flower using a fine sewing needle and thread.

I hope you like my floral granny and that you might fancy making a couple. If you do, and would like to share them on social media, please tag me in using #janiecrow @janiecrow

Granny Square Day is organised by Simply Crochet Magazine and this year they are supporting Operation Orphan, so if you are able to make a donation please do so. #grannysquareday2022

I am really honoured to have been nominated in the Iconic Crochet Designer category of this year's Knit & Crochet awards. It goes without saying that I would love it if you would vote for me. You can find the Let's Knit website here and you can click on the different categories to find out more and to vote.
 
Last weekend we posted a few polls on Instagram to try to find out what kind of smaller crochet projects you would like to see me design. Bags came out as a clear favourite, as did rectangular wraps and cushion covers. This week I have started to look at colour palettes for these new projects and I am looking forward to getting stuck into the designs soon. The likelihood is that these new projects will not be available until next year as I am working with Stylecraft to create something really special, so I am afraid there will be a bit of a wait. I will try and keep you in the loop in regards to the design process in the mean time. I am going to post a few images about colour palettes on Instagram today that you might be interested in.

I am currently working on a new project that will feature in Inside Crochet Magazine next year. I am REALLY excited about this new design and have thoroughly enjoyed the process so far. Again - I will try to post some sneaky peeks from time to time so that you can keep track of what I am up to! ​

I am really looking forward to the weekend as we will be seeing the family tomorrow for the party, some of whom we haven't spent time with for quite for a while. Marina has been busy making lots of Julie's bunting for me to decorate the garden with, so I am hoping the weather will be good - it is a little chillier here today than it has been recently. ​

​Janie x