It's good to be back after a small break from my book of the month series. Spring seems to have arrived and I'm loving that evenings are starting to stay lighter for longer. I don't know about you but I always seem to be more productive this time of year. A bit like growth starting in plants that have been lying dormant over the winter months, my own energy seems to be increasing too. Having said all of that I still don't seem to find enough time for my favourite activities of crochet and knitting! 

This month I've been enjoying looking at Rachele Carmona's book 'Crochet Modular Blankets' (David & Charles 30th November 2025 ISBN: ​9781446315569). I have admired Rachele's blanket designs for many years and enjoyed making her Vibrant Vintage CAL 2020 blanket using a box of Scheepjes Catona mini balls for the individual motifs. This is Rachele's second book on the subject of crochet blankets and she continues with her characteristic style of playing with different shapes within her individual blanket designs.

There are 18 designs in the book, all with joyful and bright colour palettes, indeed Rachele describes the collection of designs as 'bright, bold and opulent' in her introduction. One thing the book isn't short of is photos, diagrams and layouts and so should suit those who like visual information as well as written instructions. Some of the motifs have charts but not all, so you would need to be relatively confident in your pattern reading, and the book uses US terms throughout. All the information is laid out spaciously and clearly on the pages, which always helps me when it comes to working through patterns. 

I have realised that I clearly have a 'thing' about triangles because the two blankets I am most drawn to in the book include one of Rachele's very characteristic design features where she 'cuts off' or 'cuts into' a section of a blanket with a large triangle. It has always been one of my favourite things about some of Rachele's earlier designs that appeared in the Scheepjes Bookazine publication series. The photo below is the Field of Blooms Blanket and the design underneath is the Sunlight Valley Blanket, which is such a fabulous size. 

If you like the look of this book you can find it on the Search Press website here and if you are in the UK enter the code DD88 at the checkout for a 20% discount and free delivery too. 

Next month I have a real treat in store for you, join me to feast your eyes on the incredible 'Crochet Fairy Tales: Cottage Stories' by Kerry Lord. It will definitely be one for all you amigurumi lovers out there. Until then, enjoy your crochet! 

The light around the house has started to change, with sunshine streaming in through the kitchen windows and shining a bright light on all the dust and cobwebs that we have been blissfully unaware of all winter. No wonder spring is traditionally the time for a good old clean up! 
 
We have had a busy month so far with lots going on, both personally and work wise, so I have quite a bit to tell you about this week, including news of our Summer Crochet Afternoon, tickets for which launch this afternoon. I am also providing you with a sneaky peek at the blanket version of my Majorelle design, which we have called Sevilla. The patterns and kits for this design should launch within the next month, so look out for more news on that soon!
 
I hope you have a few minutes to catch up with all things Janie Crow….

​We are excited to announce our Summer Crochet Event where you can join myself and members of the Janie Crow team for a fun afternoon in the surroundings of Old Fold Manor Golf Club, Barnet, Hertfordshire.
 
We’ll welcome you to the event with a lovely goody bag and your yarn kit to create a small, summer-themed project designed by me and you’ll have the opportunity to work on the project at your own pace with expert guidance on hand from myself and members of the team.  
 
Light refreshments will be served during the afternoon and there will be an opportunity to browse our pop-up shop, where a 10% discount will be available on the day.
 
This is a lovely chance to relax, chat, connect, and share ideas with fellow crocheters in a friendly, welcoming setting and we are so looking forward to it! You can find more information and book your place by following this link to the Janie Crow website. Please be sure to read all information before booking, including our cancellation policy.

Bookings for my knit and crochet retreat in Mysore, India are now open and eleven confirmed bookings have already been received, which means there are now just five places remaining.
 
The holiday will run from 22nd January through to February 4th/5th 2027. You can find more images taken on previous trips to Mysore with Knit For Peace on the Janie Crow Lifestyle instagram feed. If you would like to join me and other craft enthusiasts on this fabulous break, follow this link to Knit For Peace for more information and to book.

I am a real fan of Wes Anderson films, with The Grand Budapest Hotel ranking as one of my all time favourites, partly due to the fabulous purple and pink colour palettes in the film, the inclusion of quite a few nods to artist Gustav Klimt and the Succession Movement and the delicious looking patisseries from Mendl's. Oh, and the fabulous performances by Tilda Swinton, Ralph Fiennes and the rest of the cast. 
 
The reason for me telling you this is because (in a long winded fashion) I want to recommend another Wes Anderson film, The Darjeeling Limited, which we watched on the recommendation of our son, Charlie, a few weeks ago. If you have ever been to India, love the idea of going, or especially if an Indian train journey appeals to you, then I really recommend this film. The colours alone will have you hooked! 

Due to a cancellation there are now two places on my workshop trip to Turkey with Stitchtopia this October. You can find more information by following this link, or by clicking on the image above.
 
Over the last couple of weeks I have been working on workshop projects for this year's workshop tours, as well as the design of my new CAL project which will launch later on this year.
 
I love working on smaller projects like bags and pouches, cushions and wraps and working on different projects at the same time is something I tend to do these days. It works well as I can chop and change between projects - when I get a bit fed up with one or can't work out my maths, I pick up another one for a bit while I think things through!
 
The patterns for many of my previous workshop projects have been released as paper and download versions and you can find many of them by following this link to accessories and this one to cushion covers.

I designed the Majorelle cushion and project pouch for last year's workshop trip to Morocco with Stitchtopia. The design was inspired by the giant cacti found in the exotic Jardins Majorelle, which once belonged to Yves Saint Laurent and are now an essential visit when in Marrakesh.
 
My project uses the fabulous little 25g balls of Rico Ricorumi 100% cotton yarn, which is just perfect for smaller projects. I have used ten shades of yarn and some fabulously colourful beads from the Debbie Abrahams range to add a decorative touch to the designs.
 
I have already seen quite a few versions of the project made by people using yarns from their stash and you can source the yarn and beads individually from other retailers as the kit is currently out of stock with us. You can find the patterns in UK and US terms as paper copies via our shop and as downloads via Etsy and Ravelry. 
 
With the help of one of my expert team of crocheters, Joanna Austin, we have now created a blanket version of the design using a slightly different palette. We have called this version Sevilla as it reminds me of the ceramic tiles and colours we saw everywhere on our trip to Seville and Granada last year. I am also referring to this blanket as the perfect sibling for Persian Tiles as I think the two would go brilliantly well together. As soon as we have more news on the pattern and yarn kits I will let you know, but for now I leave you with a teaser image to whet your appetite!

It is our son's birthday today, and it is his lovely girlfriend's birthday early next week, so we are planning a joint celebration on Sunday by heading out for a meal with Charlie and Ellie.
 
I will probably make my usual Victoria Sponge Cake for the birthdays, as it is such an easy one to make and has, thus far, never let me down! I use this recipe by Mary Berry - it's so easy as you put all the ingredients in a bowl at the same time and whisk them up. No creaming sugar and butter, and no carefully adding the flour - just whack it all in and whisk it together, being careful not to over mix. Its a no brainer!
 
My (not so) secret when making this cake is to take Mary's advice and make it with Stork Margarine and not butter and to add an extra egg. I have been known to add two more to get a much looser consistency and the cake still worked. You can thank me (and Mary Berry) later! 

I am beyond excited that the lovely Sarah Hazell and I will be heading to The Stitch Festival tomorrow. We are both really looking forward to being attendees at a show rather than vendors and catching up with a few friends along the way. I am hoping we will make it to Drew Kent's fashion show at 2pm, which is bound to be fabulous! 
 
I am also looking forward to plonking myself on the settee with a glass of wine and my crochet to have a good old catch up with Sarah as she is staying with us for the weekend and we don't get to spend much time together these days. I have lined up the perfect (workshop) project to accompany a movie or two.

Andy and I managed to sneak in a week away in Tenerife at the beginning of the month. We had a lovely time, despite chilly, wet weather and not the warmth and sunshine we were hoping for. It was particularly nice to see the island's spring flowers and eat lots of lovely food though. We visited a couple of botanical gardens while we were there and Andy drove up into the mountains, so I took loads of pictures for design inspiration. Of course, the cactuses were my favourites, but the hibiscus were giving it their best shot too! ​

This time last year I headed off to a secret location in Scotland to be a guest judge on The Game of Wool. Love it or hate it, there is no denying the good that the show has done for the yarn industry, with so many new crocheters and knitters taking up the hobbies, so I am really pleased that it will be returning later on this year. 
 
Channel 4 are seeking new participants for the new season, so if you think you have what it takes to be the next winner, why not do something daring and apply? You can find more info here.
 
So that is it from be for another couple of weeks. Gemma and I will be back in a fortnight with the next Quick Catch Up email. Until then I hope you remain safe and happy and that you get to settle down with your knitting or crochet for a little TLC at some point!