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A Reminder about Postage
At Janie Crow and Just Knots Yarns we use Royal Mail as our postal service provider. Royal Mail continues to operate most worldwide postal services and we have not yet been hugely affected by issues with the post. Things can change quickly, so if you are wondering about the mail service to your country, you can check up via the Royal Mail ‘Personal Help’ page here.
Quick Catch Up
I hope this email finds you well and that you have all had a good week since I was here last. I thought I would pop in with a speedy catch up to let you know that a couple of the things I mentioned last week are now live...
Persian Tiles - Sandalwood
My new version of the Persian Tiles blanket, which I have called Sandalwood, is now available as a kit via US yarn company Mary Maxim.
The Sandalwood version features rich dusky pink, terracotta, gold, green and blue shades and it has been made using a lovely soft yarn called Premier Everyday DK. The images make the colours look a little washed out and yellow - they are much more vibrant and sumptuous in reality. We had a bit of a hiccup with the US photoshoot due to the current situation and only managed to get the original version of the blanket professionally shot in a room setting. The Sandalwood version and the light blue version are now in the post to the US to be photographed. I am sure the new images will do the blanket far more justice than these do - I took them on the studio floor before the blanket headed off in the mail!
All this said I am incredibly pleased with this blanket and hope that you will like it too!
Whilst in Mysore in January I was inspired to make the new version of the design by a traditional Indian woven carpet design I saw in one of the many fabulous handicraft stores. It was similar to the one shown in the image below.
Over the course of February and into early March I produced my new version of the design and was very fortunate to be supported by US yarn company Mary Maxim who have now released the kits for the new colour way and the original dark blue version shown below.
Please note that Persian Tiles Sandalwood is only available as a yarn kit via Mary Maxim. We do not have a yarn sub document we can supply outside of the kit so please do not email asking for one!
If you want some ideas for your own colourway you can join the dedicated Facebook Group. You can get a download version of the pattern via Ravelry or a paper brochure or yarn kit for the original or light blue version via the Janie Crow web site.
Fruit Garden CAL
The patterns for Part 3 of the Fruit Garden CAL were released on Tuesday (26thMay). The patterns feature the Clementine Motif and 3 more rounds that need to be added to the Acanthus Motif. You can find all the patterns so far by following this link.
I know that many of you have already completed your pieces or that you are well on the way to doing so, but if you are in need of a bit of support, you can find my accompanying video on my Youtube channel helpful. In the video I demonstrate surface crochet and show you how to make the leaves that feature in quite a few of the forthcoming motifs, I also talk you through how to made dtr3tog (tr3tog in US terms) and how to make a neat picot at the top of the cluster that the decrease stitch makes. I hope you will take a look.
Support the Maker
Two weeks ago Juliet Bernard and I got together via Zoom and recorded a short chat that has now been published on the Stylecraft Youtube Channel. You can find it my following this link.
The chat focused somewhat on The Fruit Garden CAL, but as Stylecraft had previously asked people to send in questions, I got to talk about other aspects of my career too. Because we are all still in some form of lockdown the video quality is not great, but I hope that there might be something within the film that you will find interesting or useful.
You can find another video that Stylecraft recorded back in early March, where I talk about the inspiration for the Fruit Garden CAL, by following this link.
Fruity Knitting - 101st Episode
Last week I told you that Andrea and Andrew from Fruity Knitting had celebrated the 100th edition of their podcast. This week they have released their next episode and I was really excited to see that Angela has been busy working on her version of my Bohemian Blooms blanket. The episode also focusses on knitted animation, something that I found really interesting too.
It's nearly the Weekend!
We are really enjoying having a little more time at home now that the lovely Sue works the afternoon shift at the studio and we head home. On a Friday our new shift pattern feels even more special as it is like being allowed to get out of school early and start the weekend sooner - even though we still have a mountain of stuff to do!
The weather here in North London has been glorious all week and it is set to remain that way, so we are hoping to have some time in the garden and enjoy a couple of local walks. I hope that wherever you are you are safe and happy and I will see you back here again soon...
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A Reminder about Postage
At Janie Crow and Just Knots Yarns we use Royal Mail as our postal service provider. Royal Mail continues to operate most worldwide postal services and we have not yet been hugely affected by issues with the post. Things can change quickly, so if you are wondering about the mail service to your country, you can check up via the Royal Mail ‘Personal Help’ page here.
Janie's Quick Update
Another week into lockdown and I am back to say hello and check up on you!
When we were young -like in our late teens and early 20s we used to adore Friday nights as it meant party night! Living in London, we would head out to the pub for a few drinks then make the tube journey into town to dance the night away at the Astoria club, heading home at stupid o’clock the next morning on the night bus. Friday night was the highlight of the week and every Saturday we would start planning the logistics for the following week. When I think of it now I am amazed that we had the energy, especially as we used to go to a club in town on Sunday nights too and occaisionally on a week night! Friday nights were always the best though - some of the nights that we will remember for the rest of our lives.
Andy has always been a party animal and he still loves going to clubs and to see bands, so lockdown has been pretty tough on him as he has missed his friends and his live music. These days I am a bit of a hermit anyway - the idea of heaven for me is time spent in my PJs on the settee with a crochet hook, but at the moment it seems that Andy and I are on the exact same page as we are both finding that we are noticing that Friday Feeling creeping in more than ever! Perhaps it is because the Monday to Friday bit (in our own Jane & Andy bubble) is beyond hectic and because I am not sure we have ever had to work so hard and attempt to keep jolly in each others company for so long! Whatever the reason, when it gets to 5pm on a Friday (around about now) we are definitely up for a party….
Except we have nowhere to go!!!
So here I am with a slightly late email to welcome you to this Friday evening. I hope that you are all keeping safe and well and that you have 5 minutes to spare so that I can bring you up to date with all things Janie Crow!
Another week into lockdown and I am back to say hello and check up on you!
When we were young -like in our late teens and early 20s we used to adore Friday nights as it meant party night! Living in London, we would head out to the pub for a few drinks then make the tube journey into town to dance the night away at the Astoria club, heading home at stupid o’clock the next morning on the night bus. Friday night was the highlight of the week and every Saturday we would start planning the logistics for the following week. When I think of it now I am amazed that we had the energy, especially as we used to go to a club in town on Sunday nights too and occaisionally on a week night! Friday nights were always the best though - some of the nights that we will remember for the rest of our lives.
Andy has always been a party animal and he still loves going to clubs and to see bands, so lockdown has been pretty tough on him as he has missed his friends and his live music. These days I am a bit of a hermit anyway - the idea of heaven for me is time spent in my PJs on the settee with a crochet hook, but at the moment it seems that Andy and I are on the exact same page as we are both finding that we are noticing that Friday Feeling creeping in more than ever! Perhaps it is because the Monday to Friday bit (in our own Jane & Andy bubble) is beyond hectic and because I am not sure we have ever had to work so hard and attempt to keep jolly in each others company for so long! Whatever the reason, when it gets to 5pm on a Friday (around about now) we are definitely up for a party….
Except we have nowhere to go!!!
So here I am with a slightly late email to welcome you to this Friday evening. I hope that you are all keeping safe and well and that you have 5 minutes to spare so that I can bring you up to date with all things Janie Crow!
Fruit Garden CAL
Did you see my Special Statement about the new Fruit Garden CAL on Tuesday? In case you missed it you can find it by following this link to the Janie Crow blog. The response to the statement has been so incredibly positive and I am really glad that the majority of you saw the CAL repeat as a positive thing. Out of all the emails received this week, we only had one negative response, so I think that definitely counts as a win!
We had hoped to have a good stock level of the Life DK & Batik (Recipe 1) kits by now, however there has been a bit of a hiccup at Stylecraft HQ, so we have ended up with only about a 3rd of the stockholding we should have had. If you are quick you can grab one of the last remaining Recipe 1 kits as we have about 5 left in stock on the Janie Crow site. The good news is that we are expecting to receive the yarn to make up the Naturals Bamboo + Cotton kits next week. These will go into stock as fast as we can pack them.
Don’t forget that the first patterns for the Fruit Garden CAL will be ready to download from the Stylecraft web site on Tuesday! I have filmed an accompanying video to help guide you through this first motif and will be posting that on my YouTube channel on the same day.
Don’t forget that the first patterns for the Fruit Garden CAL will be ready to download from the Stylecraft web site on Tuesday! I have filmed an accompanying video to help guide you through this first motif and will be posting that on my YouTube channel on the same day.
It's all about the FOOD!
We had lots of emails in response to last week’s newsletter. Thank you for taking the time to get in touch. ‘Wendy from Oz’ sent the following recipe – it sounds really yummy:
Good morning, have just loved your newsy email with all you have been up to. I have a nice quick and easy recipe for you this week and it is good hot or cold on sandwiches or with a salad.
Aberdeen Sausage Loaf.
Ingredients:
1 kg thick sausages skinned
2 Carrots (from your garden! )grated
2 Granny Smith apples peeled cored and grated
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
2 eggs beaten
Method:
Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
Shape into a couple of loaf shapes and coat in flour. Place on lined baking tray into a 180 degree oven for about 1 hour. Drain on paper towel. Serve with lovely creamy mash and some greens.
Have cold the next day on Sandwiches or with a salad. Yum!
I find this makes 3-4 loaves and you can freeze any spares for a later date.
Thank you for sending this recipe Wendy!
Good morning, have just loved your newsy email with all you have been up to. I have a nice quick and easy recipe for you this week and it is good hot or cold on sandwiches or with a salad.
Aberdeen Sausage Loaf.
Ingredients:
1 kg thick sausages skinned
2 Carrots (from your garden! )grated
2 Granny Smith apples peeled cored and grated
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
2 eggs beaten
Method:
Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
Shape into a couple of loaf shapes and coat in flour. Place on lined baking tray into a 180 degree oven for about 1 hour. Drain on paper towel. Serve with lovely creamy mash and some greens.
Have cold the next day on Sandwiches or with a salad. Yum!
I find this makes 3-4 loaves and you can freeze any spares for a later date.
Thank you for sending this recipe Wendy!
I did manage to make the roasted carrot burgers I told you about last week. They were good (image above), but I am not sure they were worth all the work. I am a ‘quick results’ cook, so the multiple stages of this recipe possibly made my expectations a little high. I think the Pret Sweet Potato Falafel that Charlie made the previous week were tastier and easier to make.
If you like quick results like me then you might be interested in my (cheat’s) lime pickle houmous recipe. I know it sounds a little odd – but we love it and it takes less than 5 minutes to make.
You will need:
1 slightly heaped desert spoon of Indian Lime Pickle – I use Pataks.
A jar or tin of chick peas
1 tbsp Tahini
Salt & Pepper
Juice of 1 or 2 limes depending on how sharp you like it (lemon will do if you don’t have it)
1 clove of garlic
Glug of olive oil
Water if needed.
Grate the garlic clove then add all ingredients except the water to a basin and blend with a hand blender. If it looks a bit thick add some water. Add salt and pepper to taste and add more lime juice or lemon juice if you think it needs it. Transfer to an airtight jar and leave in the fridge for a day before you eat it – it is much nicer if you let all the flavours combine over night, although we often can't wait that long!
If you are not a fan of lime pickle you could try adding other things to your houmous – roasted red peppers are great (we use a couple from a jar) or a good spoonful of pesto. If you want a chunkier houmous you could always add a few mashed chickpeas at the end. Don’t worry if you do not have tahini – you could add some sesame oil or even a good dollop of peanut butter!
I hope that once you have a go at making houmous you will not want to buy it in plastic pots from the supermarket. It is super easy, super tasty and super good for you!!!
Over the Rainbow
I have loved seeing images of your pompom wreaths this week. Having one hanging on your door or window sends out a great message of support to front line workers and they are a lovely project to make.
Summer and Chris sat down during the week and made theirs and I have had quite a few of my friends make one too. I love the image of the one made by my friend Gwyn (what a lovely front door you have Gwyn) and the one made by Janet Collins from the UK Hand Knitting and Crochet Guild.
Summer and Chris sat down during the week and made theirs and I have had quite a few of my friends make one too. I love the image of the one made by my friend Gwyn (what a lovely front door you have Gwyn) and the one made by Janet Collins from the UK Hand Knitting and Crochet Guild.
If you want to make a donation to the NHS Charities together appeal you can do so by following this link.
Virtual Wonderwool Festival
Some of the casualties of the current situation are the many music festivals and yarn shows scheduled for the spring and into the summer. Andy was like a bear with a sore head when his favourite Rock Music festival was cancelled for June and we are both disappointed that the Wonderwool show in Wales will not take place this weekend, however the organizers of the show will be hosting a virtual show via their Facebook page. You can find more info by following this link.
Stashbusting Handknitted Cushion Covers
I have been looking through my free pattern back catalogue this week as we are hoping to update some of them over the next few months. Many feature yarns that are now discontinued, so it would be good to have them written for current yarns. I will let you know when we have anything new to share with you, but one of my free projects that I remembered this week features yarns that are still around and is one that I have loads of images of worked in alternative colour ways as it was one I used as the project for my very first visit to The Green Hotel in Mysore with Knit For Peace in 2016.
You can find the free pattern download for my Fairisle cushion cover on the Stylecraft web site here and I have posted images of projects made by workshop participants using Rowan Cotton Glace below. I am sure you can see what a good stash busting project the cushion cover is and hope that it will encourage you to go and have a rummage through your stash for suitable yarns.
The pattern is written for Stylecraft Special DK, but you can use any DK or slightly finer weight yarn – just make sure you change the needle size accordingly to achieve quite a tight tension. You can see from the images that the workshop participants also added beads in as they knitted.
You can also find a free pattern for a crochet cushion cover which was part of the same Stylecraft Collection by following this link.
Instagram Favourite
If you missed it I have included a link to his instagram feed here. The post in question is from about 4 days ago, so you will have to scroll through his feed to find the right video. You’re so welcome!
It's Nearly the Weekend!
So, as is the new usual we have a weekend of walking and gardening planned. The weather here in North London has been amazing this week and we have not yet managed to spend any time enjoying it, so we are hoping it will stay that way and that we will manage to catch a few rays!
If you are looking for things to do over the weekend or into next week you might want to check out the events listing at your favourite gallery or museum. Sarah and I both ‘virtually’ attended a great seminar hosted by the William Morris Gallery on Zoom this week. The presentation was about May Morris’s embroidery, so of course Sarah and I made a point of getting involved! The Gallery is hosting another event this coming Wednesday:
Virtual Tour of Light and Shade
‘Join William Morris Gallery assistant curator Ainsley Vinall for a virtual tour of Light and Shade, our exhibition highlighting the lives led by the women of William Morris’s social circle alongside portrait photographs of them from our collection. The talk will look at the lives of some of William Morris’s family and friends as well as exploring different aspects of nineteenth century portrait photography. Featuring Emma Morris, Isabella Gilmore, Jane Morris, Rosalind Howard and more’.
You can book a place by making a donation and you can find more information here.
That is pretty much it from me for another week.
As I seem to say every Friday I am REALLY hoping to find some design time next week and start working on some new ideas. I am really missing my crochet, but know so well that we are really lucky to still be able to work here at the studio.
Next week we will be heading towards Andy’s birthday on Thursday, so we have that to look forward to. It looks like we will be popping a bottle of bubbly and ordering an Indian takeway and Andy says that he is really chuffed that the whole street, in fact the whole country, will be turning out to clap for his birthday at 8pm!!!
So until next week, keep well, safe and happy!
If you are looking for things to do over the weekend or into next week you might want to check out the events listing at your favourite gallery or museum. Sarah and I both ‘virtually’ attended a great seminar hosted by the William Morris Gallery on Zoom this week. The presentation was about May Morris’s embroidery, so of course Sarah and I made a point of getting involved! The Gallery is hosting another event this coming Wednesday:
Virtual Tour of Light and Shade
‘Join William Morris Gallery assistant curator Ainsley Vinall for a virtual tour of Light and Shade, our exhibition highlighting the lives led by the women of William Morris’s social circle alongside portrait photographs of them from our collection. The talk will look at the lives of some of William Morris’s family and friends as well as exploring different aspects of nineteenth century portrait photography. Featuring Emma Morris, Isabella Gilmore, Jane Morris, Rosalind Howard and more’.
You can book a place by making a donation and you can find more information here.
That is pretty much it from me for another week.
As I seem to say every Friday I am REALLY hoping to find some design time next week and start working on some new ideas. I am really missing my crochet, but know so well that we are really lucky to still be able to work here at the studio.
Next week we will be heading towards Andy’s birthday on Thursday, so we have that to look forward to. It looks like we will be popping a bottle of bubbly and ordering an Indian takeway and Andy says that he is really chuffed that the whole street, in fact the whole country, will be turning out to clap for his birthday at 8pm!!!
So until next week, keep well, safe and happy!
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A Reminder about Postage
At Janie Crow and Just Knots Yarns we use Royal Mail as our postal service provider. Royal Mail continues to operate most worldwide postal services and we have not yet been hugely affected by issues with the post. Things can change quickly, so if you are wondering about the mail service to your country, you can check up via the Royal Mail ‘Personal Help’ page here.
After another busy week I most definitely have the Friday Feeling today and I hope that wherever you are you are looking forward to the weekend too.
This is the first ‘proper’ newsletter of 2020. January went by in a flash and it is had to believe that we are already half way through February. With the India trip on the horizon at the turn of the year it was hard to think about plans for 2020, but, as I said last week in my mini catch up, I am beginning to sort out my ideas for the year and am looking forward to sharing more images and information with you over the forthcoming weeks.
My focus since coming home from India a fortnight ago has been the new CAL design that I will be releasing in the spring. The patterns are written and are being checked and we did the photo shoot yesterday – I am almost at bursting point in my eagerness to show you the inspiration for the project, the design itself and the fabulous images from yesterday, but I have to sit on it for a few more weeks. We will be showing the design to the trade at a show this weekend and so sneaky peeks and more info is not far away…..
With the design process for the CAL now over I am beginning to think about new projects. I have a few ideas for new designs and will be giving some older projects a 2020 makeover. Within the next few weeks I will be re-releasing a project called Imogen, which was originally designed as a christening blanket. As soon as we have the patterns I will share a link with you.
I have quite a few things to tell you about this month – I have included a quick summary of the trip to Mysore, which is accompanied by a piece that Sarah has contributed about the history of Indigo dye and Kantha stitching. I also have some of the usual features, including my Instagram Favourite and Eco product of the month.
I hope that you are able to find the time to settle down in my company for a few minutes and that there will be something within this email that inspires you, whether it be an idea for a crochet project, or the recipe for ‘Vegan Richa’s’ yummy breakfast cookies that I have provided links for lower down….
This is the first ‘proper’ newsletter of 2020. January went by in a flash and it is had to believe that we are already half way through February. With the India trip on the horizon at the turn of the year it was hard to think about plans for 2020, but, as I said last week in my mini catch up, I am beginning to sort out my ideas for the year and am looking forward to sharing more images and information with you over the forthcoming weeks.
My focus since coming home from India a fortnight ago has been the new CAL design that I will be releasing in the spring. The patterns are written and are being checked and we did the photo shoot yesterday – I am almost at bursting point in my eagerness to show you the inspiration for the project, the design itself and the fabulous images from yesterday, but I have to sit on it for a few more weeks. We will be showing the design to the trade at a show this weekend and so sneaky peeks and more info is not far away…..
With the design process for the CAL now over I am beginning to think about new projects. I have a few ideas for new designs and will be giving some older projects a 2020 makeover. Within the next few weeks I will be re-releasing a project called Imogen, which was originally designed as a christening blanket. As soon as we have the patterns I will share a link with you.
I have quite a few things to tell you about this month – I have included a quick summary of the trip to Mysore, which is accompanied by a piece that Sarah has contributed about the history of Indigo dye and Kantha stitching. I also have some of the usual features, including my Instagram Favourite and Eco product of the month.
I hope that you are able to find the time to settle down in my company for a few minutes and that there will be something within this email that inspires you, whether it be an idea for a crochet project, or the recipe for ‘Vegan Richa’s’ yummy breakfast cookies that I have provided links for lower down….
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Mysore 2020 - Knit For Peace
I talk about luck all the time and I would really hate for people to think that I take for granted the experiences that I have been able to have due to the kindness of other people or the happenstance of being in the right place at the right time. I don’t believe in sayings like ‘you make your own luck’ and am a huge believer in fate and love the idea of karma. I know that for many people trips like the one I have recently experienced with the Knit For Peace group are out of reach financially and physically, so when I say that I am incredibly lucky to have been invited to teach in India for a third time I really do mean it.
We were in Mysore for almost two weeks, well 10 nights if you take into account the time spent travelling. I was lucky enough (see there it is again!) to have Juliet Bernard accompany me as my workshop assistant this time and, with a group of 23 knitters, I was incredibly grateful for all her help.
Over the 6 week period before leaving on the trip I had been busy preparing two workshop projects for the group. One was a knitted bag design, the other was crochet, and I based my inspiration for the pieces on a lovely handmade patchwork throw I found in the Green Hotel Boutique on my last visit to Mysore. The throw features small squares of block printed indigo dyed fabric, pieced together with Kantha stitching and decorated with mirrors and simple embroidery. You will find more information about Indigo dye and Kantha stitching in Sarah’s written piece lower down this email. While looking at the origins of Kantha stitching I came across a piece about an award winning Kantha stictcher in Bengal – you can find the piece by following this link where you will find loads of amazing inspiration!
We were in Mysore for almost two weeks, well 10 nights if you take into account the time spent travelling. I was lucky enough (see there it is again!) to have Juliet Bernard accompany me as my workshop assistant this time and, with a group of 23 knitters, I was incredibly grateful for all her help.
Over the 6 week period before leaving on the trip I had been busy preparing two workshop projects for the group. One was a knitted bag design, the other was crochet, and I based my inspiration for the pieces on a lovely handmade patchwork throw I found in the Green Hotel Boutique on my last visit to Mysore. The throw features small squares of block printed indigo dyed fabric, pieced together with Kantha stitching and decorated with mirrors and simple embroidery. You will find more information about Indigo dye and Kantha stitching in Sarah’s written piece lower down this email. While looking at the origins of Kantha stitching I came across a piece about an award winning Kantha stictcher in Bengal – you can find the piece by following this link where you will find loads of amazing inspiration!
The patterns for the Mysore projects may well be available later on in the year, so do look out for them if you fancy having a go at some of the techniques I used. One side of the crochet bag is based on my ‘Summer Palace’ design, which in turn was inspired by the Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace in Mysore.
On weekday mornings the group had 3 hours of workshop time in the Hotel gardens and in the afternoon they were free to go shopping or sightseeing. On certain days we visited some of the charity’s initiatives around the city, including a school library, the slum projects (that include a feeding programme for malnourished children, support of a doctor and give some basic education), a visit to the boy’s orphanage (an incredibly joyful experience) and a chance to see donations for the Good Gifts catalogue in situ – this year we visited a lady who had been given 6 goats and had done such a good job looking after them that she now has 16!
It is always a joy to be in the company of other knitters and crocheters. Gather a group of knitters and crocheters together in one place and it seems to me that they will instantly find common ground and make great friendships. It has been a real privilege for me to take part in this process and I love the fact that I belong to some really fabulous on line groups formed of participants on workshops. The Knit For Peace holidays are a not only about learning new techniques and visiting incredible projects, they are about making friends and creating lasting and meaningful associations with others.
Knit For Peace will be running a trip to Jaipur in February 2021 – you can find a brief summary of the trip below and you can register your interest by following this link.
‘Textile and Handicrafts holiday, February 2012. Charming Hotel (Narain Niwas) centrally placed, with a large garden, swimming pool and spa. As ever with Knit for Peace holidays , a rare opportunity to see lots of projects and workshops not open to the public. Jaipur is arguably the most romantic and colourful city in India. As well as the wonderful palaces, markets and museums, the shopping is amazing!
This will be a slightly different holiday. It will suit knitters and crocheters of all standards. Rather than a formal course, knitters will be encouraged to try different techniques, with knitting doctors on hand to help.
There will be visits to craft workshops, palaces, museums (not generally open to the public). Rajasthan is so rich in wonderful buildings and nature reserves, this holiday provides a perfect opportunity to combine good company, build friendships, enjoy wonderful colours and crafts of India.’
Indigo and Kantha Stitching
Hello again! Sarah here with a bit of background information about Indigo Dye and Kantha stitching – the inspiration for Jane’s Mysore workshop projects.
Indigo:
Indigo is one of the oldest and most easily recognised natural dyes. Translated from the Greek word indikon, it literally means ‘from India’. It has an enduring appeal and never goes out of fashion, despite its turbulent history.
During the 16th Century indigo was traded with Europe along with silks and spices and soon became regarded as the best source of blue dye as it was stronger and more reliable than woad, however, European woad farmers felt increasingly threatened by indigo from India and it became illegal to use it in Europe. Indigo was banned in England until 1660, but was eventually legalised again during the mid eighteenth Century because of its unfailing qualities.
Sadly in the early 20th Century the West exploited many indigo farmers in India, forcing them to plant indigo rather than food. In 1917, Mahatma Gandhi supported the peaceful protests of workers in Bihar. Today many of those indigo plantations have been replaced with rice. Indigo is inextricably linked to Indian culture; blue is the colour of the Ashoka Chakra wheel at the centre of the Indian flag. It is the colour of the Hindu God, Krishna – the God of compassion and love. It is also the colour of the strip worn by the Indian cricket team!
Our fascination with indigo looks set to continue with designers like Tom Ford using it in their catwalk collections and a new generation of crafters and artisans discovering the huge potential of dyeing with indigo.
Kantha Stitching:
Like so many textile traditions, kantha stitching grew out of necessity. Kantha quilts were originally made by poor Bengali women to keep their loved ones warm in the belief that repurposing old cloth kept the wearer safe. Stitching has often been the voice of women over the centuries and through their stitching, Bengali women were able to tell stories. It was common for a quilt to be stitched by at least three generations.
The simplest kantha quilts consist of layers of old saris stitched together with a simple running stitch. The threads used for stitching were taken from the hems of the old saris or dhotis. Running stitches are used to create pattern and texture, sometimes inspired by sacred geometry or religious symbols and sometimes by the natural world.
There is a spiritual dimension to kantha too - ‘making whole again that which is fragmented or broken’. This may resonate with you on many levels. Kantha quilts remind us of how important it is to use our resources wisely, not to discard but to repurpose. When cloth is repurposed, something unique is created and it allows a new generation to tell its own story.
Sarah x
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Eco Product of the Month
My friend and avid crochet fan, Jan Burrel introduced me to the products at Bee Inspired a few months ago when she gave me some fabric/beeswax food covers. The design Jan gave me was William Morris’s Strawberry thief, so the wraps tied in with my recent Climbing Rose Wrap design.
Beeswax bowl or food covers are a really great alternative to clingfilm and plastic bags and the covers from ‘Bee Inspired’ won the Beauty Shortlist Best Eco Product in 2018. Here is what the web site says:
‘Designed to wrap sandwiches, cover any food or leftovers, with the exception of raw meat or fish. Either wrap the food or cover containers with these flexible cloths. Use the warmth of your hands to seal the wrap. Beeswax does not absorb smells nor bacteria which is why these are so perfect!
They are reuseable, just wash in cool or cold water with a little mild detergent and air dry. When your wrap looks worn out simply place on a piece of baking parchment in a cool oven (110 0c) for a few minutes to refresh. Use and re-use – save the planet 1 wrap at a time!’
You can find a link to the bowl covers here and a link to other products on the web site here.
Gotta Love a Good Cookbook!
I have already used the book a few times. The recipes appear to be easy and hassle free and there are so many to choose from including main courses, side dishes, puddings and cookies.
The book is called Vegan Richa’s Everyday Kitchen and you can find it here.
This weekend I am hoping to make Richa’s Breakfast Cookies. Andy and I are both big fans of breakfast, but, despite the fact that I made breakfast for my kids every day of their school lives, neither of them seem to be too fussed about eating before they head off to work, preferring to stay in bed a bit longer and grab a breakfast bar or cookie from the shop on their way to work!
To cut down on the amount of pre-packaged food they eat I am hoping that they will be fans of these and will be happy to chomp on one on the tube each morning! Summer has already perfected the art of making vegan brownies (the best on the planet) so I have my fingers crossed that she will enjoy making these too.
The recipe, along side loads of other free recipes, features on the Vegan Richa web site here. I will let you know what they are like.
I have already used the book a few times. The recipes appear to be easy and hassle free and there are so many to choose from including main courses, side dishes, puddings and cookies.
The book is called Vegan Richa’s Everyday Kitchen and you can find it here.
This weekend I am hoping to make Richa’s Breakfast Cookies. Andy and I are both big fans of breakfast, but, despite the fact that I made breakfast for my kids every day of their school lives, neither of them seem to be too fussed about eating before they head off to work, preferring to stay in bed a bit longer and grab a breakfast bar or cookie from the shop on their way to work!
To cut down on the amount of pre-packaged food they eat I am hoping that they will be fans of these and will be happy to chomp on one on the tube each morning! Summer has already perfected the art of making vegan brownies (the best on the planet) so I have my fingers crossed that she will enjoy making these too.
The recipe, along side loads of other free recipes, features on the Vegan Richa web site here. I will let you know what they are like.
Instagram Favourite
Emma Littlefair is a brand new member of the Stylecraft Blogstar team. She published her first crochet book in 2017 called ‘Round and Round the Crochet Hook’, but learnt to crochet a chain stitch when she was only 11 years old. Learning from books and YouTube videos she still loves to try out new techniques and stitches to bring into her designs.
Emily says she.....
'finds inspiration all around. She sees possibilities for crochet everywhere she looks, shapes and patterns in nature, architecture, anything really. An idea can pop into her head at any time. When she is designing patterns, she tends not to plan things and let the hook and yarn take over.
Her eye for colour is refreshing and one of her most popular designs ‘Connie’s Ray of Hope’, perfectly captures this. The round wall hanging was designed in memory of Connie Johnson (a fellow Australian) to raise awareness of breast cancer.
For 2020 Emily is planning a Mindful CAL. She has always found crochet to be a coping mechanism, whether it be just a little escape from reality or some ‘me’ time. Lately, she is finding it to be very mindful and is paying more attention to what she is doing instead of being distracted by the simplest of things.
If you crochet, you are a crocheter. It doesn’t matter how fast or how much. It doesn’t matter if today is your first day, or if you’ve been crocheting for 20 years. There is no test to pass, no licence to earn, no membership to get. You just crochet.''
Interview with Debbie Bliss
I worked with Debbie many moons ago and she taught me a huge amount about design work and teaching. She is one of my crafty heroes so it was great to see and hear her looking so well and positive on this recent interview from Love Crafts.
Patron of The Knitting & Crochet Guild
I feel very honoured to have been asked to be a patron of the UK Knitting and Crochet Guild.
Crochet has traditionally been seen as the poor cousin to hand knitting, but it's popularity has been growing steadily over the last decade and many designers are finally managing to shed the 'Granny Square' image and are really pushing the boundaries of the craft. The crochet community are artistic, creative, diverse and more and more representative of BIPOC designers and makers, which I feel makes this is a really exciting time to be given the chance to play a role within the guild.
It's Nearly the Weekend
When I was younger Friday was the night that we would go clubbing. We used to head to the pub first then jump on one of the last tube trains into London and dance the night away at the Astoria Rock Night, heading home around 4 or 5am on the night bus! These days my idea of an ideal Friday night is a lovely soul feeding meal at home followed by an evening of crochet or knitting on the settee, so I am hopeful that this is what this evening has in store for me!
This weekend we have the threat of another storm here in the UK, so I hope that wherever you are you stay safe and happy and I want to leave you with a saying that I feel is apt on Valentines Day, especially as not everyone can share it with a loved one...
This weekend we have the threat of another storm here in the UK, so I hope that wherever you are you stay safe and happy and I want to leave you with a saying that I feel is apt on Valentines Day, especially as not everyone can share it with a loved one...
Janie's Quick Update
I hope this email finds you well and that you are looking forward to the weekend. I feel like it has been ages since I dropped into your inbox to say hello! So much has happened since my last email....
We arrived home safely from another fabulous trip to Mysore in India with Knit For Peace. I have been very fortunate to have been invited three times to tutor the charity workshop and, as always, we were treated to a really wonderful trip. I will tell you more about it in my bumper email newsletter next week.
We arrived home safely from another fabulous trip to Mysore in India with Knit For Peace. I have been very fortunate to have been invited three times to tutor the charity workshop and, as always, we were treated to a really wonderful trip. I will tell you more about it in my bumper email newsletter next week.
I have to say, as a lover of all things warm and sunshiny, it was really good to have spent the last few weeks in a lovely warm climate - coming back to the UK's grey weather last weekend was a bit of a shock and at the beginning of the week it was making me feel a bit gloomy - that and the fabulous effects of jet lag - and so, when searching for a quote for this week's newsletter, I felt the one below was very apt:
'When God was making the months I think February was a mistake, like a burp. There it was, small, dark and prickly. It had absoloutely no redeeming qualities.'
(Shannon Wierbitzky, What Flowers Remember)
The last few days, however, have been really bright and there has been an abundance of sunshine. Many of the bulbs and some blossom are appearing in the garden and there are more and more signs that spring is on the way - so perhaps the quote is a less relevant now.... I hope so anyway!*
I have a few things to tell you about this week, so I hope you can spare a couple of minutes to catch up with a slice of Janie Crow pie!
I have a few things to tell you about this week, so I hope you can spare a couple of minutes to catch up with a slice of Janie Crow pie!
Woolly Away
Weekend breaks have always been a real treat, but when they also focus around a craft or hobby I think they are even more special. Knitwear designer Debbie Abrahams and myself have been running weekend workshops via our Inspired Minds partnership for the last 5 or 6 years and we will be revealing our events for 2020 very soon, but this week I want to tell you about another exciting event that you might be interested in.
I am really pleased that Diana Benstead of The Crochet Chain has invited me to be a part of the first Woolly Away Weekend at The Manor Groves Hotel, High Wych, Hertfordshire on the 14th and 15th March 2020.
Diana and her team have put together a great itinerary that includes workshops, talks, demonstrations and a chance to have a go at spinning, weaving, knitting, crochet and more. There will also be a market place on the Sunday afternoon so that participants don’t miss out on a bit of retail therapy!
I am really pleased that Diana Benstead of The Crochet Chain has invited me to be a part of the first Woolly Away Weekend at The Manor Groves Hotel, High Wych, Hertfordshire on the 14th and 15th March 2020.
Diana and her team have put together a great itinerary that includes workshops, talks, demonstrations and a chance to have a go at spinning, weaving, knitting, crochet and more. There will also be a market place on the Sunday afternoon so that participants don’t miss out on a bit of retail therapy!
I will be at the event on Sunday the 15th March and will be teaching my Bohemian Blooms Mandala workshop in the morning and hanging around the market place in the afternoon. I would love to see you there! You can find more info by following this link.
Ravelry
Gemma has been very busy adding the Janie Crow back catalogue of designs to Ravelry. My best selling Persian Tiles blanket pattern is now on there as a PDF download and my remaining designs will go on there over the next few weeks.
It has been a big decision for me to put my patterns out as downloads, partly because we already supply paper patterns to retailers, but also because it can be hard protect ourselves against illegal sharing of the designs. That said I have decided that the positive aspects of downloads vs paper patterns in relation to the need to be ‘green’ now outweigh the negative. Paper brochure style patterns will continue to be available via the Janie Crow web site and our stockists. Paper patterns will also continue to be a feature of yarn kits on the Just Knots web site.
PDF downloads will only be available via Ravelry and will not be on any other web site, although my Janie Crow site will be updated soon to include links to purchase downloads via Ravelry. In the past we have added download codes to selected patterns. This process will stop over the next few months as patterns start to head to reprint.
It has been a big decision for me to put my patterns out as downloads, partly because we already supply paper patterns to retailers, but also because it can be hard protect ourselves against illegal sharing of the designs. That said I have decided that the positive aspects of downloads vs paper patterns in relation to the need to be ‘green’ now outweigh the negative. Paper brochure style patterns will continue to be available via the Janie Crow web site and our stockists. Paper patterns will also continue to be a feature of yarn kits on the Just Knots web site.
PDF downloads will only be available via Ravelry and will not be on any other web site, although my Janie Crow site will be updated soon to include links to purchase downloads via Ravelry. In the past we have added download codes to selected patterns. This process will stop over the next few months as patterns start to head to reprint.
This week Gemma has also added my Mystical Lanterns patterns as downloadable files to Ravelry. If you rummage around in the store you will find the scarf, shawl and blanket versions. A US yarn producer has recently used the design as the basis for a new project they have called The Tear Drop Throw. The design (shown above) differs slightly to my original, but nonetheless many of you have contacted me to ask whether or not the design infringes my copyright. Please be assured that Mary Maxim do have my blessing to use the design and that they have agreed to give me a % of their profits made on this yarn kit. I really like their colour way and you can customise your shade choices on their web site, so if you fancy making an alternative version of the Mystical Lanterns Blanket do take a look.
Ideas for Valentine's Day
It's Nearly the Weekend!
After a mammoth journey back from India last Friday the following weekend ended up being a bit of a blur as we struggled with jet lag, unpacking and subsequent washing. We did, however, manage to make it over to see Summer and Chris's new home, which they are busy decorating and making their own. Seeing the tester pots and shiny newly painted walls made me fancy doing some much needed DIY at the bungalow - not sure it will happen this weekend, but perhaps it is time some plans were made.... Heading off to India in mid January meant that I did not fully get my head around New Year resolutions and plans for 2020, so I think it is time I thought about this a little. I may well head off to the gym and try to curb my appetite as middle age spread is definitely winning the battle against the bulge and needs to go on my 'sort it out' list!
I am really looking forward to some time at home tomorrow and we are off to a trade event at one of our suppliers on Sunday. Hopefully this will include a preview of the new Rowan Yarns range for 2020, so I will try and get some shots of the new trends to show you next week.
Whatever you have planned I hope you have a good time. I will be back in your inbox next Friday with my bumper monthly email, until then, please stay safe and happy....
* STOP PRESS! I have just looked at the weather forecast for the UK this weekend and see that a storm is on the way - looks like a couple of days of crocheting on the sofa - sigh!!! Stay safe everyone...
I am really looking forward to some time at home tomorrow and we are off to a trade event at one of our suppliers on Sunday. Hopefully this will include a preview of the new Rowan Yarns range for 2020, so I will try and get some shots of the new trends to show you next week.
Whatever you have planned I hope you have a good time. I will be back in your inbox next Friday with my bumper monthly email, until then, please stay safe and happy....
* STOP PRESS! I have just looked at the weather forecast for the UK this weekend and see that a storm is on the way - looks like a couple of days of crocheting on the sofa - sigh!!! Stay safe everyone...
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Janie's Quick Update
I hope this email finds you well and that you are looking forward to the weekend....
Today's email was supposed to be my big January Newsletter, but as usual I have been chasing my tail big time! I have been trying to get myself sorted for the Knit For Peace trip to India and have also had a problem with Mailchimp - the host of our newsletters, as the site stopped working on my laptop, from where I usually do my newsletters. As a result I have had to commandeer one of the bigger PCs in the office. Poor Sue has also been off sick for a couple of days, so we have had to fill her shoes in the packing department!!
Today's email was supposed to be my big January Newsletter, but as usual I have been chasing my tail big time! I have been trying to get myself sorted for the Knit For Peace trip to India and have also had a problem with Mailchimp - the host of our newsletters, as the site stopped working on my laptop, from where I usually do my newsletters. As a result I have had to commandeer one of the bigger PCs in the office. Poor Sue has also been off sick for a couple of days, so we have had to fill her shoes in the packing department!!
Magic Circles Scarf
Anyway, as time is ticking away for me I thought I would just let you know that my Magic Circles Wrap /Scarf pattern is now available to download via Ravelry. We will put paper copies on both the Janie Crow and the Just Knots web site in a few weeks time when we are back from India.
I love looking at how shapes fit together and had wanted to create a tessellating circle design for some time. Circular motifs can be tricky to fit together and it is common to find the circular shape becomes slightly distorted when motifs are pieced together, so rather than create motifs that are square or octagonal, I designed cross-shaped infill pieces that protect the shape of the large circles.
This pattern was originally written for a blanket, but when I saw the beautiful range of shades available in Eden Cottage Milburn DK range I knew I had to make a scarf version.
Just Knots have had the kits on sale since November. If you fancy making the project in the suggested yarn, then the kits on the Just Knots site work out as good value - the pattern is included for free. You can find the kits by following this link.
When making the small infill circles you are asked to make a magic loop to start. You can find a technique download that explains how to do this on the Janie Crow website
We have had a flurry of new subscribers to the Janie Crow newsletter, so I have left the information I put in the newsletter 2 weeks ago in this week's one - I know that a lot of people want to know more about the CAL in particular - more info on this will be available soon.
This pattern was originally written for a blanket, but when I saw the beautiful range of shades available in Eden Cottage Milburn DK range I knew I had to make a scarf version.
Just Knots have had the kits on sale since November. If you fancy making the project in the suggested yarn, then the kits on the Just Knots site work out as good value - the pattern is included for free. You can find the kits by following this link.
When making the small infill circles you are asked to make a magic loop to start. You can find a technique download that explains how to do this on the Janie Crow website
We have had a flurry of new subscribers to the Janie Crow newsletter, so I have left the information I put in the newsletter 2 weeks ago in this week's one - I know that a lot of people want to know more about the CAL in particular - more info on this will be available soon.
We head out to Mysore for the Knit For Peace knitting and crochet holiday today, so I have been busy working on the projects for the group. I have prepared a knit project and a crochet one, so have had quite a lot to do! I am really happy with both projects and will be releasing them as patterns in the future. The projects are based on an indigo, cream and red block printed patchwork throw I found on my last trip to India. I have added lots of stitching and embellishments, so there are lots of techniques included. I will show you some images of the project and of the trip in my February newsletter.
I will be launching a new crochet along (CAL) with Stylecraft in the spring. The pattern will be relased in 8 parts for free from late April/early May through to the end of July and I really hope you are going to like it! I have already made my prototype blanket and the patterns are being checked, but we have now decided to make a second version using Stylecraft's new natural yarn range, which will make an appearance via yarn stockists soon. I am really excited that another natural yarn is set to join Classique Cotton DK in the Stylecraft range and think that you are going to love the fabulously subtle range of chalky colours in this new yarn palette - I am already madly in love with it! Look out for more information about the CAL and the new yarn in forthcoming newsletters.
The trip to Mysore and the CAL are both on my imminent forward radar, but there will be some more (what I think are) really exciting projects coming through this year, some of which are reworkings of older designs and some that will be brand new. If you are interested in my back catalogue of designs you might be pleased to hear that the patterns for many of these are being added as download options to my Ravelry store. As I have said already you can now find the Magic Circles Blanket pattern to download here and the Summer Palace Wrap here.
Paper brochure copies of my patterns are all still available via the Janie Crow web site.
I will be launching a new crochet along (CAL) with Stylecraft in the spring. The pattern will be relased in 8 parts for free from late April/early May through to the end of July and I really hope you are going to like it! I have already made my prototype blanket and the patterns are being checked, but we have now decided to make a second version using Stylecraft's new natural yarn range, which will make an appearance via yarn stockists soon. I am really excited that another natural yarn is set to join Classique Cotton DK in the Stylecraft range and think that you are going to love the fabulously subtle range of chalky colours in this new yarn palette - I am already madly in love with it! Look out for more information about the CAL and the new yarn in forthcoming newsletters.
The trip to Mysore and the CAL are both on my imminent forward radar, but there will be some more (what I think are) really exciting projects coming through this year, some of which are reworkings of older designs and some that will be brand new. If you are interested in my back catalogue of designs you might be pleased to hear that the patterns for many of these are being added as download options to my Ravelry store. As I have said already you can now find the Magic Circles Blanket pattern to download here and the Summer Palace Wrap here.
Paper brochure copies of my patterns are all still available via the Janie Crow web site.
When I was thinking about what I was going to tell you about in the newsletter I happened across a great 'woolly' story on the BBC app. It is about seaweed eating sheep on Orkney. You can find it by following this link or clicking on the image above.
It's Nearly the Weekend!
It is really strange to think that by the time you are reading this newsletter I will (hopefully) be travelling to India - I always find it surreal that we can be in one place one day and in another place a very long way away in a relatively short space of time.....
I am hoping to post images from my trip to Mysore on my Instagram account. I know from experience that the internet connection whilst we are at the Green Hotel can be a little patchy, but if you do follow me on social media platforms then you might well see some lovely colourful images of wonderful India!
Whatever you have planned I hope you have a good time. I will be back in your inbox in early February with a bigger more info packed email, until then, please stay safe and happy....
I am hoping to post images from my trip to Mysore on my Instagram account. I know from experience that the internet connection whilst we are at the Green Hotel can be a little patchy, but if you do follow me on social media platforms then you might well see some lovely colourful images of wonderful India!
Whatever you have planned I hope you have a good time. I will be back in your inbox in early February with a bigger more info packed email, until then, please stay safe and happy....
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Janie's Quick Update
I hope this email finds you well and that you are looking forward to the weekend....
Apologies for not making an appearance in your inbox for a while - it is good to be back! I hope that you have enjoyed a lovely festive holiday season and that you are heading into 2020 in good health and happiness!
Apologies for not making an appearance in your inbox for a while - it is good to be back! I hope that you have enjoyed a lovely festive holiday season and that you are heading into 2020 in good health and happiness!
'Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending'.
(Carl Bard)
(Carl Bard)
We have been dipping in and out of the studio over the last few weeks, but I will not be properly back there until next week when things will start to get busy again. I have spent the last few days scheduling my 2020 plans into my new diary and setting the wheels in motion for all the new things we have in store for you. I think it is going to be an exciting year!
We head out to Mysore for the Knit For Peace knitting and crochet holiday in 2 weeks time, so I have been busy working on the projects for the group. I have prepared a knit project and a crochet one, so have had quite a lot to do! I am really happy with both projects and will be releasing them as patterns in the future. The projects are based on an indigo, cream and red block printed patchwork throw I found on my last trip to India. I have added lots of stitching and embellishments, so there are lots of techniques included. I will show you some images of the project and of the trip in my February newsletter.
I will be launching a new crochet along (CAL) with Stylecraft in the spring. The pattern will be relased in 8 parts for free from late April/early May through to the end of July and I really hope you are going to like it! I have already made my prototype blanket and the patterns are being checked, but we have now decided to make a second version using Stylecraft's new natural yarn range, which will make an appearance via yarn stockists soon. I am really excited that another natural yarn is set to join Classique Cotton DK in the Stylecraft range and think that you are going to love the fabulously subtle range of chalky colours in this new yarn palette - I am already madly in love with it! Look out for more information about the CAL and the new yarn in forthcoming newsletters.
The trip to Mysore and the CAL are both on my imminent forward radar, but there will be some more (what I think are) really exciting projects coming through this year, some of which are reworkings of older designs and some that will be brand new. If you are interested in my back catalogue of designs you might be pleased to hear that the patterns for many of these are being added as download options to my Ravelry store. You can now find the Magic Circles Blanket pattern to download here and the Summer Palace Wrap here.
I will be launching a new crochet along (CAL) with Stylecraft in the spring. The pattern will be relased in 8 parts for free from late April/early May through to the end of July and I really hope you are going to like it! I have already made my prototype blanket and the patterns are being checked, but we have now decided to make a second version using Stylecraft's new natural yarn range, which will make an appearance via yarn stockists soon. I am really excited that another natural yarn is set to join Classique Cotton DK in the Stylecraft range and think that you are going to love the fabulously subtle range of chalky colours in this new yarn palette - I am already madly in love with it! Look out for more information about the CAL and the new yarn in forthcoming newsletters.
The trip to Mysore and the CAL are both on my imminent forward radar, but there will be some more (what I think are) really exciting projects coming through this year, some of which are reworkings of older designs and some that will be brand new. If you are interested in my back catalogue of designs you might be pleased to hear that the patterns for many of these are being added as download options to my Ravelry store. You can now find the Magic Circles Blanket pattern to download here and the Summer Palace Wrap here.
Paper brochure copies of my patterns are all still available via the Janie Crow web site. If you are one of the many people waiting for the pattern for the Magic Circles Shawl, which was released as a kit via Just Knots back in November, this will be added as a download to Ravelry within the next 2 weeks and as a paper copy via my web site and via Just Knots at the same time.
When I was thinking about what I was going to tell you about in today's newsletter I happened across a great 'woolly' story on the BBC app. It is about seaweed eating sheep on Orkney. You can find it by following this link or clicking on the image above.
I also saw this piece about how a knitwear company that sells hand knitted hats made within knitting groups in New Zealand has been inundated with baby hat orders after the image of Prince Harry with baby Archie was released for the New Year.
It's Nearly the Weekend!
It is a bit of a funny time isn't it - that bit between Christmas and New Year and then those odd couple of days where most people are back to work, but the kids are still off school. It is one of those times when we all seem to loose track of what day it is and cannot quite work out exactly what we should be doing!
I have been working from home this week - I am trying hard to shake off the lurgy that arrived a few days before Christmas, so I am busy drinking hot honey and lemon and trying to keep snug while I work at the kitchen table - it is like old times working from home for a few days, but I am looking forward to heading back to reality next week.
We have a calm weekend ahead of us. We are visiting a wedding reception venue with Summer and Chris on Saturday and I am hopefully off to see Little Women at the cinema on Sunday with a group of girlfriends - so long as my annoying cough has shifted itself by then!
Whatever you have planned I hope you have a good time. I will be back in your inbox on January 17th with my bumper monthly email, until then, please stay safe and happy....
I have been working from home this week - I am trying hard to shake off the lurgy that arrived a few days before Christmas, so I am busy drinking hot honey and lemon and trying to keep snug while I work at the kitchen table - it is like old times working from home for a few days, but I am looking forward to heading back to reality next week.
We have a calm weekend ahead of us. We are visiting a wedding reception venue with Summer and Chris on Saturday and I am hopefully off to see Little Women at the cinema on Sunday with a group of girlfriends - so long as my annoying cough has shifted itself by then!
Whatever you have planned I hope you have a good time. I will be back in your inbox on January 17th with my bumper monthly email, until then, please stay safe and happy....
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Janie's Quick Update
I hope this email finds you well and that you are looking forward to the weekend....
It is Friday again and so here I am with a Janie Crow update. I am writing this while listening to Woman's Hour on Radio 4 and they have just started talking about chocolate, so I am a bit concerned that I will be a tad distracted from my newsletter writing......
Autumn is most definitely here in North London now. It has been damp and dismal all week and so I have had no qualms about snuggling up on the sofa in the evenings and getting on with my knitting and crochet projects. As you know, I am a real sun lover, but I do find the evenings at this time of year very relaxing and cosy!
It is Friday again and so here I am with a Janie Crow update. I am writing this while listening to Woman's Hour on Radio 4 and they have just started talking about chocolate, so I am a bit concerned that I will be a tad distracted from my newsletter writing......
Autumn is most definitely here in North London now. It has been damp and dismal all week and so I have had no qualms about snuggling up on the sofa in the evenings and getting on with my knitting and crochet projects. As you know, I am a real sun lover, but I do find the evenings at this time of year very relaxing and cosy!
'Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile.'
(John Howard Bryant)
Climbing Rose Wrap
The third motif for the Climbing Rose CAL project has been published in Inside Crochet Magazine this week. The motif is called Rambling Rose and if you are following the project you need to make 10 of them. I have already seen the motifs popping up on social media platforms and there have been a couple posted within the Climbing Rose Facebook Group.
Iceland
Last week I told you about the knitting trip to Iceland that I will be tutoring next summer. There are just 5 places left on the trip. This is what the Stitchtopia web site says of the trip:'Circumnavigating Iceland, taking in extraordinary waterways and ports along the way, you’re in for an exhilarating adventure packed with opportunities to marvel at the awe-inspiring natural wonders, dramatic landscapes and magical wildlife of one of the world’s most spectacular countries.
In Reykjavik our included excursions combine all the highlights of the classic ‘Golden Circle’ with visits to the producers of the famous Álafosslopi yarns and the studio of a renown Icelandic knitter. There will also be plenty of opportunities for shopping!
Our knitting expert, Jane Crowfoot, will offer four full day knitting and crochet workshops on board, as well as plenty of opportunities for social knitting as we circumnavigate Iceland.'
In Reykjavik our included excursions combine all the highlights of the classic ‘Golden Circle’ with visits to the producers of the famous Álafosslopi yarns and the studio of a renown Icelandic knitter. There will also be plenty of opportunities for shopping!
Our knitting expert, Jane Crowfoot, will offer four full day knitting and crochet workshops on board, as well as plenty of opportunities for social knitting as we circumnavigate Iceland.'
Instagram Favourite
I didn't manage to include my Instagram favourite of the month in last week's newsletter, so here it is:
I came across Aulaartesana a few weeks after visiting the Peruvian Textile Exhibition at The Fashion & Textile Museum. It was a fabulous exhibition that showed all the incredible textile heritage of the country. There is so much inspiration on this feed and I love seeing the colours and patterns of these amazing textiles - and the Alpacas are really cute too!
I came across Aulaartesana a few weeks after visiting the Peruvian Textile Exhibition at The Fashion & Textile Museum. It was a fabulous exhibition that showed all the incredible textile heritage of the country. There is so much inspiration on this feed and I love seeing the colours and patterns of these amazing textiles - and the Alpacas are really cute too!
Bohemian Blooms - Two New Versions
The colour sub documents for the two new versions of my Bohemian Blooms Blanket are available to download for free from the Janie Crow web site. You can find them by following this link.
One of the new versions of the blanket that I have named 'Bloomsbury Gardens' has been designed in a simpler layout than the original and features the square flower and butterfly blocks as the focus. The blanket has been made using Stylecraft Life DK, Life Changes, Bellissima and Batik, all of which are DK weight yarns. Yarn packs for this version of the blanket went out of stock via most of the Janie Crow flagship stores when I mentioned this a few weeks ago. The packs are back in stock on the Just Knots web site.
Yarn kits include the colour substitution documents, but, if you do not have the original Bohemian Blooms pattern book already you will need to purchase that too. Just Knots have the book at a slightly reduced rate if you buy a kit. If you want to make the blanket using alternative yarns from your stash, then you can order the book from Janie Crow and use the colour sub documents to help you choose a new palette.
Knitting with Wire Workshop
There are just 2 places left on Suraya's knitting with wire workshop next month. You can find more information about it by following this link.
Suraya's awesome son, Umar, is involved with a project called Plant Paradise. It is a really interesting project that aims to get people planting more trees and shrubs - something that is very much at the forefront of the topic of conservation at the moment.
The project is called Plant Paradise and you can find the web site by following this link.
'Our planet is not in a healthy state. We’ve used up a life-threatening amount of natural resources and we need to do something about it.
Plant Paradise aims to connect volunteers with planting projects on a global scale. We are developing a platform that makes it easy for planting projects to promote their events, and simple for volunteers to discover local planting and permaculture work.
Now is the time to give back to the planet we have taken so much from.'
The Plant Paradise web site includes a survey. It takes just a minute or so to complete and it would be great if you could take a look.
It's Nearly the Weekend!
We had a really nice time at Summer and Chris's engagement party last Saturday. I managed to get the cake finished in time, and although it was far from perfect, it did the job! An image of the cake, along with a pic of my Mum and Dad, Summer, Chris, Andy and I.
If you haven't already voted in the Craft Business Awards I would really love it if you could take a couple of minutes to do so. You can vote by following this link and you can skip questions you don't want to answer. I have been nominated in the Craft Influencer of the Year category.
It has been a really busy week here at Janie Crow with quite a few late nights, so I am really looking forward to a bit of quiet time over the weekend. Whatever you are doing, I hope you have a great weekend...
If you haven't already voted in the Craft Business Awards I would really love it if you could take a couple of minutes to do so. You can vote by following this link and you can skip questions you don't want to answer. I have been nominated in the Craft Influencer of the Year category.
It has been a really busy week here at Janie Crow with quite a few late nights, so I am really looking forward to a bit of quiet time over the weekend. Whatever you are doing, I hope you have a great weekend...
Janie's Friday Feature
Welcome to October's bumper newsletter - the Janie Crow equivalent of a Sunday supplement magazine....
It has been a really busy month here with pretty much back to back yarn shows - Yarndale and The Knitting & Stitching Show. I love shows and it was really fabulous to see so many of you on the stands. Andy, Sarah and I had a great time chatting to you all and it was so good to see your positive reactions to my new work - both Bloomsbury Gardens and the Climbing Rose Wrap kits proved incredibly popular at both shows.
We are now back in the studio for 6 weeks before our next event, so I am looking forward to some catch up time. I have been designing a new CAL project for spring 2020 release and am into the final stages of this. I love seeing big designs come together and I can't wait to show you the project next year.
As we have no more shows until the new year we have put a few events into the Janie Crow diary - one is a workshop with designer Suraya Hossain of Mahliqa Wire and the other is our Winter Open Day here at the studio. You can find more information about these events and find out about other plans within the 'Dates for your Diary' feature of this month's newsletter.
If you have five minutes to spare, I hope you will be in a position to prepare a drink of choice, settle into a comfy chair and enjoy a catch up with all things Janie Crow....
'The end of the summer is not the end of the world. Here's to October....''
- A.A.Milne -
What's New?
The response to the new layouts of my Bohemian Blooms project has been amazing! So amazing that we sold all the dedicated yarn packs via Just Knots at both Yarndale and The Knitting and Stitching Show. Unfortunately Just Knots and Wool Warehouse are now out of stock of the kits, but hopefully they will be back in soon, so do keep checking on the links if you want to get your hands on a kit. If you would rather use some of the yarns from your stash you can find free colour sub documents for the new Bloomsbury layout and for Emma May's Special DK version by following this link to my web site. You will need to purchase the pattern book to make any version of the pattern.
The third instalment of my Climbing Rose CAL will be published in next week's issue of Inside Crochet Magazine. It has been a real treat watching your progress with the Climbing Rose CAL over the last few weeks. Many of you have been speeding through the motifs and I have loved seeing the images of your crochet popping up on line
Next week's pattern will be for the Rambling Rose motif, which is shown to the right side of the image above. You can find more information about the CAL by following this link and don't forget that there is a new dedicated Facebook Group. You can find the group by following this link and above is an image of Sue and Tracy who both moderate the group.
If you are still looking for a yarn kit to accompany the project you will find them on Just Knots, Wool Warehouse and Black Sheep Wools.
If you are still looking for a yarn kit to accompany the project you will find them on Just Knots, Wool Warehouse and Black Sheep Wools.
I am really pleased that many of my designs are now available as patterns and project kits via Wool Warehouse. It is great to have such a high profile on line yarn store showcasing my work and so I was really chuffed when they asked if they could interview me for their blog as part of their Designer Profile series. You can find the interview by following this link.
As I told you a few weeks ago, I have been nominated in the Craft Influencer of the Year category in the British Craft Awards. I am extremely proud of this, especially as I am the only 'yarn' crafter to have been nominated - my fellow nominees are all from other craft areas such as card making, patchwork and quilting and DIY/Lifestyle, so it is a real honour to have the chance for crochet to be recognised within this category for the first time
If you have a spare minute or two I would love it if you would vote for me. The link to the poll is here. You can skip any of the categories if you are unsure of your favourite choice within them. Thank you!!!
Dates for your Diary
I am really pleased that Suraya Hossain of Mahliqa is coming to the studio on Sunday 10th November to tutor a 'Knitting with Wire' workshop. You can find information about this class by following this link. There are just 8 places on this workshop, so you may need to sign up quickly if you want to come. We will be adding 2 new crochet workshops to the diary for 2020, so do look out for those in the future.
Alongside Suraya's workshop we have also added the date for our Winter Open Day, which will take place at the studio here in North London on Sunday 8th December. It would be really lovely to see you at the event where we will have lots of gift ideas for knitters and crocheters, kits and accessories. We will also have some great crafty bargains and Helen Bridgwood will also be holding a pop up shop to showcase her lovely knitted necklaces.
I get asked a lot to tutor both knit and crochet workshops and although I really love teaching I have decided that for 2020 at least I am going to step back a little and do fewer day long or weekend workshops. Teaching on longer workshops, like the trip to India with Knit For Peace and my recent trip to Ireland gives participants a chance to really get stuck into a project and hone their skills, so I am really pleased to be able to finally confirm that I will be teaching on a 10 day cruise to Iceland as part of Arena Travel's Stitchtopia workshop programme in late June/early July next year.
Details of the trip have been published on the Arena web site today and I have been told by the company that 8 places have already been sold, so it looks like the trip is going to fill up fast! You can find more information on the web site here, but you will need to phone Arena to discuss your booking as the cabin configurations are quite complicated.
STOP PRESS! There is just one place left on the Knit For Peace workshop trip to Mysore in January 2020. Juliet Bernard will be joining me as my assistant and we are really looking forward to the trip. Book the last space now!!!
Natural Dying Workshops
I met Louise Drosdzol a few years ago. Louise is an expert crocheter who has made some of my display blankets whilst pattern checking my designs. As well as being an ace crocheter Louise is also an expert on hand dying yarn using natural dyes.
Louise has recently started running workshops at The Riverbarn Arts Centre in Walton-On-Thames and she has two forthcoming workshops for the autumn. You can find more information on Louise's web site by following this link.
Introduction to Natural Dyeing and Foraging
Sunday 10th November £35 11am - 3pm
In this workshop you will learn how you can forage and use seasonal and regionally relevant plants to create lasting and effective colours. Louise will cover her favourite local plants and what colours to expect. You will collect and forage along the beautiful Thames Path in Walton Upon Thames and then return to Riverhouse Barn to make magic!
An in depth 2 day course.
Sunday 1st December and Sunday 8th December 2019 £80
On this course we will discover how by using different natural mordents and colour modifiers we can make at least 20 different colours from one dye pot of Madder root dye. After this course you will be able to make the most of every natural dye bath you prepare, to achieve a variety of predictable colours.
Maker of the Mont
As you already know, I really love getting images of your projects. I really like seeing different colour ways and alternative layouts that you have come up with using my designs as a basis, but it is also really fabulous to hear how the projects have made you feel whilst crocheting and it is especially nice to hear how they have been included in special events, such as baby showers, weddings and big birthday celebrations.
Helen Miller recently got in touch to share an image of her Lotus Flower Shawl, which was worn by her new daughter in law during her wedding celebrations. Helen kindly gave me her permission to share the image below of her son and her gorgeous new daughter-in-law on their wedding day.
Helen Miller recently got in touch to share an image of her Lotus Flower Shawl, which was worn by her new daughter in law during her wedding celebrations. Helen kindly gave me her permission to share the image below of her son and her gorgeous new daughter-in-law on their wedding day.
Helen's email read as follows:
'I contacted you earlier this year with a picture of a beautiful pin I had bought for the Lotus Flower shawl I had made. I still have the pin but I will be reordering the shawl kit as I am delighted to say that my new daughter-in-law decided that the shawl was perfect for her wedding! I had promised to make her a shawl, but we could find neither yarn nor pattern that seemed just right when, by chance, she saw my Lotus Flower shawl and fell in love with it. She wore it on her wedding day and it was much admired. I have attached a picture for you.'
BIPOC in Fiber
Just in case you missed it last month....
BIPOC in Fiber is the new name for what began as the POC Designers & Crafters List started in 2018 by Jeanette Sloan. Originally posted on Jeanette’s blog, the list quickly proved both popular and useful. Highlighting the many people of colour who work with fibre, the list reveals an urgent community-wide demand to see and support those talents. This very real demand doesn’t just come from other POC, or just from knitters, but from people of all ethnicities and a wide variety of crafting disciplines. This has led to a change of name and given the project a clearer sense of purpose.
BIPOC in Fiber is the new name for what began as the POC Designers & Crafters List started in 2018 by Jeanette Sloan. Originally posted on Jeanette’s blog, the list quickly proved both popular and useful. Highlighting the many people of colour who work with fibre, the list reveals an urgent community-wide demand to see and support those talents. This very real demand doesn’t just come from other POC, or just from knitters, but from people of all ethnicities and a wide variety of crafting disciplines. This has led to a change of name and given the project a clearer sense of purpose.
BIPOC in Fiber is creating an interactive directory and resource portal highlighting the work of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour working in the fiber community across any discipline; from knit, crochet and weaving, to yarn bloggers, indie dyers, writers, tech editors and everything in between.
Here at Janie Crow (and Just Knots) we are proud to support this fabulous initiative and I hope that you will visit the page, read all the info and support the project too. The link is here.
The BIPOC in Fiber campaign has now raised beyond it's target of £20,000 to support the vital and exciting work.
'Since January 2019 there's been a vital conversation on social media about racism, representation, inclusion and diversity within the online crafting community.
The urgent need for change has been revealed through this discussion - change that must be led by BIPOC makers.
BIPOC in Fiber is a website and resource portal. It's mission is to amplify and celebrate the work of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour working in the fibre industry.'
Note: Fibre is the UK spelling and Fiber is the US spelling.
Jeanette and her team have chosen to use the US version within their name and logo.
Here at Janie Crow (and Just Knots) we are proud to support this fabulous initiative and I hope that you will visit the page, read all the info and support the project too. The link is here.
The BIPOC in Fiber campaign has now raised beyond it's target of £20,000 to support the vital and exciting work.
'Since January 2019 there's been a vital conversation on social media about racism, representation, inclusion and diversity within the online crafting community.
The urgent need for change has been revealed through this discussion - change that must be led by BIPOC makers.
BIPOC in Fiber is a website and resource portal. It's mission is to amplify and celebrate the work of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour working in the fibre industry.'
Note: Fibre is the UK spelling and Fiber is the US spelling.
Jeanette and her team have chosen to use the US version within their name and logo.
Blog of the Month
I am a big fan of the work of hand knit and crochet designer Emma Varnam. Emma has a demanding high profile job away from her life as a knit and crochet designer and so it never ceases to amaze me how prolifically she designs new projects.
Emma is the author of lots of fabulous books, but I especially like her toy books, which feature the cutest of crocheted animals. You can find Emma's blog by following this link.
Emma is the author of lots of fabulous books, but I especially like her toy books, which feature the cutest of crocheted animals. You can find Emma's blog by following this link.
Emma has recently talked about her process for making for the lovely crocheted cardigan above and about the perils of making a project that combines knit and crochet patches. If you have some time to spare over the weekend, why not check out her lovely blog.
It's nearly the weekend!
We are looking forward to Summer and Chris's engagement party on Saturday evening. I made a prototype engagement cake a couple of weeks ago and made the new cake last night. I don't know whether I had beginners luck with the first cake as it seemed like harder work yesterday - I had a few 'bake off' disaster moments where I thought the cake was going to go off skew, but I managed the crumb coat of buttercream and am looking forward to decorating it properly this afternoon. I never thought I would manage to make a cake like this, but with the help of YouTube tutorials by Cupcake Jemma I think I managed to make a pretty decent job of it! Below is an image of my first cake and I will (hopefully) show you the final cake next week so long as all goes to plan!
Whilst at The Knitting and Stitching Show last week I fell in love with a hand knit design by Erika Knight. The project is a slouchy cropped cardigan called Fettle (shown below). I haven't knitted anything for ages, but I am already really enjoying working on this project. I am using West Yorkshire Spinners Illustrious DK, which is knitting up really nicely. I am hoping to get some 'me time' on the sofa this weekend to work a little bit more of this project. I am nearly at the end of the rib on the back piece and am looking forward to some relaxing stocking stitch!
Anyway, that is it from me for another week. I hope that things are good where you are and that you are looking forward to a lovely weekend, whatever you have planned. As always if you want to get in touch please hit reply...
Yarny love and crochet kisses..
Janie's Quick Update
I hope this email finds you well and that you are looking forward to the weekend....
We have had some exciting news here this week as I have been informed that I have been nominated in the Craft Influencer of the Year category in the British Craft Awards. I am extremely chuffed about this, especially as I am the only 'yarn' crafter to have been nominated - my fellow nominees are all from other craft areas such as card making, patchwork and quilting and DIY/Lifestyle, so it is a real honour to have the chance for crochet to be recognised within this category for the first time.
If you have a spare minute or two I would love it if you would vote for me. The link to the poll is here. You can skip any of the categories if you are unsure of your favourite choice within them.
Bohemian Blooms - Two New Versions
The colour sub documents for the two new versions of my Bohemian Blooms Blanket are now available to download for free from the Janie Crow web site. You can find them by following this link.
One of the new versions of the blanket that I have named 'Bloomsbury Gardens' has been designed in a simpler layout than the original and features the square flower and butterfly blocks as the focus. The blanket has been made using Stylecraft Life DK, Life Changes, Bellissima and Batik, all of which are DK weight yarns. Yarn packs for this version of the blanket are available via the Just Knots web site.
The second new version is a recolouring of the original layout by Emma May of Pippin Poppycock. To make 'Sussex Gardens' Emma has used a lovely pink, cream and mocha palette using Stylecraft Special DK. Yarn packs for this project are also available from Just Knots and I am hoping that other stockists will follow suit soon.
All yarn kits include the colour substitution documents, but, if you do not have the original Bohemian Blooms pattern book already you will need to purchase that too. Just Knots have the book at a slightly reduced rate if you buy a kit. If you want to make the blanket using alternative yarns from your stash, then you can order the book from Janie Crow and use the colour sub documents to help you choose a new palette. As always I would love to see what you choose - I love seeing my designs in alternative colours and yarn choices.
It may not look like a lot, but reworking patterns takes quite a lot more work than you would imagine, so I would like to thank my ace crocheter Mary Schwarz for making the new 'Bloomsbury Gardens' version of this blanket and for all her expert help with the revised pattern. I would also like to thank Emma May at Pippin Poppycock for allowing me to share her alternative yarn choice. Luise has also done a fabulous job laying out the colour sub documents and creating new charts too!
We had a great time at Yarndale over the weekend, despite the torrential rain and we are looking forward to exhibiting at The Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace here in North London next week. We have a couple of complimentary tickets for the show, so if you want one, let us know by clicking reply. We will allocate the tickets on a first come first served basis and we can only donate one ticket per person. If you want to come on Saturday you will need to pay a £5 entry cost even with the complimentary ticket.
All yarn kits include the colour substitution documents, but, if you do not have the original Bohemian Blooms pattern book already you will need to purchase that too. Just Knots have the book at a slightly reduced rate if you buy a kit. If you want to make the blanket using alternative yarns from your stash, then you can order the book from Janie Crow and use the colour sub documents to help you choose a new palette. As always I would love to see what you choose - I love seeing my designs in alternative colours and yarn choices.
It may not look like a lot, but reworking patterns takes quite a lot more work than you would imagine, so I would like to thank my ace crocheter Mary Schwarz for making the new 'Bloomsbury Gardens' version of this blanket and for all her expert help with the revised pattern. I would also like to thank Emma May at Pippin Poppycock for allowing me to share her alternative yarn choice. Luise has also done a fabulous job laying out the colour sub documents and creating new charts too!
We had a great time at Yarndale over the weekend, despite the torrential rain and we are looking forward to exhibiting at The Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace here in North London next week. We have a couple of complimentary tickets for the show, so if you want one, let us know by clicking reply. We will allocate the tickets on a first come first served basis and we can only donate one ticket per person. If you want to come on Saturday you will need to pay a £5 entry cost even with the complimentary ticket.
'I know every day is a gift but where are the receipts for Mondays? I want to return it for another Friday.'
(Unknown)
We are looking forward to a weekend at home. I am hoping to have a practice run at making a cake for Summer and Chris's engagement party in a few weeks time. I have never iced a large cake before, so it remains to be seen how this is going to turn out. I will let you know!
Whatever you are doing, I hope you have a great weekend. As always, if you have anything you want to share with us please let us know.
Yarny love and crochet kisses...
We are looking forward to a weekend at home. I am hoping to have a practice run at making a cake for Summer and Chris's engagement party in a few weeks time. I have never iced a large cake before, so it remains to be seen how this is going to turn out. I will let you know!
Whatever you are doing, I hope you have a great weekend. As always, if you have anything you want to share with us please let us know.
Yarny love and crochet kisses...
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Welcome to my blog. Here you will find my email newsletter archive alongside any other general musings or information about events or new pattern releases that I wish to share with you!
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