Focus Janie, Focus!

Quick Update
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It has been a funny old week here at Janie Crow - you know those days when every little job that you do opens up a much bigger one and you have that whole 'can of worms' vibe going on.... well that just about sums up this week, so I am looking forward to the next few days even more than usual today!

Before I head off for my weekend I have a few things to tell you about, so I hope you have time for a quick catch up....
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​The UK Knitting & Crochet Guild Unconvention

As one of the Patrons of the UK Knitting & Crochet Guild I am really proud to have been involved in their online event, which, for obvious reasons, takes the place of their annual convention this year. The Guild members have done an amazing job co-ordinating a whole week of virtual events, which started on Wednesday this week and will run through to Tuesday of next week.
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I have recorded my 'key note speech' where I give a brief history of the craft of crochet and talk about my own career, focussing on my design process at times, but also attempting to convey what I feel is the huge importance of passing on our skills to future generations. The video will be available to view via the Guild YouTube channel on Monday 14th September. I will be taking over the Guild's Instagram account on Sunday and Monday and a beaded crochet workshop video will be available on Monday too. You can find a full list of the planned events by following this link.

On each day of the event a key note speech by one of the Guild's patrons will be posted on Youtube. Yesterday saw Debbie Abrahams chat about the design process of her mystery blanket projects and Kaffe Fassett has also filmed a video where he talks about his lockdown projects. Today the awesome designer Lorna Hamilton Brown has taken centre stage to talk about 'Why Black Knitters and Crocheters Matter'. I sat and watched Lorna's video earlier on today and it is awesome, so please head over to Youtube and take a look. Lorna is a really important voice (and an MBE by the way!), so if you do not already follow and support her on social media I urge you to do so. Here is a link to her Instagram feed or you can click on the image below:
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The Knitting and Crochet Guild have a huge collection that you can go and visit from time to time and they organise a lot of events across the country. It doesn't cost much to join and as part of your annual membership fee you receive their quarterly 'Slipknot' magazine and can join a local branch for meetings and events. You can also download patterns from their huge collection and make use of other resources the Guild has to offer. You can find out about the benefits of being a member here and can find more information about how to join via the Guild web site here.

You do not need to be a member to watch all the events on the Guild's YouTube Channel - there have already been in the region of 25 new videos posted on there over the last 3 days, so you could quite literally spend all weekend watching fantastic yarn related videos if you want to!
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Yarn 10 - The Colour Issue
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I love it when Scheepjes release one of their new Bookazines (they do two a year) and this time I love it even more because one of my patterns has featured in it!
 

The new issue (no 10) is all about colour and it really is a lovely book, jam packed with patterns and features. This is what Scheepjes have to say about it:

'We celebrate colour in this special edition 10th issue of YARN Bookazine, where we look back on 165 years of our brand’s history, delve deeper into the theme of colour and celebrate our 10th issue by creating a literal paperback rainbow as you flick through the pages, positively bursting with an endless array of colour.

Featuring 16 breathtakingly beautiful Autumn/Winter designs spanning the entire spectrum to fill your hands, hooks (or needles) and homes with. Add a splash of colour to your autumn wardrobe by wearing the Frozen Rose Shawl, or relax underneath the Winter Sun Blanket while your little ones are having fun wearing the Red Panda socks – you’ll find much to inspire you in this wonderful bookazine.'

I have contributed a design for a beaded corsage/brooch called Verdigris and you can find more infromation about it here or by clicking on the images below.
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The project is a great stash buster and uses very little yarn. I have made it in fine yarns on a small hook, but I think it would look great in thicker yarns too. I used the Scheepjes Toho beads that Andy stocks on the Just Knots web site - if you scroll to the bottom of this page you can see more clearly all the lovely shades he has in stock.

Andy has some of the first copies of the Bookazine in stock over on the Just Knots web site and you can find them by following this link.
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​Kelmscott & Melsetter Cushion Covers
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​The patterns for the two cushion covers I have designed to match in with the Fruit Garden blanket will be published on my web site on Tuesday next week. The Kelmscott cover matches Recipe 1 and Melsetter matches colour way 2. 

You can choose from a download version or a paper copy of the pattern. The download version will be free with an option to make a donation via PayPal if you want to. The paper pattern will be priced slightly lower than my other 12 page patterns at £3.95 and will incur a fee for postage and packing.

I designed the cushions so that you can use up some of the left over yarns from your CAL projects. The yarn listings below show what you will need:

Kelmscott Cushion Cover (Caramel & Parchment - shown to the left in the image above)
 
Stylecraft Life DK
75% Premium Acrylic, 25% Wool, 298m (326yds) per 100g ball
 
2 balls (123g used) x Parchment (2445)          
2 balls (116g used) x Caramel (2446)                        
1 ball (22g used) x Blue Haze (2346)                                                                   
1 ball (5g used) x Cranberry Mixtures (2319)                                                     
1 ball (12g used) x Denim (2322)
1 ball (18g used) x Fern (2311)                                       
1 ball (13g used) x Rose (2301)                                                                
 
Stylecraft Batik
80% Premium Acrylic, 20% Wool, 138m (151yds) per 50g ball
                  
1 ball (17g used) x Graphite (1915)                            
1 ball (9g used) x Heather (1906)                                                      
1 ball (10g used) x Mint (1918)                                              
1 ball (6g used) x Rose (1916) 

Equipment:
3.5mm (US E/4), 4mm (US G/6) and 4.5mm (US 7) crochet hooks
Stitch markers
Knitters sewing needle
 
Other:
50cm x 50cm (19¾in x 19¾in) square cushion pad
7 x 15mm (½in) buttons (I used metal dome buttons, which will be available from the Janie Crow web site)

Measurement:
Made to fit 50cm x 50cm (19¾in x 19¾in) square cushion pad.
 
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Melsetter Cushion Cover (Night & Dusk - shown to the right in the image above)
 
Stylecraft Naturals – Bamboo + Cotton
60% Bamboo, 40% Cotton, 250m (273yds) per 100g ball
 
3 balls (233g used) x Night (7160)
1 ball (17g used) x Canyon (7157)                      
1 ball (17g used) x Celery (7155)                            
1 ball (12g used) x Dusk (7159)                                                                  
1 ball (29g used) x Peach (7131)                           
1 ball (16g used) x Pumice (7154)                             
1 ball (30g used) x Raisin (7158)                               
1 ball (18g used) x Rose (7165)                     
1 ball (1g used) x Seafoam (7143)                                 
1 ball (27g used) x Thyme (7156) 
1 ball (21g used) x Umber (7161) 
  
Equipment:
3mm (US C-D/2-3) 3.5mm (US E/4) & 4mm (US G/6) crochet hooks
Stitch markers
Knitters sewing needle
 
Other:
45cm x 45cm (17¾in x 17¾in) square cushion pad
6 x 15mm (½in) buttons (I used metal dome buttons, which will be available from the Janie Crow web site)

Measurement:
Made to fit 45cm x 45cm (17¾in x 17¾in) square cushion pad.
 
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To help you judge if you have enough yarn in your stash, or within your leftovers from the Fruit Garden CAL, to use to make the cushion cover I have made a note of how much yarn of each shade is used. 
 
It is a good idea to overestimate yarn usage in case you achieve a slightly different tension to me or leave longer tail ends. For example, where I say I have used 18g of the shade Rose in the list for the Melsetter cover above, you would be wise to ensure you have at least 20g. 
 
If you want to see the new colour way for the Fruit Garden blanket and the 2 cushion covers you can find a sneaky peek in a Youtube video I made a few weeks ago. I will send an email on Tuesday once the patterns go live.
 
The 2 cushion covers will be the focus of Stylecraft's September 'Make Along' and you can find the dedicated Facebook Group by following this link. The Make Along Facebook Group has been created by Stylecraft to provide a forum for knitters and crocheters to receive help and have a general chat about projects designed by the Stylecraft Blogstars. There are already nearly 10,000 members in the group and it is a hive of positive activity, so why not take a look?
 

​It's Nearly The Weekend!

​We do not have huge plans for the weekend, so are looking forward to a couple of quiet days. The temperature is set to rise here, so we are hoping to dig out the short trousers once again and spend some time in the garden and maybe do a spot of baking?

I have a new book I want to get reading - A Suitable Boy, by Vikram Seth - it has been sat on the settee for the last week since I bought it as I am feeling a bit daunted by the size of it, but I am assured by many that it is a great read....

Next week I will be filming a short video that will be published over Yarndale weekend. The video will focus on 3 or 4 neat tips and I will also be sorting out the Q&A technique video to go into next week's September Newsletter where Gemma, Sarah and I will be focussing on the autumn trends. I will be back in your inbox on Tuesday when the cushion patterns are released and hope that in the mean time you continue to keep safe and well...
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​Support and Solidarity - Remembering this day 2001
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