Heading into Autumn

25/9/2020

Janie's Quick Update

How are you all doing this week? I have to admit that I have not been feeling quite up to par. I am not totally sure why, but I think it is probably the combination of a few things all at the same time that have led my inner grouch to be around a bit more than it should! The silver lining to my dreary mood (and there always is one) is that I have some fabulous friends who have allowed me to rant a little and off load. They have helped me to put things in perspective and have encouraged me to pick up my big girl pants and get on with it.....

Like everyone around the world we have really struggled to see many of our friends and family over the last 6 months, but I have been so thankful for all the little virtual conversations I have been able to be a part of. I try to avoid social media when I am working at the studio during the day (because of the squirrels!) but I love it when my phone starts pinging the alerts to messages in Whatsapp Groups or in Messenger.

I belong to 2 fabulous groups on WhatsApp made up of knitters and crocheters. There is the amazing Magellan group, (which was formed by the participants on the cruise of Great Britain and the Faroes that I tutored with Arena Travel in 2018) and the Mysore chat group that was formed in January this year after our trip to India with Knit For Peace. The groups interact with each other every day, offering help and support, or sharing jokes and news stories they have found and I love to be a part of a chatter thread where everyone understands yarn and crafting. I think interaction with 'yarny' people is one of the things I have missed the most, especially now as we are coming into a time that would traditionally be 'show season' through to Christmas.

I am thankful too for the fortnightly Zoom calls with my lovely school friends Nat (in New Zealand) and Sally (here in Blighty). We have shared more laughter than tears since we started catching up for our virtual chats in April and seeing them (Sal and I in our PJs with a cuppa at 7.30 in the morning and Nat with her evening glass of wine in Auckland) really brightens my day! Then there are the family quiz nights on Fridays and Sundays and the Zoom meetings with Sarah and Gemma that are also much needed at a time when social interaction is so limited.

So this week I am grateful for my (virtual) friends for helping me put my personal monster (think Oscar from Sesame Street but with sharper teeth) in the trash can. Huge thanks too to the awesome Christina, who treated me to a lovely slice of (non virtual) normality by taking me out for a scrummy lunch| You are all fabulous, strong women and I love you!

And so, with all the negativity put well and truly to one side, here I am, happy and non grouchy, as we head into the weekend with a very speedy catch up of all things Janie Crow.....

Yarndale@Home

We should have been in a big white van full of yarn trundling up the A1 on our way to set up our stand at Yarndale today, but instead we are at the studio with another weekend at home ahead of us!

To make up for the fact that the show will not take place this year, the wonderful team at Yarndale have put together a list of virtual events that include talks and online workshops. You can find the full list by following this link through to the Yarndale web site.

I have recorded a short 'neat tips video' that will be available on Saturday afternoon and we are offering a 10% discount on all sales via Janie Crow and Just Knots for the weekend. You can use the code from now through to Sunday and all you need to do is enter the code YARNDALE10 at checkout.

Royal Garden Kits

The weather has definitely taken a turn towards autumn here in North London - we even had a downpour of hail yesterday, so it is a good time to start thinking about working on projects that will keep you cosy on the settee as the evenings draw in. Blankets are always a great choice and we still have a few kits in stock for various projects.

The Royal Garden blanket kits are the result of my collaboration with Dutch Yarn company Scheepjes.

There is the choice of 2 yarn packs - one is made using Scheepjes Colour Crafter DK (shown above) and the other uses Stone Washed and River Washed DK.

Inspired by the intricate and vibrant terracotta tiles decorating the floor combined with the patchwork layout of the main garden of the Green Hotel, the Royal Garden Blanket is an ode to the marvellous former palace in Mysore, India. To transform my fond memories of my trips there into a tangible project, I incorporated the tile motif and the blooming flowerbeds of the garden into this geometric design, resulting in a striking blanket that will be a centrepiece in any living space.

The image above shows the flat layout of the project. This blanket was made using a slightly more subdued colour way that is no longer available as a yarn pack.

Please note that because of the weight of the kit (over 2kg) postage to the US and some other countries cannot be tracked or signed and the parcels will be sent standard airmail.

If you want the pattern only you can find it here on Ravelry

Inside Crochet Magazine

The most recent copy of Inside Crochet Magazine arrived with us this week and I have to say it is a really fabulous magazine, with about 6 things that I want to make!

The magazine is issue 128 'The Utility Issue' and we have just 10 copies in stock over on Just Knots. I have already been through my stash to find some yarn to make the 'Purposeful Jacket' by Jacinta Bowie, shown on the stunning model above - isn't it fabulous!

Kelmscott & Melsetter Cushion Covers

Over the last week or so it has been really great to see images of Fruit Garden cushions popping up on social media. The pattern for the Kelmscott and Melsetter cushion covers are live on my web site and you can find it by following this link. The patterns for the two cushion covers I have designed to match the Fruit Garden blanket are the Kelmscott cover, which matches Recipe 1 (Caramel and Parchment) and Melsetter, which matches colour way 2 (Night & Dusk).

Both cushion covers feature in the same 12 page pattern and we have now put the metal dome buttons that I used on my cushion covers into stock. You can find them here.

I designed the cushions so that you can use up some of the left over yarns from your CAL projects but you will need some extra balls of some shades to complete it (you can find the yarn use listed here).

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

It's nearly the Weekend!

If you missed last week's bumper newsletter then you might not have seen that I have posted a technique video as a response to your questions from last month. The video focusses on crochet techniques for joining blocks as this was the most popular question. In the video I talk about my preferred joining technique and also cover a few other common joins. You can find the video here.

I have just completed work on a magazine commission so I am hoping that next week I might finally get to spend some time on some new design ideas. I love the early stages of a design when I am selecting yarn shades and playing with my crochet, so the thought of that is making me feel buoyant. I have also been planning what shades to pick to make the Stephen West MKAL20 which starts in 2 weeks time on the 8th October. I haven't totally decided yet, so I will be doing some sampling over the weekend to check that I achieve the right tension and like my colour choices.

Next week we will be putting the kits for the 'Love is Enough' colour way of the Fruit Garden CAL on the web sites. These are likely to go live on Tuesday and we expect to sell out fast as we only have a limited number of kits. We will not be taking pre orders on these, but I will send out an email on Tuesday so that you know as soon as they are in stock.

The weather forecast for the next few days is pretty dull, so I think it will be a weekend of knit, crochet and comfort food for me, but if you have something more exciting planned, or if you have any questions you would like answered as part of next month's Q&A, you can get in touch by emailing [email protected] or by replying to this email.

And finally, thank you to all those of you kind enough to have made donations to help me continue to do what I do. I know we are all in unprecedented times and that finding extra money can be tough, so I am very grateful for your generosity.

Stay safe and keep well...

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