I have some news for you

Today sees the publication of the Introduction to the Fruit Garden CAL, as well as this special announcement:
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I love the fact that crochet along (CAL) style projects give home crafters the opportunity to collectively join in with a project. I adore the fact that crocheters can contribute to on-line chat forums, seek out videos and groups to help them and create strong friendships with others regardless of background, circumstances or location in the world whilst working through the project. CALs give distance learners the chance to create wonderful pieces of crochet that they can present to their friends and families as a testament to their own talents and crochet skills and who can look back on the process of making as a rewarding and positive experience.
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​I am hugely excited about the launch of my new CAL project The Fruit Garden, but, at a time of worldwide uncertainty, I also recognise that many of you may be in a position where you cannot join in with the timeline of the project as it stands at the moment. So, after discussion with the wonderful team at Stylecraft, we have decided that my new CAL will now have 2 official launch dates, so that all those who want to can reap the full benefits of working through a project in an organised and supported timescale.
 
The first set of patterns for the CAL will go live as planned on Tuesday 28th April. This release will be followed by 7 more fortnightly pattern downloads, which means that the final set of patterns will be published on the 4th August.

On 8th September we will start the CAL pattern release process all over again so that anyone who missed taking part, or lost track along the way first time round can join in.
 
Rather than being the ‘poor cousin’ to the first publication, I see the second release as the fabulous ‘after party’ to the main event; If you choose to join in with the CAL the second time around you can make the most of tips and hints from those who have already completed the project. You can also get ideas for alternative colour ways or layouts and you will have a wonderful project completed in time for Christmas. I also feel that a second release will help support those who may have fallen by the wayside first time round - sometimes leaving a project and returning to it at another time can be a really good learning process and having more support going forwards is bound to lead to less disappointment and more completed projects.
 
Over the forthcoming weeks I am going to work on a new version of the CAL so that a third choice of project (to accompany the 2 existing colourways) can be added to the pattern options for the second release in September. The colour palette and format for this additional project is top secret for now, but as soon as I have anything solid to show you I will do so. Having another project option in the mix means that you will have even more free designs to choose from and could even mean that some of you decide to create even more Fruit Garden projects than you had originally planned.
 
I hope that you will all understand why these decisions have been made and will see them as a positive addition to the CAL process.
 
Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, stay safe and I will see you back here again on Friday.

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