It has been a bit of an odd week here at Janie Crow. We started the week with a huge snow shower that left us with thick ice and freezing conditions for the rest of the week. Low temperatures (currently -5 here as I write this) have made it difficult to keep my crocheting fingers warm, so I have been doing quite a lot of stuff on my PC, like catching up with emails and pattern checking, but we have also been getting ready to reveal our fabulous new collaboration, which you can read about lower down. Yesterday saw the final instalment of the Glad Tidings Wrap Advent CAL. Thank you to all those of you who took part - I hope you enjoyed it and that you are pleased with your wrap. The pattern has now been archived on Ravelry as the CAL was just 15 days long, but don't worry if you are not up to date with your wrap as the patterns will stay on Ravelry for everyone who signed up before there 15th. Emma and Steph have been working hard on the collated pattern and we will be releasing it again as a single pattern next year. I have been working on the projects that I will be taking to Mysore with me in January and am also creating a new colourway of my Mystical Lanterns project, so I have lots to keep my fingers occupied in front of the TV in the evenings. It has been really cold here, so we have not been venturing very far. The settee is such a lure at this time of year! We will be 'breaking up' from work next Wednesday the 21st December and will be returning on the 4th January, so I am looking forward to a nice break. I have lined up quite a few projects to work on while I am away from my desk and particularly hope to finish my knitted tank top that has been a work in progress for almost a year! The video to accompany Part 8 of the Sunshine and Showers blanket project will be posted on our YouTube channel next week, so do look out for that if you have been following along. I feel very honoured to have been asked to join Jamie and Merion of The Love Crafts Show Podcast for a chat. The recorded programme will go live on Spotify on Tuesday next week (the 20th December) if you fancy tuning in. If you haven't listened to the podcast before I urge you to give it a listen - its a great programme to craft along to and we chatted about lots of crochet related stuff! We have been getting lots of attention on Instagram lately, especially since we launched the teaser images of the new Spirit of Flora CAL and I have finally got my head around creating (very basic) Reels! This week I posted the image above of some fabulous bunting my friend Rosemary made using the Mystical Lanterns blanket pattern as the basis. Rosemary started making the bunting while we were away in France on a workshop recently and she added a border with a picot edge and little elephant charms and bells to make it extra special - isn't it fabulous! This post has had more than 11k views on Instagram, which is just amazing! I have recently joined an organisation called A C I D (Anti Copying In Design) and so my website and this newsletter now carry their logo and copyright statement. Janie Crow patterns will be updated with the logo over the next few months, so if you have a download pattern in your Ravelry library you may find an email alert to let you know that the pattern has had an update. We have been keeping a really big secret, but now the cat is out of the bag! Emma Ball has been designing fabulous accessories for the craft world for the last two decades and is well known for her signature style of hand painted birds and animals placed within hand knitted backdrops. Emma’s company now supply many stockists across the UK and overseas with quirky gifts, stationery, homeware, textiles, and greeting cards. With a history of creating limited edition art prints, Emma not only produces her products using her own designs, but also those of other artists so that she can offer pieces to suit many tastes. I am really excited to reveal that I am the latest artist to join this list. Emma has used images of my crochet pieces to create some fabulous items including many of the signature things we have all come to know and love her for, such as project bags and totes, tins, stitch markers, notelets, and cards. Items from the collection will be revealed over the next few weeks and stockists will be able to start ordering them to sell at retail in the New Year. Emma and I will be busy posting images and information on our social media channels, so do look out for more information soon. We are incredibly proud of this collaborative collection and we hope that you will love it too! We recorded a video interview this morning which we will post on our YouTube channel next week so please look out for that and follow us on social media if you want to find out more. You can find Emma's web site here and her Instagram feed here. As you may already know, we have released some teaser images of my new CAL Spirit of Flora over the last couple of weeks along with some advanced information about the project. The images have been very popular on social media and I am so pleased to know that so many of you are hoping to follow the crochet along in the new year. The first pattern will be published in Inside Crochet magazine in January. You can find more information about the project over on the website and I have posted some further information about yarn and tension over on my blog. If you want to purchase a yarn starter pack we still have amore than 20 in stock on the web site. Please note that these will not be dispatched until 6th January. Working with Stylecraft Yarns and Inside Crochet Magazine is an absolute joy and it is wonderful to have so much support from them. I am sure you will agree that the images taken at Emery Walker's House in Hammersmith are fabulous - there will be many more to come over the forthcoming months. The design of my new crochet along was inspired by the work of ceramicist William De Morgan who was a member of the Arts and Crafts Movement. You can find out more about William and his wife Evelyn, who was a renowned Pre-Raphaelite artist by following this link to the De Morgan Foundation. Sarah Hardy, Director of the De Morgan Museum, has been incredibly helpful over the last couple of months and has given me permission to use quite a few images from the collection including the one above of one of William's tile designs and the beautiful painting 'Flora' created by Evelyn in 1894. The painting, inspired by Botticelli’s Primavera, was made entirely in Florence and is a celebration of the city and its Renaissance artists. When the nights are really cold and frosty I am very lucky to be able to curl up on the settee with my crochet for a warm and cosy evening. I know that I am in a very privileged position to be able to do this and often find myself thinking about those who are not so fortunate, especially those who are displaced or homeless, at this time of year. Gift giving also comes from this point of privilege, so if you are in a position where you can find a little extra money, I urge you to make a donation to our two chosen charities this festive season. We are supporting UNHCR, who tirelessly support refugees the world over, and CRISIS who support the homeless. I know it's a tough time for many with all that is going on with energy bills and the cost of living, but even the smallest donation will help these worthy causes. Tuesday 20th December You can listen to an interview with me on The Love Crafts Show Podcast Thursday 5th January First Instalment Spirit of Flora CAL - Inside Crochet Magazine Sunday 19th & Monday 20th February Stitches Trade Show NEC Birmingham Saturday 4th & Sunday 5th March Yorkshire Yarn Festival Thursday 23rd & Friday 24th March Janie Crow in the Crochet Lounge - The Stitch Festival Saturday 22nd & Sunday 23rd April Wonderwool Yarn Festival Despite our far flung locations here in the UK my little Janie Crow team managed to all collide with Andy and I in the same place at the same time last Friday for our little festive do! We had a lovely evening, although it all went far too quickly. It was a real treat to finally catch up in the flesh rather than chat via WhatsApp, email or Zoom. If you are wondering who everyone is, the top image is of me with Emma, who helps me with Instagram and is responsible for liaising with our fabulous Graphic Designer, Steph, to produce our patterns. Emma is relatively new on board and has already been a bit of a God send to me as she now does a lot of our YouTube tutorials and most of my step-by-step photography. In the second image Sarah is on the left and Gemma is on the right hand side. Sarah is responsible for putting the wording of my patterns into the Janie Crow style and is an excellent proof reader. She also deals with our pattern queries and comes along to help us at shows. Some of you may have met her at events and so you already know what a lovely human being she is! Gemma is responsible for our Facebook posts and she looks after our Etsy and Ravelry stores too. Gemma has recently done a fabulous job posting the Glad Tidings Wrap patterns and is another real asset to us here at Janie Crow. I am so thankful to have these amazing ladies in my life! As life has once again been pretty hectic over the last couple of weeks I am looking forward to a relatively quiet weekend. I am off to a carol concert with my Mum this evening but have very few other plans. We still have a few festive decorations to put up as we have not been able to put anything outside yet due to the snow! I will be back in your mail box on Monday 2nd January and hope that you all keep well and safe between now and then. Thank you for all your incredible support in 2022 - you're all amazing! Janie x 'Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour.'
John Boswell With the last postage dates before Christmas looming I have popped into your inbox with a list of lovely things that I think would make the perfect gift, either for a friend, a loved one, or just for you! SPIRIT OF FLORA - STARTER PACK INDIGO AND CRIMSON DREAMS BLANKET KITS PERSIAN TILES - SANDALWOOD BLANKET KIT DELLA Q MAKERS RANGE The Della Q range of makers accessories are a stylish way to carry around all you need to knit or crochet on the go! I have made my mini messenger my go-to bag for everyday as, not only can I fit my every day items into it, but I can also pack in my yarn and hooks. With pockets, yarn guides and cutters an integral part of the bag, and stitch markers also added in, the bag provides all I need to craft on the go! DELLA Q SADDLE BAG DELLA Q MINI MESSENGER BAG DELLA Q MAKERS BACK PACK DELLA Q MAKERS ROLL TOP BAG DELLA Q KNITS SACKS (PAIR) FESTIVE DECORATIONS TO MAKE If you have a little bit of spare crafty time and some left over odds and ends of yarn in your stash maybe you would like to have a look at all the festive decoration patterns we have in store. You can choose a paper copy or, if you want to opt for a download version, you can visit the Janie Crow stores on Ravelry and Etsy. BEADED CROCHET DECORATIONS FESTIVE DECORATIONS TWINKLE BUNTING TWINKLE BUNTING FESTIVE MINI STOCKINGS My friend Rosemary made this fabulous bunting using the Mystical Lanterns Blanket pattern. Isn't it wonderful! Rosemary used bells and little elephant charms to make it so special. SMART ACCESSORIES I just love the Cohana thread snips and itsy bitsy, teeny weeny scissors we have in stock. The thread snips make the best present for any crafter and come in a choice of colours in a lovely presentation box. The mini scissors are just adorable and are perfect for travelling - be sure to take a look at all the images on the web site before ordering so that you are aware just how tiddly they are! We have a few other smart accessories in stock, such as pendant embroidery scissors and JUL shawl pins. Check out our accessories page for more information. THINKING OF OTHERS When the nights are really cold and frosty I am very lucky to be able to curl up on the settee with my crochet for a warm and cosy evening. I know that I am in a very privileged position to be able to do this and often find myself thinking about those who are not so fortunate, especially those who are displaced or homeless, at this time of year. Gift giving also comes from this point of privilege, so if you are in a position where you can find a little extra money, I urge you to make a donation to our two chosen charities this festive season. We are supporting UNHCR, who tirelessly support refugees the world over, and CRISIS who support the homeless. I know it's a tough time for many with all that is going on with energy bills and the cost of living, but even the smallest donation will help these worthy causes. Janie x
It has been such an exciting week here at Janie Crow as we have kicked off the Glad Tidings Wrap crochet along and launched the preview images of my next blanket CAL, Spirit of Flora. It has been so great to see your reactions to both projects and I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you so much for all your incredible support. I have a few things to tell you about today, including a bit more information about both crochet along projects mentioned above, so I hope you have 5 minutes spare to catch up with all things Janie Crow. As I have said already, we released some teaser images of my new CAL Spirit of Flora yesterday along with some advanced information about the project. The images went down a storm and I am so incredibly relieved to hear that so many of you like the look of the design, which is (another one) based on the work of a member of the Arts and Crafts Movement. You can find more information about the project over on the website and I have posted some further information about yarn and tension over on my blog. If you want to purchase a yarn starter pack we still have a few in stock on the web site. Working with Stylecraft Yarns and Inside Crochet Magazine is an absolute joy and it is wonderful to have so much support from them. I am sure you will agree that the images taken at Emery Walker's House in Hammersmith are fabulous - there will be many more to come over the forthcoming months. I have spent this week catching up with some of the less exciting aspects of my working life, such as doing my accounts, pattern checking and having a little tidy up in the studio, but I am looking forward to launching into some new design work next week. I have the project for my workshop with Knit for Peace to prepare, so that will be the first thing on my list. If you fancy joining me in India for what will probably be my last visit to the wonderful Green Hotel in Mysore, you can find more information by following this link. It is a really good feeling to be at home again after a busy couple of weeks of shows and workshops. It is a full six weeks before we head away to India for the workshop in Mysore, so I am looking forward to a slightly calmer time in the lead up to the New Year. I can't quite believe that we are less than a month away from 2023 and that I am beginning to fill up my new calendar with plans and commitments! Apart from our trip to India we have a few more workshop dates in the diary for next year and I am beginning to make more plans for events. We will be at the Yorkshire Yarn Festival the very first weekend in March. Early Bird tickets for this event are available now and you can find them by following this link or clicking on the image below. I will be hosting the craft night on Saturday 4th and am already really looking forward to the event - especially as there are some really great names within the list of fellow exhibitors. We currently have a good stock holding of kits and yarn packs if you are looking for a new project to keep you busy over the festive period or want to add one to your gift list. If you head to our web store page here and scroll down to KITS AND YARN PACKS you can easily see what we have in stock. We have packs for Bloomsbury and Sussex Gardens in stock for the first time in quite a while and kits for the Sandalwood version of Persian Tiles will continue to be added to stock over the next week or so. STOP PRESS! Starter packs for the Spirit of Flora CAL are now on presale as we have sold out of our initial stock. The expected dispatch date for the packs is from next Wednesday the 7th December. WEEKEND BARGAIN ALERT! For this weekend only we have reduced the price of the Crimson Dreams blanket kits by 15% so that you can save over £10. This is a limited offer on a first come, first served basis. Kits for Crimson Dreams will return to their retail price of £74.50 on Monday, so you may need to be speedy if you want top grab this deal! As I have said already the Glad Tidings Advent CAL, has started this week, with the first set of patterns launching yesterday and the second set today. It isn't too late to join in and crochet along as the CAL will be released in daily parts via Ravelry until the 15th of December. If you haven't taken a look already, you can find lots more information about the project and what you will need to to do to get involved by following this link. If you want to use yarns from your stash you will need those that work to a 4 ply weight. You can use as many or as few shades as you wish. Alternatively, if you want to treat yourself to some new yarn to make the wrap, we have partnered with 2 of our favourite indie yarn producers, Eden Cottage Yarns and The Knitting Shed and they can help you make some lovely colour choices to make an extra special project. The cost to join the CAL is just £6.95 and it will only be hosted via Ravelry. If you would rather not join the CAL, but like the look of the wrap and fancy making it in the future and not within the time frame of the CAL, the pattern will be available in an amalgamated form in the future - at the moment we are unsure what price point this will have. If you have read through the Getting Ready document and still have questions, then do get in touch by hitting reply. The document is available for free here and is also listed within the Ravelry project folder here if you want to sign up. Over on Facebook we have been looking at the back catalogue of Crochet Along designs from the last few years and inviting our followers to share photos of their projects with us. We started by looking at the Monet inspired Lily Pond blanket and many of you told us that this was one of the first projects you made after learning to crochet and felt a huge sense of achievement as a result. For Vicky Wiltshire this was indeed the first real pattern she followed after learning to crochet and she even enlarged her version to fit her bed: Emily Anne Tran has just finished making Lily Pond as a Christmas gift for her 87 year old father, who loves Monet's Waterlilies. What a beautiful photo and a beautiful gift! After show casing Lily Pond projects, we turned our attention to Sunshine & Showers, which many of you are working on at the moment following the relaunch of the pattern to celebrate its 5th birthday this year! Susan Spicka made this blanket to gift to a friend and loved it so much that she has bought the yarn to make two more! She certainly made a great job of it: Yvette Whitehouse is making a beautiful job of hers too: The collection of videos to accompany the Sunshine & Showers pattern is growing each month and videos to help you with parts 1-7 are now available over on the Janie Crow YouTube channel here. When we looked at the Frida's Flowers CAL, Khay Dixon shared a photo of her very clever adaptation. She made a shawl which she then wore to a Frida Kahlo exhibition. Such a great idea and Khay says she has received lots of compliments on it, which is not surprising at all! Thank you to everyone who took the time to share photos with us. We really do love seeing your versions of JC projects, particularly some of the amazing colourways that you put together for them. As we dive headlong into the festive season, we love the idea of these knit and crochet Christmas postbox toppers, which will be forming part of a Christmas trail for children on the island of Guernsey this December. We have a feeling it might not just be the children taking part! At this time of year, it's always nice to have a really comforting, warming evening meal and this Cheese and Tomato Potato Bake comes recommended by Gemma. She used fresh tomatoes, together with some sun-dried tomato paste to make the sauce and an extra mature cheddar for the cheese layers. So yummy! I have had a slightly 'dodgy' ankle and foot this week, I think due in part to an ill fitting pair of boots, so I have had a whole day on the settee with my crochet and have been sitting down far more than usual. As my foot now appears to be slowly on the mend I am hoping to get out and about a little more over the weekend and hope to squeeze in a walk or two. I am thinking of putting up a few festive decorations over the next few days too, but it still feels a little early to go the whole hog and get the tree up. Maybe it's time for a bit of crochet bunting and a few lights and candles though - I love it when the house starts to feel festive! If you are planning your decorations and want to add in some pretty crochet things, don't forget we have lots of patterns (that are also great stash busters) on the website. Last weekend we decided that instead of offering Black Friday deals we would create a Yellow and Blue Friday event and so promised to donate 20% of the income on pattern sales taken over Friday, Saturday and Sunday to our chosen charity UNHCR to help the people of Ukraine. I am really pleased to reveal that we raised a total of £156, which we have rounded up to a lovely donation of £200. Thank you so much to everyone who purchased patterns. I hope that wherever you are and whatever you have planned that you will have great weekend. Janie x
I love designing crochet along projects and enjoy turning my inspiration source into crochet motifs for you all to work through. I tend to design my CALs in the same way, intending them to be used as a learning tool to guide you through lots of techniques, so that they start relatively easy and get progressively harder. This project differs to my past CAL projects in that I want to encourage you to release a little of your own design potential to create a unique and personal project. I have designed 12 patterned square blocks along with one plain one, all of which will be shown in alternative colour orders using a palette of 13 yarn shades. You can seek out the shades I have used from your local Stylecraft yarn stockist or purchase a starter pack. Alternatively, you could choose to stash dive and use up some of the yarns you have hidden away in your special place at home! Either way, the emphasis will be on creating a project that suits your style and purpose. You could choose to make a large blanket using 48 crochet squares or you might want to make a smaller one using fewer motifs or fewer repeated blocks. You might want to make a bag, a cushion or a shawl for example. There are endless possibilities and I really hope you will feel inspired to join me on this exciting block a month journey. Getting Started: The monthly block patterns will be published in Inside Crochet magazine over 12 issues from January 2023. You can find a great deal for digital download copies here and paper copies of the magazine here. Please note that the patterns will only be available in the magazine and that they might not be released in the same format once the CAL is over. If you fancy having a go at making a project using my monthly blocks it is important that you read through the following information to ensure that you have all that you need and that you understand the fundamental techniques needed to complete the project. Doing a little bit of prep now could help you save time and effort later on, especially when it comes to checking your tension. Gather Your Yarns: I used the following yarns: Stylecraft Life DK 75% Premium Acrylic, 25% Wool 298m (326yds) per 100g Aqua (2357) Caramel (2446) Cardinal (2306) Cascade (2308) Cranberry (2319) Copper (2312) French Blue (2447) Oatmeal (2303) Olive (2302) Parchment (2445) Stylecraft ReCreate DK: 100% Recycled Polyester 350m (382yds) per 100g Avocado (3189) Blush (3458) Rose (1945) If you want to find a ‘starter pack’ of yarn, which includes one ball of all those listed above, then checkout the list of Stylecraft stockists here. If you want to use yarns you already have in your stash, you will need to find DK weight yarns. I used 13 shades, some of them were used in very small amounts, whilst others are used more often. In my blanket, 7 of the shades used one ball of yarn, 5 shades used two balls and 1 shade used three balls, so I had a combined number of 20 x 100g balls. I really want to encourage you to use some yarns that you already have, but if you don't have a stash of yarn a good plan might be to source extra balls of yarn as you go along, especially as dye lots will not really matter. At this stage I don't really want to release the details of my yarn usage as you might decide to create a blanket with a different layout to mine or you may choose an alternative border for example, but it might be helpful for you to know that I used more of the following shades: Avocado (3189) Cranberry (2319) French Blue (2447) Oatmeal (2303) Olive (2302) Parchment (2445) It is my advice that you keep hold of all your yarn until the end of the project – by this I mean all the pieces you might undo and any pieces that look a bit frayed. Don’t be tempted to use any of the yarn for any other project until you have completed this one and make sure you keep everything in a safe place. Equipment: 3.5mm (US E4), 4mm (US G/6) & 4.5mm (US 7) hooks – please see notes on tension below. Knitters sewing needle Stitch Markers Measurement: Blocked measurement: Approximately 115cm x 155cm Pattern Notes: Tension: Crochet is by nature an organic and creative process – it is wonderful to pick up some yarn and a hook and create motifs and decorative pieces that eventually make up a larger project. Many crocheters are used to doing just this without thinking too much about how big their pieces come up and whether things are being worked to the correct tension. However, it is REALLY important that you check your tension before starting this project and that you do so regularly as you work through it. Changes in tension could mean that the size and drape of your shawl differs to mine and that you will use more or less yarn. How to achieve the correct tension: Many crocheters simply assume that they will achieve the correct tension. This is a totally logical conclusion to make; after all, the information on the ball band or within the pattern is based on what the ‘standard’ tension is. In practice, however, many crocheters do not naturally attain the correct tension and therefore do not achieve a tension that sits within the ‘standard’. Working a tension piece: Once you have your yarn and the correct hooks you are ready to work your tension pieces. Spending an hour or 2 to work these blocks can seem like a waste of time, but it is REALLY important that you are sure you are working to the same tension as the patterns are written for. When working a tension piece it is a good idea to work on more stitches and rows that the suggested tension. I used 24 stitches for both samples. The tension is taken from pre-blocked swatches. It is really important that you measure your tension to at least 10cm when working the test swatches – if in doubt measure over a larger piece, say 15cm or even 20cm just to be sure. Putting the groundwork in at this stage can save you a lot of heartache later on. I have measured the tension over samples made using Stylecraft Life DK. The pre-blocked tension you are aiming for is as follows: Double Crochet (US single crochet) using 4mm hook = 20/21sts & 24 rows to 10cm (4in). Treble Crochet (US double crochet) using 3.5mm hook = 19/20sts & 10 rows to 10cm (4in). How to make your double crochet (US sc) tension sample: Using 4mm hook make 25ch. Foundation Row: skip 1ch, 1dc into each ch to end, turn. (24sts) Row 1: 1ch (does not count as a st), 1dc into each st to end, turn. (24sts) Repeat last row until a total of 26 rows have been worked (including foundation row). Lay your sample on a flat surface. Using a tape measure place pins 10cm (4in) apart along a central row (horizontally) and count the stitches between the pins Stitch tension should be = 20/21 sts Using a tape measure place pins 10cm (4in) apart along the central point of the swatch vertically and count the rows between the pins Row tension should be = 24 rows If you have achieved a tension different to this, then take a look at the advice a little further down. How to make your treble crochet (US dc) tension sample: A size smaller hook is used to achieve the treble crochet (US double crochet) tension compared to the double crochet (US single crochet) tension. This is because the space between stitches grows depending on the length of the post of the stitch. Using 3.5mm hook make 26ch. Foundation Row: skip 3ch (counts as 1tr), 1tr into each ch to end, turn. (24sts) Row 1: 3ch (counts as a 1tr), skip st at base of 3ch, 1tr into each st to end working final st into 3rd ch of 3ch made at beginning of last row (tch), turn. (24sts) Repeat last row until a total of 12 rows have been worked (including foundation row). Lay your sample on a flat surface. Using a tape measure place pins 10cm (4in) apart along a central row and count the stitches between the pins. Stitch tension should be = 19/20 sts Using a tape measure place pins 10cm (4in) apart along the central point of the swatch vertically and count the rows between the pins. Row tension should be = 10 rows What to do when you have achieved a different tension to the pattern: If you have done your tension pieces and achieved more stitches and rows to 10cm (4in) this means you are working too tight. Rather than trying to change your crochet method by consciously crocheting looser, simply change up to a size larger hook. If you are still too tight then try another size larger. Make a note of how many sizes you have had to change by so that you are sure to make the swap for each of the hook sizes. If you have done your tension pieces and achieved fewer stitches and rows to 10cm (4in) this means you are working too loose. Rather than trying to change your crochet method by consciously crocheting tighter, simply change down to a size smaller hook. If you are still too loose then try another size smaller. As above, make a note of how many sizes you have had to change by so that you are sure to make the swap for each of the hook sizes. Pre-blocked and Blocked Tension: The measurements given in the pattern are for pre-blocked sizes throughout. Measuring to a pre-blocked size rather than a blocked size is more accurate as you could over stretch your work in the blocking process. Once the project is complete, I advise you to wash and block your project before using it. This process will alter the tension slightly and will make the yarn appear smoother and the drape will improve. It is advisable to use a colour catching sheet when washing your project too, especially if using yarns from different ranges. Factors that can affect your tension: Many things can make a difference to the tension you achieve. I have listed 5 of the most common below: 1. Your level of expertise: If you are a newcomer to the craft of crochet you may well find that your crochet tension will change as your ability improves. When launching into a project like this it is worth making sure you have put in enough ground work to ensure that you are working in the right way and that you have the ability to work consistently. 2. Your mood or situation: If you are a bit stressed or have had a bit of a tough day you may find your crochet tension is affected. Equally, having a few glasses of wine or watching a funny or enthralling movie whilst crocheting can also cause your tension to differ. As a general rule try to crochet in the same kind of situation whenever possible to ensure that everything stays as it should. 3. Hook size: Make sure you are using the correct size hook. For most of the project you will be asked to use a 4mm (US G/6) hook. Please check that you have not mistakenly used a UK 4 (imperial size) or a US 4 or 4/E. 4. Number of stitches: It is quite common to achieve the correct tension on a swatch only to find that it is not correct over a larger piece. This is because tension can change as we relax into the rhythm of a repetitive crochet action. Measure your tension at all the places I ask you to within the pattern just to be sure you are continuing to work at the correct tension. Having trouble with your tension over treble crochet (US double crochet)? Look at the way you work the stitch: Because of the nature of a treble crochet (US double crochet) it is common to find variances in stitch length and width even if the correct hook has been used in relation to the one used to achieve the correct tension over double crochet (US single crochet) When we make a treble crochet (US double crochet) we wrap our yarn around the hook first and then work 3 movements, drawing yarn loops through others to create the stitch. The tension achieved over each of these movements and the angle at which we hold our hook can have an impact on the tension of each step of the stitch. Why you need to change hook size when you are told to: The reason you will need to change hook size is to do with the tension achieved over different stitches. When you make a fabric using a dense stitch like double crochet (US single) you have very little room between the posts of your stitches, whereas when you work with stitches that have a longer post, such as treble crochet (US double) the space between the posts of the stitches gets bigger. I recommend the use of a 4mm (US G/6) hook for the majority of the crochet within this project, but there are places where you will need to swap down to a 3.5mm (US E/4) or up to a 4.5mm (US 7). As a general rule, look out for hook changes when working treble crochet (US double crochet) and slip stitches. Changing hook sizes can be a bit of a pain, but it is made easier if you have colour coded hooks – even a dab of different shades of nail polish on your crochet hook handles can make the process of identifying hooks easier. Substituting yarn: If you are substituting yarn it is important that you find one that achieves the correct tension and has enough metres of yarn on the ball – don’t assume that every 100g ball of yarn has the same length! Most yarns on the market fall into set categories according to their weight. In the UK we have the following standard weights: 1, 2, 3 & 4ply, DK (double knitting), Aran and Chunky. The yarns used within this design are all DK weight. Yarns within each weight category should conform to the same standards, one of which is the suggested knitted or crocheted tension. Most ball bands will show you the suggested tension for knitting which is 22 stitches and 30 rows measured over 10cm [4in]. Yarns sit within the categories to make it easier to ensure that things come up the right size. This is especially handy when substituting yarn, as, in theory, a DK weight yarn should achieve more or less the same tension regardless of brand or yarn content. The ball band on the yarn will give you the suggested tension and also a needle or hook size that this tension is to be achieved on. For a standard weight DK this is usually a 4mm (US G/6) knitting needle or crochet hook. I am incredibly pleased with the motifs I have designed and hope that you like them too. I am really looking forward to seeing how you will interpret my blocks and hope that some of you will embrace the idea of creating a unique project. However, if you want to follow my patterns using my suggestions on yarns and colours then I also hope that you will also enjoy yourself!
This is a gentle reminder that our Advent CAL, the Glad Tidings Wrap, starts tomorrow 1st December and runs through to the 15th. The patterns for the CAL will be released in daily parts via Ravelry and you can find lots more information about the project and what you need to to do to get involved by following this link. If you want to use yarns from your stash you will need those that work to a 4 ply weight. You can use as many or as few shades as you wish. Alternatively, if you want to treat yourself to some new yarn to make the wrap, we have partnered with 2 of our favourite indie yarn producers, Eden Cottage Yarns and The Knitting Shed and they can help you make some lovely colour choices to make an extra special project. The cost to join the CAL is just £6.95 If you have read through the Getting Ready document and still have questions, then do get in touch by hitting reply. The document is available for free here and is also listed within the Ravelry project folder here if you want to sign up. Have a great day!
The weeks before the Christmas holiday can be great fun, but it is also a time when there is much to do and things can get a little stressful. During this period I love settling down on the settee in the evening with a crochet project and soon find that the rhythmic action of making the stitches calms my mind and helps me feel more settled, even after the most fraught days. This project was originally designed for Jimmy Beans in the US and was released in December 2021. Now that the pattern has reverted to me, we have decided to relaunch it this year as our own Advent Crochet Along. We will be releasing a section of the pattern every day for 15 days, with the first pattern available on the 1st of December. If you decide to join you can expect to receive an email notification with a download link (via Ravelry) for each day's section of the pattern. At the end of the crochet along, we’ll send you the link for a complete pattern with all parts of the pattern combined into one document. You can find a free 'Getting Ready' download document, which includes more information on yarn, hooks and equipment, as well as a more in-depth explanation of how the CAL works and what you need to do to join in, by following this link. Emma recently posted a great reel on Instagram where I talk about there yarn requirements for this project, so if you fancy a bit of stash diving or are still a bit unsure of what yarn you need, do check out this video for more information. If you feel ready to sign up for the CAL you can follow this link to Ravelry where you can also find the 'Getting Ready' information as the first document within the download set. Signing up via Ravelry will give you access to all parts of the pattern from 1st to 15th December and the amalgamated final pattern once the CAL is over. If you don't want to work through this project as a CAL, but do fancy making this lovely shawl, we will be releasing the pattern as a paper brochure and as a download via Ravelry and Etsy. Please note that the full pattern might be available at a higher price. Patterns will be available in UK & US terms. I hope that you fancy joining in and that if you do, working through the Glad Tidings Wrap over the first couple of weeks of December will help create some calm in your life and that the result, which could make the perfect festive gift, will bring you much joy too. I had the most amazing day when Claire, Leanne and I did the shoot for my new crochet along project at Emery Walker's House in Hammersmith. It really was the most incredible location, crammed full of Arts and Crafts Movement furniture and textiles as well as the most beautiful original features. The new CAL is coming soon and I cannot wait to show you some of the reveal images on the 1st December when we and other Stylecraft stockists will also have starter packs available for the project. This CAL is a little different to my previous designs, with more of an emphasis on crocheters creating their own unique designs rather than following mine to the letter. I think it will be incredibly exciting, especially as I will also be encouraging you to stash dive and create alternative colour combinations. The CAL will be published in monthly pieces over the course of a whole year in Inside Crochet magazine starting in January, so do look out for subscription offers and more information very soon. Sarah and I had a fabulous day out last week visiting Leighton House in London's Holland Park. The building was the home to Victorian artist Lord Leighton and it includes the most amazing decor, including the stunning 'Arab Hall', which features incredible tile panels and beautiful mosaics. It has certainly been a month for seeing a wealth of surface design inspiration as Andy and I were also treated to a visit to the Cathedral in Bordeaux as we popped in on the last day of my recent workshop trip to France. The hand painted pillars and wall panels really were fabulous and I am sure the colours will be very influential on my future palette choices as they were just so stunning. I am writing this from Harrogate as Andy has a stand at The Knitting & Stitching Show. We are not here with our Janie Crow hats on, but rather to exhibit Andy's hooks, needles and accessory stock. We have had a really big sort out at our storage units and have also brought along lots of reduced yarn, so if you are attending the show and are looking to nab a few yarny bargains do come along and visit us on stand YV14. This week I have been working on the project for our very last workshop of the year, which will take place in Bournemouth next week. Once that project is complete I will start to sort out the project for my workshop in Mysore, India in January. There are still some places on this incredible trip and you can find more information lower down this email. We have had an amazing reaction to the patterns and kits for my Indigo and Crimson Dreams blanket, which originally featured as a crochet along project in Inside Crochet Magazine and I am so grateful to all of you who have shown so much positivity towards the design. We have added a couple of helpful videos that Emma has shot to help with a couple of the more tricky bits of the design. You can find these over on our YouTube channel. When I appeared on Yarn Lane TV a couple of weeks ago I demonstrated the heart motif and how to make the Half and Half Granny motif - something that we have not shown in our own videos. You can find the recording of the show by following this link. The demo comes about out an hour and 15 mins in. I was lucky enough to be on the show for 2 hours, so you will also find other demonstrations within the same video, including surface crochet and how I make crochet leaves. You can find kits for both colour ways, (Indigo and Crimson) by following this link and the 24 page paper pattern brochure by following this link. Download patterns are available via Etsy and Ravelry. You can find more information about this project and all links on the website page here. We have a few new projects for there Festive Season. My Twinkle Bunting pattern (shown below) was released during the first week of November and I have already reminded you about the Advent CAL, The Glad Tidings Wrap, which will take place over the first couple of weeks of December. We have seen a bit of a run of sales for Christmassy things. We have quite a choice now including the Festive Decorations, Beaded Decorations and Festive Mini Stockings - click on the images below for more information. All are great stash busters! Are you looking for something fun and a tad quirky for you and your family members to enjoy over the Christmas holidays? If you are a bit tired of the usual board games and party tricks, then how about taking a look at the Knit For Peace Party Kits. Knit For Peace say: 'It comes in a box, crammed with yarn, needles, hooks, haberdashery and notions. Curated by textile artist Eliza Kenan, no two kits are alike. The Party Kit is all that’s needed for a fun filled get together with friends and neighbours (enough to keep 12 people crafting at the party!) There are activities for a wide range of skill levels and it provides the perfect excuse for getting in touch with old friends – invite them to your craft party! The perfect gift for anyone who loves knitting and crafts.' Kits cost £125 and KFP will waiver the £10 postage fee for any Janie Crow customers. Only available in the UK. Click here for more information - all proceeds go to the charity. There are still places on my knitting and crochet workshop in Mysore, India in January with Knit For Peace. If you have been thinking about joining me, then I suggest you don't hesitate too much longer as booking will close very soon due to the length of time needed to apply for a visa. The trip is almost 2 weeks long and all meals, trips to the charity's projects and workshops are included in the cost of the trip. You can find more information by following this link. The video that accompanies Part Seven of my Sunshine and Showers blanket pattern is live on our Youtube channel here. The patterns for each part of the CAL, which are split into 12 pieces, are available for just 95p each with the 'Getting Ready' document available to download for free here. You can find more information about the project by following this link. Yarn packs for the project (which is shown above centre right) are available via the website here. We also have kits in stock for the Primavera version of my Frida's Flowers blanket which is shown alongside the original version to the left. We managed to secure another delivery of yarn to make kits for my Sandalwood version of Persian Tiles. The kits will be added to the website (as we build them) next week, from Wednesday onwards. Sarah has recommended this recipe for Banana Bread which she made in her slow cooker. She says it was really yummy! We will be at the show in Harrogate for the whole weekend, but I am hoping I might be able to squeeze in some time to take a wander around the town at some point. Harrogate is such a lovely place with some really impressive buildings and fab shops. It is especially lovely in the lead up to Christmas when everything is wonderfully festive! We have a couple of days at home next week and then we will be off to Bournemouth on Thursday for our final workshop of the year, so it is busy, busy, busy! I have to admit I am looking forward to a bit of a rest in December. I really enjoy these weeks in the lead up to Christmas and especially like catching up with friends and family over the festive period. I hope that whatever you have planned for the forthcoming days and weeks that you are able to enjoy a bit of down time too. We are so grateful to all those of you who follow our feed on Instagram. We have reached more than 80k followers this week, which is just incredible. I would like to thank Emma for all her help with Instagram and Gemma who does such a great job on the Janie Crow Facebook page - another of our social media platforms which is gaining followers all the time. I leave you with a link to watch the John Lewis Christmas Advert just in case you haven't managed to see it yet. I think its another cracker! Janie x
It is feeling decidedly chilly here in North London today and, after a very wet week, where the rain has seemed incessant at times, I have found myself indoors with my crochet quite a large proportion of the time. This is the time of year when I often feel inspired to work on new projects, so I have been busy trying to get myself organised for the forthcoming months. With autumn very definitely knocking at the door, I have been enjoying immersing myself in the world of lovely crochet to cheer myself up! I have quite a lot to tell you about this week including news of our Advent CAL, the Glad Tidings Wrap, which launches today. Gemma has also added in some fun things to this week's Quick Catch Up email, including her Facebook round up, her 'Words From The Web' piece and a lovely autumnal recipe. I hope you have five minutes to spare to catch up with all things Janie Crow... Here at Janie Crow we have been getting increasingly excited this week about the release of the Glad Tidings Advent CAL, which will start on the 1st December and run through to the 15th. The patterns for the CAL will be released in daily parts via Ravelry and you can find lots more information about the project and what you will need to to do to get involved by following this link. The wrap was originally designed for Jimmy Beans in the US and featured as their Craftvent CAL this time last year. Since then we have been working on the pattern in order to put it into the Janie Crow style and split it into easy to follow parts that will be released daily. We have also used this time to make some new versions, with my lovely test group making the wrap using yarns they found by rummaging through their stashes. With almost 4 weeks to go before the first part of the pattern is released via Ravelry on the 1st of December you have plenty of time to source your yarn. If you want to use yarns from your stash you will need those that work to a 4 ply weight. You can use as many or as few shades as you wish. Alternatively, if you want to treat yourself to some new yarn to make the wrap, we have partnered with 2 of our favourite indie yarn producers, Eden Cottage Yarns and The Knitting Shed and they can help you make some lovely colour choices to make an extra special project. The cost to join the CAL is just £6.95 and it will only be hosted via Ravelry. If you would rather not join the CAL, but like the look of the wrap and fancy making it in the future and not within the time frame of the CAL, the pattern will be available in an amalgamated form in the future - at the moment we are unsure what price point this will have. We are planning to post a lot more information on our social media platforms over the forth coming days and weeks, so if you are on Facebook or Instagram do take a look. If you have read through the Getting Ready document and still have questions, then do get in touch by hitting reply. The document is available for free here and is also listed within the Ravelry project folder here if you want to sign up. I had a lovely time celebrating Yarn Lane TV's second birthday party and felt incredibly touched to have been given 2 hour long slots on the show on Wednesday. During the first hour I chatted about my Indigo and Crimson Dreams blankets and demonstrated how to make the half and half granny square and the love heart. You can find the show archived on the Yarn Lane web site here. After the lovely Stuart Hillard had recorded his hour-long show, where he talked about his fabulous Head Over Heels yarns, I appeared again to talk about Magic Circles, Mexican Diamonds, Persian Tiles and Frida Primavera. I demonstrated how to join pieces of crochet together and how to work surface crochet as well as how to make a crochet leaf. You can find the video for the show here. On Tuesday we released our new festive pattern 'Twinkle Bunting'. I love how decorating the house at Christmas time brings back so many family memories. We have some decorations that date back quite a few generations and I especially like these old pieces. When setting out to design this bunting I wanted to create some crochet motifs that echoed the shape of our precious vintage Christmas tree baubles. I have added beads, bells and little 'shisha' mirrors to add a touch of sparkle and I am so pleased with the results. The pattern for the bunting is written with three classic shades in mind - Navy, Mustard and Grey, but you could raid your stash for multicoloured left-overs to create a very different, vibrant look as in the image above. You can find more information by following this link and you can find the 8-page paper brochure pattern here. You can also find the download version of the pattern (which is in UK terms) on Ravelry and Etsy. I had a great time in France last week tutoring a workshop where the group focussed on making some festive decorations using a collection of my patterns, including the new Twinkle Bunting. The fabulous group of crocheters came up with some really lovely ideas, such as wreaths and hanging decorations. You can find a few images on my Instagram page by following this link. If you fancy having a go at making your own decorations too and want to use any of my patterns as the basis for your designs, just click on the images to be taken to the pattern pages. If you share your makes on Instagram, please use the hashtag #janiecrow so that we can see what you've been up to - we just love seeing your makes out in the wild! We had a show & tell a couple of weeks ago over on the Facebook page and as usual we loved seeing all your lovely makes. You showed us your many versions of The Fruit Garden Blanket, as well as Magic Circles and Mystical Lanterns, but two of our favourites were this gorgeous Fox Lovey made by Yvonne Teunisson and a fabulous Christmas cushion cover made by Mary Woodall Cude. We think we have found the pattern for the Fox Lovey here and have found the Noel cushion cover pattern for sale on Etsy via Two Little Birds here. For those of you who are knitters, the wonderful charity Woolly Hugs are helping a Care Leavers project with their request for hat and scarf sets for young care leavers. The sets are given to care leavers (from foster and care homes) who are provided with Christmas dinner by Care Leavers Christmas Dinners. The deadline for posting is 21st November. You can find all the information at the Woolly Hugs website via this link or click on the image below We absolutely love this story about Diana Baker, aged 77, who took on the amazing challenge of a wing walk on a 1940's biplane to raise money for a dementia charity. An anonymous crafter has made a crochet postbox topper in her honour. We think they are both amazing! Most of us will have seen the images of Tom Daley knitting and crocheting between dives at the Olympics but this article delves a little deeper into what role yarn crafts have played in his life over the last few years. It's an interesting read. You can follow Tom's yarny tales over on Instagram @madewithlovebytomdaley. At this time of year Gemma is lucky enough to have access to a plentiful supply of windfall cooking apples and this is one of her favourite recipes to make in the slow cooker. You can leave out the cranberries if you're not keen and a garlic clove or two makes a good addition. It's a great accompaniment to all sorts of meals and you definitely don't have to wait until Christmas day to make it! I am looking forward to my first full weekend at home in a while. I had a good clear up in the front garden last Sunday as we had a deluge of fallen leaves and I wanted to make it look nice for Halloween. I decorated the little iron table that sits outside our front door with a lantern, some cute little squashes and lots of clementines. We really enjoyed greeting all the little 'Trick or Treaters' who visited us, despite the rain! There are more leaves to clear up this weekend so I am hoping it stays dry long enough for me to do the same job all over again! I was really pleased to finish my hand knitted 'orchid' sweater while I was away in France last week and think it will make a very cosy addition to my wardrobe. I have made a pact with myself to finish some of my WIPs before starting anything new, so have returned to working on a slip-over made in Rico yarn that I started at the beginning of the year. You can find the pattern I am working from here if you fancy taking a look - it is a really simple knit. If you want to watch something uplifting as we head into the weekend then I suggest you take a look at this video of an awesome teacher who has created an individual greeting for each of his students. What a guy! And - if you fancy a laugh at some members of the animal kingdom, then why not take a look at the images selected for the comedy wildlife awards here. I think the one below is probably my favourite! Oh - I almost forgot! Andy has been doing quite a lot of work on the website over the last week, updating our stock levels of kits and patterns. He has finally had time to add the Cohana range of snips and scissors to the store and update the stock levels of the items in the Della Q makers bag range. You can find the Cohana pages here and the Della Q listings here. I think these items would make great gifts, so if you are beginning to think about presents, either for yourself or for others, do take a look. I hope that whatever you have planned for your weekend that you will have a lovely time. I will be back in 2 weeks with my November newsletter, but I hope that you will keep up to date with all that is going on here in the meantime via our social media channels. Do get in touch if you have any questions or things you want to show us. Sending yarny hugs.... Janie x
It's already a really busy week here at Janie Crow and it's only Tuesday! I know I usually pop into your inbox on a Friday, but I am here today to let you know that my new pattern 'Twinkle Bunting' is now available. I love how decorating the house at Christmas time brings back so many family memories. We have some decorations that date back quite a few generations and I especially like these old pieces. When setting out to design this bunting I wanted to create some crochet motifs that echoed the shape of our precious vintage Christmas tree baubles.I have added beads, bells and little 'shisha' mirrors to add a touch of sparkle and I am so pleased with the results. The pattern for the bunting is written with three classic shades in mind - Navy, Mustard and Grey, but you could raid your stash for multicoloured left overs to create a very different, vibrant look as in the image above. You can find more information by following this link and you can find the 8 page paper brochure pattern here. You can also find the download version of the pattern (which is in UK terms) on Ravelry and Etsy I had a great time in France last week tutoring a workshop where the group focussed on making some festive decorations using a collection of my patterns, including the new Twinkle Bunting. The fabulous group of crocheters came up with some really lovely ideas, such as wreaths and hanging decorations. You can find a few images on my Instagram page by following this link. If you fancy having a go at making your own decorations too, and want to use any of my patterns as the basis for your designs, just click on the images to be taken to the pattern pages. If you share your makes on Instagram please use the hashtag #janiecrow so that we can see what you've been up to - we just love seeing your makes out in the wild! As I said already - it is a busy week here at Janie Crow and I have a big list of things to do, especially as I will be on Yarn Lane TV tomorrow morning at 9am and then again at 11am to celebrate the channel's birthday. I hope you will be able to tune in as I will be demonstrating some little crochet techniques and talking about some of my blankets, including my most recent blanket release Indigo Dreams.
That's pretty much it from me for now, but I will be back in your inbox on Friday with a quick catch-up email that will include news of how you can join in our Advent CAL project the Glad Tidings Wrap. We have had an amazing reaction to the patterns and kits for my Indigo and Crimson Dreams blanket, which originally featured as a crochet along project in Inside Crochet Magazine and I am so grateful to all of you who have shown so much positivity towards the design. This week we have added a couple of helpful videos that Emma has shot to help with a couple of the more tricky bits of the design. You can find these over on our YouTube channel. You can find kits for both colour ways, (Indigo and Crimson) by following this link and the 24 page paper pattern brochure by following this link. Download patterns are available via Etsy and Ravelry. You can find more information about this project and all links on the website page here. I had a great time at The Knitting & Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace here in North London last week. It was great to see so many of you and be out once again amongst fabulous yarny folk. Big thanks to the team at Stylecraft for allowing me to have a place on their stand. The show was the final one of the year for Janie Crow but we are looking forward to being at the show in Harrogate with Andy's hook, needle and accessory stock, so I hope to see some of you there too. This week I have been putting the finishing touches to the block a month project which will feature in Inside Magazine from January next year. I am incredibly pleased with the way this design has turned out and hope that you will love it too! We will be doing the photography shoot for the project at Emery Walker's House in Hammersmith next week. If you take a look at the location you will see it is another house with an amazing Arts and Crafts Movement interior, so it will be no surprise to hear that the CAL design is another one inspired by my love of William and May Morris's artistic companions of the time. I can't wait to show you some of the motifs and explain exactly how we envisage this project working - I am so excited about it! (c) Knitting Holidays in France I will be doing my final spot of tutoring of the year during the last week of October when we will be in France with a group of lovely crocheters at Sue and Culli's 'Knitting Holidays in France' venue near Bordeaux. I haven't done a workshop for Sue for many years - this will be my first time back in France for more than 5 years, so I am really looking forward to the trip. Look out for images on my Instagram feed while we are away. We have a few new projects coming soon. My Twinkle Bunting pattern (shown above) will be released during the first week of November ready for the festive season and we will be releasing the information about our Advent CAL, The Tidings Wrap (shown below), which will take place over the first couple of weeks of December. The project is a great stash buster project and the result could make a fabulous gift too! We have seen a bit of a run of sales for Christmassy things. We have quite a choice now including the Festive Decorations, Beaded Decorations and mini stockings - link on the images below for more information. All are great stash busters! We will have yarn and bead packs for the original colour way of the beaded decorations in stock next week. We are so grateful to all those of you who follow our feed on Instagram. We have reached more than 75k followers this week, which is just incredible. To celebrate reaching the number we have added a code for a 10% discount on all sales via the Janie Crow web site this weekend. Please follow us over on Instagram to find the code which will be in place until midnight Sunday. I have been joining a large pile of crochet motifs into a big blanket this week. It has been the perfect project to keep me warm as it is definitely getting cooler by the day here in North London. I read a news article recently that said that sales of blankets has soared over the last few weeks and it made me feel very proud to think that my blanket designs might be keeping some of you warm this winter. We have a Sandalwood and Royal Garden blanket at the ready year round in the living room, but I am going to have a root around to pull out a few more so that we can all snuggle up and get cosy. When designing a new project I tend to choose to use yarns that have a wool content as they not only give the yarn a good drape but they also make the blanket warmer. Stylecraft's Life DK has 25% wool content and the fabulous ReCreate DK, which is 100% recycled, has 40% wool. I can't quite believe that I have been invited to tutor a knitting workshop with Stitchtopia in Peru! The workshop went live on the Arena Tours site a couple of weeks ago and there are now just 4 places left, so if you fancy joining me you can follow this link for more information. Peru has the longest continuous history of textile production in the world, going back almost 10,000 years. Invented long before pottery and just as humans started agriculture, Peruvian fibre manipulation began with simple spun fibres but by 500 AD this rudimentary craft had developed into complex techniques. On our travels we’ll explore the processes involved in the production of textiles, including the most characteristic garment, the chullo, a knitted hat with an earflap and a calendar waistband that depicts the annual cycles of ritual and agricultural life, and we'll meet local artisans whose traditions have been passed down through the centuries. I am really excited by the prospect of this incredible trip to Peru, a country that has a rich history of intricate knitting traditions. When we think of Peru we imagine bright colours of lush vegetation, foliage and flowers and the incredible surface pattern of costumes, jewellery and artwork as well as the breathtaking scenery and archaeological sites. I am sure this will be a truly inspirational trip and I am really looking forward to all that we will see and experience on this journey of a lifetime. The video that accompanies Part Six of my Sunshine and Showers blanket pattern will go live on our Youtube channel here over the next few days. The videos for parts one through to six are available for free on my YouTube Channel already. The patterns for each part of the CAL, which are split into 12 pieces, are available for just 95p each with the 'Getting Ready' document available to download for free here. You can find more information about the project by following this link. We managed to send out most of our Sandalwood kits last week, but have a small number left to put together. These will be added to the web site early next week all being well. We have sent another yarn order to Select Yarns in the US and expect another batch of yarn to arrive with us next week. We will try to get the kits in stock next week before we go to the workshop in France, so if you are waiting for a kit please keep checking the website as they are likely to go quickly once they are added to our stock. I love green, leafy vegetables! I think kale, spinach, chard and cabbage are up there in my lists of favourite foods alongside cheese and chocolate, so I was really excited to try this recipe that accompanied our veg box last week. I made this for lunch and cooked it on the hob, but I reckon it would be just as good done in the slow cooker, so will give that a go next time - it really was delicious! I am pleased to be home for the weekend with not many plans after quite a few hectic weeks. Summer has already arrived with her lovely dog, Rocky and we are planning a weekend where we will not be venturing far from home. Tonight we are lining up an evening on the sofa after a rare take away treat from our local Thai restaurant. We will be scouring Netflix for a film perfect to accompany my knitting as I have set myself the challenge of completing a sweater in a month - the same amount of time that it will take participants to complete the Stephen West MKAL. I have started the Orchid Sweater by Georgia Farrell after seeing it on display at Black Sheep Wools a few weeks ago on our way to Blackpool. I have a few crochet pieces to sort out ready for the shoot on Monday and will be scouring around the house for a few props to take along too. I really enjoy shoots and am so looking forward to seeing Emery Walker's House. Please send positive vibes for good weather so that we don't have too much trouble with the light! Next week is a little calmer for me now that my big crochet project is close to being completed. I am looking forward to formulating some new plans ready for the projects I have in mind to work on when I return from France. I really enjoy the buds of new design ideas and adore the early stages of a new design so I am really looking forward to the next few months as we lead up to Christmas. I hope that wherever you are and whatever you have planned, you are heading into a lovely few days over the weekend and into next week too. I will be back in your inbox in a couple of weeks time with a Quick Catch Up email. Sending yarny hugs.. Janie x
We finally have patterns and kits for my Indigo and Crimson Dreams blanket, which originally featured as a crochet along project in Inside Crochet Magazine. You can find kits for both colour ways, Indigo (shown below) and Crimson (shown above) by following this link and the 24 page paper pattern brochure by following this link. Download patterns are available via Etsy and Ravelry. Please note that due to the postal strikes over the forthcoming days, orders will not be dispatched until Tuesday or Wednesday next week. Parcels to customers who request the paper pattern in US terms will have their orders sent towards the end of next week as we are still waiting for patterns in US terms to arrive. You can find more information about this project and all links on the website page here. It was so fantastic to see so many of you at Yarndale at the weekend. It was good to be out in the wild again alongside so many yarny folk and it was fabulous to hear all your crochet stories and to know just how many of you are enjoying working through my designs. We had a really large stand at the show and I am so grateful to my Janie Crow team for the weekend (Sarah, Paul, Charlie and Andy) for their incredible support. We sold lots of patterns and kits and the DellaQ bags and wallets were also incredibly popular. The bags are designed with knitters and crocheters in mind and they include yarn guides, yarn cutters and stitch markers incorporated within the design of the bag. Some of the bags also include pattern pouches and magnetic boards to make crafting on the go even easier. I have a messenger bag that has pretty much become my go-to everyday bag and Sarah is a big fan of her lovely saddle bag. Andy has been through the stock we brought back from the show so our listing on the website is up to date. You can find all the items in the DellaQ range here. You can also see more fabulous images of the range on the DellaQ Instagram page here. As I said in my introduction, it is a strange time here in the UK with so much negative news and it can be hard to see the positive side to life at the mo, but I am trying my hardest to see the silver lining in everything that is going on. One positive thing, for customers in the US and Europe anyway, is that because our pound has taken such a tumble against other currencies this week, our prices look even better value than they did already. With the dollar and the pound pretty much level it might well be a good time for those of you who don't live in the UK to have a good browse of the website. Of course I am hopeful that things are going to get better for our financial market over the forthcoming weeks, but I am painfully aware that many of us are in for a struggle in regards to our energy costs this winter, so I have been having a think about the kind of projects that would make great stash busters so that you can use up some of the yarns you already have without having to invest in anything new. Many of my designs would look great using stash yarns, but here are a few suggestions and links to their hashtags on Instagram so that you can see them made in different colours. Mystical Lanterns - Instagram colour ways here As the evenings start to draw in and we begin to spend more time indoors I am looking forward to spending more time crocheting on the settee. I have a large blanket to put together over the next couple of weeks, so I am hoping that the process of joining the blocks with it all on my lap will be a good way of keeping cosy without having to crank up the heating! The design I am working on will be a crochet along project (with a slight twist) which will start in Inside Crochet Magazine in January - I am looking forward to revealing it to you soon! The video that accompanies Part Five of my Sunshine and Showers blanket pattern is now live on the Youtube channel here. The videos for parts one through to five are available for free on my YouTube Channel. The patterns for each part of the CAL, which are split into 12 pieces, are available for just 95p each with the 'Getting Ready' document available to download for free here. You can find more information about the project by following this link. Some of the boxes that contain the Everyday DK that I have used to make my Sandalwood version of Persian Tiles arrived just as we were walking out the door to travel to Yarndale on Thursday. Unfortunately one shade was missing in the delivery we received and we are still waiting for three boxes of yarn to arrive. As a result there will be a bit of a delay in getting the next batch of kits for this project packed and dispatched. We will be prioritising the kits that were ordered at Yarndale at the weekend and then, hopefully, we will be able to get the rest of our stock on the web site. If you are waiting for a kit please keep checking the website as they are likely to go quickly once they are added to our stock. I am already looking forward to next Thursday (6th October) when I will be taking over the Knit Lounge at London's Knitting & Stitching Show at Ally Pally. I will be showcasing the technique of adding beads to crochet and will have some kits for my beaded decorations in a festive colour way for sale on the day should anyone fancy getting stuck into a bit of crochet with me. I will be on the Stylecraft stand on the Friday and Saturday too. It would be great if you can pop by to say hi if you are visiting on one of those days. Stylecraft will have kits for sale for my Fruit Garden and Indigo Dreams Blankets as well as Mystical Lanterns and Eastern Jewels. I have dug my slow cooker out of the cupboard this week and have already used it to make a scrummy five bean chilli. Slow cookers are so economical to use so I am going to try to use it more over the winter. We have a few 'one pot' type cook books so I am wondering if some of the recipes in them might work in the slow cooker. I have been told that it is possible to do risotto this way too, so I might well give that a go over the next couple of weeks. My Dad makes his rice pudding in his slow cooker and it is always delicious. There is a recipe here on the Slow Cooker Club website if you fancy having a go at making a similar one. My Dad uses milk and not cream and puts cardamon pods in his to give a it a lovely fragrant flavour. This recipe calls for vanilla essence but I think cinnamon or nutmeg would be lovely too. I am going to have a go at cooking some potatoes in the cooker at some point as there are instructions on how to get great jacket spuds on the same website. I am excited to be heading off to Blackpool today to spend the weekend with some yarn loving friends. I have never been to the town before so I am really excited about going. I will try to post some images of my trip on my Instagram feed. Since we got back from our summer break I feel like our feet have hardly touched the ground. With Yarndale last weekend, Blackpool this weekend and The Knitting and Stitching Show next week, I feel like I have been writing constant lists and prepping endlessly. To make me feel a little more in control at this busy time I have marked my next free weekend with a big red cross in my diary with hopes that it will be a relaxing 'homey' couple of days when I will finally get to potter around the garden and do some baking. I love to be busy, especially when it comes to yarny things, but it will be nice to have a slower pace for a few days when the time comes. As usual I would love to hear what you have planned for the weekend. Also - if you have any tips for energy saving recipes or money saving pass times please send them in so that I can share them in my next newsletter. If you fancy a bit of a laugh, then check out Billy Connolly's recollection of the way he kept warm in bed as a child - it's an ancient bit of film, but still funny! I look forward to seeing you here again in a few weeks time. In the mean time keep safe... Janie x
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AuthorWelcome 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! Archives
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