Quick Catch Up with Janie Crow

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