The Janie Crow catalogue is ready!

​Janie's Quick Catch Up

​It is an exciting day here at Janie Crow as I finally get to show you a couple of brand new things, but it has definitely also been a case of less haste more speed for me as I have made a few silly mistakes in my hurry to get all my new 'stuff' on line and ready for you! 

This morning Andy and I sent an email from Just Knots Yarns to say that the brand new Sheepjes Yarn kits for my Royal Garden Blanket Kit are now in stock. Unfortunately, in my excitement, I had listed the price of the kit as far higher than it actually is, so I (thought I had) corrected the price and resent the email, however the price was still incorrect!!! Ugh!

If any of you got that email this morning, please be assured that the price on the web site is correct and the one in the newsletter is not! You can find more information about the Scheepjes kits lower down this email and on the Just Knots web site, but first I want to tell you about the brand new Janie Crow catalogue, which is now live on the web site....
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​Janie Crow Catalogue 2020
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​The word 'excited' is a bit of an understatement in regards to how I feel about the launch of this brand new catalogue. I am so in love with it and so grateful to all the amazingly talented people who made it possible and, of course, I hope that you will like it too!

You can download the catalogue by following this link or clicking on the image below and we are planning to have paper copies for workshops and events when they resume next year.
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​We did the photo shoot for many of the images within the catalogue at an amazing house location in South London back in March - in fact we did it exactly a week before the UK was officially locked down, so memories of the day are very special. 

The images were styled by talented crochet designer Claire Montgomerie and shot by the lovely Leanne Jade. You can find a full list of all the other talented people involved with the project on the back cover of the brochure.

​The catalogue acts as a look book for you to get an idea of how my projects look in home settings, but within it I also tell you the stories behind the inspiration of the designs and give you an insight into my design process. I am beyond proud of how this project turned out and I hope to make this a bench mark for all projects going forwards. I hope you will love it as much as I do.

​Royal Garden Yarn Packs

​I have collaborated with Dutch Yarn company Scheepjes on some new yarn packs for my Royal Garden Blanket Design, which are now ready to dispatch.
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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.
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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
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Covid Conversations and a lovely spot for a holiday!

​I featured the email conversation between myself and Deborah Green in my newsletter last week. A few of you have emailed to say that the link to Deborah's lovely holiday cottages, set within the breath taking scenery of The Scottish Borders, did not work for you, so I have left the information in this week's email too - the links are now correct.
 
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Over the Covid pandemic I have been chatting via email with a lovely lady called Deborah who has been busy renovating some cottages in the Scottish borders. Deborah has kept me up to date with her life's journey over the last few months, like so many of you have, and I feel that within her words Deborah has managed to encapsulate lots of the ups and downs that we have all been going through.

Deborah is happy for me to share the emails here:

27th March 2020....

Janie, thank you (for the newsletter) - A little bit of normality in a crazy world. Please keep going as long as you can so nimble fingered crafters can fill their days.

The unwanted break from my own small business, 3 lovely holiday cottages we've put all our time into doing up over the last three years, has me on the edge of serious worry. All holidays we had booked until the end of May were wiped away overnight on Sunday. It's hard watching your business disappear...

So when it's bad, usually in the middle of the night, I tiptoe downstairs and work my way through joining my circles on your beautiful blanket. It's keeping me this side of sane.....

26th June 2020....

Hello again Janie 

I meant to email you back and thank you for your kind words. It's been a hell of a ride over the last few months but amazingly, almost from nowhere, the First Minister announced this week that holiday cottages can re open on July 3rd. Amazing news!

And we've held on. I'm seeing the time as a profit and loss ledger. The loss side is obvious...No money... all the upkeep. but the profit far outweighs it as by sheer good chance both my boys got back here safe from university and we've had the sheer pleasure of our little family back together again for spring and early summer. I don't know how you quantify that... no money would touch it.
 

We live in the most amazing area, the Scottish borders and have had the priceless treat of walking the landscape every day with our gorgeous failed guide dog, chasing and never catching the wildlife. Sounds cheesy, but we watched salmon jump in the Tweed thanks to the lack of noise and people. Believe me I know how lucky we are.

We've learnt new values and to appreciate what we have now. No money could have given us that. And to value our health. We're so lucky that this vile virus stayed away.

So the profits outweighed the losses. And I finished the blanket. I love it and all it represents.

I'm touched by your offer to feature the cottages in your newsletter. My genius boy has designed a website over the lockdown and you can see the cottages here:
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​It's still a work in progress, but you'll get the general idea.

2nd July 2020....

I've been a bit weepy over the last couple of days now I can finally see the end of this awful lockdown. Then your email arrived and I got weepier... I'm a delight to live with just now! 

Of course you can share my email! I'd have thought the ramblings of my middle aged brain would have a limited appeal, but feel free...

I'm pleased you see the appeal of the Scottish Borders. My grandparents came from here so moving up here four years ago was a bit like coming home. So many people say they've driven through on their way somewhere else and never stopped. It's crazy.

I always think that where we live is like Brigadoon- it appeared from the mist when we needed it most. We lived stressed out busy lives before, a lifestyle that took its toll on us. A mad moment saw us throw caution to the wind, sell up and move. We've honestly never looked back. We can walk to the Tweed in ten minutes, hares hide under my car in the evenings, we have neighbours that care and a landscape that never fails to take your breath away. There's not a lot not to like

And I love my crochet, a skill learned whilst stressing over my old life. Your blankets are divine. I've no idea how you design them, but I'm jolly pleased you do.

I'm debating on what to do next, but filling the time with crocheting a Labrador from the wonderful Edward's Menagerie Dogs. Supposed to be for my sister but my dog keeps eyeing it up!

Thank you again for the interest in the cottages and for keeping my little brain busy with your lovely designs.

Deborah Green
 

It's nearly the Weekend!

​So here we are again on the verge of another weekend and as usual we are beginning to get that lovely Friday feeling - is it just me, or are the weeks passing at an unbelievably fast pace? 
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My fabulous nephew Dan found this little knitted duck when he was out on one of his adventures last weekend. The duck had a label attached that links to The Little Yellow Duck Project - a global initiative highlighting the life-saving random acts of kindness of blood, bone marrow, and organ and tissue donation. Whilst every random act of kindness has the ability to brighten someone’s day, these donations have the ability to literally save or transform someone’s entire life. See the web site here for more information. 

We will probably head out for a couple of walks over the next few days and Andy is very excited by the prospect of a swim at the local leisure centre tomorrow afternoon. It is our Silver Wedding Anniversary next week, so we have arranged for (a socially distanced) lunch together with a very small group of our family on Sunday.
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​Not the big party we had originally planned for, but at least we can celebrate in some way and crack open a bottle of bubbly to honour the fact that 35 years after we first met Andy and I actually still quite like each-other!!!

I hope that wherever you are and whatever you have planned you have a great weekend.

Stay safe and keep well...
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