KnitPro J’Adore Gift Set – Product Review & Giveaway

Disclosure

Let me start by saying, yes, KnitPro asked if I’d be interested in posting about this product in exchange for being able to keep the set. Now, over the last few years, my Instagram following has grown considerably from when I initially set it up to ‘post some random pics’ of the nonsense I do from time to time. And, since reaching over 10,000 followers I’ve been approached by an often bizarre range of companies from sportswear brands (if you’ve seen me you’ll no I’m no athlete) and even more curiously a hair care company who clearly hadn’t noticed that I have no hair. Bless ‘em.

So why did I agree to this marketing collaboration with KnitPro? Because their Zing and Smarstix Interchangeables are my needles of choice, I use them all the time. And, I thought it might be nice to give some of the items away. As my late husband Sam used to say, “sometimes it’s just nice to be nice”. 

Ok so what do I think of the J’Adore Needle Set?

Just in case you’ve never heard of it J’Adore is a special edition gift set of square interchangeable needles. Made of wood and shaped just like the KnitPro Cubics they come in 6 sixes (4.0, 4.5, 5.0, 5.5, 6.0 and 8.0mm) with matt gold connectors that contrast nicely against the lavender colour of the needle tip. Needle sizes are laser printed in both US and Metric on the metal connectors and, just to be doubly sure, again in Metric only on the flat side of the needle tip itself about half inch / 1.5 cm from the base.

Each of the six sets of needle tips are snugly kept in place with elastic on a fabric covered board that pops nicely into the velour case that looks more evening clutch bag than knitting needle storage case. I must admit I’m not a huge fan of purple but this presentation is really eye-catching: the colour of the metal fixings pops nicely against the deep berry tones as do the end stops and heart shaped stitch markers (a combination of gentle pink and rich magenta), and the purple aluminium stitch holder. I know that as a purple lover and the person who taught me to knit, my Mum would absolutely have loved it.

The knitting experience

As someone who’s knitted on round needles for over 40 years, working with square needles takes some adjusting. My usual knitting technique is a hybrid style – I suppose I’d describe myself as a ‘Continental thrower’, that is although right handed, I throw my yarn with my left hand rather than tensioning the yarn over my left finger and picking the yarn through the stitch with the right needle tip. I’ve knitted like this for as long as I can remember. It’s a style that suits me perfectly well, not particularly pretty to watch but relatively quick and it gets the job done. But one thing I’ve noticed is that there are usually little irregularities in my knitted fabric. Slight twists in the row – every so often – that niggle me because I like everything to look ‘perfect’, But, you know what? I’ve come to accept those indiosyncracies as being characteristic of my hand. Oh I should also mention that I’m a dedicated metal needle lover. I like the slipperiness of them, the clicking noise they make and, being me, I like them even more when they come in bright, pretty colours.

So this J’adore set is a real departure for me: not only are they square but they’re also made of wood. And they’re all the same shade of purple. Still, I cast on with an open mind and eager hands.

It’s been said that cube shaped needles are better for arthritic hands but initially I found the square corners of the needles felt…well, odd. This really affected my knitting speed. It felt slow and uncertain. However my hands soon settled into a natural hold with my thumb resting easily on one plane of the square needle and the inner surface of my fingers finding another. It wasn’t long before my work passed easily along the cable then up and along the needles for transforming into one new stitch after another.

When I first opened this set I was a little surprised to find they didn’t come in the same sized increments as my other KnitPro sets. So when Swatch 2 came up noticeably tighter than Swatch 1 I thought I’d go up a size to knit Swatch 3. In this case, that next size is an 8.00 (rather than a 7.00 mm) and the largest size available in any of the KnitPro Cubics ranges. It may sound odd but this 2.00 mm increase in size made me much more aware of the ‘blockiness’ of the needles. 

Here’s a comparison of Swatch 1 (knitted on 6.00mm round KnitPro Zing Interchangeables) and Swatch 2 (knitted on 6.00 square KnitPro J’Adore Interchangeables). As you can see there’s a marked difference in tension between the two swatches, in fact I noticed the fabric felt tighter whilst knitting, after just a couple of rows. After blocking and steaming both samples the fabric of Swatch 2 feels firmer (than Swatch 1) but not too tight. Plus, there are fewer of my usual random twists occurring in the rows. 

Knitting the blue sample (Swatch 3) my tension was noticeably looser than usual, both in terms of the yarn passing through my fingers and how the stitches formed on the needles. The fabric felt laggy and I found it difficult to tighten up, despite pulling tighter on the yarn with each stitch. I couldn’t help feeling that a 7.00 mm might have given the result I was after so I’d be genuinely interested to know why the range skips certain sizes. 

Sliding the stitches along the cable towards the tip of the needle also felt cumbersome with the larger 8.00 mm size. You might imagine that join – where the round threaded metal section meets the wooden tip might be a little like matching a square peg into a round hole, but not so with the smaller sizes. There’s a tiny section of the tip that’s engineered to change smoothly from round to square with little to no snagging – that is except on the larger size. That’s the point where I found my stitches got stuck and I can only imagine this would be worse on anything from 9.00 mm upwards. 

Are square needles comfortable to use? Yes but expect it to take a little time to settle in. 

So would I use these needles again? Yes definitely. 

My current WIP, the Aimée Cardigan designed by Joji Locatelli was chosen as a restorative project, something I didn’t need to think too much about. Instead it’s been started no less than 5 times, simply because I couldn’t get gauge. Not exactly mindless or relaxing. I swatched and swatched, even trying to work with two different sizes of needle tip but in the end (after much frustration) I opted for a 3.75 mm needle and a larger than normal size.  Given the marked effect these needles had on my usual tension during this test, they might have come in handy to help put the (p)leisure back into this current project. 

Now, would you like to win this KnitPro J’Adore Gift Set? You can, by entering this giveaway. Rules, terms and conditions are given below.

To Enter

1. Simply leave a comment below telling me your preferred needle type and why you’d like to win this set. 
2. Follow @jeanettesloan and @knitproeu on Instagram
3. Check out the full range of KnitPro products on the KnitPro website
4. (Optional) You may also want to sign up to my newsletter to keep up to date with my designs and future giveaway. To sign up CLICK HERE

T&Cs

• Giveaway closes midnight (UK time) on April 23rd 2002. 

• The winner will be selected at random and will be announced both here and on my Instagram feed at 9.00 am Tuesday 25th April 2002. 

• Giveaway prize is the KnitPro J’Adore Gift Set shown here in pictures. Prize generously donated by KnitPro EU. No alternative prize or cash alternative available. 

• Prize has been tested and used in a home with a very friendly cat. (Just so you know).

Good luck!

J x

Teaching at West Dean College

I’m very excited to share that on the weekend of 4th – 6th March I’ll be teaching my first weekend course at West Dean College. 

Located just up the road from me, near the city of Chichester, West Dean or to use it’s full name, West Dean College of Arts and Conservation is part of The Edward James Foundation. A registered charity comprising of West Dean Gardens, West Dean Estate and West Dean Tapestry Studio.

The college is renowned for being a centre of excellence and through its tireless work aims “To inspire creativity, champion traditional art and craft practices and advance the care of heritage objects.”

In addition to full time degrees and diplomas in subjects such as horology, fine art, tapestry weaving and building conservation, the college offers a number of short courses covering a broad range of disciplines. Held over a weekend, from Friday night to Sunday lunchtime these short courses enable students to fully immerse themselves in a creative subject. And, because students stay overnight in the college’s own accomodation there’s plenty of time to learn while experiencing the history and magic of this unique building where both art and craft skills are nurtured and honoured.

As you know from my Knit Stars Beaded Colourwork Masterclass I love anything bead focused but this class is diferent as it’s aimed at those at the start of their bead-knitting journey. That means all you need is a good knowledge of knit and purl plus of course, lots of enthusiasm. We’ll be working from charts but don’t worry if you haven’t used charts before, I’ll cover that along with lots of other techniques and tips. In fact I’ll have you beading like a pro before you know it. 

Visit the West Dean College website for lots more information and to book your place. I really hope to see you there. 

J x

Waltham Abbey Wool Show – goodies revealed

I know it’s been a few weeks since I opened Waltham Abbey Wool Show but it’s never too late to have a good old nosey at what I brought home. So enjoy!

The day started with my main duty as VIP, cutting the ribbon to open the show at 10.00am. Here I am with the lady Mayor of Waltham Abbey, Jodie Lucas – both of us desperately trying not to be upstaged by the show’s sheep mascot.

As you can see there was no shortage of yarn inspiration

I’m not easily tempted at yarn shows however this time I was shopping with purpose; gift hunting for a close friend who’s a talented colourwork knitter. There’s something particularly satisfying about buying with someone else in mind and imagining the reaction when they’re finally unwrapped.

It was great to finally meet Lydia and Hannah of indie dye brand Weku Yarn and to re-connect with Marcia of online yarn shop Yarnsulike who stocks a fascinating range of vegan, eco- friendly and sustainable yarns.

One of my other duties as VIP was to judge the crocheted toy competition. There was so much talent on show that it wasn’t easy. Here I am with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize winners.

Lastly here’s my haul. Starting clockwise from at top left;

Fab stationery from Julie Tilly Flop

Laser cut birch coasters from Under The Olive Tree Knits

Shea butter crafters balm from The Lonely Knitter

A ball of Bica by Rosarios 4 from Yarnsulike. This yarn is made from sugar cane! Yep I know, my mind was blown too. To find out where Marcia will be selling next follow Yarnsulike on Instagram

Ceramic mug by Emily Cross

Here’s to a year where we can finally get back to enjoying in-person events – Covid permitting of course. Stay safe and well. Next show for me is Unravel next week. Maybe I’ll see you there,

J x

New beginnings

It feels like so long since I wrote a blog post that I’m honestly not sure where to start. If you regularly follow my posts you’ll know the last few months have been extremely difficult as I adjust to a strange new life without my husband Sam. And like many of us, my body and brain are so hardwired to be constantly on the go that it feels strange not to be working on a new design, updating the BIPOC in Fiber directory or writing a column for Laine Magazine.

I’m learning to accept this strangeness as part of my journey of grief into a new phase of my life. One that still isn’t clear to me as yet and, will no doubt take a while to reveal itself. I’ve come to accept that one day will be better (I’m not quite ready to describe those days as ‘good’) and others will seem unbearable. And, I’ve learned from my daily mindfulness practice that however intense those emotions feel, they are transient. Something that’s particularly important when the days aren’t so good. On those days I snuggle up with Mum’s blankie, the cat and if I’m up to it, some knitting. If not I’ll rest and hope the next day is a better one.

Over the new few months I’ll continue to do this and whatever else I need to look after myself. It means I may be quiet but I won’t have gone away. When I treated myself this above 2022 diary from Papier.com I wanted something that would be joyful, both to look at and to use. I aim to fill it with activities that will nourish my brain, heart and body; be that self care, crafting/making, gardening, reading, walking along the seafront or journalling. And, while I’m not taking on any new work projects for the foreseeable future I’m looking forward to fulfilling work commitments arranged over the last year. The first of these is opening this Sunday’s Waltham Abbey Wool Show (WAWS).

Doris, the Waltham Abbey Wool Show mascot

Having attended the very first WAWS as a vendor I opened last year’s online event and am genuinely excited (and more than a little nervous) to be opening this weekend’s show. As their VIP guest – God bless them, me, a VIP – I’ll be judging the Handmade Toy Competition and having a wander around the show before returning to my stand where I’ll be selling copies of Warm Hands alongside some must-have BIPOC in Fiber merchandise. BIPOC in Fiber is still very much alive but as I hope you’ll understand I need to take time out in order to come back with some semblance of strength.

So if you’re coming to the show on Sunday please come up and say hi. I’m happy to sign your copy of Warm Hands, talk about BIPOC in Fiber, see what you’re making or what you’ve bought. I know it’s been a while since we were able to mingle in-person but the show’s organisers, Kate Towerzey & Diana Bensted are doing all they can to make the event as safe as possible and I plan on doing my Covid lateral flow test beforehand. The show takes place at the Waltham Abbey Marriott Hotel and opens when I cut the (pink) ribbon at 10.00am. To find out more visit the Waltham Abbey Wool Show website.

Look forward to seeing you there,

J x

Balls

Thanks to Molly Plummer The Mimo Yarn Co for these handmade dryer balls, I look forward to trying them out.
•
Looking at them I realised how accurately they sum up my feelings towards this festive season.
Because two weeks today I will be experiencing my first Christmas without Sam. The first in 22 years.

Thankfully I won’t be alone (Omicron permitting) but of course it won’t be the same without him, how could it be?
•
So why post a picture of balls on my feed? Because that’s how I feel about Christmas cards this year. Each one is a reminder that as a recently widowed woman, I am without my life partner.

So please, no Christmas cards.

If you want me to know your thinking of me, ring.

If I have the emotional energy I’ll answer.

If I don’t, leave a voicemail.

Give the money you would have spent on a card and postage to a charity – at Sam’s funeral we asked people to donate to Men Walk Talk instead of sending flowers. They need the money more than I need a card.

#dealingwithbereavement #dealingwithgrief

Solace cushion

Solace – in two versions

As you know it’s been a very difficult couple of months, but today the sun is shining and the sky is a cheery shade of blue.

I’m learning to take it one day at a time and while I’m certainly not back at my desk full time I’m popping in to write a quick post about the exclusive design I created to accompany my Knit Stars Season 6 Beaded Colourwork Masterclass. 

I’ve partnered with UK indie dyer Leila Bux of The Urban Purl to create an exclusive design that marries Leila’s exquisite eye for colour with my love of knitted bling. And given that we’ve all spent much more time in our homes over the last year I thought it would be nice to design a cushion that will bring a touch of glamour to your home. The name felt appropriate as I hope solace is precisely what it will bring to everyone who chooses to make it while the various techniques used really embrace the beauty of Beaded Colourwork. What’s more, it was a great way to collaborate with a hugely talented friend as I’ve been a longtime fan of Leila’s unique speckled colourways.

The pattern is only available as part of the Knit Stars Beaded Colourwork class handouts. So just to clarify, it won’t be available through any other platform or my Ravelry Pattern Store. Once you’ve completed the Masterclass you’re all set to cast on and bling your way to your own version of Solace.

Solace knitted in The Urban Purl Sporty

This delicious ‘Saquarra’ colourway is exclusive to Knit Stars and as it’s now sold out I thought you’d like to see how it looks in an alternate, commercially dyed, solid coloured yarn. The effect is perhaps more subtle but certainly just as beautiful and it’s a great example of how well the design works when you tweak the colours to suit different tastes.

Solace in knitting in Cascade 2020 Sport

This new sample is knitted in 220 Superwash Sport by Cascade Yarns. 

I’d like to say a huge thank you to endlessly thoughtful friends like fellow Knit Star Felix Ford aka Knitsonik who took photos of the Solace cushion, and Kate Davies and the team at Kate Davies Designs who liaised with Felix to test knit and finalise the pattern at what is still a very emotional and exhausting time for me. I appreciate it more than you can imagine.❤️❤️❤️

There’s still time to sign up for Knit Stars Season 6 but enrolment closes at midnight 4th November.

If you visit my website and sign up to my newsletter before midnight today 3rd November (UK time) you ‘ll get a special subscriber discount code to get $30 discount on Knit Stars Season 6. But be quick, enrolment closes November 4th.

Visit the Knit Stars website to sign up now.

In the meantime, stay well and happy knitting,

J x

Strong?

 

Just over a week ago, I said a formal goodbye to my husband, Sam. As I hoped, it was a large, emotionally charged gathering of friends and family from throughout Sam’s life; both before me and our life together.  

For everyone present, whether in-person or virtually, he meant something special because Sam was someone special. And it’s why I wanted his funeral to celebrate the wonderfully warm, generous and loving man he was, longing for the love to reach him wherever he is and show him what he meant – means – to us all. To celebrate the uniquely compassionate, funny, talented and clever man he was. 

Time after time, throughout that long day, people kept telling me how brave I was to speak about the man I had loved for nearly half my life. 

How strong I was. 

How incredible. 

Strong, brave and incredible aren’t adjectives I use to describe myself. I’m simply a human, touched by yet another loss of someone I loved with all my heart. 

I’m just trying to put one foot in front of the other. 

My life has to go on. 

I have no other choice. 

For the many years, my life was touched by his deep, unconditional love; Sam supported me through the best and the worst of times. 

His love encouraged me in everything I did. 

He inspired me to show love and kindness to everyone I met. 

He and his love willed me to do, and be, better.  

As I know from losing Mum less than a year ago, these are very early days in what is now my new life without him. Without them both. And, as a close friend – herself recently widowed – reminded me, grief is a dark bitch. One that sneaks up on you when you’re least expecting it. Hijacking a day that started in sunshine, sending you back to your bed to curl up in pain to cry.

And cry.

And cry. 

So I have to remember the toll all this is taking on every cell of my being. 

To allow the feelings to come, both good and bad. 

To be mindful that, as this long road has only just begun, it’s important to laugh when I can and cry when I must. 

Because each new day is another towards learning to live with loss. 

I can only hope and believe that healing will follow. 

In praise of a manky fingernail

Post for #thepattinrepeatgame based on a photo taken while waiting in the hospital

If you follow me on Instagram, where I’m @jeanettesloan, you may have noticed my recent post about having to take a break from knitting. I posted a cryptic hint which accompanied one of my posts for #thepattinrepeatgame, promising a longer, explanatory post in the future. Well, today, I can happily explain it all.

Like many dark-skinned people, I have a couple of nails on both my hands and feet with slightly dark vertical lines running from cuticle to tip. It looks a bit like very fine pinstripes. In my case, I was accustomed to these markings because, being very much like my late Mum, I was used to seeing them on her toes and the fingers of her precious creative hands. But around two years ago, the nail on my right index finger began darkening, not from the cuticle downwards but the inner side of the finger and moving across the nail. I hadn’t hit or damaged it in any way and what was even more concerning was that it began with a very definite dark line. Now I know what you’re going to say, I shouldn’t have turned to Dr Google for advice, but that’s precisely what I did, wanting to find out if I should or shouldn’t be worried.

I learned about a relatively rare condition called subungual melanoma or cancer of the nail bed. And, given my body’s tendency to produce tumours (remember, I have a history of Hodgkin’s lymphoma, breast cancer and meningiomas), I decided the most sensible thing would be to visit my GP and ask for a referral to a dermatologist.

Fortunately I live in the UK, where the free healthcare delivered by our beloved NHS means I can see a GP within a matter of days and get referred to a dermatologist within weeks. At my first dermatology appointment, I was seen and told there was no need to worry. Or so I thought. Over the next year or so, I watched as the discolouration crept across my finger, and as it grew, the nail developed vertical weaknesses, which caused it to split. I dealt with it by keeping it short and painting my nails with brightly coloured nail varnish when teaching or shooting tutorials for work. Such was the embarrassment of the manky fingernail. I hated it and the worry the ever-darkening state was causing me. So I went back to my GP and asked for another dermatology referral, this time to someone who had seen it in dark skinned patients.

Again the consultant assured me that it was nothing to worry about for ‘people like you with dark skins’. But having previously Googled again (yes, I know), this time using the search term ‘subungual melanoma in dark or non-white skins’, the results were pretty minimal. Most of the available images showed how the condition presents in white skin, so therefore not valid for a pretty hefty percentage of the world’s population. And, well-meaning as my (white) consultant was when she tried to re-assure me, she only decided to refer me for a biopsy when I told her about my health history. And that’s where the two-week knitting break comes into play.

Before I go any further, if you’re squeamish or sensitive, do not, for heaven’s sake, scroll down to the pictures below or Google ‘nail biopsy’ – it’s as unpleasant as it sounds. Just get yourself to the doctor. I was so worked up at the thought of a nail bed cancer diagnosis that I went on to research ‘prosthetic fingers’, tried knitting without using the finger and imagined how I’d continue to work as a right-handed knitwear designer if I had to lose my right index finger – yep, my brain had already gone there.

Come the day of the procedure; I was almost physically sick with nerves. But after a quick mindfulness session in the waiting room, I was met by a lovely nurse called Melissa, who led me into the treatment room. My entire nail was removed under local anaesthetic by my surgeon, Mr Paul Drake, and I was distracted by lots of good knitting chat as Melissa, Jackie, a third nurse (Amanda, I think?) and Mr Drake’s wife are all avid knitters. The procedure was much less painful than I’d imagined, and today I received confirmation that the biopsy shows no evidence of melanoma. It will take about three months for the nail to regrow, but I can keep my manky finger, nail and all. Hooray!

So why have I written this long and rambling blog post? Because when I had pre-biopsy photographs taken, I gave consent for my images to be used in medical journals and / or a teaching setting. I told both the photographer and the dermatologist how difficult it had been to find references that featured non-white skins and learned that despite it being 2021, most of the images found in medical journals are still of white-skinned patients. Since my biopsy showed no sign of subungual melanoma, I’ve no idea what will happen with the images or whether or not they’ll be of use to the medical profession. But I hope this post will help the next non-white person who – like me – wants to know what they may be facing. To understand what is and isn’t normal for them since they may not have access to a GP or a healthcare system like the NHS. The above images show my nail before the biopsy and below you can see how it looks now. Not pretty is it?

Ugly – but cancer free!

It’s just under two weeks since my biopsy, and though my finger may look like a truck has run over it, it’s not too painful, and what’s more, I’m able to knit! So once again, thank you to our amazing NHS and, in particular, the staff of the Dermatology Department at Brighton General Hospital. Unfortunately the NHS website doesn’t have information on this specific type of melanoma – I guess that shows how rare it is – but you can find out more by doing your own online research, or better still contact your own GP. Stay well. 

J x 

MDK Skill Set: Beginning Knitting

A couple of weeks ago I received a copy of Skill Set: Beginning Knitting, the new publication from my good friends Ann Shayne and Kay Gardiner at Modern Daily Knitting.  

Full of creativity and curiosity, this book is aimed at ‘innocent-as-a-newborn-baby’ knitters and has a tone that’s as warm and welcoming as it’s authors. Confused about what needles to use? What the heck is Worsted yarn? What one earth do I do with a skein? No need to stress because Ann and Kay gently guide you through everything you need to know. So whether you’ve tried knitting and abandoned it through frustration or never knitted a single stitch, everyone is instantly welcomed into the knitter’s world, led carefully by the ladies of MDK. 

What’s really encouraging is that despite their 40 years combined knitting knowledge, in this book they’ve put themselves in the position of a newbie knitter. Each of the 9 lessons gently guides the reader through what they need to know, and when they need to know it. Starting as ever with Lesson 1, The Knit Stitch (via Supplies, Casting On and Casting Off) then progressing onto purl (Lesson 2), along the way pointing out how the two combine to form ribs and exactly how stitches are correctly oriented on the needles. 

If this is enough of a challenge for you, then as MDK rightly point out, there are plenty of project options available to you in the form of scarves, cowls and blankets. But for those wanting to venture further and broaden their skills, increasing and decreasing are covered in Lesson 3, Basic Shaping.

Next comes Lesson 4, Knitting In The Round, and why you would want to – think sleeves, socks, hats, gloves and mittens just for starters – followed by fancy stuff like basic lace and cables in Lesson 5.

Basic Colourwork is covered in Lesson 6, from stripes – yes that is a form of simple colourwork – to the more advanced stranded techniques and intarsia. Lesson 7 guides you through Finishing; from sewing in ends and joining seams to blocking your work and Lesson 8 explains how to read a pattern, some common abbreviations and demystifies the barrage of information found on a yarn label.

There’s also advice on how to create your own knit kit essentials plus what to do in the event of a mistake and let’s face it, however many years you’ve been knitting, we all still make those. Lastly, Lesson 9 deals with Fixing Mistakes so whether it’s picking up a dropped stitch from one or four rows down, ripping back a few rows or unknitting a whole section it’s all clearly explained in Skill Set. 

What’s more, alongside this cute wee book which is designed to slip easily into your handbag or project bag there’s also the Skill Set App. Available for both Apple and Android phones it contains videos for all the included techniques with the option for slow motion replay. How good is that?! It’s like having a miniature version of Ann or Kay in your pocket, and who wouldn’t want that? 

This book is intended to build your crafting confidence and when you’ve done that, Ann and Kay would like you to pass it on, so the next knitter can use it to hone their knitting skills. I’m gifting this copy to my good friend Katie whose knitting is gradually coming along because I know she’ll refer to it – when she can’t get me on a WhatsApp call. 

Skill Set isn’t available from my website but you will find it – alongside with lots of other goodies on the MDK website and also over in the Arnall-Culliford Knitwear Online Shop.

Ann and Kay, thanks for bringing even more MDK joy to our fibre world, this book is a gem. Still like the idea of having each of you in my pocket though…….

J x

Yarningham needs your support

Sara Fowles and Helen Winnicott from Yarningham

A few months back I had the pleasure of interviewing two of the organisers of Yarningham festival for Laine magazine. For those who don’t know, Yarningham is the UK’s only Black-led fibre festival and it takes place annually in the heart of The Midlands, in Birmingham, England’s second biggest city.

The team behind this fabulous event is made up of Sara Fowles, Venetia Headlam and mother and daughter, Helen and Lilith Winnicott. Now as you’ll have noticed I said, it takes place annually. And it does – in normal circumstances. But of course the last year has been anything BUT normal and last year’s event was cancelled due to Covid.

So this year, like many other events, Yarningham will be making the switch from an in-person to an online show but that’s where the similarities end. They’ve always followed their own path, which is what makes the show unique. That, and the fact that as I mentioned, they’re the only fibre fixture organised by a team that includes two black women. So what can you expect from a virtual Yarningham? The unexpected of course!

There’s a Marketplace packed with droolworthy yarns, must-knit patterns and notions galore; some vendors you may know, others you definitely won’t have heard of. But that’s another thing that makes this show special. Each year they pride themselves on finding vendors who are brand new to the scene, so there’s always a new offering instead of the same old faces in exactly the same places. There are also lots of Yarningham Online Exclusive products, created especially for this event. So don’t worry, you won’t find them available anywhere else and exhibitors will be around during Q & A Sessions, if you have any questions about exactly whats on offer. Last but definitely NOT least there’s Yarningham Bingo. And as if Bingo itself wasn’t a good enough reason to go this year, their very Special Guest Caller is none other than Stephen West. See, I told you they had their own way of doing things! CLICK HERE to buy your Yarningham Bingo ticket.

The logo for Yarn + Stitch magazine

Now before I go there’s one other very important thing you need to know. Yarningham are looking to raise money for a one-off print publication to celebrate this year’s show. 

Called Yarn + Stitch the magazine will feature lots of specially commissioned content including contemporary knitting & crochet patterns, exclusive articles, Midlands-maker spotlights plus festival mascots, the alpacas Boris & Donald (not Johnson and Trump, these are much cuter) in their debut comic strip adventure.

Confirmed Contributors to Yarn + Stitch Include:

Apoorva Designs, Carissa Dickerson, Scott – Crystal Yarn, Deborette Clarke, Rachel – Flyydyed, Gaye Glasspie, Gurinder Hatchard, Imogen Morris, Jackie Cassidy, James Chandler, Noriko Ho, Ruth Green, Sandra Gutierrez,  Sylvia Watts-Cherry… oh and yours truly (me).

The team have started a Kickstarter campaign to raise the funds needed to produce the magazine. This ensures everyone involved in the publication is paid fairly for their work. This is going to be very special magazine but they need YOUR help to make it happen so, if we really want a fibre industry that reflects and includes everyone, we need to help Yarningham reach its target.

The campaign runs until 12th July, 2021.

Let’s make Yarn + Stitch happen! CLICK HERE TO DONATE

 

#Yarningham #Yarningham2021 #YarninghamKickstarter #YarnStitch #YarninghamMagazine