Row@n May 2016 eNewsletter

May 2016
January 2012 - 1

Iburi
by Lisa Richardson
using Panama
Knitting & Crochet Magazine 59
2 -May 2016

CONTENTS
Welcome Letter 4
Monthly Free Pattern 5
Wilder by Kim Hargreaves 6
Franklins Celebrating 60 years 8
Yarn in the Spotlight 11
Little Rowan Blossom by Linda Whaley 12
Martin Storey Knit Along 2016 14
Debbie Abrahams’ 2016 Mystery Cushion Club 16
May 2016 - 3

Hello and welcome to the May
eNewsletter!
This month, we bring you news of a brand new brochure as part of our Little Rowan
collections, Blossom by Linda Whaley - coming soon. We also take a look at the
new book from Kim Hargreaves and meet UK retailer Franklins, who are currently
celebrating their 60 th anniversary.
We also talk about the slip stitch technique and round up the latest news from the
Martin Storey Knit Along 2016.
We hope you enjoy your new issue!
The Rowan team
Front Cover:
Mie
by Lisa Richardson
Pure Linen & Kidsilk Haze
Knitting & Crochet
Magazine 59
Click on the symbol
where it appears for a link to
further information
Keep in touch with us on
social media…
4 -May 2016

EXCLUSIVE
Wiveton
by Sarah Hatton
Wool Cotton
DOWNLOAD
For this and hundreds of
FREE patterns exclusive to
members,
click the button below:
May 2016 - 5

R O W A N Loves…
WILDER
21 Designs By Kim Hargreaves
Feel the calm of a spring breeze and the
gentle warmth of soft sunlight. Mother
Nature provides the perfect backdrop
where chic understated pieces sit
alongside frills and fringing, whilst
fluid fabrics and cinched-in silhouettes
create a strong, feminine style.
Song
by Kim Hargreaves
using Softyak DK
Lake
by Kim Hargreaves
using Cotton Lustre
6 -May 2016

Wilder
by Kim Hargreaves
using Panama
May 2016 - 7

8 -May 2016

We hear from Franklins about their
60th Anniversary
To celebrate our exciting 60 th anniversary this year, we have designed a new bag
featuring two designs; a sewing machine on one side and a lady knitting on the
other. This has caused much discussion amongst our customers. Some point
to what the female standing behind the sewing machine must really be thinking,
whilst the vintage feel to both designs is well loved.
We have also launched our very own Facebook page, with excellent results. We’ve
had brilliant feedback through our posting of events, promotions, and ideas, with one
such posting generating 111,000 hits. So take a look, by clicking on the Facebook
link on our website.
We take great pleasure in our customers gleefully showing us their creations. These,
too, are a great source of inspiration and so many are posted on our Facebook page.
Likewise, we have classrooms that are located in 3 of our 5 shops – Colchester,
Chelmsford and Salisbury – with a variety of subjects including knitting, dressmaking,
patchwork and creative machine embroidery being taught, with results, also, posted
on our Facebook page.
Why not take a look at what we have to offer
by discovering what classes are available
on our website – www.franklinsgroup.com.
Enticing our customer online is important,
but so too is what you see from the outside
of our stores. We are dedicated to making
our promotions quirky and different each
time. We have an excellent window dresser
who is fantastic at putting together some of
our more crazy ideas into the most amazing
displays.
This season, we are supporting Rowan
Knitting and Crochet Magazine 59 and the
new Softyak yarn. The magazine features
beautiful photography and the stunning
Norfolk coastline, not far from where we’re
May 2016 - 9

situated! We also feel that the Kyoto story is one of the most feminine and splendid
features we have seen for some time.
All of our branches carry wool, sewing machines, fabric, and threads. They can be
found at:
13/15 St Botolphs Street,
Colcheste,
CO2 7DU.
Tel: 01206 574758
201 Moulsham Street,
Chelmsford,
CM2 0LG.
Tel: 01245 346300
222 High Street,
Dovercourt,
CO12 3PF.
Tel: 01255 502533
1-3 St Matthews Street,
Ipswich,
IP1 3EL.
Tel: 01473 254276
41 Fisherton Street,
Salisbury,
Wilts,
SP2 7SU.
Tel: 01722554466
We look forward to seeing you in one
soon.
FRANKLINS
GROUP
10 -May 2016

Yarn in the Spotlight…
Baby Merino Silk DK
This month, we take a look at our versatile blend of 66% wool & 34% silk,
made from merino superwash wool and tussah silk. Twenty shades range
from sugar sweet Candy to vivid Emerald and rich Aubergine. The yarn
is perfect for baby, children and adult designs alike and boasts an aptly
comprehensive colour palette.
Pebble
690
Straw
671
Snowdrop
670
Dawn
672
Zinc
681
Shell Pink
674
Candy
695
Rose
678
Frosty
694
Aubergine
701
Cloud
693
Teal
677
Deep
682
Iceberg
699
Emerald
685
Leaf
692
Goldilocks
691
Cantaluope
686
Strawberry
687
Bluebird
684
May 2016 - 11

Blossom
by Linda Whaley
Playful and full of imagination,
Blossom is a sweet collection of
fifteen designs for girls aged three
to seven years by Linda Whaley.
Designs are pretty and versatile and
range from eye-catching cardigans
to a fun bag design and an heirloom
blanket.
12 -May 2016

Coming Soon
Flora
by Linda Whaley
using Wool Cotton DK
Bluebell
by Linda Whaley
using Wool Cotton 4ply
May 2016 - 13

Martin Storey
Knit Along 2016
We are now nearing the end of our fabulous
2016 Knit Along with Martin Storey. We have
massively enjoyed seeing updates on all of
our participants’ progress over the weeks
since its launch in January and we are very
much looking forward to seeing finished
results!
Don’t miss out on our very special competition
– coming soon – and of course our exclusive
closing interview video with Martin Storey.
Slip Stitch Technique
Slip Stitch is a technique we have celebrated in three of our eight Knit
Along 2016 squares and, if it is new to you, you may want to find out a little
bit more about it.
Slip Stitch refers to several different knitting techniques which use the slip
stitch to achieve their chosen effect; extra long stitches, carrying over
colours and multiple fabric effects.
Slip stitches can be used as an easier method of colourwork, where only
one colour needs to be handled at one time. We have created a useful
tutorial featuring the wonderful Martin Storey, who explains in detail how
you can achieve wonderful effects using this technique.
Link to tutorial
VIEW
TUTORIAL
14 -May 2016

May 2016 - 15

Debbie Abrahams’
2016 Mystery Cushion Club
If you fancy joining Debbie Abrahams on a mystery knitting adventure, then you might
want to consider joining her brand new 2016 Mystery Cushion Club. This will be
Debbie’s sixth Cushion Club, and she hopes you will be as excited as she is about
her new project:
“I love the challenge of a new design, and the Mystery Cushion is a lovely small project
into which I can pour all my passion for colour, stitch texture and embellishment. This
year’s project uses two of Rowan’s most beautiful wool yarns, Superfine Merino DK
and Wool Cotton DK. I have chosen a vibrant colour palette which combines shades
of bright pink, red, teal, lime and orange with deep charcoal grey and soft cream. The
theme is of course a Mystery, but I always take inspiration for the Mystery Cushion
from a current Spring/Summer trend. The design mixes bright intarsia motifs with a
variety of stitch textures, and there are plenty of Debbie Abrahams beads in it too,
just to add that essential sparkle! If you have never joined my Mystery Blanket Club
before, but are curious about my Mystery Clubs, then the Mystery Cushion is a great
way to try out my designs in a small project that is achievable and enjoyable to do. It
gives you the opportunity as well to try out various knitting techniques, some of which
you may have never tried before. I write a monthly blog and there are plenty of handy
tips and advice in my patterns to help you if you get stuck. And you can email me too
if you have a question at any point during the project – I always love to hear from my
Mystery Cushion members!”
You can purchase a membership for Debbie’s Mystery Cushion Club in the online
shop on her website: www.debbieabrahams.com. There are a selection of different
packages to choose from, and you can join the Club wherever you live – there are
packages for UK, Europe and the World. However, there are limited places in the
Club and once all of the memberships have sold, Debbie will close the Club and
nobody else will be able to join. So if you fancy taking part in Debbie’s new knitting
adventure, it is advisable to secure your membership as soon as possible to avoid
disappointment.
2016 Mystery Blanket Club members are entitled to a 10% discount on the price
of their Mystery Cushion membership. If you are a current Mystery Blanket Club
member you need to input the code MC160301 in the coupon box at checkout
and your discount will be processed. (Please be aware that the discount only gets
applied at the point of payment and not when you tap in the code and press update).
16 -May 2016

Stockists
To find your local stockist view our
store locator at www.knitrowan.com by
clicking the button below
STOCKISTS
Workshops
To view a full list of workshop dates
visit www.knitrowan.com by clicking the
button below
WORKSHOPS
All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or any part of all material, including illustrations and designs, in this publication/
pattern is strictly forbidden and is sold on the condition that it is used for non commercial purposes.
No part may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, electrostatic,
magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior permission of the copyright owners having
been given in writing. Yarn quantities are approximate and are based on average requirements. Images and shades are for guidance only as colours
may not display accurately on screen or in printed format. Contact your local stockist to view a fringed (not digital reproduction) yarn shade card.
© Copyright MEZ Crafts UK Ltd., 2016.
MEZ Crafts UK Ltd., 17F, Brooke’s Mill, Armitage Bridge, Huddersfield, HD4 7NR, Web: www.knitrowan.com
May 2016 - 17

Berni
by Linda Whaley
using Summerlite DK
Little Rowan Cherish