Changes Afoot..........

.............it's going to be goodbye fyberknitics and hello Donna Jones Designs.

You'll be seeing some big changes to my website over the next few weeks as I have taken the bold decision to change the name and have a bit of a face lift! After quite a bit of thought I really think its time to lose the name fyberknitics which I've had for many years, and to run instead with the more personal Donna Jones Designs - if nothing else it's easier for people to spell :-) The new web address is donnajonesdesigns.co.uk, but don't worry, the old web address will still apply during (and for a good while after) the change to the new one.

So don't be surprised to see some odd things happening on the site and across my social media platforms as the changes happen and evolve over the forthcoming weeks. Please do be reassured though that these changes are merely cosmetic and will not affect any of the workshops or services I currently provide - I am definitely here to stay but, thinking for the longer term, I just need to make these changes which will improve the appearance and usability of the website etc.

Thanks in advance for sticking with me during this transition.

Smith & Jones knitting book, Elements, has gone to the printers

As some of you will be aware I have been collaborating with knit designer Alison Crowther-Smith  over the last year to produce and independently publish our new knitting book Elements. It was only last May when Alison & I were doing a workshop together at Swansea and  we had the first inkling of doing a book together. Over the summer our seed of an idea began to take shape and we had decided on a theme and design board for the book, and after a very intensive 11 months or so we have now just had our book sent to print - Hoorah! Here's the front cover - I can't tell you how exciting it is to see our ideas materialise in this way.

It's been a very steep and exciting learning curve, on which I will reflect more in further posts, and a wonderful experience to work with some very talented creatives such as Sarah Hatton and Emma Chapman. We're really delighted with the outcome and hope you will be too. We have also been busy behind the scenes building a designated website - smithandjonesknits.com - which we will continue to develop over forthcoming weeks so be sure to drop buy regularly for news, events and updates. Elements will be available from Rowan Stockists and our website from the beginning of Oct, and on Fri 25th September there will be a preview event at Swansea Bay Yarns, 6-8pm. In the mean time look out for sneaky peeks of the projects and news of the chance to win a copy of Elements on the Smith & Jones Knits blog and our other social media hangouts including Pinterest and our Facebook page.

6 tips for writing your own knitting patterns

If you have been knitting for a while, you may be hankering to branch out a bit and make some of your own designs, or you may already be designing your own items but without  writing them up. This is fine, but what if later your best friend sees and falls in love with your wonderful creation and wants one of their very own? You’d love to make one or enable her (or indeed him) to knit one up, but you would now be a bit hard pushed to remember how it was made. If you just want to make the design for you and your friends, then you won't need to worry too much about how well written it is, so long as it works for you. However, you may think that others are going to love to knit your fab design too, and with the convenience of internet at our fingertips these days, it is easy enough to list your patterns for sale on places like Ravelry or Etsy. You are unlikely to get rich quick by doing so, but it is a real thrill when people like your design enough to purchase it, and to think that somewhere out there in the world a number of you designs are roaming around.

A word of caution though, as it is so easy to get your stuff out there you will find that, as well as a pile of absolute gems there is also unfortunately a pretty big pile of stuff out there that is, well......not so gem-like . So make sure your contribution is of the best quality it can be before sending it out there so it is adding to the right pile. Here are my 6 top tips for doing just that.

#1Start small!

If this is your first foray into making your own patterns, start with something relatively simple like a cushion or accessory - for the love of your mental health (and that of those around you) don't fly straight into writing a multi-sized raglan cardigan! Better to create a well-crafted simple pattern than make a hash of something more complex - you can build up to more complex items as your skills develop.

#2 Establish style and layout

Although there are a number of strong conventions for pattern writing, there is no single standard way of laying out or writing patterns. The aim though is to produce a concise set of directions that are clear to follow and expressed consistently. So firstly you need to make some decisions about how you want to set up your pattern. To get started on this, look at patterns you particularly like the look of and consider how they are laid out.  Decide on which abbreviations and phrases you like to use best and compile  this all into a template, or what is often called a 'style sheet', so you can remember which options you have chosen and keep it for reference. In general a good pattern should be set out in a logical order and include additional information about:

• size
• yarn
• needles,
• other
• tension
• abbreviations
• pattern notes
• charts and/or schematics (where appropriate)

#2 Write a draft of the pattern out before you start making it

Otherwise it is like taking a journey in the car without having a map or clear idea of where you are going. It is possible to do this the other way around (i.e.   make it first, then write it up afterwards) but if doing so you must be very disciplined and ensure  take extremely clear and careful notes as you go.  I personally think it is actually more difficult to do this way around, though of course we are all different and some folks would disagree.
Design software or Excel spread sheets can be helpful for producing charts or working on multiple sizes, but are not essential, particularly for smaller, one size items. If you are using design software though, use caution and check any instructions produced very carefully - they will rarely be satisfactory as they are  and you will need to make adjustments - the instructions need to flow and make sense to humans, not computers :-).

#3 Keep an accurate record of quantities used

This is easy to forget but extremely important. You can measure quantities in terms of either weight or length.  I find it easiest to measure by  weight in grams on electronic food scales. It is good practice to weigh, and most importantly RECORD, each ball without the ball band before you start knitting, and then any unused yarn. This will enable you to calculate exactly how much yarn you used, and then add 10-15 % allowance and round up to balls.

#4 Great photography

You may have the world’s most amazing creation, but few people will be able to visualise it from a set of instructions. Great pictures are a must to show your creation off to its best including some close up of any special stitch details etc. Although helpful if you have it, you don't need any fancy equipment, and good photos can be achieved with the most basic camera. You can get plenty of great tips online for free if you do your research.

#5 Work with a professional technical editor and/or pattern checker

If you intend to sell your pattern it is essential to have it edited and checked by a professional tech editor and/or pattern checker (or someone you know with those skills) so you can be sure your pattern is correct and is of a suitable standard. This applies even if you are a pattern checker yourself as you simply cannot proof your own copy. Hiring a tech editor and/or pattern checker is more affordable than you might imagine, and another benefit of doing so is you will learn a lot about pattern writing in the process. They can also help furnish you with charts and/or schematics if you are unable to produce these yourself. Not So Granny has a helpful post on the topic called What is a tech editor? if you need any further persuasion about their value.

So I hope these tips are helpful to you, and that you feel brave enough to have a go at writing your own pattern, if indeed you haven't already. You may have some other great tips to share about this topic - if so, please feel free to add a comment below.



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Behind the scenes: Misty May Photo Shoot

Earlier this month we had an  outdoor photo shoot for Elements: 24 handknit designs inspired by nature and the outdoors that will be published in the Autumn. Having set the shoot up up for the  beginning of May you might be forgiven for thinking that weather conditions would be fairly reasonable - well that was my expectation, however that was not how it went down! The forecast was not at all favorable and my heart was sinking. These things are set up quite a way in advance, and with quite a few people involved it’s difficult to be flexible so you have to fix a date and just hope for the best.  Having coordinated everyone to get to the location site at a set time, we were greeted by drizzle with the threat of heavier downpours, and it was a real pea-souper of a day. This did not bode well, as then there was the additional challenge of how to keep the rain off the equipment as well as ensure our models didn’t  get a soaking. This was alleviated with the help of plenty of plastic sheets and diligent umbrella bearers:-)



 However after our initial feelings of concern and despair, it became apparent how fortunate we were. The rain for the most part did actually hold off, and we had glorious layers of mist which, whilst unexpected, were ideal conditions for setting the scene for the more autumnal designs of our collection - you could swear it was October rather than May. I can’t show you too much at this stage, but here’s a photo of one of the backdrops.

So luck was shining on us after all, as did the sun the moment we finished taking photographs.

Elements will be available in the Autumn and, if you live in the Swansea Area, you can join Alison Crowther-Smith and myself at Swansea Bay Yarns on Fri 24 September, 6-8pm for a preview of the collection and book-signing.

If you’d like to be kept informed about this and other news, sign up below for monthly updates and  receive a free copy of my Blossom Mitts pattern.

Blossom Mitts

Local Yarn Shop Stars: Swansea Bay Yarns

You may be aware that it was the second year of Yarn Shop Day last Saturday here in the UK which aims to promote and celebrate local yarn shops (perhaps better known as Wool Shops to UK knitters) and the range of services they offer to the knitting community. This event was thought up last year by craft magazine publisher Aceville Publishing where shops across the UK participate in putting on a wide range of activities, promotional offers and events for knitters and crocheters.

I'm a great fan of the internet, however it's really important to support our local shops - whilst online shopping is convenient, yarn is such a tactile material you really can't beat being able to touch the yarn to know how the fibres feel, and colour is best seen for real and in daylight if you want to be able to see its true hue. Yarn shops also offer a focal point for the knitting community to gather in a more personable way than online forums can provide. Now I'm not knocking online forums either, by the way - you can share an awful lot of expertise from engaging with these and watching videos on YouTube. It's essential though to have some face to face contact too and enjoy all the other things our yarn shops have to offer such as advice, classes, inspiration and knitting groups - and many a new or known knitterly friend can be stumbled upon in your local store.

However, we all know it's a challenge for these shops to survive in today's economic climate. With the high overheads of running a bricks and mortar shop for a niche interest group, it's really important to appreciate this and show our support or their presence on our high streets will continue to dwindle. So in the spirit of supporting and celebrating our local yarn shops I am going to do a regular monthly feature on different shops, beginning close to home for me with Swansea, but gradually spreading the net out further.

So this month I'm going to introduce you to Swansea Bay Yarns which is tucked between the Brangwyn Hall and the Patti Pavillion on St Helen's Avenue.

The Shop front, which is a delight with regular changes of inspirational window displays, beckons the yarnoholic like a siren. Once inside you will not be disappointed as it is beautifully laid out with a relaxed vintage style, has a good selection of quality yarns, and you can be sure of a warm welcome from shop owner, Morgan. Swansea Bay Yarns is the Rowan stockist for Swansea, and also stocks other quality brands such as Bergere de France, Lang, Sublime, MillaMia, Adriafil, Erika Knight, and some lovely Manos amongst others.

Opened just last summer after a life-changing experience, Morgan took the brave decision to turn her life long passion into a business. Since opening her doors for the first time last June, Morgan has been beavering away to provide a hub for the local knitting community with the provision of a knitting group, classes, regular resident expert sessions for knit and crochet, as well as special in-store events such as the Rowan Yarn Taster I helped facilitate last month.

She is also active on twitter, and takes great pride in posting photos of the beautiful finished projects her customers bring into the shop to show her.

Morgan is already planning a new programme of events and classes for the rest of 2015 which will include, amongst other exciting events, an evening with Alison Crowther-Smith and myself for an exclusive pre-launch view of our collection for new book Elements at the end of September. So be sure to pop into the shop and follow her on facebook page for further updates.

Do you shop for yarn locally or online, or both? If you know of any great local yarn stores I'd love to hear about them for future features.

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