January 2012 - 1

April 2012

2 - April 2012

CONTENTSMicheal Bastian by Josh Bennett 4

Rowan Member Feature 6

Rowan Design Competition 9

In the Spotlight… Purelife Revive 10

Rowan Loves Nel Whatmore 12

Spring Knits 13

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Front Cover:Belgrave by Marie WallinUsing SummerspunSummerspun Collection

Hello, and welcome to April’s online newsletter, exclusively available to members.

As we welcome in a new month here at the mill, we are beginning to think about summer sunshine, cottons and airy linen; starting a new project at this time of year is just inevitable! The only problem is, choosing which design, and then which shade to use!

This issue might help you in that way – with a beautiful free design, and our top picks of the best spring knits from Rowan. We also hear about Rowan Designer Josh Bennett’s exciting new ventures, preview the new Rowan Studio collection and take a look at the manufacturing process of our recycled yarn, Rowan Purelife Revive.

We hope you enjoy your April issue.

The Rowan Team

Click on the symbol where it appears for a link to further information

February 2012 - 3

E X C L U S I V E

For this and hundreds of FREE patterns exclusive to

m e m b e r s click the button below:

Windsor by Marie Wallinusing Summerspun

FREE PATTERN ARCHIVE

WINDSOR

Josh Bennett most definitely has a buzz around him at the moment, with his new designs receiving high global recognition, and his workshops more popular than ever! Recently, Josh launched his new collection for celebrated US menswear line Michael Bastian, with some of the designs using our very own Felted Tweed Aran yarn. Josh says, “Michael Bastian has always been a huge fan of hand knitted garments and wanted to incorporate them into his show.”

“As Micheal was pulling photos for the collection’s inspiration board, he came across a picture of an inside out fair isle sweater and loved how the floats looked when it was worn on the outside. This led to designing the garments 100% reversible so either side could be worn. The reversible feature was really important because we wanted to do something that a machine couldn’t easily reproduce.” “When it came time to pick the yarn, we sat with all the Rowan shade cards spread out in front of us. As soon as we saw all the colors that are offered in the Felted Tweed Aran and how amazingly it knits up, it was a no brainer. Since the yarn is offered in so many great colors, we decided to do two different color ways and offer the piece in both a cardigan and crew neck pullover, plus a fingerless mitten as well.”

“This Michael Bastian by Josh Bennett collection is a very limited run and only 20 of each garment will be made, and each specially made tag will be dated and numbered.”

“All the sweaters are 100% hand knitted in New York City by myself or my amazing knitter, Amy Micallef, and will be sold in select stores for the A/W 2012 season. The patterns for these designs will also be available on my website, www.boymeetspurl.com, when the sweaters arrive at the stores by August.”- Josh Bennett

MICHEAL BASTIAN By Josh Bennett

April 2012 - 5

You can also find new Josh designs as part of the Rowan Knitting & Crochet Magazine 51 collection – click here to visit KnitRowan.com and download the collection for free!

JOSH BENNETTCOLLECTION

6 - April 2012

We wanted to find out more about member Sigita Burskyte-Olivier when we saw her amazing designs on our Facebook page.

“I am a visual designer graduate from the Vilnius Academy of Arts. Six years ago, I left my native country, Lithuania, and I came to live in Belgium. Here, people were very interested in my knitting, crochet and felt creations. They were stopping me in the streets, on the metro and asking me where I found my knitwear. I received a lot of compliments. This motivated me to continue in that direction and “Idée de Fée” was born. “Idée de Fée” is like my nickname and also my label. I create unique handmade pieces and limited edition collections. “

When did you learn to knit? “When I was about 6 or 7 years old, I started to knit. My mother used to knit a lot but she had no time to teach me. I found an old book with pictures explaining how to knit, took the needles and some yarns and started to follow the pictures step by step. What a feeling of happiness came when I succeeded and knit two rows! At the start I was knitting clothes for my dolls. At 10 years old, I made my first sweater for myself in three months and the second one within two weeks during the Christmas holidays; then one for my sister and another one, and so on. And since then, I knit all the time and wherever I can.”

What inspires your work?“Fashion, nature, people in the street, everything around inspires me. Sometimes, I am just holding the yarn in my hands and the vision comes, just like that! That’s what happened with the Rowan yarns. A new large creative store opened in Brussels recently. There is a knitting section full of Rowan yarns with all types and colours. When I was there, touching the beautiful yarns inspired me to create my latest design with Rowan.”

Which is your favourite Rowan design and why? “Rowan designs are one of my inspiration sources. They are very beautiful and original, but I prefer to create my own designs. There are many designs I like, but my favourite is ‘Lidiya’. The lovely harmony of colours and motifs reminds me of my mother’s knitting.”

Rowan Member Feature

April 2012 - 7

What are you knitting at the moment? “I like to work on different projects at the same time. At this moment, I just cast on for my new project for the Rowan Olympics Design Competition 2012. I will try my luck.”Visit Sigita’s website to see more of her work:www.ideedefee.com.

Why not try your luck with the Rowan Design Competition 2012? See page 9 for all the details!

8 - April 2012

Studio 27 is all about spring retro, and wholeheartedly celebrates pretty colour block pieces, perfect for warmer days.

Designs range from beautiful cropped cardigans to long line tunics and summery sweaters, all worked in Wool Cotton DK and the new Wool Cotton 4ply yarn.

Don’t forget

Over the coming months, visit our website to download two FREE patterns from this collection.

Exclusive to members only.

Click on the button below to view the collection.

Rowan Studio 27

RowanStudio 27

April 2012 - 9

In March we launched an exciting design competition, to produce an accessory design inspired by one of the nations taking part in this year’s Olympic Games.

Photographs of all finished entries are currently being emailed to mail@knitrowan.com with the subject Design Competition, before the closing date of May 31st 2012.

Win yarn up to the value of £150 and have your design published on KnitRowan.com – become a Rowan designer! There will also be a free Rowan Subscription membership for the winner and a friend.

Don’t forget to submit your entry before the closing date of May 31st 2012!

R O W A N Design Competition 2012

10 - April 2012

In the spotlight…Purelife ReviveThe first recycled yarn under the Rowan Purelife label, Revive entices us with eight stunning shades and is made entirely from recycled clothing. Launched in Spring/Summer 2010 with its own dedicated design collection The Purelife Recycled Collection, Revive has only grown in popularity, both due to the recycled nature of the yarn, but also due to the unique colour blend it boasts.

Rowan Revive is completely recycled and recyclable. The manufacturing process is exceptional – the first stage is where fabrics are sorted into colour types and quality. At this point the garments are sterilised, and then passed to skilled sorters who identify fibre content batches of silk, cotton and viscose. Superfluous parts such as linings, buttons, ribbons, seams and trims are now removed, and the sorted garments are cut into pieces and passed through a fabric grinder, reducing them to loose fibre. This is then carded to make regenerated fibre, which is then spun into the cotton, silk and viscose composition of this beautiful, high quality yarn.

The popularity of the range only highlights the strong social responsibility of the knitter and crocheter, catching the imagination of the craft community, and becoming an extremely popular choice amongst Rowan fans worldwide.

To view the Revive shadecard and full yarn details, click on the link below.

PurelifeRevive

April 2012 - 11

Radish & Sprout by Marie WallinThe Purelife Recycled Collection

ViewCollection

12 - April 2012

Internationally known fine artist and designer Nel Whatmore is celebrating her 25th year as an artist by having an exhibition in York, UK. Nel has always produced a large variety of work from abstracts, to landscapes and florals. As an award winning exhibitor at Chelsea Flower Show, many of her flower paintings are now inspired by her visits to the show each year.

Nel says: “I seek to portray life in all its variety, both through subject matter colour and emotion, but with a positive feel good theme. Hence the title of my one

woman show is “Life is a Minestrone,” as, like a good soup, the show aims to warm the heart.”

Running along the main exhibition, and just for fun, there will be a display of works including the first picture Nel ever sold aged 6, pieces from her time at school and college including Bonzo the Gorilla at Dudley Zoo, Geoffrey the Giraffe and other unexpected things.

Nel became a professional artist with the help of the Princes Trust, and was invited last year to Clarence House as part of the Trust’s 35th year celebrations.

Nel’s work can now been seen all over the world in the form of many things including limited edition prints, ceramics and needlework designs. In recent years she has also been asked to design fabric for the Freespirit brand. Her first fabric collection ‘Happy Go Lucky’ featured at the International Quilt Festival in Birmingham, where she was a guest designer along with Kaffe Fassett. Her latest range, Sleeping Beauty, will also be on display at the show, as well as gorgeous quilts using the fabric.

Nel Whatmore 25th Year Celebration Exhibition - “Life is a Minestrone”The Priory, Syningthwaite Home Farm, Wighill Park, Wetherby,North Yorkshire LS24 8BL, 21st-24th April. www.nelwhatmore.co.uk

R O W A N LOVES…Nel Whatmore

April 2012 - 13

As the days start to lengthen and the weather begins to brighten with a little sunshine, we start feeling like freshening up our wardrobes with a little spring colour. Whether it be a pretty shrug or a bright tunic cover-up, a spring refresher piece is a must! Here are our favourites.

Spring Knits

Pampas - The Savannah Collection

Monaco - Rowan Knitting & Crochet Magazine 51

Glorious - Rowan Lace

Illusion Wrap - Rowan Knitting & CrochetMagazine 49

14 - April 2012

Here at Rowan we are gearing up to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II by launching some lovely online projects.

Firstly, we will be revealing a lovely Diamond Throw design and Celebration Bunting to accompany all those street parties in June! Also look out for a very special online collection, exclusively designed to commemorate the occasion.

Designs will include a perfectly traditional tea cosy and also a royal cushion – keep an eye on our Patterns section throughout May to join in the celebrations!

JUBILEE PROJECTS

Alongside our lovely yarn collection, Rowan also has an incredible selection of lifestyle fabrics, and what better way to display them than on bunting. If you fancy trying something a little different this June, Erica will take you through the basics of sewing such as using a sewing machine, understanding fabrics, tips on following patterns and cutting out.

Best of all, you’ll learn a number of different techniques to create a beautiful string of summer bunting, and then personalise it to your individual and creative taste!

Date: Weekend workshop: 16th / 17th June at Rowan, Holmfirth, Yorkshire, UK. Cost: £80 for two days, or with a massive 10% discount for Rowan Subscription members. Click here for details on how to join Rowan Subscription.

Summer Bunting with Erica Pask

April 2012 - 15

Jean Moss UK Knitters’ TourLakes & York 13-24 May 2012 with Martin Storey, Carol Meldrum & Jean Moss

For further details visit www.jeanmoss.com

StockistsTo find your local stockist view our store locator at www.knitrowan.com by clicking the button below

STORE LOCATOR

WorkshopsTo view a full list of workshop dates visit www.knitrowan.com by clicking the button below

WORKSHOPS

All right reserved. Reproduction in whole or any part of all material, including illustrations, in this publication is strictly

forbidden. 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.

The designs in this publication are copyrighted and must not be knitted for re-sale. Reproduction of this publication is protected by copyright and is

sold on the condition that it is used for non commercial purposes. Yarn quantities are approximate as they are based on average requirements. Colour

reproduction is as close as printing will allow.

First published in Great Britain 2012 by Coats Crafts UK LTD Green Lane Mill, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, England, HD9 2DX

E-mail: mail@knitrowan.com Web: www.knitrowan.com© Copyright Rowan 2012

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