January 2012 - 1

January 2016

2 - January 2016

CONTENTSWelcome Letter 4

Monthly Free Pattern 5

New Season…

Knitting & Crochet Magazine 59 6

Summerlite DK 8

Softyak DK 10

Cherish 12

Rowan Loves… Cotton Lustre &

All Seasons Cotton 13

Rowan Design Competition Winner 2015 14

Martin Storey Knit Along 17

ROWAN Day Out 18

Valentine’s Craft Ideas 20

January 2016 - 3

Mickeldenby Sarah Hattonusing Alpaca Merino DKWinterscapes

4 - January 2016

Hi and welcome to the January edition of the eNewsletter!

We would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our valued members a very happy New Year! As we recover from the holiday season, we are starting to look towards the spring (dare we say it!) season with excitement. This issue, we bring you all the details of our brand new yarns and design collections, including Rowan Knitting & Crochet Magazine 59.

Also included is a look back at our fabulous Rowan Day Out from last year, a chat with the talented winner of our Rowan Design Competition 2015 and information on a brand new and exciting Knit Along with the wonderful Martin Storey.

We hope you enjoy your new issue!

The Rowan team

Front Cover:Leistonby Marie WallinOriginal DenimKnitting & Crochet Magazine 59

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

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January 2016 - 5

Evelineby Grace MelvilleBig Wool

For this and hundreds of FREE patterns exclusive to

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

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6 - January 2016

NEW SEASONSpring Summer 2016 brings a light, colourful fusion of neutrals, floral motifs and texture. Detail is intricate in places and colouring ranges from calm, understated hues to bold, vibrant brights.

Reydonby Martin Storeyusing Softknit Cotton

Morstonby Martin Storeyusing Creative Linen

January 2016 - 7

Knitting & CrochetMagazine 59

Rowan Knitting & Crochet Magazine 59 consists of two complementary design stories which perfectly reflect these trends.

The essence of the seaside flows throughout Coastal, with deep creams, pale blue and deeper, watery tones all featuring. Texture and cabling are celebrated, creating timeless, versatile pieces which sit well throughout the generations. Linens, cottons and the popular Original Denim have combined to create a collection of the essential looks of the season.

Kyoto exudes colour and vibrancy and is shot against a stunning backdrop of a Japanese garden. Like the beautiful vegetation on set, colours are floral and bright, alongside more understated, soft tones. This collection is quintessentially pretty and eye-catching, and includes a feature piece designed by Dame Zandra Rhodes.

Ibarakiby Heather Dixonusing Kidsilk Haze

Gifuby Martin Storeyusing Fine Lace & Kidsilk Haze

8 - January 2016

Summerlite DK

Spring 2016 presents a new yarn to the Rowan range. Summerlite DK is introduced with a fun collection of twelve ladies designs by Martin Storey. The bright and varied colour palette of sixteen shades is used to create a sophisticated look throughout, with intricate stitch detail, cabling and texture all apparent.

White465

Linen460

Mushroom454

Mocha451

Cantaloupe456

Plaster452

Steel458

Black464

Pear463

Khaki461

Ocean459

Lagoon457

Fuchsia455

Summer453

Indigo450

Rouge462

January 2016 - 9

Atwoodby Martin Storeyusing Summerlite DK

10 - January 2016

Nambuby Marie Wallinusing Softyak DK

January 2016 - 11

Softyak DK

The Softyak DK collection introduces a new blend of 76% cotton, 15% yak and 9% nylon to the Rowan range this Spring Summer 2016 season.

Beautifully soft, Softyak DK is available in fourteen rich shades and boasts a pretty chainette structure.

Twelve designs by Marie Wallin showcase the yarn perfectly and range from a striped sweater to a moss stitch cropped cardigan and an elegant jacket.

Cream230

Prairie233

Plateau239

Steppe231

Plain232

Terrain243

Pasture240

Heath238

Lawn241

Meadow237

Lea236

Pampus235

Savannah234

Peat242

12 - January 2016

Cherish

Cherish introduces the new Little Rowan concept beautifully, presenting a charming collection of seventeen adorable designs by Linda Whaley for 0 – 2 year old girls and boys. Using Summerlite DK & 4ply, Wool Cotton DK & 4ply and Super Fine Merino 4ply, designs are playful and fun, and range from a pretty fairisle cardigan to a traditional christening bonnet and a sweet cabled tank top.

Love your little ones. Timeless, treasured designs knitted using yarns excelling in comfort and care, wrapping your loved ones in garments handmade with love. Little Rowan will delight children between the ages of 0 – 7 years.

Imogenby Linda Whaleyusing Summerlite 4ply

January 2016 - 13

Rowan Loves…Cotton Lustre &

All Seasons Cotton

The fourth in the popular series of Rowan Loves brochures showcases nine garments and accessories for women by Gemma Atkinson. All using Cotton Lustre and All Seasons Cotton, designs showcase the best qualities of each yarn and feature pretty lace detailing and intricate stitch work.

Papalaua(Round Neck)by Gemma Atkinsonusing Cotton Lustre

14 - January 2016

R O W A N Design Competition

Winner 2015

Frozen DewBy Sigita Burskyte-Olivier

January 2016 - 15

In October, we held a sparkling Design Competition to enable crafting talent and skill to be recognised. Inspired by our recent collaboration with

Swarovski CREATE YOUR STYLE, the brief was to be inspired by the party season to design an original shimmering accessory piece using Rowan yarn and Swarovski CREATE YOUR STYLE crystals.

We had an amazing selection of extremely impressive entries, which the team felt were absolutely fitting of the brief and feeling of the concept. Pictured are some of the highly recommended designs we received.

The winning design was selected by Lisa Richardson and is called Frozen Dews by Sigita Burskyte-Olivier from Belgium. We chatted to Sigita about her background and the inspiration behind the design.

What was the inspiration behind the design?As usual, I get my inspiration from nature. I saw these crystals like the frozen dew on dried leaves. The moment of winter when there is no snow yet, but the cold is there. That is where the colour choice came from and the texture of the yarn is like the early morning fog which gives a mysterious shine to the crystals.

What was the design process and how long did this take you to finish?I created this design some time ago. I like to modify and transform already existing stitches to give them a new and modern aspect. As usual, I found one interesting texture stitch. Originally, the ‘leaves’ were crocheted on a net. I changed this into plain crochet. Normally the ‘leaves’ are heading towards the bottom and I have been trying to find a way to crochet them upward. It was a real challenge to find the way to do it. Once I had the pattern of the stitch I wanted, I adapted it to the form of the hat.The creation process took me some time (a few days of searching and samples of crochet) but the realisation was quite quick. I crocheted it in five hours.

Gisela Clasen Lucia Giles Janice Sumpton

16 - January 2016

You chose the Rowan Kidsilk Haze yarn in Smoke, Fine Lace in Gunmetal and 4mm Swarovski crystals. Why did you choose these yarns to use in the design?Previously, I was working with a thicker Rowan yarn (Creative Focus Worsted). For this competition, I wanted something more glamourous to marry the yarn with the Swarovski crystals. Kidsilk Haze is one of my favourite Rowan yarns. I added ‘Fine Lace’ yarn to give it some thickness and fluidity at the same time. I have already used this combination in the past. I love the texture of this mix.

Tell us about your design background.I have been completely addicted to knitting and crochet since a young age. I learned to knit and to crochet on my own with the help of books. As soon as I learned to knit, I started to improvise, to change and to adapt existing patterns. Later, I started to create my own freehand patterns. The studies of ‘Visual Designer’ also probably gave me another approach to my knitting and crochet. My knits are like 3D models, usually seamless.It is like drawing lines and creating volumes that I imagine.

Do you have any favourite Rowan designers in particular and why?Kaffe Fassett is the Rowan designer that I like in particular. I like the complexity and colour choice of his designs. I had the pleasure and challenge to knit one of his creations, ‘Holly’. Jennie Atkinson and Lisa Richardson are also designers who I appreciate a lot.

What will be your next project on the needles or hook?I would like to knit a long and warm cardigan/coat for myself. I am working on a few crochet stitches I am trying to modernise and I already have a few ideas how to use them.

Which Rowan design would you vote as the most iconic and why?My vote goes to ‘Lidiya’ designed by Kaffe Fassett – a beautiful and timeless colour choice and design.

Lidiyaby Kaffe Fassettusing Felted TweedKnitting & CrochetMagazine 48

January 2016 - 17

Coming Soon…Our Second Martin Storey Knit AlongJanuary 28th will bring a brand new, fabulous Pure Wool Superwash Worsted blanket knit along, with squares being released each fortnight to culminate in a stunning design made up of 48 squares in total. Why not get prepared ahead and download your shopping list – available on knitrowan now.

The Martin Storey Knit Along will have four colourway options:

BluesEvergreenSpiceCalm

Each colourway uses eight shades of Pure Wool Worsted.

Release dates:28/01/16 – first square released11/02/16 – second square released25/02/16 – third square released10/03/16 – fourth square released24/03/16 – fifth square released07/04/16 – sixth square released21/04/16 – seventh square released05/05/16 – eighth square released12/05/16 - edging design released

Click here for further information and details on Martin’s inspiration behind the designs.

MOREINFORMATION

SHOPPING LIST

18 - January 2016

R O W A N Day Out, 24th November 2015

Towards the end of last year, we decided to hold another fabulous Rowan Day Out – this time hosted at Zandra Rhodes’ amazing Fashion & Textiles Museum in London. Participants arrived to start with coffee and chat in the café, followed by a curated tour of all of the stunningly eye-catching fashion pieces on display. These included the Liberty in Fashion exhibition, which celebrates the 140th anniversary of the company. The exhibition demonstrates Liberty’s impressive story, alongside its role as the source and originator of key trends in fashion history. Over 150 garments, textiles and objects are on display and feature work from Arthur Silver of Silver Studio to collaborations with Jean Muir, Cacharel, Yves Saint Laurent and Vivienne Westwood. After this, guests were treated to an exclusive and intimate talk from Dame Zandra herself, showcasing famous garments and even showing the party around the working design studio area within the museum!

The afternoon session continued the fun, with the popular Dee Hardwicke, author of Little Colour Knits, hosting a classy and colourful workshop on how to design a fairisle chart. Participants were then able to take away the wool to knit up their own design after the event.

For further information about the Fashion & Textile Museum and Dee Hardwicke, click the buttons below.

FTMLONDON

DEE HARDWICKE

January 2016 - 19

20 - January 2016

Valentine’s Craft IdeasWhy not impress your other half with a gift handcrafted with love this Valentine’s Day? Here are our best picks!

Little Heartsby Jem Westonusing Rowan Fine TweedCute Little Knits

Love Heart Chicksby Janice Andersonusing Cotton Glacé & Baby Merino Silk DK

Hearts & Flowers Cushionby Alison Crowther Smithusing Kidsilk Haze & Kid ClassicLacy Knits

Warmheart Scarfby Martin Storeyusing Big WoolCable Scarf Collection

DOWNLOAD CLICK TOPURCHASE

January 2016 - 21

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

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

All rights 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 2016 by Mez Crafts UK LTD 17F Brooke’s Mill, Armitage Bridge, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD4 7NR.

E-mail: mail@knitrowan.com Web: www.knitrowan.com © Copyright Mez Crafts UK LTD 2015

WORKSHOPS

STOCKISTS

Billyby Linda Whaleyusing Super Fine Merino 4plyCherish