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April 19, 2022 newsletter

Maiwa Foundation

New “Pay What you Want” Tea Towel Pattern

Just Monk’ing Around

Most of you know how passionate I am about supporting the Maiwa Foundation in any way I can. You’ve helped me raise money for the Foundation as they work hard to help some incredibly skilled textile artisans in India. I asked Charllotte Kwon (the founder and fearless leader) of Maiwa for an update that we could share with you…and this is what she wrote.

“We are still supporting the Jiwaja weavers. Maiwa has finally been able to place a large order with the leatherworkers that will keep them working from February to December 2022. Like everywhere, the supply and delivery infrastructure in India (and therefore for Jawaja) is slow but they are innovative and things are getting done – just a bit slower. There are very few craft fairs opening up and retailers in India are not yet placing orders as tourists have yet to return. But that is slowly happening, however – the tourist season is mainly over now until September. 

Maiwa has not yet placed an order for the handwoven carpets but we are working on that and should be able to place one by July. In the meantime we continue to support monthly. The entire village and the Jawaja cooperative are incredibly grateful for the assistance the Maiwa Foundation has been able to give – and 90% of that has come from your fundraisers. We all truly believe, that had we not stood up immediately, the craftspeople of Jawaja would have really suffered.  

The Maiwa team will (finally) be returning to India in September of this year – for two months – and we will have several meetings at Jawaja. We will visit all the artisans in India who we work with. It will be good to be able to sit, in person together, and hear all the stories and see the situation first hand.”

We are adding a new “Pay What you Want” tea towel pattern to our list of Maiwa Fundraising towels. Our Dream Team member – Arlene Kohut took one of this year’s featured structures – Monk’s Belt – and created a new, fun, set of tea towels for you to play with, Just Monk’ing Around! The Maiwa Foundation receives 100% of the money raised on these PDF downloadable pattern sales. Please…help me, help them!


Monk’ing Around Kits Available!

You can also purchase Just Monk’ing Around in kit form including the pattern and all the yarn you need. You have 3 colourways to choose from!

Surf’s Up Towels

Kiwi Towels

Berry Bowl Towels


More ‘Pay What You Want’ From Our Maiwa Fundraiser

At a price that anyone can afford…you choose how much!

I also want to take a minute to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all the support you have already given. In 2021, JST was able to give over $20,000.00 to the Maiwa Foundation. This was all raised by the continuous sale of these patterns and, in particular, the weavers on my Dream Team who so generously designed and donated their patterns to help the Maiwa Foundation.

Thank you so much…..Sharon Broadley, Barbara Mitchell and Arlene Kohut.

Please feel free to share this post with anyone you think might be interested in helping us to raise funds for Maiwa in 2022, let’s see if we can beat what we raised in 2021 🙂

xoxo Jane

All proceeds from the “Pay What You Want” PDF downloadable patterns will be donated directly to

the Maiwa Foundation.

Abalone and Ebony

Inspiration From a Sari

Mai-what-ta Lovely Towels & Scarf

Tea Towel Time With Jane

Stash Crackle Pop!


Here to help

You can always find us on the Jane Stafford Online Guild Forum or on Weave with Jane Stafford at Ravelry.

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December 21st, 2021 newsletter

Thank you – we couldn’t do it without you!

Wishing you all a peaceful, safe and joyous Holiday Season

As I reflect on this past year I am struck by how wonderful it is to be surrounded by folks that weave goodness and kindness into their lives and those around them. It has been another year of challenges for people all over the world, yet so many of you have helped us help others. 

In particular, I want to thank all of you who supported us as we did our bit to assist the Artist Alliance of Jawaja in India. We are grateful to everyone who purchased a pattern which reinforced our commitment to the Maiwa Foundation as they provide support to these amazing, creative artisans during COVID. Our help is so important. JST has recently been able to purchase another large batch of heddles for the weavers of Sabahar in Ethiopia. Kathy is committed to getting more weavers working from home during these troubling times and texsolv heddles are so beneficial to the weavers and make their production more proficient. All of these talented artisans are currently facing challenges that go far beyond “just” COVID. I only have to think of these groups for a second to be reminded of how truly blessed I am. 

So thank you, thank you again and again for all the support you give to JST, every customer, every student, every friend 🙂 It is so appreciated.

Sending you all hope, love and best wishes for a Happy New Year.
Love Jane


We will be closed for the holidays from December 25th to January 2nd.
Last orders for shipping before the holidays is December 24th.
Orders placed during our closed days will be processed on January 4th, 2022.


Here to help

You can always find us on the Jane Stafford School of Weaving Forum or on Weave with Jane Stafford at Ravelry.

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November 9th, 2021 newsletter

JST’s Shetland Blankie Recipe

I thought I would share Grant’s favourite Harrisville Shetland Blankie pattern with you – for freeHarrisville Shetland is such a wonderful blankie yarn. Available from JST in 46 lovely, heathered colours, it weaves up quickly and blooms beautifully when wet finished.
 
These blankets started as a 2 stripe overall division of space and then the borders and centre stripe were designed using the Fibonacci Numerical Series and overlaid on top. A pretty easy design process.

Grant couldn’t decide which green to pick for the centre … he kept going between Loden and Evergreen so … I decided he could have both. I used all the colours in the stripe for the weft in the second blanket, playing with the graphic. The other colours used were chosen to match different elements in our living room.

Enjoy weaving and cuddling under this blankie for many years to come 😉

Jane


Harrisville Shetland Yarns

100% wool available in 1/2 lb cones – 900 yds/cone (1800 yds per lb) Harrisville Shetland is spun more tightly (higher number of turns per inch) so it is very durable and will wear better and better every year. Washing makes the yarn even softer. The fibres blossom and have the ability to full and felt. Even if you knit with our yarn, it’s still a good idea to wash and block your finished project.
For more info on working with Shetland yarn, check out our Warping and Weaving with Harrisville Shetland as well as Fulling Instructions in the JST Knowledge Base for all the tips! For those that have a subscription to School of Weaving, don’t forget to check out/review Season 1 Episode 1.10.3 Fulling in the Washing Machine for more great tips on fulling fabrics. Jane fulls a mohair blanket in this episode but you can adapt the technique to make a Harrisville Shetland blanket.


Autumn Orchard Shetland Wraps

Do you feel like wrapping yourself – or someone on your gift list – in a layer of cozy warmth? This wrap is the one you didn’t know you wanted 😉 The colours will remind you of the apple orchards that were so colourful not so long ago. Imagine sitting at your loom mixing and blending all the wonderful Harrisville Shetland colours in this kit. You could use one of the included colourways for one wrap and with the other – just have the fun of creating your own design. 

Level of Difficulty:  Beginner
Weave structure: Plain Weave
Material: Harrisville Shetland
Each kit makes: 2 wraps (25.5″ X 74″ plus fringes)

Loom requirements:
Shafts: 4
Reed: 8 dent
Weaving width: 32″

Each kit includes:
Weaving instructions (including draft)
1 cone of Harrisville Shetland – Chianti
1 cone of Harrisville Shetland – Topaz
1 cone of Harrisville Shetland – Tundra
cone of Harrisville Shetland – Blackcherry


The gift that keeps on giving… share our Maiwa

download patterns with a friend

As we have shared with you in the past, the situation with COVID-19 in India and its affect on the Artisans Alliance of Jiwaja, continues to be challenging for the artisans. The Maiwa Foundation is working hard as they continue to support them through this period. Have you thought of giving a gift that keeps on giving??? You could give one of these fabulous patterns to a fellow weaver in your life. They would learn that the gift they are receiving is also supporting a group of talented artisans who happen to be in a very difficult situation. And, as it is that time of year and … you could also buy one for yourself and have the fun of weaving up a set of towels that you can give as gifts.

Maiwa Foundation logo

JST Gift Certificates

Since we’ve mentioned Christmas gifts – and I know Christmas is still quite a way off, but ….. have you been dreaming about that particular tool, some fabulous yarn – or dreaming really big, maybe about a new loom? Set up a Wish List on the JST Shop Store and just in passing mention that your list can be found there. You can manage your list under your account which gives you different options on how you might want to share it 😉 Your close circle can get a chance to look at your list and possibly give you a JST Gift Certificate towards something that you are really wishing for.

School of Weaving ~ Give the Gift of Learning!

Featured in this photo are placemats from Season 5 Episode 9 Huck & Twills

Give the gift of learning, an all-access subscription to
Jane Stafford School of Weaving.
 Over 45 weaving lessons with a new episode every 5 weeks
Choose between 1 to 12 months!


Here to help

You can always find us on the Jane Stafford School of Weaving Forum

or on Weave with Jane Stafford at Ravelry.