Jo Avery – the Blog

Pop Art Dandelion and a Quilted Jacket

I managed to (sort of) have two weeks off at the start of July.  Running your own business from home means it’s hard to take a break without physically leaving home but I live in such a beautiful place that I don’t want to go anywhere else! So instead I try to avoid emails and

A Forest of Poplars!

I’ve spent the last few weeks getting ready for my next online class for The Thread House Academy.  It’s my first of this academic year and it’s Poplars! You can read all about the original Poplars Quilt, and it’s genesis, in this post here, and also the first batch of Poplar class samples I made

Temperature Embroidery and Temperature Crochet Blanket

My adventures with Temperature Projects continue! In this post I’ll finally reveal my finished Temperature Embroidery from 2021 AND share my project for 2022 – a Temperature Crochet Blanket. I’ll also be sharing the pattern and method I’m using this year. I actually finished the Temperature Embroidery just after New Year but I waited a

Time for Embroidery

It’s time for some embroidery! The time has come to start talking about my new Modern Crewel Embroidery book with a little more urgency as it is due for release next month! This means I can now share some of the projects from the book and tell you a little more about it. I’ve got

Aurifilosophy

Back in March, before the world went crazy, I received an invitation from Aurifil Thread to join their band of Aurifilosophers and become one of their certifed educators. The Aurifilosophy programme started a couple of years ago and is now being expanded beyond the USA with new Aurifilosophers appointed in Canada, Australia and the UK. 

Crochet Virus Shawl

I have been really enjoying knitting socks over the last few years (and shared a few pairs over here), but I’ve recently come to terms with the fact that my hand problem (inflamed tendons due to RSI) flairs up more with knitting than any other hand activity. However I love working with the self patterning

Flower Tile Cushion

Last week we had a little taste of Spring up here in Scotland with some mild weather. But alas, it was short lived and this week we’ve been plunged back into winter. However Spring can’t be far away, and here’s a lovely Spring-like project to get us in the mood! And look, it’s made the

New Patterns and New Classes!

I have had a VERY busy weekend! In fact I have had a very busy couple of months! And tomorrow I will be lying beside a pool in the sun as I am off on my hols to Tenerife!! I can’t wait! But before I go, I just have time to tell you about our

African Flower Crochet Blanket FINISHED!

YES! As it approaches the sixth anniversary since I started it, I am delighted to tell you that the African Flower Crochet Blanket is now officially finished!!  And just in time for summer! Though as this is Scottish summer that sentence is not as ironic as it sounds! I started this way back when, not

Sophie Update and a Crochet Cushion

Back last Spring I started the Sophie’s Universe CAL 2015 and wrote about it here. I was getting on quite well but got distracted and stopped for about 4 months!  The problem with this project is that you really need to give it your full concentration (rather than what my sister calls ‘mindless’ crochet, where