DECEMBER NEWSLETTER

Hello, my friends! I’m so glad you’re here.

December always seems to arrive in a flurry, but this year my household is keeping things wonderfully simple. Over the weekend, we finally packed away the Halloween decorations and brought out just a few favorite Christmas pieces. A couple of years ago, we traded our big artificial tree for three small pre-lit trees in little woven baskets, and I’ve come to love the flexibility of arranging them wherever they feel right each year.

We hang just a handful of meaningful ornaments, and the result is cozy, calm, and delightfully low-stress. That’s the feeling I’m trying to carry with me through the season, and it’s the wish I’d like to pass along to you as well: may you find time for the small joys, the quiet moments, and the people you love. In the end, that’s what really matters, don’t you think?

I do have plenty of news to share this month, but I’ve kept this edition on the shorter side (I know we’re all in the midst of holiday busyness!). Still, there are several updates I think you’ll enjoy, including a brand-new Ravelry community, a flexible new pattern test, a refreshed classic teddy bear design, and two lovely Maker Spotlight projects from readers. Let’s dive in!

Meet Me on Ravelry! New “Designs by Jennifer Olivarez” Community Group

I’ve finally done it! I’ve created a place where we can all come together to talk crochet, share our makes, try out new projects, and offer feedback before patterns are published.

Although I’ve been on Ravelry since 2010, I recently realized just how much of the platform I’ve been missing. Like many of us, I’ve mostly used Ravelry as a pattern library and project tracker, but over the past month, I’ve spent time diving back into the forums, reacquainting myself with all the community features I’ve overlooked. It’s been surprisingly inspiring! There are nearly two decades of conversations, ideas, and friendships woven through those threads, and countless groups hosting CALs, pattern tests, weekly chats, and everything in between.

Seeing how vibrant and welcoming so many of these spaces are made me realize I want to be part of that energy and create a place for our own corner of it, too. So that’s exactly what I’m doing. This new group is my way of stepping more fully into the community side of Ravelry and inviting you to come enjoy it with me.

Today’s the day that all of this begins! The Designs by Jennifer Olivarez Ravelry group is now open—stop by and say hello. It’s the perfect space to ask questions, share suggestions, or show off your finished projects. You can even sign up to test my latest design… keep reading for all the details.

A Pattern That Works with Any Yarn? Let’s Put It to the Test!

Do you love gauge-free patterns—the kind where you can grab a yarn, pick a hook, and dive right in? Then I have just the project for you!

The Any Yarn Neckwarmer Trio crochet pattern includes instructions for three sizes (a mini scarf, a full-length scarf, and a cozy shawl). It’s written to work with any yarn weight and almost any gauge to achieve your desired measurements.

This test is open to everyone! I usually select only 5–10 testers per pattern, but this test is a little different. With all the flexibility built into the design, I’d love to gather as much information as possible to confirm that it really does work beautifully across yarns, weights, and gauges. Plus, I can’t wait to see the variety of scarves and shawls you all dream up!

The pattern uses simple stitches and is perfect for confident beginners and beyond. If you’re comfortable with half double crochet and basic increases and decreases, you’re ready to jump in.

The test will run through February 4, 2026, giving you plenty of time to complete your scarf or shawl.

To learn more about the design, testing requirements, and how to sign up, visit the Any Yarn Neckwarmer Trio thread in my new Ravelry group!

Warm and Simple Holiday Sale Extended!

Good news—the holiday fun on Ravelry isn’t over yet! I’m extending my Warm and Simple Holiday Sale, which means you can enjoy 15% off all of my independently published designs through January 4, 2026. No coupon codes, no hoops to jump through—just an easy, cozy way to treat yourself to a new project (or two!) as we welcome the new year.

Whether you’re looking to start something fresh, finally grab that pattern you’ve had your eye on, or stock up for future makes, now is the perfect time to do a little pattern shopping.

Happy crocheting!

A Classic Returns: Sleepy Bear Gets a Fresh New Look

Ten years ago, I published a free pattern on my amigurumi blog, Squirrel Picnic, that would become one of my most-loved designs. Over the years, I’ve heard from countless crocheters who have made this little bear for friends, family, and charities. One especially generous maker even crocheted dozens of Sleepy Bears for her local fire department, who shared them with the children they met in their work.

One of the things that made this pattern special from the start was the construction. I’d always struggled to attach amigurumi heads straight, especially on larger toys, so I skipped the sewing entirely and built the head and body as one piece. After finishing the head, you work one round in the front loops only to define the neck, then continue right into the body. It’s simple, tidy, and I think you’ll really enjoy how smoothly it works.

This refreshed version of the pattern has been fully rewritten for clarity and consistency, bringing it up to the standard of my current catalog. Even better, it gathers all the original Sleepy Bear features into one easy-to-use PDF, including ad-free tutorials for sewing the limbs and embroidering the face.

As with all my PDF patterns, the new Sleepy Bear includes a linked table of contents and bookmarks for easy navigation. It’s also designed with accessibility in mind and will be tested to work with screen readers.

I can’t wait to share the updated pattern with you later this month. In the meantime, take a stroll through all the Sleepy Bear projects on Ravelry—110 and counting!

A Slight Delay for the Huzzah Cluster Ripple Blanket

I’ve run into a small snag with my upcoming blanket pattern and decided to crochet a larger sample of the throw to double-check all the stitch and row counts before sending it off to the tech editor. Honestly, I don’t mind one bit—working with Lion Brand Ferris Wheel has been such a joy. I’m loving how the larger size is turning out, and since the yarn is so reasonably priced, it didn’t break the budget to make an additional sample.

So for now, picture me happily crocheting away, watching the colors shift row by row. The pattern won’t be ready this month, but at the pace I’m going, the delay shouldn’t be long. I’m aiming for a January release. Stay tuned!

Coming Soon: November’s Special Features

• Behind the Scenes: Checkered Rose Blanket—From Concept to Finished Design

• New Pattern: Sleepy Bear

• Turning the Page: My Crochet 2025

Maker Spotlight

Squirrels in Christmas Sweaters by Lucy Schuelke
Check out these absolutely darling squirrels in their little Christmas sweaters! I’m so impressed by all the detail Lucy has lovingly added to these little guys. Each squirrel seems to be beaming with its own personality, and it makes me so happy to see how much joy they bring. It’s incredibly touching to know that my squirrel patterns—now more than 10 years old!—are still inspiring such charming creations.

In her Ravelry project, Lucy writes:

“I have fun feeding our squirrels and immediately fell in love with the idea of little crocheted ones in ‘ugly’ Christmas sweaters. They actually sit out in our family room all year-round.”

If you’d like to make a squirrel of your own (holiday sweater optional but highly encouraged!), you can find the free patterns on my old blog, Squirrel Picnic.

• Make Your Own Squirrel Friend

• Ugly Christmas Sweater for Your Squirrel (or as an ornament for your tree!)

Save Me a Spot Blanket by Randy Cavaliere
My talented tech editor, Randy Cavaliere, made this beautiful Save Me a Spot Blanket as a wedding gift in colors chosen by the bride and groom.

She even added the special touch of a personalized label and metal tag. I really like this idea. It reminds me of the labels that my mother would sew into her quilts. It will forever commemorate the event, and serve as a reminder to the couple of her thoughtfulness and handiwork years down the road.

Randy was kind enough to share where she purchased these clever labels in case you want to get some for your next gift project. You can get them from NameMaker at https://www.namemaker.com/collections/personalized-satin-labels. (Some of them are sure to give you a smile!)

The metal tags are 1/2" long from the top to tip. Although Randy doesn’t recall where they came from, she suggests searching for “handmade with love charms” on Etsy. You’re sure to find a bunch!

Randy, your blanket is crochet perfection! Of course, your stitching is superb and that fringe is exceptionally even. Nice work! The bride and groom are going to love it, too, and treasure it forever. I’m so honored that you used my pattern for this special occasion.

Want to start a Save Me a Spot Blanket of your own? You can find the pattern on Ravelry and Etsy.

A huge thank-you to both of this month’s featured makers for sharing their projects with us. If you’d like to be featured in a future newsletter, email your project photos to crochet@JenniferOlivarez.com — or create a project page on Ravelry to share your yarn choices, notes, and photos!

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Having you in my crochet circle means so much to me. This newsletter is sent on the first Friday of the month. Additional special mailings are sent each Friday after that, featuring new patterns, new stitch tutorials, tips and tricks, hot topics in the yarn industry, book and yarn reviews, and a peek into my design process. But I’ll only send you crochet content that I think you will enjoy. In the meantime, you can contact me by replying to this email or crochet@JenniferOlivarez.com. I would love to hear from you!

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