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Missouri Star Quilt Company to Acquire LoveCrafts

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In news I first saw reported by the Craft Industry Alliance, Hamilton, Missouri, based Missouri Star Quilt Company is in the process of acquiring British yarn craft company LoveCrafts.

Update: On 10/8 WEBS sent out an email with news of the deal, saying that nothing will change in users’ experience of WEBS online or in person. “We want to assure you that our commitment to providing you with the best experience remains the same, whether shopping online or in our retail store in Northampton, MA,” the statement said. “You’ll still be able to get the WEBS Discount, we’ll still have closeouts, and we’ll be working on bringing your favorite yarns back in stock!”

That bit about getting yarns back in stock may be a reference to complaints from some visitors that quality and stock have gone down since the company was purchased by LoveCrafts.

SkyNews reported that the deal could be done early this week, and is valued at millions of pounds. LoveCrafts is backed by several UK technology funds and saw its sales skyrocket during the pandemic, but it has been looking for a buyer this year because of declining sales.

Missouri Star Quilt Company might not be a name a lot of knitters and crocheters know, but it’s a destination shop for quilters. Founded in 2008 as a small, local fabric store, it has grown into the home of the biggest quilting channel on YouTube, with free tutorials published weekly. Hamilton is now known as Quilt Town USA, and is home to nearly 20 themed craft shops under the Missouri Star Quilt Company banner, including shops dedicated to florals, batiks, men’s fabrics and accessories, to name just a few.

One of the shops is a knitting and crochet shop, so this acquisition is sure to enhance their selection and their e-commerce footprint in yarn (right now it doesn’t look to me like it’s possible to buy yarn on their website).

LoveCrafts, on the other hand, is probably a company you’ve heard of. It was founded in 2012 as LoveKnitting, which branched out into LoveCrochet in 2015, but the two were brought under the same roof in 2019 with the launch of LoveCrafts. In 2021 they bought WEBS, one of the largest brick and mortar yarn stores in the United States, which also has a substantial online presence. WEBS has its own yarn line, Valley Yarns, and had also previously acquired Tahki Stacy Charles.

The Craft Industry Alliance reported that Edward Griffith, one of the founders of LoveCrafts, said the companies share a common mission and vision around the importance of crafting and community. They further reported that Jeff Martin, CEO of Missouri Star’s parent company, said the acquisition not only helps them to expand their product offerings but also to bring together passionate communities of makers.

[Photo via Missouri Star Quilt Company]

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Vintage Knitted Coat Pattern PDF – Pembroke Coat

Oh, this one has proper old-Hollywood winter charm.

The Pembroke Coat is a vintage knitted coat pattern that instantly made me think of crisp winter walks, leather gloves, polished boots, and the sort of coat your grandmother would have casually worn while looking impossibly elegant. It has that beautiful longline shape, a classic collar, button front, sleeve tabs, pockets, and a smart plaid-style design that gives it such a tailored finish.

This is not a quick “knit it while watching one movie” sort of project — and honestly, that is part of the appeal. The Pembroke Coat is one for knitters who love a satisfying vintage knitting pattern with a proper garment construction feel. The updated PDF includes the original vintage reference image along with a modern mockup, which makes it much easier to picture how this coat could look in today’s wardrobe.

I especially love that this pattern still feels wearable. Made in grey, camel, forest green, burgundy, or navy, it would be a gorgeous handmade winter coat with that timeless “where did you get that?” look.

As with most vintage patterns, I’d recommend reading through the instructions first, checking your gauge carefully, and being prepared to make small adjustments for fit and modern yarn substitutions. But for confident knitters who enjoy heirloom-style projects, this is a really lovely one to add to the queue.

You can find the Vintage Knitted Coat Pattern PDF in the CraftGossipStore on Etsy.