Such a pleasure to be one of the interviewees on episode 7 of Michael Kramp’s brilliant podcast, Jane Austen and the Future of Humanities. Episode 7 is about Emma: and the challenges of living in community. Downloadable wherever you get your podcasts!

It was fun to wrap up the Regal Rasanblaj last week with an embroidery workshop led by my #JaneAustenEmbroidery collaborator, Alison Larkin.. Alison gave us some pretty little sunflowers to attempt (a nod to those more elaborate sunflowers on Queen Marie-Louise Christophe’s commissioned gown).

What a day at The Regal Rasanblaj: Haitian Court Fashions, Transatlantic Connections and Regency Making at Greenwich yesterday, organised by Nicole Wilson. I learned so much from the creative practitioners, members of the Haitian Heritage Group, historians and art historians who presented. 1/

Beyond thrilled that my terrifically talented colleague, Dr Melissa Oliver-Powell (Lecturer in Film and Literature) has had her first novel longlisted for Discoveries 2026, the writer development award of the Women's Prize. womensprize.com/announcing-t.... #UoY #English #York

Huge congratulations to @jtwelsch.bsky.social on authoring this moving, difficult and brilliant book.

Do you or one of your colleagues need an index created for a book in the humanities? I make beautiful indexes (yes, such a thing does exist!) I have space to take on 1-2 additional projects in April/May. Get in touch!

Delightful surprise while looking through my 1803 Lady’s Monthly Museum. I wonder how long these flowers have been there and if they were used as a bookmark?

Never had a Lady’s Monthly Museum in its original wrappers in my hands before, but now I own this from May 1803. I’ll be using it along with other items from by personal collection and the much more extensive riches in the @uoyborthwick.bsky.social in my @rarebookschool.bsky.social course in July.

Such a great book @meganpeiser.bsky.social!

119 new transcriptions in the Mary Hamilton Papers, many AI-generated, all corrected and marked up by two human editors. David and Nuria are now checking the much-delayed refresh. See 'Converting Conversations' from the MHP, Pete Morris's blogpost(aiiamanchester.com/2025/10/09/c...). #18thC #langsky

We celebrated Dante Day last week with the launch of a new exhibition of facsimiles of manuscripts of the Divine Comedy at the Borthwick Institute For Archives, curated by @kpclarke.bsky.social, followed by a reading of Purgatorio 10 by the brilliant Kimberly Camponello and printed by Dave Harper.

I am so proud to work in @uoyenglishrl.bsky.social. My colleagues and our students in English in Related Literature are passionate our discipline, its future and its value in the world. It's nice when what I know to be true is recognised externally, in this case by our QS ranking.

Had lots of fun recording this podcast on Jane Austen and needlework for Austen Chat/the Jane Austen Society of North America www.youtube.com/@jasna.org

🚨 Two @rarebookschool.bsky.social courses coming to York in July! @wordsmith.bsky.social 'The Culture & Craft of Wood Type' & @jenniebatchelor.bsky.social 'The Rise of Periodical Print Culture' rarebookschool.org/courses/typo... rarebookschool.org/courses/hist... 🗃️ #bookhistory #earlymodern #18thC

Thrilled to be contributing author for this incredible online course offered by the Royal School of Needlework: theHistory of Embroidery. My own contribution is an illustrated history of Georgian domestic embroidery using lots of collections, including my own. royal-needlework.org.uk/courses/hist...

I had a terrific day on Saturday recording a podcast interview and then giving a talk at the Jane Austen Society London branch on Jane Austen, Her Writing and her Craft! It was fantastic turnout with lots of terrific questions.women stood Photo courtesy of Laura Rocklyn.

@jenniebatchelor.bsky.social shares that applications are now open for her new Rare Books School course on "The Rise of Periodical Print Culture, 1700–1830." The course will run from the 12th-17th July 2026. More info at the Rare Books School website: buff.ly/hY81Dzi Thanks for #SharingYourNews!

I cannot tell you how excited I am about our new MA in Creative Writing, taught by wonderful colleagues in English and Arts and Creative Technologies at York. Please spread the word widely!

Yes, I am stitching David Bowie’s face while drinking champagne and watching The Princess Bride. And a happy new year to you all.

@janeaustensummer.bsky.social this June I ran a couple of embroidery workshops. The fabric we used reminded me of the handkerchief #janeausten monogrammed for her sister Cassandra so I decided to copy it. The original is wonky and my replica is not to scale but I am happy with it. Happy 250th!

"In an era where the authentic written word is under threat....English isn't just about reading the past--it's about understanding the power of words and narratives in the present and future and giving our students the skills to successfully navigate the world". True of all UK English programmes.

Today the Sunday Times discusses the decline in students studying A-level and beyond. I believe this is reversible. I believe it is necessary. And I’m glad to have some of my words on the importance of the discipline and the vibrancy of our degrees in English at York in the article.

It's 12 days of Jane Austen! We're counting down to the end of our Kickstarter campaign! Due to loss of NEH funding, we're raising $9,000 to add music to Jane Austen's Desk, our award winning digital platform. For more info and to donate visit: www.kickstarter.com/projects/jan...

Really enjoyed this article by Emily Wells, New Discoveries: Paper Gardens: A Collection of Needlework Patterns Drawn by Lady Jean Skipwith | The MESDA Journal url:https://www.mesdajournal.org/2025/new-discoveries-paper-gardens-a-collection-of-needlework-patterns-drawn-by-lady-jean-skipwith/ 1/

A wonderful write-up of the best exhibition I saw in 2025- AUSTEN & TURNER: A COUNTRY HOUSE ENCOUNTER at Harewood House. If you couldn’t make it to Leeds to see this extraordinary “what if…?” extravaganza in person, then reading this article is very much the next best thing.

I adored the exhibition and wrote about it for @bsecs.bsky.social *Criticks* this summer. www.bsecs.org.uk/criticks-rev...

What a dream to co-author this article with the one & only @jenniebatchelor.bsky.social

Also for the Austen 250th, @chloewigstonsmith.bsky.social and I are thrilled our article about Austen and Turner: A Country House Encounter is published today in a very special issue of Persuasions On-Line. Working on this exhibition was the highlight of my year. jasna.org/publications...

Happy 250th, Jane. I love how the quote they chose from me in this piece (with many sound bites) in Spanish paper El Periodico is about her technical brilliance. I also like how my name and hers have been mangled together (Jannie Batchelor may be my new moniker): www.elperiodico.com/es/ocio-y-cu...

I try not to talk about this much, but in case someone else needs to hear it… Being a carer to a loved one is incredibly hard physically and mentally and unbearable sometimes. Doing paid work on top of that can sometimes feel impossible no matter how much of a privilege it is to have the option.

It’s been an age since posting. No particular reason except all round busyness. But this gorgeous Christmas gift from the wonderful @mikinski.bsky.social (scholar and 18th century baker extraordinaire) could not go undocumented! #christmas #janeausten

reviewed great collection on writers & new media in the 19C print culture sublime! ed and intro by alexis easley w essays by @jenniebatchelor.bsky.social & more! in Review 19 -- www.review19.org/view_doc.php... & looking forward to talking about it at @navsa2025.bsky.social !!

Delighted to have received a text from a friend who saw the Beyond the Bonnets exhibition at the Winchester ARC, which (to my surprise) featured my published research on Susanna Sackree, who looked after the children of Jane Austen’s brother and later become the housekeeper of Godmersham Park. 1/

After a mad few weeks of work, I finally finished a couple of projects. One big and one small. The crochet craft bag was supposed to be a beginner’s project, but every one of the 36 granny squares, magic circles and mattress stitch joins tested this beginner. The sprig was much more my comfort zone.

Couldn’t resist this almost disbound copy of the Lady’s Magazine for 1777. It has a map sampler pattern for the Americas I have desperately wanted for some time and I was worried this was going to be chopped up for its lovely plates. I hope “Ann Nickleson” would approve. This is her book.

Are you an established or senior researcher in the humanities and social sciences? Our British Academy/Leverhulme Senior Research Fellowships allow successful award-holders to concentrate on bringing a major piece of research to completion. Find out more: https://bit.ly/3VMeTZ9

PSA: I have now become THAT person who blabs on about pre-ordering her book. Tbf, it is 25% off online @waterstones.bsky.social w/code OCTOBER25 (only through Friday!) so you might as well treat yourself 💅🏻 #18thc #skystorians #history @yalepress.bsky.social www.waterstones.com/book/the-mas...

Still pinching myself. Last night I talked about “Jane Austen, Her Writing and Her Craft” before a sold out crowd at Harewood House and enjoyed one last walk round of our exhibition Austen & Turner: A Country House Encounter. It was both wonderful and sad But all good things, as they say…

What a marvellous day in Bath with Strictly Jane Austen Tours, talking all things Austen and attending and helping out at an embroidery workshop led by Alison Larkin. #Austenat250

Excited for the week ahead. Not one but two talks to celebrate #Austen250. On Tuesday, I will be at the Gainsborough Hotel in Bath talking about Austen and women’s magazines. On Thursday, I will be at Harewood talking about Jane Austen’s Craft. Around that will be a lot of Head of Departmenting.

Today has been a long one. Nonetheless, I feel energised and humbled by the last meeting of today in which I joined the wonderful editorial team (and fellow editorial board members) of @abojournal.bsky.social for our annual meeting. ABO’s work and the work it supports are vital and outstanding!

Last night was the launch of Encounters with Jane Austen, a collection of essays, interviews, poems and short fiction about to commemorate the 250th anniversary of her birth. I wrote the book’s introduction to the book, which includes a short account of Austen’s life, work and legacies. #Austen250

Back into research after attending Attingham Trust's 'New Perspectives in Country Houses' course, and channelling Jane (photo from the amazing Austen/Turner exhibition at Harewood House, in collaboration with @cecs-york.bsky.social @jenniebatchelor.bsky.social @chloewigstonsmith.bsky.social )

So excited for the launch of Encounters with Jane Austen on 2 October. Join Cheryl Robson (and me!) for a wonderful evening with April de Angelis, Katie Lumsden, Mary Hamer, Jen Francis, Caitlin Grills,Karenjit Sandhu and Kim Bailey. Tickets can be booked here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/celebratin...

Wonderful article on Miss Lambe in Jane Austen’s Sanditon in The Conversation by our brilliant colleague, Olivia Carpenter! theconversation.com/jane-austens...

Thanks so much for your fab introduction @jenniebatchelor.bsky.social Looking forward to our upcoming event too! Thanks also to contributors @juliamiller.bsky.social @aprildeangelis.bsky.social @zitaholbourne.bsky.social @marcellenewbold.bsky.social #janeausten #englishliterature bit.ly/42vsQyk

It was so lovely to be at the launch of Jane Austen’s Fashion Bible by the incomparable Ros Ballaster at Chawton House last night. Always a pleasure to hear Ros talk about Austen and the book is sumptuous #JaneAusten #Austen250

Book selfie! So pleased to have been part of Encounters with Jane Austen which out in just a few days from @aurorametro.bsky.social . It had been terrific to work with the brilliant Cheryl Robson and to be in such stellar contributor company. Find out more here: www.aurorametro.com/product/enco...

Today was the last session of the Jane Austen Book Club at Harewood House. led by @chloewigstonsmith.bsky.social and me to run alongside Austen and Turner: A Country House Encounter exhibition. Today, we spent a lot of time talking (amongst other things) about silence. #AustenandTurner #Austen250

I had the best morning ever earlier this week at the fabulous Quilt Museum in York conducting research for my book The Writer’s Craft. The collection is extraordinary and the generosity and expertise of Curator, Heather Audin, equal to it. #quilting #needlework #craft #writing #sewing #18c