ISSUE 135 Sep 2018
150+ KNITTY IDEAS INSIDE! BEAUTIFUL BLANKETS
to knit and crochet THE UK’S BESTSELLING KNIT MAG
Cosy & Stylish
KNIT BO PEEP!
LAYERS YOU’LL LOVE!
Makes for all Skill Levels
AGES 1-4
£5.99 | September 18 Issue 135
FAB KNITS FOR LITTLE PEOPLE
FITS 2-3 Y RS
LOVE THIS!
SIMPLE TWO-PIECE TOP
MAKES WIN PRIZES
TOYMAKER OF THE YEAR COMP INSIDE
BACK TO KNIT SCHOOL SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS WITH OUR PICK OF AUTUMN WORKSHOPS MUST-HAVE YARNS!
TERRIFIC TWEEDS & BRITISH FIBRES
EASY WAYS WITH CHUNKY YARN FELINE COSY
DON’T MISS OUR KITTY HOTTIE COVER
EDITOR’S Letter
Welcome!
14
59
TOP LEFT: Fair Isle special, p59
YARN Shopping
BRITISH Yarn
ABOVE RIGHT: The Autumn Layers Collection, p14
CHECK OUT OUR FAVOURITE HOME GROWN FIBRES!
Erika Knight British Blue Wool
LUXE AND SOFT
West Yorkshire Spinners Bluefaced Leicester DK
shade Steve • wool • 25g• £4.20 This pure wool yarn is made with fleece from the famous British Bluefaced Leicester sheep. The soft fibre knits up with fantastic stitch definition and makes garments that are super cosy. Available in 12 subtle tones, this yarn is perfect for your transseasonal knitwear. loveknitting.com
TOFT DK
shade Cream • wool • 25g • £6 TOFT's pure wool range is spun in Yorkshire from soft and luxurious fleeces to produce a yarn with a wonderful silky lustre and soft handle. It is perfect for knitting and crochet and comes in a range of bright and muted shades suited to all projects. toftuk.com
Jamieson & Smith 2 Ply Jumper Weight
40
LK LOVES!
BRITI MADESH
LEFT: Best of British, p40 BELOW: Charity Corner, p72
Three Bears Yarn 100% Bluefaced Leicester Aran
STUN SHADNING ES PURE WOOL
shade 125 • wool • 125g • £2.85 This 2ply yarn is made from 100% Shetland wool, and is traditionally used for Fair Isle garments. Available in a full palette of beautiful shades originally designed by Jamieson and Smith, this yarn will make winter garments you’ll wear again and again. woolwarehouse.co.uk
Next issue
shade Burnt Orange • wool • 50g • £4.85 Sheared, reared and spun in West Yorkshire, this fabulous 100% wool yarn comes in a beautiful colour palette and is available in both a DK and aran weight. The cosy feel to this fibre makes it a dream to knit with and it’s perfect for garments and homewares. wyspinners.com
shade Dusky Blue • wool • 50g • £4.49 We adore the mix of soft pastel colours and taupe shades in this premium quality range from Three Bears Yarn. Soft to the touch and wonderful to work with, this fibre is bred, sheared, spun and dyed in the UK. threebearsyarn.co.uk
Chilla Valley Alpaca 4ply
ING AMAZ CA ALPA
We take a look at wonderful wool blends
shade Vanilla Ice • alpaca wool & silk • 50g • £8 Made from a blend of British alpaca and Shetland fleece, this quality yarn has softness and durability in the mix. Perfect for shawls and openwork designs, this fibre feels fabulous to work with and is available in a gorgeous colour palette. thelittlewoolcompany.com
@letsknitmag
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Knitting takes time (its slow, calming rhythm is one of the reasons we love it!) which means we knitters need to start early if we don’t want to miss the next season! With that in mind, our Autumn Layers Collection is the perfect way to be ready for when the weather turns chilly – even if such a change seems a long way off! Garments such as our Easy Kimono (p16) are versatile layers that can be whipped on and off, worn loosely or belted up snugly as the temperature dictates. See the whole collection on page 14. When you reach for cosy fibres for your cold-weather knits do you think about where they’ve come from? Why not choose one of our fantastic home-grown options? See our brilliant crop of British yarns on page 40. Fair Isle is a fantastic technique, and there’s nothing quite like it in any other craft. The ability to create your own decorative fabric that’s as intricate, colourful and symbolic as you wish it to be is something to be cherished. Check out our feature and accompanying hat and mittens project starting on page 59. Charity knitting is booming, and there are so many ways your needles can help others. Check out our regular round-up on page 72. Happy knitting!
Sarah
SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
sarah.neal@aceville.co.uk
Subscribe to Let’s Knit and receive your FREE Stylecraft super chunky throw and cushion kit! See page 28 for details Find us at facebook.com/ letsknitmag
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All items from patterns published by Let’s Knit are for personal use only and cannot be sold. Multiple copies of any part of this publication may not be made, and no part of this publication whether in its original form or a reproduction thereof may be sold. All patterns featured within Let’s Knit are reproduced in good faith that they do not infringe any copyright. DISCLAIMER: We recommend that readers use the main specified yarn for every project as this will produce the best results. The alternatives given are suggestions only, and as no two yarns
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www
Visit us at letsknit.co.uk
are exactly the same we advise readers to swatch an alternative yarn carefully before choosing to use it for their project. The publishers are not responsible for any safety issues arising from any items knitted from patterns contained within Let’s Knit magazine. Please note that toys with small parts are not suitable for children under three years of age. If making a toy for a very young child, omit any buttons and embroider the details instead. Babies should be supervised when playing with toys. Prices are all correct at time of print.
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53 September 2018
In this issue
22
37
Bo Peep
SHOPPING
8 See It, Want It, Love It
Our September favourites
27 Need for Tweed Cosy up with our transseasonal selection 40 British Yarns Our pick of gorgeous homegrown yarns 66 Purple Rain Dress to impress in mauve and violet tones 90 Newsflash Knitty events and goodies you won’t want to miss Cat Hot Water Bottle
41 Cover Star
FOCUS
30 Become a Buttonhole Expert We show you how 44 Back to Knit School Our pick of autumn workshops 63 Fair Isle Focus How to master this colourful technique 75 The British Knitting and Crochet Awards Your last chance to vote and win big! 87 Q&A Central Your knitty questions answered
PEOPLE
Chevron Scarf
Let us help you! WE UNDERSTAND THAT NOTHING IS MORE ANNOYING THAN ERRORS IN KNITTING PATTERNS, SO HERE’S OUR PROMISE TO YOU l Exclusive patterns featured in Let’s Knit have been professionally checked and reproduced with the utmost care. Updates can be found at letsknit.co.uk/pattern-updates l Should you encounter any problems we are more than happy to provide support and assistance. Contact us and we will endeavour to respond as soon as possible.
BY PHONE: 01206 508622 (office hours only) BY EMAIL: support@letsknit.co.uk BY POST: at the address on page 94 (please mark your envelope ‘Support’) (Please note we cannot offer assistance with patterns not published in Let’s Knit)
Contact us HAVE ANOTHER QUERY? HERE’S HOW TO GET IN TOUCH l Subscription enquiries/ customer services: 0330 333 0042, crafts@magazinestoyou.com l Advertising enquiries: 01206 505114, samantha.dean@aceville.co.uk l Online registration/website enquiries: webmaster@letsknit.co.uk
10 12 72 98
Knit It, Write It, Share It! Your fantastic makes and letters
Out & About
Where to go and what to do
Charity Corner
Wonderful knitters who craft for a cause
Last Word
We chat to Latvian knitter, Ieva Ozoliņa
IN EVERY ISSUE 3 Welcome 7 Free For You This Month 28 Subscriptions 47 Read & Relax 50 Teabreak 51 Coming Next Month 62 Reader Offer 83 Giveaways 93 Knitter’s Know-How
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letsknit.co.uk Contents Sept18.indd 2
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6
31
59
WIN! WIN! WIN! OVER £3,000 WORTH OF PRIZES ON PAGES 75 & 83
Hat and Mitts
PATTERNS
70
67
34
Colour Block Blanket
Blackberry Stitch Top
Super Chunky Shrug
16 18 20 22 24 31 34 37 41 53 59 67 70 84 88 93 95 Easy Kimono
Easy Kimono Chevron Scarf Blackberry Stitch Top Super Chunky Shrug Lace Edged Shawl Denim Pinafore Dress Hedgehog Hat and Mitts Cat Hot Water Bottle Beginners’ Chunky Cardi Bo Peep and her Sheep Forest Trail Hat and Mitts Colour Block Blanket Chunky Storage Pots Crochet Star Blanket Mosaic Cowl Square of the Month Dominoes Stashbuster Lace Edged Shawl
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13
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A CT son GE IO Styl N e ea
THE AUTUMN LAYERS COLLECTION
Starts on page 14
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JUST FOR YOU THIS MONTH!
Knit Cleo the Cat in her fluffy jumper!
Number for gifts 1
Cats are something of an office favourite, especially when they’re sporting a fabulous pink shrug and red bow, like Cleo here. Get all the yarn to make her in this month’s fantastic yarn kit. Simple stripes add interest to the body and we love the gorgeous texture. The pattern is easy to follow and you can also knit Cleo’s best friends, Rupert the dog and Jimmy the Pig, designed by Sachiyo Ishii!
fleecy yarn!
LOVE YOUR
Find the FREE YARN KIT? pattern Get more! to make Order an extra pack Cleo that includes 160g of in your yarn, for only £7.99*! Simply visit BONUS letsknit.co.uk/cleo PATTERN or call 0800 923 3005. leaflet! *T&C’s: postage charges apply. Limited stock available.
SIX FREE* YARNS!
Get creative with the pretty pastel and ombre yarns in your free* yarn pack! The kit also includes bamboo needles and a metal crochet hook. It’s worth £6.99! Find out how to claim your kit on page 62. *UK customers only, just pay postage
EXCLUSIVE treats you’ll love
3 Easy-knit cat pattern 3 Super soft fluffy yarn 3 Yarn kit worth £7.99! 3 Two bonus toys to make 3 Perfect for gifts Find hundreds of fabulous free patterns at letsknit.co.uk
Coming next issue! FAB EYELASH YARN KIT! You’ll love the huggably soft eyelash yarn used to knit this cuddly ted. Find this yarn plus two more classic shades in your great value kit!
October issue of Let's Knit on sale Thursday 30th August 07
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YOUR 13 PAGE FASHION SPECIAL
The AUTUMN LAYERS
Collection CELEBRATE THE NEW SEASON WITH OUR GORGEOUS GARMENTS AND ACCESSORIES!
PAGE
22 Super Chunky Shrug
BIG IS BEAUTIFUL WITH OUR STATEMENT MAKE
PAGE
20
texture
Blackberry Stitch Top CHOOSE BERRY SHADES FOR A WARM AUTUMNAL FEEL
We love this time of year with its crisp mornings and glowing afternoon sun. Our five-piece fashion edit is perfect for layering up against the unpredictable weather. Pair our blackberry stitch top with a long-sleeved tee, or step out in style with our easy kimono, knitted in soft British wool. Whether you're looking for a bold statement knit, like our super chunky tweed shrug, or more elegant accessories such as a lacy shawl or colourwork scarf, we've got you covered this autumn.
& cables! 14
letsknit.co.uk
THE STYLE
Edit
PAGE
18
Chevron Scarf
GREAT FIRST FAIR ISLE PATTERN
PAGE
16
Easy Kimono
ture
fashion!
PAGE
24 Laceedged Shawl
h
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to fit
ed as ot
CLASSIC STYLE THAT SUITS ALL SHAPES
PERFECT PROJECT FOR LACE LOVERS
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KIDS’
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KNIT JULIE FERGUSON’S PRETTY PINNY FOR EVERYDAY ADVENTURES
LU
DELIGHT
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Denim
• EXCLUS
pattern
Toddlers can get on board with the denim trend thanks to this gorgeous pinafore dress! It’s really easy to knit with simple stocking stitch and a decorative moss stitch design. The denim cotton yarn is soft to wear yet durable enough for even the most mischievous tot. As children rarely fit into neat age brackets, we’ve given the actual measurements of the dress. Make sure you factor in ease and growing room when choosing which size to make.
es For ag
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GET WARM AND TOASTY WITH THIS PURRFECT HOT WATER BOTTLE COVER BY JANE BURNS!
L U S I V E TO •
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Meowington
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LORD .
As our minds turn to autumn, there’s nothing we love more than snuggling up in a favourite chair with a knitting project on the go. This cute kitty design is the perfect cosy companion and looks great nestled among a selection of throw cushions. The cat motif is knitted using the intarsia method, if you’re new to this technique a small project like this is ideal for enhancing your skills!
r Great fo
meet the
MAKER
“For me the image of a cat curled up in front of a fire is one of pure snuggly joy. When I was thinking about a motif for the cover, a cute kitty was an obvious choice!”
LK DESIGNER, Jane
Burns
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Simple Chunky Cardigan
TO
KNIT YOUR FIRST GARMENT!
Top, £8.99, New Look; Jeans, £15, Marks & Spencer; Belt, £12.99, T.K. Maxx
Quick-to-knit and easy to boot, this cosy cardi by Jo Allport is sure to be loved by knitters both old and new! There’s a ribbed edging on the sleeves and body sections, but the rest of the garment is worked in stocking stitch. On the body, you don’t even need to worry about shaping until you get to the armholes. It’s fastened with a large button and the buttonhole is made using the eyelet technique. Turn to page 30 to see how to do it.
DISCOVER HOW TO: 4 WORK IN RIB 4 DECREASE 4 JOIN A NEW COLOUR 4 USE STITCH HOLDERS
PLUS 4 SIZES IN DIFFERENT COLOURS TO HELP YOU 4 ALL THE GUIDANCE YOU NEED IN OUR TIP! PANELS over the page
colour blocks ! 41 letsknit.co.uk
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★ letsgetcrafting.com/toymaker ★ letsgetcrafting.com/toymaker ★ letsgetcrafting.com/toymaker
C BE
OME OUR …
GET STARTED...
2018 We’re looking for our next toymaking champion and this time it could be you – whether you’ve made hundreds of toys or never tried before, all skill levels are welcome. All you need to do is submit a photograph at letsgetcrafting.com/toymaker and you could have the amazing accolade of being our Toymaker of the Year. It’s time to get the recognition you deserve!
The prize!
If you’re crowned our champion, not only will you have your project featured in issue 106 of our sister title Let’s Get Crafting, you’ll also win...
Knit or crochet any toy that you like, take a clear photo of it against a plain background and enter it online at letsgetcrafting.com/toymaker
Enter by 7th September 2018
FREEBIES FOR EVERY ENTRANT!
After submitting a picture of your toy online you’ll be emailed with a unique code to get these amazing patterns for free from Craft Store! That’s not all! Every entrant will also receive a £5 voucher* to spend at deramores.com
A Readicut bundle worth over
*when you spend £20
£200!
OUR JUDGING PANEL
readicut.co.uk is giving away four Knitty Critter kits as well as a huge 3,600g yarn bundle made up of Caron, Lily Sugar ‘n Cream and Bernat treats.
PLUS an amazing £150 yarn bundle from Deramores!
SACHIYO ISHII
SUE STRATFORD
KERRY LORD
MARI-LIIS LILLE
ILARIA CALIRI
Head to letsgetcrafting.com/toymaker and submit a photo of your toy today! 49
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Don’t miss our
NEXT ISSUE OCTOBER ISSUE OF LET’S KNIT ON SALE THURSDAY 30TH AUGUST
KNIT LOUIS THE BEAR WITH YOUR EXCLUSIVE KIT!
FLUFFY EYELASH YARN
Cuddly classic teddy + BONUS BOW TIE PATTERN
Gifts worth £7.99!
JOIN OUR CELEBRATION of natural fibres!
BONUS STASHBUSTER MAKE
ALSO in this issue...
COSY UP FOR AUTUMN
Projects subject to change
START YOUR CHRISTMAS KNITS
LOVE COLOURWORK
1 New season yarn preview 2 Fun Hallowe’en wreath 3 Stylish garments 4 Knit for charity 5 Expert guide to changing colour 6 Cute crochet cat you’ll love! 51
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RHYME Time KNIT SACHIYO ISHII'S FABULOUS PLAYSET!
Here’s Little Bo Beep and she’s found one of her sheep! This sweet set is made in 4ply yarn so you can create lots of lovely detail. The sheep has a wonderful fleecy texture, but it can be tricky to see your stitches so work slowly and carefully on this section of the pattern. Don’t forget to omit the bell if you’re giving this sheep to very small shepherds. Get all your supplies from your local yarn shop. S I V E TO •
SI
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CLU
EXCLU
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Classi c knitted
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Forest
TRAIL PRACTISE YOUR COLOURWORK WITH HELEN ARDLEY’S COSY COMBO The colder weather is almost here, so make sure you’re well wrapped up in this delightful duo. Stranded colourwork creates a double-layered fabric so it’s perfect for frosty mornings. The tree motif gives the set a lovely Scandinavian feel and the icy blue, cream and grey tones are right on trend. Later in the year, why not switch up the shades to make the design look like little Christmas trees?
let a h c i Sk
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HOME
pattern
Colour Block
BLANKET
COSY UP IN STYLE WITH JULIE FERGUSON’S GORGEOUS DESIGN FOR THE HOME SIVE
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Knitted in bold squares of cosy aran yarn, this bright throw is ideal for an evening of snuggling! Each coloured piece is knitted using a different stitch so if you’re a beginner it’s a fantastic project for trying out a brand new technique on something quite small. The mix of colour and different patterns make this an interesting and contemporary design, perfect for modern living. Make sure you follow the chart carefully to ensure your colours are correct in the finished project.
TO
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Vote here or online at letsknit.co.uk/awards
WIN PRIZES WORTH £700!
Vote in the British Knitting & Crochet Awards and you could win one of two amazing bundles of gorgeous yarns, patterns and more!
T
hank you to everyone who nominated their favourites in the opening stage of the 2018 British Knitting & Crochet Awards. Now it’s time make your choices from the final shortlist, either on the form below or online at letsknit.co.uk/awards. Every voter will be automatically entered into the draw to win a bundle of amazing goodies featuring many of last year’s award winning brands. Here’s what you could win:
1st
PRIZE
FIRST PRIZE - WORTH £400! 12 balls of Stylecraft Batik Elements + garment pattern * 3 skeins of West Yorkshire Spinners Exquisite Lace * 5 skeins of West Yorkshire Spinners Wensleydale Gems * 10 balls of Rowan Softyak DK * Rowan Knitting Magazine 63 * 10 balls of Sirdar No 1 + patterns * Pony luxury maple straight needle set * Edward’s Crochet Imaginarium by Kerry Lord * The Sock Drawer by Verity Castledine * assorted KnitPro accessories (not shown)
2nd PRIZE
WHAT TO DO SECOND PRIZE – WORTH £300!
27 balls of Stylecraft Special DK + crochet pattern * 4 balls of West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4ply * 1 skein of West Yorkshire Spinners Illustrious Naturals * 10 balls of Rowan Summerlite DK + pattern book * Rowan Journeyman pattern book * assorted Clover accessories * 2 balls of Baa Ram Ewe Dovestone Natural Chunky * Learn to Knit At Home by Alison Moreton * TOFT bunny kit * Granny Squares and Shapes by Sue Pinner * Sophie’s Universe by Dedri Uys (not shown)
Simply tick off your choices in the boxes provided. You can do this on the form provided here or online at letsknit.co.uk/awards. If using the printed form, post it to us in an envelope marked British Knitting & Crochet Awards to Marketing Dept., 21-23 Phoenix Court, Hawkins Road, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8JY by 30th August 2018. Results will be announced in the Christmas Special issue of Let’s Knit, on sale Thursday 27th September 2018.
VOTE HERE OR ONLINE AT LETSKNIT.CO.UK/AWARDS YARNS AND BRANDS
BEST BABY YARN BRAND ☐ James C. Brett ☐ King Cole ☐ Sirdar ☐ Stylecraft ☐ Debbie Bliss
Nominate Now! BEST SOCK YARN BRAND
BEST VALUE YARN BRAND ☐ Drops ☐ Stylecraft ☐ Deramores ☐ King Cole ☐ Sirdar
BEST OVERALL YARN BRAND
☐ Drops ☐ Opal ☐ Regia ☐ Stylecraft ☐ West Yorkshire Spinners
☐ Stylecraft ☐ Sirdar ☐ Rowan ☐ Deramores ☐ King Cole
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BEST INDEPENDENT YARN BRAND
BEST LUXURY YARN BRAND
BEST YARN FOR TOYS
☐ Debbie Bliss ☐ Rowan ☐ Scheepjes ☐ Sirdar ☐ TOFT
☐ Sirdar ☐ Deramores ☐ King Cole ☐ TOFT ☐ Stylecraft
BEST BRAND FOR BRITISH YARN
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☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
West Yorkshire Spinners For the Love of Yarn TOFT Truly Hooked Deramores
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☐ TOFT ☐ West Yorkshire Spinners ☐ Blacker Yarns ☐ Three Bears Yarn ☐ Baa Ram Ewe
............................................................................. PTO FOR MORE CATEGORIES
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