£6.99 | Aug 19 Issue 147
ISSUE 147 Aug 2019
WIN OVER £6,500 OF AMAZING PRIZES! VAL PIERCE SPECIAL! 3 FAB PATTERNS!
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WHIMSICAL SUMMER KNITS
S NAUTICAL KNIT YOU‘LL LOVE
YOUR KNITTING STAYCATION SORTED!
TIMELESS DESIGNS
TIPS FOR MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR HOBBY THIS SUMMER
SOPHISTICATED SCARF
COLLECTABLE WREATH
LOVE THIS!
DISASTER ZONE
FAB FIBRES
VOTE & WIN
READERS CONFESS THEIR FUNNIEST MISTAKES
THE BEST YARN CAKES AND SILK BLENDS
THE BRITISH KNITTING & CROCHET AWARDS 2019
EDITOR’S Letter
53
Welcome!
With its sunny days and holiday vibe, August is the perfect time to inject some fun and frivolity into your knitting, and this issue of Let’s Knit has everything you need to do so. Our Nicely Nautical collection, which starts on page 14, features garments that are perfect for a breezy stroll along the Riviera. The collection includes a host of jolly details, from an anchor motif to bobbles, along with traditional stripes. For something a little more lamboyant, our Fringed Halter-Neck top on page 53 will be loved by holidaying teens and festival-goers alike. Summer knits are all about colour, and using a yarn cake is an easy way to create a jazzy colour scheme. Turn to page 32 where we’ve assembled a bunch of our current favourites in all their vibrant glory. We’re sure you’ll be inspired! Val Pierce has been designing for Let’s Knit for nearly ten years, and her quirky toys are legendary. In this issue you’ll ind no less than three fantastic patterns from Val, plus a chat with the lady herself about her magical makes. Turn to page 57 for the start of our nine page special. There’s still time to vote in the British Knitting & Crochet Awards 2019. Simply visit letsknit.co.uk/ awards and pick your choices from our shortlist. On page 71 you’ll ind details of the amazing prizes you could win as a thank you. Don’t miss out!
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32
ABOVE LEFT: The Nicely Nautical Collection, starts on p14 ABOVE RIGHT: Fringed Halter-Neck top, p53 CENTRE: Yummy yarn cakes, p32 LEFT: Val Pierce 9-Page Special, p57 BELOW: Vote in the British Knitting & Crochet Awards 2019 and win amazing prizes, p71
71
57
Happy Knitting
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Sarah
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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 speciied 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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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.
03 letsknit.co.uk
38 August 2019
In this issue 19
SHOPPING 8
78
See It, Want It, Love It! Our top picks for August
32 Yummy Yarn Cakes Enjoy our super-sweet collection of ibres
38 Radiant in Red Upgrade your look with these stylish yarns
75 Silk Blends
Cover Star
Explore our fab selection of luxury ibres
90 Newslash Catch up with the latest news in knitting
FOCUS 36 Super Staycation Enjoy a sensational summer in the UK
64 In Conversation With Val Pierce
Crochet Summer Shoulder Bag
We hear from one of our most iconic designers
71 The British Knitting & Crochet Awards
48
Find out how to vote for your favourites
82 Technique Page Get Hooked on Crochet
83 Oops! I Knit It Again Our fabulous readers share their crafty mistakes
87 Q&A Central Providing answers for knitters everywhere
PEOPLE 10 Knit It, Write It, Share It! Your incredible makes and letters
12 Out and About
Nautical Bobble Sweater
Fill your calendar with wonderful events Car Seat Tidy
68 Charity Corner Knitters using their needles to make a diference
98 My Life In Patterns
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 (oice hours only) BY EMAIL: support@letsknit.co.uk BY POST: at the address at the top of page 94 (please mark your envelope ‘Support’) (Please note we cannot ofer assistance with patterns not published in Let’s Knit)
We hear from Norwegian knitter Nina Granlund Sæther
Contact us HAVE ANOTHER QUERY? HERE’S HOW TO GET IN TOUCH l Subscription enquiries/ customer services: 0800 904 7000, aceville@dctmedia.co.uk l Advertising enquiries: 01206 505114, samantha.dean@aceville.co.uk l Online registration/website enquiries: webmaster@letsknit.co.uk
04 letsknit.co.uk
IN EVERY ISSUE 3 7 26 50 51 56 60 84 93
Welcome Just For You This Month Subscriptions Teabreak Coming Next Month Read & Relax Reader Ofer Bumper Giveaways Knitter’s Know-How
39
Fab fun knits
53
WIN! WIN! WIN! OVER £6,500 OF GREAT PRIZES ON PAGE 84
Nautical Wreath
45
Festival Top
Beach Hut Cushion Cover
33
54 Quick make
Watermelon Sweater
Anchor Motif Sweater
PATTERNS 16 Anchor Motif Sweater 19 Nautical Bobble Sweater 21 Light Lace Cardi 23 Stripy Summer T-shirt 25 Eyelet Scarf 29 Ocean Slip Stitch Scarf 33 Beach Hut Cushion Cover 39 Nautical Wreath 45 Watermelon Sweater 48 Car Seat Tidy 53 Festival Top 57 Rocky the Crab 61 Dillon the Lion 66 Teddy Bear Romper 76 Baby Crossover Top 78 Crochet Summer Shoulder Bag 88 Tote Bag Tutorial Stripy Summer T-shirt
Light Lace Cardi
Eyelet Scarf
1 SE2-P CT AG IO E N
THE NICELY NAUTICAL COLLECTION Starts on page 16 05 letsknit.co.uk
JUST FOR YOU THIS MONTH
Quick Knit Owl kit & easy pattern! Knit yourself a trio of bright and colourful owls. We’ve provided the yarn and the pattern, just add needles, felt and safety toy stuffing. They’re so simple to knit; even new knitters will be able to knit an owl in just a few hours. LK designer Áine Marriott has added little tufty ears for a super cute finish. Don’t forget to send us your photos using the contact details on page 11.
No for gi.f1ts
THIS MONTH’S
Find the pattern for Olivia and friends on your BONUS PATTERN LEAFLET
LOVE YOUR YARN KIT? GET MORE! Order an extra pack that includes 150g of yarn for £7.99*! Simply visit letsknit.co.uk/Olivia or call 0800 904 7000. *T&C’s: postage charges apply. Limited stock available.
FREE* BOOK WORTH £14.99
*UK customers only, just pay postage
Claim your free* copy of Lauren O’Farrell’s brilliant book, Stitch London, worth £14.99. It’s illed with 20 adorable designs from royal guards to city pigeons and even The Queen herself. Find out more about this great ofer on page 60.
EXCLUSIVE
Treats you’ll love ONLY IN LET’S KNIT
3Brilliant toy projects 3Limited edition yarn kit 3Easy-to-follow pattern leaflet 3Claim your free* book 3Extra yarn pack deal Find hundreds of ree knitting patterns letsknit.co.uk
Coming next issue! 6 YARNS + 4 WOODLAND TOYS Go really wild for Sachiyo Ishii’s adorable set! You can make all four characters with your yarn pack, which feature six soft toy yarns, especially chosen for you by our in-house experts. We love the adorable accessories!
DON’T MISS 07 letsknit.co.uk
SEPTEMBER ISSUE OF LET’S KNIT ON SALE THURSDAY 1ST AUGUST
YOUR 12 PAGE FASHION SPECIAL
The NICELY NAUTICAL
Collection EMBRACE SAILOR CHIC WITH OUR SUPER STYLISH PATTERNS
PAGE
PAGE
23 Stripy Summer T-shirt
Idel m fr wars day
19
Make a taement!
Nautical Bobble Sweater
EASY-KNIT, EASY -WEAR MAKE
Choose
STAND OUT IN THIS TERRIFIC TOP
You can’t beat blue and white for a summer colour combo and stripes are an easy way to work these two classic shades into your next project. From our easy T-shirt to an all-out nautical extravaganza, we’re certainly feeling inspired. Lacy stitch efects make cool-to-wear openwork fabrics and we’ve got two patterns so you can try the technique whatever your skill level!
14 letsknit.co.uk
THE STYLE
Edit
PAGE PLAY WITH TEXTURES IN OUR GANSEYINSPIRED KNIT
16 Anchor Motif Sweater
PAGE
25 Eyelet Scarf
Seside tye!
Pretty
Lve te t iny tssels!
PAGE
21 Lace Stitch Cardigan
Layer up!
BEAT THE OCEAN BREEZE WITH THIS SIMPLE ACCESSORY
A local yarn shop is a great place to buy all your knitting essentials. Find yours on page 91
KNIT WITH A SOFT LINEN BLEND YARN
15 letsknit.co.uk
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ACCESSORY
pattern
Love th e
Ocean
BLUES GET CREATIVE WITH SLIP STITCH COLOURWORK! Inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe’s painting, Lake George, Faina Goberstein’s stunning scarf combines beautiful shades and striking stitch effects. The impressive colourwork is achieved by slipping groups of stitches across your row and really does remind us of rolling waves. The edging is worked using simple crochet stitches, see how to do these on page 77.
29 letsknit.co.uk
Seaside
HOME
pattern
STYLE UPDATE YOUR INTERIOR WITH SIÂN BROWN’S STYLISH KNIT If you have happy memories of summers at the beach, this fabulous cushion is sure to hold a special place in your heart. Although the super-cute design fits perfectly with our nautical theme, the pastel colours will help this knit to blend in with even the most understated design scheme. If you enjoy following a chart, you are in luck! If you need help, simply check out our handy panel (overleaf) for pointers.
Beach h CHIC ut
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Plain
SAILING TAKE A TRIP TO THE SEASIDE WITH NICOLA VALIJI’S INCREDIBLE PROJECT! Colourful, creative and oh so nautical, this gorgeous wreath would make a fantastic addition to your home. If you spend most of your time knitting toys, this project will allow you to do something different, without abandoning your favourite pastime. There will still be super-cute characters; however, you can transform them into an attractive accessory that will delight your guests and brighten your interior.
Get
20% OFF
this yarn!
• EXCLUSIVE O T T
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Slice of Life SWEATER
TREAT YOUR TOT TO THIS ADORABLE GARMENT! Even if your little one fights against eating their five a day, they won’t be able to resist this watermelon sweater from Jane Burns. Knitted in a soft yarn that is ideally suited to delicate skin, this relaxed fit garment also has a fuss-free neckline and a practical pocket. It’s worked from the top down which means there are no seams to sew at the end. Working in the round can be daunting if you have never done it before, but with our helpful Tip! panels, there will be no stopping you!
Seamle SWEA ss TER
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CLU
S I V E TO •
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TO • E X C L US
MAKE A NOVELTY POCKET 4 EXTRA HINTS IN OUR TIP! PANELS over the page
VE
KNIT A TOP-DOWN GARMENT 4 WORK IN THE ROUND 4 CHANGE COLOUR 4 CAST ON AND OFF
4
EXCLU
4
PLUS
SI
DISCOVER HOW TO:
Don’t miss our
NEXT ISSUE SEPTEMBER ISSUE OF LET’S KNIT ON SALE THURSDAY 1ST AUGUST
6 SOFT TOY YARNS + Easy Woodland Friends to knit!
Worth £7.99!
PLUS Ease into autumn with our new pattern collection
MAKE US ALL!
BONUS PATTERN BOOKLET! 8 EXTRA MAKES FOR YOU
SIMPLE ACCESSORIES
COMFY CAPE SWEATER
ALSO in this issue...
1 Val Pierce poodle bag 2 Fox hat and mitts for kids 3 Stylish tassel shoulder bag 4 Yarn cake crochet shawl 5 Easy knits for the home 6 The A to Z of wool 51 letsknit.co.uk
Projects subject to change
COOL COLOURBLOCKS!
GARMENT
pattern
Festival FASHION CHANNEL BOHO CHIC WITH SUSIE JOHNS’ ON-TREND FRINGED HALTER-NECK TOP
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With its bold sunshine colours and fabulous tassels, this statement garment will certainly look the part at a beachside resort or in a festival field. We’ve paired it with a halter bikini top and some summer denim shorts, but it would look just as good with a floaty skirt for that real bohemian vibe.
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“If you’d prefer a full length garment, just work more rows in stocking stitch before shaping the top section.” LK Deputy Editor, Adrienne Chandler
On tren KNIT! d 53 letsknit.co.uk
pattern
Rocky the
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MEET VAL PIERCE’S CUTE AND CUDDLY CRUSTACEAN! This cheeky chap has become a firm favourite in the LK office - he’s just bursting with personality! He’s mostly worked in garter stitch, while the cable detail around the shell will give novice knitters the chance to boost their skill set. Rocky’s eyes are made using crochet – see our how-to guide over on page 77.
great ADVICE
“I have used safety eyes but you can embroider the eyes in black yarn to make the toy even more baby friendly.”
LK DESIGNER, Val
Fun seaside PAL 57 letsknit.co.uk
Pierce
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Celebrating LK readers’ top toy designer
TOY
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VAL PIERCE 9-PAGE SPECIAL!
Dillon the LION
TOY
pattern
VAL PIERCE’S HANDSOME CHAP RULES THE PRIDELANDS
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With his majestic mane and cute expression, who wouldn’t want this lion king on their toy shelf? Choosing a self-striping yarn means you get a great effect without the effort. There’s a little bit of simple shaping, but otherwise he’s very straightforward to make. The tassels for the tail and mane will take a while so leave yourself plenty of time for finishing up.
F CHARull of ACTER 61 letsknit.co.uk
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Vote online at letsknit.co.uk/awards
WIN PRIZES WORTH £750! V
ote in the British Knitting & Crochet Awards 2019 by simply ticking off your choices in the boxes provided online at letsknit.co.uk/awards. As a thank you, not only will you be entered into our amazing prize draw for a chance to win one of the prizes below, you’ll also receive a 20% discount on all bouquets from Appleyard London! Here’s what you could win:
1st
PRIZE
FIRST PRIZE - WORTH £600!
One lucky voter will receive this incredible bundle from last year’s award-winning brands, featuring ● Scheepjes pattern books, yarn cakes, tote bags and patterns ● 12 balls of Scheepjes Cotton 8 ● 12 balls of Scheepjes Stonewashed ● one set of Pony Chroma interchangeable Tunisian crochet hooks ● over £50 worth of KnitPro accessories including a Zing crochet hook set ● 22 balls of Drops Nord from Wool Warehouse ● four balls of West Yorkshire Spinners ColourLab DK, ● three skeins of West Yorkshire Spinners Wensleydale Gems ● Deramores Safari knitting kit ● one set of Clover Amour crochet hooks ● 15 balls of Baa Ram Ewe Pip Colourwork ● ten balls of Rowan Creative Linen and 15 balls of Stylecraft Bellisima
Appleyard London was born out of a passion for boutique loral design. Its lorists are always on the lookout for exclusive new and rare species of lowers and on-trend colours to ensure you can enjoy an ever evolving range of boutique lowers. Its signature collection of luxury lowers, Couture, features its inest all-season bouquets for you to send all year round. The company creates a new range of lowers for each season and calendar occasion using the highest quality seasonal lowers. Its collection of lowers for birthdays, romantic occasions and celebrating newborns are some of its more popular ranges, with its signature next day lower delivery available on all orders. Appleyard London strives to make every lower delivery a truly unforgettable experience. A bouquet from Appleyard London is not just lowers, it’s hand-tied luxury. appleyardflowers.com
2nd PRIZE
3rd PRIZE 2ND PRIZE! FLOWERS FOR THREE MONTHS! One voter will win a subscription from Appleyard London. A gorgeous seasonal bouquet will be delivered to your door every month for three months.
3RD PRIZE! LUXURY BOUQUET FROM APPLEYARD LONDON
PLUS 20% OFF AT APPLEYARD LONDON FOR EVERY VOTER!
WHAT TO DO Head online to letsknit.co.uk/awards and choose your favourites from the list provided. Fill in the details at the end to be entered into our prize draw (terms and conditions apply). Voting closes on 29th August 2019. Results will be announced in the November issue of Let’s Knit, on sale Thursday 24th October.
VOTE ONLINE AT LETSKNIT.CO.UK/AWARDS
BABY
pattern TO
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ADVICE
“This is a very versatile top that can be worn next to the skin, or over a T-shirt or body suit. Choose your own combination of colours.”
LK DESIGNER,
Pre PROJEtty CT
Susie Johns
Buttonhole LOOPS To fasten the top, you simply thread a ribbon through a little loop on each side, and tie in a bow. This makes for quick and easy changes. There are a few diferent options for creating the loop. An i-cord or a crochet chain are simple ways. Alternatively, bring your threaded needle through the edge of the knitted fabric, emerging at the point where you wish one end of the loop to be, then take it down through the point where the other end will be – about three stitches along – and back up through the irst point: you have a small loop comprising two strands of yarn. Work buttonhole stitches over and around the two strands to create a irm buttonhole loop.
77 letsknit.co.uk
TOP YARN FOR CROCHET Easy aran yarns for your next project et Croch h t i w
RICO CREATIVE COTTON ARAN Cotton. £2.20 per 50g (85m) ball from 01306 898144, gilliangladrag.co.uk
PAINTBOX COTTON ARAN Cotton. £2.50 per 50g (85m) ball from 01409 404010, loveknitting.com
STYLECRAFT JEANIE ARAN Cotton and acrylic. £3.75 per 100g (210m) ball from 01525 376456, thespottedsheep.co.uk
KING COLE BIG VALUE RECYCLED COTTON ARAN Cotton and viscose. £2.99 per 100g (160m) ball from 01554 899660, thewoollysheep emporium.co.uk
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