LK 129 March by Adrienne Chandler

LEARN WITH US Knit your first sweater!

W NE OK! LO

ISSUE 129 Mar 2018

Why the Royals love classic baby kn its

£5.99 | Mar 18 Issue 129

THE UK’S BESTSELLING KNIT MAG

16 PAGES OF

Gorgeous Garments

CUTE BUNNY EGG HOLDERS

you’ll love to wear

PRETTY AND VERSATILE WRAP

All the makes you need! EASTER GIFTS TO MAKE TODAY! Plus PATTERNS FIT FOR MINI PRINCES AND PRINCESSES!

LOVE THIS!

ARM KNITTING

DISCOVER MORE ABOUT THIS FUN TECHNIQUE

LK Mar18 Cover 129 REDESIGN NEW.indd 1

CHARITY SPECIAL

HOW TO USE YOUR SKILLS TO HELP OTHERS

TIMELESS BABY TREASURE

YARNS YOU’LL LOVE

THE BEST LUXE FIBRES AND BABY BRANDS

02/02/2018 12:51

EDITOR’S Letter

Welcome!

41 27

ABOVE LEFT: zesty spring yarns and fashions, p41 ABOVE: the Feminine Collection, p14 LEFT: sevens skeins of pure luxury, p27 BELOW: find out more about arm knitting, p70

We’re very excited to reveal our brand new look, and we hope you love it too! We’re always making small improvements to Let’s Knit, but every few years we decide it’s time for a complete revamp – like the ultimate spring clean. Don’t worry, you’ll still find all the patterns, yarn reviews, tutorials, news and tips you love, but with a shiny new layout and lots of added extras to boot. Turn to page 14 and check out our Feminine Collection – five gorgeous garments with an air of old-school glamour that never goes out of style. From Jo Allport’s off-the-shoulder stunner (left, and on page 16) to our sweet and preppy yoke sweater, (p24), you’ll be spoilt for choice for which one to cast on first. The royal baby is due within the next few weeks, and we simply can’t wait for the explosion of traditional baby knits that tends to accompany a royal birth. Turn to page 53 to read more about royal baby style, and find patterns for an adorable mini cardi (p56) and a rabbit-motif sweater (p84) inspired by the Duchess of Cambridge’s taste in baby knits. It’s time to nominate your favourites in the annual British Knitting & Crochet Awards, so turn to page 42 to find out how to enter and the great prizes you can win. Happy knitting!

Sarah

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

sarah.neal@aceville.co.uk

Subscribe to Let’s Knit and receive your FREE* ombre yarn bundle and project book. See page 28. Find us at facebook.com/ letsknitmag

Yarn Shop Day 2018 is sponsored by these companies

Tweet us @letsknitmag

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

Instagram @letsknitmag

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.

letsknit.co.uk

Welcome 129.indd 1

02/02/2018 16:42

31 March 2018

In this issue 47

SHOPPING

8 See It, Want It, Love It Our pick of March goodies

27 Treat yourself to Luxe Fibres Our favourite finest yarns

41 Citrus Fresh

Lemon and lime shades abound

59 Hey Baby!

The perfect cosy yarns for little ones

81 NewsFlash

The latest knitty updates

FOCUS Siân Brown’s beginner knit

42 The British Knitting and Crochet Awards

Nominate your favourites!

53 Knit for a Princess

The royal children and classic knitwear

67 Knit with Beads

Add something sparkly to your makes!

70 Arm in Arm

Cover Star

Embrace the arm knitting trend with us!

PEOPLE

10 Knit It, Write It, Share It!

A selection of your makes and letters

Fran Morgan’s cable sweater

12 Out & About

The main events in the knitting calendar!

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/patternupdates 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)

68 Charity Corner

HAVE ANOTHER QUERY? HERE’S HOW TO GET IN TOUCH

We chat to Susan Campbell

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

Wonderful knitters who craft for a cause

98 Last Word

IN EVERY ISSUE

3 Welcome 7 Free This Month 28 Subscriptions 44 Read & Relax 50 Tea Break 51 Coming Next Month 76 Giveaways 93 Knitter’s Know-How

letsknit.co.uk Contents 129.indd 2

02/02/2018 16:48

WIN! WIN! WIN! OVER £2,000 WORTH OF PRIZES

ON PAGES 44 & 76

Fluted cardigan

Add beads to your ponchette

Off-theshoulder sweater

PATTERNS 16 19 20 22 24 31 36 39 47 56 60 65 68 72 75 77 82 84 93 95

Off-the-shoulder Sweater Rosebud Wrap Fluted Cardigan Cable Sweater Yoke Sweater Celebration Wreath Easter Rabbits Spring Swag Bags Beginners’ Sweater Rose Baby Cardi Baby Shoes Raglan Ponchette Charity Twiddlemuff Crochet Cushions Herringbone Bedrunner Koala Blanket Sockalong part 3 Intarsia Baby Jumper Blanket Square Cherry Bakewell Stashbuster

Fe 1 m 1SEinin PA CT e F GE IO ash N io

Simple yoke sweater

Rosebud wrap

THE FEMININE COLLECTION

Starts on page 14

letsknit.co.uk Contents 129.indd 3

02/02/2018 16:48

FREE FOR YOU THIS MONTH!

Make all 4 buddies with your FREE kit

Which will you make first?

Number for gifts 1

KNIT SHIRLEY AND HER FRIENDS WITH YOUR GORGEOUS GIFT, INCLUDING FAB POMPOM YARN Start your Easter knits with this adorable gang of cute characters! You’ll find the patterns on your bonus leaflet, and we’d love to see your makes once you’ve finished – see page 10 for details of how to share them

Find the patterns for Shirley & Friends in your BONUS PATTERN leaflet!

LOVE YOUR FREE YARN KIT? Get more! Order a bumper pack that includes 150g of yarn, for only £8.99*!

Simply visit letsknit.co.uk/shirley or call 0800 923 3005.

*T&C’s: postage charges apply. Limited stock available.

FREE* £12.99! BOOK

EXCLUSIVE treats you’ll love

3 Yarn pack worth £7.99 3 Six fabulous spring colours 3 Includes special pompom yarn –

create a fabulous woolly effect! 3 Perfect kit for all skill levels

3 Knit cute toys for Easter!

Coming next issue!

WORTH

Claim your FREE copy of 201 Knitting Motifs, Blocks, Projects and Ideas by Nicki Trench (£12.99, CICO Books). It’s filled with brilliant ideas for stitch and colourwork effects, plus there are some great makes to try. Find out more on page 80. *UK customers only, just pay postage

Find over 100 free toy patterns to download at letsknit.co.uk

FREE YARN KIT WITH SPECIAL SPARKLY YARN!

Knit one of Sachiyo Ishii’s fab toys – choose from Ella the Elephant or George the Giraffe!

April issue of Let’s Knit on sale Thursday 15th March

letsknit.co.uk Your Free Gifts.indd 1

05/02/2018 14:17

YOUR 11 PAGE FASHION SPECIAL

The FEMININE

Collection EMBRACE SOFT SHADES AND GENTLE, FLOWING LINES WITH THESE ELEGANT DESIGNS

easy and ver sat ile

PAGE

Off-theshoulder sweater

super-soft alpaca Think of old-school Hollywood glamour teamed with vintage pastel colours and you’ll have the essence of this issue’s Feminine Collection. These sweaters, cardigans and scarves are a celebration of the prettiest design elements in knitwear, with frills, lace, twinkling beads and fitted shapes. Pick any one of these exquisite makes to complete your outfit and you’ll instantly feel more graceful and elegant.

beginners

PAGE

19 Rosebud wrap

ACCESSORIES SUIT EVERY SHAPE AND SIZE

letsknit.co.uk

5 Pattern Spread NEW.indd 2

02/02/2018 16:27

THE STYLE

Edit

PAGE

simpler t han it looks

Fluted cardigan

PATTERN COMES IN TEEN AND ADULT SIZES

PAGE

22 Neat cable sweater

style

fitted and flattering PAGE

24 Simple yoke sweater

great value yarn

ADVENTUROUS KNITTERS WILL LOVE THESE TWISTY CABLES

PERFECT FOR EVERYDAY WEAR

letsknit.co.uk

5 Pattern Spread NEW.indd 3

02/02/2018 16:27

HOME

pattern

Springtime

Celebration • EXCLUS

• E XC

The new season is just around the corner and this fabulous decoration abounds with colours, characters and the joys of spring. Featuring birds, bees, butterflies and bright flowers, it’s a real celebration – we love the sheep, bunny and chick taking centre stage. The cuddly critters would make great toys in their own right, while the flowers can be used as embellishments on other projects, too!

TO SIVE

NICOLA VALIJI’S CHEERFUL WREATH IS GREAT FUN TO KNIT!

SIVE TO • E

decora tion

31 letsknit.co.uk

Springtime wreath.indd 3

02/02/2018 15:07

• EXCLUSI

KIDS’

VE TO

IVE

pattern

• E XC

Easter LU

SIVE TO • E

SWAG BAGS

USE BRIGHTLY COLOURED YARN TO CREATE CUTE TOTES WITH DELIGHTFUL ANIMAL MOTIFS

An Easter egg hunt is sure to have your little ones excitedly leaping around like spring bunnies! Now they can keep their chocolate safe with these boldly coloured knitted bags by Nicola Valiji. The adorable chick and bunny are knitted separately and stitched to the bags to create a fabulous 3D effect. These cute makes are quick to whip up, leaving you plenty of time to hide the tasty eggs!

OU W H A T YT O NEED .. KNOW.

PERFECT FOR BEGINNERS

DK YARN

3.25MM

MEASUREMENTS & SIZES 17cm x 17cm

KNIT KIT

Yarn: King Cole Dolly Mix DK, shades (A) 046 Natural, (B) 144 Orange, (C) 055 Gold, (D) 059 Peach, (E) 265 Grape, (F) 017 Lilac, (G) 1836 Kingfisher, one 25g ball of each, (H) 05 Sky, (I) 06 Pink, (J) 275 Spring Green, two 25g balls of each, oddment of black yarn Needles: 3.25mm Tape measure Pins Safety toy stuffing Tapestry needle

TENSION SQUARE n 26 sts x 32 rows n 10cm x 10cm n Stocking stitch n 3.25mm needles

FOR ABBREVIATIONS SEE PAGE 97

ABOUT THE YARN

King Cole Dolly Mix DK is an acrylic yarn available in a huge range of colours. The smaller size balls are perfect for creating mini projects like toys. They cost 79p per 25g (73m) ball from purplelindacrafts.co.uk

NEED AN ALTERNATIVE? See what’s in your stash!

letsknit.co.uk Easter bags.indd 1

02/02/2018 15:11

Nominate here or go online: letsknit.co.uk/awards

WIN! WIN! WIN! Fantastic goodies

worth over £400!

A BUNDLE OF GORGEOUS GOODIES ARE UP FOR GRABS - JUST TELL US WHO YOUR FAVOURITES ARE! It’s that time again when we look back at the previous year and think about who made our knitting experience truly enjoyable. Which store, online or locally, provided great service? Who deserves to be awarded the ultimate accolade of Best Overall Yarn Brand? You can nominate anyone, from the biggest company to the smallest, using the categories on our form. As a thank you for entering, you’ll automatically go into our prize draw. First prize is a fabulous yarn hamper worth over £300, and two runners up will each receive £50 worth of books featuring all the nominated knitting and crochet titles for that year! The British Knitting & Crochet Awards are run every year by Let’s Knit and Let’s Get Crafting magazines, and are widely recognised as the biggest and most important awards in the industry. Once all the nominations are in, they will be shortlisted ready for the final voting stage. Nominate now to make sure your favourites won’t be left out!

How to Enter

Nominating your favourites couldn’t be easier. Either fill in the form opposite and send it to British Knitting & Crochet Awards 2018, 21-23 Phoenix Court, Hawkins Road, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8JY, or enter online at letsknit.co.uk/awards CLOSING DATE: 12th April 2018

THREE GREAT PRIZES

Need some inspiration? You may be an avid knitter, but it’s not always easy to remember what got your needles clicking with pleasure over the previous year, so here are some ideas to help you along:

BEST OVERALL YARN BRAND

Which brand of yarn do you turn to the most for quality, value and all-round excellence? It could be the yarn you use the most, or one that has recently impressed you.

BEST ONLINE STORE/LOCAL INDEPENDENT STORE

Who gives great service and always has

The Prizes Just by telling us who your favourites are you could win a fantastic hamper containing over £300 worth of yarn, needles, accessories and a gorgeous knitting bag, or two £50 runners-up prizes of this year’s nominated knitting and crochet titles.

letsknit.co.uk Award nominations.indd 1

what you need? Make sure your favourite gets the accolade it deserves.

FAVOURITE PATTERN HOUSE

More and more yarn producers are offering great pattern support for their yarns, with lovely photography too. Who do you feel gets it just right?

BEST YARN FOR CROCHET

Our sister craft continues to grow in popularity, with a colourful charm and a personality of its own. Tell us which yarn has the colour range and value that’s perfect for crochet.

02/02/2018 15:02

S I V E TO

E TO

CLU

TO • E X C L US

Casual Sweater

Simple

•

EXCLU

X •E

PERFECT FOR BEGINNERS

If you’re new to knitting, or if you’ve never made a garment before, then this straightforward pattern by Siân Brown is an easy one to try. Worked flat on two needles with garter stitch borders, a main body in stocking stitch and minimal shaping, this sweater features nothing too scary for a novice knitter. The most challenging part is picking up stitches for the neckband and working this in the round, but you’ll find tips on how to do this overleaf, along with plenty more helpful hints.

DISCOVER HOW TO:

4 INCREASE 4 DECREASE 4 WORK IN THE ROUND 4 PICK UP STITCHES

PLUS 4 SIZES IN DIFFERENT COLOURS TO HELP YOU 4 ALL THE GUIDANCE YOU NEED IN OUR TIP PANELS over the page

garme nt

letsknit.co.uk Beginners Pattern Casual Top NEW.indd 1

02/02/2018 16:20

Don’t miss our

NEXT ISSUE APRIL ISSUE OF LET’S KNIT ON SALE THURSDAY 15TH MARCH

FREE YARN KIT WITH SPECIAL SPARKLY YARN! FIVE BRIGHT SHADES!

Worth £7.99!

NEW SEASON KNITS FOR ALL SKILL LEVELS!

EXCLUSIVE TOY 2 MAKES TO CHOOSE FROM! PATTERNS BY SACHIYO ISHII EASY COLOUR BLOCK SWEATER

SIMPLE FLOWER TEACOSY

ALSO in this issue...

HEIRLOOM BABY SHAWL

1 Knitted mandala 2 Classic granny square blanket 3 Your guide to spring knitting 4 Lacy baby cardigan 5 Fabulous Fair Isle shoulder bag 51

letsknit.co.uk cnm.indd 1

02/02/2018 14:35

BABY

pattern classic

Chart notes On the cardigan, note that on the Back, you begin the chart at Row 1, but on the Fronts, you start on Row 19 of the chart. The 16-stitch repeat is shown in the middle of the chart, work the correct number of stitches before and after the repeat as given for your size. Use separate small balls of yarn for each motif, twisting the strands together on the wrong side of the work at each colour change to avoid holes.

letsknit.co.uk Baby Pattern.indd 3

02/02/2018 16:19

ACCESSORY

PRETTY

pattern

Ponchette STAY STYLISH THIS SPRING WITH OUR BEADED DELIGHT!

Designed by Veronica Shaw, this sweet short poncho – a.k.a ponchette – is a charming addition to your new season wardrobe. It’s knitted in a 4ply cotton yarn which drapes beautifully and we love the pretty wave edge. This is worked by rotating your needle to create a deliberate twist in your row. You might want to practise this action before you begin. The beads are added using the pre-threading technique, you can read more about this in our technique special on page 67.

Tension notes Check your tension square according to the ball band on 3.5mm needles. The tension may alter when knitting in the round and is generally a little looser. This is normal, just make sure the tension when working in the round is not tighter than the ball band indicates

great

“Placing a bead at the beginning of the round not only denotes the starting point but it is also a decorative way of disguising the jog”

LK DESIGNER,

Veronica Shaw

Dress, £24.90, Uniqlo, necklace, £17, Monsoon

ADVICE

letsknit.co.uk spring shawl.indd 1

02/02/2018 14:32

BABY

pattern

Koala

• E XC

SIVE TO • E

JANE BURNS’ CUTE BEAR COMFORTER IS PERFECT FOR LITTLE ONES

• EXCLUS

SIVE

Hugs Sweet snuggle blankies like this are perfect for squeezing and this koala bear pattern is simply adorable. Most of the sections are knitted in the round, including the main blanket which uses the yarn forward increases for a decorative eyelet effect. Use stitch markers throughout to help you keep track of your shaping. Get all your supplies from your local yarn shop.

Joining in the round To avoid a hole at the start of your work, it’s best to join the round before you begin knitting. One easy way of doing this is to swap the first cast-on stitch with the last cast-on stitch. Make sure your stitches aren’t twisted when you join the round or it will be hard to untwist them later on.

77 letsknit.co.uk

Koala blanket.indd 3

02/02/2018 12:19

LEARN WITH US

Knit a baby JUMPER