Let's Knit, issue 104, April 2016

CONTENTS 68

13

45

58 72 R OC VE JECT PRO

Who cares?

...WE DO! At Let’s Knit we understand that nothing is more annoying than errors in knitting patterns. As part of our total commitment to ensuring that your experience of our magazine is as enjoyable as possible, we’re proud to offer

THE LET’S KNIT PATTERN PROMISE:

l Exclusive patterns featured in Let’s Knit have been professionally checked and reproduced with the utmost care.

Updates can be found at www.letsknit.co.uk 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 email: support@letsknit.co.uk By post: at the address on page 95­(please mark your envelope ‘Support’) (Please note we cannot offer assistance with patterns not published in Let’s Knit)

22

IVE LUS EXC TOY

APRIL 2016

25

PATTERNS

90

13 SUPER-EASY STRIPY T-SHIRT Knit a stylish top in a soft, great value yarn

53 DINNER IS SERVED Brighten up your table with our placemats and coasters

17 THE QUEEN Commemorate our monarch’s 90th birthday in true knitted style!

58 THE ESSENTIAL BABY CARDI Knit this timeless classic again and again

22 MURPHY Val Pierce’s cuddly pony is a quick and easy knit

62 LITTLE BIRDS Part four of our stunning KAL blanket

25 THE ‘SUMMER’S NEARLY HERE’ CARDI Pass smoothly through the seasons in Anniken Allis’s lacy design 29 SPRINGTIME SPREE Make your own bag-for-life in pretty cotton yarn 32 PISTACHIO CREAM Work a simple lace pattern in Mrs Moon yarn 34 FASHION FORWARD KNIT Go from day to night with Pat Menchini’s smart cardi 45 SUGAR & SPICE This pretty wrap by Charmaine Fletcher is a simple knit

64 WORK & PLAY Personalise your office with Helen Ardley’s vibrant combo 68 SUNNY SIDE UP Our knitted breakfast is guaranteed to raise a smile 72 CLASSIC LACY BABY BLANKET Learn to knit this lovely make with our step-by-step guide 80 KNIT A SPRING-READY JUMPER WITH SOFT YARN Support your local yarn shop by knitting a light, bright garment 90 HAPPY HEXAGONS Crochet a pretty throw in bright cotton colours

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29

34

FREE

GIFTS! OVER £500 WORTH OF PRIZES TO WIN ON P44!

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64

17

This month’s

32 SELF-STRIPING YARN KIT PLUS NURSERY KNITS BOOKLET

SHOPPING

10 LOOK WHAT’S NEW FOR YOU Catch up with the latest news and gossip from the knitting universe 31 STYLE SPOTLIGHT Stunning stripy wares for you 41 LUXE FOR LESS Posh fibres for under £5 per ball 55 CORAL REEF On trend punchy pink and orange

FOCUS

39 THE BRITISH KNITTING AWARDS 2016 Nominate your favourites and win a yarn bundle!

PEOPLE

53

78 WE LOVE YSD Your stories of what Yarn Shop Day means to you 98 LAST WORD We chat to Karen and Susan from Mrs Moon

IN EVERY ISSUE..

JUST FOR YOU! EXCLUSIVE YARN AND 3 TOY PATTERNS See page 7 l WIN!

£200 worth of knitting goodies on page 44 l

FREE GIFT When you subscribe today.

Find out more on page 76!

l

3 Welcome 7 This Month’s Free Gift 8 April Is The Month...

24 Bookshelf 44 Giveaways 49 Coming Next Month 52 Tea Break 71 Can We Help?

76 Subscriptions 92 Practical Guides 94 Step By Step

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8

50 STOP AND SHARE See what everyone’s been making 56 RISING STARS Discover a new generation of exciting knit designers

05 Back issues from Jan 2011 onwards are available on the Let’s Knit app! www.letsknit.co.uk

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GREAT FOR BEGINNERS

Knit yourself a

SUPER EASY STRIPY T-SHIRT EXCLUSIVE TO

G

et ready for the warmer weather with this classic and comfy top. Designed by Pat Menchini, it is worked using simple stocking stitch with garter stitch ridges to add texture to your stripes.

The sleeves are incorporated into the body of the T-shirt so there’s less sewing up to do when you’ve finished knitting. Pay close attention to the measurements given as dress sizes can vary.

meet our DESIGNER “This design would also look great with a dark background and light stripes or two total contrasts. It’s a lovely yarn to work with and good for people with sensitive skin” PAT MENCHINI

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SPECIAL ROYAL KEEPSAKE

The Queen

EXCLUSIVE TO

Join the nation’s celebrations with Susie Johns’ memorable make

T

meet our DESIGNER

his April Her Majesty the Queen is celebrating her 90th birthday and we wanted to commemorate this in the best way we knitters know.

So, we’re delighted to bring you this fabulous doll, complete with a removable outfit! Why not adapt the dress pattern to make up your own designs?

“I really enjoyed creating this little knitted figure. I can’t wait to make some more outfits for her, especially a tweed skirt, padded jacket and headscarf for trips to Balmoral.”

SUSIE JOHNS

17 www.letsknit.co.uk

CROPPED CARDIGAN

The

EXCLUSIVE TO

‘SUMMER’S NEARLY HERE’ lace cardi K

nitted in a cool cotton yarn in a supremely cheerful shade, Anniken Allis’s cardigan is sure to be a popular choice for the spring and summer seasons.

The pretty lace panel that runs up each front piece enhances the fashionable boxy shape of the cardi, while the cropped length makes it perfect for layering.

MAKE THIS FOR AROUND £20!

meet our DESIGNER “This cardigan is worked in three pieces with the stitches for the sleeves added to the body at the underarm. A wide lace panel runs up either side of the front.”

ANNIKEN ALLIS

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Summer cardi.indd 2

04/03/2016 14:43

EASY KNIT & SEW BAG

EXCLUSIVE TO

Shorts from a selection at Gap; Necklace from a selection at Accessorize

QUICK WEEKEND MAKE!

Springtime Spree Beginner knitters will love Siân Brown’s simple basketweave bag

O

nce you’ve mastered stocking stitch, you’ll be amazed how many fabulous patterns can be worked with just knit and purl stitches. This design is called basketweave as the little squares look like they’re woven. The main thing to remember is to move the yarn between the needles when changing between knitting and purling, otherwise you’ll end up with extra stitches!

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Springtime spree.indd 2

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Luxe for Less Posh fibres for under £5 per ball merino, we’ve been frugally searching for fantastic fibres under £5. That’s less than a cuppa and a slice of cake! So go on, treat yourself and save some pennies.

aca

cosy, chun ky al p

E

veryone deserves a little luxury in life, and with these fab finds, you won’t have to break the bank for your next indulgent knit. From cashmere and alpaca to silk and

perfect

y knits b a b for

lace knitter’s heaven

pu

re b b i f re

alpac a

liss

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softn es s

KNIT THIS IN BRITISH YARN

T

ake your first steps into the world of lace knitting with this elegant scarf. It includes several of the basic stitches for the technique and is knitted in a 4ply yarn, so is much easier to manage than a fine laceweight. The eyelets are made up of pairs of yarn forward increases and knit two together decreases. This means your stitch count will stay the same throughout. If you think your work looks a bit crumpled when knitting, don’t worry, when blocked it will look fabulous – see how to do this on page 93.

Start knitting here...

Sugar & Spice Charmaine Fletcher’s pretty wrap is an ideal first lace project

EXCLUSIVE TO

NO SHAPING REQUIRED

(For yarn and other materials turn to page 46)

WRAP Using 3mm needles and cable cast-on method, cast on 62 sts Change to 3.25mm needles £ Row 1 (RS): k2, * k1, p1, rep from * to last two sts, k2 £ Row 2: sl 1 pwise, k1, * p1, k1, rep from * to last two sts, k2 £ Row 3: sl 1 pwise, k1, * k1, p1, rep from * to last two sts, k2 Commence Serpentine Lace patt as folls: £ Row 4: sl 1 pwise, k1, p to last two sts, k2 £ Row 5: sl 1 pwise, k1, k to end £ Row 6: sl 1 pwise, k1, p to last two sts, k2 £ Row 7: sl 1 pwise, k5, * yfwd, k2tog, k5, rep from * to last seven sts, yfwd, k2tog, k to end £ Rows 8-10: rep Rows 4-6 £ Row 11: sl 1 pwise, k4, * yfwd, k2tog, k5, rep from * to last eight sts, yfwd, k2tog, k to end £ Rows 12-14: rep Rows 4-6 £ Row 15: sl 1 pwise, k3, * yfwd, k2tog, k5, rep from * to last nine sts, yfwd, k2tog, k to end £ Rows 16-18: rep Rows 4-6

meet our DESIGNER “To block your scarf, lightly spray it with water and lay it flat on to a towel, then pin it out to the given dimensions and allow to dry naturally.”

CHARMAINE FLETCHER

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FUN AND EASY SET

Dinner is Served Knit a burst of colour to jazz up your dining table with Helen Ardley’s fun pattern

A

s knitters, we love nothing more than a bright handmade knit to add a personal touch to a living space. Helen has chosen a smooth pure cotton Red Heart yarn for practicality and the great range of colours it comes in.

You’ll only need four balls of yarn to make the full set and they knit up in no time so why not embrace the new season with a zesty make for any skill level.

EXCLUSIVE TO

USES JUST FOUR BALLS OF YARN

meet our DESIGNER “These mats and coasters will brighten up your table this summer. Worked in a slip stitch pattern, they are easy to make. Start now and you will have a set made up for your outdoor eating.”

HELEN ARDLEY

53 www.letsknit.co.uk

Beth Michon

Susanne Somme r

RISING STARS

Adrienne Chandler meets three knitting and crochet designers that are definitely ones to watch!

BETH’S TIPS FOR YOU

“Trust your instincts, swatch your yarns thoroughly and write every little detail down.

Creating your own patterns takes time, a lot of frogging and scribbles on a notepad, but is ultimately so rewarding!”

Ling Ryan

O

ne of the most exciting things about the craft world is that it’s absolutely bursting with creative people with clever and innovative ideas – and they are happy to share their patterns with you and me! I’ve been catching up with three very different, yet equally talented, up-and-coming designers to find out how they got started, where their ideas come from and what advice they have for their fellow budding designers!

“I’m inspired by modern, classic fashion and am passionate about home décor” BETH MICHON reveals the influences behind her signature style

“The craft influence has been there from an early age through my mum, grandma and aunties, but it wasn’t until my early 20s that I picked up the needles again. I like to try different techniques such as shaping and decorative stitch patterns, so I’m always on the lookout for something new! Even after five years of knitting I still work to challenge myself.

I work at a graphic design agency, so I’m surrounded by creative people

in my 9-5. I began making knitwear for family and friends from patterns I’d picked up online, but more and more people were asking for customisations and something ‘a little different’.

I started adapting basic patterns then eventually was confident enough to write my own. I love the flexibility that designing your own pattern affords and get a real buzz from people complimenting a design I cooked up.

It’s quite addictive!

Bria Armwarmers

Heart Mittens

Hessian Blanket

56 www.letsknit.co.uk

No matter what I create it has to be something I personally would wear or have in my home. I’m inspired by modern, classic fashion and am passionate about home decor, in particular paired back, clean Scandinavian home styling.

When you invest so much time and effort into creating a knitted piece, the finished item has to stand the test of time.

My absolute favourite is my Hessian baby blanket. I wanted to create a pattern like nothing I’d seen before and the unusual textured slip stitch does just that.

It’s contemporary, and reflects everything I love about knitting – that you can create something that looks so unique and original by hand.”

See more of Beth’s designs and check out her blog at www.shortrounds.co.uk

EsWar se dr nt ob ial e s

EXCLUSIVE TO

USE ANY 4PLY YARN

l Sizes 0 - 12 months l Standard tension l Classic design l Cut out and keep

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Baby Cardi W/E.indd 2

04/03/2016 16:27

EXCLUSIVE TO

Knit the set for under ÂŁ9!

65 www.letsknit.co.uk

EXCLUSIVE TO

FUN AND SIMPLE SET

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TM

TM

TM

FEATURE | YARN SHOP DAY

Jeans from a selection at River Island, earrings ÂŁ3.99 H&M

EXCLUSIVE TO

knitwise

Instructions for Bear Track pattern are given without size specifications so when it comes to working on your garment, ensure that you’re working the correct number of stitches for your chosen size. It may help to put them side by side to avoid confusing your instructions.

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