December update

Dear Readers

As you’ll see this month, everyone is helping us to keep warm and cosy through the winter. We’ve classic patterns for all the family and lots of yarn offers in case you’ve used up your stash! Sally-Ann shows us how to add extra layers in style and Helen Lewis shares some great ideas and easy patterns. Whilst mentioning Helen, some readers have asked so I’ll explain her name changes. Her world turned upside down when her husband of 25 years died suddenly and she became a widow at 47 with sons still at school. Somehow they all kept going and, many years later, she married John MacLeod. For 16 years they shared their lives and during this time she wrote her book Inspirational Machine Knitting. Sadly John then became terminally ill and died. With both sons married and grand-children coming along, the publisher who had originally commissioned her book changed their mind, so she decided to self-publish as Helen MacLeod. After seven more years on her own, she became Helen Lewis when she married for a third time. Tragically her husband had a stroke and died when they’d been married for less than eight months. Helen has had great sadness in her life, but an equal measure of blessings and joy. She now takes each day as it comes and enjoys sharing her expertise and love of machine knitting with us, as Helen Lewis.

We’ve the first treat of the New Year with a six-page feature of Nina Miklin designs. They’re all quickly made from oddments of Milan super-kid mohair and we love the versatility of her designs. If you can’t wear mohair, you can easily substitute many of her other yarns and she’s happy to offer you a personal service. Write to Nina at PO Box 71930, London NW2 9QZ, call 020-8455 1996, email nina.miklin@virgin.net or find lots of ideas and advice on her website at www.exclusiveyarns.co.uk. It’s also the place to see all her yarns, colours, exclusive patterns and books.

            Susan Guagliumi’s new video class is now available for streaming and it’s a companion to her book Open Spaces: Machine Knit Eyelets, Ladders and Slits. Until 31st January 2020, Susan is offering a huge 20% discount to all MKM readers. In addition to the 7-hour class, Susan offers each section individually for those who want a more flexible option. These sections are on offer as well, along with the original video for Hand Manipulated Stitches at a bargain price and also with a 20% reader discount. Turn to Page 00 now for all the details. The address you need for everything is guagliumi.com where Susan shares lots of free downloadable patterns, instruction and videos.

At this time of the year, many of us reflect on the recent past and look forward to the Spring. I do wish you all a very happy New Year, which is filled with good health and contentment throughout 2020. Until next month, my compliments of the season to you all.

NEXT ISSUE

February 2020

Subscription copies sent out Thursday 2nd January

On sale Thursday 9th January

Ask your newsagent to reserve a copy now!

January 2020

Our full-colour January 2020 issue cover top is a pretty 4-ply party jacket that’s quick-to-knit and with a wide size range from bust 71-76 cm (28-30 in) to 112-117 cm (44-46 in). Our mix of well over 12 designs this month includes a supplement of cosy hats ‘n’ scarves from Nina Miklin and we always include details for converting patterns for knitting on standard gauge machine​s. Joan Lafferty’s advice on the best machine to buy is as relevant today as when she wrote it and Sally-Ann Carroll gets our wardrobe in line for the coming spring and summer. Bill King experiments with the potential of Argyll patterns and it’s time to look at patterning on the double bed in Part 5 of our series on colour changers. You won’t want to miss huge 20% savings from Susan Guagliumi and great reader offers on new craft books from Search Press.

November update

Dear Readers

After my confessions last month about the Silver Reed LK-150, let me start with some fabulous news. For more years than I can remember, Susan Guagliumi has used and continues to sing the praises of the LK-150. She’s sent us some designs and articles for the magazine, which I’ll start to feature in the New Year. For a while she’s been working on a new video class and it’s now available for streaming at susan-guagliumi.teachable.com. The class is almost seven hours long and includes 42 unique lessons. She’s included all the charts she uses on screen so if you don’t already own the book, you’ll still have everything you need. Without a doubt, it will hugely increase your understanding of the methods she shows us in the book, but it also measures up as a stand-alone course. Her class materials include a number of Open Space sweater designs, as well as exclusive patterns and offers. Susan tells me she has plans for some shorter and less expensive classes in the future. She’s also very good at posting short videos on her blog and it’s the place to go for some amazing hints, tips and ideas such as making your own garter bar. If you don’t already do so, you need to visit https://guagliumi.com where you can sample her new class and find loads of the goodies she shares so freely.

The magazine’s New Year also has treats in store from Nina Miklin. Her new Knit To Finish Book 4 has masses of detail about modern trimmings and applications, such as calculating the exact length of bands and placing buttonholes accurately. The book has 39 colour pages and a colossal amount of information. The cost is £14.50 for a PDF download. Email Nina now for more information or to place an order at nina.miklin@virgin.net. Her website at www.exclusiveyarns.co.uk has details of all her patterns and yarns. Nina has sent us a selection of trims to knit, as well as patterns for hat and snood designs to keep us warm this winter. I’ll feature the first of them next month, so stock up now with her Milan Super Kid Mohair. You’ll need something like 60 to 80 grams, perhaps a little more, to knit some gorgeous last-minute gifts.

Finally, let me mention another new website at http://elainecater.com. It brings together Elaine Cater’s patterns and books and all except two can be downloaded. (Simply Garter Stitch and Simply Slip Stitch are bound books and can only be sent as hard copies.) It’s been a huge amount of work and is the best place to see and order Elaine’s designs. She includes an impressive amount of detail about each pattern and book and you can read more in Newsline.

In six weeks’ time, we’ve to turn ourselves into a kitchen Dream Queen, so let’s chill and do a bit of festive knitting. One thing’s for sure – if we run out of time, boxes of mince pies will be buy one, get one free by then!

NEXT ISSUE

January 2020

Subscription copies sent out Thursday 5th December

On sale Thursday 12th December

Ask your newsagent to reserve a copy now!

December 2019, our new issue

Our full-colour December 2019 issue is now on sale. Our cover sweater is a gorgeous quick-to-knit party top. There’s a choice of length and wide size range from bust 76 cm (30 in) to 122 cm (48 in) with an actual measurement of 81 cm (32 in) to 141 cm (55½ in). Our usual mix of over 12 designs includes details for converting patterns for knitting on standard gauge machine​s. Fran McCarthy reminds us how to reduce ur stash and Sally-Ann Carroll is here to help in the countdown to Christmas. Bill King reminds us that many simple ideas are often overlooked as we’re seduced by more sophisticated technology. We make liners for wellie boots to keep feet warm as well as dry and we’ve news of how to by-pass the console to send patterns directly to the E6000. It’s time to look at the double bed version in our Colour Changer series and we always ​include news, books and fashion plus great reader savings on new craft books from Search Press.

December 2019 Subscriptions

This is December 2019 and our current issue.

NEW SUBSCRIPTION If you select a new subscription, it will start with the January 2020 magazine, to be mailed out to subscribers on Thursday 5th December. If you’d like to start with this December issue, you need to order a Subscription Bundle.

SUBSCRIPTION BUNDLE If you select a subscription bundle, it will start with our current December 2019 magazine and we’ll send you a copy straight away. Your magazine will then be mailed direct from the printer on the first Thursday of each month and the January 2020 issue goes out to subscribers on Thursday 5th December.

November 2019, our new issue


Our full-colour November issue was mailed out to subscribers on 3rd October. We’ve a gorgeous chunky sweater on the cover for Silver Reed LK-150 and chunky machines plus a similar jacket design and the usual mix of over 12 designs for all machines including Passap. Don’t forget we include details for converting our patterns for knitting on standard gauge machine​s. Claire Newberry reviews the new DesignaKnit 9, with upgrade details at www.softbyte.co.uk and Sally-Ann Carroll checks out the new autumnal prints and hopes you and your knits are feeling square! Bill King shows us a new twist for this season’s favourite fashion look and we highlight some amazing fibre art Carole Redlich has produced on her Passap. (Check out http://www.caroleredlich.com.au). We always ​include news, books and fashion plus great reader savings on new craft books from Search Press.

Exquisite embroidery on show

Saturday 28th September is the opening date of a one-off retrospective exhibition of exquisite embroidery art by Royal Academy artist Teresa Forrest, who is now a resident in Stratton Village in Cirencester.

Teresa’s works have been hung twice in the Royal Academy in 2012.  There will be over 30 pieces on show during the week-long exhibition.

A skyline scene called Oxford at Dawn will be for sale via silent auction during the exhibition and any donations given with the profit from the auction will go to the scholarship fund at Blackheath High School in London, setup by Teresa and her husband Jack in memory of their late daughter.

October 2019

Anne Baker’s Karabee Design on the cover is perfect for the new season and we’ve the usual mix of designs for all machines including Passap. DesignaKnit 9 has just been officially launched and it’s the biggest upgrade we’ve known, so we bring you two pages with masses of details. We’ve a special feature on colour and style for crafters and it’s time to embrace the brand-new season and introduce your knits to all the new shades and trends says Sally-Ann Carroll. Bill King returns to one of his favourite stitches this month and shows us some of the endless possibilities. Fay Butcher guides us through reversible Fair Isle for Duomatic and E6000 machines and in Part 3 of our new series we look at using a colour changer with multi-coloured Fair Isle patterns. Joan Lafferty talks about pockets, with step-by-step instructions and photos for knitting one. We always ​include news, books and fashion plus great reader savings on new craft books from Search Press.

Yarn in the city

Yarn in the City

This year’s Great London Yarn Crawl (GLYC) takes place from 1st to 8th September 2019

This year’s edition of the Great London Yarn Crawl will be a little different. The week-long event will allow participants to choose their own routes and shop combinations and to spread their visits over multiple days, extending the yarn-y celebration! The fantastic shops involved in this year’s GLYC have come up with some special offers and events for September. Participants must present their GLYC passports to take advantage of any shop offers!


Ticket sales will end at 11.59 pm on Sunday, 25th August. For more details and tickets, visit https://www.yarninthecity.com/tickets-2019

Refuge says: “Part of our goal in putting on The Great London Yarn Crawl in the autumn is to give back to the community. There are a couple of ways we see that happening. The first is by bringing together knitters, crocheters, spinners and weavers and giving them an opportunity to explore new shops and make new friends. The second is by donating to a local charity, specifically one devoted to helping women and children. As both of us are women with children, supporting organisations that help those in need is an important thing for us. After researching the various London-based women-focused charities around, we decided that a portion of the proceeds from The Great London Yarn Crawl event will be donated to Refuge.

In their own words: “Refuge opened the world’s first safe house for women and children escaping domestic violence, in West London, in 1971. Since then we have grown to become the country’s largest single provider of specialist domestic violence services. On any given day our national network of services support over 2,000 women and children. Our life-saving and life-changing services empower women to rebuild their lives, and support children to overcome their traumatic experiences. Refuge is facing unprecedented financial pressure – which is why we need support more than ever before. Thank you to all at Yarn in the City: The Great London Yarn Crawl for your continued support. For more information visit www.refuge.org.uk.”

Foot warmer

Dear Anne

I thought I’d send you the sock pattern our club has been using. We’re making socks, hats, bonnets and cardigans for our local SCBU. I’ve enjoyed knitting tiny garments and all the nurses are so grateful. The socks are a big hit, as they stay on! I use 4-ply acrylic and find it washes well in hot water. Seeing the pattern for the prem baby cardigan in the April issue, gave me the push to drop you a line. Thank you so much to Phoebe for sharing your pattern with us all. Yours sincerely, Dorothy

Four ply baby’s sock

Using MY and Tension 0, cast on 15 sts at left and right of centre 0 in 1×1 rib. Set RC at 000. Using Tension 1, K 10 rows in rib. Transfer sts for stocking stitch. Set RC at 000. Using Tension 6, K 10 rows. * Push 15 Ns at left to HP and cont on rem 15 sts at right. Push 1 N to HP at same side as carriage on next 10 rows. 5 sts rem in WP in centre. Push 1 N back to UWP at same side as carriage on next 10 rows *. Cancel hold and with all Ns knitting, K 12 rows. Rep from * to * once more then using WY, K a few rows and release from machine. Unravelling WY as required, graft toe stitches.

You might like to know that if you double up all the stitches and rows in the baby’s sock pattern, it makes bed socks for the elderly in care!