Dear Readers

March 2020

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Our full-colour March 2020 issue is now on sale, with over 10 designs. Our cover design is a 4-ply lacy cardigan with a wide size range from bust 71-76 cm (28-30 in) to 112-117 cm (44-46 in) and we always show you how to knit all our designs in a different yarn on standard gauge machines. Sally-Ann Carroll tells us the colours, prints and styles for Spring and Summer knitted wardrobe and Bill King combines all needle rib and tuck for one of his favourite looks. Helen Lewis has fun with a bit of ‘make do and mend’ reconstruction for a new Spring jacket and we’ve a Phyllis Moran multi-design for all Passap machines. Claire Newberry begins a series of tutorials for DesignaKnit 9 and Joan Lafferty breaks every tension rule in the book! We always include news and reviews, letters, club details and great reader offers on new craft books from Search Press. There are great bargains this month, with all the books under £10.

January update

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Dear Readers

As this magazine arrives at the beginning of January, we’ll welcome in the New Year with piles of sprouts replaced by even larger mounds of Easter eggs in the shops! We always have to go to press very early with this issue, so let me remind you of one or two things which may slip through the net.

The first is the very welcome news that a new club is starting up in Scotland. The Dunfermline Machine Knitting Club’s first meeting will be Thursday 30th January from 6.00 to 8.00 pm and thereafter on the last Thursday of each month. The venue is Fife College, Dunfermline Campus Media Centre, Room 7.10 and it’s open to all levels of experience. You don’t need to have a machine and you can just drop in to discover what machine knitting is all about. If you have a machine, you’re more than welcome to take it with you. It’s going to be a relaxed group, aimed at teaching and sharing in a warm and friendly atmosphere. If it’s within travelling distance, you’ll need to know more so email buttonmouse01@gmail.com for all the details. Naturally, we’ll add the information to our Clubs Directory next time, along with other recent changes and we do wish them every success.

In Newsline last month, we told you about Susan Guagliumi’s video class that’s available for streaming. It’s a companion to her book Open Spaces: Machine Knit Eyelets, Ladders and Slits. With all the decorations packed away for another year, January is always a good time to take on something new. Don’t forget that Susan is offering a huge 20% discount to all MKM readers until 31st January 2020. If you want a more flexible option, sections are also on offer along with the original video for Hand Manipulated Stitches at a bargain price and also with a 20% reader discount. If your January magazine was thrown out with all the papers to make way for visitors, don’t worry, you’re not alone! Just give me a call and I’ll let you have full details, as it’s a one-time offer that’s not to be missed. You can also visit guagliumi.com for everything you need to know, as well as find lots of free downloadable patterns, instruction and videos.

Finally, we’ve had a hurdle or two to jump over, but plans are now in place for our 2020 shows. Bournemouth takes place on Saturday 3rd October and Nottingham’s date is Sunday 5th April. West Park Leisure Centre now has new owners and undergone significant alterations, so we’ve a different path to tread and we’ll need to make a few small changes for this year’s show. Do give me a call for the most up-to-date information.

Now the visitors have gone for another year, it’s time to turn the ‘temporary’ guest bedroom back into a knitting room. So, until next time, let’s all enjoy a happy return to machine knitting.

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March 2020

Subscription copies sent out Thursday 6th February

On sale Thursday 13th February

December update

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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.

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February 2020

Subscription copies sent out Thursday 2nd January

On sale Thursday 9th January

Ask your newsagent to reserve a copy now!

November update

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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!

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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

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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

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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

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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.

October update

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Dear Readers

I’ve fallen in love all over again with a knitting machine. A while back I introduced our grand-daughter to a toy model and each time she comes, she slings it under her arm to do some knitting. A short time ago she asked if this was the machine I knitted on. I’ve been really interested by your recent letters about tension dial settings and wondered what yarn thickness we could push through a Silver Reed LK-150. Here was an opportunity!

My machine was in pristine condition in its box, so my grand-daughter and I went on a voyage of discovery. I set it up, whilst she rummaged through my yarn stash. Out came a ‘cake’ of multi-coloured King Cole Carousel DK, with an instant request for a new scarf and hat. With barely time to do some basic maths, I’d cast on 92 stitches in 2×1 rib and we’d knitted the turn-back brim on Tension 3 with the top on 5. I made the hem, changed to stocking stitch on Tension 5 and 70 rows later we’d made a hat. The remaining yarn in the cake gave us 282 rows for a scarf. With ends pulled in on a bodkin and the hat seam sewn, the set was ready for school and she was eager to knit a scarf for daddy. One 200 gram cake of King Cole Carousel Chunky over 49 stitches on Tension 10, with the top still on 5, knitted 262 rows and made a scarf five feet long. The yarn is a lovely blend of 70% Premium Acrylic, 30% Wool and beautifully soft.

For anyone with doubts, my machine knits from a standard hand knitting tension of 5 stitches and 7 rows to an inch around Tension 3, to the classic chunky tension of 7 stitches and 10 rows to two inches at Tension 10. What more could any machine knitter ask for? In all truth I panicked at first with the chunky yarn and set off for some ribber weights, convinced that the slightly ‘hairy’ texture of the yarn would clog up the needles. Oh ye of little faith! The carriage took it all in its stride. Apart from me casting on with waste yarn, my grand-daughter stood between my legs with a hand at each side of the carriage and knitted all 262 rows. Yes, it’s basic beyond belief compared to punchcard, electronic or Passap machines – but it’s an absolute joy. Beautifully textured hand-knitting yarns slide through with ease. Complete with accessories, what more could any standard gauge knitter want than this absolute treasure?

When the Silver Reed LK-150 was first launched my first reaction, which remained ingrained for far too long, was that it ‘wasn’t proper machine knitting’. Since then I’ve eaten my words many times; it’s an absolute gem. Incredibly light to use and with nice big needles we can see easily, it sure packs a punch! If you’re asked what you’d like for Christmas this year, start an LK-150 slush fund and ask for contributions. I promise you’ll have hours of fun and rediscover the joy of machine knitting. Until next time, start saving and knit happy!

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December 2019

Subscription copies sent out Thursday 7th November

On sale Thursday 14th November

Order a subscription now and it will be delivered straight to your door.

July update

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Dear Readers

Here in the South East and unlike last year, our green and pleasant land was definitely fact and not fiction in June. We needed the much-wanted rain to hammer down but, in the hope that we may have something of a summer after the blazing heatwave at the end of July, I’ve included some pretty tops this time. However, if summer doesn’t materialise, remember that lacy tops look equally stunning for the party season, which will be here before we can turn around! A fine thread of Lurex or shiny metallic makes no difference to the tension and adds a lovely sparkle to many yarns. Call Uppingham Yarns on 01572-823747 or Yeoman Yarns on 0116-240 4464 to ask what they have on offer.

            This month we welcome back Heidi Cleary, who has been absent from our pages for too long. She’s still knitting for all the tiny tots in her life and this month’s striped sweater is an ideal stash buster. Heidi almost always uses acrylic double knitting for her kids’ knits. There’s a huge colour choice, it’s hard-wearing, machine-washable and dries in next-to-no-time. She simply sets the tension dial as far round as it will go on her standard gauge machine and opens up the tension on the mast. Her garter carriage loves it and I remember Hilary’s mum, the late Barbara Belton at Busy Bee, also loving Forsell Shamal DK for many of her designs. By the way, the half price offer on Forsell yarns continues at Silver Viscount and there are still stocks of lovely colours. If you’re looking for something special, visit the website at http://www.silverviscount.co.uk or give Jackie or Rosie a call on 01933-311888 and they’ll let you know what’s currently available.

            DesignaKnit enthusiasts will love Claire Newberry’s new feature on Page 52 and Part 2 follows next month. Fay Butcher shares her Passap pattern for a pretty baby cape and I’m sure you’ll want to re-discover your love of Artika Designs. Linda has been producing her booklets for more years than I care to remember and they’re absolutely packed with masses of stitch pattern diagrams, colour variations and design ideas. There’s a special offer for all our readers on Page 54 and overseas knitters are not left out. Simply email Linda at artika@compuserve.com and she’ll look after you personally.

            I’ve a great Autumn of knitting lined up for you with exclusive features and patterns from our craft leaders Susan Guagliumi and Nina Miklin together with popular favourites Helen Lewis and Karin Rogalski. Until next time, happy knitting.

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September 2019Subscription copies sent out Thursday 1st August

On sale Thursday 8th August

June update

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Dear Readers

On behalf of all the exhibitors, the first thing I’d like to do this month is thank everyone who supported the Nottingham Show this year. Our talks were popular and we’d a very enjoyable day. The staff looked after us well and, once again, The Olive Pot provided some excellent refreshments. Many visitors placed Wendy Piper in a dilemma, urging her to rethink her decision to close her business. Knits ‘n’ Bits has been well-liked by many machine knitters and it will be a blow for our craft to lose Wendy, so we sent her home with lots of thinking to do in the weeks ahead.

           Since last month, I’ve been in touch with Linda Jackson of Artika Designs. Reader Sheila Thody found a tatty chair in a local secondhand shop and, using her Brother 836 and a punchcard design from Artika Designs, she’s transformed it into a great piece of furniture. In the August issue we’ve full step-by-step instructions with photos to show you how Sheila renovated her chair. To encourage you to get going with home furnishings, Linda will offer a set of any three books chosen from Tartans Tweeds and Checks, Designs for Interiors, Fabric Weaves, Eastern Promise, Optical Illusions and Colourwash Fabrics. You can see all the designs in the collections on her website at www.Artika.co.uk so start looking now, to whet your appetite and take your machine knitting in a slightly different direction.

            Thinking about different things to do with our machines, we’ll also include an exclusive design from Tony Bennett of Dormani Yarns next month. Tony returns to the UK in September, to end the courses held at Metropolitan. This a the last opportunity to take part in a Tony Bennett course in the UK, so call 01270-628414 now or email metromachineknit@btconnect.com to ask if any places are still available. Sadly Carol and Mark have both suffered from serious health problems in recent times, which prevents them continuing to run Metropolitan. Tony’s visit is to be the final event and will bring Carol and Mark’s 30 years of trading to an end, on a special high note. Turn to Page 11 for full details of where to find Metropolitan and what’s still on offer. Do please support them, before their doors finally close in September.

           With summer on its way and much to tempt you next month, it’s time to ‘keep knitting’!

August 2019

Subscription copies will be sent out

Thursday 4th July

We’re officially on sale

Thursday 11th July

Ask your newsagent to

Reserve a copy now