You won’t need a colour changer for the cover design on our full-colour December 2020 issue. The yarn knits stripes from a single ball to give a stunning effect in stocking stitch and a different look with each ball you knit. We always tell you how to knit all our patterns on standard gauge machines and we’ve lots of designs this month, with plenty of ideas for festive knitting. Once again, our Designer Spotlight shines on Susan Guagliumi and an exclusive design which will soon be for sale on her website at www.guagliumi.com. We’ve another corona cardigan design from Karin Rogalski, to put us at ease after the second lockdown and Sally-Ann Carroll helps us to look good and feel great this Christmas. Bill King knits a few plain stripes that, as if by magic, he turns into zigzags! Bill also turns a bit of two-colour Fair Isle into some amazing cards for friends and family. Fay Butcher shows Duo 80 knitters how to knit tuck stitch with the Deco and Alison Dupernex shares her design for a scarf and wrist warmers to cheer up any cold morning. We always include news, reviews and club details and everyone has been knitting in lockdown so we’ve lots of ideas, hints and tips.
News
December 2020 new subscriptions
NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS Start a new subscription now! You pay for our current December 2020 magazine when you place your order and we send you a copy straight away. From the next issue, your magazine will be mailed direct from the printer on the first Thursday of each month and the January 2021 issue goes out to subscribers on Thursday 3rd December.
Beverley Ward’s new shop
Beverley has written a circular sock pattern, which can be knitted on any standard gauge machine with a ribber. It all started when she wanted to knit some socks to wear with her walking boots. She looked around for some to buy, but couldn’t find any she liked. A friend had been on a course to knit socks on an old-fashioned sock machine, so she tried to buy one – until she saw the price of them! This got her thinking that she must be able to knit socks on her knitting machine using the circular knitting setting. It was important not to have a seam down the main part of the leg and she worked out how to do it. She’s uploaded the pattern to her Etsy shop, as she thought others might want to knit them as well. You can see from the photos that she went mad, knitted loads of pairs and here’s the link.
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/852358165/machine-knitting-sock-pattern
October update
Dear Readers
Autumn is always a busy time of year for knitters, as we take stock and think about some serious knitting. Having said that and as I write, it’s difficult to imagine chillier months ahead, as the days in both the North and South are still warm and sunny. To start the ball rolling, we’ve huge savings from Nina Miklin on Page 6, yarn offers on Page 8 and Page 52, as well as free patterns on Page 23 and Page 34. If you’re someone who knits Teddy Bears, LoveCrafts.com has a huge range of knitting patterns in every shape and size imaginable. Some patterns are free to download and the full selection is at www.lovecrafts.com
Ahead of your autumn knit-in, don’t forget Lionel and Carol at HKC, if you need help with a Brother knitting machine. Lionel is a Brother-trained engineer, so he knows all there is to know about servicing and repairing them. He can also arrange a carrier service to all mainland destinations in the UK. You can buy a fully refurbished machine with a parts and labour guarantee, at a sensible cost and not the ridiculous prices some folk are charging on eBay for rusted up metal. You can collect your machine and have a thorough demonstration, giving full and accurate meaning to the expression: “Try before you buy”. It’s always useful to remember that Brother stopped marketing and distributing machines sometime back in the late 1990s and that’s a mighty long time ago! Lionel’s knowledge of Brother knitting machines and accessories is immense. So, if you’re a knitter who feels you can’t switch to a Silver Reed machine, I suggest you take the gamble out of buying secondhand and ask Lionel for help and advice you can trust.
We’ve a tremendous selection of patterns for you this month, with Susan Guagliumi, Clair Crowston and Bill King as our guest designers. You’ll also find designs in the new Drifter DK range from King Cole and if you knit for tiny tots, you’ll love the hoodie on Page 24. Simply thread up your machine and watch as stocking stitch unfolds into a stunning, multi-colour pattern. However, if you don’t have an LK-150 mid gauge or a chunky machine, don’t panic. There’s also a four ply version of this amazing yarn. Simply follow the instructions we give, to knit the designs on a standard gauge machine. There’s also no drama required for those of you with or without a ribber. Hand knit the ribs whilst watching the TV, use a ribber if you have one, drop the stitches down and reform them, or work mock rib following our guide on Page 62. As Sally-Ann often says: “It’s entirely up to you!” so, until next month, knit happy!
NEXT ISSUE
December 2020
Subscription copies sent out Thursday 5th November
On sale Thursday 12th November
Ask your newsagent to reserve a copy now
November 2020 (Issue 274)
I’m pleased to let all our readers know that the November magazine is officially on sale on Thursday, 8th October.
November 2020 new subscriptions
NEW SUBSCRIPTION If you select this option, no money will be taken with your order and your subscription will start next month with the December 2020 magazine, to be mailed out to subscribers on Thursday 5th November. If you’d like to start with this November issue, you need to order a Quick-Start Subscription.
QUICK-START SUBSCRIPTION If you’d like to start a subscription with the November issue, you pay for our current November 2020 magazine when you place your order and we send you a copy straight away. From the next issue, your magazine will be mailed direct from the printer on the first Thursday of each month and the December 2020 issue goes out to subscribers on Thursday 5th November.
Singer 9000 help needed
Can anyone advise me please? The mouse on my Singer 9000 Control is only operating up and down, but will not move left and right. I’ve done the usual checks on the rolling ball for dirt and so on. I think I might need a new mouse, as the connections all checked as well. Any advice would be greatly welcomed. Thanks, Margaret
September 2020 (Issue 272)
Our full-colour September 2020 issue cover design is simple stocking stitch, given a stunning effect knitted in a new King Cole yarn which gives a different look with each ball you knit. We always tell you how to knit all our patterns on standard gauge machines and we’ve lots of designs this month. Karin Rogalski helps us adapt a cardigan or knit something new to put us at ease after lockdown and Sally-Ann Carroll has some ‘knit-hot’ ideas in Style File. Claire Newberry returns to show us how to make curves in DesignaKnit 9 and Bill King turns a basic stitch into some gorgeous fabric designs. By very popular demand, we’ve sold out of the original magazines, so Bill King’s one-piece waterfall design is repeated in this issue! Fay Butcher shows Passap knitters how to knit Norwegian Fair Isle and we’ve free downloads from a huge selection of books from Search Press. We always include news, reviews and club details and everyone has been knitting in lockdown so we share lots of ideas, hints and tips.
August 2020 (Issue 271)
Our full-colour August 2020 issue cover design is an easy-to-knit classy cardigan that will look good all year round and we always tell you how to knit all our patterns on standard gauge machines. Sally-Ann Carroll shows us how to slip timeless classics into our wardrobe and Bill King takes us ‘off piste’ this month, to try some experimental knitting. By very popular demand, we’ve sold out of the original magazines, so Bill King’s All In One seamless top is repeated in this issue! Fay Butcher shows Passap knitters how to knit a gorgeous fabric with alternating panels of tuck and stocking stitch and we’ve a fabulous 20% off yarn offer from Woolyknit. Jane Harrison and her Needles of Steel help us through lockdown and we’re ‘all friends together’ on our letters page. We always include news and reviews, letters, club details and book offers with great savings from Search Press.
Keep calm and craft on!
| Two full days of craft demos from Saturday 4th to Sunday 5th July 2020! Search Press will be partnering with ICHF to bring a virtual feast of great authors and inspirational projects to crafters and artists throughout the country with The Creative Craft Show LIVE weekend. While we can’t obviously meet in person as we’d all prefer, this online initiative is the next best thing to get everyone’s creative juices flowing. Join in on 4th and 5th July for two full days of online craft demos, all hosted by the amazing Debbie Shore and Pretty Gets Gritty‘s Lynette Jasper! It’s completely free to watch and there will be over 16 hours of the best craft tutorials. Get ready to improve your existing skills and learn something new! |
Some of the artists and crafters have provided equipment lists so you can craft along with them, or play back and craft at a later date. You can find these demo worksheets on the ICHF website. They’ll be adding to the list, so keep your eyes peeled!
There are two ways you can watch the live demos:-
1. Head over to the ICHF Facebook page @thecraftshows and watch live. You’ll be able to ask the demonstrators questions during the demo.
2. Watch on the ICHF website (www.ichfevents.co.uk) You won’t be able to see comments or ask questions but they’ll be streaming the feed and you can watch live on there.