News

June update

Dear Readers

One way or another there’s been lots going on this month and my first mention has to be the time, effort and energy my friend Irene Krieger is devoting to raising funds to fight a special type of cancer. Each week I speak to many of you, either having to overcome problems of one sort or another or losing your nearest and dearest. As you’ll read on Page 10, Irene’s story is remarkable and if you’ve access to a computer, please visit her website at https://beads4research.com/. I so wish I still had her as a Passap designer, but hugely admire the wonderful work she’s doing for such a worthy cause. To put life and its troubles in perspective, I’ve never forgotten something Irene said years ago: “A brain surgeon looks the same as a labourer when they’re in T-shirt and shorts, lining up for the toilet”. It may make you smile, too, when you’re struggling to get by.

Bill King isn’t a brain surgeon, but he has to be our ‘boy wonder’ this month. No electronics, no patterning devices, just a couple of basic tools… and a steady hand, of course! We’ve included his photos and it somehow brings the knitting to life, in much the same way that Susan Guagliumi shows us how to manipulate stitches. This month Alison Dupernex shares the second of her trio of designs using slip stitch. It’s a much neglected technique but if you’d like to learn and use it more, there’s a substantial section devoted to it in her book Machine Knitting: Designing With Colour. Machine knitting has some real stars and it’s such a joy to share their incredible knowledge in the magazine.

One thing that’s surprised me a little is the struggle many of you have had to understand the diagrams in last month’s Show & Tell. We routinely insert a card in the machine, lock it on Row 1 and release it when we’re ready to knit the pattern. It often doesn’t matter if our knitting isn’t quite in the centre of the machine, but once in a while it’s vital and this is one such time. To help many readers, I’ve written out in words what you have to do to knit last month’s tuck stitch edgings and it’s on Page 13.

Finally, with no fuss and few words, I’m letting you know that a very dear friend, for more years than I can remember, has died. His wife Freda called to tell me that Dennis Wright, champion of circular sock machines, has passed away. He asked me for no fuss in the magazine so, to respect his wishes, I’ll quietly say: “Rest in peace, Dennis, I’ll miss you”. Until next month, let’s hope the sun will have his hat on!

NEXT ISSUE August 2022

Subscription copies sent out Thursday 7th July

On sale Thursday 14th July

Ask your newsagent to reserve a copy ot order a subscription NOW!

July 2022 new subscriptions

This is July 2022 and our current issue

NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS The July 2022 magazine has been mailed to subscribers. If you’d like a monthly subscription to the magazine and order by or on 1st July, your subscription will start with the August magazine. No money is taken with your order and it will be mailed out to subscribers on 7th July.

Orders received on or after 2nd July will start with the September 2022 magazine. Again, no money is taken with your order and it will be mailed out to subscribers on 4th August.

If you’d like to start with an earlier magazine, please buy it as a back issue.

July 2022 (Issue 294) with Alison Dupernex and Bill King

The cover design on our full-colour July 2022 issue is a cool cover-up with side vents, that’s perfect for trips to the shops or beach. It’s in easy-to-knit stocking stitch with colours flowing from the yarn as we knit. We’ve our usual mix of patterns for standard, LK-150, mid-gauge and chunky machines including four more multi-size raglan classic patterns in 4-ply tuck or stocking stitch. The sizes stretch from 87 to 132 cm, 34 to 52 inches (finished 55½ inches). We’ve the second design in a series of three mix ‘n’ match designs from Alison Dupernex as well as a feature on knitted appliqué to use up small amounts of yarn. Joan Lafferty has some short cuts to pass on and we include much loved but (you tell us!) frequently mislaid or lost strawberry tea cosy pattern. Bill King’s amazing Twist-Tarsia project needs one or (better still) two 7-prong tools and the exceptional talent of Susan Guagliumi offers lots of free help and advice. We’ve a gorgeous jacket with interchangeable patterns to knit on E6000 Passap machines and Sally-Ann Carroll helps us to holiday in style. Our mail order shop has been restocked and we always have help and advice in Dear Anne plus news, reviews and club details.

June 2022 (Issue 293) with Alison Dupernex and Bill King

The cover design on our full-colour June 2022 issue has a crisp summer look, in easy-to-knit stocking stitch with colours flowing from the yarn as we knit. We’ve our usual mix of patterns for standard, LK-150, mid-gauge and chunky machines including the first design in a series of three mix ‘n’ match designs from Alison Dupernex. We’ve pick ‘n’ mix ideas for different pattern options on a single punchcard and Joan Lafferty knits with DK yarn on a standard gauge machine. Bill King gives us some fresh, new ideas for simple transfers with great impact and the exceptional talent of Susan Guagliumi offers lots of free help and advice. We’ve the easiest summer top to knit on Duo or E6000 Passap machines, with a choice of crochet edgings and we share great techniques for lots of tuck stitch edgings on standard gauge machines. Sally-Ann Carroll introduces juicy citrus shades to our summer wardrobe and our mail order shop has been restocked. We always have help and advice in Dear Anne plus news, reviews and club details.

April update

Dear Readers

Lots of things seem to have happened this month, so let me start by passing on a new email address for Nina Miklin. She’s had to change it very quickly to nina.a.miklin@gmail.com If you’ve tried to get in touch with Nina in the past month or so, please make contact with her again especially if you wanted to take up her recent yarn offer. Full details are on Page 18 of the April magazine and the offer remains open until 30th April, or while stocks last. There are savings of almost £20, but you won’t get through to her unless you use her new email address or visit www.exclusiveyarns.co.uk

I need to let you know that almost all the Forsell yarn, on special reader offer at Silver Viscount, has now been sold. There may be an odd cone or two tucked away, so it’s worth calling Jackie on 01933-311888 just to double check. In its place, Silver Viscount will now stock three qualities of Yeoman Yarns. There are 16 shades of Sari 3-ply, 20 shades of DK Cotton and 29 shades of 4-ply Soft Cotton all on 400g cones. For more details about the yarn, call Jackie or ring Yeoman Yarns direct on 0116-240 4464. To see how to knit and use Yeoman Yarns on Silver Reed machines, @yeomanyarns is the place to go.

Do please read about the Machine Knit Community on Page 11. It’s an exceptional online space for machine knitters of all abilities, helping us to get the most from our machines. Nic Corrigan is a designer with a studio in West Yorkshire. She offers step-by-step classes, modern designer-level knitting patterns and an online support network. You’ll find her at www.machineknit.community and it’s a place to meet and be inspired by other machine knitters from all over the world. I’m sure we’ll hear more from Nic in the coming months.

I’ve had a number of calls from readers singing the praises of Tools With A Mission. TWAM is a Christian charity that collects unwanted tools and equipment including knitting machines, sewing machines, accessories and yarn. Items are refurbished and sorted into kits for Sub-Saharan Africa, where TWAM works closely with local grassroots organisations. To get someone started, a knitting machine kit includes a machine, yarn, patterns, all useful items and accessories. Similarly, sewing machine kits include a machine plus cottons, needles, zips, buttons and haberdashery. There’s a constant need for tools from gardens, garages and workshops plus computers and IT equipment. Visit the website at www.twam.uk to see what’s needed, find a volunteer collector or refurbishment centre. The head office is at 2 Bailey Close, Hadleigh Road Industrial Estate, Ipswich, Suffolk IP2 0UD. They’re open Monday to Friday from 9.00 am to 4.30 pm, but you must ring first. Their number is 01473-210220 or email post@twam.uk Instead of a trip to the tip, make TWAM your first port of call and help others to help themselves. Until next month, knit happy!

NEXT ISSUE June 2022

Subscription copies sent out Thursday 5th May

On sale Thursday 12th May

Ask your newsagent to reserve a copy, or order a subscription now

May 2022 (Issue 292) with Alison Dupernex and Bill King

Our full-colour May 2022 issue has gone out to subscribers and our cover design is an easy-to-knit stocking stitch top, with colours flowing from the yarn as we knit. We’ve a real mix of patterns for standard, LK-150, mid-gauge and chunky machines including a timeless design from Alison Dupernex. We’ve punchcard ideas for changing colours on a punchcard design and an article and pattern for knitting seamless socks on Japanese machines. Bill King shows us how to turn a simple needle layout into some fabulous fabrics and we’ve the exceptional talent of Susan Guagliumi offering lots of free help and advice. We help Passap owners to clean and care for their machine and Nic Corrigan introduces her Whitehall Studio and online space for machine knitters of all abilities. We’ve a great article on making your own chenille yarn for knitting and Sally-Ann Carroll introduces Spring’s favourite mood-busting hue with key trends. Our mail order shop has been restocked and we always have help and advice in Dear Anne plus news, reviews and club details.

May 2022 new subscriptions

This is May 2022 and our current issue

NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS The May 2022 magazine has been mailed to subscribers. If you’d like a monthly subscription to the magazine and order by or on 1st May, your subscription will start with the June magazine.

Orders received on or after 2nd May will start with the July 2022 magazine. No money is taken with your order and it will be mailed out to subscribers on 2nd June.

If you’d like to start with an earlier magazine, please buy it as a back issue.

April 2022 (Issue 291) with Alison Dupernex, Bill King and Nina Miklin

Our full-colour April 2022 issue has gone out to subscribers and our cover design is a Nina Miklin classic and special yarn offer. We’ve our usual selection of patterns for standard, LK-150, mid-gauge and chunky machine and there’s a real mix including designs from Alison Dupernex, Nina Miklin and Anne Baker at Karabee. We’ve punchcard ideas for knitting lace and Part 2 of our Show & Tell series, sharing methods and techniques developed over a lifetime spent machine knitting. Bill King has a ‘light-bulb’ moment and explains how to loosen up fabric to cross some mind-blowing cables. We’ve the exceptional talent of Susan Guagliumi offering lots of free help and advice and Joan Lafferty lends a helping hand to all newbies starting out as machine knitters. Sally-Ann Carroll highlights the floral prints ‘in bloom’ for Spring and Summer’s key trends and latest looks. Our mail order shop has been restocked and we always have help and advice in Dear Anne plus news, reviews and club details for ideas and inspiration.

March 2022 (Issue 290) with Alison Dupernex and Bill King

Our full-colour March 2022 issue has gone out to subscribers and our cover design is a mini jumper dress with a cowl neck to keep us warm in effortless style. We’ve more patterns than usual and there’s a real mix including an Alison Dupernex design combining classic and contemporary styling for all age groups. Tiny dancers will love our wrapover cardigan, that’s perfect for ballet lessons or dressing up fun. We’ve a techniques feature and punchcard ideas for knitting tuck stitch on single and double bed machines, along with four classic tuck and stocking stitch designs in ten sizes from 87 to 132 cm, 34 to 52 in (finished 140 cm, 55½ in). Bill King tries a racking technique used and loved by our predecessors and we’ve the exceptional talent of Susan Guagliumi offering lots of free help and advice. Sally-Ann Carroll highlights the key trends and latest looks for the new season and Passap knitters have a step-by-step guide to knitting a pair of socks in just over an hour on Duomatic and E6000 machines. Ruth Horrocks shares some great ideas for knitting gorgeous novelty hats for the young and young at heart and we always have help and advice in Dear Anne plus news, reviews and club details for ideas and inspiration.

February 2022 update

Dear Readers

Wherever we live, keeping snug and warm is the order of the day at this time of the year and I’ve been glad of a few extra layers. My chunky knits have served me well, but they’ve seen better days and I need something new in my wardrobe. We’ve a couple of really nice designs this month and the man’s sweater on Page 22 is gorgeous. I’d have to hand tool some garter stitch for the woman’s sweater on Page 16, or perhaps cheat? In all my years, I’ve never known a machine knitter follow any pattern to the letter and I’m no different! I’m very tempted, but I know I need a quick and easy alternative, so I’ll see what it looks like with the needles arranged for a 3×1 mock rib. The colour variations in the yarn are lovely, so my even faster option might be to simply knit it in stocking stitch and use the purl side as the right side. There’s a very good size range but if you need a bit of extra ease anywhere, don’t forget you can take the tension up a bit and then gradually reduce it for the main part.

Some news has come in that’s too late for the main magazine, so let me tell you Liz Holness has been in touch to say Fleet Knitting Club is to start meeting again, but at a new venue. It’s a larger and more airy room, so there’s plenty of space for social distancing. It’s been two years since the group last met, so they’re looking forward to getting together again from 1st February. The new venue is Fleet Methodist Church at 72 Reading Road South, Fleet, Hampshire GU51 7TF. Meetings are on the first Tuesday evening of each month, from 8.00 to 10.00 pm and everyone is welcome. If you’d like more details, call Liz on 01252-676276, email liz.holness@ntlworld.com or visit www.fleetknittingclub.blogspot.com

One thing not to miss is The Wool Cabin’s update on Page 28. King Cole Opium, in plain colours and the stunning Palette multi shades, is on sale this month at just £3.50 a 100g ball. The RRP is £4.99, so it’s a huge saving and it slides through mid-gauge and chunky machines. The cover design on last December’s magazine only needs six balls for the largest finished size of 112.5 cm, 44½ in. With free local delivery and mail order, I guess the offer is while stocks last so call Jason on 07553-847483 for availability.

Next month will be our 36th birthday magazine and despite two years of lockdowns and a worldwide pandemic, we’ve kept our craft going. It’s a huge achievement, for which we should all be immensely proud so until then, knit happy, Anne

NEXT ISSUE – April 2022

Subscription copies sent out Thursday 3rd March

On sale Thursday 10th March

Ask your newsagent to reserve a copy or order a subscription NOW!