It’s been a strange month in the South East and we’ve seen temperatures plummeting to minus eleven one morning and soaring to twelve degrees by lunchtime the next day. I’ve never been more thankful for all the knitted clothes in my wardrobe, because I’ve certainly needed to add an extra layer to keep warm. My first choice is always a warm gilet Jane Woodward designed for us in Cashmere for the August 2009 issue. It always reminds me that yarns such as Lamb’s Wool, Cashmere, Alpaca and Mohair keep animals warm and they do the same for us, too. They may be more expensive than man-made fibres, but usually only small quantities are needed and it can be well worth some occasional self-indulgence.
If you live within travelling distance of Nottingham then please turn to Page 6, where we’ve 20 free tickets to give away for the show on 15th April. We’ll have the usual Lucky Dip, so please send in a self-addressed and stamped envelope as soon as you can. Don’t forget to mark the top left hand corner of both envelopes with ‘Nottingham’ and I hope you’re one of our winners. Guest speakers this year are Sue Booth 11.00 am, Iris Bishop at 1.30 pm and Erica Thomson at 2.30 pm. The lectures cost an extra £1 each and numbers are limited, so book in advance. There’s more information about the show and contact details on Page 33.
Carol Hocknell tells me that a few places still remain for this year’s Dream Week from 3rd to 7th September. It’s probably the annual highlight event in the machine knitting calendar and visitors flock to Cheshire from all over the world. There are some wonderful tutors this year including Iris Bishop and Bill King and I’m always very pleased to be asked to join in the fun. If you’d like more information about Dream Week then give Carol a call now on 01270-628414.
Finally, let me remind you that March has five Thursdays so you’ll have to wait just a bit longer for your May magazine. It will be mailed out to subscribers on Thursday 5th April and it’s officially on sale on Thursday 12th April. By then Easter will have come and gone, I’ll be heading for the Nottingham Show and I hope to see as many of you who can join us. Until then happy knitting.
CURRENT ISSUE
April 2012
Subscription copies sent out
Thursday 1st March
On sale Thursday 8th March
Ask your newsagent to
Reserve a copy : see page 61
Thank you for a really good magazine. I’ve knitted the baby cardigan from Carole Nixon on my Pfaff Duo 80 using 2/30s yarn. Setting the front bed pushers 2 up 2 down front lock BX< and back bed N and using the tensions as pattern. It knitted up beautifully. The pattern for the boy's slipover in 4-ply is also on my agenda. I haven't done much knitting lately and feel I'm getting rusty. Having accumulated so much yarn I thought I really must get cracking and explore the potential of my machine! I'm also going to knit up some of the patterns from the copies of PKMJ that Alice Wilmshurst published. Thank you both for the inspiration to get knitting again. Kind regards to all at MKM.
Sue.
On re-reading my comment I have realized that the front lock setting should be AX for tuck stitch; BX is for slip stitch!
I knitted a slipover and swiss darned a car from one of the Harmony books across the front. It looked really good.
At the moment I am knitting the Maggie Andrews cardigan from the December 2008 issue of the magazine on my Toyota 901 using Amber 4 ply at T 6.1. My tension is slightly different than that in the magazine so I am knitting a smaller size.
I found that reducing the tension for the weaving made the knitting stretch into a point each end so I left the setting on MT and it looks a lot neater. So far I have knitted the back starting with an e-wrap cast on and picking up the loops for the second side. I cast off the stitches for the armhole but removed the side seam stitches on WY ready to join the back and front on the machine. I’m hoping to finish the knitting next week.
Regards Sue.
I would just like to make a comment on the January 2012 magazine. If this is what we have to look forward to in the New Year – then bring it on is what I say!
This is the first time that I have actually sat for a good hour or more reading MKM. I don’t mean to be critical but some of the patterns in the past leave a lot to be desired. I know the aim is to attract young knitters – but baggy drop-shouldered jumpers with holes in here and there and no real neckline (just a curled edge) are really not the way to go in my opinion.
I know that as an Editor it must be extremely hard to constantly find good patterns for the magazine but I would rather see one really good design than three bad ones.
I am so happy to see that patterns are starting to creep back into the magazine that have fitted sleeve heads and good patterning on them. Long may it last is what I say. For me to sit and read the magazine for over an hour shows just how good it was this month. Normally I look through it sigh and put it with the other mags from previous months. This month you really did capture my imagination and I feel that I really do have to hold up my hands and say a big thank you.
I have had a your magazine for so many years that I can’t remember when I first took out the subscription and there is no way that I would stop. It takes a lot to make me sit and write but I just felt that this month I really had to.
One final thought; with the cold weather nearly upon us and fuel bills rising is there any chance of one month there being patterns for heavy curtains door stops long skirts bed spreads rugs bottle covers blankets – anything that will keep the home warm and snug and help fight the fuel bills. I know you have to plan in advance but thought maybe it might be possible.
Kind regards Hilary
I moved house eight years ago and I’ve just started to machine knit again. I don’t know of any other machine knitters in my area and would love to discuss topics with like-minded people. It would be lovely to share knitting experiences with someone else and I wonder if there’s anyone out there or does anyone know of any clubs?
Ever hopeful Sheila
Thank you for a really good magazine. I have knitted the baby cardigan from Carole Nixon on my Pfaff Duo 80 using 2/30s yarn. Setting the front bed pushers 2 up 2 down front lock BX< and back bed N and using the tensions as pattern. It knitted up beautifully. The pattern for the boy's slipover in 4 ply is also on my agenda. I haven't done much knitting lately and feel I'm getting rusty. Having accumulated so much yarn I thought I really must get cracking and explore the potential of my machine!
I’m also going to knit up some of the patterns from the copies of PKMJ that Alice Wilmshurst published. Thank you both for the inspiration to get knitting again.
Kind regards to all at MKM.
Sue.