November update

Dear Readers

We’ve just returned from holiday and I’ve had to hit the ground running to finish this issue on time. So, news and photos of our holiday will have to wait!

Whilst I was away, I received one important item and I don’t want it to slip through the net. So let me tell you that a short course starts on the City Campus of Nottingham Trent University on 12th October. Called ‘Domestic Machine Knitting For Beginners’, it will run on a Saturday from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm for two weeks. It’s beginner level, no experience is required and the cost is £295. You’ll also have full use of the University’s modern library and free use of the IT equipment and software during the course. Brother or Silver Reed machines are provided, or you can take your own machine if you prefer. This course offers intensive instruction on domestic knitting machines. It will introduce you to thinking creatively about using a machine at home or at work and will focus on producing work with a contemporary perspective. It’s ideal for anyone just starting out, or returning to machine knitting after a break. You may know a young person showing lots of interest in our craft, such as a student or graduate looking to add machine knitting to their CV and portfolio. Anyone over the age of 18 interested in textiles and crafts and considering investing in a domestic machine will be very welcome. Please pass on the word and visit www.ntu.ac.uk for full details.

This month we’ve a treat for everyone with DesignaKnit 9. Our special feature takes you through all the stages of making a stitch pattern. So, if you’ve dithered about using this amazing software, turn to Page 49 and take a deep breath… your adventure is about to begin! Follow the step-by-step guide and, I promise, you’ll soon have the confidence to create your own patterns.

Finally, if you knit for tiny tots, head for your stash and have a trial run at Carole Dunkerley’s cute baby cardigan, hat and bootees on Page 52. I’ve included a sneak peek of next month’s adaptation to turn it into a fabulous Christmas outfit. Until next time, knit happy!

NEXT ISSUE December 2024

Subscription copies sent out Thursday 7th November

On sale Thursday 14th November

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November 2024 (Issue 322) with Bill King’s Fan Dango design

The cover design on our full-colour November 2024 issue is a cropped slipover, that’s perfect with jeans and worn over a cool white jumper. We’ve our usual mix of patterns for standard, mid-gauge and chunky machines, including a previously unpublished Carl Boyd sweater and a good selection of seasonal classics. Our highlight is another Bill King design and this month it’s his Fan Dango pattern, that’s perfect for party time. In Masterclass, Bill produces an Op Art look knitting Double Jacquard and passes on hints and tips. We’ve a cute baby cardigan knitted all-in-one and it’s a trial knit for a gorgeous baby Christmas outfit coming next month. We’ve reached Part 2 of our mini series on Charting Devices and a fabulous DesignaKnit Special using Stitch Designer’s Curve Tool. Alison Dupernex and Susan Guagliumi (https://susan-guagliumi.teachable.com/) are our constant help and support and we’ve all the usual help and advice, news and reviews.

October update

Dear Readers

Have we had summer? It seems to have been and gone without many of us noticing! To come back down to earth with a bump, Iris Rowe reminds us that October is here, with her seasonal Hallowe’en pumpkins and Nic Corrigan has held her second Machine Knitting Retreat in the heart of the Pennines. On Page 10, we join the MKC behind the scenes at their recent 6-day workshop holiday. To help and support MKM readers with their machine knitting, Nic has given us a very special offer. The Community opens its doors for new members just three times a year, but membership of the Machine Knit Community is available to MKM readers immediately, as well as a one-month free trial. Two exclusive on-line Zoom classes are also included in the offer, but you need to hurry. The first is Victoria Salmon’s live class on the 11th September on Plated Ribs. You’ve a little more time before the first of two Bill King classes on Double Bed Jacquard. His first class, on the 25th September, will cover the basic mechanics and method. There are no strings attached. All you have to do is head for https://tinyurl.com/MKMFREE and register before the free trial offer expires on the 6th October. There’s more to discover on Pages 11 and 19 and I’m wholeheartedly supportive of Nic and the Machine Knit Community.

In Dear Anne on Page 12, I’m very happy to thank Ann Wallington for finding the original design Carole Dunkerley adapted for her pop-up dolls’ pattern last month. I’m equally grateful to Carole for further adapting it, so we can make a start on some ‘seasonal’ knitting soon. Yes, it’s that time of the year again!

Finally, I need to let you know I’ll be on holiday for a chunk of September. Neil and I are going away for a couple of weeks, but not before I’ve finished the November magazine! It’s for a very special and happy occasion and there may even be a photo or two, but you’ll have to wait until the December issue to discover what we’ll be doing. Until then, knit happy!

NEXT ISSUE November 2024

Subscription copies sent out Thursday 3rd October

On sale Thursday 10th October

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October 2024 (Issue 321) with Bill King’s Spider’s Web design

The cover design on our full-colour October 2024 issue is a longer length gilet, that’s great worn with trousers or leggings. We’ve our usual mix of patterns for standard, mid-gauge and chunky machines, including a Carl Boyd man’s sweater and a great ‘coatigan’ pattern in 10 sizes for Passap or Pfaff E6000 or Duo 80 machines. Our highlight is another Bill King design and this month it’s his Spider’s Web pattern, to potentially use up 100 cone ends! In Masterclass, Bill eases us into a new knitting season with a fresh look at tuck lace and Card 3 variations. In Part 7 of the Ruth Horrocks series, we work out how to create a tailor-made pattern when we don’t have a charting device. Alison Dupernex and Susan Guagliumi (https://susan-guagliumi.teachable.com/) are our constant help and support. Joan Lafferty looks at the pros and cons of the yarns machine knitters are often tempted to buy and we’ve all the usual help and advice, news and reviews.

September update

Dear Readers

A week or two ago I joined other ‘funeral fashionistas’ in respecting the wishes of our late Fashion Editor Sally-Ann Carroll. We gathered at her funeral, wearing a rainbow of bright colours, to celebrate her life. If a funeral could ever be called ‘happy’, this was one such occasion. As we went into the church, her sons had prepared the board that you’ll see on Page 14. It had us all smiling as we remembered our own favourite sayings. Shortly into the service and perhaps sensing the atmosphere of the sea of colour in front of him, the vicar said: “I know you’re in church, but you can clap”! Our tears of sadness turned into tears of joy and her sons treated us to a gleeful walk through the life of their amazing mother.

 Sally-Ann and I worked together for years before she started writing for the magazine. Back then we had a photo shoot each month and she soon became our permanent Fashion Stylist. She was always full of fun, extremely hard-working and could turn any ill-fitting jumper into something ‘very fashioney’. We talked through the idea of a feature showing how to combine an old knit with up-to-date styling, for an on-trend look that wouldn’t break the bank. She always had her finger on the pulse of current fashion and kept us up-to-date with the latest trends. She showed us how to give a jaded sweater a new lease of life, when we couldn’t bear to throw it away and told us when to dig out an old check skirt from the back of a wardrobe to be bang on trend. At first her feature didn’t go down at all well. ‘It’s taking up two pages that you could use for another pattern’ was a typical comment at the time, but we persevered. Gradually, she won us over and we all came to love her. The letter from June in Dear Anne is typical of the many tributes you’ve passed on and I’m most grateful that you’ve taken the time to express your sympathy.

We all pass on our sincerest condolences to her husband Mike, sons Toby and Sam and their families. Rest in peace Sally-Ann and your much-used (and loved!) quotes are on my office door. They’ll be a constant reminder of the fun and laughter you brought into all our lives.

NEXT ISSUE October 2024

Subscription copies sent out Thursday 5th September

On sale Thursday 12th September

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September 2024 (Issue 320) with Bill King’s waterfall design

The cover design on our full-colour September 2024 issue is a short, boxy jacket with ribbed sleeves. We’ve our usual mix of patterns for standard, mid-gauge and chunky machines, including a Carl Boyd man’s sweater. Our highlight is another Bill King design and this month it’s his seamless waterfall top. In Masterclass, Bill also reminds us to take a second look at our mistakes, as they often have the makings of something interesting. We’ve a great use for empty cones, turning them into pop-up dolls and we’re changing the sleeve shape of our personal fitting pattern in Part 6 of the Ruth Horrocks series. Alison Dupernex and Susan Guagliumi (https://susan-guagliumi.teachable.com/) are our constant help and support and we’ve all the usual help and advice, news and reviews.

July update

Dear Readers

As I write, summer has arrived in the South East – well, for this week at least! We’ve baking hot temperatures and it’s far too hot to do anything, except grab a cool drink and find a shady spot. There’s a lovely story in Clubline about a knitting retreat Jane Harrisson organised for members of her Needles Of Steel knitting club in Rugby. She’s included lots of details and if you’d like to know more about her club, her live demo Zoom meetings or her free-to-join WhatsApp group, do turn to Page 10.

We’ve a selection of really interesting letters in Dear Anne this month and we’ve passed on some great information. Pauline has been a gem and she’s not the only reader to sing the praises of Sue Jalowiec at Knit It Now. It’s a tremendous group in America, sharing a real love of our craft. If you’ve a spare few minutes, find the online community at www.knititnow.com and the testimonials say it all.

I know that many of you love the Alison Dupernex designs we publish. So, it’s good to know that Uppingham Yarns has a fabulous range of Knoll 100% Pure New Wool. We all love Knoll Yarns and the quality Uppingham sells has the look and feel of Supersoft Shetland. There’s a gorgeous range of 35 solid and melange shades. Do check them out at www.wools.co.uk and as I’ve mentioned Alison, I’ll let you know that she’s enjoying making blankets and throws at the moment. As a result, she’s sent us some gorgeous new designs and they’re in the pipeline for our Autumn knitting. Do look out for them in the months to come. Thinking about the Autumn issues, Iris Rowe will have us knitting pumpkins for Hallowe’en and members of Barbara Fenton’s happy group at Longton MKC have turned their attention to upcycling empty yarn cones. Together with ideas from Carole Dunkerley, we’ll soon need to think about that popular event in December!

I now have to pass on the tremendously sad news I’ve just received. Our Fashion Editor, Sally-Ann Carroll, has died. We’d been devoted friends for forty years. All I’m able to do right now is pass on my sincerest condolences to her husband Mike, sons Toby and Sam and their families. Rest in peace Sally-Ann and your passing will leave a huge hole in the magazine and our lives.

NEXT ISSUE September 2024

Subscription copies sent out Thursday 1st August

On sale Thursday 8th August

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August 2024 (Issue 319) with Bill King’s Spider’s Web design

The cover design on our full-colour August 2024 issue is a sun-kissed tee with a neat scoop neck and we’ve a summery mix of patterns for standard, mid-gauge and chunky machines. Our highlight is Bill King’s very popular Spider’s Web design and Bill also shares an amazing ‘Wild Weaving’ technique he’s created for his Masterclass feature. Alison Dupernex and Susan Guagliumi (https://susan-guagliumi.teachable.com/) are our constant help and support. Joan Lafferty has some pressing matters to discuss and has to hunt for Postman Pat! This month we’re calculating and adding bands to our personal fitting pattern in Part 5 of a mini series with Ruth Horrocks and we’re also grafting knitting going up and down to a piece knitted sideways. We’ve all the usual help and advice, news and reviews and look back at Jane Harrisson’s Needles of Steel retreat. Her great website for all machine knitters is www.needlesofsteel.org.uk so check it out now!

Taylor Swift Songbook Trail

From Saturday 27th July to Sunday 8th September, celebrate Taylor Swift’s ground-breaking impact on the world stage and mark the success of her UK tour with a free trail at V&A South Kensington! Journey through Taylor’s career with 13 stops along the way, each showcasing a particular era of her music and prolific song writing.

Discover a selection of costumes on loan from Taylor Swift, from customised cowboy boots worn during her breakout success as a country singer in 2007 to the jet-black ruffled shoulder dress worn in the most recent music video for her single Fortnight from the critically adored album The Tortured Poets Department (2024). As well, see instruments, music awards, storyboards and previously unseen archival material that explores her childhood and recording legacy, many of which are on display for the first time.

June update

Dear Readers

There’s been lots going on this month and it all started with a deluge of requests for Bill King’s patterns. By the time I’d searched through the back issues from 2011 to 2021, it became obvious I needed to print them again. I’ve started with perhaps the most sought after, the All In One on Page 32 and new readers may wonder what all the fuss is about. So, let me say that every machine knitter can knit Bill’s top on any machine, in whatever yarn comes to hand. It’s a simple, classic and timeless design, that’s also very easy to knit. The only making up is threading the end of yarn back into the cords you knit at the start and finish. Spider’s Web is the next obvious choice and I’ll include it in August.

I’ve also had lots of calls and emails asking why we no longer include For Sale adverts at the back of the magazine. You’ll remember that everything faded away during the pandemic. We could no longer drive or collect machines and equipment from one another. No-one advertised, so there was little point in offering this free service. If you’d like it to return, you need to let me know and for word to spread, let’s say by the end of July. Please drop me a line or send an email, as the phone is often very busy. It’s always been a service for private sellers, not for those in business and that’s how it will remain if we reinstate it.

Another request from some of you is that we bring back Knitting Buddies. For new readers, it was also a free service of volunteers with a reasonable knowledge of machine knitting, that might be on one machine only. They gave help and advice over the phone to beginners, or those returning to machine knitting after a break. Sadly we’ve lost some former Knitting Buddies and others have retired. If you’d like to volunteer, please let me know, again by letter or email. I’m sure there will be a new team we can put together, for everyone’s benefit.

Finally I’ve been in touch with Soft Byte, to chat about the free trial that’s available for DesignaKnit. It’s something that’s always been offered, but not many people seem to realise it’s there. With the current financial climate as it is, you may well want to find out more and try before you buy. Claire Newberry is a DesignaKnit expert and she writes for us each month. So if you’d like to know more about this garment shaping and stitch pattern design program for hand and machine knitting, full details and a QR code are on Page 7. Until next month, knit happy.

NEXT ISSUE August 2024

Subscription copies sent out Thursday 4th July

On sale Thursday 11th July

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