Each centimetre in the kilometre long scarf will represent the 100,000 children and young people who run away from home each year in the UK. The Big Stitch campaign runs until 13 January 2009, traditionally the coldest day of the year. To find out how to get involved call 0845-300 1128 or visit http://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/bigstitch
Hobbycraft 37
First into the store were Jo Pay and 14-year-old Seleena from Wheatley, who were given a free crafty gift for being among he first 100 visitors on the day and £25 worth of complimentary HobbyCraft gift vouchers for being in pole position. For locations of HobbyCraft stores nationwide visit http://www.hobbycraft.co.uk or call free on 0800 027 2387
Gosh!
This children’s charity needs to raise £50 million a year to help rebuild and refurbish Great Ormond Street Hospital, provide vital up-to-date equipment and fund research into better treatments for the children. For more information and to see the full range of Christmas gifts visit http://www.gosh.org/christmas
Kiss Me Quick
In recent years, Texere has been the source of film and stage props for many blockbuster films and stage productions. Hundreds of balls of Texere Yarn plus knitting needles and patterns filled the make-believe shop for the set of a new Tom Hanks film City of Ember, due for release in October 2008. The company has also proved a useful source of yarn for the film Elizabeth, West End musical Mamma Mia, the Northern Ballet, Blackpool Ice Theatre and the makers of ‘kiss me quick’ hats on Blackpool’s Golden Mile.
Texere Yarns
College Mill, Barkerend Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD1 4AU Tel 01274-722191
E-mail enquiries@texere-yarns.co.uk
Website www.texere-yarns.co.uk
Shades of Luxury
It’s Geelong Merino Lamb’s Wool Slub (Yarn reference GL17) and it’s a really lovely Australian Merino Lamb’s Wool. It knits as a fine double knitting and for machine knitting we’d recommend it’s used on chunky machines at around Tension 1 for stocking stitch, lace, Fair Isle and so on. It can also be used quite easily on standard gauge machines with the ribber as a lovely rib fabric. To support this yarn for machine knitters, Jane has a Wendy Piper Wrap Pattern for £3 for sale with yarn and if you can wait a month or two, there will be a number of patterns in MKM, so stock up now at bargain prices. For hand knitters, 20 to 22 stitches to 10 cm over stocking stitch is recommended and Jane has Wendy’s wrap pattern, a sweater pattern, a cable trimmed jacket and an Iris Hutchins Lace Jacket pattern. Each pattern costs £3 each when bought with the yarn.
SPECIAL MKM OFFER
Buy 1, get 1 free
The yarn is on 500 g cones at £15 per cone. In the following eight shades : Ceramic (soft pale blue), Pandora (soft magenta), Brown (burnt almond), Blue (denim), Bengal (burnt orange), Cinnabar (warm rust), Raspberry (deep pink) and Cygnet (very soft pale grey). Jane has reduced the price to buy two cones for the price of one. Postage and packing is £4.56 for the kilo so two cones will cost £19.56 (£15 plus £4.56 p&p). Don’t forget an additional £3 for each pattern, if required. You need to tell Jane which two colours you’d like and they don’t have to be the same. However, please give a second choice for each selection in case some of the shades sell out quickly.
Cheques should be made payable to Shades of Cashmere and sent to:
Jane Woodward
Shades of Cashmere, Grove Farm, Wolvey, Hinckley, Leicestershire LE10 3LL
Tel/Fax 01455-220767
New Books from Busy Bee
However there’s something extra in this book, which newer knitters especially will enjoy. Full instructions are given for multi-colour tuck stitch and partial pin tucks. Multi-colour tuck is a simple way to add both colour and texture to the fabric, whilst partial pin tucks can be used on any machine – even those that can only do plain knitting. It adds bands of texture, thickness and weight to the fabric easily and the price of Book 205 is just £4.
The second book is Making Cushion Covers and these quick and easy covers can be made on all machines with any yarn and stitch pattern from just one piece of fabric. What could be easier? Guides are given for making a ribbed cushion with a nautical theme, a summer meadow design plus Fair Isle and textured patterns. Another option is to use some of the textured designs from Book 205, Making A Textured Scarf, for a modern look. More experienced knitters can easily add trims and fastenings to complete their own designs. These cushion covers are not just for the living room. We can also use them for dining chair pads, a workroom chair or wheelchair cushion covers. Book 206 Making Cushion Covers costs £2. If you’d like more information about Busy Bee Basics 83 pattern books containing over 300 exclusive designs, please write to Hilary. Don’t forget to include your name and address and a large sae would be appreciated.
The second book is Making Cushion Covers and these quick and easy covers can be made on all machines with any yarn and stitch pattern from just one piece of fabric. What could be easier? Guides are given for making a ribbed cushion with a nautical theme, a summer meadow design plus Fair Isle and textured patterns. Another option is to use some of the textured designs from Book 205, Making A Textured Scarf, for a modern look. More experienced knitters can easily add trims and fastenings to complete their own designs.
These cushion covers are not just for the living room. We can also use them for dining chair pads, a workroom chair or wheelchair cushion covers. Book 206 Making Cushion Covers costs £2. If you’d like more information about Busy Bee Basics 83 pattern books containing over 300 exclusive designs, please write to Hilary. Don’t forget to include your name and address and a large sae would be appreciated.
Busy Bee Basics
9 Alpha Road, Stretford, Manchester M32 9JJ
Tel 0161-864 1191
9 Alpha Road, Stretford, Manchester M32 9JJ
Tel 0161-864 1191
Hi good post. I have been wondering about this issue so thanks for posting. I’ll definitely be coming back to your site.
KrisBelucci
2009-06-02 20:15:08
Alaska Cruise
To–Fro.jpgShe will be sending you some photos I expect when they get back. So thank you for putting us in touch, she very kindly brought me some patterns. I know that you are encouraging younger people to machine knit and using some of the chunky knitting now so popular to encourage them into taking the magazine. I was looking through some old To & Fro copies I was given and wondered if it would be a good idea to re-publish the jacket on the front of the Nov 1991 – January 92, Vol 14, No. 3 issue?
The pattern is on page 28 and it’s by Raymonde Chessum. It’s knitted in pieces, which makes it ideal for chunky machines that have a very small number of needles. Perhaps you could suggest more modern yarns that could be used? It looks like a fun jacket, as it all makes chevrons when you put it all together.
Best wishes Anne and I hope you are not working too hard
Barbara Tulip in Canada
Wedded Bliss
You may wonder why I am telling you this and it’s because Barbara Tulip lives in Vancouver and we’re hoping to meet up. Should our plans come to fruition, I will take some photos and send them to you on my return and hopefully you’ll be able to print them in a forthcoming edition. Barbara and I have had a few e-mails since you put us in touch and neither of us could believe it when we found out about the ‘Vancouver’ connection. Watch this space for my return!
With all good wishes from Fran Davidson
Congratulations!
I have been looking for a suitable hat pattern for my three granddaughters for the past couple of months without much success. You can imagine my delight when I opened my November issue of MKM and found the article by Helen Macleod about her grandson’s hat. I immediately sorted out some suitable yarn and tried out the pattern. It is perfect. I will certainly be putting her new book on my Christmas list. I look forward to receiving MKM each month and keep all my copies, reading them many time over. Once again, many thanks for the hours of reading pleasure you provide.
Keep up the good work and kindest regards
Shirley Marsden in Doncaster
Into The Sidings
I’ve just finished knitting a sideways sweater and I must say that it’s very comfortable to wear. I’ve tried to find a machine-knitting pattern for a sideways knitted cardigan but as yet I’ve had no luck. Could you look into your archives to try and locate one and if possible would you be able to print the pattern in one of your future issues?
I was so disappointed not to be able to attend MK LIVE! this year as I’m sure that I must have missed some new exciting goodies that I’d have been happy to purchase. Perhaps I’ll have better luck next year but usually I can’t do an October show as I’m away on holiday. I noticed that in one of your back numbers you had a pattern for a ladies shrug. I wonder if you would be able to print the pattern in one of your future issues?
I’m gradually getting back in the swing of using my knitting machines (Brother 890 and Brother 260 both with ribbers) but I can’t seem to be able to master using the ‘holding technique’ instead of the traditional cast off method. To the accomplished knitter, this is surely a very easy method and I think my problem may be due to ‘senior moments’, which we older people sometimes have – well I do! Would you please print the way of using the method in one of your helpful articles?
I also wonder if you could have a page dedicated to hints and tips from other readers which would, I assume, cover many problems which others returning to machine knitting would find very helpful. I really do look forward to my issue of your magazine each month, as it is a good mix of patterns. Keep up the good work and long life to your magazine!
Many thanks from June Wisdom
Just found your advert-have you still got cashmere yarn for sale??
Thankyou