Let's Knit, issue 94, July 2015

PATTERNS13 Capri Sunrise

Embrace summer in KellyMenzies' bold orange vest top

16 Dusty DaydreamPat Menchini's vintage style topuses both lace and cabling

21 Climbing RosesPretty pink socks with a floralpattern to treat your feet

26 Summer HolidayA cotton vacation bagembellished with fun flip-flops

29 Life’s A BeachGeorganne Cauchi’s large bagfor all your seaside essentials

35 Ocean ExplorerA semi-circular shawl by Jan Henley in gorgeous Manos del Uruguay yarn

38 Dusk DuoChannel the boho trend in JaneBurns' sparkly belt and scarfpatterns

41 Blackberry DelightA simple triangular shawl ingarter stitch by Julie Ferguson

47 Twisting IvyCable and lace socks in asubtle green shade

53 Pincushion PalsFun little animal makes to addcuteness to your sewing box

60 Ultra VioletA bright, summery cardiganwith lace detailing

65 In the LimelightThis zesty cardi is perfect for layering

69 White SandsA chunky lacy capelet to dressup or down

73 Precious CuddlesA classic baby coat andmatching teddy set by Lynne Rowe

80 Coral CrushSirdar's bright cardigan patternis a summer must-have

85 Silver ShoresPretty beaded crochet shrugwith easy shell pattern

At Let’s Knit we understandthat nothing is moreannoying than errors inknitting patterns. As part ofour total commitment toensuring that yourexperience of our magazineis as enjoyable as possible,we’re proud to offer THE LET’S KNIT PATTERN PROMISE:• Exclusive patternsfeatured in Let’s Knit havebeen professionallychecked and reproducedwith the utmost care.Updates can be found atwww.letsknit.co.uk • Should you encounter any problems we are morethan happy to providesupport and assistance.Contact us and we willendeavour to respond as soon as possible.By email:[email protected] telephone: 01206508622 (office hours only)By post: at the address onpage 95 (please mark your envelope ‘Support’) (Please note we cannotoffer assistance withpatterns not published in Let’s Knit)

Whocares?...We do!

W H A T ’ S I N S I D E

04www.letsknit.co.uk

JULY 2015

CONTENTS

85 41 21

47

80

35

38

summer ofSOCKS

Contents_LK Project Template 29/05/2015 16:05 Page 1

57 Yarn MatchWe look at which yarn is best fordifferent types of projects

78 A Day to RememberWe look back at celebrations acrossthe country for Yarn Shop Day 2015

89 Knit SchoolAdrienne Chandler teaches us howto do entrelac and mitred squares

PEOPLE50 Stop & Share

Catch up with the LK community

98 Last WordWe chat to Anna Hrachovec,creator of Mochimochi Land

IN EVERY ISSUE...3 Welcome7 This Month’s Free Gift10 July is the Month40 Bookshelf49 Coming Next Month52 Tea Break72 Giveaways76 Subscriptions92 Practical Guides94 Step By Step

05Back issues from Jan 2011 onwards are available on the Let’s Knit app! www.letsknit.co.uk

W H A T ’ S I N S I D E

SHOPPING25 Holiday Essentials

Must-have goodies for thesummer and cool cotton yarns

44 In Love With LaceEight of our favourite laceweight yarns

64 Reel Me InRibbons for every make andevery occasion

68 Marvellous MagentaBurst into summer withbrilliant pink hues

88 What’s In StoreGet the hot gossip from ourfavourite shops around the UK

FOCUS8 Let’s Knit Loves

Catch up with the latest newsand gossip from the knittinguniverse

32 British Knitting AwardsVote for your favourite stores and companies in this year’s awards

This month’s

FREEGIFT!

Our freeBumble BeeBeanie yarnkit can helpraise moneyfor the RNIB!

29

69

65 73 16

60

26

Coverproject

13 Win over £1,000 of prizes on page 72

7

Contents_LK Project Template 29/05/2015 16:20 Page 2

S T A T E M E N T L A C E G A R M E N T

meet ourDESIGNER

"Knitted in a cotton yarn and withloose fit, this vest is perfect forkeeping cool on a hot summer'sday. If you prefer a shorter vest,just omit a pattern repeat andstart the stocking stitch earlier.”KELLY MENZIES


Put away those muted tones:summer is the time to dress up in

something bright, bold andbeautiful! With minimal shaping and adelicate lace pattern adorning the lowerhalf, this vest will keep you cool on hot

days and is guaranteed to put a smile onyour face with every outing. Watch out

for when you stop working in the roundfor the armhole shaping and begin

working back and forth in rows instead.

CapriSunriseCapture easy summer

style with Kelly Menzies’colourful top

EXCLUSIVE TO

Capri Sunrise QX_LK Project Template 29/05/2015 16:50 Page 2

EXCLUSIVE TO


T R Y T O E - U P S O C K S

ClimbingRoses

Use a travelling cable tomake Jan Henley’s

gorgeous toe-up socks It's easy to see how this pretty pair got their name!

The fabulous rose pattern twists its way along the footand up the leg of these delightful socks. The effect iscreated with twisted stitches which are worked in a

similar way to cables. They are knitted from the toe up tothe cuff and use a Turkish cast on, which gives a seamlessfinish – see our Knitwise panel overleaf for how to do it.

summer ofSOCKS

meet ourDESIGNER

“If you are not familiar with theTurkish cast on technique, it maybe best to practise a few timesusing some spare yarn.”JAN HENLEY

Climbing roses_LK Project Template 29/05/2015 09:42 Page 2

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E S S E N T I A L B E A C H B A G

Life’s aBeach

Pack everything you need for aseaside outing in Georganne

Cauchi's fabulous bagWho doesn't love a trip to the beach? But by the time you'vefound your towel, bathers, sun cream, hat and sandals, you oftenhave no hands left to carry anything else – that's why you need abig bag and Georganne's extra large tote is just the ticket. It uses

a provisional cast-on to ensure the bag sits flat and has liningwith a reinforced bottom to help your bag keep its shape.

meet ourDESIGNER

“Since it is a bit hard to sew theflexi tube to the lining, a sewingthimble and pliers can be helpfulfor this job.”GEORGANNE CAUCHI

Sand-&-sea themed

design

Life's a beach_LK Project Template 29/05/2015 11:41 Page 2

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E L E G A N T S U M M E R S H A W L

OceanExplorer

Discover the delights of lace with Jan Henley’s

divine accessoryWith its delicate appearance and

seemingly intricate pattern motifs, lace isoften considered to be the highest level of

knitting – but in reality, it really isn'toverly complicated! This gorgeous project is

perfect for knitters who have mastered thebasics and are looking to add a timeless

garment to their wardrobe. Don't forget toblock your work afterwards (see Knitwise) to

really show off your crafting skills!

meet ourDESIGNER

“If (like me!) you hate knitting withcircular needles, it is possible tomake this garment using longerstraight needles to accommodateall the stitches. You might also findit easier to place a stitch markerafter the first three stitches and atthe beginning of every followingpattern repeat and before the final three edge stitches.”JAN HENLEY

Ocean explorer_LK Project Template 29/05/2015 09:56 Page 2

S U M P T U O U S S U M M E R S H A W L

meet ourDESIGNER

“Blackberry Delight is an easygarter stitch triangle with laceedging. The long colour runs inthe yarn create a beautiful stripingeffect. For beginners, the laceedging can be omitted – simplycast off before the lace sectionstarts.”

JULIE FERGUSON

EXCLUSIVE TO

41

Back issues from Jan 2011 onwards are available on the Let’s Knit app! www.letsknit.co.uk

With a great range of sublime fibresreadily available to us yarn-lovers,

there are plenty of opportunities forknitters and crocheters alike to

enjoy the finer things in life.Incorporating wool, silk and

cashmere, this project will add atouch of splendour to your outfitwithout breaking the bank. As the

main yarn is a double-knitweight, it will also be finished alot quicker than most lightershawls – just the thing for

the impatient crafter!

Wrap yourself in luxury with

Julie Ferguson'sexquisite accessory

Dre

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65,

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PerfectBeginner’spattern!

BlackberryDelight

Blackberry delight_LK Project Template 29/05/2015 12:42 Page 2

E L E G A N T C A B L E D S O C K S

meet ourDESIGNER

“These cable and lace socks are agreat introduction to lace knittingin the round. With its short, easy-to-follow pattern repeat you willsoon be knitting these little prettieswithout even looking at the chart.”

JANE BURNS

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Dre

ss, £

29.9

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&M

Our Summer of Socks series continues with this delightful pair.Designer Jane was inspired by the geometric pattern of a garden trellisinterspersed with organic twisting, climbing ivy. The hand-dyed yarn

brings a wonderful depth of colour to the project and because it's dyed in small batches your socks will be nearly unique!

Twisting IvyStep out in style with Jane Burns’

sumptuously soft cabled socks

summer ofSOCKS

Twisting Ivy_LK Project Template 29/05/2015 12:26 Page 2

Q U I C K A N D E A S Y P R O J E C T

We know how much you love AmandaBerry's designs and these fun littlecharacters are really quick to knit!

Originally made for our sister magazine, Let'sGet Crafting, they are a handy size to keep in

your craft room for stashing your pins. The yarnused in the photos was part of the exclusive LGC

yarn kit, so we have recommended analternative. For more projects like this, check

out www.letsgetcrafting.com

meet ourDESIGNER

“I made a crochet chain as acollar to decorate my animals,but don’t worry if you can’tcrochet, you can always use alength of ribbon or make atwisted cord instead.”AMANDA BERRY


Pincushion PalsAmanda Berry’s cute critters make great crafty

companions or pocket-sized toys!

Pincushion53-55 QX_LK Project Template 29/05/2015 16:49 Page 2


Find the perfect fibre for your next project

There are so many different yarn weights and fibre types out there, so how do you know which is the best optionfor your project? We can all see the difference between a laceweight yarn and a superchunky, but what is it aboutthe fibre composition of certain yarns that make them so well suited to a particular pattern? Here we showcasesome lovely project ideas and make suggestions as to which yarns will work well and – most importantly – why.

F E A T U R E | C H O O S I N G T H E R I G H T Y A R N

YARNmatch

There is a viciousrumour going around

some non-craftingcircles that knitting is

just for winter, but we know that’s nottrue. Plant fibres, like cotton and bamboo,are lovely and cool to wear because theyare breathable. This is to do with themolecular structure of the fibres whichallows air to pass through them moreefficiently. They also absorb moistureeasily. From a knitting perspective, cottonyarns show off stitches well, don’t pill, andthe weight of the fibres means you getgarments with a wonderful drape, asdemonstrated in Sirdar’s Cotton Chicpattern book. It features seven women’stops, one for kids and a ladies’ dress, plusthree pretty cushions, all knitted in SirdarCotton DK. This mercerised pure cottonyarn has a pretty sheen and costs £5.25per 100g (212m) ball. The pattern bookcosts £7.50 and both are available from0131 558 1747, www.mcadirect.com

SUMMER KNITS

For a professional finish in Fair Isle or intarsiaprojects, opt for an animal yarn. Even on a smoothyarn, the natural hairiness of thefibres means they are inclined tofuse together. Although this meansless stitch definition compared tosomething like a cotton yarn, youwill get a wonderfully even effect.Jamieson’s of Shetland has anastounding range of 200 shades inlovely British wool yarn. To find out more, call 01595 693114 or go towww.jamiesonsofshetland.co.uk

for...GREAT

for...GREAT STRIPESAND

COLOURWORK

Yarn Match Feature_LK Project Template 29/05/2015 16:10 Page 2

E A S Y L A C E C O V E R - U P

meet ourDESIGNER

“This capelet would also make anelegant cover-up to go over afloaty sundress on a summerevening. Why not use twovintage diamanté buttons to giveit a Downton Abbey look?”LUCINDA GANDERTON

EXCLUSIVE TO


Cool cotton yarns areperfect for summer andthis chunky number has

all the benefits of thefibre, with the addedbonus that it knits up

quickly and looksfabulous! The stitch pattern

uses basic lace knittingprinciples and the shape iscreated by working shortrows. Once you’ve got the

hang of the pattern repeat,you’ll be able to knit a whole

collection in different coloursto take on holiday.

White SandsGet set for your hols with Lucinda

Ganderton’s lacy capelet

Make this for under

£10!

White Sands_LK Project Template 29/05/2015 12:51 Page 2

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C O A T & T E D D Y S E T

PreciousCuddles

Swathe baby in simpleluxury with Lynne Rowe’scoat and matching teddy

Although basic in shape, the outdoorsy coatpattern oozes miniature style. Made from aluxury super-smooth merino yarn, it is machinewashable for all those messy baby mishaps. Youcan even knit a matching mister teddy to make

your little one irresistably cute!

meet ourDESIGNER

“I’ve used Baby Rooster Merinofor this stylish baby set becauseit’s beautifully soft and machinewashable. I’ve combined garterstitch with contemporary coloursto create clean lines and simplestructures, so it’s ideal forbeginners and experiencedknitters alike.”LYNNE ROWE

Underwater wonder_LK Project Template 29/05/2015 10:44 Page 2

P R E T T Y B E A D E D S H R U G

meet ourDESIGNER

“This lightweight shrug is ideal if youare new to crochet. It has barely anyshaping and is crocheted from sideto side. The beading is just enoughfor those new to the technique totackle. It's a great project to throwover your shoulders on a coolsummer evening.”

TINA BARRETT

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With the changeable British weather, it is alwaysuseful to have a lightweight cover-up that you can

pop into your bag just in case. This little shrug featuresa lovely shell pattern that is created using treble crochetstitches. Pretty purple beads have been added to the arm

and front borders to bring a touch of sparkle to your outfit.

Silver ShoresTina Barrett’s easy

crocheted cover-up is perfectprotection against those chilly

summer breezes

Silver Shores_LK Project Template 29/05/2015 12:18 Page 2

Documents

Let's Knit, issue 94, July 2015