Last-minute gifts for knitters

Stuck for what to buy a knitting or crochet fan this Christmas? knitshop.co.uk is at hand to help you choose a gift your creative friend or family member is bound to love.

We’ve got some simply irresistible yarns in the softest natural fibres – it’s all exclusive to knitshop.co.uk as we only sell our own yarns.

Velvet Purple knitted in our beautiful and colourful Kolibri Wool Yarn.

Our bestseller is Kolibri, a fairly chunky yarn that comes in 10 fantastic mixed shades and is sold in 100g skeins. One or two skeins of Kolibri is plenty for making a hat, scarf or pair of gloves or mittens. Check out our downloadable PDF patterns you can gift alongside this cosy yarn.

Eve Skater Set a downloadable pdf
knitted in Thick & Easy Wool Yarn

As well as our own pattern selection, we stock lots of books and magazines filled with patterns, techniques and ideas for needlecraft fans to savour. Vintage fans will be delighted to receive the Vintage Gifts To Knit book by queen of vintage Susan Crawford. It’s currently on special offer for just £11.20 rather than the usual £14. Those are ideal stocking fillers for your loved ones!

We’ve also got our own vintage cotton yarn, Coquette, which we produced in partnership with Susan. You’ll find lots of patterns for this yarn in the knitshop.co.uk pattern library including the easy to knit Reo Wrist Warmer.

REO Wrist Warmer knitted in Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn

For a truly luxurious gift, consider our newly introduced Angora Soft Yarn. This snow-white yarn is simply the softest yarn available and is ideal for keeping a loved one wrapped up warm and for small heirloom knits. Our Angora Soft Yarn is ethically produced and is sure to be treasured by anyone receiving it.

Our brand new and absolutely gorgeous Angora Soft Yarn.

Knitters and crocheters can never have too many accessories and we offer a full range of circular, double- and single-pointed needles and crochet hooks. We stock felting needles and felting kits too.

We’ve just added a trio of oversized Addi knitting needles to our accessories range. These 12mm, 15mm and 25mm needles are used for super chunky knits, cost around £10 each and are great fun to use. Pair them with a bag of Merino Wool Tops and give them to a friend who either loves to make giant knits or who likes to spin or felt yarn. A 1kg Mixed Merino Bag contains four different shades while the Assorted Merino Tops Bag includes 20 shades.

Addi Knitting Needles now available online
at www.knitshop.co.uk.
visit the shop to find your sizes!

If you prefer to make your own gifts and are short on time you can also adventure into needle felting and try your hands on one of our Needle Felting Kits to make your own gifts this Christmas. Available are Flower, Butterfly, Jewellery - Necklace or Bracelet and a Felted Fairy.

Red Christmas Fairy Angel
now available as a kit to purchase from knitshop.co.uk

Last posting for Christmas is Saturday 20th December. After that we can’t guarantee your gifts will arrive on time. Our boutique outlet store is open this Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11am until 4pm where you can buy, browse or collect your orders. If you live outside London, a knitshop.co.uk gift voucher may be a more suitable gift. These are available in £20 and £40 denominations and can be used to buy items from our shop or to pay for one of our creative workshops.

If you’d like to give a knitting or crochet-related gift, feel free to call us for ideas and advice on 020 7099 8864 or email info@knitshop.co.uk.  

Links to this blog:
Addi knitting needles http://www.knitshop.co.uk/334-addi-knitting-needles

Angora Soft Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/333-angora-yarn

Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/323-coquette-vintage-cotton

Felting Kits: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/143-felting-kits

Kolibri Wool Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/176-kolibri-yarn

knitshop.co.uk Bookshop: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/166-book-shop

Knitting and Crochet Accessories: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/62-knitting-accessories
knitshop.co.uk Workshops: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/156-workshops
knitshop.co.uk Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/81-knitting-yarn

knitshop.co.uk Patterns: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/161-knitshop-pattern

knitshop.co.uk Gift Voucher: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/188-gift-voucher

Merino Wool Tops:
http://www.knitshop.co.uk/merino-tops/2755-assorted-merino-bag.html

Merino Wool Tops 1kg Mixed Bag: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/merino-tops/2594-mixed-merino-bag.html

Ruffled Cardigan Pattern by Meg Crowther

Turn heads in a Two-Tone Ruffled Cardigan

We’ve got a treat in store for you if you love vintage knits: our gorgeous new Ruffled Cardigan pattern is knitted in wonderful Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn in authentic 1920s and 30s colours. The Ruffled Cardigan was designed exclusively for knitshop.co.uk by noted knitwear designer Meg Crowther, as seen in Knit Magazine.

The rib stitch design cardigan follows the body’s contours thanks to the easy-to-follow shaping instructions. In places, extra stitches are created, while elsewhere you knit two stitches together. The contrasting ruffles that trim the front and collar of the cardigan are created by making extra stitches at regular intervals along the row. The ripple effect is stunning. 

Ruffled Cardigan as seen in Knit Magazine.
Colours: Aquamarine and Amethyst.

Coquette is a 4ply yarn available in 50g centre-pull balls. Each ball costs £3.95 and is 125m long. The yarn knits to a tension of 28 stitches over 36 rows on 3mm – 3.25mm needles. 

 

To make the cardigan you’ll need between 9 and 14 balls of Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn for the main colour plus four 50g balls of the contrast colour. There’s a choice of 13 shades in the range. If you want to check how the colours look together, why not order a 10g sample of each? 

Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn
colours from left to right:
Wine, Oyster, Canary, Flame, Highland, Pumpkin,
Carnation, Old Lace, Aquamarine, Snow, Spermint, Sapphire and Amethyst.

The fully-illustrated pattern shows how the Ruffled Cardigan looks when knitted in different colours of Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn. The first uses Aquamarine as the main colour with Amethyst for the contrast trim. The second version shows the Ruffled Cardigan knitted in Flame Coquette yarn with Old Lace for the ruffles.

Ruffled Cardigan knitted in Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn
colours: Flame and Old Lace.

 

knitshop.co.uk founder Julieta Brandao worked with ‘Queen of Vintage’ Susan Crawford to develop the Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn range. All the colours in the range mimic vintage shades. If you want even more choice of colours, check out knitshop.co.uk’s Cotton 4ply Mercerised Yarn. This knits to the same tension as Coquette and comes in a choice of pinks, Bordeaux Red and Chocolate Brown.

A unique idea in contrasting colours.
Which colours would you choose?

 

The Ruffled Cardigan pattern was published in Knit magazine earlier this year. Other patterns for Coquette yarn feature in Susan Crawford’s A Stitch In Time 2 vintage knitting pattern book, available from our bookshop.

Links to this blog:

Amethyst Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/coquette-vintage-cotton/2779-amethyst-coquette.html

Aquamarine Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/coquette-vintage-cotton/2767-aquamarine-coquette.html

Bordeaux Red Cotton 4ply Mercerised Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/4ply-cotton-mercerised/1926-bordeaux-cotton-4ply.html

Chocolate Brown Cotton 4ply Mercerised Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/4ply-cotton-mercerised/1935-brown-cotton-4ply.html

Cotton 4ply Mercerised Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/129-4ply-cotton-mercerised

Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/323-coquette-vintage-cotton

Flame Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/coquette-vintage-cotton/2764-flame-coquette.html

Old Lace Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/coquette-vintage-cotton/2802-old-lace-coquette.html

Ruffled Cardigan pattern: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitshop-pattern/3150-ruffled-cardigan.html

A Stitch In Time Volume 2: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/patterns-magazines-books/2141-a-stitch-in-time-2.html

knitshop.co.uk Christmas patterns and workshops

With Christmas looming, knitshop.co.uk is focusing on gifts and decorations. Check out our patterns library for free patterns to download including the cheerful Christmas Tree Cosy. We’ve also got lots of Yuletide ideas for you to try at our weekly Friday and Saturday workshops.  

On Friday 5 December you can either try your hand at crocheting baubles to hang on your Christmas tree or learn how to make a dainty snowflake. The Crochet Christmas Ornaments course covers a range of crochet techniques and stitches which will help you take your crocheting to the next level.

Christmas Mini Stockings for small presents or the tree.
Knitted using Coquette Vintage Cotton Yarn.

If you’re more of a knitter, sign up for our Knit A Christmas Stocking class on 13 December when we’ll be making tiny Christmas stockings. These cute multi-coloured socks are knitted in the round, so they’re seam-free. The tricky part is turning the heel, but you’ll be fine once we show you how. You need basic knitting and purl skills for this class. We’ll show you the rest. Your finished stockings will look great on the tree filled with chocolates or other treats.

The last weekend before Christmas is all about handmade gifts. Our class on Friday 19 December covers Crochet Christmas Gifts and we’ll show you how to make a range of gifts. If you know basic crochet, you’ll learn to make a flower or a pouch- why not fill it with scented soap? If you’re ready to learn how to crochet in the round, we’ll help you get started with a wristwarmer or a cowl. 

Velvet Purple Wrist Warmer
quick to knit and a great present!

 

Knitters also get the chance to tackle a delicate pair of wristwarmers or a chunky cowl in our Saturday 20 December Last-Minute Knitted Christmas Gifts class.

Finally, if you’ve already embarked on a knitting or crochet project and need a hand, we’re holding a free SOS Class on Friday 19 December. Bring along a stalled project and we’ll help you work out where you’ve gone wrong and help you get it back on track. Who knows, you might be able to complete that planned Christmas knit after all. Please note that the SOS Class is free to attend but you need to book in advance by following this link.

A variety of yarns are available at the Lee Green Boutique Outlet.

knitshop.co.uk workshops take place from 11am to 1pm at our boutique outlet at 326 Lee High Road, SE13 5PJ. Each class costs £15 and can be booked by following the links below and selecting ‘self-pickup’ at the checkout. Instructions, materials and refreshments are provided, as is post-class phone and email support.

Links to this blog:

knitshop.co.uk patterns: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/161-knitshop-pattern

Christmas Tree Cosy pattern: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitshop-pattern/2632-christmas-tree-tea-cosy.html

Crochet Christmas Gifts, 19 December: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/3116-knit-a-cowl.html

Crochet Christmas Ornaments, 5 December: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/3113-crochet-ornament.html

Free SOS clinic, 19 December: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/3100-free-sos-clinic.html

Knit A Christmas Corsage, 6 December: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/3114-christmas-corsage.html

Knit A Christmas Stocking, 13 December: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/3115-christmas-stocking-knitting.html

Last-Minute Knitted Christmas Gifts, 20 December: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/3117-knit-a-cowl.html

Brand-new Natural Angora Soft yarn

knitshop.co.uk is delighted to announce the launch of a brand-new yarn. NaturalAngora Soft Yarn is made from 100% ethically-sourced angora wool, handspun in Germany. Angora wool is one of the softest, finest yarns thanks to the exceptionally long fibres of the angora rabbit’s fur. As with sheep, the wool needs to be shorn or clipped for the animal’s comfort. The wool is ethically produced by a family-run business that rears the rabbits considerately. The fur is gently brushed and shorn, causing the rabbits no distress.

"Forever" - she looks like a cloud, is soft and simply sweet!

The angora rabbit farm is run by the aunt of knitshop.co.uk founder Julieta Brandao, so we can be absolutely confident of how well the rabbits are looked after. "Forever" and her friends are very well looked after and you can purchase Natural Angora Soft with confidence and a good feeling!

Natural Angora Soft Yarn -
pure white Angora yarn ideal for knitted and crochet accessories.

Each rabbit produces only a small amount of yarn per year, making angora wool very expensive to produce. The super-soft yarn is highly prized, but its costliness means it’s often mixed with other natural fibres such as merino wool or cashmere to create a soft but strong yarn. Angora wool is very warm, so it’s perfect for keep your hands or neck snug.

knitshop.co.uk’s Natural Angora Soft yarn is made from nothing but angora wool. The pure white angora wool is carded and spun into skeins of around 50 metres. The yarn knits up on 3.25mm needles and is perfect for gloves, mittens and neck warmers. You’ll need two or three skeins of our angora yarn to make a pair of gloves or a child’s hat.

Knitted sample square of Natural Angora Soft Yarn.

Our Natural Angora Soft yarn knits to a tension of 22 stitches and 34 rows. This means it’s a similar weight to a 4ply yarn and you should be able to make a range of luxurious knits using 4ply patterns such as this aptly-named Exquisite Angora Cowl. Just search the pattern libraries on the Ravelry and Craftsy websites for patterns.

Natural Angora Soft yarn is on offer at knitshop.co.uk this month for a special introductory offer price of £16.11 online per 20g skein. That’s a generous 10 percent discount.

Natural Angora Soft is available online and
at the Boutique Outlet in Lee Green.

Because knitshop.co.uk Natural Angora Soft yarn is a pure wool, it’s an obvious choice if you’d like knit or crochet a garment for a special occasion – bootees to greet the birth of a new family member, elegant gloves for a going away present or a pretty bonnet to wear for a baby to wear at their Christening. These Candy Floss Baby Booties would make a wonderful gift.

Exclusive pattern for Natural Angora Soft coming soon. You could even make an incredibly glamorous angora bolero like the one Kate Middleton wore at her wedding to Prince William.




Links to this blog:

knitshop.co.uk: http://www.knitshop.co.uk

knitshop.co.uk Natural Angora Soft yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/angora-yarn/3137-angora-soft.html

Angora Reading Mitts pattern: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/susie-rogers-reading-mitts

Angora Shrug pattern: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-royal-wedding-shrug-angora-bolero

Candy Floss Baby Bootees pattern: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/candy-floss-baby-bootees

Craftsy: www.craftsy.com

Exquisite Angora Cowl pattern: http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/knitting/accessory/exquisite-angora-cowl/47513

3.25mm bamboo needles: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1703-bamboo-knitting-needles-325mm.html

3.25mm circular needles: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/2966-325mm-100cm-bamboo-circulars.html

Ravelry knitting library: www.ravelry.com

Vintage Women’s Angora Mittens pattern: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/womens-angora-mittens

November workshops

Make your own Christmas gifts with knitshop.co.uk

There’s no denying the inevitable march towards Christmas, but there’s no need to panic about what to buy everyone: knitshop.co.uk has devised a great set of workshops in which you can make your very own Christmas gifts.

On November 15th we’ll be learning how to Crochet a Flower Corsage – a lovely adornment to a hat, jacket or bag. You need only basic crochet skills to attempt this project (in fact, we don’t mind showing you the basics of crochet) and we’ll give you a choice of at half a dozen shades of crochet yarn to use. By the end of the two-hour class you’ll be able to work double and single crochets and may well have completed your first corsage. 

Crochet a Christmas Flower on 15th November @knitshop Lee Green.

Saturday 22nd November sees us focus on that crochet classic, the granny square. A building block for crocheted bags, scarves and other fast-to-make items, our Crochet A Granny Square class uses foundation chains, single, double and half-double crochets, along with other staple crochet stitches. We’ll also look at how to read both European and US crochet patterns – an important skill if you want to start work on other crochet patterns.

Once you’ve got the hang of making granny squares just sew or crochet two together and add a fabric liner to make a neat gift bag or purse. Link 10 to 15 squares together to make a striking crochet scarf that’s sure to delight the vintage fan in your family. 

Do you want to learn how to make a Christmas Tree Tea Cosy?
Join us on Friday's or Saturday's at 11am to learn how!

Socks are another Christmas staple. Why not surprise someone special with a hand-knitted pair? We’re running a two-part Sock Knitting workshop on Friday 14th and Friday 21st November showing you how to make knee-length socks. You’ll have a choice of eight shades from knitshop’s Sock Yarn range. Techniques you’ll learn include knitting in the round, grafting and turning a heel. If you prefer, we can also show you how to make ankle or calf-length socks. 

If you’re new to knitting or crochet but fancy the idea of making handmade gifts, why not sign up to our Beginners’ Knitting class on 7 November or Beginners’ Crochet class on 8 November? We’ll start with the absolute basics of how to how your needles or crochet hook, how to cast on and create your first stitches. The skills you learn will be ideal for making your first scarf or cowl. 

Socks - or mini stockings, you choose!

All knitshop.co.uk workshops are two hours long and take place in our boutique outlet at 356 Lee High Road, London SE13 5PJ from 11am to 1pm. Materials, instructions and refreshments are all included.

To book, please follow the links below and choose self-pickup at checkout. Workshops are £15 per session, except kids’ classes which are £10 per child. A parent or guardian also needs to be present.

Links to this blog:

November workshops list: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/251-november

Beginner’s Crochet class: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/2287-23-july-crochet.html

Beginners’ Knitting class: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/3096-beginners-knitting-workshop.html

Crochet A Flower Corsage: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/3111-crochet-corsage.html

Crochet A Granny Square: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/3112-12-jan-granny-squares-crochet.html

knitshop.co.uk Crochet Cotton: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/237-crochet-cotton-thread

knitshop.co,uk Sock Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/165-socks-yarn

Sock Knitting workshop part I: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/3097-sock-knitting.html

Sock Knitting workshop part II: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/3098-sock-knitting.html

Swing The Needles kids’ knitting class: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/3106-swing-the-needles.html

Why Wool?

Wool Week promotions from knitshop.co.uk
Wool Week is back 5 - 12 October!

Why Wool? This question and many others are answered on the website The Campaign For Wool. At knitshop.co.uk we are all about wool and natural fibres. Wool week is now running in its 5th year and hosts a number of activities to showcase the best wool has to offer. 

One of the most spectacular events is the Wool Ride. More than 300 wool-clad cyclists will take a ride around historical parts of London as well as wool famous areas such as Jermyn Street. Celebrate wool interiors is running for one week and one day at Southwark Cathedral in London for you to visit and admire this year's most beautiful wool moment. 

Wool Week 2014 - 5 - 12 October.

with a host of activities planned to showcase the best wool has to offer - See more at: http://www.campaignforwool.org/news-item/wool-week-is-back/#sthash.PQP4nahv.dpuf

with a host of activities planned to showcase the best wool has to offer - See more at: http://www.campaignforwool.org/news-item/wool-week-is-back/#sthash.PQP4nahv.dpuf

with a host of activities planned to showcase the best wool has to offer - See more at: http://www.campaignforwool.org/news-item/wool-week-is-back/#sthash.PQP4nahv.dpuf

with a host of activities planned to showcase the best wool has to offer - See more at: http://www.campaignforwool.org/news-item/wool-week-is-back/#sthash.PQP4nahv.dpuf

Wool Week is a week dedicated to natural yarn that exactly chimes with the knitshop.co.uk ethos. If you didn’t already know, we sell nothing but natural fibre yarns. To celebrate Campaign For Wool’s annual championing of natural fibres, we’ve got some fantastic promotions for you.

First off, we’re giving away a fantastic free pattern specially written for our Thick And Easy pure wool yarn. The Samuel Waistcoat is just the thing to keep boys or girls snug and the pattern is straightforward enough for anyone to knit. The pattern includes instructions for knitting the Samuel Waistcoat in sizes to fit kids from four to 11 years old. You’ll need no more than three balls of knitshop.co.uk Thick And Easy Yarn. Choose from 16 different solid shades including Blue Denim, Aubergine, Dark Red and Dusky Rose. This chunky yarn knits up on 7mm or 8mm needles and comes in 100g balls of roughly 100m. 

Samuel Waistcoat Pattern using 100% pure wool yarn.
Free to download this week only!

We’re also giving away the pattern for our Silk Merino Yarn vest. An ideal cover-up for teens and adults, it looks fantastic knitted in contrasting colours. We designed the pattern for our Mulberry Silk Merino Yarn which contains 50% of each fibre, making it strong but warm. This comes in vibrant shades such as Peacock, Bright Purple and Antique Gold, as well as more muted options such as Silver-Grey and Lavender. Each 100g skein contains 300m of this wonderful yarn. You’ll need two of the main colour and one of the contrast colour in order to knit your Silk Merino Yarn vest.

If you prefer an all wool yarn, try our Simply Wool Yarn. It’s slightly chunkier than the mulberry and merino yarn but is ideal for use with the 3.75mm needles that the vest pattern recommends. Simply Wool Yarn comes in 200m balls, so you’ll need three for the main colour and one for the contrast trim to knit your cosy vest.

All about wool. Simply Striped Waistcoat and Beanie Hat
is knitted in 100% pure wool, the pattern is available to download from the website.

Both patterns use the knitting in the round technique for a seam-free finish. If you’ve yet to master knitting this way, why not sign up for our Knitting In The Round workshop on Saturday 18 October – for this month only, our Saturday workshops cost just £7.00 each.

ALL ABOUT WOOL! - knitshop.co.uk is offering a wide range of
natural, quality designer yarns.

Links to this blog:

knitshop.co.uk: http://www.knitshop.co.uk

Campaign For Wool: http://www.campaignforwool.org/news-item/wool-week-is-back

Knitting In The Round workshop: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/3103-knitting-in-the-round.html

Mulberry Silk Merino Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/29-silk-wool-blend

October workshops list: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/250-october

Samuel’s Waistcoat pattern: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitshop-pattern/2838-samuels-waistcoat.html

Simply Wool Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/126-simply-wool-yarn

Silk Merino Vest pattern: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitshop-pattern/2745-silk-merino-vest.html

Thick And Easy Yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/106-thick-easy-yarn

Workshops & Activities October

Knitshop.co.uk October workshops

knitshop.co.uk has some brilliant workshops coming up this month. Some of them will help build your confidence with knitting and crochet if you’re a beginner; others help you take your craft to the next level with creative projects that might just turn into very popular gifts. We’re talking cute amigurumi creatures, knitting in the round and that perennial favourite, the granny square.

Amigurumi is the Japanese term for a quirky stuffed toy, usually crocheted, but sometimes knitted. Amigurumi make great gifts and are really fun to make and can easily be customised to make them unique. knitshop.co.uk’s Amigurumi Crochet Workshop on 24 October introduces the basic crochet techniques needed to create amigurumi figures and gives you a choice of objects to make, from bears, frogs and monkeys to mice and zebras. Be warned, amigurumi is not the sort of creation you make just one of. Our workshop could be the start of a whole collection. 

choose one one pattern from these cute Amigurumi
to work during these crochet class.

The two-hour amigurumi class is ideal if you’re already a crocheter. If you’ve not yet mastered hooking with yarn, our Crochet For Beginners workshop on 10 October is an obvious introduction. We’ll supply everything you need to know and get you started with your first project. We’ll show you how to make a coaster or crochet a flower and give you the pattern to take home to complete it.

However, we’re sure you’ll soon be hooked and keen to make your first granny square. That’s where our Crochet A Granny Square class on 17 October comes in. These charming squares are a crochet classic and the foundation for many a crocheted garment, bag or blanket. 

our kids workshops are back this autumn half term!

We’ve got some great knitting workshops this month too. We’re running both a Beginner’s Knitting class for adults and our Swing The Needles kids’ class on Saturday 25 October. These start with first principles but are also suitable to attend if you’ve tried to learn to knit and need some expert pointers. If you’re midway through a project, meanwhile, and have got into a pickle, book yourself in to our free end of month Knitting SOS class and let us help you unravel your mistakes and get back on track.

If you can confidently knit and purl, it’s time to expand your repertoire of techniques with our Knitting In The Round class. Here, you’ll learn how to use a circular needle and how to make seam-free garments such as a pair of wristwarmers. Knitting and not having to sew up seams afterwards will be a revelation! 

learn to make beautiful wrist warmers,
a hat or even socks this autumn at knitshop.co.uk

All knitshop.co.uk classes run from 11am to 1pm in our boutique outlet shop on Lee High Road, midway between Lewisham and Blackheath. Adult classes are £15 each, while kids’ classes are £10. Under 16s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Our tutors are fully qualified and are experienced knitters, crocheters and designers and are happy to provide advice on projects you may wish to work on during your class. Patterns and refreshments are provided. Post-workshop support is provided by phone or email.

To book a workshop, please follow the relevant web link and choose ‘self-pickup’ at the online checkout. 

 

Special Promotion - book our Saturday workshops in October now until 10th October for only £7 per class. 

learn to make quick & easy gifts for your loved ones.

Links to this blog:

October workshops: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/250-october

Amigurumi Crochet workshop: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/2333-amigurumi-crochet.html

Beginners’ Knitting workshop: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/3104-beginners-knitting-workshop.html

Crochet For Beginners workshop: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/2150-10-october-crochet.html

Crochet Granny Squares workshop: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/3092-12-jan-granny-squares-crochet.html

Crochet Patterns and Charts workshop: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/3094-12-jan-granny-squares-crochet.html

Children’s Crochet workshop: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/3099-free-sos-clinic.html

Children’s Knitting workshop: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/3107-swing-the-needles.html

Knitting In The Round workshop: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/3103-knitting-in-the-round.html

Knitting SOS workshop: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/3099-free-sos-clinic.html

Lacet Wrist Warmers pattern: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitshop-pattern/2701-lacet.html

Product of the Month October

A birdie told us knitshop.co.uk’s Silk Lace Yarn is now on special

Variegated yarn fans will instantly fall in love with the latest knitshop.co.uk yarn. We’ve got a limited run of wonderful silk lace yarn for you to try with a stunning range of colours running through it. We’ve even slashed the price by 20 percent to tempt you to try it.

Blue Tit Silk Yarn.

Our Blue Tit Silk Lace Yarn takes its name from the pretty garden bird. The laceweight yarn has flashes of blue interspersed with lime green, turquoise, purple and black. You can just imagine how fantastic a shawl or top knitted in these incredible colours will look!

What’s brilliant about variegated yarns is that you can make amazing looking items using simple patterns. In fact, simple stitches are better because they let the yarn colours shine.

The yarn is made from pure silk and comes in 50g skeins of approximately 250 metres. Blue Tit Silk Lace Yarn knits on 2-3mm needles or slightly larger crochet hooks and is the perfect yarn weight for making garments for the late summer-early autumn period. 

Blue Tit - lime green, turquoise, blues, purple and black.

A 50g skein is ample for making a pair of gloves or wrist warmers (such as the pretty Bromley Mitts or Lace Fingerless Mitts) or a pretty neck warmer that tucks into a jacket. Using one or two skeins of Blue Tit Silk Lace Yarn you could make a lacy scarf or shrug. The impressively simple One Row Lace Scarf pattern is a great example. Use larger needles (6mm needles are recommended) to get the lacy effect.

For a more challenging knit take a look at the Arrow Lace Scarf and the Fishtail Lace Scarf. Both are available as free downloads from the Ravelry online pattern library and need two skeins of Blue Tit Silk Lace Yarn.

Another great option is to use two or three skeins of Blue Tit Silk Lace Yarn and make a wonderful shawl. Choose a simple, open work pattern and wear your shawl over a plain top or dress to show off the yarn’s stunning colours to best effect. If you’ve never knitted a shawl before, try our Ladder Stitch Linen Light Pattern or the Garter Stitch Shawl from September’s Let’s Knit magazine. If you don’t have the magazine, you can download the pattern from http://www.letsknit.co.uk/free-knitting-patterns/garter-stitch-shawl.

Linen Light Shawl Pattern, a perfect pattern for your first lace project!

Scarves and shawls are great lace projects because the tension isn’t important – they wrap around you rather than fitting exactly. So if you find a pattern you like, it’s worth experimenting, even if the yarn or needle size don’t exactly match yours.

If you prefer to knit a garment, you can make the Silk Merino Vest Pattern by using two strands held together. Download the pattern for free in October!

Merino Silk Vest knitted in Mulberry Silk / Merino Wool Yarn
ideal for the Blue Tit Silk Yarn.

You’ll need to act fast if you want to snap up knitshop.co.uk’s Blue Tit Silk Lace Yarn though: not only is it a limited edition yarn, it’s also our featured yarn, which means we’re currently offering 20% off each 50g skein.

Links to this blog:

knitshop.co.uk Blue Tit silk lace yarn: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-yarn/2997-blue-tit-silk-yarn.html

knitshop.co.uk Cassie Camisole pattern: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitshop-pattern/3081-cassie-camisol.html

Knitshop.co.uk Tropicana women’s vest top pattern: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitshop-pattern/3081-cassie-camisol.html

3mm single-pointed needles: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1604-bamboo-knitting-needles-3mm.html

3.5mm single-pointed needles: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1694-bamboo-knitting-needles-35mm.html

3.25mm double pointed needles: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1460-325mm-dp-20cm.html

3.5mm double-pointed needles: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1713-35mm-dp-20cm.html

3.25mm crochet hook: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1460-325mm-dp-20cm.html

4mm metal crochet hook: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/bamboo-crochet/1636-4mm-metal-hook.html

6mm bamboo needles: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/knitting-accessories/1349-6mm-23cm-sp-bamboo.html

Arrow Lace Scarf pattern: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/elainas-small-arrow-lace-scarf

Bromley Mitts: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bromley-mitts

Fishtail Lace Scarf: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fishtail-lace-scarf

Lace Fingerless Mitts: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/faded-lace-mitts

Garter Stitch Shawl pattern: http://www.letsknit.co.uk/free-knitting-patterns/garter-stitch-shawl

One Row Lace Scarf pattern: http://turvid.blogspot.co.uk/2009/03/free-pattern-one-row-lace-scarf.html