Super chunky knits

When the chilly weather arrives at this time of year, sometimes you want to be able to work up a new woolly in no time flat. This is when a super chunky yarn comes in very handy indeed. Super chunkies are knitted or crocheted on 10mm or 12mm needles and hooks which means your work…

Get ready to Commit to Knit a Hat for the Homeless

September is when we celebrate all the knitters and crocheters out there who tirelessly make items for charities to help with fundraising or to raise awareness of a particular campaign. It is also when we ask all knitters and crocheters to make  just one item for a charity or organisation to show their support for our Commit…

Kids’ cotton sweaters

Cotton sweaters are a great choice for summer children’s knits. Cotton is robust, cool and usually can be machine washed so great for summery play clothes. Plus cotton can be more comfortable to knit with as the weather warms up. There are some great colour ranges available so you can have fun making sweaters in…

The year of the cardigan

2021 looks like being the year of the bright cardigan. Fashion designers and stylists have been pairing them with ball gowns while a year of lock downs has changed what we wear when with “loungewear” comfort being a top choice. And what is better for snuggling on the sofa than a lovely soft cardie you…

Using a different yarn for your pattern

Sometimes we all want to make a pattern in a different yarn from the one recommended in the pattern. It could be that you’ve fallen for a newly launched yarn and want to use it with a pattern you already love or that you’ve saved a pattern but the yarn has been discontinued. It is…

Download our Commit To Knit 2020 pattern leaflet

Our Commit To Knit 2020 free pattern booklet, with a selection of hat patterns plus other winter warmers, is now available to download. As in previous years, we are asking knitters and crocheters to make one item for charity during October and if that was a hat for our #HatsfortheHomeless appeal, that would be fantastic.…

Helping new knitters choose patterns

Lots of people have been taking up knitting this year, thanks to lockdown and the current social distancing measures, giving them more time at home. If you’ve been teaching someone to knit you may well be thinking about how to help them progress. One difficulty for new knitters, is finding suitable patterns once they have…

Toy making tips

Do you knit or crochet toys? From tiny amigurumi characters to teddies in chunky as big as a toddler, making toys can be a great deal of fun and a great way to use up odd balls or leftovers of yarn. They are often greatly appreciated gifts. We know of knitted animals that have been…

Knitting for kids in cotton

At this time of year, knitters are often looking for smaller projects or ones using cotton. You can combine both by knitting kids clothes in cotton. And you end up with colourful, hardwearing garments – so everyone is a winner. We’ve picked out a few patterns to inspire you Dungarees and Dress in Rico Baby…

Summer yarns for 2020

We are having some lovely sunny weather at least part of the time and even if you are still mainly at home you will be in need of some summer knit and crochet ideas. There are some lovely cotton and other lightweight yarns around at the moment, so we’ve picked out a few examples for…