Stashbusting for Commit To Knit (and how to adapt a pattern from DK to Aran)

This year as part of Commit to Knit we are asking people to make and donate hats for homelessness and refugee charities. We have a number of free hat patterns on our website including our basic beanie pattern. This simple pattern is easily customised: so you can use up your yarn stash by using stripes…

Commit To Knit 2019 – Wherever I Lay My Hat

We have launched this year’s Commit To Knit campaign. As in previous years we will be asking all knitters and crocheters in the UK to commit to make at least one item for charity in September. The focus for this year’s campaign is to support yarn shops nationwide. “This year we want yarn shops to…

Using UKHKA Patterns

Our pattern collection is an important part of our work. The designs are created and donated by our member companies to help us raise money that can then be directed into projects to support knitting and crochet – including campaigns, the website and the free teaching we organise at large yarn shows.   The patterns…

Our patterns are now available through our website

For many years the UK Hand Knitting member companies have been producing knitting patterns to help support the work of the organisation promoting knitting and crochet. The patterns are available as printed leaflets through yarn shops but we know that many of you often look for patterns online. So we have updated our website to…

In praise of knit-a-longs

Have you ever taken part in a knit or crochet along? We’re big fans here and think they are a great example of how online technology can be used to good effect for crafters. In a knitalong (KAL) (please mentally insert crochet if that is your preferred yarn craft), a group of people will generally…

Get cosy by joining the blanket trend

Are you knitting or crocheting a blanket? Blankets are one of the big knitting and crochet trends right now with lots of patterns and knits available. They are particularly appealing at this time of year because you get more cosy as your blanket grows. With so many blanket styles available  - striped, log cabin, patchwork,…

Books for men who knit or want to

As with most events UK Hand Knitting attend, we were joined by men on our stand at various times during our visit to last week’s Harrogate Knitting and Stitching Show. Just like other knitters they came to teach, to learn, to show off projects and in one case to prove he could produce a neater…

Knitting with chunky and super chunky yarns

We recently talked about the trend for big cables and one way to achieve this is using chunky and super chunky yarns. These thicker yarns can also produce interesting lace effects and are great for quickly producing accessories such as hats and scarves or big and bold homewares.   One of the advantages of using…

Lovely cosy accessories for kids

With bonfire parties this week we’ve been thinking about wrapping kids up in cute knitted items. Making things for children, especially accessories, can feel very quick and it is satisfying to have finished items, plus smaller items are a fun way to try new shapes, techniques, etc. With Christmas coming up we’ve picked out some…

Trendwatch: Going big and bold with cables

Now the weather is cooling off, we are all thinking about cosy winter knits and if you want to be on trend this season you can have a lot of fun with your hand knits because along with bright colours and mismatched fair isle, big and bold cables are certainly the order of the day.…