Settling in to knit at your local yarn shop

At UK Hand Knitting we are big fans of knitting and crochet groups of every type – in person and virtual. But right now, we’re really enjoying the return of yarn shop knitting groups. As with other knitting groups, those hosted in yarn shops offer a range of benefits to crafters. There is simply the…

Knit and crochet to reduce waste

We recently showed you some of the fantastic recycled yarns on the market, but you can also use your crafting skills to reduce the amount of single-use items you consume. One of the most famous eco-knitting projects is to create “plarn” (plastic yarn) by cutting up plastic bags and then knitting or crocheting up into…

Monogamous knitting or the multi-project life

One of the great things about knitting and crochet is that we all take different approaches and enjoy different things while all still relying on the same basic stitches. What makes you happy from your yarn craft won’t necessarily be the same as your best knitting friend. And that is true of how many projects…

Recycled and recovered yarns

If you have decided to be more environmentally aware in 2022, it is worth your while looking at yarns that include recycled fibres. UK Hand Knitting members have started including these types of yarns in their ranges because they too want to reduce their environmental impact. Here are a few yarns you might want to…

Colour of the year 2022

Every new year the experts at Pantone identify their colour of the year, which they think sums up the shades and tones likely to influence the next twelve months of design. This year they have taken it a step further and added a new purply blue to their palette for 2022. Pantone describes “Very Peri”…

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…

Working with Bamboo and Cotton Yarns

There are some gorgeous cotton and bamboo yarns around at the moment, but how much do you know about these fibres and the best ways to work with them? It is worth knowing a little about where these yarns come from and how they are made up, so you can get the most out of…

Taking photos of your knits

There are lots of places you might share a picture of your knitting and crochet projects – Facebook and Instagram feeds, blogs, online knitting groups, or to “readers makes” type call outs on social media like our “Finished object Friday” threads and our month Facebook cover picture competition. However, getting the best pictures of your…

Nothing wrong with “selfish” knitting (or crochet)

We’re pretty certain that lots of you have made plenty items for others this year – whether that be making items for charity appeals, yarn bombing your local area with rainbows or Christmas decorations or completing a mile-long gift list. But some people will still describe knitting something for yourself as selfish. We don’t agree…

Into the red

In the Red According to the catwalk reports and the fashion magazines one of the colours of this winter is going to be strong red. And it is certainly a Christmassy colour Red is a great colour choice for a time when we definitely need things that are cheery and positive. And depending on whether…