ISSUE 105 SNEAK PEEK

Merry Christmas crafters! The latest issue of Let’s Get Crafting, on sale 27th September, is a fun, festive pack that’s sure to get you excited for the upcoming festivities. Inside you’ll find patterns galore, an interview with chunky knitting extraordinaire Lauren Aston, a selection of quizzes and the ultimate guide for charity crafting – we know you crafters love to make for a good cause, so find out about all the organisations that you can help.

FATHER CHRISTMAS

We couldn’t start without the big man! Our favourite jolly man has arrived to deliver the presents, but have you been naughty or nice? Sachiyo Ishii’s traditional character is not only the perfect gift for loved ones, he also makes a great decoration to bring out year after year. Weigh him down by filling his legs with dried beans and pop him on the mantelpiece to be admired.

THREE KINGS

Bearing gifts and travelling under a starry sky, Nicola Valiji’s three wise men are a joy to knit and behold. They’ve been created with stitches most of you will have in your knitty repertoire, so the pattern offers a great opportunity to become a master of your craft. Get them out year after year to decorate your home, or use them to teach little ones the story of Christmas.

TREE SCENE

Whether you’re crafting for a doll’s house or just making decorations for your home, our teeny tree will have you reaching for your hook faster than you can say crochet! If you’re looking to perfect your colour changing technique, then the skirt is a great place to start. Once you’ve mastered that, move onto the presents where you can add more colours and challenge yourself.

LITTLE DONKEY

Audible gasps echoed around the Let’s Get Crafting office when this little cutie turned up. Sarah-Jane Hicks has crocheted our dinky donkey with a selection of simple processes, meaning you can take the time to perfect tight stitches and neat sewing up. If you prefer, omit the accessories – by losing the mini Santa hat, you’ve got yourself a year-round toy to be adored.

SANTA PLUSHIE

Dawn Finney’s project is ideal for you knitters who want to learn or practise loop stitch. You can give the technique a go but don’t need to commit to a huge project – sounds perfect, right?

CHRISTMAS EVE

Festive traditions are so much fun for all the family no matter what age you are, so make sure you leave some carrots for Rudolph and milk and mince pies for Santa this year. Hannah Cooper’s pattern includes a lot of colour changes during each round, so instead of cutting and rejoining the yarn every time, place the unworked yarn behind the yarn you’re using.

TEA COSY

Although Nicola Valiji’s project may look tricky at first glance, it actually uses very simple stitches. Once you’ve grabbed the latest copy of Let’s Get Crafting, make sure you share your finished cosy with on Facebook and Twitter!

COCOA THE ELF

Introducing our favourite Santa’s little helper, Cocoa! She’s the latest cute creation made by Sarah Louise Read and we can’t wait to start crocheting her snazzy stripy tights and hat. Be sure to stuff Cocoa firmly so that your toy has a nice and tidy result – you can even use your needles to push stuffing into those hard-to-reach places.