Give the perfect pressie… a whole year of inspirational knits! Why not get a friend knitting – you'll have someone to knit with, someone to go yarn shopping with – and they'll get a great new hobby!

Go on…treat someone this Christmas!

•    Save up to 40% on the shop price – our best price of the year
•    Give a gift that lasts all year round
•    Free delivery
•    Save time on your Christmas shopping too!

Order now and beat the Christmas crowds!

Ordering is easy:
1.    Visit: www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/Z505
2.    Call: 0844 848 2852 quoting code Z505 (lines are open Mon-Fri 8am – 9.30pm, Sat 8am – 4pm

Offer ends on 29 January 2009. You need to click the link or quote the code to make sure you get your special offer.

Autumn is here. There's a nip in the air, the streets are full of dried leaves and suddenly empty of school children, and we couldn't be happier.

Yes, here at Simply Knitting Towers, we have officially declared the knitwear season OPEN! It's cold enough to start getting out all the hats and scarves, mitts and gloves, warm jumpers and cosy cardigans we knitted last year and haven't seen for six months (well, three. Ish. It hasn't been a particularly sizzling summer, has it?)

While we happily keep knitting all year round, there's something extra-special about the beginning of autumn: unpacking winter knits from storage, scouting out new patterns, making any small repairs – it's like having a whole new wardrobe, and it's a lovely way to rediscover knits past.

So, tell us: are there any knits you've been looking forward to seeing again? Any particular garments you pull out year after year? Or do you have plans to start making anew, with wintery fibres and thicker needles?

It's not rocket science, but it's pretty close: Slipped Stitch is a fun blog about knitting, sewing and writing a PhD on children's science media.

A budding knitwear designer and keen knitter, Alice Bell packs a lot into her blog. We love the geeky projects, like the cosmic radiation scarf shown above, and her occasional patterns and tutorials are well worth waiting for.

Creative and happy to try new things, Alice writes an inspiring blog with posts on a wide range of knitting topics, from kitchen sink experiments like dyeing yarn with tea (yes, really!) to knitterly days out and, of course, gorgeous yarn finds as well as other bits and pieces of crafting, life and even a bit about that nearly-finished PhD.

Read a great blog? Write a great blog? Tell us what it is and why you like it, and you might see it here next Friday. 

World Wide Knit In Public Day was a smashing sucess this year and last, with knitters from around the world getting out their pins in public, but as every knitter knows, there's a time and a place for knitting – and certain occasions when you should leave your pins at home.

Somewhere between sitting in a cafe with a group of fellow yarnies and super-formal occasions like weddings, christenings, job interviews (unless you're coming to work for us!) and meeting the Queen, come the events that make up 90% of socialising and which you may or may not want to take your knitting to – particularly if you're on a deadline!

Many non-knitters won't realise that you can follow a conversation – or even watch TV, or read a magazine – while knitting, and may think you're not listening or not interested in what's going on and be offended. Of course, plenty of others will be genuinely interested in what you're doing, and start talking to you – or even pull out their own pins – so it can be a difficult call to make.

How to decide

• Can you fully participate in the activity while knitting? For example, if you're playing a board game, can you stop mid-row to roll the dice?
  
• Will you get in anyone's way? Even a small project can be cumbersome if you can't  move around with it, or quickly stuff it in your bag.
• Will you enjoy the event more or less if you've got your knitting? If you're feeling shy, knitting can help give you something to do, and provide a talking point to break the ice.
• Will it be safe – and clean? Crowds, rollercoasters and motorsports are bad places to lose your concentration, while mud, spilt drinks and half-chewed baby biscuits are all bad for your WIP!
  
• Finally, and most importantly, what's the event all about? If it's a celebration such as a birthday or a leaving party, would the special guest mind you knitting? If you're supporting your partner by spending time with their family or colleagues, would they prefer you to leave the pins at home?
  

Of course, if it's your own party, then you can do what you like! If you have a crafty group of friends, even if they don't all knit, why not invite them over for a craft night? It's a great chance to swap skills – or at least get ahead on your holiday knits while you chat!

Following on from our recent post about crochet stitch library MyPicot, we've got another fun project for you – and this one's recycling.

The DIY tutorial from Escama Studio shows you how to turn those little tabs from the top of drinks cans into a cute crochet flower – fast and easy, they're a great embellisment for a bag or a quick keychain fob.

Escama Studio design and sell gorgeous bags hand-crocheted in Brazil using – yes, you guessed it – tabs. The innovative styles are unusual and lovely; we highly recommend looking round their gallery!

I rather like this cute sheep video – although I have to admit that I expected him or her to start over at the end, just endlessly knitting the same jumper and going nowhere, a reminder of how knitting can be all about the process rather than the results.

We've had a couple of readers tell us that the buttons they got free with issue 42 leaked brown dye in the wash.

If you have made a garment or other item and attached your buttons to it, please remove them before washing the item. Soaking the buttons in warm water and ensuring they are thoroughly dry before sewing them on may also help.

We have passed both letters and our concerns about dye leakage on to the manufacturers.

Aren't they gorgeous? These three butterflies were all crocheted, and the patterns to create them are free to download from MyPicot. There are dozens of crochet stitches and motifs on the site from the simple to the terrifyingly complex, making it an excellent resource for all crochet addicts – and not a bad place to visit for those just starting out, as some of the stitches, like these butterflies, are truly inspiring.

All the patterns are charted rather than written out, making it easier to see where different sections of motifs connect to each other. They all use the same key, which means that you can read them easily whether you're familiar with the British notation, the American – or perhaps some other system entirely – and you'll quickly become familiar with the most commonly used stitches.

It's not an "oops!" exactly, but several readers have asked, so if you were wondering how tall Alan Dart's gorgeous Advent Tree is, the answer is about 24in (61cm). The toys are about 3in (7.5cm) tall.

The Advent Tree pattern is free with issue 46 of Simply Knitting, on sale now. Click on the image below for more details.

This week's Friday blog review is one for the crocheters, Roman Sock. Crochet designer Brigitte Read blogs mainly on amigurumi and larger crocheted animals and items, with asides on food and other crafts. Her designs are simply lovely, and she's put several of the patterns up for you to download and make at home. We especially like her Frog Pincushion (he doesn't turn into a prince, but then princes tend to object when you stick needles into them), her fluffy Pomeranian and her Meerkat. If you can't think of a reason why you'd want to crochet a meerkat, go and look at the picture and you'll understand. It's so cute, you won't be able to help yourself.

The more complicated patterns come complete with picture-heavy tutorials, so as well as getting the patterns you can see exactly what you're supposed to be doing. For anyone who's at the stage of progressing from basic crochet to more complex designs but would like a little extra support as they improve their skills, the downloadable PDFs are excellent.

If you don't have time to crochet things yourself, or have yet to learn how to do it, you can buy ready-made items from her Etsy shop (sellername: Wibit) from time to time.

Digital Camera magazine is running its Photographer of the Year competition and they’ve given us some tips to help you get the most from your snaps. We set Pete Gettins the challenge of seeing how well their portrait tips worked on yarn.

Portrait of the artist as a young yarn

We always enjoy seeing photos of your knits – but we love seeing them modelled by a smiling hand-knit enthusiast! Whether you're taking pictures of your children, yourself or even a toy, the principles of portrait photography remain the same.

"The better the picture, the better your knitting will look," says Pete – and the better your model will look, too, we reckon. "Miriam's a reluctant model, so I’ve used Alan Dart’s brilliant scarecrow as a less fidgety subject."


 
Perfect Portraits

The first question to ask yourself is: what is the main subject of this photo? When you’re taking a standard, passport-photo style portrait, it’s pretty obvious: the photo will be of a face, shown clearly, maybe even smiling. If you’re trying to show off a hand knit or capture the essence of someone’s character it can be a little more complicated.

To make things simple, concentrate on one detail at a time. For example, if you’re particularly proud of the lace panels on a cardigan, or love your mum’s hands, then play around with the shots while concentrating on that detail. Don’t be afraid to try unusual angles or to crop out bits of the body and face. You don’t have to get the whole person in the frame every time – or even their face! Look for interesting shapes or isolate a particular feature – a photo of the whole family’s feet, ready for an ordinary day, provides an unusual snapshot of a moment – or a chance to show off your hand knit socks!


 
Photos of Them
Lighting is critical. Harsh light makes dark shadows that flatter no-one. “Overcast daylight is ideal,” says Pete “and it’s amazing the difference a reflector makes. I wrapped a tray in tinfoil and held it at about 45 degrees to the scarecrow’s face for the second shot.” As you can see, a reflector bounces light back on the face, lifting shadows and softening wrinkles. “Rope in an assistant or get the model to hold the tray,” suggests Pete. “Just make sure it doesn’t creep into the shot.”



 
Photos of Them

• Don’t be afraid to try unusual angles.
• Look out for distracting elements in the background. A plain sheet hung over a bookcase or door creates a simple, clean backdrop.
• Step back and zoom in. It compresses the picture and is easier on the subject. Less in-your-face – literally!
• Keep it fun, both for you and for your model. Play about with different angles, have them pose different ways or add props.
• Getting in close with a wide angle can give some fun shots by exaggerating features.
• Be sharp eyed. If you’ve got the model’s eyes in shot, make sure they’re sharp, even if they’re not the key element.
• Use the portrait setting. Most cameras have a portrait setting (normally a face symbol) that will set a wide aperture to throw the backgound out of focus.

 
Photos of You

• Find out if your camera has a timer – it’s a lot easier than taking photos in the mirror, or at arm’s length!
• Put the camera in different places. Do you get a better shot if you put the camera on a high shelf and look up, or a low one and look down?
• Think about what else you’re wearing. We all want to show our latest knit off as soon as we finish it, but take a moment to show it in its best light. Imagine you’re one of our models, and take a few minutes to get ready for your shoot.
• Take lots of shots. If you can, set the camera to take a stream of shots and then pick the best one.
• Check the photos on the computer before you tidy up so it’s easy to have another go if you need to.
• Take your time. You want to look happy and relaxed, so make sure you plan your photo session for a quiet moment.

Submit your best shots in the Portrait category and you could be the Photographer of the Year 2008!
 

Lost a glove? Not quite sure what to do with the leftover singleton but don't want to throw it out? Cut the fingers off and turn them into cute finger puppets.

The pen toppers and puppets are super cute, but I was planning on knitting all my gloves this winter, and the idea of cutting up a hand knit glove rather horrifies me. Perhaps this is just one more good reason to keep a stash of yarn around – if you'd had a bit spare, you could just knit a third glove!

One of the nicest things about the explosion of blogs over the last few years is that even if you miss an event, you can still find out about it – and if you went, you can share your experience with the world at the click of a button. While you're waiting to find out what we thought about our day out – and to see the photos our photographer took – here are a few other perspectives:

• Stephanie Pearl-McPhee gives you a speaker's-eye-view.
  
• Robynn, from Purlescence had a stall...
• ...and so did Jen and Elly of Fyberspates.
  
• O.R.K. was an usher at Stephanie's talk.
• Susan got to see a garment she test-knitted on the catwalk.
  
• Hanne came all the way from Finland.
• Natalie came down from Edinburgh.
• Amanda enjoyed the fashion show.
  
• And at least one non-knitter turned up!
  

All in all, it seems, the blog-o-sphere had a good day out!

I'm having a complete FAIL on the adding picture front today. It just won't go in this blog entry. However, this week's blog review is…

The Art of Darkness

It's not loaded with knitting, but if you're into all things creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky - or if you know someone who is - you'll love this blog. Blog owner 'Cobwebs' updates it frequently, finding the best of things you can make or buy for the dark-at-heart and bringing them all into one place. In the Categories section in the left-hand column you'll find sections such as Paint It Black (all about adapting things to give them a spooky feel) and Bittens (spooky things for kids). Click on 'Doom It Yourself' to see things to make. If you're interested only in gloomy knitting projects, the best thing to do is type 'knit' into the seach box at the top-right of the page, although you'll be missing out on a treasure trove of non-knitting fun if you do!

The Art of Darkness isn't a site you go to to read about what the author has been making or how she finds using certain crafting items, and it's not full of laugh-out-loud anecdotes. Rather it's a blog that will inspire you to go away and make something of your own, perhaps something you'd never even thought of making before.

The October issue of Simply Knitting hits the shops today packed with 11 fab knits as well as loads of tips and techniques to help you get ready for the cold winter.


Click for a larger image.

We've got lots of exciting patterns this issue, including two gorgeous tops and a cardigan for you to add to your autumn wardrobe. Choose from a delicate 1950s-inspired Fair Isle top, a casually stylish cardi or a trendy, comfy tunic in Colinette One Zero – or, if you can't choose, why not knit all three?

Make a statement with our 'Hate Plastic - Love Knit' tote bag, and save the planet in style. Fashion addicts will love our crochet statement necklace – they're the accessory of the season, and so easy to make at home! Brighten up your knitting corner with a knitted workbox cover, and discover all about slipped stitches. We've also got a sweet checked jumper for little ones age 0-3, perfect for staying warm during walks in the park.

Your gift this issue is an exclusive booklet containing 25 Alan Dart toys! He's designed a Christmas Tree Advent Calendar for us, with 25 gorgeous little knits to hang on the branches, one for every day of Advent.


Click for a larger image.

The toys also make great stocking stuffers and you can always hang them on your own tree. Why not get creative and fill them with pot pourri or use them to decorate a wreath? We'd love to see what you do with them!

Other great things to look out for in issue 46 include:   

• Three great bobbled stitches to try.
  
• The terrible knitters of Dent – and some rolicking knitting songs
  
• Great ideas for October, from Pudsey Bear to Rowan's 30th Anniversary exhibition
  

Don't miss any of your usual favourites – they'll come in handy when you're writing your Christmas list! We've got great books to read, events to go to and, of course, lots of new yarns to try!

Lovers of environmentally-friendly yarns are getting a treat today as new brand Ethical Twist launches. There are two yarns in its range at present: a blend of 70% organic wool and 30% alpaca; and a blend of 85% organic wool and 15% baby alpaca. The yarns and the supporting pattern range are only available to buy online, so point your browser at www.ethicaltwist.com.

Who's off to the Knitting and Stitching Show in Birmingham tomorrow? I'm getting a day out of the office to go up to it. I'm looking forward to a couple of hours' knitting on the train there and back, but the real treat is going to be seeing the hats for the Catch A Sailor's Fancy competition that we ran with Coats and the Sailors' Society. Less of a treat will be having to single out some winners – as Deb is abroad, I've been given the task of judging the hats. At I Knit Day two competitions were judged, the Natural Dye Studio's loo roll dolly competition in aid of the Mirasol Project and I Knit London's own Design an Alien competition. The entries were superb (I especially liked loo roll dolly number 8, Bogpuss, which was one of the winning designs) and it must have been agonising trying to choose winners. I fear picking winning hats will be no easier. First there's the idea behind the hat to consider, then the craftsmanship… and with so much care and effort having gone into every entry, it seems mean not to be able to choose them all!

There will be some fascinating displays of textile art at the show, mostly embroidery. If you're looking for some inspiration for embellishing your knits, these could gave you just the boost you need. You can also join in workshops, bookable at the show, and do a bit of shopping. And don't forget to take a look at those marvellous, unwearable sailor hats!

One of the yarns has dropped off the requirements list for the Christmas tree ornaments in this issue's free Alan Dart advent tree supplement. You will also need:

Sirdar, Snuggly Snowflake DK
1 x 50g/170m ball of each: Pure White (300)

It's used for Father Christmas and the angel. If you've knitted Alan's smashing Snowmes in the past, you may have enough Snowflake in your stash to do the job already.

We've had some calls from subscribers who have not received their Alan Dart supplement with their copy of issue 46. If you're one of them, the number you need to call is 0844 848 1602. You can also email the subs team on simplyknitting@subscription.co.uk if you prefer. Subscriptions are handled in a different office and we don't have access to anyone's subs data in the Simply Knitting office (it keeps your personal data safe).

Feel free to contact us with all your letters, knitting stories and pattern queries, though!

Did you make it to I Knit day over the weekend? I was there with a fellow knitter and a photographer, and we all had a great time. Neil the photographer doesn't knit, so the fact that even he enjoyed himself goes to show what a fun day out it was.

I'm writing a feature on the day for issue 47 of Simply Knitting, so I won't spoil that for you here, but I will say that it was fantastic to see so many people wearing their handknits. Often when we go to shows shared with other crafts we see maybe a handful of people all day wearing their own handiwork. However, as we sat in the press gallery for Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's excellent talk, we got to look down and admire all the knits on the knitters. One lady was wearing the cardigan pictured on the cover of The Sublime Merino Hand Knit Book, and it looked as lovely in real life as it does in the photos in the book. Another had on a great hat knitted from chunky, slubby turquoise and fuchsia yarn, with ponytail-like tufts. It was the sort of knit that just made you smile, it was so bright and perky. Then there were the shawls... lace is a skill, but plenty of knitters definitely have it! I kept looking out for other people in handknit socks, too. If you're going to any other knitting shows this autumn, wear your knits proudly. Let's show off those skills.

Anyway, thank you to all the lovely people who showed us their stalls and told us about their knits, and to Craig and Gerard of I Knit London for organising such a brilliant day. All the hard work really showed.