If you’re anything like us, you’re currently in the throes of finishing off those gorgeous gifts for loved ones… we hope you’re enjoying (and have enjoyed) creating all your festive knits! But, once they are done, maybe your next project should be a little gift to yourself as a pat on the back for all your hard work. And this month we have plenty of ideas to keep you busy in the run up to the 25th.

This issue, our cover star is Chloe Elizabeth Birch’s gorgeous sweater with a design that is both delicate and striking for stand-out winter style. It’ll look equally good teamed with a skirt and tights or a pair of jeans, and the floral motif will see you happily through to late spring. Likewise, Blazenka Simic-Boro’s iced hearts slipover is the ideal layering option for now and the months ahead. However, if you’re after a real winter warmer, Jacinta Bowie’s cosy cable knit is a classic style that’ll be a wardrobe winner for years to come, while men can keep warm and stylish in our King Cole number.

Cable knits are a firm favourite with us, particularly in the cooler months, so this issue we have a selection of patterns that all knitters can enjoy. While Jacinta and Blazenka’s makes are perfect for accomplished crafters looking for a bit of a challenge, anyone starting their cable journey should check out Shabnam Mirzaei’s gorgeous hat and scarf set. Our Associate Ed, Gemma, took this on as her first cable project, and you can see her efforts on page 28 – we’re sure you’ll agree that she has done a fantastic job!

Jane Burns also gets a festive gold star from us this issue – her delightful Peanuts jumpers are suitable for the whole family, and after 70+ years as everyone’s favourite and best-known beagle, we thought you might like Jane’s Snoopy designs as a pull-out-and-keep supplement. While Bernese Bob on page 68 may not be quite as well-known as Snoopy, we’re sure that little ones will love him and he’ll fire up imaginative play with his kindly antics!

As always, we have plenty of accessories for you to enjoy, too, including a pair of lacy socks on page 72, the gorgeous Misty Hug shrug on page 35 and a suits-all cloche hat on page 66 – designer, Anni Howard, has even added a bow to harness one of this season’s biggest trends.

We hope you enjoy this issue, and from all of us to all our readers… we hope you have a very merry Christmas!

Happy knitting

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