Embracing the Cold with Laine Magazine “Borealis”

We’ve been so excited this week to welcome the winter 2024 edition of Laine Magazine, “Borealis“! Launched yesterday, this issue delivers all the cosy vibes we’re craving as December hits its stride.

With 11 wintery patterns, inspiration and touching stories from crafters all over the world, and practical tips from great designers, this magazine covers all the bases. Here’s a closer look at a few of the patterns we’re most excited about.

Liza Lewis describes her style as “Fair Isle with a modern twist”, and “Dazzler” is certainly that! The bold, blocky all-over colourwork of this sweater has tradition at its core but wears playfulness on its sleeve. It knits up faster than you might expect as well, thanks to the slight thickness of Snefnug — plus, you can just tell this style of colourwork makes for very moreish knitting. Snefnug is one of our favourite cosy yarns, so unlike its itchy woollen predecessors, Dazzler will be a total dream to wear.

Hiromi Nagasawa’s “Snowfield” is inspired by the feeling of stepping into a meadow of fresh, sparkling, totally undisturbed snow — a blanket smoothing the edges of every rock and crevice. The combination of
Isager Yarn Silk Mohair and De Rerum Natura Gilliatt make for super sumptuous knitting and wearing! Hiromi worked as an architect before becoming a full-time knitwear designer, and her architectural sensibility is on full display in this pattern.

“Vespera” by Florence Spurling is the pattern that perhaps most directly responds to the “Borealis” theme. With panels of repeating colour patterns running down the arms as well as the centre of the front and back panels, this pattern nods to the beauty of the northern lights. As well as playing with colour, Vespera plays with different weights and fibres, and while a few yarns are suggested (including La Bien Aimée Mohair Silk), the pattern also encourages the knitter to pull out old gems from their stash to add to the mix!

This issue has so much to offer and we really can’t wait to find an afternoon to read it cover to cover. Pick up your copy today and dive into the beauty of winter!

Two Glorious Box Sets

Last week we told you about the incredible NONA 100 Colour Thread Box; this week we have a whole new enticing set of boxes to introduce! Border Mill 18 Colour Palette Boxes bring together complementary colours from the Border Mill’s stunning range into five different palettes. Called after Scottish place names like “Cairngorm” and “Machair” (“Dawyck Gardens” is pictured above), these boxes collect the hues of Scotland into ready-to-knit perfection. The Border Mill’s yarn is a go-to for colourwork fans everywhere, and is particularly well suited to faire isle knits. These Colour Palette Boxes take the guesswork out of creating perfect colour combos, and yet even within each collection the possibilities are endless! With five palette options ranging from neutrals to pastels to gem tones, you truly can’t go wrong.

Either the NONA box or one of the Border Mill boxes would make a fantastic gift for a keen stitcher. The NONA 100 Colour Thread Box is truly a special treat, with a stunning range of colours that will bring elevate any project, and the gifter and crafter can both feel good about the environmentally friendly practices used to create these fabulous hues. And any knitter who likes to play with colour will be totally besotted with the Border Mill Colour Palette Boxes.

New Loveliness from Kaliko

We have two new wonderful things from Kaliko in Berlin! Their Naturally Dyed Drawstring Bags and Haberdashery Pouches are wonderful tools for any crafter. Hand crafted from start to finish, these little beauties are true labours of love. Beginning with a blank slate of organic cotton, the fabric is hand dyed using low impact dyes, sewn, and individually stamped with water-based ink using a botanical stencil created with flora native to Berlin. These bags are truly worthy vessels for your crafts! We also love the Drawstring Bags with Handles from Kaliko.

Gifts Galore

If you haven’t checked out our Gift page yet, now is the time! So many of our favourite things to give (and receive) are collected there, including the one that’s topping our wish list this year: Loop’s 2024 Winter Holiday Boxes! This box has so many wonderful treats inside, including a yarn that has never been sold in Europe before! If you truly want to see a crafter’s face light up, this is your ticket.

Last Shipping Days

As a reminder, our recommended last posting dates for Christmas delivery are:

Royal Mail UK Tracked 48: 18 December

Royal Mail International tracked and signed services

6 December (Today!): Czech Republic, Malaysia, New Zealand, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey and United Arab Emirates (UAE)

9 December: Austria, Denmark, India, Lithuania, Philippines, Qatar, Slovakia and Slovenia

11 December: Belgium, Canada*, China (People’s Republic), Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Luxembourg, South Korea, Thailand and USA

13 December: France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, Pakistan, Singapore, Switzerland and Taiwan

*Canada Post has suspended all international post due to a large backlog. If you’re ordering from Canada, we’ll hold your order at the shop until we can send post again.

Last shipping days have already passed for Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Italy, Malta, Mexico, Norway, Portugal, Romania and Sweden. Sorry!

Happy crafting!