John Arbon Textiles Has Done a Number on Knit by Numbers
Quite a number! Over the past week we’ve received our full complement of 59 colours of the new base of John Arbon Textiles Knit by Numbers. We know so many of you are already fans of this base — prepare to fall even more deeply in love with it!
The new version of Knit by Numbers DK (a.k.a. KBN) combines everything we love about the original (the super hues, the fabulous ease of mixing and matching) with a softer base you’ll want to wrap yourself in. Whereas the original KBN was 100% Falklands Merino, the new base blends in 50% Bluefaced Leicester, the softest British wool, to take it to the next level. If you’re new to KBN, here’s how it works: Each colour range is available in different shades, each of which corresponds to a number. The higher the number, the lighter the shade. We’ve chosen three shades from each colour palette of knit by numbers, dark, medium, and light.
John Arbon Textiles is a woman-owned business committed to sourcing wool locally wherever possible, and blending in this British wool certainly brings them closer to that goal. An old-style textile mill using vintage machinery, JAT is committed to doing things the traditional way, and that means supporting a vibrant local wool industry as well as trying to reduce emissions. But as ever, the proof of this yarn is in the knitting, and some of our very favourite creators have turned to KBN over and over again to design some real stunners.
One of KBN‘s biggest fans is friend of Loop Dee Hardwicke. Not only did she use it to design the Dreaming of Butterflies Wrap, she also used it in her Meadow Vest and Meadow Hat patterns, which were both included in her book The Knitted Fabric.
Dreaming of Butterflies in particular has a super special place in our hearts because we collaborated with Dee and with so many other wonderful women (at Laine and at John Arbon Textiles) to bring it out as a kit nearly two years ago now. Those kits have long since gone, but we still have some beautiful printed patterns and colourway suggestions!
If stripes are more your thing, Catherine Djimramadji’s The Shepherdess shawl shows off the delightful gradation of KBN. We love how the change of direction in this knit makes two halves that mimic the shape of the shawl overall and mean the colours get to play off one another in two ways.
For a more abstract vibe, the Kemmick Shawl by Anna Husemann lets you make a mosaic of KBN colours using the intarsia technique. This pattern was developed for The Annual, the John Arbon Textiles magazine, and is designed to mimic the landscape of Exmoor and the north Devon coastline.
There are so many ways the KBN colours can play off and amplify one another, and the Prism hat by Tin Can Knits allows you to explore so many of them. This ostensibly simple hat pattern is tons of fun with three different colourwork options: dots, stripes, and triangles. You can use any number of colours here, from two to infinity! Which is great news if you, like us, simply cannot choose your favourite KBN hue. And with sizes from baby to XL adult, you can make one to suit everyone in the family.
If you still have a WIP in the original KBN, fear not! You can still get select colours of the yarn you’ll need to finish your project while supplies last! The original bases of Knit by Numbers is on sale in both DK and DK Minis.
Sophie Digard Sea Life in Green
Another batch of hand-crocheted Sophie Digard scarves has arrived in the shop! It’s Sea Life in Green that’s gracing our shelves this week — and in some stunning new colours for autumn to boot. These are some of Sophie’s most gorgeous palettes in our view, and they look fabulous year round.
Have you fallen in love with Pokeori yet? The mini loom that first captured our imaginations last summer just keeps moving from strength to strength. It’s so fabulous even the Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry gave it an award at Japan Handmade of the Year 2024. And now we have an electric new Pokeori Kit available with super cool neon threads! Earrings, brooches, little works of art, and anything else you can dream up come to life on this loom, and now you can add a bit of pizzazz to your creations with a neon splash!
The 19th instalment of Rico’s Made by Me is the autumn look book you’ve been waiting for! These designs are hip and accessible, with patterns for a range of skill levels. These sweaters and accessories are designed with Rico yarns in mind but of course we can also consult on substitutes if you want to get creative. We’ve also just received some absolutely fantastic DK-weight Glow in the Dark cotton yarn from Rico that we are super keen to experiment with. Let your imagination run wild!
Ok, hands up: how many of you are guilty of routinely skipping the blocking stage of your knit? We’ve all been there! You finish a project and you just can’t wait to start wearing it, or you’ve been knitting a gift for a special pal and you’re literally casting off on the way to their birthday party. But Flatter Spray makes blocking a breeze (and dare we say even a little bit enjoyable?) especially for lace knits that you may not want to fully submerge. As well as smoothing out wrinkles and making your piece drape correctly, Flatter can really bring your stitch definition to the next level with its natural “starch”. Available in captivating yuzu or fig scents as well as a scentless option, we’re sure you’ll find a spray to suit your taste!
Have a lovely weekend!
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