15 ways that you can make this the best winter ever!

1. Learn to knit. Well, it may sound obvious – but if you’re trying out this fabulous hobby for the first time, then welcome! With frosty mornings and evenings curled up on the sofa, winter is the perfect opportunity to learn a new skill and put it to good use!

2. Learn something new. Whether you want to learn a new technique or brush up on your skills, why not try out an online workshop at [LINK] www.craftsy.com? And it’s not just knitting – were you inspired by the scrumptious delights of this year’s Bake Off? Try a cake decorating course! Fancy making a quilt to keep you cosy in the coming months? Why, there’s a quilting course too.

3. Meet new friends. Discover a nationwide network of knitters by visiting your nearest knitting group, and if there’s not one close by, why not set up your own? Search for groups at www.ukhandknitting.com

4. Introduce your youngster to The Night Before Christmas (In Crochet) with Mitsuki Hoshi’s adorable amigurumi book! We just love the little reindeer… Check out a full review in the December issue, out on 15th November!

5. We’ve got video tutorials on a range of skills from lace and Fair Isle knitting, to decorative cast-off methods and embellishing techniques. Improve your repertoire now!

6. Go on a shopping spree! The Knitting & Stitching Show will be in Dublin and Harrogate, the perfect place to start your Christmas shopping. Go to www.theknittingandstitchingshow.com to find out dates and book tickets.

7. Make your own ruffly scarf! Scarf yarns continue to get more and more popular. Pick up a December issue of Let’s Knit for an introduction to the weird and wonderful world of scarf yarns.

8. Save money on your favourite yarns by looking for codes and discounts. Or why not head to www.knittyknittybangbang.co.uk a brand new site where everything is £2.99 or less!

9. Say goodbye to aching hands with KnitPro’s Cubics line of square needles, specially designed to be more gentle on the hands and wrists. They are easy to hold and help make your stitches more uniform – plus, they are now available in Nova metal! Go to www.woolstack.co.uk for more.

10. Use up your stash with winter accessories! Chunky knits are all the rage this winter, which means they are quick to knit and fun to wear. Check out these beautiful armwarmers by Julie Ferguson.

11. Have a stress-free Christmas! There are just under nine weeks until the big day and if you are thinking of knitting any gifts, you’d better get cracking! It’s always better to start early and relax than start late and panic. One-ball stocking fillers are great stash busters too.

12. Never miss Let’s Knit! Take advantage of our amazing subscription offer from Cath Kidston, and get your favourite mag delivered to your door.

13. Keep cosy in handknitted socks! Icy pavements make for freezing toes and unhappy faces. Stay snug with Dory, Luise Roberts’ Fair Isle socks. Best of all, the pattern is available to download for free!

14. Treat yourself. The Amore Collection by Rowan has eight beautiful chunky patterns using their gorgeous new Kidsilk Amore yarn. Find out more at laughinghens.com

15. Christmas jumper day! We’re so excited for December 13th, 2013, we can hardly hold it in. Download your free miniature sweater patterns here or try a full size version here. And make sure you send us photos of your jumpers (miniature or otherwise) for a special Reader’s Makes competition!

So there you have it! Winter is an amazing time to get knitting, and as part of the LK community, we’d love to see what you’ve been getting up to. Send us your pictures on Twitter and Facebook. And happy knitting!