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The recent cold snap has taken many of us by surprise. In the UK you expect the snow and ice to arrive before Christmas – skipping the period where we actually want it to snow i.e. Christmas day – and disappear by mid-January. As is so often the case with the British weather, that hasn’t happened. A lot of people have been stuck in their villages with no way of getting to the nearest town or city to buy their winter essentials. Normally that would mean the world stopping around them, but there is an alternative to buying a new winter hat - knitting your own.

While many people will have put learning to knit onto their list of New Years resolutions and then forgotten about the whole thing, others are seeing the opportunity to make their own hats as the first step into achieving that goal.

Using some of the products from the Abakhan range, we’ve devised a plan to help you on your way to making your own wooly hats to keep you warm through the cold weather.

What You Need

• Needles – it goes without saying that needles are an essential for knitting. We recommend our 35cm x 10mm needles as these give the user much more to hang on to.

• Wool – again another essential part of making any wooly hat. By using even yarn beginners have a much better chance of success as it’s easier to work with than the more ‘knobbly’ form.

• A plan – by coming up with an idea before you start and then sticking to it, you’re much more likely to get your hat right. Problems occur when people attempt to change their plan halfway through a project so only start when you’re absolutely happy with it.

Key Terms There are a few terms and abbreviations associated with knitting. Some of the main terms are ‘cast’ which is to get the stitches on to the needle. Another is ‘knit’ – a basic stitch – and ‘purl’ is another basic stitch. Some of the abbreviations are a bit less clear to beginners. One of which is ‘k’ short for knit. ‘P’ relates to ‘purl’, ‘K2tog’ means to knit two stitches together and similarly ‘P2tog’ is to purl two stitches together.

What To Do With us so far? Right, well, here goes!

1. The Headband Cast on 36 stitches. For a fitted hat do eight rows of k3, p3 all the way to the end. For a baggier hat, increase that to ten or twelve rows but ensure it is always an even number.

2. The Middle Four, six or eight rows of stocking stitch (one row of knit stitch followed by one of purl stitch). Number will differ depending on the size of the hat but again – ensure it is an even number.

3. The Top Unlike the other two sections, the number of stitches here does not change. Row one – K2tog, K4 six times. Row two – P. Row three – K2tog, K3 six times. Row four – P. Row five – K2tog, K2 six times. Row six – P. Row seven – K2tog, K1 six times. Row eight – P2tog.

4. Cast Off and sew the sides together to finish.

By now you should have a very good wooly hat to keep you warm on those ventures out of the house into the arctic conditions outside. For more information on any of the products available at Abakhan, contact your local branch where the staff will be happy to help you with your enquiry. Good luck!

The last few weeks have been possibly the coldest on Earth right? Ok, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration – but they’ve been pretty close! If you’re the sort of person who is always leaving the house without their gloves because you’ve left them in your other coat, you might be interested in our latest ‘how to’ guide, which is going to tell you how to make your own mittens using products available in the Abakhan range.

A lot of gloves and mittens available in high street stores just don’t appeal to consumers. In most cases, shoppers go in looking for a new pair and leave with a product that they don’t really like purely because it’s too cold to go without! By making your own out of stylish fabric you can personalise your hand wear to match your tastes, something you can’t do when buying from the high street.

What You Need

• Fabric

• Needle and Thread/Sewing Machine

• Pins

• Marker Pen

• Paper and Tracing Paper

What to Do

1. Draw around your hand onto a piece of paper and then use the drawing to create a neat, tidy template on a second sheet. Ensure that the template is slightly bigger than your hand to ensure that you can get the mitten on – this will be the size of the final product.

2. Cut out the template and use it to make a second template from another piece.

3. Lay out your chosen fabric and place the two templates on top. Line up the bottom of the templates with the bottom of the material and pin them in place for extra stability while you work.

4. Cut the fabric 1-2cm around the outside of the template, giving you the material you need to sew the edges together afterwards.

5. Repeat the process so you have to left hands and two rights.

6. Sew both pairs of glove shapes together using a sewing machine or a very small backstitch. Use the paper template as a guide and then cut any excess material 1-2mm away from the stitching.

You should then have your own pair of mittens to keep your hands toasty on those cold winter days! To get all your materials, visit your local Abakhan store or contact us to find out more information about any of our products.

Scarves are a must-have accessory and look great at any time of year. In winter they act as an extra layer of warmth, while the thinner versions add style to an outfit in the summer. The only drawback is because they are so in-demand and feature prominently in the “latest style” sections of the glossy magazines, the prices can be quite high. To combat this, we’re going to tell you how to knit your own scarf for a fraction of the high street price.

To help you to make your own scarf, we’ve come up with a simple guide using products available in the Abakhan range, ensuring that your project remains both stylish and affordable.

What You Need:

1. Yarn – ideally two or three colours to make an elaborate scarf, or just the one colour if you prefer the toned-down style. Thicker yarn will make for a quicker process and give you more warmth, whereas a thinner yarn is ideal for the style-over-warmth option.

2. Knitting needles – choose the size that most suits your knitting style and hand size. Obviously you don’t want anything you can’t handle and manoeuvre easily otherwise it will complicate the process unnecessarily. Thicker needles will help to speed up the process in association with a thick yarn.

3. Yarn needle – enabling you to thread your yarn through

4. Scissors – to cut the yarn to length and chop off any irreparable mistakes

What To Do:

1. Cast on ten stitches using your first coloured yarn. Knit for twelve rows. At this point you can either change to a second colour or continue with the one you’re using depending on what style you prefer.

2. If you’re going for a second colour, cut the yarn at this point leaving a 6-inch end. If not, skip this step and continue knitting until you reach your desired length.

3. Add a second colour of yarn to the first and start knitting. Hold the first six inches of the new yarn and the end of the first and do about five stitches.

4. At this point you should weave the loose ends into the pattern with a tapestry needle. Knit twelve rows with the second yarn.

5. If you choose, add your third colour and repeat the process.

6. Continue to do so until your scarf reaches your desired length and cast off your stitches.

7. At this stage, you should be left with your brand new hand-made scarf! Go out and make a statement!

To find the materials used in the making of this scarf, visit the dedicated knitting section of the Abakhan website or call in to one of our stores. Should you have any questions about the products in our range, you can contact us by calling your local branch or 01745 562133, or leave us an online message and we’ll respond to you as soon as possible.

We’re approaching the period where many homeowners begin to think about their spring-cleaning and the improvements they’re going to make to the rooms in the homes. A lot of people begin their renovations by purchasing new furniture or cushions – which can be a very costly process; leaving no money to purchase new curtains meaning you have to live with the tatty drapes that have been up for years.

But worry not, there is a very easily solution if this sounds like a problem you’re facing. Improving your curtains is something that anybody with a little bit of embroidery experience can do, and here’s how.

The first thing you could do if you’re repairing a part of your worn out curtains is to cut away the affected material and find a new piece of fabric to replace it with. This can be in any style you wish, not necessarily the same colour or design as the rest of your curtains. Attaching the new piece on will inevitably leave a join line, but you could decorate this with another piece of fabric to act as an eye-catcher, or use accessories such as sequins to cover the join and add extra glam to your drapes.

If you’re just after a revamp to inject some new life into your curtains, try sewing on some ribbon or thin strips of fabric to create your own design reflecting your tastes and making your old curtains fit with the new style you may have given your room.

Alternatively you can spruce up your existing curtains by adding ribbons or thin strips of fabric to each curtain ring that attract the eye of people in the room when they’re drawn. The extra sparkle and style will make your ageing curtains look brand new and right up with the current trends.

Or you could go with the “hippy” look and try dyeing them – provided they’re made of 100% cotton of course! Similarly you could try adding iron or sew on patterns and designs that will look fantastic when you shut the world out at night.

For some great fabrics and a range of accessories to help transform your curtains, visit your local Abakhan branch or browse our website. Should you have any questions about our products, contact your nearest store.

So, you’re interested in dressmaking, but you are a complete beginner. Don’t worry, everyone has to start somewhere. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of basic tips for trying your hand at dressmaking, ranging from the tools you will need to taking the correct measurements.

Tools of the trade

Probably the most important place to start when dressmaking is your tools. What exactly do you need? Collect these basic tools, pop them in a sewing box and you can’t go wrong.

Dressmakers pins

Tape measure

Sewing needles

Dressmaking scissors

Tailor’s chalk

Thread

You can start off hand sewing, afterall, this is how people started dressmaking, but a sewing machine will make your dressmaking faster and easier in the long run.

Choosing a sewing machine

Choosing a sewing machine isn’t as daunting as it sounds; for dressmaking a basic sewing machine will suffice. All sewing machines are electronic, generally using a single motor, which is perfect for a beginner. As you become a more advanced dressmaker you may want to invest in a computerised sewing machine.

When choosing your first sewing machine consider a machine that offers different stitching options as well as a selection of foot attachments (to allow basic tasks including inserting zips.)

Patterns

Start with a pattern, this way you will have something to work towards.

To begin with, use patterns that are labeled as ‘easy’ – dresses with no waistline or sleeves are the easiest.

As well as giving you something to work towards, a pattern will indicate how much fabric will be needed as well as giving you an idea of the best fabric to use.

It’s important to take your measurements and buy a pattern based on these measurements.

Measurements

When dressmaking, taking the correct measurements is critical. Follow our quick and easy guide to ensure you collect the right measurements.

Waist – using your tape measure, measure your natural waistline – hold the tape so it fits snugly around your waist – but not tight.

Hips – measure the fullest part of your hips all the way around your body.

Bust – measure around the fullest part of your bust - this is one measurement. Then measure around the body just above the bust, across the back and under the arms - this is your second bust measurement.

Back to waist – measure from the most prominent bone at the top of your neck down to your natural waist.

Height – make sure you stand straight!

Fabrics

With thousands of fabrics to choose from, it can sometimes be difficult making a decision. Take into consideration how the fabric you are using feels against your skin – is it comfortable? Below, we have listed some of the main fabric options:

Cotton – incredibly versatile, cotton can be used to create almost anything and is available in varying weights.

Cotton Jersey – generally used to make t-shirts, cotton jersey is a stretchy and comfortable fabric.

Wool – more often than not wool will need to be dry-cleaned. Can be expensive and is often used to make suits and coats.

Linen – often blended with cotton and is perfect for summer clothing.

Silk – a luxury fabric, often expensive and quite difficult to sew with.

Polyester and polycotton – synthetic fabrics that are lightweight and quite cheap to buy.

A top tip for dressmaking is to wash your fabric before you begin – this will ensure that your final creation doesn’t shrink during its first wash.

Dressmaking is a great way to update your wardrobe, without breaking the bank. From taster dressmaking courses to advanced dressmaking classes, Abakhan covers all your dressmaking educational needs, click here to view our latest workshops and classes.