So, I've finally finished my toe-up socks, and I'm very pleased with the result. If you're still working on yours and, like me, you're a novice sock knitter, there's something important to know: cast off very loosely. Your cast-off will be far less stretchy than the nice flexible ribbing on the cuff, so it's best to go up a needle size and still do it loosely. (If you missed the sock pattern in the magazine and want to try it for yourself, click on FREE patterns on the left-hand side of the page, then download the sock PDF.)

I've just started on my first top-down sock, the pattern on the ball band for Colinette Jitterbug, and it's great. I'm using Jitterbug in the Monet colourway. I'm going to be returning to the Feet First toe-up pattern, though: after she saw my red pair, my mum asked for a pair in yellow.

Love them or hate them, it looks like the ladies who knit Shreddies are here to stay. They've even got their own website, Knitted By Nana, with games which involve teabag hurling, robot fighting and slipper sliding as well as a set of films called The Chronicles of Nana.

Disappointingly, there aren't any knitting patterns or how-to-knit pieces on the site. We think they're missing a trick here! Who doesn't want to knit a Shreddie?

Our regular crossword is always popular, so if you're one of our cruciverbalists you'll love this great free crossword bag pattern from Denise Sutherland at the Sutherland Studios.

Denise, who describes herself as "a bit of an obsessed knitter", also designs crosswords and we love this fun knitting crossword inspired by the Yarn Harlot blog!

If you're knitting Alan Dart's Jack O'Lantern pattern from Irresistible Gifts to Knit, you may have noticed that the shades we've recommended in certain places don't quite match the picture.

When we were replacing shades which have been discontinued since we published the original pattern in issue 20, we accidentally reversed the shades of orange:

• The head says to cast on in Mango when it should be cast on in Burnt Orange.
• The nose instructs you to use Burnt Orange where it should be Mango.
• The legs say cast on in Mango when it should be cast on in Burnt Orange and to alternate with Mink but, as this shade has been discontinued, it should be Mole.
• The waistcoat instructs you to use Burnt Orange where it should be Mango.

In addition, the ball weight has changed, so you should only need one 100g ball of Burnt Orange – please ignore the references to Mink and Orange in the materials list, although, to confuse the issue, Sirdar have recently reintroduced Bonus shade 981 Orange, used in the original pattern, and it is now known as 981 Bright Orange. Obviously, you could use this instead of the Burnt Orange and would need just one 100g ball.