We’re loving this new Christmas Bunting Knit Kit from The Little Knitting Company.

The kit comes with a pair of rosewood knitting needles, a full pattern and charts and your choice of six 50g balls of Tebe Extra Fine Merino yarn, at £31.95, or with ten 50g balls, at £44.95. 

We know lots of areas are already seeing lots of snow, but if prefer your snowman without the chill, why not knit one?

The irresistible chapp has been causing lots of oooing in the Simply Knitting office, and the pdf pattern is just £3 from The Sprout Company.

We love his carrot nose and twiggy arms! He stands about a foot tall – big enough to cuddle, making him perfect as a gift for a child. 

Alternatively, why not knit a snowman army and dot them around the house to delight Christmas visitors? There are other seasonal toy knitting patterns on the site, too, including a rather jolly and rotund Santa.

Catriona Williams of Marmalade Yarns lets us know a few of her favourite festive things…

I love this time of year in the shop. it is the perfect excuse to add fairy lights and blankets to enhance the cosiness and warm colours on the shelves. It makes me feel warmer just being surrounded by the yarns. If only we could have a woodburner and rocking chair in the front shop, I would never go home.

 Christmas knitting is so inspiring too: Decorations, such as the perfect knitted baubles by Arne and Carlos, everyone seems to be knitting them this year, as well as the two needle baubles which appeared in last month’s Simply Knitting.