Let’s Knit Magazine Issue 159 (2020): A Complete Guide to Everything Inside

There is something quietly magical about a knitting magazine that arrives on your doorstep — or, in our increasingly digital world, appears in your inbox or online reading list — and immediately pulls you into a world of yarn, pattern charts, and beautifully photographed finished objects. Let’s Knit Magazine has long been one of the most beloved publications for knitters of all skill levels, and Issue 159 from 2020 holds a particularly warm place in the hearts of those who discovered it during what was, for many people around the world, an unexpectedly homebound year. Whether you found this issue through a community thread on LiveInternet, one of Russia’s most popular blogging and social networking platforms, or stumbled across it while browsing international knitting resources, this deep dive is for you.

This post is written for the passionate knitter, the curious browser, and anyone who has ever opened a page in Let’s Knit and felt the immediate urge to cast on something new. Let’s explore everything this issue has to offer: the patterns, the techniques, the inspiration behind them, and why this particular issue continues to generate discussion years after its publication.

What Is Let’s Knit Magazine?

Before diving into the contents of Issue 159, it helps to understand what makes Let’s Knit such a distinctive publication within the world of craft magazines. Published in the United Kingdom, Let’s Knit has built its reputation over many years by balancing accessibility with genuine design ambition. It is not a magazine that talks down to beginners, nor does it ignore them in favor of seasoned experts. Instead, it occupies a sweet spot that feels welcoming whether you have been knitting for six months or sixty years.

Each issue typically blends seasonal fashion garments with home accessories, gift ideas, and technique guides. The photography is consistently warm and inviting, styled in a way that makes you want to immediately pick up your needles. The patterns range from quick weekend projects to multi-week commitments, and the instructions are generally clear, thorough, and well-tested.

By 2020, the magazine had also developed a strong online community presence, with readers sharing their makes on social media and on platforms exactly like LiveInternet, where Russian-speaking knitters have long been among the most enthusiastic and prolific sharers of international pattern content. The Russian knitting community is extraordinarily active, and the discussion threads on LiveInternet around particular issues of international magazines are often richly detailed — full of notes on yarn substitutions, translations of tricky technique instructions, and photographs of members’ finished projects that offer real-world perspective on how the patterns look when worked in different colorways or fiber weights.

The Context of 2020

It would be impossible to discuss any craft publication from 2020 without acknowledging the larger world in which it existed. The year brought with it an unprecedented increase in interest in home crafts. People who had never picked up a pair of knitting needles before suddenly found themselves looking for something to do with their hands. Existing knitters deepened their practice, started more ambitious projects, and joined online communities in far greater numbers than before.

Against this backdrop, Issue 159 of Let’s Knit arrived as exactly the kind of material comfort that people were hungry for. The patterns inside offered purpose and productivity, the kind that produces something tangible and useful. There is a particular satisfaction in knitting a garment during uncertain times — each row completed is a small, concrete achievement in a world that felt suddenly very unstable.

For Russian-speaking knitters finding this issue through LiveInternet discussions, the magazine also represented a window into international design trends and a connection with a broader global community of makers. The threads that grew up around issues like this one became conversation hubs where people shared not just technical tips but also the emotional experience of crafting through difficulty.

Patterns for All Skill Levels

One of the hallmarks of a strong Let’s Knit issue is its range of difficulty levels, and Issue 159 delivers on this front with a satisfying spread of projects from beginner-friendly to genuinely challenging.

For those newer to the craft, the issue typically offers straightforward accessories — hats, cowls, and simple scarves — that allow someone building their skills to produce a finished object they can be genuinely proud of. These patterns are written with extra care in their instructions, often including step-by-step photographs of key techniques alongside the written pattern text.

Intermediate knitters are well served by projects that introduce new construction methods or stitch patterns without overwhelming the maker. This might include a top-down raglan sweater, a simple colorwork hat, or a textured throw that builds on basic knit-and-purl combinations to create beautiful surface interest. The pleasure of these patterns lies in their combination of familiarity and gentle challenge — you are using skills you already have while acquiring new ones.

For the experienced knitter looking for something to truly sink into, Issue 159 offers more complex garments with detailed shaping, intricate lace sections, or sophisticated colorwork that demands full concentration. These patterns reward careful reading and a certain patience with the process, but the finished results are consistently stunning.

Colorways and Yarn Choices

One of the things that knitters discuss most passionately in community threads — and the LiveInternet discussions around this issue are no exception — is yarn. Let’s Knit patterns are written for specific yarns, often from UK-based or internationally available brands, but one of the greatest skills in the knitting community is the art of yarn substitution.

The yarns featured in Issue 159 span a range of weights and fiber contents. Readers will find patterns calling for everything from lightweight fingering-weight yarn ideal for delicate accessories and socks to chunky weights that allow a project to grow satisfyingly quickly on larger needles. The fiber choices are equally varied — there are patterns calling for purely woolen yarns, others that use wool-acrylic blends for practicality and durability, and some that suggest softer options like merino or cashmere blends for luxury accessory projects.

In the LiveInternet discussion threads around this issue, Russian knitters have shown particular creativity in their yarn substitutions. Russian yarn brands, as well as yarns available through Russian craft retailers, are not always direct equivalents to UK brands, and the community has developed considerable expertise in identifying suitable alternatives. These conversations are genuinely valuable — someone who has successfully substituted a less expensive Russian-market yarn for a pricier UK brand and achieved beautiful results is sharing knowledge that saves other knitters both money and frustration.

The color palettes featured in Issue 159 reflect the broader aesthetic of 2020 knitwear design: earthy neutrals like warm camel, deep rust, and forest green sit alongside cleaner classics like navy and cream. There are also some bolder accent colors used in colorwork patterns, giving the issue a visual energy that keeps it from feeling too safe or predictable.

Garments and Fashion Pieces

Among the most eagerly anticipated pages in any Let’s Knit issue are the garment patterns — the sweaters, cardigans, vests, and tops that represent the more ambitious end of the knitting spectrum. Issue 159 features a number of these that have stayed in the conversation long after the issue’s initial publication.

The sweaters in this issue reflect a silhouette sensibility that was very much of its 2020 moment — a tendency toward more relaxed, oversized fits that prioritize comfort without sacrificing style. Ribbed textures are prominent, offering garments that have a satisfying visual rhythm and that tend to drape beautifully on the body. There are also examples of what has become known in the knitting world as “the sweater you can actually wear every day” — designs that are interesting enough to have been worth the effort of making, but versatile enough to pair with jeans, work trousers, or casual skirts without looking out of place.

Cardigans feature prominently as well, which makes sense given the comfort-driven mood of 2020. A well-designed cardigan is one of the most satisfying knitting projects imaginable — it has the scale and ambition of a major garment, but it offers the additional utility of easy layering. The button bands, pocket details, and collar treatments in this issue’s cardigan patterns give knitters plenty of interesting construction moments to look forward to.

Accessories and Home Items

Beyond garments, Let’s Knit has always understood that many knitters — whether because of time constraints, yarn budgets, or project variety preferences — want a steady stream of smaller makes alongside their larger garment projects. Issue 159 delivers here with a thoughtful selection of accessories and home items.

Hat patterns in this issue cover multiple construction methods and aesthetic approaches. There are simple ribbed beanies for quick gift-making, more textured designs incorporating cables or seed stitch panels, and at least one colorwork hat that offers an introduction to stranded techniques for those who have not yet tried working with two colors simultaneously.

Mittens and gloves make an appearance as they reliably do in this season of the year, and the patterns range from basic warm mittens with clean lines to more decorative designs incorporating Nordic-inspired motifs. These are exactly the kind of patterns that generate enthusiastic sharing in online communities — mittens are small enough to be finished quickly, which means the finished-object photographs start appearing in community threads relatively soon after an issue is published, giving later knitters a real-world preview of how the pattern behaves.

Home accessories in this issue lean toward the cozy and the practical. Cushion covers in textured stitches, throws in easy-to-work stitch patterns that lend themselves to long satisfying sessions of television knitting, and small decorative items that make thoughtful handmade gifts — these are the kinds of projects that help knitters feel productive even when they are not up for the concentration demanded by a complex garment.

Technique Features and Learning Content

One of the things that elevates a good knitting magazine above a simple pattern collection is its commitment to education. Let’s Knit has consistently included technique features, tutorials, and skill-building content in each issue, and Issue 159 continues this tradition.

The technique content in this issue addresses several areas that come up frequently in the patterns featured alongside it. There is guidance on specific construction methods — perhaps the details of working a yoke in a particular way, or the mechanics of a particular type of cast-on or bind-off that creates a specific effect. There are also likely to be visual guides to key finishing techniques, since the finishing of a knitted garment — seaming, blocking, picking up and knitting borders — is an area where many knitters feel less confident than they do in the actual knitting itself.

For those working through LiveInternet discussions of this issue, these technique sections often become reference points. When a community member has a question about a particular step in a pattern, others in the thread will frequently point back to the technique feature in the same issue, creating a self-contained learning resource that rewards reading the magazine from cover to cover rather than just turning straight to the patterns.

The Community Experience: LiveInternet and Beyond

The discussion of Let’s Knit Issue 159 on LiveInternet represents something genuinely interesting about how craft communities function in the digital age. LiveInternet, which has been one of Russia’s most important social platforms since the early 2000s, hosts thousands of communities dedicated to needlework, knitting, crocheting, and related crafts. The knitting communities on this platform are notable for their depth and their willingness to engage seriously with technical material.

A typical discussion thread about an issue like this one might begin with someone posting photographs of the patterns they found most interesting, followed by comments about yarn availability, questions about gauge and sizing, comparisons with similar patterns in other publications, and eventually the first finished-object photographs as early adopters complete their makes. These threads can run to hundreds of comments, and they remain searchable and valuable long after the initial burst of activity.

What makes these community discussions particularly valuable is their specificity. General knitting advice is available everywhere online, but the kind of nuanced, experience-based guidance that emerges from a thread of serious knitters all working from the same source material is much harder to find. When someone in a LiveInternet thread notes that a particular pattern in Issue 159 runs small and recommends going up a needle size, or explains that a particular stitch pattern looks much better when worked in a matte yarn rather than a shiny one, they are contributing genuinely useful knowledge that improves the experience of every subsequent knitter who finds that thread.

Why This Issue Remains Worth Your Time

Several years after its publication, Issue 159 of Let’s Knit continues to circulate in knitting communities, generate new discussion, and inspire new makes. This longevity is not accidental — it reflects the quality and versatility of the patterns inside, as well as the enduring appeal of the design aesthetic that shaped them.

The patterns are well-constructed and clearly written, which means that even knitters encountering them years after initial publication are unlikely to run into errors or ambiguities that derail their projects. The aesthetic, while it reflects certain 2020 design preferences, is not so trend-dependent that it has dated badly. The oversized silhouettes, the earthy color palettes, the emphasis on texture — these elements have shown staying power, and garments made from these patterns continue to feel contemporary rather than dated.

For knitters discovering this issue through online communities like LiveInternet, the accumulated wisdom of years of community discussion is an added bonus. The questions have been asked, the substitutions have been tested, the sizing adjustments have been documented. You are not starting from scratch — you are benefiting from the collective experience of everyone who has engaged with this material before you.

Getting the Most from the Issue

If you are approaching Issue 159 with the intention of working through several patterns, a few practical suggestions will help you get the most out of the experience. Start by reading the entire issue before casting on anything. The technique features often contain information that will be directly relevant to the patterns, and understanding this context before you begin will save you confusion later.

Pay close attention to gauge. Knitting to the correct gauge is the foundation of a garment that fits properly, and it is worth taking the time to knit a proper gauge swatch, wash and block it as you intend to treat the finished garment, and measure it carefully before committing to a full project. The community discussions on LiveInternet frequently surface gauge-related tips specific to individual patterns in this issue.

Consider your yarn substitution carefully. If the specified yarn is not available to you, look for something with the same weight, similar fiber content, and comparable yardage per skein. When in doubt, buy an extra skein — running out of yarn mid-project is a far more stressful experience than having a small remainder to add to your stash.

Finally, engage with the community. Whether on LiveInternet, Ravelry, Instagram, or any of the other platforms where knitters gather, sharing your process and your finished object contributes to the collective record that makes resources like this issue so rich and useful for everyone who follows.

Final Thoughts

Let’s Knit Issue 159 from 2020 is more than a collection of patterns — it is a document of a particular moment in the life of the global knitting community, a time when the act of making things by hand felt both more meaningful and more urgently necessary than it had in years. The patterns inside are well-designed, diverse, and genuinely pleasurable to work. The conversations that have grown up around them, including the rich threads on LiveInternet that brought this issue to the attention of so many Russian-speaking knitters, have added layers of knowledge and community warmth that make the patterns even more accessible and rewarding.

Whether you are a longtime follower of Let’s Knit who is revisiting this issue, a newcomer who has just discovered it through an online community thread, or a knitter somewhere in the middle looking for a reliable source of inspiring projects, Issue 159 has something real to offer. Pick up your needles, find the pattern that speaks to you most urgently, and cast on. The yarn is waiting.