Patterns, projects and techniques
Perfect for quickie knitting.
Perfect for that one skein that has lost it’s mate.
Perfect for gift giving.
And now it can be yours! One Ball Knits – Purses by Fatema, Khadija, and Hajera Habibur-Rahman. This book features handbags, totes, clutches, satchels, and more, all from just one ball of yarn. Organized by season, you’ll find designs that complement all of your personal styles.
So, leave me a comment telling me what you’d do with just one skein or one ball of yarn!
Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.
Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.
The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.
In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.
Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.
The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.
Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.
The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.
The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.
This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.
About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.
I have several singletons in my stash.. victims of impulse buying mostly. They just sit there. With no hope of ever actually being used. Maybe a book like this is exactly what I need to use them up! I may have to go buy this one. 🙂
I’d knit a clutch for my sister for Christmas.
The possibilities are endless. Living in a cold climate, mittens come in handy. Also, I love purses and what is one more knitted purse?
I would make a set of baby booties and matching hat from a friend that is having a baby in November. Perfect timing.
i have a ton of single solo skeins, you know when you fall in lvoe with the yarn but have no game plan…but need at least one! I am thinking, hats: fingerless gloves, tea cozies, etc…. but need more ideas!
Ahh- getting a head start on all those holiday gifts, using yarn that calls out “touch me, use me, give me!” One skein patterns are like magazines vs books – just as wonderful to read, but in their brevity comes faster results, rewards, and accomplishments!
I’ve got lots of leftover skeins from when I bought one too many for a project but never got around to returning it to the store (or couldn’t return it) so a book like this would be a great reference! I guess they could be knit into ornaments or combined to make a bigger project.
I’d love a cute little hat or cowl pattern with one skein, but I love hearing some more ideas!
fingerless mitts for wool, washcloths for cotton. that’s where most of my single skeins wind up. love to have some more ideas.
i will make every project that is presented in the book
eventhough i am new at knitting and i dont have alot of solo skeins
greetings from athens greece
What a brilliant idea for a collection! I need this book desperately!
I would make a bag…to hold more knitting projects!
I love to make scarfs. I look for pattens or stitch patterns that would be enhance by the beautiful yarn.
I have also made ipod necklaces if the yarn is real pretty.
If it a basic acrylic, I save it until I have enough to make a scrappy afghan.
I would try to knit some small carrying cases and pouches for all of the little things that go rolling around the drawers and bags in my house. E.g. pencil cases, makeup bags, etc.
I’d knit some bunting.
I’ll be moving in about a year and I don’t want to move my yarn stash! I’ve been trying to use up all the little singletons and half-skeins. I’ve been knitting baby toys lately, but I’d like some ideas for me!
It’s either use it up or find a new home. I’m a hopeless “collector” of yarn and I need some new/quick ideas to use up those skeins that I just “couldn’t leave behind” at yarn shop! I’ve promised myself that this holiday will be a “handcrafted” one and this book would be just the ticket!!
I’ve been on a slipper-knitting jag lately. It’s a Ysolda Teague pattern from her Whimsical Little Knits. But I love knitting little bags and purses too…
I love bags! I have dozens of patterns saved on my computer, but most take more than one skein. Making amigurumi is always fun too.
I just discovered that I can get a kid’s scarf out of one ball – being a novice knitter I really have not much clue! But now that I know that, I’ll be using up those stray balls to donate scarves to the school fete craft stand.
More ideas welcome!
I love single skeins which I make into skinny scarves. But I need new projects so I’m looking forward to this book!
I have so many little lonely skeins without a mate. I’m always on the search for patterns designed for one skein. I normally do scarves, little coin purses, dishclothes or something like that. But I really want to get more patterns and ideas for single skeins.
I love bags and scarves and have a TON of single skeins in my stash. This book would be perfect for me! Thanks for the giveaway!
I love quickie knits – kinda my style… especially bags!!
I like to make granny squares with left over yarns. When I get enough squares, I put them together and make an afgan. I also like to make skinny scarves.
I like to make unusual evening or day bags by knitting then felting in the washing machine- tafter this I embellish them with anything I can find. However many I make my yarn pile never seems to diminish!
Ether a bag or pot holders, depends on the type of yarn.
A loose stitch one skein scarf would be fun. Or a new project from the book.
Darla
Oooh – I love one skein projects and I love purses and bags! What a perfect book, I would love to win!
I knit up squares to use for projects later con5459(at)gmail(dot)com
I am knitting a hat right now with a single skein I picked up in the sale bin at the local yarn shop. I have several single skeins and balls of yarn just waiting for the right project. A simple scarf, maybe a little bag, wristlets, etc. Quick knits and on to the next piece.
One skein projects, for a new knitter! I’d make some coasters, potholders, fingerless gloves….Destash my stash.
With one ball I make pom pom animals with felt eyes
Whenever I hear of an event, a birthday, job promotion, had a good hair day, I want to make a gift. I love quick knits because I love to produce fast, thoughtful items for everyone. I also am a new knitter, so I love to have a project that I KNOW I will get done sometime this century!
Right now I’m working on making little vests to send to 3rd World countries where the children succumb to pneumonia so easily. One skein works well for those. Dishcloths and face cloths are good too!
I’ve been making earflap hats
for gifts this year – so if it’s a generous skein, an earflap hat… If it’s not so generous, I’ll just find another skein – there are plenty of those laying around – to go with it to make an earflap hat!!
I adore one skein projects!! Hats, skinny scarves, all sorts of things!
I’d knit clothes for my bears (I’m a bear artist)…winter is coming and they need sweaters, hats, scarves. You’d think that fur coats would be enough, wouldn’t you?! But they want to look fashionable too!
Though… if I was “needled” enough by my elder daughter I’d knit her fingerless gloves … her office is way cold in the winter and she needs to have fingers available for all the grant writing she does!
My grandmother-in-law gives me all her stashed scraps and single balls, so I have baskets and baskets of tiny balls of yarn (and I do mean balls, I roll them by hand) and I can’t ever come up with enough ideas to use them all… finger puppets, hats, scarves, socks, stripy things galore!
I love instant gratification projects! I would make something for me for a change!!
I have always wanted to make a knitted handbag. Thanks for the giveaway!
I’d make scarves for my family!
I’d knit something nice for my knitting swap buddy!
i’d start a blanket and then wait for another left over odd ball to add to it and so on till the blanket is the size needed
I am just learning to knit so any and all books would help me on my way. Hope I win this one. Looks like a great book.
With one skein of yarn I would make a cute little clutch purse to put my ever important belongings, so they won’t get lost in my back pack this upcoming school year :)If I had enough left over I’d knit one for my best friend too.
with one ball of yarn depending on which it was I could make lots of beanies. :-)vbarton24 at gmail dot com
There are a few things that you can make with one ball. One is a knitted belt for a child. Another is a new born baby cap. yet another is a koozie for a hot beverage cup.
I have been given some beautiful Celtic Cross and Celtic diamond patterns that are so pretty that I think i would either knit a motif square and frame it or make a wall hanging with a dowel rod.My stairway is empty and needs a little sunshine, you know the kind that knitting brings 🙂
carolyne