Book Review: 100 Knitted Tiles

If you love to knit different kinds of patterned blocks, you will love 100 Knitted Tiles edited by Sarah Callard. This book features charts and patterns with designs inspired by ceramic tiles from around the world, most of which are colorwork but there are also cables, lace and other textured patterns as well.

The blocks are from a range of designers and use different skills. Many of them require reading a chart to work the design. You’ll find a lot of different knitting skills in these pages, including knit and purl designs, cables, lace, mosaic, stranded knitting, intarsia, modular designs, even a circle worked from the center out (some squares are worked from the center out as well).

It’s hard for me to describe the patterns because there’s such a variety and the designs are often more geometric more than graphic. You can see quite a few of the designs on the cover above or at the publisher’s website. (As of this writing they are not on Ravelry.) But with such a wide variety there are sure to be some that interest you, whether you like making projects with blocks or you just want to play with some new techniques.

All of the samples are shown knit in a fingering/sock yarn (Scheepjes Metropolis), but of course you can try different yarn weights if you want your blocks to be bigger for whatever project you’re using them for. The designs are not consistent is size so you’ll have to put some thought into which ones can be used together in a project or how you might alter the designs to make them match up.

The patterns also don’t list a skill level, though most of them are fine for advanced beginner to intermediate knitters comfortable reading charts and knitting cables, lace and colorwork. Some of the designs are more complex (like Trelliage by Jacqui Gouldblourn, a diamond cable trellis pattern that’s written out as well as being charted).

In addition to the tile knitting patterns there are five projects to give readers some ideas for how to use the tiles. There’s a bag made of eight matching motif squares, a cushion with nine patches, a throw that mixes seven different patterns in its 49 tiles, a needle case made from four tiles and a cushion knit from 16 squares (8 each in two different colors). While there’s not a lot of mix and match of patterns within each project, you could always change up the tiles you use for your projects or go for a more patchwork look.

If you’re the type to be inspired by stitch dictionaries and can come up with ways to use these designs on your own I think you’ll have a lot of fun with 100 Knitted Tiles.

About the book: 160 pages, paperback, 100 tile patterns and five projects. Published 2024 by David & Charles, suggested retail price $24.99.

Next Pattern:

During the summer (which is what it is where I am writing from) I like to share patterns for things that you can knit and use even when it’s warm out. And sometimes they are things you can use when it’s cold, too, like this collection of coffee cup cozies. Because hot coffee is a must almost any time of year.

This simple pattern form Darling Jadore is a great one for beginners and could be a good first knitting in the round project. It uses worsted weight yarn and includes video tutorials if you need extra help.

If you want a perfectly plain cozy that you can jazz up with your own designs, check out the Base Doodle Cup Cozy from Jamie Lomax. This free pattern on Ravelry comes in two sizes (short and long) and is meant to be used with her doodle charts to make it your own. You could also keep it plain, add stripes or design your own motifs to stitch on it.

Most coffee cozy patterns that I see are just sleeves meant to go over travel mugs, but what if your mug has a handle? This pattern from Stacey’s Knit Wits has an I-cord loop and button so you can use it on a mug with a handle or a travel cup. It uses DK weight yarn.

Coffee cozies are a fun way to play with stitch patterns and learn new techniques. If you’ve never knit cables before, this cozy from Purple Wool Co. would be a great first cable project, as it features simple braided cables all the way around. It uses worsted weight yarn and is worked in the round.

Try double knitting to make an extra-insulating coffee cozy with this pattern from Tracy Leming. It includes little color changes so you can get the concept of how double knitting works on a small scale. It also can include a little pocket for a tea bag if you want. This one uses worsted weight yarn and is a free pattern on Ravelry.

Or try stranded knitting with the Love in the Air cozy from Danielle Thuen. It features hearts of different sizes and is worked in sock yarn. You’ll need to make sure those floats are nice and loose so it will stretch to hug your cup. You can find this pattern on Ravelry.

They’re also a fun way to add a bit of flair to an otherwise plain cup. KnitnKaboodle Designs has this lovely leaf-shaped cozy pattern, which you could use for hot or cold beverages by changing up the fiber you choose (that’s pretty much always true). It is made in pieces that are stitched together and can be worked in a single color or choose different colors for each leaf.

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