Book Review: A First Book of Knitting for Children

Most people of any age, when they learn to knit, learn the rhyme that goes with forming the knit stitch. It’s a great way to remember the basic motions that go into forming the stitch.

Maybe you’ve wondered if there were other rhymes you could use to remember other parts of the knitting process. Bonnie Gosse and Jill Allerton have lots of great rhymes to help kids and others learn to knit, as well as lots of easy and skill-building projects to try, in their newly revised A First Book of Knitting for Children.

This expanded edition includes more instructions and more complex patterns for kids to try, including colorwork hats, socks and more.

The beginning of the book includes lots of photos and rhymes to help kids learn how to cast on, knit, do basic shaping, find and fix mistakes and bind off their knitting. Then there are many projects that just use the knit stitch and basic shaping such as a rabbit, pig, horse, basic doll and elephant.

The book goes on to teach purling and has a couple of patterns that combine knitting and purling (I made a cat from the original version of this book and it’s adorable).

The “more skills” section includes tips on reading a pattern, knitting in the round, different ways to increase and decrease stitches and working with color. Patterns in this section include a different cat, a few dolls, a couple of hats, a hand puppet and slipper socks, among others. Check out the full table of contents on the publisher’s website (the book is British; you can buy it from Amazon if you’re not in the UK).

This book is inspired by the Waldorf tradition of teaching kids to knit when they are young, and there are lots of photos of kids knitting and playing with the projects to show your young knitters that they can do it, too. This is a great book for little ones (and others) to learn the basics and beyond and get inspired by simple but cute and fun toy sand other projects to knit.

About the book: 168 pages, paperback, 26 patterns. Published 2021 by Wynstones Press, suggested retail $24.95.

Next Pattern:

It seems like every year there are more rainbow colored (and other flag hued) knitting projects out there to celebrate Pride. Whether you celebrate at a local event or just want to add some more color to your wardrobe, these Pride knitting patterns are a great place to start.

See also these Pride knitting patterns, tiny Pride flags, and more rainbow projects if you need more inspiration.

These Pride socks from Birger Berge are a free pattern on Ravelry. They feature a rainbow flag on the heel and toe, plus stripes on the cuff with the word Pride and a heart worked in.

Or you can Put Some Pride in Your Step with these allover colorful socks from Oriahna WhimsyStitch. Using a self-striping fingering weight yarn, they have a spiral rib on the legs and come in three sizes. The pattern has suggestions for if you don’t have self-striping yarn to use. You can find it on Ravelry.

Amy Snell’s Pride Like the Wind is a triangular shawl that uses slipped stitches to add texture to the multicolored stripes. The pattern was made with a large skein of rainbow colored yarn and mini skeins in rainbow colors, but you can use stash or whatever you can find in theose colors for a different look. You can find this pattern on Ravelry.

Pride and Elegance is a pretty pair of rainbow striped arm warmers made by martaschmarta. They call for fingering weight yarn and have sparkly beads incorporated at each end for extra flair. This pattern is also on Ravelry.

Pride in Parallelograms by Treena Evans is a mobius knit cowl worked in a multicolored ombre yarn. It calls for DK weight yarn and is a free pattern on Ravelry.

Stephen G. Krueger has designed a lovely kippah/yarmulke pattern that can be worked in the colors of any Pride flag you like. The pattern is free on Ravelry and uses fingering weight yarn.

And if you want to make a full progress flag in knitting, you’ll need the modular progressive Pride flag pattern from Kim Smith for Alterknit Universe. The pattern comes in two sizes using different weights of yarn to suit your needs, and the modular style of the project makes it seamless. You can purchase this pattern on Ravelry.

If you want to add a touch of Pride to a sweater, wall hanging or other project, the abstract waves chart from Hits Knit Patterns is a great place to start. It uses the colors of the lesbian flag, but you could change it to whatever colors you like (there are six colors used and the chart is 49 stitches by 80 rows).

Next Pattern:

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