Book Review: Simple Chunky Knits

Big yarn doesn’t seem to be going away, and projects worked with super bulky and jumbo yarn — whether with big needles, your arms or a big crochet hook — can be finished quickly for nearly instant gratification that’s also great for gift giving.

Eriko Teranishi’s Chic & Simple Chunky Knits includes 23 projects using really big yarn and arm knitting, needle knitting and crochet to make all sorts of accessories in no time.

The book starts with a gallery of the projects, which includes scarves and cowls, caps, headbands, a vest, a bunch of crocheted bags, a pillow, blanket, basket and other items for the home.

Basic instructions for knitting, crochet and arm knitting are given, and projects are described in words, with charts and with step-by-step photos for the first few projects to describe the techniques.

The style will be familiar to people who have worked with Japanese knitting books, though as is often the case when produced for the American market, there are more words and details than you might find in a Japanese knitting book. If this format is new to you, start with one of the patterns that includes step-by-step instructions so you understand what the chart is telling you to do.

The designs are mostly pretty basic, quick to work and good introductions to the crafting method used. Some of the project have a bit more flair, like a crocheted lacy collar or a rug made up of floral motifs (also crochted). Knitting projects that use needles include a keyhole scarf, a couple of two-toned cowls, a cabled cowl, a Stockinette Stitch hat, a vest with a waist tie, a cabled pillow cover, Stockinette throw and a Moss Stitch stool cover.

This book would be a good option for people who love chunky yarn and quick accessories and don’t mind different crafts for different purposes. It might be a fun way to pick up crochet or arm knitting, too, if you don’t already know how to do them.

About the book: 64 pages, 23 patterns, hardcover. Published by Tuttle Publishing, suggested retail price $14.99.

Looking for more Vest patterns to knit? Check out these Vest Knitting patterns on Etsy.

Specific to knitters, you can join our Knitting Patterns Only group to get, well, knitting patterns, ask questions and gain inspiration for what to knit next.

Looking for more Cable-styled knitting patterns? Check out these Cable Knit Patterns on Etsy

Next Pattern:

If you’re looking for a fun project to play with brioche knitting, check out the My Buddy knitting pattern/recipe from Casuarinagirl on Ravelry.

This project doesn’t include a brioche tutorial, so it’s good to know the basics, including how to increase and decrease, but you can always practice on a swatch before you start the project if you want.

The design is meant to be flexible for the yarn you have and what size and shape of project you want to make, from a skinny neck scarf to a asymmetrical triangle or a more classic triangular shape.

The shape you end up with will depend on how often you increase (and then decrease on the other side). The pattern mentions increasing every fourth, fifth or six row (and the one shown increases and decreases every sixth row) but you can do it even more or less often depending on the shape you’re looking for an how much yarn you want to use.

You can work to whatever depth you would like, or use almost half of the yarn you have set aside for the project and begin decreasing.

When it comes to yarn, she used three strands of yarn held together to make a super fluffy shawl, but you can work it with whatever yarn and needles you like to make a wrap that’s all your own.

If you are new to brioche (or to increasing and decreasing in brioche) it might be a good idea to make a little scarf or head wrap first before diving in to the bigger pattern, just so you’re more comfortable with the technique. Or just give it a go; nothing about brioche knitting is that difficult. (But you might want to use a lifeline because I find brioche hard to rip out or fix mistakes in properly.)

You can grab the free pattern for the Buddy Wrap on Ravelry.

[Photo: Casuarinagirl]

Next Pattern:

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