Book Review: Coffeehouse Knits

There’s something about the vibe of a good coffeehouse: relaxing, creative, warm and welcoming. It’s a place where you want to hang out, pull out your knitting and stay a while with a tasty beverage close at hand.

Coffeehouse Knits by Kerry Bogert celebrates the spirit of the coffeehouse and the rituals of knitting with 20 inspired patterns form a variety of designers.

Essays on the knitting community and the magic of knitting together (even if you’re an introvert) may inspire you to make some of these projects in public.

There are sweaters, cowls, shawls and socks, a hat and mittens, all with a relaxed and cozy style.

A couple of my favorites are the Chai Latte Cowl by Lori Wagner, with a simple Broken Rib pattern and a faux cable to make the knitting a little more interesting; Meghan Babin’s Dirty Chai Pullover, featuring swirls of traveling stitches and a cozy turtleneck; and the Morning Brew Sweater from Kiri Fitzgerald, with its great lace V-neck detail. Check out all the patterns on Ravelry.

This book is a great choice for intermediate knitters who like patterns with nice details but that aren’t super complicated and are just loungy enough to keep you super comfy whatever your day brings you.

About the book: 144 pages, hardcover, 20 patterns. Published by Interweave Books, suggested retail $26.99.

A long time ago, when I was writing the knitting website for About.com, someone asked me about all the different ways to knit thumbs on mittens, if someone asked me that question now, though, I could direct them to The Mitten Handbook by Mary Scott Huff. This book contains everything you need to know to knit your own mittens to any size, any gauge, using a variety of edging, cuff, thumb and top treatments.

Looking for more knitting patterns for Mittens? Check these out on Etsy.

Next Pattern:

I know that my posts can be read at different times of year and in different years by different people, but as I write this we’re on teh cusp of summer. And I know a lot of people don’t knit as much, and certainly don’t wear a lot of knits in the summer, but I want to encourage you to make and to wear your makes no matter the temperature.

To introduce you to the joys of summer garment knitting, I offer the Tied Vest from Lion Brand Yarn.

This easy project is great to make and wear throughout the year but it’s especially good for summer. It’s worked flat in one piece from the bottom up, mostly in stockinette stitch with a seed stitch edging. The I-cord ties are worked directly onto the garment so you don’t have to sew them on.

The project uses worsted weight yarn, and calls for a blend of cotton and hemp that’s great for warm weather.

There are eight size options, ranging from a finished chest measurement of 35 to 62.5 inches, or 89 to 159 cm. That makes it sound like it should be worn with at least a few inches of positive ease, but the pattern doesn’t specify.

The ties at the front give it a casual look and make it great to wear over a tank top or T-shirt when the weather is warm.

I also think this one would be good to knit in wool or a warmer fiber, too, to make a version you could wear more comfortably in the winter months, too. Though of course you could layer the summer version over a long-sleeved shirt and wear it throughout the year, too.

The tied vest is a free pattern available from Lion Brand. You can also purchase a kit that includes the yarn and optional needles and stitch markers if you need them.

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]

Knit an Easy Hooded Vest

Knit Vests to Help Transition to Warmer Weather

Next Pattern:

Have you read?