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Book Review: Two Needles, Many Knits

February 19, 2025 by Sarah White

When I first picked up Quayln Stark’s Two Needles, Many Knits I assumed it was a book that was all patterns using straight knitting needles. It’s not, but it is full of easy to follow knitting instructions and simple patterns (mostly worked flat, though some are in the round) for beginners and those who want to increase their skills.

About half of the book is devoted to knitting skills, so if you’re a brand new knitter or you need to refresh your memory on the basics this is helpful. This covers things like necessary supplies, yarn weights, reading a yarn label, reading and following a pattern and English vs. continental knitting. Tutorials cover how to make a slip knot, long-tail cast on and backward loop cast on, binding off, knitting and purling in English and continental and making basic fabrics.

From there it goes into things like increases and decreases, lace knitting, picking up stitches, cables, finishing projects and fixing mistakes, to name a few. It’s a pretty solid overview of what you need to know to knit basic patterns and beyond.

Speaking of patterns, there are 15 patterns organized into three skill levels. The first three patterns — a garter stitch washcloth, a flat-knit hat in stockinette and a cowl worked in the round — are labeled as practice patterns and are good places to start if you’ve never knit a project before.

The other level one patterns include a sampler scarf, a ribbed pillow cover, a stockinette stitch headband worked flat and stitched into a tube and a tote bag made with garter stitch. Level two patterns are a scarf knit on the bias in multicolored yarn, an envelope purse in an easy textured stitch pattern, a corner to corner baby blanket with a hood added to one corner and a kid’s sized striped hat worked in the round.

Level three brings you a mesh lace shawl, a baby’s basketweave shirt (worked flat), cabled fingerless gloves worked in the round and an adult sized, raglan sleeved, collared pullover with a two-button closure, which brings together a bunch of skills. Honestly it’s not the easiest first sweater project you could try, but if you want to do it and follow along with all the techniques in the book you can pull it off.

There’s nothing super creative here but it’s a nice collection of solid patterns to practice and things you can use or gift as you learn. You can check out all the patterns on Ravelry.

I think this book would be a good place to start for someone who is somewhat new (or totally new) to knitting and wants a book for reference and some easy patterns to try. Supplement with videos for techniques you don’t get right away and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a more confident knitter.

About the book: 152 pages, paperback, 15 patterns. Published 2024 by Callisto Publishing. Suggested retail price $16.99.

Next Pattern:

  • Book Review - Big Book of Baby Knits
  • Book Review- Casual Circular Knits
  • Book Review - 60 Quick Knits for Beginners
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Have you read?

Knit a Garter Stitch Blanket with a Twist

When I first started knitting again after a long absence from the craft (which has now been almost 25 years ago!) I really didn’t like garter stitch that much. I found it super boring, somehow even more boring than knitting stockinette stitch in the round, even though it’s exactly the same thing.

Over the years I’ve softened my opinion, and even grown to like garter stitch. There’s nothing wrong with being plain, and actually the texture of garter stitch is more interesting than stockinette.

Also there are fun things you can do with garter stitch to make it more interesting if you want to, such as adding stripes, working on the bias, or doing fun effects to change the look.

That’s the way with the Bernat Twist My Way Garter Knit Blanket. Using combinations of casting on and binding off creates what they call a Swiss cheese effect along two sides of the blanket. This is a lot of fun in the self-striping ombre yarn they chose for the pattern, but it would also be fun in a solid color or making your own stripes.

Despite the dramatic effect, this pattern is rated easy. It’s worked from side to side (if you consider the “cheesy” edges the top and bottom) and has an eight-row repeat that involves binding off and then casting on again to make the holes. They’re kind of like giant buttonholes.

Once you get the hang of it it’s a pretty easy repeat to remember, and it will be smooth knitting as big as you want to make it.

You can download this pattern from the Yarnspirations website for free, or you can buy a kit direct from them that includes the yarn you need (and knitting needles if you need those, too). Bernat Sport Ombre Twist, which is what is used in the pattern, comes in 12 self patterning colors and is a DK weight acrylic yarn.

[Photo: Yarnspirations]

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