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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:

  • A Simple Top to Knit in Many Colors
  • Book Review - Big Book of Baby Knits
  • Book Review- Casual Circular Knits
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Summer T-Shirt Knitting Patterns

Knitters are always looking for ways to continue to knit and to wear their knits even when it’s hot outside, so there are tots of great T0shirt knitting patterns to choose from. I love knitting short-sleeved shirts because they feel so much faster than sweaters, and you can wear them on top of dresses or even longer-sleeved items when it gets cooler.

There are lots of different styles of knit tops, from the basic to the more detailed. On the more basic side are things like the Perfect T-Shirt from Originally Lovely, a basic raglan tee with nine sizes and worked in worsted weight yarn; Paper Bloom by Yvonne Hugo (free on Ravelry), available in six sizes and worked with cotton and silk yarn for extra coolness; or Iris H’s Amelia Top, also on Ravelry, a slim fit, DK weight top with nine size.

Jazz it up with a bit of lace like on the Athens Lace Hem top by Sarah Hatton (Ravelry). This otherwise simple project has a bit of lace at the bottom, which is an easy way to make a project more interesting without a ton of work. This one uses fingering weight yarn and comes in nine sizes.

Another simple embellishment is to emphasize the lines of your top with different stitches. The Spring Lines top uses twisted ribbing at the center front and V-neck and along the raglan lines to give it a slimmer fit and more interest. This design from Turquoise Toque Designs has 11 size options and is available on Ravelry.

Silfurberg by Joji Locatelli uses both of these elements, with lace panels at the center front and back and purl ridges throughout to make it a little more fun to knit and to wear. The pattern uses fingering weight yarn and comes in 10 sizes. Learn more on Ravelry.

Keep it simple or add puffed sleeves (and/or long sleeves) to the slim fit Knitty Committee top by Lily Kate France. This one has two length options, waist shaping and optional bust darts to fulfill all your curvy top dreams, and it comes in nine sizes. You’ll find it on Ravelry.

Take it even more romantic with the Daphne Top from Friday Knits, which has puffed sleeves and applied I-cord to emphasize the bust and sweetheart neckline. It comes in eight sizes and uses DK weight yarn.

Or add some sweet flowers with the Gigio pattern from Emilie Luis. This pretty pattern found on Ravelry has cable panels running up the front with the option for adding sweet embroidered flowers. You can also add decorative buttons if you like. It comes in 11 sizes and calls for sport weight yarn. 

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