Book Review: Wool Studio

I’m in the process of moving my office to another room in my house, and while I’ve been cleaning and clearing I found some long-neglected knitting books that are in need of reviewing. So hopefully this will bring back more regular book reviews over here, at least until I run out of books!

First up, Wool Studio: The knit.wear Capsule Collection. knit.wear is an Interweave publication that launched in 2011. Wool Studio is a pattern collection developed by the knit.wear editors for digital download, and the book includes the patterns from the first two pattern collections (because some people still really like printed books).

The patterns aim to be classic and modern, things you can knit now and feel good in but that won’y look dated next season. Most of the patterns are for sweaters and tops, but there’s also a cowl, a scarf and a wrap.

The projects are named after beach towns, and many of them have a laid-back, casual feel. There are more than a few oversized project (check out all the patterns on Ravelry).

Kate Gagnon Osborn shares a fun, rectangular lace tank in her Monterrey Tee, while Sarah Solomon’s Pacific Grove Tee is a simple, oversized, off-the-shoulder garment worked in a luscious blend of cashmere, silk and wool. I also like the Topanga Canyon Cardigan (OK, I guess they’re not all beaches) from Veronik Avery, with pretty Moss Stitch panels that cascade into super long fronts you can leave open or snuggle up in.

Bristol Ivy’s Hyannis Port Pullover is also fun, with a combo of short rows and colorwork that makes for shifting stripes on the back.

About the book: 144 pages, hardcover, 21 patterns. Published April 2018 by Interweave Press. Suggested retail $27.99

Looking for more knitting patterns for knitted Cardigans? Check out these Knitting patterns we found 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 Yarn online? Check out Lionbrand our preferred source for purchasing yarn online.

Over the years I have shared a lot of pumpkin knitting patterns, and I’ve knit and crocheted a lot of pumpkins myself. But it feels like there are always more fun things to try with knit pumpkins, so this year I wanted to look a little more beyond basic stockinette or ribbed pumpkins and share some pumpkin patterns with cables, bobbles and colorwork.

In the cable collection we’ve got these cute little basic cable and ribbed pumpkins from Elly Bear Knits. There are two sizes that make a wide, flat pumpkin and a taller round pumpkin. Both are worked in the round as a tube that’s cinched top and bottom when you’re done, and they use bulky weight yarn.

Another cute cable pumpkin knitting pattern comes from Gray Bear Akswokrat. This one is knit flat and it looks like a chunky yarn but you could use other weights to make pumpkins of different sizes. This one also has an I-cord stem and uses yarn to cinch up the sections of the pumpkin, giving it a more natural look.

Add some bobbles to your pumpkins with this design from Autumn Shelter Makes. Also worked in the round in a tube, it features a repeating pattern of bobbles and uses yarn wrapped around the outside to make segments. This one looks like worsted weight yarn to me.

Of course there’s nothing that says your pumpkin has to be a single color, so let’s throw in some colorwork. I love the look of the Cozy Fall Pumpkin knitting pattern from South Stitch Girls. The little leather loop adds a rustic touch but you could also just add a stick. These pumpkins have five colorwork options and are worked in worsted weight yarn in the round.

There’s also the Autumn Fair Isle Trio pumpkins pattern from Equestriann Style, which has three different sizes of pumpkins with four colorwork designs. They are worked in super bulky yarn in the round and look good with high contrast or more muted color combinations.

Have you read?