Check out Knitrino and Knit with Barbara Kingsolver

Barbara Kingsolver just won the Pulitzer Prize for her book Demon Copperhead, but in addition to being an amazing writer she is also a knitter.

She recently released her first (that I know of, anyway) knitting pattern, designed with Andrea Cull, inspired by her book The Lacuna.

The Lacuna Mitts are long colorwork mitts worked from the bottom up, with a variety of colorwork motifs inspired by the book. The design uses six colors and there are two sizes available, with a change in needle size making the change in project size.

The pattern is available exclusively on the Knitrino app, a new app that aims to connect knitters with independent designers and make your knitting life a little easier.

The app is free to download (and when I did it gave me a hat pattern for free) and you buy patterns right inside the app. The projects are broken down step by step so it’s easy to track your progress. Patterns with charts can also be shown as text, and you can easily keep your place in the chart as you go. Another cool thing you can do is change the colors on the chart to match the colors you are knitting with rather than the ones the designer used.

Charts and patterns can also be sized to fit whatever device you’re using, and you can click in the pattern and add notes. You also have a personal pattern section where you can add photos, pattern notes, what size knitting needles you used, etc.

Knitrino is run by two knitting sisters, and as of this writing has 24 patterns available for purchase. The app says they will have new patterns monthly, and I’m sure there will be more as designers hear about it and want to have their designs offered there.

You can check out Knitrino on their website or download the app where you do that.

[Photo via Barbara Kingsolver on Facebook.]

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Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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