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Giveaway: 3 Leisure Arts Pattern Stitch Booklets

September 22, 2014 by Sarah White

Congratulations to Teresa!

I’m a sucker for a good pattern stitch dictionary, and I’ve got way more of them on my shelves than you’d expect for a person who sticks to basic stitch patterns most of the time.

But these books can be a lot of fun for inspiration, and this week I’ve got three little booklets by Rita Weiss from Leisure Arts and the Creative Partners, LLC, that are sure to inspire some swatching and fun knitting projects.

One winner will receive a copy of each of these three books:

  • 50 Fabulous Knit Garter Stitches
  • 50 Fabulous Knit Aran Stitches

Each book offers big pictures and written instructions for each stitch pattern. Each pattern takes up a full page (or more, with some) so you get a good look at how the stitch pattern looks over several repeats.

These would be great as blocks for a throw or to make a full afghan, or incorporate them into other projects.

If you’d like a chance to win these, leave a comment on this post by the end of the day Sunday, September 28. I’d love to hear how you incorporate different stitch patterns into your knitting projects, or if you’re a stitch pattern book hoarder like I am!

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing, and good luck!

Next Pattern:

  • Premier Needle Arts Acquires Berroco
  • How to Decorate with Fiber Arts
  • Signature Needle Arts Closing Its Doors
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Comments

  1. petoskeystone says

    September 23, 2014 at 8:48 pm

    I look at stitch pattern books as a subset of cookbooks. Reading them makes me happy, integrating new ‘recipes’ into scarves, afghans make me happier.

  2. cwknitnut says

    September 23, 2014 at 9:30 pm

    I like stitch dictionaries for both reasons: to make my library more complete and best of all, I love finding new patterns to incorporate into my favorite projects – cowls!

  3. Anita L says

    September 23, 2014 at 11:03 pm

    I don’t currently incorporate many stitch patterns into my knitting but I do hope to branch out into doing that. I think I would start with something simple like dish cloths and work up from there. I do love to collect knitting books and pour over them dreaming of the possibilities.

  4. aj nordall says

    September 23, 2014 at 11:24 pm

    These books would be perfect as a gift for my sister-of-the-heart, who loves to knit.

  5. Carla S says

    September 24, 2014 at 5:02 am

    I’m a stitch book hoarder. I print out stitch instructions off the internet and make my own stitch book collaborations.

  6. Carla S says

    September 24, 2014 at 5:04 am

    I’m a stitch book hoarder.I find stitch patterns off the internet, print them out, and make my own print book collaborations.

  7. Lynn Vogeley says

    September 24, 2014 at 7:13 am

    I enjoy using different patterns to make “sampler” scarves and throws.

  8. Patty Manders says

    September 24, 2014 at 12:26 pm

    I love stitch dictionaries. It boggles my mind how people find so many ways to play with sticks and strings. I love the challenge of seeing wonders unimagined emerge from my needles.

  9. Deb Bean says

    September 24, 2014 at 1:17 pm

    I’m a beginner knitter, and I’m working my way through a stitch dictionary, making 6″ swatches of each stitch. It’s a lot less daunting than learning a new stitch as part of a whole pattern. With reasonable effort you can always get a small swatch right and you’re not messing up a big project while you learn. In addition to learning a lot of stitches with low stress, I get the thrill of a completed project every few days. Really great for motivation and growth as a knitter.

  10. margay1122 says

    September 24, 2014 at 2:32 pm

    I incorporate them into patterns I design for hats, mostly, and some scarves.

  11. Shelly says

    September 24, 2014 at 7:51 pm

    It’s fun looking through stitch books for ideas to work into an afghan, scarf, or dish cloth.

  12. Chantel Lee says

    September 24, 2014 at 9:17 pm

    So far, I’m still a by-the-pattern gal, but I love stitch books because they help me figure out difficult amateurish patterns!

  13. Sheila says

    September 25, 2014 at 1:48 am

    I love stitchionaries. Sometimes I just page thru them, dreaming of what I might make. Sometimes I knit sample swatches of various stitch patterns, particularly when I’m asking a yarn what it wants to be. And sometimes I actually incorporate those stitch patterns into FOs.

  14. Teresa w. says

    September 25, 2014 at 9:40 am

    I’m still really a beginner knitter but I’m already obsessed with new stitches and wanting to learn them, I’m making a sampler afghan this would be awesome to have since I’m not using a specific pattern just any stitches I like to make the right size squares. So the more options the better (I plan on making a huge afghan, more like a comforter really).

  15. Carmen N says

    September 25, 2014 at 9:59 am

    I don’t have many stitch books so these would be awesome to add to my collection. I’ve started doing more designing and sometimes I have a general idea in my head but just want to add a different touch – which is where stitch dictionaries help tremendously

  16. Andrea W. says

    September 25, 2014 at 10:28 am

    When I first started knitting my sister told me to find my favorite pattern in a scarf, hat, sweater and mittens. Then collect pattern stitch books to change up all your old favorites for new and exciting knits! I love pattern stitch books and now I also have a favorite crescent shawl pattern and a triangle shawl pattern that I am able to incorporate and dress up these accessories, too! What a great give away! My books are very old and I would love to see the more modern stitch patterns and give them a try! Thank you!

  17. Leslie Bower says

    September 25, 2014 at 11:00 am

    I am an aspiring knitter. My mother sat me down twice when I was young and said “I know you don’t want to learn to knit now, but someday you might be glad you learned how”. That time came when my daughter wanted me to make scarves for her out of fun fur (which is great for covering up imperfections). I would love to win these books to have incentive to try more stitches. It would please my mother, who is now 88 to know that I am still trying! Thank you for the chance to win!

  18. Peggy R says

    September 25, 2014 at 5:24 pm

    When you find a pattern that you like, as in the case that I did for a particular sweater, and wanted to re-make it, but switch it up a bit by using a different stitch, books such as these are a Godsend!! I’d also like to design my own sweater in the near future, and I’m sure that I’ll be able to find something out of one of these books!! I’ve also started to hoard different knitting and crochet books, because there are so many stitches that I’m unfamiliar with since I’ve started doing my needlecrafts 30 + years ago. Thank you for such a generous giveaway!!

  19. Nesta says

    September 25, 2014 at 7:22 pm

    My Mum would love these. She is always trying new patterns and makes little blankets for my daughters’ dolls to try out new stitches!

  20. Merry says

    September 26, 2014 at 7:40 am

    I love making socks with new stitches.
    Wahoomerryf on ravelry

  21. Kitten With A Whiplash says

    September 27, 2014 at 4:48 pm

    I love stitch dictionaries, whatever niche they cater to – cables, lace, textured, colorwork – whatever. In fact, I Just bout on on Fair Isle stitches at the thrift shop this morning! Most of what I knit is “my own design”, which is to say that I’ve taken a cable from this book, the saddle shoulder and shawl collar from that sweater, some colorwork from these magazines, and a bit of lace from the internet and turned them into something totally original. Sort of.

  22. Ruth Reber says

    January 5, 2015 at 9:12 pm

    crochet is great, so is knitting!! I have no patterns for knitting, and
    would love to start over again as it has changed a lot since I tried
    some years ago

« Older Comments

Have you read?

Knit a Spiky Balaclava

Not too long ago my daughter and I had a discussion about what a chestnut really looks like. The nut itself is small and brown, of course, but on the tree they’re covered with this weird kind of spiky, kind of fuzzy shell. It’s a wonder anyone ever figured out they were edible.

If you didn’t know that, you might wonder why this project is call Chestnut balaclava, but now you know.

This fun design from Yevheniia Pyroh is covered with spikes just like a chestnut shell, and is even the same color, though of course you can make yours whatever color you like. It uses two strands of fingering weight yarn held together (which it says is fingering weight but you could try a light/DK yarn and see if you get gauge with it if you’d rather).

There are two different design options in the pattern. One is a more fitted balaclava style hat (it doesn’t cover the face but does go around the neck) and a looser fit hood.

It’s worked primarily in garter stitch, with shaping done by knitting and purling in the same stitch and through various decreases (including a knit 3 together).

The pattern is charted but also explained in words. It’s worked flat to the size you want, and then joined into a hood shape with ribbing at the neck. The opening for the face is finished with I-cord.

This hood/balaclava would definitely be a conversation starter and in different colors it might read more dinosaur than chestnut, which could also be fun. The sizing is totally custom so you can make it fit whatever head you’re stitching for.

If you want to try it for yourself (and I’d love to hear about it if you do!) you can download the free pattern from Ravelry.

[Photo: Yevheniia Pyroh]

Balaclava Knitting Patterns

Colorwork Balaclava Knitting Pattern [Knitting]

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