Knitting

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Giveaway: A Couple of Quick Knitting Books

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quick knitting books giveaway

The winner is Lillian!

It’s too late for these to help you with this year’s holiday knitting, but I have been wanting to do this giveaway for a while and it seems appropriate for this time of year.

The winner this week will get a copy of 60 Quick Knits and 60 More Quick Knits from Sixth & Spring Books. The books both have 20 patterns each for hats, scarves and mittens. The first book uses Cascade 220 and the second Cascade 220 Sport.

There books have a great variety of projects, some solid color things as well as fun colorwork, and lots of techniques worked in. Because most of the projects are small, they work up pretty fast for gifts, or when you just want a new knit accessory for yourself.

If you’d like a chance to win these, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, December 20. I’d love to know which is your favorite to knit: hats, scarves or mittens? I’m usually a scarf girl but I’ve been getting into mittens (and gloves) lately.

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing and good luck!

Next Pattern:

Comments

  3. blankies! my family considers my blankies a legacy and i love to make them. i am learning to knit socks and curse. not necesarily at the same time

  6. I love to both knit& crochet. I especially like to do fingerless gloves, they are becoming so popular as of late. I also am excited about how knitting & crocheting is no longer just for “older women”????.

  9. I used to knit a lot of cowls but have recently started on fingerless mitts. Both are well received as gifts at this time of year!

  11. I like to knit scarves, and so I don’t feel bad about knitting only straight things, I like different stitches!! I’d love to knit hats and mittens, I’ve never done mittens!

  12. I absolutely love to make scarves; I’m turning every one I knit into infinity scarves; so fun!

  13. I like to knit hats because they can be quick, but almost prefer to knit fingerless and fingered mitts because they seem to span the seasons longer in Texas.

  19. I love knitting hats and children’s mittens. But, I think I going to get started on learning how to knit socks. Looks like so much fun.

Have you read?

Book Review: No Fear Sock Knitting

I feel like when it comes to things that people are afraid to knit, socks probably top the list. I’ve heard people say they would never knit socks because they look too hard, but really you just need to know a few basic things (and trust the pattern even though it sounds wrong the first time you do it) to master socks. 

Denise DeSantis aims to take the worry out of knitting socks with No Fear Sock Knitting. Based on a class on her YouTube channel, it includes all the basic information you need to make sock knitting feel easier, along with eight patterns for both top down and toe up socks. 

The book generally covers types of needles and yarn you might use to knit socks, as well as other supplies you will need. It looks at the parts of the sock, different knitting needle configurations used to knit socks, how to read a pattern (including abbreviations and terms you might find in sock patterns), discussion of ease, how to measure your foot and choosing the correct size to knit.

It includes two options each for casting on cuff down and toe up socks, as well as four options for cuff treatment. It explores the heel flap and turn method for top down and toe up socks, as well as short row heels using a shadow wrap (worked with a leg from the stitch below) and a square heel. There’s a discussion of avoiding holes and fixing other problems in heels.

Likewise with toes there are several options, including a wedge toe, round toe and anatomical toe (different on each foot) for both cuff down and toe up socks. There are also tutorials for grafting and Jeny’s surprisingly stretchy bind off, depending on which direction you’re going. There’s also a tips section that covers things like avoiding ladders, changing colors. matching stripes and more. 

After all that preparation, there are eight patterns to choose from: short socks worked from the top down that are a perfect first-sock sock, a basic ankle-length toe-up sock, a DK weight sock worked from the top down with different length options, a “vanilla” sock with a short row heel worked top down, an ankle sock with a garter stitch cuff, one with a leg worked in alternating colors with a contrasting heel and toe, a sock worked in a helical stripe pattern and a striped sock with a garter stitch heel. 

Three of the patterns are rated at skill level two on a scale of three, while the rest are level one. They’re all pretty straightforward, they just use different techniques you might not have tried before. Since only one is made to be toe up, there are also tips for converting the other patterns to toe up if you’d rather work that way. Each pattern includes three size options. 

This book is a nice introduction to sock knitting, with lots of techniques to reference and simple patterns to take the fear out of the process. I’m not sure these are patterns you’ll come back to time and again but they are a good place to start if you’ve never knit socks before. 

About the book: 128 pages, paperback, 8 patterns. Published 2025 by David & Charles. Suggested retail price $24.99.