Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

Giveaway: Books to Help Someone Learn to Knit

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knitting booklet giveaway

Congratulations to Kristen!

A few months ago I did a roundup over at About of some books to help people learn how to knit. I’m only going to link it once but I’m actually giving away four of the booklets listed there as one prize this week:

All four are Leisure Arts booklets and include basic knitting instructions as well as patterns that are perfect for new knitters — or people coming back to knitting after a break who want to knit for babies (hey, I wrote a book about that, too!). Two of the books include video tutorial support, while the refresher book has pattern instructions for standard knitting and using the Knook knitting tool.

All four will go to one winner. If you want a chance to win, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, Oct. 11. Why don’t you tell me who you would like to teach to knit.

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

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Comments

  1. I haven’t done much knitting because I don’t feel I know enough to do it well. I would love to have these books.

  4. I am an LPC Intern and volunteer two days a week at one of the county’s crisis respite centers for people who are homeless. I spend an hour with each client who signs up to see me and they choose from two crafting activities each week in order to teach them coping skills for if they are in crisis in the future. I use your weekly newsletter for ideas, especially for nature and recyclable goods, items the clients can use when they are on the street. I would love to add these books to the art supply closet so that all residents could benefit from learning this! Knitting scarves and gloves are important for the clients for the winter, and it’s inspiring for them to be able to create items themselves.

  5. I am just learning to knit and would like to teach my mom and several friends, so we could do a knitting club.

  8. My sister in law in Scotland taught me to knit. I am still learning but can do simple items. I would like to teach our girl scout troop to knit now that they are a little older and can handle the needles (pins as my sister in law would say).

Have you read?

Knits with Sheep

It felt like it had been a while since I’d done a roundup of knitting patterns involving sheep, and if search is any indication, that is true. I found a roundup of patterns for knit sheep from a few years ago, but the only one with v I could find is from 2015. So it’s definitely time to revisit this fun genre of knitting patterns.

This all started with a headband. Alyssa Kaat’s Icelandic Sheep Headband (free on Ravelry) to be specific. Ravelry showed it to me as a pattern highlight and I couldn’t resist taking a closer look. It’s worked with two colors of worsted weight yarn and alternates sheep with stars around your head.

Another great sheepy headband is this one from Loch Fyne Crafts on Etsy. These sweet little sheep are worked in bulky yarn and you can make the background look like field and sky or work it in a solid color.

Or make a headband (or a hat, cowl, or all three) covered with a flock of sheep with this set of patterns from New Age Knitting CA. These pieces also use the field/sky coloring, but you can use whatever colors of worsted weight yarn you like.

Speaking of hats, there’s also the sheep hat from Lynann Knits Designs. The sample was worked in Icelandic wool to make the sheep and the hat extra fuzzy and warm, but any worsted weight yarn will work.

There’s also the Wandering Sheep hat from Kat Hudon (on Ravelry), which features a fun collection of speckled sheep that can be worked in different yarn weights to make different sizes of hats for kids and adults.

And lest you think sheep need to be knit in traditional stranded colorwork, check out the Rebel Sheep Mob blanket by Deborah Moore. This one is worked in mosaic knitting using fingering weight yarn. In mosaic knitting you’re only working with one color per row so it’s pretty easy. You can find this pattern on Ravelry.

I can’t possibly share sheep knitting patterns without mentioning the amazing Black Sheep Shadow Shawl by Mark Jamieson. Shadow knitting is a technique I want to do more of, but it involves working two rows alternating in two different colors and the pattern emerges when you look at the design from an angle. It’s so cool and the sheep on this one are amazing! It’s not a beginner project but well worth the work. You can find it on Ravelry or at the designer’s website.