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Giveaway: Easy Fair Isle Knitting

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Easy Fair Isle Knitting book review

Congratulations to Lee!

A couple weeks ago I told you about Martin Storey’s book Easy Fair Isle Knitting. It has some really cute stuff in it, and while the how-to instructions are a bit lacking, it’s not hard to find good tutorials on how to do it.

So this week I’m giving this book away.

If you’d like a chance to win, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, January 29. Can you believe January is almost over already? I’d love to know how you’re doing with your resolutions so far.

The big one I’ve been working on is cleaning up my office, and I think I’ll be done by the end of the month, which was my goal. Next will be finishing knitting projects!

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

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Comments

  1. I love knitting fair isle. It would be wonderful to win a copy of this book. Thank you for creating this giveaway!

  5. Just finished a Christmas hat (required much tweaking back – again and again). So excited to try something new now! This looks quite compelling.

  6. I do not really do resolutions. I just try to be a better version of myself each day–sometimes it works and sometimes not so much.

  8. No alcohol and returned to knitting her and scare sets for friends birthdays…march and may so surelu will have them completed!!!!

  9. About my resolutions… I am crochetting a pirate hat for my toddler, so she can dress up in Carnival (next February). It seems I am being able to get a few minutes free for crochet every day! So I’m doing my resolutions.

  10. Concentrating on WIPS. I also have a couple large projects to start, and Ive started my spinning classes.
    Cleaning our basement is next.. Goals are one track.

  11. Love your blog, reading has helped in all my crafts. Would love this book as my attempts at fair Isle have not worked out.

  12. As usual, I resolved to lose weight and, as usual, I haven’t been able to stick to my weight-loss diet.

  13. Hello! I don’t know if this giveaway is international or not (I’m in France) Im trying, just in case it is, because this book looks really nice! In any case, Good Luck to everyone! 🙂

  14. My resolution is to make it through January with lots of UFOs finished…I’m still working on it! This book looks most inviting. Crossing my fingers and toes…….

    from winter-white VT,
    the Vermonster

  15. I would love to win this book. The patterns look beautiful! Thanks for offering this giveaway.

  17. I have been wanting to try Fair Isle but haven’t yet so this book would be awesome! I am not doing so good on my resolutions to exercise as of yet. Hopefully I get myself motivated soon!

  21. My resolution was to lose 10 pounds and then keep it off by changing my eating habits. I’m doing great… down 6 pounds so far.

  23. I would love to work on some of these patterns, nice way to pass the time. Resolution….stashdown on yarn, so more knitting!

  24. I don’t make resolutions, but I do have goals for this year. One of them was to get my cataracts fixed and I just did. It feels good to get things accomplished.

  25. I’m doing pretty good so far on trying to become more organized and to work on using up some of my stash. I would love to do some fair isle knitting again. I did a lot of it in the past and it is so fun to watch it grow.

  26. I would love this book ! My knitting group is learning how to knit Fair Isle by all of us working on a cowl together. It is a Debbie Bliss pattern but each person has chosen different colors so they are all going to look different. This year I am mapping out my goals for knitting, sewing, reading, inside house projects and outside house projects. I keep a list in my calendar. This is helping me to stay focused and on task and so far (January) has really worked out. Otherwise, I just go “Hey – what a great project” and drop what I am doing to start something new.

  27. I am in Tasmania but I love this giveaway as I am always on the hunt for good knitting tutorials. I didn’t make any resolutions this year but I am trying each day to be a better version of myself than I was the day before ( maybe it will stick better).

  28. working with more than one color has always seemed too complicated to me–I would love to learn how some day.

  30. What a lovely giveaway. I have been working on WIP both knitting and sewing and have done pretty good for Jan! I am motivated to keep it up!

  31. Mine was generally to get out of my comfort zone but more specifically after a few years, I’ve stopped challenging myself with my knitting. So far I’ve finally conquered trepidation about short rows.

  32. I don’t make resolutions, though I do try each year to finish off some of the projects that I’ve started before casting on even more! The book looks great.

  33. Always loved Fair Isle, been doing it for 35 years, and use two hands. Lately I’m into a knitting belt and steeks. Love all the patterns. I search out patterns, like Martin Storey so am excited to see what he has in Faire Isle.

  34. My only resolution is to stay out of the hospital and have no more surgeries. Made it 24 days so far. Love faire Isle and I would love to look at the book.

  35. I can’t believe January is almost over! I didn’t make any resolutions this year, so I guess I’m doing pretty good with them! 🙂

  37. Simply adore Fair Isle and this book is on my wish list.

    No resolutions, more a goal to not go along to get along. To be kinder, more understanding, and less negative.

  40. My resolution was to keep off the 20 pounds I finally lost last year. So far, so good. Keeping my fingers crossed:) Thanks for another great giveaway!

  41. No resolutions this year – the Local Knitting store may offer beginner fair isle in February — maybe I will dip a toe in / maybe not!! so far, I have not tried.

Have you read?

Book Review: Knitted Safari Friends – 20 Adorable Animals to Make

If you have a weakness for knitted animals wearing tiny clothes, Knitted Safari Friends by Sarah Keen is going to be very difficult to resist.

This colourful collection includes 20 safari and savannah animals to knit, including a lion, tiger, elephant, flamingo, hippo, crocodile, rhinoceros, zebra and giraffe.

And yes, many of them have their own little outfits.

The lion in purple overalls is probably enough to sell me on the whole book.

Cute Animals With Plenty of Personality

What I like about this collection is that the animals are clearly designed as characters rather than realistic wildlife models.

They are bright, friendly and a little quirky, which makes them particularly appealing as handmade gifts for children or animal-loving adults.

Looking at the sample pages, the hippo and flamingo patterns have a cheerful illustrated layout, with the finished animals shown in little safari scenes alongside the practical pattern information.

There is also plenty of variety in the shapes, which means you aren’t simply knitting the same basic body 20 times and changing the ears.

If knitted animals with interchangeable clothes are already your thing, have a look at our Knitted Wild Animal Friends book review. That collection includes elephants, giraffes, lions, tigers, zebras and other animals with an entire wardrobe of tiny knitted clothing.

Is Knitted Safari Friends Beginner Friendly?

The publisher describes the patterns as easy to follow, and the book includes a techniques section, abbreviations and knitting conversions to help you through the projects.

I would still put this more in the confident beginner to intermediate category rather than recommending it as someone’s very first knitting project.

Toy knitting usually involves shaping, joining pieces, stuffing and finishing neatly, and that finishing stage can sometimes take almost as long as the knitting itself.

Ask anyone who has ever had a finished knitted animal sitting in pieces on the craft table for three weeks waiting for its legs to be sewn on.

For knitters who are still learning the basics of toy making, our Knitted Amigurumi Animal Friends review is another useful option, with smaller animals and simple clothing pieces.

A Great Gift Knitting Book

These would make lovely handmade gifts for children, particularly if you matched the animal to their favourite safari creature.

You could also knit several of them together as a nursery display or create your own little safari collection.

The clothes and accessories add another level of fun, too. Once you’ve knitted an elephant, there is something wonderfully satisfying about then deciding what that elephant ought to wear.

Apparently this is where my crafting priorities are now.

My Take

I think Knitted Safari Friends is one of those books that you buy intending to make one project and then immediately start planning an entire knitted zoo.

The bright colours, cute facial expressions and tiny outfits give the animals loads of personality, while the variety of creatures should keep the knitting interesting.

Sarah Keen has been designing knitted toys for years, and that experience shows in the way these animals have been turned into characters rather than simply miniature versions of real wildlife.

If you enjoy toy knitting, handmade gifts or anything involving animals in overalls, this one is definitely worth a look.

Knitted Safari Friends: 20 Adorable Animals to Make is written by Sarah Keen and published by GMC Publications. It was released on April 21, 2026, with a listed RRP of $26.99.