Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

Giveaway: Knits for Boys

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knits for boys by kate oates giveaway

Congratulations to Connie!

Today I’m happy to share with you a brand-new book from a fellow author at my publisher (where my new book is coming out a month from today! Eeek!), but please know all opinions are my own.

I have a five-year-old, as you probably know, and if you’ve ever knit for a kid you know that it can both be a lot of fun and really frustrating. It’s fun to knit these smaller projects that come together pretty fast, but they can also be outgrown almost as fast as you knit them. And when kids get to a certain age they often want nothing to do with handknits at all.

Kate Oates has a unique perspective on kid knitting in that she knits for four boys. So it makes perfect sense that she should write the book on knits that boys will wear and offer tips to keep them in those knits for more than one season.

Knits for Boys: 27 Patterns for Little Men + Grow-with-Me Tips & Tricks is a great collection of basic patterns and more involved (in terms of texture and color) projects that are great for little boys and girls (sizes 4 to 12). But it also includes tips that you can use to help extend the life of your knit garments for kids, including thinking about how a garment is constructed, building in extra length and stashing a bit of extra yarn just in case you need to make an alteration later.

This week I’m giving away a copy of this book. Sorry, this one is for United States readers only.

For your chance to win, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, March 8. Why don’t you tell me about your experience knitting for boys? I have basically none (other than for babies, and they will wear anything) so I’d love to hear your experience.

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

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Comments

  1. I would love to learn to do this ! I come from a long line of knitters/sewers/crochet’rs. have only done the sewing so far 🙂 what a generous giveaway !

  2. My little guy is only 3, so he will still wear pretty much whatever I make for him! He’s just started having a bit of an opinion on clothes now- he loves hoodies and anything with firetrucks/trucks/care on it. I look forward to making him the Cooper hoodie from this book- I think he’ll love it!

  3. I knit for my boys, mostly just socks, hats, and scarves; so I am looking forward to Kate’s book!

  4. I love tottoppers! I have knit the zipped up for all 3 of my boys and that is their absolute favorite go-to. I would love to try every pattern on this book!

  5. I knit a baby sweater for my daughter that was finished in time for my second child – a son. I knitted him a Sand Vest for Easter when he was a toddler. I knit him numerous hats. He wants a knit sweater and a knit elephant.

  6. As a new grandparent, I’ve knit typical baby/toddler knits, but haven’t been real happy with their lasting value. As you’ve mentioned about this book, kids outgrow clothes very quickly, even if they knit up fast, you want the effort to allow a garment to be worn more than a couple of times. There aren’t as many knit patterns for boys either. I’d love to see how these patterns give my knitting even more appeal and last longer. What a great idea for a book!

  7. I’m excited to find your blog through Kate and I’m grateful for the chance to win what looks like a great book. I knit for my son fairly regularly. When he was five, I knit him a “kindergarten sweater” and his teacher told me that every single time she helped him zip it up he said, “You know, my mom made this for me.” Every. Single. Time.

  8. I think I have found the perfect sweater pattern for my 3 yo son who keeps requesting a blue sweater. Until now the only handknits he has have been hats and mittens. He grows like a weed so those tips and tricks for extending the sizes sound great! My 6 year old daughter has had many handknits because it was always easy to find something cute for her.

  9. My boys love me knitting for them and I can’t wait to get a copy of this book so that I have a few more options to knit for them.

  10. PLEASE pick me! I have four boys to knit for as well. They got quite a few sweaters when they were small, but not as many the bigger they get! They older they get, the plainer they want them is my experience.

  11. i have a 4 year old grandson and it is fun knitting things for him. he is so apprecate at whatever he is given. sounds like an interesting book.

  12. When I learned to knit I made all things little girl,combining knitting and sewing to make dress after dress. Now I have 3 grandchildren……yep, you guessed it…..boys!

  13. I have a 6 month old grandson who I have knit for, but I hope to continue knitting him things as he grows older.

  14. I can’t say I have a lot of experience knitting for boys, but with a 2 year old boy I have a lot of potential. I made his older sister a sweater but she has become so picky about what she wears that it isn’t worth the risk. I think the boy will be more willing.

  15. I have a couple of boy – one newborn and one toddler – that I knit for but none older. Would love to see fun patterns for as they grow.
    wahoomerryf on Ravelry

  17. I made my grandson a knitted sweater and my daughter hated it. I may have to get your book to check out the “boy” patterns. Haha!

  18. I enjoy knitting for my granddaughter but have struggled to find projects that are cute and easy enough to knit for my grandson.

  19. Most of the ‘boys’ I knit for are my adult sons and new babies at our church. But hats seem to be a hit with boys from toddlers to teens.

  20. I’m trying to teach myself to crochet yet, so would use this book as a “bribe” for my knitter aunt to make things for my son!

  21. I’m just about finished with my 1st knit sweater for my son so I don’t have any tricks. But I sure do have the bug to knit him more once this one is off the needles!

  22. Right now the boy knitting is a challenge, he is 1 and love handknits, but almost too much as he pulls at all buttons and stripes and anything I have on the needles, i think he loves stitch markers more than I do!

  24. I would love to explore the patterns in this book! I have no little boys to knit for, but these are great designs for girls, too. The extra info about sizing, etc. is a great addition.

  25. I love to knit for my now 5 yo son, but I struggle with finishing things b/f he grows out of them. I love the patterns in this book; if I don’t win it I am definitely buying it!

  26. I have a 2-year-old nephew who I’ve knit several things for. A Baby Surprise jacket, a Baby Jayne hat , socks. Unfortunately he lives in a different state so I have to make educated guesses on sizing… I really want this book because I got the impression it would help with that. 🙂

  27. I have 14 children, 6 of them sons and I love to knit for them, all of them. This looks like a great collection of much needed boy patterns! Thank you for offering this

  28. I think I have only knit for baby boys. Would enjoy expanding into larger sizes for my ump-tine nephews.

  29. I would love to win this!!! I have 2 little boys and 4 nephews so I could get a lot of use out of this book ???? Thanks for the giveaway.

  30. I love to knit for my grandchildren! The girls are easy and will wear all the adorable fun projects! My grandson just turned 6 and is not interested in cute “baby” projects. This book looks amazing and tons of fun with “boy knits” he would think are cool!

  31. My boy is ten, and he has Opinions. I knit a sweater for him years ago that I struggled to get him to wear. The hat I knit was too itchy. Last year he requested flip-top mittens and he wears them daily. Moral: he has to request it.

  32. I’ve just completed hats for our infant granddaughter and made Sock Monkey Slippers (knit) for our little grandson. Thanks for the opportunity to learn more!

  33. I love knitting for my 5 year old grandson! I have been knitting him sweaters, hats, mittens, blankets and toys since he was born and he loves opening up a package that comes in the mail from me. He wears the hand knit sweaters all the time and even at his young age, appreciates them! This has been a great way for us to bond even when living on the opposite side of the USA! ?

  34. So far most of the boy knitting I’ve done has been socks and caps…it would be fun to make a sweater for the newest grandson (lots of time, since he’s not yet a year old).

  35. I don’t often have the opportunity to knit for boys but it’s exciting to see such a great collection of patterns for those times that I do. I also appreciate that the patterns are suitable for girls, as well. Congrats on a wonderful collection!

  36. I learned to knit when my youngest son was 10, so the best I’ve done is hats/scarves/slippers for the three of them. But I have a 5 year old Godson who loves my hats and anything knitted! So I would love the book for some projects for him!

  37. I’ve never knitted before, but I have some friends who are going to show me how. I’m excited to learn!

  38. I am always looking for patterns for bys and mens knitting! I have a grandson and I have adapted girl sweaters to make them more boyish…. and it is almost impossible to find knitting patterns for men over size 2x!

    thanks for the giveaways and I look forward to seeing your book coming out!

  39. I mostly knit for my son who is 3, so he will still pretty much wear anything! I did make a pretty cool hat for my naphew (age 5) with cars all over it, but I suppose knitting for older boys will be something I learn about as time goes on! 🙂

  40. I have 3 sons (all grown and married) and 4 grandsons – I can’t get a girl, and I would love to have this book. I have knit sweaters for each of them – the first two attempts were outgrown before they received them. The second batch of sweaters fit but one thought it was too “girlie” and I’m not sure the other two ever worn them since they live in a different state. This book seems full of fun patterns that little boys would love and that would be fun to knit! I have almost resigned myself to only knitting for my sisters 6 granddaughters! haha

Have you read?

Textured Baby Blanket Knitting Patterns

There are so many baby blanket knitting patterns out there I could probably do a post a month full of them and not run out for a very long time. This time I thought I’d look specifically at single color baby blankets that are interesting because of the inclusion of textured stitching. This makes them easy enough for new knitters but engaging for knitters of all skill levels. 

Take the Textured Checks Baby Blanket from Janet Dubbelman for example. This project is mostly stockinette stitch, with some what looks like reverse stockinette and garter stitch thrown in to make the ridges. You can use whatever yarn weight you like to make blankets of different sizes. Find the pattern on Ravelry. 

The Seedling from Modern Made Shop is just about as easy as it comes, combining seed stitch with a garter stitch border. It calls for worsted weight yarn and is perfect for beginners. 

The Julie Baby Blanket by Elisabeth Kristiansen is another one with an easy allover stitch pattern that you can knit up in a flash in whatever size you want. (The pattern notes say any gauge but it also says 28 stitches per 4 inches, which would be a superfine or fine weight yarn. Learn more on Ravelry. 

The Oscar Baby Blanket from Snufflebean is another one with an easy repeating stitch pattern that has a really fun, graphic effect. This is also great worked in a bright color, reminding us that babies don’t have to be in pastels! This one uses DK weight yarn. 

If you want to get a little fancier, check out Sammy Bristow’s Georges Blanket. This one alternates blocks of stockinette stitch with boats and anchors made by purling on the right side of the blanket. It calls for DK weight yarn and has multiple sizes for dolls through toddlers. Check it out on Ravelry.

Another cute texture is this heart blanket with diamonds that are a little reminiscent of argyle. Yarn Sonata Patterns has this one, which is worked in DK weight yarn and comes in four sizes. It includes a chart and row by row instructions. 

Or try the pretty Seton Portage baby blanket from Knitted Wishes, which has a border of trees and textured stitches that look like snow falling. The pattern includes different options for snowflakes and doing a mirror image of the trees on each end of the blanket. It’s worked in worsted weight yarn. This one includes charts, written instructions and video tutorials for special stitches.