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Giveaway: Knitting Never Felt Better

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knitting never felt better giveaway

This one goes to Chrystie!

In more cleaning out my office giveaways, I present this classic from Nicky Epstein: Knitting Never Felt Better.

This book from 2007 is a lot of fun and covers a lot of knit and felt projects, including shibori (using objects to keep parts of the knit article from felting), felting flowers, making slippers, bags, home decor items and more (you can see some of the projects on Ravelry at the link above, or check out a preview at the publisher’s website).

And like many of Nicky’s books, it includes many example swatches showing how different patterns and techniques look before and after swatching, which is invaluable if you want to design your own felted knitting projects.

If you’d like a chance to win this book, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, Jan. 15.

I’d love to know what experience you have with felting your knitting and what sorts of projects you have made. I love making felted bags, and I have a giant felted blanket from my felting book that is one of my favorite felted projects, too.

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

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Comments

  2. It has been some time since I felted a project. I have made two or three bags one of them was a back pack.

  4. Honestly I have never felted anything from my knitting yet. I would love to learn how to do it though.

  5. Nicky Epstein is a great designer. Love her original and creative projects. Have her book on scarf and would like to add this
    to my collection. Always looking for unique pieces to try.

  7. I’ve never felted anything on purpose.
    I have, however, felted a sweater by mistake, before becoming fiber smart..lol
    Love Nicky Epstein…great designer!

  12. I’ve felted two purses- one a darling red, but the other I overfelted. I’m still trying to figure out what to do to amend it. But it was fun!

  14. I have save several patterns for felted bags, but have yet to jump in and try the felting technique.

  17. I’ve felted 2 bags. One adorable little purple bag made from Lopi wool and a big messenger bag with Brown Sheep wool. You mentioned a blanket. Felting one has been on my list of projects for years

  19. I make a lot of felted slippers. I’ve also made several bags and hats. I love to see that end result when I pull items out of my washer. Pretty neat.

  20. I have done needle felting with wool fibers before but have never tried felting with a knitted project. I have seen many beautiful designs so it is something I have wanted to try

  22. I haven’t felted anything yet, but have a cute purse to try. Looks like some great projects

  23. The only felting I have experienced was done accidentally by my son-in-law. He washed socks I knitted for my daughter in hot water and dried them. However, I am interested to try felting on purpose.

  26. I have felted sweaters before for projects but never knitted my own felting project. I’m ready for the challenge!

Have you read?

Book Review: Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit & Crochet Blankets

Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four. 

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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