Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

Giveaway: Knitting Skill Books from Leisure Arts

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Win two Leisure Arts books to help you build your knitting skills.

Congratulations to Jen!

I know a lot of my readers are newer knitters, or even just people who are interested in knitting but maybe haven’t picked up needles yet. Or maybe you’re an experienced knitter but you want to share the love with someone else.

Either way, this week’s giveaway is a great one for newer knitters. It includes two little books from Leisure Arts: Learn to Knit, Now! and Expand Your Knitting Skills.

Learn to Knit, Now! includes instructions on how to make a slip knot, perform the long-tail cast on, knit, purl and bind odd, as well as tips for reading patterns and seven projects to try. The projects are skill building so as you work through the book you’ll learn how to sew a seam, work ribbing and perform other pattern stitches. Links to video tutorials are included if you need more help.

Expand Your Knitting Skills offers 17 patterns for knit accessories that go beyond the basics and include such skills as knitting cables, working in the round, picking up stitches and creating a ruffled edging for your knit project. The projects are mostly hats and scarves, but there are also mittens, fingerless gloves and a knit bag to try out your new skills on.

I will pick one winner to receive both books from people who leave comments on this post before the end of the day Sunday, January 12. I’d love to know if you’re a new knitter or who you would gift these books to in order to encourage their knitting.

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing and good luck!

Next Pattern:

Comments

  1. I’ve never learned to knit but it has been on my “bucket list” for a long time now. I really would love to have a portable crafty hobby.

  2. I tried learning from a book years ago, but haven’t knitted anything in about 40 years. Would love to get back into it.

  3. I’d like this, I learned as a kid, but never made anything and am now picking it back up because you can make so many lovely, original things.

  5. I am interested in knitting. My mother knits and I would love to learn so I can knit with her. She was recently diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, so I am looking to do things with her that aren’t strenuous.

  6. My daughter and I have been knitting for a few years now and we try to convert everyone! These would be great.

  7. Been knitting for a while but can always learn something new

    Hope to find some projects to donate to charity for kids and adults

  8. I learned to crochet as a child and learned the very basics of knitting in a therapy class many years ago. I would love a refresher course and maybe really make something!

  9. I was taught to knit by my grandma in elementary school. Hadn’t done it in ages but started again before Christmas. I’m hoping to do more … have grand kids I can make things for now.

  10. I love knitting and have my granddaughter age 10 and her mother knitting. I am thrilled they have taken up knitting and are working on some lovely projects. We would love to share these books and hone our knitting skills. It would great for us to knit a similar item in different yarns and have the completed articles to enjoy and discuss as a family project.

  11. I was pretty dire at knitting as a child however, as an adult, browsing web pages has inspired me to start again. My skills are very basic but I see so many beautiful and colourful yarns that I can’t wait to transform them into a piece of hand knitting art work. I would love to develop my skills & produce items for the more needy people in my local community.

  12. I can’t start or finish a knitting project, but I can do basic knitting stitches. I need these books so I can surprise my Mom with a handmade knitted gift next Christmas. She would be so surprised because she knows I’m not much of a knitter and she always has to finish most of my creative projects. Thank you for the opportunity to win these great books.

  18. These book would be so helpful to me. I am a beginner and need all the help I can get!
    Thank you for the opportunity to win the books!

  19. I would gift these to my friend’s daughter who is just starting out and enjoying knitting and crocheting.

  21. learning to knit from the net so many sites and information,..doing ok so far so many ideas to choose from, I need to learn to knit faster to get my results ASAP!

  22. Knitting has always eluded me. I can crochet but every time I pick up knitting needles it ends in anger, cursing and a terrible scene! Lol. I’m determined to master knitting and I’m hoping this book will be the one tutorial to get me there!

  23. Hi – i learned to knit as a child and haven’t done it in a LONG time and wasn’t really good beyond the basic stitches. But i wanted to get back into it to teach my girl scout troop so we can do blankets for the homeless and pediatric wards. I have 13 girls who all want to learn and I’d love to be able to teach them properly. Thank you for this opportunity.

  24. I learned to knit at age 10 but haven’t knit in years and never got past making a messed up mitten. This book sounds like something that would help me learn all over again and to teach my granddaughter. Thank you so much for this offer.

  25. I would love these books so I can give them to my granddaughter. We live in different states so I can’t be there to help her. Thanks for considering me!

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.