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Giveaway: Modern Country Knits

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modern country knits giveaway

Craftyone is the winner!

Have you ever dreamed of leaving your regular life behind and raising fiber animals? It’s a dream most of us knitters and yarn crafters probably have from time to time, but Susan Gibbs actually did it, and the result is Juniper Moon Farms.

Modern Country Knits is a book full of 30 designs using her yarns, and inspired by country life with a bit of a twist, using lots of details and fun colors to make for a book full of cozy knits you’ll love no matter where you live (check out the full set on Ravelry).

The designs are feminine but not girly and have little details you’ll like as a knitter and when you wear the garments, too.

One copy of this book is up for grabs to someone who comments on this post by the end of the day Sunday, Oct. 25.

I’d love to know whether you consider yourself a country person or a city person, regardless of where you actually live. I think I’m a not-too-small-town person. I like living in a place that’s big enough to have things to do but in no way a big city (and easy access to country, forest, etc., is great, too).

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

Comments

  3. Definitely a country person here so these designs would suit very well. Thank you for the giveaway chance

  7. I’m like you, I dont like the big city and really enjoy hanging in the woods or at a lake but I like living on the fringes of the city

  8. I think I’m a medium town person living in the country… I’d actually like to move. In the meantime, I’d love to win a knitting book!

  9. I’m a city person. Maybe not a big city but one that has fun things to do and good employment.

  11. I love the Juniper Moon Farm story, I’ve been following them for a long time. I’m a seaside kind of girl. I know, that wasn’t one of my choices! I love living near the ocean/beach in my little town that is only 45 minutes from a big city and 15 minutes from horse country. I get the best of all worlds!

  12. I’m a country person, and I love to knit! I think I would like a lot of the patterns in this book.

  15. I’m a city girl…as long as it’s not too big of a city! Looks like a great book…thanks for the giveaway!

  17. Grew up a small town girl, learned knitting for 4-H project.
    I am now a country girl. I married farmer and we enjoy the outside country life of raising livestock and pets. ( and some pests – Mr. Possum who keeps eating the cat food.) The nearest yarn stock is 45 miles away, so I use the internet and free delivery a lot.

  20. Love the look of those hats on the cover. We live about 15 minutes out of San Francisco, but you would think it was in the country. We have constant animals visitors to our property, a parade of deer that we have named. A buck named Vincent – because he has lost half an ear, Jack Bauer – a grizzled scarred huge buck with such an impressive set of antlers, and Magic Mike, who is just the most handsome buck you have ever seen! So I am like a few other – half city, half country. And I love to knit and crochet!

  22. I agree with your description of yourself, Sarah. I too do not like the big city, but need to have some shopping within a reasonable distance.

  23. I am definitely a country person! I have plenty of inner resources, a huge library, and a big STASH so I can manage to entertain myself almost indefinitely.

    from chilly VT,
    the Vermonster

  24. Love Juniper Moon. I would describe myself exactly as you have described yourself! I grew up outside the big city in California, and small town Midwest has been an adjustment, but we are 20 minutes to 2 big cities, so I’m good. Before moving here, I had to clock the route to Super Target!

  26. Herb Caen used to call San Francisco “The city that used to know how”, and I hated it! Now it’s me who feels SF is losing any “Big Small Town” feeling and becoming more Big City all the time – and not in the best ways. Last year we earned the #1 spot on Movoto’s Snobbiest Cities list.

  27. I live in Fairbanks, Alaska. Even though there’s 100,000 people here it’s like a small town. I love it here. The only problem is that it’s expensive. I’d love to win this book. I’d definitely use it to make things for me and my friends and family. If I’m going to spend lots of money (to get or make something) I want to get enjoyment out of it. This book would give me wintertime enjoyment plus the enjoyment of giving. Thanks for the opportunity to win it!

  28. I’m impressed with the number and styles of the designs in this book. I see several things I would make. Thanks for the opportunity.

  32. Just from the look of the patterns on the cover this looks great! I am a country girl – love farm life!

  33. I consider myself, what I call, rural suburb. I would love to live in a nice quite community with a big yard and no traffic, but yet be within an hour of a major city.

Have you read?

10 Knitted Christmas Bauble Patterns for a Tree Full of Handmade Charm

There’s always room for one more Christmas decoration, especially when it uses yarn you already own. That’s my reasoning, anyway. Those little leftover balls that aren’t quite enough for a hat suddenly look much more promising when you start thinking about knitted baubles.

I love the idea of adding a few handmade ornaments to the tree each year. They don’t all have to match, either. A traditional colourwork ball beside a slightly cheeky Christmas pudding feels far more interesting than a tree where everything arrived in the same box.

These knitted Christmas bauble patterns include flat-knit designs, festive characters and detailed colourwork ornaments. Most are free, with a paid collection included for anyone who wants plenty of designs to work through. Some suit newer knitters; others are small projects for practising skills you already know.

Christmas Baubles Knitted Flat

The free Christmas Baubles—Knit Flat pattern from Tat’sgrans Treasures is worth a look if knitting tiny rounds doesn’t appeal. It includes three sizes and charted words such as Peace, Hope, Love and Joy, worked using intarsia. The flat construction is approachable, although the lettering adds a challenge beyond basic stocking stitch. I’d choose this for meaningful gift ornaments, particularly when one of those words suits the person receiving it.

Christmas Pudding Bauble

The free Christmas Pudding Bauble by Amanda Berry has all the appeal of a festive pudding without anyone debating whether they actually like eating it. Knitted flat in DK yarn, it combines shaping, colourwork and seaming, with a little holly topper to finish. It’s best for confident beginners with some experience rather than someone learning their first knit stitch. At approximately 6 cm tall, it would make a lovely tree decoration or an extra treat tied onto a wrapped present.

Rudolf & Friends Character Baubles

The free Rudolf & Friends Ornaments by Claire Fairall bring a playful touch to a handmade Christmas tree. These character baubles are knitted flat, and the instructions include illustrations for assembly and embroidery. Hobbii lists the pattern as suitable for beginners, making it a useful option for knitters who would rather practise finishing details than stranded colourwork. The finished ornaments measure approximately 8 × 6 cm and would also look cheerful tucked into a handmade wreath.

Cute Christmas Baubles With Little Faces

The free Cute Christmas Baubles from Marianna’s Lazy Daisy Days turn small amounts of DK yarn into cheerful character decorations. Worked flat and seamed, they use simple shaping, stuffing and added facial details to create their personality. They suit knitters comfortable with knit, purl, increases and decreases who enjoy a little assembly afterwards. I rather like Marianna’s idea of using them on the Christmas dinner table before adding hanging loops for the tree.

Rudolph’s Nose Christmas Bauble

The free Rudolph’s Nose Bauble from DROPS Design is a useful choice when you want a traditional ball-shaped ornament. Designed in DROPS Flora, it uses knitting in the round with increases and decreases to create the shape. Choose this if you’re comfortable handling a small circumference and want a project focused on construction. I’d make a few in coordinating colours to bring a little consistency to an otherwise wonderfully mismatched handmade tree.

Merry Mints Bauble

The free Merry Mints Bauble from DROPS Design offers another festive option, this time designed in DROPS Cotton Merino. The instructions include working back-and-forth rows and shaping, so it’s worth considering if you prefer that approach to tiny rounds. Read through the construction before starting and pay attention to the instructions for working yarn overs to avoid unwanted holes. This would be a nice project for a knitter who enjoys seeing a shaped decoration emerge from a small piece of knitting.

Caorann Fair Isle Christmas Bauble

The free Caorann Christmas Bauble by Sarah Berry brings delicate Fair Isle detail to a small ornament. It uses fingering-weight yarn and 2.5 mm needles, with instructions sized for an approximately 60 mm bauble insert. Worked in the round, the design includes both written and charted directions for its repeated segments. I’d save this one for knitters with some colourwork experience who want to make a particularly special keepsake.

A Dated 2026 Christmas Bauble

The free 2026 Christmas Bauble by Smaatterier combines the year with two traditional Selbu rose motifs. It’s knitted in the round using stranded colourwork across the middle, with either fibre filling or a suitably sized plastic bauble inside. The charted design is listed as intermediate and finishes at approximately 6.5 cm tall. This is a lovely choice for marking a first Christmas in a new home, a family milestone or simply another year of making things by hand.

Colourful Christmas Balls From Two Strands

The free Christmas Balls by Mary Ann Stephens are full of colourwork detail, with optional touches such as duplicate stitch and nupps. The designer also discusses I-cord hanging loops, which give the ornaments a pleasingly substantial finish. These are better suited to knitters comfortable following charts and managing several colours than complete beginners. Follow the updated download directions in the post to find the patterns on the designer’s current website.

ARNE & CARLOS Christmas Ball Collection

The paid Twenty-four Christmas Balls 2024 collection by ARNE & CARLOS includes a basic ball pattern and 24 different motif charts. The ornaments are worked in the round using stranded colourwork, with a linked tutorial to help you follow the process. Although the designer lists the collection as beginner level, I’d be comfortable knitting in the round and making increases and decreases before starting. This is the pick for someone who wants a whole collection of coordinated ornaments rather than just one small project.

Choosing Yarn for Knitted Baubles

Small decorations are tempting stash projects, but check the yarn weight before diving into that leftover basket. A thicker yarn can make a much larger bauble, while changing the yarn in a fitted cover may stop it fitting the recommended insert.

For colourwork, choose shades with enough contrast for the motif to show. Two lovely colours can look surprisingly similar once they’re knitted together, especially on something this small.

Smooth yarn also makes it easier to see your stitches. Save the fluffy, sparkly and slightly mysterious leftovers for a pattern where you’re confident they’ll work.

Getting a Nicely Rounded Finish

If your pattern uses stuffing, add it gradually and spread it evenly. You’re aiming for a rounded ornament without stretching the stitches so far apart that the filling shows through. For designs worked over an insert, check the diameter and follow the instructions for when to put it inside.

Give the finishing a little time, too. A neat seam, securely woven ends and a tidy hanging loop help a small decoration feel properly finished.

I’d start with a pair for the tree and one to give away. Of course, once you’ve laid out all those yarn colours, “just three” may become a rather flexible arrangement.