Knitting

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Giveaway: Textured Knitting Books from Leisure Arts

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leisure arts booklet giveaways

Congratulations to Bradi!

I’m really liking sharing some quick book reviews over here, both because it gets me looking at more books than I was otherwise and because it’s giving me some more great stuff to give away.

So this week I’m giving away two books from Leisure Arts that I reviewed recently: Easy Textured Knits and iKnit Intrepid Cables. Both of these booklets are great for new to intermediate knitters and will give you lots of ideas for adding interest to your knitting.

If you want a chance to win them, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, February 22. Why don’t you tell me if you have a favorite textured stitch pattern? Moss Stitch is my favorite basic, but I also love diamond patterns (and chevrons, though I’m not wild about them in woven fabric, which is kind of strange).

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

Comments

  1. I have never really thought about if I have a favorite stitch pattern. I think that just something other than straight garter or stockinette is great.

  5. I have only just taught myself to knit this past month so I don’t know which I like. lol
    i don’t have internet (really) & I hv taken all the books my library has. New books would be sweet & then when I’m done with them the library will be 2 books richer!

  8. I am new to knitting so i do not have a favorite stitch yet, but i am already addicted and am excited to discover a favorite as i learn more!

  11. Cool books! I love a cable texture even though I haven’t been able to master it yet. But I’m working on it!

  12. I have a simple slip stitch pattern that I use for cowls frequently. Also like a stitch that the Yarn Harlot used for a scarf. Easy and good texture.

  21. I love moss stitches for more interesting yarn (my favorite piece I’ve ever knitted was a mustard yellow cowl with super, super bulky yarn in a moss stitch!) and chevron for baby blankets. I’d love to add more to my repertoire!

  22. I love trying most stitches, making garments look unusual and original as long as the wool isn’t too thin as my hands are beginning to become old before I want them to.

  23. I am still beginner o I do not know how to do the fancy stitchs yet. I want to try to learn though.

  25. I’m currently working on a sampler afghan so I’m looking for any new textures I can. So far I’m just loving just how many patterns there are made with nothing more than knit and purls and I really love those, but it’s probably just because I’m still new when it comes to the other stuff, ie cables.

  28. I like moss stitch, seed stitch, ooo – cables are pretty, but I’ve never tried ’em. Texture is GREAT!

  37. I tend to prefer textured fabrics to colorful ones- and I like moss stitch, too, but should probably learn some others…

    thanks for the giveaway!!

  38. I love linen stitch. The texture is subtle and the it can create great visual texture if you use different color yarn.

Have you read?

Patchwork Blanket Knitting Patterns

Any time of year is a good time for stash busting, but if you can combine it with knitting a blanket that will keep you warm when it (finally!) gets cooler that’s even better. Let’s take a look at some fun patchwork blanket knitting patterns. 

If you want to keep it super simple, you can just make blocks of garter stitch and sew them together, like the beginner’s patchwork baby blanket from Mini Baa Baa or the color block blanket from Make and Do Crew. Both projects are worked in strips and sew together, with the baby version calling for two strands of DK or light worsted weight yarn held together and the larger one using bulky yarn. 

Add a little more texture with the mixed blocks of the cottage quilt throw from Mama in a Stitch. This one combines garter stitch and seed stitch and uses worsted weight yarn. She used a crochet join to make the chains on top of the blocks, but you can join them however you like. It calls for eight colors but you can use what you have, and there are three size options. 

Get a real sampler style patchwork blanket with this design from Knit Sew Make. It calls for worsted weight yarn and has four size options. All of the patterns just use knit and purl stitches so this one is still pretty easy for beginners. 

If you want a more complex colorwork project that will keep you entertained all season, try the Peace by Piece blanket pattern from Needle and Feather. This one is made up of two color colorwork blocks and calls for worsted weight yarn. You can choose to use just a few of the blocks and repeat them more often, or make multiples of the whole set. 

The knitted patchwork recipe from Martine Ellis (free on Ravelry) uses mitered squares in fingering weight yarn, so it’s perfect for using up all your leftover sock yarn and mini skeins. This one is a tutorial more than a pattern so you can make your blanket as big as you like or keep going until you run out of yarn. 

Susan B. Anderson’s 100 Squares blanket (find it on Ravelry) has a lot of mitered squares, too, but they’re arranged in fun ways and includes some quilt inspired designs as well. This one also is a bit of method more than pattern but it sure looks like a lot of fun for using all the leftovers. 

Of course you can totally improvise a patchwork blanket using the yarn and stitches you like, but I hope these patterns inspire you to look at your leftover yarn in a new way.