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Giveaway: You Can Knit That

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you can knit that review
The winner is Karey.

I don’t know why I didn’t give this one away sooner, but You Can Knit That by Amy Herzog is a book I would want if I were starting out with sweater and garment knitting, and there are definitely patterns in it that I would still knit.

But this is designed to be a learning book, with lessons and patterns that build off each other, so it’s perfect for people who haven’t knit sweaters, vests and tops before.

Even better, it includes a whole bunch of sizes for each of the patterns, so it’s very likely you can knit straight from these patterns, no modifications required.

There’s also lots of great information that will help build your confidence before you even pick up your needles and as you knit to ensure that you’re making something you will be proud of, that you’ll be happy to wear and that fits.

If you’d like a chance to win this book, leave a comment on this post by the end of the day Sunday, March 5. I’d love to know if you have any experience knitting garments, and what your dream sweater that you wish you could knit would be. I’ve made a few of the dream designs in my head, including a circular yoke sweater out of Icelandic wool, a great sweater worked in self-striping Noro and a simple ribbed vest. But there are always more great sweaters to try, right?

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

Comments

  2. I have only knit baby sweaters. I’d really love to knit a vintage 1940s style sweater in a deep purple color.

  5. I’d love this. I’ve just restarted knitting sweaters again after a 20 year hiatus and my skills are pretty rusty.

  6. I have some experience, but it’s minimal. I would love to learn more, though, to build my confidence up.

  7. This looks like a great book to learn knitting. I would love to learn how to knit from it. I think I would try a vest first or scarf.

  8. I’ve knit a few sweaters but have never been very happy with the fit. I think this book would be a great resource to learn about fit and styles that are best for my figure. (BTW, LOVE your Noro striped sweater..so fun!)

  9. would love to try knitting a sweater. I have always wanted a fitted sweater and have just never had enough nerve to try. I have only done hats, mittens, and household items. thanks for the chance at this great giveaway!

  10. I once knit a dress for my sister to wear to her daughter’s baptism. It was knit with ribbon yarn. I would love to knit Irish sweaters with all the cabling. I would love to knit using two different yarns on the same row.

  12. I would like this book for the variety of sizes. I really enjoy Aran patterns. Thank you for the giveaway chance.

  13. I. Would love to win this book. I have knitted a few sweaters and vest in the past but have never been happy with the fit. I am large in some places and then normal in others. I think this book might be the answer to help with my problem fit.

  14. I knitted a sweater for my daughter when she was a baby , she just turned forty, I would love to try it again.

  15. I’ve got a WIP sweater, almost done, that’s been gathering dust for 3 years as I churn out hats, scarves, household items, and other smaller, less intimidating projects. I have looked through this book & think ti would be very helpful! My goal is to finish the sweater I have on the needles, and then make a big, cushy cardigan.

    Thanks for

  16. This Book would be very helpful for me. I stopped making sweaters because they would never fit right. It also would be great to pass it down to my granddaughters who are now being taught how to knit by this grannie.

  17. I am too chicken to try sweaters, and I would dearly love to fix that. Since I don’t have anyone near me to help me out, maybe this book could do the job.

  18. Would love this. Consider myself as a beginner-intermediate knitter. This book would be totally inspirational.

  21. I love knitting and have two sweaters on my needles. One is winter Icelandic Fair Isle and the other is a summer cotton with a lace yoke. Both have been knit up to the scary part and now I need the confidence to keep going and finish. I think this book would be a great help! Thank you for your giveaway.

  22. I love to knit all types of garments, including sweaters. I currently have two on my needles: a winter one of Icelandic wool (with Fair Isle yoke) and a summer cotton with a lace yoke. I have knit them both up to the scary part and need the confidence to continue. This book would be a great help. Thank you for the giveaway!

  24. I’ve always enjoyed knitting small garments such as baby items ,and socks . I did tackle two sweaters for me in bulky weight yarn over this winter. Love them. Now I’d love to make some tanks or T shirt type tops.

  26. I have made lots of baby clothes, but I’m not brave enough to try a full-sized adult sweater yet. Maybe this book would give me enough courage to try.

  29. I knit lots of hats, scarves, but I shy away from sweaters – afraid it won’t fit
    I would love to knit a nice cozy pullover in alpaca

  31. I knit my first sweater shortly after learning to knit, it was a learning experience with mistakes but I was very happy with the way it turned out.

  34. I’ve started a sweater but never finished. The fit wasn’t right. I don’t even know where the pattern is anymore. Not sure what my dream sweater is, I’d just like to knit one that fit well.

  35. I have not done any knitting yet but I would love to learn. Any sweater would be my dream to knit.

  36. Want to expand my knitting skills to include sweaters. Have made baby sweaters, but i’m ready for the challenge of an adult sweater.

  37. I started knitting at age 10, and at various points have knitted sweaters, hats, etc. for friends, although not so many for myself! Then knitting became the canary in the coal mine–whenever work created pressure, my knitting (which I needed most at those times!) disappeared. Now I’m in my 60s, and have been trying the theory that knitting is like riding a bicycle–you can pick it up again easily…WRONG! I’m having to practice with scarves and hats–even shawls with significant lace patterns stump me (despite asking for help in 3 states and 2 countries!). I have a husband who loves to wear my sweaters no matter how hot it is! At any rate, I’d love to rehabilitate myself and my knitting, and this book might just do the trick!

  38. I have only knitted scarfs, because everything else looked so difficult. I would love this book.

  41. I have not progressed beyond scarves and hats but love all of the knitted sweaters I see around.This book seems a good place to start. Thanks for offering.

  44. I’ve been wanting to knit my first sweater for awhile now, but other projects keep me from pulling the trigger!

  45. I would love this book. I have been knitting fir only a year and a half now. The only garment type of knitting I have done…. is right now I am learning to knit slippers. I am still learning but hope to get into making sweaters and vests. Thanks for the chance.

  46. I am currently making a sweater from her sweater modification for a custom fit class from Craftsy. She is one of my favorite designers. I’m hoping this current project will be my dream sweater now that I know the basics of modifying for a better fit.

  48. I haven’t made any sweaters in a few years and would love to try some again. Thank you for the giveaway.

  49. Love to have this book and feel like I could accomplish something I’ve started. Always wanted to make like a sweater in different colors but not brave enough!

Have you read?

Book Review: The Knitter’s Sweater Fitting Bible

It’s one thing to follow a knitting pattern and get the fit that the designer wanted for that particular project. But it’s quite another thing to decide how you want your sweater to fit and making a project work for you. 

Designer Kim McBrien Evans aims to help knitters understand why sweater patterns don’t always work for them the way they expect and what to do about it in her book The Knitter’s Sweater Fitting Bible.

She describes the book as containing “everything I’ve learned about sweaters, bodies, and the art of fit.” It covers how to plan for a good fit through things like taking measurements and choosing the correct size to knit, understanding ease, reading schematics and fixing fit issues. 

Sweater style templates give knitters a place to start knitting better sweaters with made to measure patterns that work with any body, any yarn and any gauge. The book is designed to give knitters confidence to go their own way whether they’re modifying existing patterns, using one of the templates or designing their own custom sweater.

McBrien Evans argues that the best way to make a sweater that will fit well and stand up to lots of wearing is to work from the top down flat in pieces that are seamed when the knitting is done (the exception being circular yoke sweaters, which are worked in the round from the top down). She offers advice for making seaming easier like using selvedges and short rows.

She goes into a lot of detail on how and where to measure yourself and how to understand schematics in knitting patterns to help you choose the correct size for you and know where to adjust. The fixing fit chapter covers how to fit a sweater to your body from the shoulders down, with tips for things like balancing uneven shoulder height, accommodating a larger bust, using different shaping on the front and back of a sweater for better fit, fixing neckline depth and fixing sleeve and body lengths. 

The book includes photos and drawings of people of different sizes and with physical differences such as a smaller limb or having a mastectomy on one side, which is nice and helps you see how these concepts work on different bodies. 

The sweater templates offer options like a straight body, A-line and waist shaping body; set in sleeve caps and armholes, straight raglans and modular compound raglans, drop shoulders and circular yoke shaping; crew, scoop and V-neck options; a variety of sleeve templates, neckline finishes, and button hole options for cardigans. 

It’s easy for all this to feel overwhelming if you’re trying to read the book cover to cover, but it’s good to know that all of those options are there if you need them. There are also nine design profile sweaters that show you how all the pieces go together that you can knit through to help you understand some of the concepts. 

A fit kit in the back walks you through the math so you’ll feel comfortable with things like determining your rate of shaping, adding darts, shaping diagonals and calculating the lengths of curved edges, among other things. 

The good news is you’re not going to need all of these tools for every project. The better news is that now you know these are things you can do to make your sweaters fit better, and you’ll have McBrien Evans as your able guide every step of the way. 

While this might not be a book you want to spring on a new sweater knitter, it’s a guide that everyone who enjoys knitting garments should have on hand to reference ways to make sweaters they want to knit — from written patterns or designing for themselves — that much better. 

About the book: 192 pages, hardcover, 9 patterns. Published 2026 by David & Charles. Suggested retail price $29.99.