Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Jil Eaton’s Knitting School!

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Attention class! Come to order! Come on settle down! I know you’re excited to begin but we have a few basics to cover first!

First of all, I highly recommend that you go our and buy the textbook for this class. It’s called “Jil Eaton’s Knitting School – the complete guide to becoming a confident knitter”

Ready? Got your needles? Yarn? Something to measure gauge? What’s gauge? Well, let’s get started!

Chapter one covers the basics, from how to put together the perfect knitting kit, blocking and laundering, how to read a pattern and abbreviations. Then we get to practice these new techniques.

Beginner’s Delights is the next section. From the very first “making a slip knot” to the basic cast on’s, and knit stitch. Binding off, weaving in ends, and even pom poms! Then we get to practice these new techniques.

Throughout this whole book from the beginners techniques and projects through the graduate school which covers bobbles, socks, kitchener stitch, fair isle, texture knitting, pleats, and lace and multistitch patterns this book is chock full with all the tips, techniques and helpful little hints to ensure success. This one’s definitely a keeper….. for you!

And someone’s going to win it! Leave me a comment telling me who or what you would use this book for!

Ready… Set…. Go!

Comments

  1. I can only do basic knitting (scarves, and jumpers that never fit as my technique is terrible) so I’d use this to improve and finally knit something pretty!

  2. I’m pretty confident basic knitter, but I’m forever passing up projects because they involve knitting on double pointed needles or any kind of color work. I even the most adorable cardigan pattern for my little girl on Ravelry, but have stopped short of buying yarn for it because color work scares me. I’m hoping this book would help give me the confidence to go beyond “just the basics” to make something truly special for my loved ones. =0)

  3. I would use it to encourage some of the girls at a local youth club I help at to begin knitting and make gifts to put in shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. Oh AND to remind myself of some of the stuff I have no doubt forgotten.

  4. I would give this to my niece who is learning to knit. My sister does not knit so a book like this will be good.

  7. I would like to learn beyond the basic techniques to be able to knit more advanced projects for myself and my family.
    Thanks 🙂

  8. This looks like a great reference for a somewhat new knitter like myself, I’d defiantly share it with my niece when she comes over to get her started knitting, she’s been asking when she’d be old enough.

  9. This book would be for me! I have very very basic knitting skills. I would love to be able to knit something other than a scarf like hats and sweaters and all the other goodies! 🙂

  11. I wish I could learn to read my knitting better, so I wouldn’t get so lost when doing cables and lace. I get lost so often!

  12. This book would surely help me get past some of my knitting phobias and get further with my knitting!

  13. Would love the book for my daughter 🙂 She is just getting started and would enjoy a wonderful tutorial book.

  14. It’s my dream to one day retire and open a yarn store. I’d use the book to refine my techniques, better my knitting, and also to help me in my quest to become a master knitter.
    My niece is five and enjoys watching me knit. I’d love to be able to pass this book on to her in time.

  15. My husband and I just started a plan to get out of debt and one of the recommendations is to give crafts for xmas. That is what I would use this book for.

  17. I am a beginner and could definitely use a more solid foundation of the basics, as I tend to choose patterns beyond my knitting know-how…. just love a challenge, I guess!

  18. this book would be so helpful, as I am new at knitting and find myself in problems that I don’t even know how I got myself there!

Have you read?

The Bunny Sweater Knitting Pattern that’s Actually for Cats

I don’t often share knitting patterns for pets, mostly because I don’t think of it. I don’t have a dog, and I’ve never knit for my cats except a knit couch and a little cat bed I made on a knitting machine, both of which were pretty much ignored. 

I have shared some pet bed knitting patterns, and both hats and sweaters for dogs. 

But I don’t think I’ve shared a pattern for a cat sweater, until now. 

This one is the Bunny sweater by Sarah Zhou, so named because her cat is named Bunny, of course. 

It’s a made to measure pattern because cats come in all shapes and sizes, and you can also use any yarn you like and whatever gauge you are getting with that yarn. 

The design is knit from the bottom up, that is, from the tail side up toward the head. Pairs of decreases shape the body as you work toward the armholes, which are made by binding off a few stitches. Then the belly and the back are worked flat, then joined and worked in the round for the chest part. 

There are some design options in the pattern, from the look of the photos they include using a contrasting color for the edging, working a scalloped edging, maybe a foldover collar? But of course you can add your own embellishments, stripes, make it in team colors or for a Halloween costume. I’m sure they’re quick to knit so you can make a bunch if you have a cat who is willing to submit to such torture. 

Bunny looks like a very good and mostly tolerant girl; I don’t think either of my cats would be willing to wear a sweater. But if you make one (the pattern is available on Ravelry) and successfully get your cat to wear it I would love to hear about it!

[Photo: Sarah Zhou]