Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Never Look A Knitted Gift Horse In The Needles?

by

Or something like that! A Knitted Hobby Horse, that’s what it is!

I recently came across a copy of this book that I’d like to giveaway. Not because I don’t want it, but because it’s an awesome book (yes, it really does have a knitted hobby horse in it, as well as cat toys…).

30 projects all packed up in this book, everything from bags, baby buntings and bookmarks to socks, scarves and sleeves.

Does your coffee need a coaster because it’s hot, and a cozy to keep it that way? This book has it (as well as dishrags to wipe up that coffee that spilled). Mittens, gloves and wrist warmers, toys, blankets, hats and pillows, there’s no end to the versatility. You got a persnickity person to knit for? There’s a project in this book that will save the day.

Want to learn a new technique? This book features projects in fair isle, stranding and felting. Embroidery, cables, lace, bobbles, and then it covers finishing techniques!

Knitted Gifts offers more than 30 projects for every gift-giving occasion. Designs include garments and accessories for the entire family as well as gifts for four-legged friends and the home.

What do you have to do to get this book? Tell me what your favorite, last minute, quick to knit idea is.

Giveaway ends Friday the 19th, hurry!

And.. just for a fun little kicker, I’m going to throw in another book featuring a popular gift item, hats! Hat Heads by Trond Afinnsen.

2 for the price of one…… GO!!

Comments

  1. Actually, if I won, this would be a gift for my generous knitting friend, because she is always knitting things for other people, including me! I can do nice things with tiny sewing needles, but big knitting needles just confound me!! Thanks for this opportunity!!

  2. My favorite & quick to knit gift is a pair of baby booties for a baby shower – always appreciated & oh so dainty!

  8. I am not yet a knitter, but my best friend Jordan is, and this book would be perfect for her. She made me the most beautiful purple scarf for my birthday last year, and I wear it every chance I get!

  9. Wow – thanks for the book gift! Not sure how to/ where to go to get it….But my favorite is an airy scarf with fringe. Another thing I do is make coasters and felt them, tie them up in a pretty ribbon and keep a couple sets around for last minute gifts.

  12. I taught myself to knit via books and Youtube just recently and am now obsessed (I already crochet)! My favorite quick gift to make is a cowl or circular scarf. They are versatile and can made wide or narrow, fine or chunky; and can be made with simple or more complex patterns. Judging from my family’s and friends’ reactions, they’re pretty popular gifts to receive too!

  13. Forgot to say that the circular scarves fit everybody too. BTW – Thanks for offering those books as giveaways.

  15. My favorite quick knit is scrubbies. They are so fast and people are always asking for more. You can work them up while watching tv or waiting in line at the store or at the doctor’s office. I put some in a small basket with homemade soap and have an instant gift for personal care or add a small bottle of dishwashing liquid and have an instant gift.

  19. A last minute gift idea would be just a narrow knitted single colour long scarf. Its easy to knit and moves very fast. And because its simple with no designs and border(so its easier to roll).

    I would love to be added in the giveaway.

    smiles
    Leena

  20. Hats. My mom likes the hats I make. I get a special sense of pride when I wear one. They don’t take to long to make.

    urbanviolet(at)yahoo(dot)com

  21. From this book, I’m most excited about potential house warming gifts I could keep on hand for when the occasion arises such as the napkin rings and potholders.

  23. I hope I’m still in under the wire – favorite quick knit is a hat. Everyone likes to have choices this winter with so much snow.

  24. toys! as tiny as I can make them. It doesn’t matter who they are – most people really enjoy them (especially if you can match an animal or theme to the person).

  25. My last minute gifts are usually scarves, they are fast and easy!
    Thanks for a wonderful giveaway 🙂

  26. Baby washclothes are my favorite go-to quick knit. They are soft and who can resist knitting for babies!!

  27. Ohh, I’ve been wanting Knitted Gifts!! My favorite last minute knit gift is usually a hat. I like knitting hats just because they are so quick and they don’t take a lot of yarn.

  28. My favorite last minute gift to knit has to be a hat – I make these so frequently, that I have the patterns memorized – could use the ‘last minute gift’ book just so my gift recipients have more variation in the gifts I give them hahaha. Thanks,
    Kathleen

  29. I can do a pair of socks pretty fast, but everyone seems to want a set (3) of my dish cloth/face towels in organic cotton. I do three shades of a color or three complimentary colors. My daughter says they are the BEST face towels. Also a favorite last minute knit up are matching set (4ea)of coasters and coffee cozies. Since I always have a traveling project in the works, gifts are easy and give me as much joy as the receiver.

  30. I can do a pair of socks pretty fast, but everyone seems to want a set (3) of my dish cloth/face towels in organic cotton. I do three shades of a color or three complimentary colors. My daughter says they are the BEST face towels. Also a favorite last minute knit up are matching set (4ea)of coasters and coffee cozies. Since I always have a traveling project in the works, gifts are easy and give me as much joy as the receiver.
    Something I love to do, but is never last minute, are hats for the local cancer clinic!

  32. I am a procrastinator and not a fast knitter. But I find knitting fever flounce scarves knit up at 8 inches per hour and have been extremely well received. In fact the recipients like them so much they ask for more, or for the pattern. I don’t love making them, but it’s the price I pay for procrastination and totally mindless knitting.

  33. All of my gifts are made at the last minute 🙂 But I really like knitting little itty bitty robots as last minute gifts– they’re cute, gender neutral, and make great additions to key rings.

  34. My quickest knitted gift is the rose brooch or the phone cover for a man.
    The books would provide a very welcome incentive to create something different for a change!

Have you read?

Book Review: The Knitting Book

There are two schools of thought when it comes to instructional books about knitting. Either focus in one particular technique or kind of knitting (stranded knitting, say, or brioche) or try to cover a little bit of everything in a reference book that knitters will use throughout their careers. 

The Knitting Book by Frederica Patmore and Dr. Vikki Haffenden aims to be the second kind. The subtitle is: a step-by-step guide to creating imaginative projects for the home and to wear. I’m not sure it does that, exactly, but it does include a quick look at a lot of different techniques and stitch patterns you might use in your projects. 

A “guide to creating imaginative projects” sounds to me like it’s about design, but this book is not. There’s 1/3 of a page about altering patterns that only talks about how to add length to a sleeve and adjust where the increases go.

There’s nothing about measuring your body (the section on choosing a size in a pattern only suggests measuring a garment you already own), general garment construction, ease or stitch pattern multiples. The section on gauge (which is the last third of the page with choosing a garment size and altering patterns, discussed above) just says to knit a swatch, block and measure it to compare to a pattern, with no discussion on how you might use your swatch to design your own project or alter a pattern to meet your gauge. 

If you ignore the subtitle, what you will find is a lot of information about different kinds of knitting and various techniques you might want to try on your projects. There are 20 cast ons and 15 bind off options, for instance, all discussed before you learn how to knit or purl. (Another quibble I have with this book is the order in which things are presented, but that’s relatively minor.)

You’ll find quick hits on increases and decreases, twists and cables, lace, colorwork, textured effects like fisherman’s rib and brioche, loops, mosaic knitting, double knitting, decorative stitches, shadow knitting, bias knitting, mitered squares, entrelac and more. There are tips for selvedge stitches, knitting with beads, adding buttonholes, picking up stitches and more. 

A few patterns at the back give knitters a taste of some of the techniques included, but they’re not rated by skill level and the first one is a bias knit gradient scarf worked in six different colors of mohair, which isn’t a thing I’d wish on any beginner. 

And I guess that’s maybe what my issue with the book is. I don’t know if it’s meant for beginners and it doesn’t seem to, either. I feel like this book would be overwhelming to new knitters and doesn’t really give you a place to start or all the information you might need to do projects well.

The variety of techniques included is fun, and there are also stitch patterns in the back you can use on your own projects, but again it doesn’t really provide any guidance for how to design your own projects so I don’t know how helpful all of that is. 

I want to like books like this because having one reference that helps you with a lot of different things is great, I’m just not sure this is the one. If you can find it at your library or local book store and flip through it before buying, I think that would be a great idea to see if it’s a book that would be helpful for you. 

And if you have this book and love it please let me know! I’m sure it’s good for someone I’m just not sure who. 

About the book: 336 pages, hardcover. Published 2026 by DK. Suggested retail price $40.