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Review/Giveaway: Continuous Cables

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continuous cables book giveaway

Carolyn is getting this one!

This week’s giveaway, Continuous Cables by Melissa Leapman, is not a new book (it was published in 2008) but it’s a great one for learning how cables work and how to use them effectively and in different ways in projects.

Instead of dealing with straight, ropey cables like we are used to, her cables twist and turn to make circles, rings, swirls, cirlicues and Celtic-inspired designs on pillows, sweaters, blankets, baby projects and more. (Check out all the projects on Ravelry. Mine is the hardcover version and actually has a different cover.)

In addition, there is a stitch dictionary with more than 80 panels and motifs you can add to your projects or just play with in swatches.

There are a couple of beginner patterns in the book but I would say its better suited to people who have comfort with traditional cables and are ready to branch out into new twisty territory.

If you’d like a chance to win this book, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, February 19. Please only United States residents on this one — this book is heavy!

I’d love to know about your experience with cables, or with knitting more generally. Do you consider yourself a beginner, an expert or somewhere in between? Personally, I know enough to know I still have a lot to learn!

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing, and good luck!  Looking for more Cable-styled knitting patterns? Check out these Cable Knit Patterns on Etsy

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Comments

  1. Still have so much to learn! There is always new techniques coming out. I consider my skills to be intermediate and I love cables!

  2. My experience with cables isn’t very good, nor is it vast. They tend to be too tight for some reason and I haven’t been able to make them loose enough. I have to sort of pull really hard to get those stitches made. I’m definitely a beginner at cables and I would love to learn how to do them because I want to get more experience at making socks and using delicate cable patterns. It’s very challenging.

  4. I am like you I know enough to know I can still learn more. I have been knitting for years and the new patterns coming out are things I like to try before my hand get to bad to knit.. Thank you for the chance to win this book.

  5. I am always learning new techniques and ideas with cables. Love the look they give knitted items.

  6. I love cables. My very first item I knit was with lots of cables. I consider myself still a beginner…
    Still learning and conquering!

  7. I have been knitting a very long time-since my father taught me as a teenager! I have done a lot of different stitches, including cables-would love to experiment with new ideas!

  8. I’m a cable newbie and made my first cabled headband/ear warmer for my niece. My goal is to learn as many cables as possible for 2017.

  11. I love cables and have intermediate skills knitting them. I wish I could learn to understand them better so I could write cable patterns.

  12. I probably have advanced beginner skills and love cables! I would like to attempt advanced cables such as in this wonderful book!

  13. My grandmother taught me to knit & purl 55 years ago when I was only 6 yrs old.. Never made anything but just practiced when I stayed with her. I became disabled and picked up a pair of needles a couple years ago and I was amazed that I cast on and began knitting by total recall. I find that amazing considering how I no longer remember what I ate for dinner last nite but I remember how to knit. Since that time I am totally self taught. Am madly in love with cables. Would love to do an Irish pattern but I feel like I am all thumbs when I am doing them. I am not a smooth cable-maker but I never give up. They are well worth the effort!!!!!!

  14. I have knit cables several times and enjoy making cabled items. My knitting skills are intermediate. There are lots of new techniques to learn.

  15. I’ve only made 3 cable projects so far, but cables are so much fun! A lady in a coffee shop taught me how to do cables without using a cable needle and that really helped my speed. I know there is so much more for me to learn and this book would be a wonderful help. Thanks so much for the chance to win! 🙂

  16. There’s so much still to learn so I’d have to say I’m an intermediate newbie. : )) I love cables for the challenge (as I REALLY have to pay attention!) and the beautiful designs you can create with them.

  17. I would really love this book. I have learned to do “ordinary” cables but all these different types of cables, well I had no idea there were so many and the design on the front of this book is really beautiful. How I would love to be able to make something like that.

  18. I knitted a cable sweater for my boyfriend (now husband) when I was a teenager, almost 50 years ago. I would love to expand my knowledge of cables to such interesting shapes and designs, now that I am retired and have time to knit again.

  19. I love cables and I’m enjoying Ms Leapman’s square for the Knitterati Afghan. I’d love to have a copy of this book. 🙂

  20. I still consider myself a beginner even though I have made a few cabled projects because they were all accessories so didn’t require much staying power – but I would love to try some of the projects in this wonderful book!

  21. I love all kinds of knitting from lace, to cables, to plain stockinette or garter. I consider myself an expert. Would love to receive this book, and learn new ways to use cables.

  22. Hi, would love a chance at this book. I have a skill level of in between when it comes to cables. I love that it looks so complicated, but is a lot easier to do then I once thought. Happy knitting!

  23. I love cables. My very first knitting project was a fisherman sweater with lots of cables. A combination of ignorance and over-ambition. The sweater came out with some flaws, but very wearable. I still have it and love it.

  24. I’ve been exploring some interesting cables in a blanket I’m working on. I was just thinking I’d really like a book of motifs to figure out how to design my own cables. I’d love a chance at this book. Thanks!

  26. I’m not a cable newbie but I love the celtic knot look and I hadn’t seen this particular book until you posted this. Thanks for the chance to win!

Have you read?

Vintage Bed Socks Knitting Pattern – A Cozy Little Gift Project With Old-Fashioned Charm

There is something wonderfully nostalgic about a pair of handmade bed socks, isn’t there? They are practical, pretty, and just the sort of project that feels like it belongs beside a cup of tea, a good film, and a basket of wool that is pretending not to be overflowing.

This vintage Bed Socks knitting pattern is one of those sweet little patterns that still feels useful today. Originally from the Jaeger Hand-Knit Series No. 44, the design features a simple garter-stitch foot, a ribbed cuff, eyelet holes, a crochet chain tie, and little tassel-style pom-poms at the front. The original pattern even describes them as “a very acceptable present,” and honestly, I don’t think much has changed there.

These would make a lovely handmade gift for someone who is always cold, someone recovering or resting, or anyone who appreciates a bit of old-fashioned comfort. They would also be beautiful as a Mother’s Day gift, a winter birthday present, a Christmas stocking filler, or a “just because you deserve cozy feet” project.

The pattern itself is delightfully simple in construction. The socks are knitted flat, beginning at the lower edge, with the foot worked in garter stitch before moving into the ribbed upper section. The decorative eyelet row allows for a crochet chain cord to be threaded through, and the finishing tassels give the socks that charming vintage look. The top edge is finished with a row of double crochet, which adds a neat handmade touch.

The original measurements list the socks as approximately 10½ inches from the top to the lower edge of the heel, with a 9¾ inch foot length, and the pattern notes that the size can be adapted. As with many vintage knitting patterns, modern knitters will want to check gauge carefully and choose a soft yarn that feels comfortable against the skin. A cozy wool blend, soft acrylic, or washable yarn would all work depending on whether you are making these for everyday use or as a special gift.

I especially love that this pattern has that “giftable” quality without being a massive project. It is small enough to feel achievable, but still special enough that the finished pair looks thoughtful. And let’s be honest, handmade socks with pom-poms are always going to beat a last-minute candle from the supermarket.

The PDF version has been cleaned up and formatted for easier reading while keeping the original vintage design intact. It also includes a modern pink mockup image and the original vintage scan, so you get both the historical charm and a fresh idea of how the finished socks could look today.

If you enjoy vintage knitting patterns, cozy handmade gifts, or quick projects that feel useful rather than just decorative, this sweet little bed socks pattern is a lovely one to add to your collection.

You can find the Vintage Bed Socks Knitting Pattern PDF in the CraftGossip Etsy store.

For supplies, this is also a nice stash-friendly project. A soft yarn from Mary Maxim or Amazon would work well, and if you make pom-poms regularly, a small pom-pom maker is one of those inexpensive tools that saves a surprising amount of fiddling.