Book Review: Drop-Dead Easy Knits

By the title alone, I think a lot of people are going to be interested in this book. Drop-Dead Easy Knits by Gale Zucker, Mary Lou Egan and Kirsten Kapur is the result of a bunch of knitters being in real life friends and thinking about the kinds of knitting projects they like to do in different situations.

The projects are designed for those different events, like being in a waiting room, travelling, wanting something warm to work on when the weather is cool, knitting with friends that doesn’t require paying attention to your work.

In this case easy doesn’t mean plain. It’s more projects that can be worked often with limited attention through parts of the process but that still produce things that you’ll enjoy knitting, wearing, using or gifting.

The projects are arranged by theme: cold hands, warm heart (knitting while it’s cold or for the cold); the waiting game (projects for picking up and putting down); drinking buddies (perfect for knit night and for gifting to friends); family entanglements (things to knit at holiday get-togethers or when teaching kids to knit); bursting with joy (baby knits); and no sheep at the shore (projects for beach knitting and wearing).

The projects are rated by how much attention they require and the patterns are marked where you need to pay more attention, which is handy.

I’m not finding the book on Ravelry yet but you can get a sneak peek at the publisher’s website.

Some of my favorites include the cozy Camurac Cardigan, sure to become a wear-everywhere favorite; the Keynote Pullover, which features a simple textured yoke but is otherwise straight knitting; the Star-Eyed Julep Throw, designed by the Mason-Dixon knitters to be worked in four pieces (possibly by four different people) and joined together at the end; the Apple Hill Finger Puppets, a perfect first project for a pint-sized knitter; the adorable Bear in a Bunny Suit by Susan B. Anderson; and the sweet Pompano Tank, with eyelets at the hem and a swingy style.

These projects are fun, pretty, great for gifts, relatively easy to knit but don’t look like beginner projects.

About the book: 144 pages, paperback with interior flaps, 30 patterns (I actually counted 29, 7 rated mindless, 20 relaxed and 2 attentive). Published September 2016, Clarkson Potter, suggested retail $16.99.

Looking for more knitting patterns for knitted Cardigans? Check out these Knitting patterns we found on Etsy.

Specific to knitters, you can join our Knitting Patterns Only group to get, well, knitting patterns, ask questions and gain inspiration for what to knit next.

Looking for Yarn online? Check out Lionbrand our preferred source for purchasing yarn online.

Getting ready for back to school makes me think about pencil crafts, so let’s take a look at some pencil themed knitting patterns!

I recently made a pencil on a circular knitting machine, and it was a fun, quick, easy project that uses little bits of leftover yarn (and if you don’t have yellow you can make it a colored pencil using whatever color’s your favorite). And if you want to make a bigger version check out this pattern from Orange Olive Road on Etsy.

If you want to knit a pencil pillow by hand, check out Sketchy, available on Ravelry from Shana S. Cohen. This one uses worsted weight yarn and has two size options and the choice to make a pencil with an eraser or a colored pencil.

Pencil scarves seem to be the most popular kind of pencil knitting pattern, and there are lot of cute ones. This one from Cosy Craft UK mostly uses garter stitch, with some welts to add texture and what looks like an I-cord edging. It calls for DK weight yarn.

If you want to go all garter stitch try this version from Emsley Co Creations, which uses five colors of DK weight yarn and just a little shaping to make the point of the pencil.

There’s also this fun, mostly stockinette so it looks like it curls a bit, pencil pattern that looks like it’s worked in chunky yarn from Little Knits Studio. This one uses just a little garter stitch and easy shaping for the point.

If you don’t want a pencil scarf, how about some pencil socks? The No. 2 Pencil Socks from The Yarn Enabler are available from Ravelry and use five colors of sock yarn. They feature wide ribs to mimic the texture of a pencil and have options to be worked from the top down or the toe up.

Needs Sharpening by Alexander Walker is a free pattern on Ravelry that uses five colors of sock yarn to make a sort of shortie sock. The little bit of black at the tips of the toes inspired the name. These, too, can be worked in either direction and are available in three sizes.

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