Knitting

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Review: Easy Fair Isle Knitting

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Easy Fair Isle Knitting book reviewI know from talking to knitters and hearing what you all say when I ask that a lot of knitters are a little afraid of Fair Isle knitting and other colorwork projects. They seem really intimating because it’s hard to imagine working with two yarns at once, but once you’ve done a little bit of this kind of knitting you will see that it isn’t really that difficult at all, and the results are lovely.

British knitwear designer Martin Storey wants to take the scary out of stranded knitting with his book Easy Fair Isle Knitting: 26 Projects with a Modern Twist. The book is heavy on pillow covers, which are a fun way to liven up your living room and are relatively small projects that are good for learning.

There are also vests, cowls, socks, table covers and more (check out the patterns on Ravelry).

Some of my favorites include the Kitten and Stripe Scarf, which is exactly what it sounds like; the Waves Vest, with a combo of zig-zags and lice stitch;  Little Hearts Cowl, with stripes of different colored hearts; the Soft Stripe Gloves, with a band of diamonds on the wrist and stripes up the hands; and the Simple Spots Pillow, covered with circles of different colors.

The only problem with this book is that there aren’t really any instructions for how to knit Fair Isle, just a few tips for making it easier.

This would be a great book for beginners if not for that, but you might need to check out a YouTube video or another book for the basics if you’re a complete beginner.

If you have a project or two under your belt and are comfortable with the basics, there’s a lot of cute stuff in this book. And for knitters with more experience who still like an easeir project every now and then, these are great, too.

About the book: 128 pages, paperback with interior flaps, 26 patterns. Published August 2016, Trafalgar Square Books. Retail price $24.95

Have you read?

Book Review: Knitted Safari Friends – 20 Adorable Animals to Make

If you have a weakness for knitted animals wearing tiny clothes, Knitted Safari Friends by Sarah Keen is going to be very difficult to resist.

This colourful collection includes 20 safari and savannah animals to knit, including a lion, tiger, elephant, flamingo, hippo, crocodile, rhinoceros, zebra and giraffe.

And yes, many of them have their own little outfits.

The lion in purple overalls is probably enough to sell me on the whole book.

Cute Animals With Plenty of Personality

What I like about this collection is that the animals are clearly designed as characters rather than realistic wildlife models.

They are bright, friendly and a little quirky, which makes them particularly appealing as handmade gifts for children or animal-loving adults.

Looking at the sample pages, the hippo and flamingo patterns have a cheerful illustrated layout, with the finished animals shown in little safari scenes alongside the practical pattern information.

There is also plenty of variety in the shapes, which means you aren’t simply knitting the same basic body 20 times and changing the ears.

If knitted animals with interchangeable clothes are already your thing, have a look at our Knitted Wild Animal Friends book review. That collection includes elephants, giraffes, lions, tigers, zebras and other animals with an entire wardrobe of tiny knitted clothing.

Is Knitted Safari Friends Beginner Friendly?

The publisher describes the patterns as easy to follow, and the book includes a techniques section, abbreviations and knitting conversions to help you through the projects.

I would still put this more in the confident beginner to intermediate category rather than recommending it as someone’s very first knitting project.

Toy knitting usually involves shaping, joining pieces, stuffing and finishing neatly, and that finishing stage can sometimes take almost as long as the knitting itself.

Ask anyone who has ever had a finished knitted animal sitting in pieces on the craft table for three weeks waiting for its legs to be sewn on.

For knitters who are still learning the basics of toy making, our Knitted Amigurumi Animal Friends review is another useful option, with smaller animals and simple clothing pieces.

A Great Gift Knitting Book

These would make lovely handmade gifts for children, particularly if you matched the animal to their favourite safari creature.

You could also knit several of them together as a nursery display or create your own little safari collection.

The clothes and accessories add another level of fun, too. Once you’ve knitted an elephant, there is something wonderfully satisfying about then deciding what that elephant ought to wear.

Apparently this is where my crafting priorities are now.

My Take

I think Knitted Safari Friends is one of those books that you buy intending to make one project and then immediately start planning an entire knitted zoo.

The bright colours, cute facial expressions and tiny outfits give the animals loads of personality, while the variety of creatures should keep the knitting interesting.

Sarah Keen has been designing knitted toys for years, and that experience shows in the way these animals have been turned into characters rather than simply miniature versions of real wildlife.

If you enjoy toy knitting, handmade gifts or anything involving animals in overalls, this one is definitely worth a look.

Knitted Safari Friends: 20 Adorable Animals to Make is written by Sarah Keen and published by GMC Publications. It was released on April 21, 2026, with a listed RRP of $26.99.