Review: Knitting Bag of Tricks

There are well more than two types of knitters in this world, but for the purposes of this post let’s say there’s two types of knitters: those who learn a technique and always do it the same way without question, even if the results aren’t great, and those who question the why and how of different techniques and try to learn or come up with a different, better way of doing them.

Patty Lyons definitely sits in that second group. She says in her book Patty Lyons’ Knitting Bag of Tricks that she wants to know both the why and the why not of different knitting skills, and that learning how stitches work frees you up to develop better techniques for common knitting problems. She has long shared the “unventings” she has discovered in classes and on her website, and now she’s written a book that collects a bunch of them.

Her book includes more than 70 tips for better cast ons, increases and decreases, bind offs, finishing and more, explaining not just how to work her methods but why they work to make your stitching neater and easier.

This is not a book for beginners; it assumes you already know how to knit, though it does have a brief techniques section in the back that covers basic cast ons, increases and German short rows. But if you’ve ever been frustrated by a wonky looking cast on or bind off, the fact that your “mirrored” decrease don’t match or that yarn overs look different depending on what stitch comes after them, this is the book for you.

It’s a book you’ll want to read through but also work through with needles in your hands, because just describing these techniques and showing them in illustrations (most of the book is illustrated with line drawings, but there are photos of real-life knitting, too) doesn’t really cement how to do them or what difference they make in your projects.

Keep this one in your knitting bag or near your favorite knitting chair so the next time you have to join a new ball of yarn, make short roes or pick up stitches you’ll know just what to do to make those parts of your knitting look better.

About the book: 208 pages, paperback. Published 2022 by David & Charles, suggested retail price $22.99.

Next Pattern:

Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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