Review: Mosaic Knitting Workshop

I think of mosaic knitting as being the unsung hero of the colorwork knitting world. You hear much more about stranded knitting and intarisa, but mosaic knitting is fun, easy, and can be used to make lots of fun designs.

Ashleigh Wempe covers the basics of mosaic knitting and 13 projects to try it out in her book Mosaic Knitting Workshop.

The book opens with an overview of the basics of mosaic knitting, a technique worked with two colors per colorwork section, and using slipped stitches to make the colorwork pattern. You’re never working with more than one color across a row or round. It can be worked flat or in the round (though all the projects in the book are worked flat) and the base stitch can be garter or stockinette.

The book gives instructions for how to read patterns or use charts for the designs, the difference between garter and stockinette and different ways to carry the yarn up the side of the project.

The patterns are aimed at beginners and start with a super simple coaster worked in super bulky yarn with a concentric square pattern. This is a great place to start if you’ve never done mosaic knitting before because it’s super logical.

Other patterns include a coordinating washcloth and towel, a dishcloth and matching kitchen towel, a floor mat using four colors in bands, a baby blanket with a large diamond motif, a scarf inspired by aspen leaves, a set of mug cozies with four different designs, a cowl with a simply blocky pattern worked in three colors, a pair of Western-motif pillows, a triangular shawl worked in a color-changing yarn to up the drama even more, a wall hanging inspired by Xs and Os, a desert landscape afghan, and a cozy throw with bands of a few different motifs. You can check out all the pattern on Ravelry.

Nothing here is too difficult, even for someone new to mosaic knitting (the shawl is the only pattern that has increases), though some of the designs are decidedly more complex. Start with the coasters or the cowl pattern to gain confidence.

These fun patterns have a definite Southwest/boho flair, but changing up the colors can make a big difference (and each pattern is shown in two different colors to give you an idea of how it will look in different colors).

About the book: 128 pages, paperback, 13 patterns. Published 2023 by David & Charles. Suggested retail price $24.99.

Over the years I have shared a lot of pumpkin knitting patterns, and I’ve knit and crocheted a lot of pumpkins myself. But it feels like there are always more fun things to try with knit pumpkins, so this year I wanted to look a little more beyond basic stockinette or ribbed pumpkins and share some pumpkin patterns with cables, bobbles and colorwork.

In the cable collection we’ve got these cute little basic cable and ribbed pumpkins from Elly Bear Knits. There are two sizes that make a wide, flat pumpkin and a taller round pumpkin. Both are worked in the round as a tube that’s cinched top and bottom when you’re done, and they use bulky weight yarn.

Another cute cable pumpkin knitting pattern comes from Gray Bear Akswokrat. This one is knit flat and it looks like a chunky yarn but you could use other weights to make pumpkins of different sizes. This one also has an I-cord stem and uses yarn to cinch up the sections of the pumpkin, giving it a more natural look.

Add some bobbles to your pumpkins with this design from Autumn Shelter Makes. Also worked in the round in a tube, it features a repeating pattern of bobbles and uses yarn wrapped around the outside to make segments. This one looks like worsted weight yarn to me.

Of course there’s nothing that says your pumpkin has to be a single color, so let’s throw in some colorwork. I love the look of the Cozy Fall Pumpkin knitting pattern from South Stitch Girls. The little leather loop adds a rustic touch but you could also just add a stick. These pumpkins have five colorwork options and are worked in worsted weight yarn in the round.

There’s also the Autumn Fair Isle Trio pumpkins pattern from Equestriann Style, which has three different sizes of pumpkins with four colorwork designs. They are worked in super bulky yarn in the round and look good with high contrast or more muted color combinations.

Have you read?