Knitting

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The Knitter’s Planner Was Made with Knitters in Mind

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A lot of knitters I know like paper planners, calendars and journals rather than digital. I think that’s because paper products give us another way to be a little crafty (especially if you’re into bullet journaling) and somehow seeing everything on paper in front of you makes you feel more organized.

A paper planner can also make it easier to keep your knitting life organized, especially when you pick one that’s made with a knitter in mind. The Knitter’s Planner is just such a tool.

The Knitter’s Planner was envisioned by Stephanie Palmer, creator of the Quilter’s Planner, and was designed in collaboration with Kara Gott Warner, veteran craft publishing editor, designer and business coach.

“We realized there was nothing out there offering a customized planning system for knitters to organize their daily life and projects in one convenient place,” she said. “The 7” x 9” planner size is so practical, making it a no-brainer to pop it in your knitting bag so it’s always there just when you need it.”

The planner gives plenty of options for customization, including Sunday or Monday week starts, four different layouts for calendar pages, including dotted and graph paper pages for designs or bullet journaling.

It also includes project planning pages, a knitting reference section, places for stash and needle inventory and more.

If you want to check the planner out for yourself, the presale is going on now, which will get you 10 percent off the regular purchase price. There are multiple cover options as well, or you can opt to just get the pages if you have a planner cover you love.

What do you think about this idea? Would you buy a planner made with knitters in mind?

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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.