Knitting

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What Sort of Knitting Book Would You Like to See?

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If you’re a regular reader here you probably know that I have a book of knitting patterns for babies coming out in August (which you can preorder on Amazon!) and I’m already thinking about what the next book should be about.

Given the websites that I write, I have access to some information about what’s popular among people looking for knitting patterns, but it seems worthwhile to ask directly, so I’m going to?

What kind of knitting book would you like to see? Is there something you haven’t seen covered in a book that you’d like? Or a particular kind of knitting you’re really interested in right now?

I can make no promises that I’ll actually write that book, but I’d love to know what knitting topics you’re looking for information on and I can share more of that here, too.

Thanks, everyone, for reading and sharing your insights.

Comments

  1. This is more of a pet peeve. I find that mosy knitting books start with pages and pages of “How to knit”. A good third, or more, of a book has stuff that I already know. I don’t like paying for that.

    Glad to get that off my chest. Have a good day!

  2. My knitting skills are growing, so I’m a middle of the road knitter. I’m not advanced by any means. I would love to see a book on using alternate yarn for your patterns. Say I found a pattern for a sweater, made in one of our lovely, expensive yarns, but I want to make the sweater in a washable, dryable, everyday yarns. I’d like to have that book that tells me the exact
    exchange yarn to use. I’ve found it difficult to come by this information, and I’ve
    passed up patterns because I couldn’t find this information.
    Thanks for letting me share 🙂

  3. I would like to see more books on using up scrap yarn! I have tons & tons to use up and my patterns are scattered. It would be nice to have a “collection” of patterns.

    And I agree with Teresa N. – please, no “how-to-knit instructions”.

Have you read?

Patchwork Blanket Knitting Patterns

Any time of year is a good time for stash busting, but if you can combine it with knitting a blanket that will keep you warm when it (finally!) gets cooler that’s even better. Let’s take a look at some fun patchwork blanket knitting patterns. 

If you want to keep it super simple, you can just make blocks of garter stitch and sew them together, like the beginner’s patchwork baby blanket from Mini Baa Baa or the color block blanket from Make and Do Crew. Both projects are worked in strips and sew together, with the baby version calling for two strands of DK or light worsted weight yarn held together and the larger one using bulky yarn. 

Add a little more texture with the mixed blocks of the cottage quilt throw from Mama in a Stitch. This one combines garter stitch and seed stitch and uses worsted weight yarn. She used a crochet join to make the chains on top of the blocks, but you can join them however you like. It calls for eight colors but you can use what you have, and there are three size options. 

Get a real sampler style patchwork blanket with this design from Knit Sew Make. It calls for worsted weight yarn and has four size options. All of the patterns just use knit and purl stitches so this one is still pretty easy for beginners. 

If you want a more complex colorwork project that will keep you entertained all season, try the Peace by Piece blanket pattern from Needle and Feather. This one is made up of two color colorwork blocks and calls for worsted weight yarn. You can choose to use just a few of the blocks and repeat them more often, or make multiples of the whole set. 

The knitted patchwork recipe from Martine Ellis (free on Ravelry) uses mitered squares in fingering weight yarn, so it’s perfect for using up all your leftover sock yarn and mini skeins. This one is a tutorial more than a pattern so you can make your blanket as big as you like or keep going until you run out of yarn. 

Susan B. Anderson’s 100 Squares blanket (find it on Ravelry) has a lot of mitered squares, too, but they’re arranged in fun ways and includes some quilt inspired designs as well. This one also is a bit of method more than pattern but it sure looks like a lot of fun for using all the leftovers. 

Of course you can totally improvise a patchwork blanket using the yarn and stitches you like, but I hope these patterns inspire you to look at your leftover yarn in a new way.