Another Review at MyShelf.Com

Knitted Beanies
Twenty To Make Series
Susie Johns

Search Press
30 July 2012 (US 5 October 2012)/ ISBN 9781844487073
Genre
Amazon || AMAZON UK

Reviewed by Rachel A Hyde

Now the weather is getting colder it is time to think about some warm clothes. These twenty patterns for knitted beanie hats are great wardrobe extenders or presents and are sure to make the wearer look good on those chilly days and nights ahead.

Not only all that but they are suitable for comparative beginners too. There are beanies for everybody in here; men, women, boys, girls and babies and most only take a couple of balls of wool. Choose from traditional, plain, pretty or cute styles to suit the wearer from beret types to flower adorned confections, a monster, a panda, stripes, pompoms, knitted plaits, bows and a rainbow. This is not a book that teaches knitting to the beginner but it does teach Swiss darning and explain various making-up methods and adornments such as pompoms, although not with diagrams for the latter. It also mentions in words how to work certain stitches, as well as what yarn to buy. Each project is split over two pages; one featuring a full-page photo of the item being worn and the other with the materials list and pattern. I was glad to see that it also gives tension, what needles to get and what sort of person for which it is sized, e.g. an adult woman, child aged 3-6, etc. Patterns are in word form not charted and do not, in keeping with the rest of this series, feature staged diagrams. As long as you can knit basic stitches, read a pattern and knows the basics you ought to find the projects in here possible. Many can use up oddments from other projects and make up quickly for surprise presents, stocking fillers or what I call “makeweight” gifts for when the main item, whatever it costs, is not very big! Come to think of it, this book might also be one of those if you can bear to part with it--better buy two and be on the safe side.

UK Reviewer: Rachel Hyde's work can be found in Sewing World, Sew Hip, Popular Crafts and other magazines. Her craft blog is Green Thoughts
Reviewed 2012
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