Borrowing, Browsing – But Not Buying [Yet]

A quick review of two books I borrowed from the library a week or two ago, and which I have enjoyed looking through. They are published by Octopus, in the “Easy Knitting” series – consultant editor, Nikki Trench. NT is one of my favourite craft writers, explaining things well, and producing good designs, so I saw her name on the title page, and grabbed them without even flicking through them until I got home.

“Cosy” and “Country” each contain 30 relatively simple projects. These include homewares like bags, tea cosies, throws, and cushions, as well as clothing including socks, jumpers, scarves and hats.

I liked the books because they are clearly set out – each pattern begins with a box telling you not only what yarn and needles you require- but also the skill set involved for each pattern [e.g. work K1P1 rib, pick up stitches round neckline,sew in zip, sew seam with mattress stitch…] Also there is great variation in yarns – from budget King Cole via mid-range Sirdar and Debbie Bliss to pricey Rowan wools. Thicknesses from 4ply to chunky. Also there are plenty of pictures- jumpers are photographed flat on the table [to give you an idea of their shape] and then at least two different shots on a model, showing how they fit.

If you like leafing through pattern books, just for the fun of it, looking for inspiration for projects, then I would recommend either of these two. I shall be checking out the library catalogue to see if I can find other books from the ‘easy knitting’ or ‘easy crochet’ series. With knitting patterns costing around £3 now, these £9.99 books would be good value if you found just 4 patterns out of the 30 which you would be likely to make up. But for now, I am not buying, just borrowing and browsing!