Kids Knit!: Simple Steps to Nifty Projects [Paperback]

Sarah Bradberry (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Children love to knit—plus it’s a must for any Brownie or Girl Scout who wants to earn her badge. From dolls to doll blankets, scarves to backpacks, the 20 projects in this fun, colorfully illustrated collection are especially geared to kids. The easy-to-follow lessons proceed logically from very basic to more advanced skills, so youngsters can keep on learning as they work. They’ll see how to read patterns; cast on and do simple stitches; bind off; darn in the ends; make tassels, fringes, and pom-poms; sew on a snap fastener; join a new ball of yarn, and more. It won’t be long before the youngest knitters are completing a headband, cat toy, teddy bear puppet, and drawstring purse.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8 - An eye-catching cover will attract children to the joys of knitting. The author begins by describing needles (including the various sizes in US, Metric, and UK) and yarns (how to read labels, the different thicknesses, and novelty yarns). Next, she covers the basics, using excellent explanations and clear illustrations to describe casting on, the knit stitch, binding off, reading a pattern, and measuring gauge. Other techniques are presented when needed. The 20 projects include a washcloth, doll (with dress and blanket), sunglasses case, ribbed scarf, teddy-bear puppet, drawstring purse, and tote bag. Each set of directions is divided into sections describing the object's size, necessary materials, gauge, pattern, and finishing tips. There's a wide range of difficulty and skill levels to challenge children of all abilities. Numerous large, full-color photos of the finished items and smiling children making or modeling them are scattered throughout this visually appealing book. This title will be a welcome supplement to Carolyn Clewer's Kids Can Knit (Barron's, 2003) and Judy Ann Sadler's Knitting (Kids Can, 2002). - Augusta R. Malvagno, Queens Borough Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-8. Bradberry's book works equally well for beginners and experienced knitters. The hallmark is clarity: easily understood instructions and sharply delineated color photos that show needles, yarn, and finished projects. Besides the requisite information on knitting and purling, there are invaluable tips about finishing garments, fixing mistakes, and adding embellishments. The projects have been chosen with an eye toward simplicity, yet they have real appeal, ranging from headbands and backpacks to scarves. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Sterling (August 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402740573
• ISBN-13: 978-1402740572
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #194,694 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #98 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Arts & Music > Crafts & Hobbies

More About the Author

Sarah Bradberry (born 1970) was born in Surrey, England and raised in Australia.

She was awarded a Bachelor of Visual Arts (printmaking) at Sydney College of the Arts in 1992 and from 1996 she has run one of the internet's most popular free craft websites at http://knitting-and.com.

She is currently making craft and cooking videos as a YouTube partner for her "knittingand" and " The Vintage Kitchen" YouTube channels.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good simple projects, March 21, 2009

By 

annesailorgirl "annesailorgirl" (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kids Knit!: Simple Steps to Nifty Projects (Paperback)

This is a good basic knitting book for kids. I'm helping teach my friend's daughters (ages 6 & 8) to knit, and these are good projects for young learners. The book shows good pictures and simple descriptions of each knitting step.
However, this book only shows ONE way to cast on -- the knitted cast-on. Most of us learned as children the slip cast on, sometimes called the loop cast on, which is just simple loops on the knitting needle. This is what my Grandma taught me first when I was about 6, and what I have taught my friend's girls. The girls have had enough trouble remembering even this simplest of cast-ons, they prefer to knit rather than cast on, so for now we're sticking to the easiest possible way. For a good book that shows this easiest slip cast on, try "Kids Learn to Knit" by Lucinda Guy.
Except for that one detail, the rest of the book is great! The projects are:
1. Washcloth
2. Headband
3. Sunglasses case
4. Doll blanket
5. Doll
6. Scrunchie
7. Amulet Bag
8. Ribbed Scarf
9. Cat Toy
10. House Cushion
11. Teddy Bear Puppet
12. Kerchief
13. Kite Bookmark
14. Pot Holder
15. Drawstring Purse
16. Fashion Doll Dress (for Barbie-type doll)
17. Backpack
18. Coaster
19. Place Mat
20. Tote Bag
The book shows clearly a number of techniques, including simple binding-off, making tassels and fringes, joining a new ball of yarn, knit and purl stitches, stockinette stitch, ribbing, twisted cord, making pom-poms, what abbreviations mean, simple increase and simple decrease, yarn over, picking up stitches, and I-cord. There are beautiful pictures of every project with pictures of cute kids knitting or using the finished projects. Overall, this is a great little book for your young knitter friends, and I recommend it, but not as their only knitting book.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kids really do knit!, October 10, 2008

By 

dbeau "dbeau" (Texas) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Kids Knit!: Simple Steps to Nifty Projects (Paperback)

I purchased a bulk set of this book for a knitting class with our homeschool co-op. I have a group of 17 that are ages 7 up through a couple of moms. After three weeks, some of them have taken off, read instructions on their own and are doing some amazing things. The others are still waiting for some personal guidance, but since I have this book as a resource, I know right where to go to show them what happens next. Several mothers that are not taking the class have even commented on how wonderfully easy the book is to understand even for a non-knitter.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars kids knit, December 12, 2008

By 

Laurie Filipiak (Woodville, WI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kids Knit!: Simple Steps to Nifty Projects (Hardcover)

My daughters and I learned how to knit using this book. Lots of fun, easy, practical things to knit.