Customer Reviews

'Twas the Knits Before Christmas

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you love 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (by Clement Clarke Moore), and also love to knit, then you'll probably love this book as much as I do. The classic poem is reprinted and illustrated by full-color, cartoon-style drawings; and full-color photographs of the knitted figures (in poses) are superimposed on the drawings to help tell the story. The book is delightful to look at, even if you never actually knit the projects.

Patterns are included for ten three-dimensional toy projects: (1) Santa; (2) Santa's reindeer; (3) Santa's bag of toys and gifts (including a candy cane, wrapped presents, a tiny doll, a tiny teddy bear); (4) the crescent moon wrapped in a scarf; (5) a father in nightcap and striped nightshirt; (6)-(7) a mother and daughter in pink nightdresses; (8) a baby in a knitted-in turquoise body suit; (9) red Christmas stockings (one life-size, one miniature); and (10) a charming 10-1/2" diameter Christmas wreath (decorated with attached flowers and an attached simple dove ornament). The book's cover photo, which shows Santa and his reindeer, gives you an idea of what the projects look like.

There are basic, easy-to-follow instructions for knitting, shaping, joining, and embroidering the figures. The figures are stuffed with ordinary fiberfill; the wreath calls for a base ring fashioned from foamboard. The patterns are written for DK yarn, and are mostly knit on size 2/3 needles. The author recommends using yarn that contains at least 20 percent wool, because cotton and acrylic yarns aren't stretchy enough to produce the best results. The figures use small amounts of yarn. For example, Santa needs 1 oz. (90 yards) of red yarn; 1/2 oz. (44 yards) each of cream yarn and beige yarn; and small amounts of black, mauve, fluffy white, white mohair, and green yarn (for, respectively, Santa's belt, boots, "fur" trim on jacket and hat, beard, and mittens).

I have never picked up a knitting needle IN MY LIFE and somehow I doubt I will be able to learn to knit well enough to do this before Christmas, but this is the cutest thing I think I have ever seen. The mother with her "feminine charms!" The father whose home is his castle! The herd of reindeer! The toys! I love it!

'Twas the Knits Before Christmas is loads of wonderful, quick knitting patterns amid a classic holiday story with illustrations that are lovely and fun for all ages.

The idea for this book is great. The reindeer pattern is great. The people faces are disappointing. I want people faces to have a little personality.

I am not an artist but I can copy something cute.

Carolyn T.