Knitted Toys: 25 Fresh and Fabulous Designs [Paperback]

Zoe Mellor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 10, 2006

From a cute chick and a curly-haired doll to colorful mice and a patchwork tortoise, here you will find 25 unique designs for newborns to teens.

Try knitting the colorful Stripy Ball for little ones to play with, or Goldilocks and the Three Bears Finger Puppets for older children to enjoy. The Shiny Robot has real retro charm while the Slithery Snake can even double up as a draught excluder!

With toys ranging from quick and easy to more complex designs, there's something for every child and every knitter.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Zoe Mellor is a well-known Rowan knitwear designer and owns a successful children's clothing company. She is the author of eight bestselling knitting books including Adorable Knits for Tiny Tots and Nursery Knits.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: North Light Books (November 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158180900X
• ISBN-13: 978-1581809008
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 9.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #287,395 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars unusual toys January 8, 2007

By M. Poller VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I buy lots of toy books and this one is really special as it has such unusual ones. Most of the yarns are Rowan dk so really you can use almost any worsted yarn in acrylic or wool or mixed. The snake is very colorful but so is the turtle which is not often made. There are some cute boy and girl dolls, a 24" cheeky monkey with very long legs and arms. There's even a robot. I'm not sure about the snappy crocodile (kind of scary), but the little mice and the big elephant are delightful. Other items are:

fairy, cat, cow, chick, pig, finger puppets, flat ted, big foot bunny,

dog, dinosaur, butterfly, owl, ball, fish on the line. Pictures are also good as you can see how the children relate to the toys.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Not for the novice October 12, 2007

By jdv

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

After reading the previous reviews on this book I was looking forward to a book with easy to follow instructions. However, there is very little detail and the wording is sometimes hard to understand. I would certainly not recommend this book for someone just starting out.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The cutest knit toys ever! December 9, 2006

By Anna Yeatts

Format:Paperback

I'm completely addicted to Zoe Mellor's designs as it is, but when I saw this book was coming out, I had to have it! I only received my copy a few weeks ago but I've already made two of the toys. The patterns are just adorable! I made the dinosaur as a baby shower gift and the mom-to-be loved it! It's great to be able to mix and match my leftover skeins in such creative and fun ways. My three year old has already poured over the pictures and picked out her rather long wish list of knitted toys she simply cannot live without! So quick and easy to make, not to mention economical if your yarn budget is limited! And absolutely ADORABLE!!!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Easy patterns but not the best of its kind September 23, 2008

By C. Rutherford

Format:Paperback

The patterns are interesting, colourful and different. The toys are simple, old-fashioned characters with a modern twist. They are easy to knit as specified (beginners patterns). BUT
- the patterns do not cover finishing well - placement of features, sewing seams, etc
- the patterns as specified result in a lot of "scarring" ie obvious seams in obvious places. The patterns are difficult to modify so this does not happen. I note the photos have the toys carefully placed so the scarring can't be seen...
- the toys are often finished with felt, beads, ribbons and buttons - pretty enough but not always desirable for toddler and baby toys.

I don't regret buying this book, if only for the mouse pattern - which I have modified to knit in one piece to avoid most of the seams. It is a great pattern for a toddler - fast, easy and fun to play with. However, think about it before you make this investment. It may not be the best toy book for you.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Cute but complicated. May 3, 2008

By Jessica

Format:Paperback

Lots of cute patterns, adorable ideas. This book for the advanced knitter. It gives almost no instruction on how to finish the pieces and there are LOTS of little pieces to sew together. It also assumes that the reader knows how to make all different kinds of increases and decreases - and will use many different kinds in one toy. These can be found easily enough online, but I would have liked a little more instruction for finishing the specific pieces. A good book - but if you have never knit toys before, start with an easier book.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars After three years of using this book... February 15, 2010

By Kentucky Mama

Format:Paperback

I've had this book for a few years and it is one of my staples. After making the elephant, mice, bear, turtle, pig, boy doll and girl doll I can say this is a great treasury of classic, knitted toys that are always a hit at baby showers. Some reviews here say the patterns are too complicated or poorly written, but I think most intermediate knitters should be able to navigate them just fine. One of the few books that, for me, yields a result just as nice as the pictures. Because these projects rely so much on good finishing techniques, it would have been nice to have more explicit instruction about how to sew them up, but that's the only drawback in my opinion.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars knitted toys May 21, 2007

By K. Payton

Format:Paperback

I love this book. The ideas are great, and the toys are fun. Its one of the best knitted toy books. The patterns are very confusing and I have had to consult with my friends on how to do some of them. It is definately a bit advanced in the assumptions of how to get from one step to another.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful toys March 25, 2007

By Amanda T. Jeffrey

Format:Paperback

I hadn't knit for awhile and this was actually recommended by a glass lampworker to me. LOVE the clear directions, darling simple to more difficult knitting. Only problem so far is finding some of the yarns required, especially for felting.