Customer Reviews

The Knitter's Year: 52 Make-in-a-Week Projects-Quick Gifts and Seasonal Knits

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I felt a little cheated when I received this book. 52 projects, ha!

There are some nice projects in here but there are 12 that are either silly or IMHO worthless.

I like the patterns in the "fall" section the most: the socks, beret, knitting bag, striped gloves, cabled bag.

The 12 "patterns" I think that should have been left out and replaced with something of better value are:
bunny egg cozies (someone else mentioned this and I agree), flowerpot covers, floral corsage, bead necklace, bookmarks, bow belt, lace shelf edging, votive candle holder covers, mug cozy, napkin rings, pompom garland (the most worthless), and the laced edged pillow. There are others that are "iffy" too.

Some of the other patterns are very similar to ones that have appeared in her other books. It seems like the author is recycling, usually a good thing but not in a book of pattens.

I love the projects in this book! I have already completed two pumpkin pin cushions, and am working on the baby sweater. The directions are easy to follow, and the recommended yarns are yummy! The projects features are simple enough to be enjoyed by the beginning knitter, and sophisticate enough for the more experienced knitter.

A full color photograph illustrates each project of The Knitter's Year: 52 Make-in-a-Week Projects - Quick Gifts and Seasonal Knits, a compendium of practical knitted items perfect for presenting to friends and family. From a striped baby hat, to a pumpkin pincushion, to a pencil case, a festive Christmas stocking, and more, each project has very straightforward instructions that any knitter of intermediate experience will immediately recognize. A useful treasury for anyone who enjoys knitting and wants to share the fruits of their labors of love.

Debbie Bliss never fails to make her patterns and yarn something you desire and this book is no exception. Glad I bought it.

I don't think that what I could say who do this book justice. I found this book on Amazon while searching for some other ones and immediately put it on my wishlist. I tried to see if my library had it but they didn't so I just decided to buy it. I was really worried I wouldn't like it because all I had seen was the few projects Amazon would let me see on their site--those I did like, however. Once I got it, I LOVED it!!! It has the cutest things in it! And everything looks doable. I can say honestly that I want to make every single thing in that book and they don't look so hard that there is no way a beginner like me could. Debbie Bliss has chosen the greatest patterns and taken such beautiful pictures of them! I love the layout of the book--different knitted items based on the time of year. I want so many of these items for myself but I'm so excited to knit some and put them aside for gifts! This is my new favorite knitting book!!!

If anyone has ever had the opportunity to purchase any one of Debbie Bliss' books, you won't be disappointed with this one. The Knitter's Year is packed with projects, from the practical to the whimsical, there will definitely be something in this book that will catch your eye and desire to want to create something of your very own. Debbie is known for her simplicity and practical uses of cotton yarns as she incorporates them into everyday usable projects which anyone can make. Makes a great gift for the crafter in your life.

I own so many Debbie Bliss pattern books, its hard to pass them up. I actually paid full price for this one at the store because there was so much eye candy in it I could hardly wait to bring it home and carefully take my time looking through the pages. The book is extremely well photographed, her yarns are super soft and I like the color palette she works with. Neutral tones are really hot right now but Debbie has been using those colors from the get go so it makes these designs very trendy and classic at the same time! The concept of this book is pretty cool, knitting through the year (not new but new for Debbie Bliss). The concept is to be able to knit things up fairly quickly, mostly personal and home accessories. The fast knitting part doesn't mean these are one skein wonder kinds of projects, it comes from the fact that many of the patterns are done in Size 6-8 needles with DK and Aran weight yarn. Well actually, there were some patterns done in size 3 needles but these were small projects that could be knit up quickly like baby booties. I don't think I could knit many of the projects in a week but some I definitely could if I was dedicated. Several of the patterns were knit up in DB Eco Baby (not necessarily for baby patterns). I've seen it in the store and it is really lovely, its very soft and pliable and holds the color very well with a nice matte finish. Many of the others were knit in Rialto DK (lovely, very soft, knits stockinette stitch beautifully). If you have been collecting DB patterns, books, and magazines, you might see some patterns in this book that you might already have but to the best of my knowledge they've either been reworked in a different gauge so they could be made faster in some of her heavier weight yarns or they were done using different stitch patterns, or they were redone in one of her newer yarns.

Here is a list of all the projects in the book:

(They are organized by season)

Desk/Organizer Basket (Eco Aran Yarn/100% Organic Cotton)
Lace Pillow (Eco Aran) For lace, I imagine this would knit up quickly on a size 7 needle
Flower Pot Covers (for the terra cotta flower pots you see in craft and nursery stores) DB Cotton DK (looks like a cozy for the pots)
Floral Corsage (Cotton DK)
Washcloth (Eco Baby, 100% Organic Cotton)
Bunny Egg Cozies (Rialto DK)
Bead Necklace (Eco Baby) (Love this one!)
Bookmarks (Baby Cashmerino)
Bow Belt (Eco Baby) (Very retro 30's)
Sewing Needle Case (Love this!) Eco Baby (lined with fabric)
Baby Cardigan (Eco Baby) (Love this one!)
Lace Shelf Edging (I have this one from another DB book but this time redone for Eco Baby)
Gardener's Gloves (Eco Baby) (open fingertips)
Clothes Pin Bag (Eco Aram) (Different from other clothes pin patterns from her previous ones, could almost double as a pillow cushion cover)
Plaid Chair Cushion (Rialto Aran)
String Bag (Beach bag) Cotton DK (almost looks like an eco shopping bag)
Baby Sandals (think Mary Jane booties) I have seen this pattern before but its redone here in Eco Baby
Pencil Case (have seen this one before in garter stitch, but this one is redone using two color knitting/plaid pattern) Rialto DK
Lacy Scarf (in Chevron pattern) Eco Baby (gorgeous in neutral tones, Love it!)
Votive Candle Holder Covers (Rialto 4ply)
Lavender Bags (Eco Baby) (not the usual pillow square design, done up in a 3 sided shape, very cute)
Striped Baby Hat (We've seen this from Debbie before but this one is done up in Eco Aran, size 8 needles, definitely would knit up much more quickly than the same pattern using baby cashmerino on size 3 needles! Love this cuz I like to make and donate hats to Children's Hospitals.
(Pattern calls for knitting this hat flat and sewing seams together at the end, great for eliminating the color jog when knitting in the round)
Striped Pillow (Cotton DK) (Should knit up somewhat quickly on size 6 needles)- Love the design - it buttons on top.
Clothes Hanger (Eco Aran)
*Beach Bag (Eco Aran/Size 7 needles) (With cables, gorgeous)(matches a beautiful afghan that appeared in a DB Mag, you could probably buy the pattern on the Vogue Knitting Website, I think all her magazine patterns are sold there where you can buy each one separately, Love it!)
Flags (Brittish, American and Greece) Rialto 4ply (Flags are small, maybe the size of your hand when you are holdin git, the pole is a knitting needle! Backed with cotton fabric, gorgeous and clever)
Leftover Yarns Knitting Bag (Rialto Aran)
Cabled Socks (knee high) Baby Cashmerino
Potholder (Eco Aran, Size 7 needles) (love this! You may need two or fold it in half before holding a hot pan) Lined or covered in the back with fabric, so charming! The photo shows the model using it to pick up a tea kettle.
Hand Warmers (Baby Cashmerino) (these are fingerless mittens with a half thumb)(Knit flat, not in the round, made in a rib pattern)
Cable Seed Stitch Beret (Rialto DK)
Teapot Cozy (Rialto DK) (I think I've seen something similar before, looks to be a design used by several designers, gorgeous in the sample made up in orange and pink (technically "fuchsia and rust")
Mug Cozy (Rialto DK) (Done up in the same colors as the teapot cozy, very interesting textured design that gives it a checkerboard effect) (For a straight 4" tall mug with a 3 1/8" diameter)
Draft Door Stopper (Rialto Aran, Size 8 needles)
Striped Gloves (Rialto 4 ply) (two sizes sm/med and med/large) (gorgeous colors)
Pumpkin Pincushion (Rialto DK) (Totally adorable!)
Gadget Covers (Baby Cashmerino) for the Blackberry and IPod (doesn't say which IPod but looks like its for one that is tall and slim)
Slippers (Fez)
Cabled Bag (Como)size 13 needles (Como is very soft and easy to knit with and really knits up fast)
Chunky Scarf (Como) (Aran inspired pattern)
Tartan Pillow (Rialto Aran) 14" square (I have an earlier pattern in a similar stitch pattern and color palette to make a matching tea cozy)
Christmas Napkin Rings (Rialto 4ply) (they almost look like they are made out of i-cord)
Booties Trio (Baby Cashmerino) - totally adorable, done in red and white, two are sporty, one goes up the leg a bit with a lace stitch.
Doorstop (Eco Aran DK) Size 7 needle
Noel Letters (Rialto 4 ply) done in a Fair Isle pattern) they look to be about 5-6" tall
(knit flat, backed with felt or fabric and stuffed in the middle,very simple color changes for a beginner)
Hot water bottle cover (Cashmerino Aran)
Christmas Tree Decorations (Baby Cashmerino) Literally Christmas trees to hang on the tree!
Christmas Stocking (Rialto Aran) Size 7 and 8 knitting needles (Norwegian snowflake pattern on the upper leg)This is knit flat and the seams are sewn at the end. Done in red and white. Love it.
Lace Edged Pillow (Eco Baby) ( this is a long narrow strip of knitted lace hand sewn to a pillow cover made out of fabric)
Collared Scarf (Cashmerino Aran)- very unique, gorgeous.
Christmas Baby Hat (looks like a figgy pudding design, brown on the bottom, white dripping icing on the top, topped off with some holly leaves and a red berry on top) Rialto Aran and Baby Cashmerino (This is knit flat and sewn together at the seams)
Pom Pom Garland (Rialto DK) (somewhat oversized pom poms)

* The Beach Bag has boxed corners on the bottom and really stands up on its own (at least in the photo, that bag looks as sturdy as a box. It calls for buckram for the inner lining. I did not know what this was till I did a search on Google and found a great description from the Sew Serendipity Blog:

"..buckram is a stiff but lightweight woven stabilizer that is made from cotton fibers. Why do I like it? Because it gives a bag stability in a way that other stabilizers such as Timtex and Peltex do not."

The only reason I gave this book a 4 star rating instead of 5 is that Debbie over relies on the seed stitch pattern for many of these items. I know its her favorite stitch pattern. It does look gorgeous but it gets tiring on the hands knitting and purling every other stitch. I just finished watching a DVD on Portugese Knitting where your thumb is used rather than your finger to manipulate the working yarn so I think the seed stitch patterns would give me a good opportunity to give this technique a try...it looks like it would be much less strenuous on your hands (I am just mindful of hand strain because I have CT) so please don't get offended if you read this and don't have an issue with seed stitch.

Hope this helps!

The book arrived within a week which made me happy. However, it wasn't packaged very well as it just had a plastic wrap around it resulting in a cracked front cover along with bent corner pages. I fixed the bent corner pages for the most part by placing heavy books on top for several days to flatten out the pages. The bent (cracked) cover is still there. I'm glad that this wasn't a gift to someone. The book has some really great projects that I can't wait to get started on. This is a very beautiful and organized book...my only complaint is that this company needs to use more padding around their books for shipping them. Maybe the book was already damaged before they sent it and this should have been noted in the description. The description stated that the used book was just like new and too good to be called used. I just wish I didn't have to pay that much for a book in that condition. It was $14 and should have been $5 for that condition.

I am always hesitant to buy knitting books online because you can't look thru the entire book before buying, however, this book is packed with ton of projects I can't wait to try! I'm at a easy to moderate knitting level, and there are lots of projects that I think I will enjoy. There are also many that are a bit above my current level, so I think I will enjoy the challenge! Nice book!

What a delight and so much fun. Something for all levels and all tastes. Quick fun gifts as well as more fancy callenging projects like lace pillow cases and cabled scarves and bags. My favorites are the pumpkin pin cushion and the retro teapot cozy. Not sure all of these projects are one weekers for me, some more some less....but knit on and spare yourself a schedule and enjoy the book!