One Skein [Paperback]

Leigh Radford (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2006

These knitted and crocheted fashion accessories and decorative accents for the home vary in their required levels of skill, but all can be completed quickly and require only one skein of yarn. The stitch patterns and clear instructions make it easy for even procrastinators and the less-than-diligent to create a ruffled cravat, a drawstring bag, a tank top, cozy scarves, arm and leg warmers, lace wristlets, fingerless gloves, a mohair pillow, and even a sweater for a baby. Several projects do not require any new yarn at all—instead projects such as the Felted Striped Tote or the Labyrinth Circle Rug are designed using up a skein's worth of leftovers from other projects. A guide to terms and techniques, a resource directory, and a bibliography are also included.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Great way to sample new techniques and fibers without wasting time and cash."  —KnitSimple
 

 

 

"Needlework heaven, indeed...Those who seek instant gratification will love this book and want to take it everywhere."  —Bangor Daily News 

"The cute designs are interesting, stylish, and very portable."  —Anchorage Daily News
 

"The answer to your stash-busting prayers.... You'll want—no, NEED—to add [this book] to your collection."  —Knight Ridder/Tribune News
 

"A must for every knitter who's ever stared at her stash wondering what to do with her singles."  —Yarn Market News

"Cover to cover, One Skein is love at first sight."  —Spun Magazine 

"I really like the innovative ideas in this book."  —Knitting News

"You will be inspired by what you could do with small amounts of yarn."  —Knitty.com
 

About the Author

Leigh Radford is the art director and knitwear designer for Interweave Knits, and the author of Alterknits: Imaginative Projects and Creativity Exercises. She lives in Portland, Oregon.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Interweave Press (April 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931499748
• ISBN-13: 978-1931499743
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 8.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (87 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #106,537 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

176 of 176 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a must-have!, March 15, 2006

By 

Blue Peninsula (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Skein (Paperback)

I couldn't wait to get started on the patterns in this book. The day I bought it, I immediately began knitting the adorable Petal Bib, which used less than a skein of cotton yarn that I had in my stash. It was a hit at the baby shower I attended! A few days later, I made the Stash Handbag using a leftover skein of Lopi and other yarns I had on hand. It came out beautifully, and I have gotten compliments on it just about every day.

One Skein features lovely, inspired, and practical items that can be made from a single skein of yarn (or less). Baby bibs and sweaters, handbags (some felted, some not), mittens, cabled scarves, wrist warmers, a tank top made with laceweight yarn . . . every project is stunning, as is the photography and the layout.

So far, I have found the patterns to be easy to follow and error-free. This isn't a book for a beginning knitter, but if you know the basics, you can make many of these projects. And you'll learn new techniques (such as cables, I-cords, or short-rows) along the way. As an added bonus, since the projects only use one skein, they are mostly quick to knit and would make wonderful gifts.

One of my favorites is the Labyrinth Rug, which is a spiral made up of odds and ends of colors knit up and wrapped around cotton piping. What a simple, easy, and beautiful way to use your leftovers! It's not just a rug, but a colorful record of the many things you've knitted.

115 of 115 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful one skein interesting projects, August 21, 2006

By 

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

This review is from: One Skein (Paperback)

I love this book of small one-skein knitted projects. I've knit the adorable baby hat, the felted clutch purse, the cable footies, and I have my eyes on making the felted bowls, the baby petal bib, and the spiral rib bag. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. This has become one of my favorite knitting books ever, since I love small projects that are beautiful and don't bore me before they are done and become abandoned to closet corners. I also love the pictures in this beautiful book; I'm inspired just looking at the lovely yarns. By the way, the baby hat is lovely done in Rowan wool cotton.

The 30 projects are:
Put It On:
Leg Warmers, Tank Top, Cable Footies, Silk Sleeves, Unisex Gloves, Asymmetrical Cable Hat, Rib and Cable Quartet (scarves), Fingerless Garter Mitts, Crochet Cap and Ruffle Cravat.

Take It With You:
The Clutch You'll Never Give Up, Spiral Rib Bag, Geometric Accessory Bags (3 choices)

Dress Up Baby:
Petal Bib, Baby Bolero (sweater), Baby Hat

Make Your House a Home:
Mohair Pillows, Bath Mitt and Puffy, Bath Mat, Felted Bowls, Candy Wrapper Sachets

Rediscover Your Stash:
Cupcakes, Pom-Pom Boa (scarf like thing), Felted Striped Tote, Kid's Color-Block Cardigan, Stash Handbag, Labyrinth Circle Rug

106 of 111 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One fun skein, March 11, 2006

By 

Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: One Skein (Paperback)

This book is a variant on the "oddball" idea. What do you do with one lone skein of yarn? You know the problem; you go to a knitting store and there is one simply cuddly, interesting, fascinating, pretty orphan ball of yarn (or it's leftover in your stash) and what on EARTH do you do with it? Here are some ideas.

There is a very fine baby jacket made of one ball of each color to make a color block design (well, it isn't EXACTLY one skein, but sure uses up oddball colors.) But the real prize are the felted projects like felted small bags and felted bowls. These are great for gifts. There is also a novel boa made of pom-poms (leftovers really work here) and a couple of stylish mohair pillows with buttons. My absolute favorite, however, are the knitted cupcakes. Using a ribbing for the cupcake "cup" and frosting of furry novelty yarn, you can make a number of these intriguing non-edible confections, dress them up with bugle bead jimmies or a button cherry on top. A box of these would make a great gift and look really intriguing on a knick-knack shelf. Or just give them to the kids to play tea party. A lot of fun and could make a hilarious mom-child project or for a class art project. Terrific.