Customer Reviews

Winter Knits Kit: Instructions and Tools for 25 Cozy Cold-Weather Projects

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Every design shown on the exterior packaging of this kit was already published in the book Holiday Knits. After noticing this, I didn't buy the kit. So the 25 patterns in it may not be completely identical to the 25 patterns in Holiday Knits, but anyone with that book should think twice before buying this.

There are some nice-looking patterns for ornaments and accessories, and the pattern-card format may be more attractive to some than having the patterns in book form. But it seems a little iffy to put out a kit like this without mentioning in the description that some or all of the patterns came out in a holiday book published just last year.

It might make a good gift for beginners, because they wouldn't have the earlier book and they'd get some supplies to play with. But the yarn and needles in this style of kit are often not good quality so I wouldn't see the inclusion of them as a serious reason to buy.

I've had fun with this kit. It includes 25 projects for everyone and their dog (there are a couple of dog projects, actually). It comes with a pair of size 8 circular needles, as well as two stitch markers, a yarn needle and a small quantity of pink yarn. The needles are pretty cheap, but they've held up.

This kit won't teach you how to knit, but the book that's included does explain some techniques (although without many diagrams, so the explanations can be hard to follow if they're unfamiliar). I like having the projects on individual cards -- it's nice to be able to carry around just one project, instead of a big book.

So far I've knit two different sock patterns and one Christmas stocking from this kit, and all turned out well. My main complaint is that the selection of patterns is really heavy on ornaments and trinkets, while I like to knit more useful wearable things . . . but that's a personal preference.