The Yarn Girls' Guide to Kid Knits: Patterns for Babies and Toddlers [Hardcover]

Julie Carles (Author), Jordana Jacobs (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 14, 2004

Hip designs and simple patterns are hallmarks of the Yarn Girls’ style—the very things that made their first book, The Yarn Girls’ Guide to Simple Knits, a smash hit with knitters of every stripe. Now Julie Carles and Jordana Jacobs return with a whole new collection of fast-knitting, colorful patterns, this time for the littlest members of the family.

Forget about baby-weight yarn and fussy patterns for sweaters that are quickly outgrown. Created in the Yarn Girls’ signature style, with fabulous yarns and big needles, these projects are perfect for new knitters who want to see their creations shape up quickly. And for experienced knitters, more advanced patterns explore changes in color and texture and allow for plenty of experimentation on a manageable, kid-sized scale. Patterns include a variety of pullovers and cardigans, plus hats, dresses, blankets, and even ponchos, all perfectly suited to babies and toddlers. Best of all, the sweater patterns are great for boys and girls, making this collection versatile enough to use again and again.

Many of the projects take just days to complete, and all are presented with easy-to-follow steps accompanied by beautiful photography. With straightforward, jargon-free instructions, plenty of personal knitting stories, and old-fashioned encouragement, success is a foregone conclusion. Never will kids look more adorable, or more comfortable, than in these smart, easy-to-make knits.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Hip designs and simple patterns are hallmarks of the Yarn Girls' style—the very things that made their first book, The Yarn Girls' Guide to Simple Knits, a smash hit with knitters of every stripe. Now Julie Carles and Jordana Jacobs return with a whole new collection of fast-knitting, colorful patterns, this time for the littlest members of the family.

Forget about baby-weight yarn and fussy patterns for sweaters that are quickly outgrown. Created in the Yarn Girls' signature style, with fabulous yarns and big needles, these projects are perfect for new knitters who want to see their creations shape up quickly. And for experienced knitters, more advanced patterns explore changes in color and texture and allow for plenty of experimentation on a manageable, kid-sized scale. Patterns include a variety of pullovers and cardigans, plus hats, dresses, blankets, and even ponchos, all perfectly suited to babies and toddlers. Best of all, the sweater patterns are great for boys and girls, making this collection versatile enough to use again and again.

Many of the projects take just days to complete, and all are presented with easy-to-follow steps accompanied by beautiful photography. With straightforward, jargon-free instructions, plenty of personal knitting stories, and old-fashioned encouragement, success is a foregone conclusion. Never will kids look more adorable, or more comfortable, than in these smart, easy-to-make knits.

About the Author

Inveterate knitters since college, Julie Carles and Jordana Jacobs left their respective careers in the medical and legal worlds to assume ownership of The Yarn Company, New York City’s landmark knitting store, in 1997. The store has become a destination for celebrities and locals alike, who come for the quickly sold-out classes, unrivaled yarn selection, customized knitting patterns—and friendly conversation. The Yarn Company can be reached on the Web at www.theyarnco.com. Julie and Jordana live in New York City. They are the authors of The Yarn Girls’ Guide to Simple Knits.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Potter Craft (September 14, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400051711
• ISBN-13: 978-1400051717
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 0.3 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #568,889 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent kids' patterns in bulkier yarns--fast and fun, September 14, 2004

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: The Yarn Girls' Guide to Kid Knits: Patterns for Babies and Toddlers (Hardcover)

This is a welcome book with patterns for children in bulkier yarns, including chenille and trims with the new fun fur yarns. Most kids' patterns use thinner gauge yarns for baby and toddler, so if you don't enjoy knitting with baby or fingering weight yarns, this book should light up your knitting life. And if you deplore the fact that fine gauge knitting takes time--while Junior is rapidly growing out of the knitting project on your needles, these projects are pretty fast. Most are done in plain stockinette or garter stitch, fast and easy, but effective in the decorative yarns used. The patterns are for infant to about three year old. No reason, however, you couldn't adapt these patterns for school age kids by adding on some rows and stitches to make them larger and longer.

The patterns include basic pullovers and more elaborate ones, cardigans and variations, v-necks--cardis and pullovers, hats, ponchos, dressing blankets and snuggies. There is a section on fundamentals of knitting for the beginner and a glossary as well.

Grammies and friends-of-babies take note: there is an adorable coat and hat set in chenille that works for boy or girl. A poncho in varigated yarn with a fun fur trim for a girl--in simple stockinette stitch. One cardigan is simplicity in itself, in plain knit in vivid purple--but a contrasting light color single crochet trim makes it look finished and very stylish. This is a very fun book of patterns for kids knits that will have you diving into your fancy bulky yarn stash with plenty of new ideas for children's knits.

Joanna Daneman

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW! Great patterns!, October 3, 2004

By 

Deedee "The Stouffers" (PA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Yarn Girls' Guide to Kid Knits: Patterns for Babies and Toddlers (Hardcover)

This is the ultimate best children's knitting pattern book I have seen yet!
I loved the first yarn girls' book, but after a while found the patterns to simple and the gauges to big, but this one has something for everyone. From a basic pullover to a complex cardigan in a range of guages from 2sts/inch up to 20sts/inch. Not to mention sizes from 0-3 months up to 3 years, though I think they'll fit an older child too.
Any newby to knitting could pick up this book and make a sweater, and the more experienced knitter will still find something in the great variety of the patterns. All kinds of yarns and styles and no dorky pictures in the middle of a sweater, just great knitting.
In addition, the patterns are well written, and I love the stories(some continued from tha last book) about the knitters who inspired the patterns. This book sent me into my stash to start knitting for my kids ages 2 and 4, and hoping that my friends and family have a baby soon, so I can make a tiny little baby set for them from this book.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for knitters on the go, September 10, 2005

By 

Morgan's Mom - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Yarn Girls' Guide to Kid Knits: Patterns for Babies and Toddlers (Hardcover)

Although I learned to knit as a child, I've always been a much stronger (and more skillful) crocheter. Since becoming a mom, I've decided to work on improving my knitting skills, but since I mainly knit on the train to and from work, I didn't want patterns that involved too much complexity or concentration. I also didn't want to keep knitting the same baby blanket/scarf patterns I'd started out with. Enter this book.

I love the fact that the patterns are truly designed to be knit up quickly and with a minimum of fuss. The review section at the beginning of the book was perfect for me - I could easily check how to do things I'd forgotten or never learned (increasing and decreasing come immediately to mind). I also REALLY like that these baby/toddler patterns aren't 40 years out of style. The Yarn Girls really came up with some updated classic-style patterns that won't go out of fashion any time soon. It's also very helpful to see each project knit up in two different color schemes - it gives me lots of ideas when choosing colors.

Overall, this book provides clear instructions for stylish patterns that knit up in a breeze - what more could a knitter want? I highly recommend this book!