Paintbox Knits: More Than 30 Designs for Kids (Paperback)

by Mary Bonnette (Author), Jo Lynne Murchland (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Animal Knits is a pattern book chock full of enchanting animal designs for kids' sweaters, hats, toys, and more. Well-known British knitwear designer Mellor provides little instruction for the beginning knitter, making this book more appropriate for those with intermediate skills. Paintbox Knits, on the other hand, is not only a pattern book but also a teaching tool; the authors guide the reader step by step through each pattern, including a wealth of knitting instruction along the way. If I were to count the number of designs I would love to make were time and money no consideration and divide by total number of designs, Animal Knits would be batting a record-setting 730 while Paintbox Knits is doing better than most major league hitters at 400. Another way to gauge value might be to observe that while Animal Knits costs 77? per pattern, Paintbox Knits costs approximately $1 per pattern. Public libraries should seriously consider purchasing both.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
… features pint-sized pullovers, cardigans, and jackets in lively colors all kids will love. -- --Vogue Knitting Kids, special 2001 issue

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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Martingale and Company (March 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564773361
• ISBN-13: 978-1564773364
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #146,508 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A versatile book if you knit for kids, March 24, 2001

By	Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

Kids' sizes are harder to find in knitting patterns than babies. (and who cares if it doesn't fit the baby? Too big and just waitaminnit, that baby will swell amazingly to fit any sweater.) This is not the case with kids; they grow a bit slower, they are fussy about their clothes and the fit. So this is a useful book.

It has patterns for sweaters that can be used for either boys or girls, even has pants. The most useful section is on blocking and finishing and necklines. Necklines are tough; kids have bigger heads in relation to their bodies so it is well to understand how to fit a neck opening on kids.

I give the book 4 stars out of 5 because it specifies a lot of acrylic type yarns. (To be fair, the book also has some cotton as well.) If you read Elizabeth Zimmerman, she claims wool is better for kids even though it needs hand washing and that the best wool probably won't itch. If you like machine washing, then acrylic is your fiber. If you want extreme warmth, wool is better, and you can always substitute a wool yarn of equal weight to the ones specified in the patterns.

Oh, there's also a bit about charting your own designs, which is handy for people who want to knit HP sweaters and the like. Not a bad reference if you knit for your children, grandchildren or children of friends--or for charity, too.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Provides over thirty knitted designs knitters, July 6, 2001

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Mary Bonnette and o Lynne Murchland's Paintbox Knits provides over thirty knitted designs knitters can make for kids, blending beautiful colors with motifs designed to attract youngster interest. From pullovers and tunics to pants and jackets for boys and girls, the projects will satisfy any knitting for kids.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Misleading title, December 15, 2003

By A Customer

I bought this for my mother who routinely knits for my kids, age 5 and 7. This book has maybe one pattern suitable for "kids". It should be 30 designs for infants and toddlers. Cute patterns, but certainly only for babies.