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Book Review – Knitting Pattern Essentials by Sally Melville

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Knitting Pattern EssentialsKPEbook by Sally Melville RRP$24.99

You can’t pop a square peg into a round hole and you can’t pop everyone into the same knitting pattern. Sally shows you how to adapt and draft knitting patterns to suit your size. She helps you to calculate and fix patterns. She has also included 8 new patterns for you to try.

If you like to knit clothes then this book is a must have for your craft shelf!

Here is a little more information about the book from Random House.

• calculate your personal measurements, ease, and stitch patterns
• create a pattern for an existing garment that you love
• shape a variety of necklines, shoulders, sides, sleeves, and hemlines
• combine garment elements for an endless array of design possibilities
• rescue a project when it doesn’t turn out as expected
• finish your projects with a professional look
• knit 10 original projects that showcase the elements covered in the book

Read These Next

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Bookmark Cross Stitch Patterns

It seems like there’s no end to the available options when it comes to cross stitch bookmarks, which is a good thing because they’re perennially popular to stitch as well. This time I thought I’d share some colorful cross stitch bookmarks to get you ready for the new school year or to make meeting your reading goals a little more fun. 

I love these retro floral designs from The Stitch Patterns. This set of four patterns is rated as very easy, and each bookmark measures 2.5 by 6 inches (or 6.35 by 15.25 cm) on 14 count fabric. 

These cute ones that look like mosaic tile would also be fun to stitch. This set includes five designs from EmbroSTyle Designs, and they call them folk art but they mostly look like old mosaics to me. Either way, the bookmarks are 25 by 101 stitches, and to stitch the full set uses 12 colors. 

If you’re looking for more of a challenge, you can stitch up a work of art with this set of 16 bookmarks designed to look like famous paintings. Stitch some sunflowers or a great wave or a starry night. Most of these are between 14 and 20 colors (the great wave is only 8) and the bookmarks are totally covered with stitching at a count of 35 by 100 stitches. Grab this set from Sunset and Sea Design.

Or how about some bookmarks inspired by books (or by movies inspired by books)? This set of Lord of the Rings bookmarks includes four landmarks from the books/movies. Each one is 35 by 115 stitches and uses between 8 and 17 colors. You can find them at byCountryMagicStitch.

These don’t quite all fit the description of being colorful bookmarks to cross stitch, but a few of them do, and speaking of book-themed bookmarks I had to share this set from Mama Geek inspired by Heartstopper. There are seven designs in all that should be quite familiar to readers (or viewers of the series). 

25 Christmas Bookmark Cross-stitch Patterns [Cross-Stitch]

25 Floral Bookmark Cross Stitch Patterns