Winter Knitting for Little Sweethearts: 46 Nordic-Style Patterns for Girls, Boys, and Babies. By Janne Andreassen Hjelmås and Torunn Steinsland. Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 2024.
By Robbie LaFleur
My super knitter friend Kelly Marshall carefully looked through Winter Knitting as I made us dinner before watching the vice-presidential debate. “Would you like to write a review?” I asked. She showed little interest in that, but proceeded to make several astute comments – hence this “sideways review,” my beginner-knitter writing augmented with comments by expert knitters.
“Look at this.” “Look at this cute pattern down the sleeve. “Look at this cute baby.” Kelly kept up an enthusiastic running commentary as she turned the pages. She was so enthusiastic that her husband chimed in from the couch across the room, “What are you looking at?” It was clear from her tone that many of the projects were very tempting. The photographs are beautiful, and the babies are darling.
The book includes many projects with the cute dinosaur shown above. Other projects feature a deer, “Dottie, who is perhaps a cross between Bambi and Rudolf.”
I’m not a hugely skilled knitter, so I asked her, “What about the patterns? Do they seem clear?” She said she appreciated the fact they are relatively short, without pages of directions that are found in some other knitting books.
Kelly doesn’t have babies in her family to knit for right now. She wished many of the cute baby patterns were sized for adults, too. There are a handful of adult projects including a cowl, a cap, and two versions of a bobble sweater. You could make this one for an adult and child.
There are instructions for many matching doll clothes. I am always impressed with my friends who can knit or sew doll clothes. One look at this photo lets you understand just how special it would be, totally worth the time.
As a Minnesota mother and grandmother, I’ve done my fair share of bundling small children against the cold. The “Flutter-about Scarf” looks very practical as well as cute. With a slot on one end to tuck in the other end, this scarf would stay in place without being tied in a bulky knot under a child’s chin.
Winter Knitting is a marvelous compendium of sweaters, caps, onesies, mittens, cowls, and scarves. It is a pleasure to peruse and includes clear instructions. You could order your copy here!
October 2024
Robbie LaFleur is the editor and publisher of the Norwegian Textile Letter.
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