Knitting Almanac

By Sophie Martin

The ultimate source of inspiration, this complete book is filled with knitting patterns for crafters! Featuring more than 100 unique and year-round knitting projects -- from clothing and accessories to baby clothes, home décor, holiday décor, toys, and so much more -- Knitting Almanac also includes instructions for knitting techniques, stitch guides, helpful diagrams, expert tips, and so much more! The perfect book to not only build your knitting skills, but also create the most charming and on-trend gifts, clothes, and keepsakes, Knitting Almanac is a must-have project guide that belongs on every crafter's shelf! Also included are over 20 bonus projects interspersed throughout that go beyond knitting, from candle making and embroidery to beauty products, food and drink recipes, and other exciting ideas to try.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Landauer
• Release date: Mar 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9781637411643

Sophie Martin

Sophie Martin fell in love with knitting and baking from a young age while helping her grandmother make Christmas gifts for family and friends. She has followed her creative passions ever since and now seeks to help others hone their skills to create handmade keepsakes and special memories that bring people together.

Book preview

JANUARY

IllustrationIllustration

GRAPHIC CHAIR COVERS

FINGERLESS GLOVES

MEN’S MATCHING HAT & SCARF

BOOTIES

MITTENS

WOMEN’S MATCHING HAT AND SNOOD

MERMAID TAIL BLANKET

COCOON SHAWL

HAT IN 1/1 RIBBING

KNITTING MACHINE

IllustrationIllustration

GRAPHIC CHAIR COVERS

SUPPLIES

•  Unfinished wood chairs

•  Silky-quality matte paint: vine black, wood charcoal, sage, and beige colors

•  Brush (for background)

•  Fine brush (for details)

•  White pencil

•  Pure Wool by Phildar, knitted in double: black chair: 6 balls in black, 4 balls in beige; gray chair: 6 balls in iron ore, 4 balls in flannel

•  #10 and #10½ US (6 and 7mm) needles

•  Fleece in sheets

STITCHES USED

Illustration   1/1 Ribbing: * 1 knit stitch, 1 purl stitch*

Illustration   Stockinette: * 1 knit row, 1 purl row*

GAUGES

•  A 4" (10cm) square double thread jacquard jersey, black chair, #10½ (7mm) needle = 15 stitches and 16 rows.

•  A 4" (10cm) double-thread stockinette knit, #10 (6mm) needle = 15 stitches and 20 rows.

Directions

CHAIR

Brush two coats of paint on each chair: vine black for the black chair and wood charcoal for the gray chair. Let dry.

Lightly trace the patterns with a white pencil following the photo and then paint them in beige on the black background or sage on the gray background.

COVERS

The instructions for the gray chair are given in parentheses.

Galette: Cast on 52 stitches with 2 black (iron ore) yarns, #10 (6mm) needle. Knit in stockinette right side up at 1 stitch from each edge, every 10 rows 6 times 1 stitch = 64 stitches. At 13 (33cm) total height, take #10½ (7mm) needle and continue in jacquard right side up jersey following chart 1 (2). Start with the 9th (1st) stitch of the grid to center the motifs. Decrease at 1 stitch from each edge, from 2 (5cm) height of jacquard, every 10 rows 6 times 1 stitch. At 26" (66cm) total height, leave 52 stitches on hold.

Back: Cast on 58 stitches, with 2 black (iron ore) threads, #10½ (7mm) needle. Knit 2 rows 1/1 ribbing then continue in jacquard stockinette starting with the 2nd (4th) mesh of the grid. At 17" (43cm) total height, knit 2 rows of 1/1 black (iron ore) ribbing and bind off. Pin and iron all pieces on the reverse side to the dimensions shown. Fold the galettes to unite the assembly row and last row. Close one side. Slide a batting cut to size into the cover and close the last side. Fold the backrest in half to close the sides and slip it over the top of the backrest.

Illustration

Diagram

IllustrationIllustrationIllustration

FINGERLESS GLOVES

ONE SIZE FITS ALL

SUPPLIES

•  Alpaca by La Droguerie (100% alpaca): 3 oz. (80g) color off-white (ecru)

•  #4 US (3.5mm) needles

•  Cultured pearl: 6 - 3mm, 4 - 5 mm

•  Sewing rhinestones: 4 crystal shuttles and 4 crystal drops

STITCHES USED

Illustration   Stockinette stitch: *1 Knit row, 1 purl row*

GAUGE

•  A 4" (10cm) square stockinette stitch, #4 (3.5mm) needles = 26 stitches and 35 rows

Directions

Cast on 50 stitches, #4 (3.5mm) needles. Knit in stockinette stitch.

At 3" (8cm) in total height, increase at each end every 16 rows: 7 times 1 stitch. (64 stitches)

At 16" (41 cm) in total height, loosely bind off.

Close the mittens, leaving a 1 (3cm) opening for the thumb 1½ (4cm) from the cast-on row.

Sew on the beads and rhinestones.

IllustrationIllustration

CHOCOLATE NUT COOKIES

15 COOKIES - PREP TIME: 10 MIN - REST: 15 MIN - COOK TIME: 10 MIN

INGREDIENTS

1½ cups (330g) churned butter • ¾ cup (160g) golden sugar • ½ cup (115g) panela (whole cane sugar) • 3 eggs • 1½ cup (200g) rice flour • ⅔ cups (150g) ground almonds • ¾ cup (100g) buckwheat flour • 1 ⅔ cups (380g) dark chocolate chips • ¾ cup (170g) coarsely chopped pecan nuts • 3 pinches of coarse gray salt • 1 handful of flax seeds

Directions

In the bowl, mix the fresh butter, the sugars, and the coarse salt. Once mixed, add the eggs, the flours, and the almond powder. Stir in pecans, chocolate chips, and flax seeds.

Shape this dough into about fifteen large balls and leave to cool for at least 15 minutes in the freezer.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), spread your cookies on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake for 10 minutes if you like them soft, 15 minutes if you prefer them crispy. Let them cool on a wire rack. Taste!

Serve with a delicious homemade hot chocolate with almond milk spiced with chili powder, cinnamon and gray salt, sugar, with coconut sugar, and mixed for a frothy and creamy texture.

IllustrationIllustration

MEN’S MATCHING HAT & SCARF

SIZE

•  Hat: 20¾ circumference x 13⅜ high (53 x 34cm)

•  Scarf: 27½ x 9¾ (70 x 25cm)

SUPPLIES

•  Phil Harmony by Phildar (49% acrylic and 51% wool): Hat: 3 balls in denim blue; Scarf: 3 balls in denim blue

•  #8 US (5mm) needles

STITCHES USED

Illustration   1/1 Ribbing: *Knit 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch*

Illustration   Fancy stitch

1st row: 1 selvedge stitch, *3 purl stitches, 1 knit stitch*; repeat from * to * and end on 1 selvedge stitch

2nd and 4th rows: knit the stitches as they appear

3rd row: 1 selvedge stitch, *1 purl stitch, 1 knit stitch, 2 purl stitches* ; repeat from * to * and end on 1 selvedge stitch

Always repeat these 4 rows.

GAUGE

•  4" (10cm) fancy stitch, #8 (5mm) needles = 17 stitches and 26 rows

Directions

THE HAT

Cast on 90 stitches, #8 (5mm) needles, knit in 1/1 ribbing for 3½" (9cm). Continue in fancy stitch.

At 8" (20cm) in height after the sides, divide the decreases by making 2 stitches together at the place or upside down depending on the point and continuing the continuity of the fancy point as you go.

Knit 3 stitches, *2 stitches together, 6 stitches, 2 stitches together, 5 stitches*; repeat from * to * 5 times in total and end with 2 stitches together, 5 stitches, 2 stitches together, 3 stitches.

There are 78 stitches left.

2 rows higher: knit 2 stitches, *2 stitches together, 4 stitches, 2 stitches together, 5 stitches *; repeat from * to * 5 times in total and end with 2 stitches together, 5 stitches, 2 stitches together, 3 stitches.

There are 66 stitches left.

2 rows higher: knit 2 stitches, * 2 stitches together, 4 stitches, 2 stitches together, 3 stitches*; repeat from * to * 5 times in total and end with 2 stitches together, 3 stitches, 2 stitches together, and 2 stitches.

There are 54 stitches left.

2 rows higher: knit 1 stitch, * 2 stitch together, 2 stitch, 2 stitch together, 3 stitch *; repeat from * to * 5 times in total and end with 2 stitches together, 2 stitches, 2 stitches together, and 2 stitches.

There are 42 stitches left.

2 rows higher: knit the stitches 2 by 2.

There are 21 stitches left.

2 rows higher: knit 1 stitch then the stitches 2 by 2.

There are 11 stitches left.

Pass the thread through the stitches and pull tight.

THE SCARF

Cast on 122 stitches, #8 (5mm) needles, knit in fancy stitches. At 9¾" (25cm) in height, loosely bind off the stitches.

Assembly

Close the hat with an invisible seam, inverting it 2" (5cm) for the reverse side.

Close the scarf with an invisible seam.

IllustrationIllustration

BOOTIES

SUPPLIES

•  3½ oz. (100g) beige wool = A

•  3½ oz. (100g) brown wool = B (pure untreated wool, used in double)

•  #11 US (8mm) needles

•  4 marker rings

•  Felting wool (for the pattern)

•  Felting needle

•  Liquid latex (nonslip)

STITCHES USED

Illustration   Garter stitch: Always knit right side up

Illustration   Stockinette stitch: *1 knit row, 1 purl row*

Illustration   Moss stitch. *Knit 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch*. Always have a knit stitch over a purl stitch and purl stitch over knit stitch every row.

GAUGES

•  A 4" (10cm) square in stockinette, double thread, #11 (8mm) needle = 12 stitches and 15 rows.

Directions

Cast on 65 stitches with 2 A strands. Knit in moss stitch, placing markers in the 1st row, after the 1st, 32nd, 33rd, and 64th stitches.

2nd row: Make 1 interlayer increase (knit the yarn stretched between 2 stitches, twisting it to avoid a hole before the 1st marker, after the 2nd, before the 3rd, and after the 4th = 69 stitches.

3rd and following odd rows: Right side up.

4th, 6th, and 8th rows: Same as 2nd row = 73, 77, then 81 stitches.

9th row: Right side up with markers removed. There are 5 stitches before the 1st, 9 stitches between the next 2, and 5 stitches after the last.

Continue in right side up stockinette for the stem, with 2 strands B.

1st row: Purl, placing 1 marker after the 37th stitch and after the 44th.

2nd row: Purl by knitting 2 stitches together before the 1st marker and after the 2nd, turn work, slip the 1st stitch, and mark and knit the next 7 stitches, slip the marker, knit 2 stitches together, and finish the row = 77 stitches.

3rd row: Same as 2nd row, making sure not to reverse stitches in and out = 73 stitches.

4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th rows: Same as 2nd row = 69, 65, 61, 57, and 53 stitches.

9th row at purl: 1 stitch, *2 stitches together, 14 stitches*; repeat from * to * 3 times, and end 2 stitches together, 2 stitches = 49 stitches.

10th row: Bind off.

Close the middle of the sole and the heel.

Make the 2nd slipper.

Machine wash the slippers at 60°C with a terrycloth towel and regular detergent. Wring out lightly. Shape by slipping in an old pair of shoes slightly smaller than the desired size and wrapped in plastic. Let dry near a heat source.

When the slippers are dry, draw a star on the top with a building thread. Slip the felting foam inside and stitch the white felting wool inside the pattern until you get the desired density. Remove the frame if it is still visible. Paint areas under the sole with latex to make it nonslip.

IllustrationIllustration

MITTENS

2/4 YEARS (4/6 YEARS)

SUPPLIES

•  Nirvana by Mamy Factory (60% alpaca, 40% wool) double knitted: 2 (2) balls Color Ecru (off-white)

•  #8 US (5mm) doublepointed needles

GAUGE

•  4" (10cm) #8 (5mm) needles cable stitch = 17 stitches and 24 rows

STITCHES USED

Illustration   Stockinette stitch: 1 knit row, 1 purl row

Illustration   1/1 Ribbing: 1 knit stitch, 1 purl stitch

Illustration   Single decrease: Knit 2 stitches together

Directions

Twist: Approx. ¾" (2cm [6 sts]) in the round.

Cast on 28 (30) stitches, #8 (5mm) needles, knit in 1/1 rib for 26 rows.

Continue by making 4 interlayer increases over 7 rows by knitting: 1st row: 2 knit stitches, 1 knit increase, 6 (7) knit stitches, 1 purl stitch, 1 purl increase, 2 knit stitches, purl 2 stitches, 4 (5) stitches knit, 1 knit increase, knit 5, knit 1 increase, knit 6.

2nd row: 9 (10) knit stitches, purl 2, 2 cross stitches on the right, purl 2, knit 17 (18) stitches.

3rd and 4th row: knit the stitches as they appear.

Always repeat these 3 rows (2nd, 3rd, 4th rows.)

Knit like this for 9 (12) rows.

Leave 8 stitches on hold for the thumb and knit as follows:

Knit 3(4), purl 2, knit 2, purl 2, knit 15 (16).

Continue on these 24 (26) stitches for 9 (10) rows.

Make the decreases as follows:

- size 2/4 years: 1 single decrease, 1 knit stitch, 2 purl stitches, knit 2, 2 purl stitches, 1 knit stitch, 2 knit together stitches, 1 single decrease, 8 knit stitches, 2 stitches together at the location;

- size 4/6 years: 1 knit stitch, 1 single decrease, 1 knit stitch, 2 purl stitches, 2 knit stitches, 1 knit stitch, 2 knit stitches together, 1 knit stitch, 1 single decrease, 8 knit stitches, knit 2 together

Assembly and finishing touches

Repeat these decreases 3 times one above the other.

Break the thread, pass it through the stitches and tighten.

Take the 8 thumb stitches and knit in the round for 9 rows.

Knit the stitches 2 by 2.

Break the thread, pass it through the stitches and tighten.

Crochet a 40" (1m) long chain and connect the 2 mittens.

Note: Make the second mitten in symmetry for the thumb.

You can also reverse the twist by making 2 cross stitches on the left.

IllustrationIllustration

WOMEN’S MATCHING HAT AND SNOOD

SIZE

•  Hat: 20½ circumference x 11¾ high (52 x 30cm)

•  Snood: 63 x 8½ (160 x 22cm)

SUPPLIES

•  Frimas by Phildar (50% wool and 50% cotton): 2 balls for the hat, reindeer color, 5 balls for the snood, reindeer color

•  #9 and #10 US (5.5 and 6mm) needles

•  1 fur pompom, color apricot

STITCHES USED

Illustration   1/1 Ribbing: *1 knit stitch, 1 purl stitch*

Illustration   Stockinette stitch: *1 knit row, 1 purl row*

Illustration   Moss stitch: Row 1 *1 knit stitch, 1 purl stitch. Row 2: *1 purl stitch, 1 knit stitch*. Always repeat these 2 rows.

GAUGES

•  4" (10cm) stockinette stitch, #10 (6mm) needles = 15 stockinette stitches, and 21 rows

•  8" (20cm) of moss stitch, #9 (5.5mm) needles = 29 stitches and 49 rows

Directions

THE HAT

Cast on 80 stitches, #9 (5.5mm) needles, knit in 1/1 ribbing for 4¾" (12cm). Continue in stockinette stitch, #10 (6mm) needles.

At 7" (18cm) in height after ribbing, pass yarn through sts and tighten.

SNOOD

Cast on 33 stitches, #9 (5.5mm) needles, knit moss stitch. At 63" (160cm) in total height, loosely bind off the stitch.

Assembly

Close the hat with a seam, inverting it over 2½" (6cm) for the lapel. Sew the pompom to the base of the hat. Close the snood with an invisible seam.

IllustrationIllustration

MERMAID TAIL BLANKET

SIZE

•  Child: 27½ (70cm) width at top x 61 (155cm) total height

•  Adult: 35½ (90cm) x 78¾ (200cm)

SUPPLIES

•  Phil Mikado by Phildar (70% acrylic and 30% worsted wool): 5-8 balls, color - glacier

•  #8 US (5mm) needles

STITCHES USED

Illustration   Garter stitch: Knit every row

Illustration   Fancy stitch

1st and 2nd rows: knit all of the stitches in knit stitch.

3rd row: 6 knit stitches, * 1 yarn over needle, 1 knit stitch, 2 yarn over needle, 1 knit stitch, 3 yarn over needle, 1 knit stitch, 2 yarn over needle, 1 knit stitch, 1 yarn over needle, 6 knit stitches*; always repeat from * to *.

4th and 8th rows: knit all stitches, dropping all yarn overs.

5th and 6th row: knit all stitches.

7th row: knit 1 stitch, *1 yarn over, 1 knit stitch, 2 yarn overs, 1 knit stitch, 3 yarn overs, 1 knit stitch, 2 yarn overs, 1 knit stitch, 1 yarn over, 6 knit stitches* ; always repeat from * to * and end

with 1 yarn over, 1 knit stitch, 2 yarn overs, 1 knit stitch, 3 yarn overs, 1 knit stitch, 2 yarn overs, 1 knit stitch, 1 yarn over, 1 knit stitch.

Always repeat these 8 rows.

GAUGES

•  4" (10cm) of garter stitch, #8 (5mm) needles = 17 stitches and 31 rows

•  8" (20cm) fancy stitch, #8 (5mm) needles = 27 stitches and 40 rows