My dear friend Melissa Leapman has a new book out which is perfect for these cranky, uncertain times. Instaknits (Stackpole Books; MSRP $26.95, available for $24.25 at the time of this writing through the affiliate link) is a collection of fun patterns that knit up quickly. If you’re pulled every which way and don’t have that much time to knit or are looking for some quick knitting gratification, this book is perfect for you.
One super-helpful aspect of the book: it’s organized based on how long the project will take you to complete. There’s a chapter for projects that will take five hours or less; five to ten hours; ten to twenty hours; twenty to thirty hours; and more than thirty hours. About half the projects take less than ten hours if you’re especially time-crunched.
The quickest projects — five hours and under for Speed Racer — take advantage of chunkier yarns and less intricate stitch patterns. Some great hats, scarves and a cute pair of color-block mittens are all very do-able in a few hours. (Great for gift-giving, too.)
I’m always up for a textural pattern like the Arquitextura Scarf:
If you’ve got a bit more time — maybe doing some binge-watching — you can whip out some of the five to ten hours projects. Think a sleeveless cardigan, poncho, long gloves, layering pieces….
This cowl with white cables against a multicolor background is very cool:
As you ramp up the amount of time spent, you’ll find bigger projects and those with a bit more patterning. A fairly quick-to-knit shawl is lovely:
You’ll also find sweaters, layering pieces, wraps, a brioche scarf, market bag and more:
all the way up to the most labor-intensive projects (there’s only two), like a hoodie and this shawl which mixes colors and stitch patterns:
Because Melissa is a consummate professional, you’ll find all the things you’d expect in the patterns: clear instructions, schematics, charted designs, and a nice resource section (including an explanation of how to read charts, techniques, and so on). In fact, the resource section is so thorough and explains so many skills that newbie knitters should be able to follow along and make just about anything in the book.
A quick look at the specs: 160 pages, 24 patterns, lots of color photographs showing different aspects of each design. All patterns are for women. Yarn gauges tend to be worsted and thicker. Patterns include some lace patterns, some cables, knit and purl patterns, one brioche pattern as well as stockinette and garter.
All photographs copyright 2022 by Gale Zucker. If you purchase the book through the link above, I may receive a teeny-tiny commission through an affiliate program. I received a preview PDF of the book in exchange for an honest review.
