When I first picked up Quayln Stark’s Two Needles, Many Knits I assumed it was a book that was all patterns using straight knitting needles. It’s not, but it is full of easy to follow knitting instructions and simple patterns (mostly worked flat, though some are in the round) for beginners and those who want to increase their skills.
About half of the book is devoted to knitting skills, so if you’re a brand new knitter or you need to refresh your memory on the basics this is helpful. This covers things like necessary supplies, yarn weights, reading a yarn label, reading and following a pattern and English vs. continental knitting. Tutorials cover how to make a slip knot, long-tail cast on and backward loop cast on, binding off, knitting and purling in English and continental and making basic fabrics.
From there it goes into things like increases and decreases, lace knitting, picking up stitches, cables, finishing projects and fixing mistakes, to name a few. It’s a pretty solid overview of what you need to know to knit basic patterns and beyond.
Speaking of patterns, there are 15 patterns organized into three skill levels. The first three patterns — a garter stitch washcloth, a flat-knit hat in stockinette and a cowl worked in the round — are labeled as practice patterns and are good places to start if you’ve never knit a project before.
The other level one patterns include a sampler scarf, a ribbed pillow cover, a stockinette stitch headband worked flat and stitched into a tube and a tote bag made with garter stitch. Level two patterns are a scarf knit on the bias in multicolored yarn, an envelope purse in an easy textured stitch pattern, a corner to corner baby blanket with a hood added to one corner and a kid’s sized striped hat worked in the round.
Level three brings you a mesh lace shawl, a baby’s basketweave shirt (worked flat), cabled fingerless gloves worked in the round and an adult sized, raglan sleeved, collared pullover with a two-button closure, which brings together a bunch of skills. Honestly it’s not the easiest first sweater project you could try, but if you want to do it and follow along with all the techniques in the book you can pull it off.
There’s nothing super creative here but it’s a nice collection of solid patterns to practice and things you can use or gift as you learn. You can check out all the patterns on Ravelry.
I think this book would be a good place to start for someone who is somewhat new (or totally new) to knitting and wants a book for reference and some easy patterns to try. Supplement with videos for techniques you don’t get right away and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a more confident knitter.
About the book: 152 pages, paperback, 15 patterns. Published 2024 by Callisto Publishing. Suggested retail price $16.99.
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