Simple Stitches Knits with Textured Details by Eva Wiechmann

Amazon.com link for Simple Stitches

Simple Stitches, Knits with Textured Details is another great knitt  ing book from Martingale & Company publishing. The book starts with the appropriate how-to directions for stitches and finishing. I don’t think I have ever had a knitting pattern book in which I like every pattern and want to make each one of them – until this book. The sweaters are simple in styling with beautiful stitch patterns to create an elegant design with the textured details.


The first section is Garter-stitch projects which contains two short sleeve tops, a cardigan, and one long sleeve pullover tunic. The Seed-stitch Projects section has one each of a short-sleeved, sleeveless, tunic, and jacket. The Ribbing and Cable Projects section contains a cardigan, a pullover, and two short-sleeved tops. The last section is Openwork Projects has a cardigan, a vest and one short-sleeved top. The patterns are easy to follow and there are detailed photographs for each design.

Skill levels for these patterns are nine easy and six intermediate, but even the easiest pattern will look like a masterpiece. I love this quote from the book:

“In our increasingly hectic world, knitting should be relaxing. The patterns in this book were designed to do just that – help you relax as you knit.”

Saturday Style – Casual Knits for Weekend Wear by Doreen L. Marquart

Amazon.com link to purchase Saturday Style

Saturday Style contains 16 sweater patterns, with three tees, three jackets, six cardigans and four pullovers. Nice colorful large photos of the finished sweater accompany each pattern. The patterns are easy to follow, with nice text spacing to make them easy to read when the instructions are more detailed. All of the patterns are labeled easy to intermediate with most being easy. One problem I had was that least half of the finished sample sweaters were knitted with self-patterning yarn which can look nice, but in some cases made it difficult to see any patterning stitches in the designs.

I like the diagonal yoke jacket, (pictured on the cover) although I would not use the self-patterning yarn. I also liked the Drop-Shoulder Tee which is a simple round neck tee with a cap sleeve. I love knitted tees especially with cotton yarns. Several of the cardigans were a bulky look and had large buttons which I didn’t like, but there were a couple of oversized sweaters that looked like just the thing to wrap up in on a cold winter day.

Saturday Style has nice casual styles that would be good for beginners or advanced beginning knitters.