My thanks to F+W publishing for letting me read this ebook copy of the wonderful ‘Knitted Animal Friends’ by Louise Crowther via Netgalley!
About the book…
Learn to make an adorable collection of knitted animal toys with these new patterns by the author of My Knitted Doll, Louise Crowther. Louise, brings her unique style of coordinated knitwear with cute colourwork details to this new collection of toy animal knitting patterns.
There are a total of 12 knitted animals – each with their own unique personality and style. The animals all have the same basic body, with a few colour variations and tail additions, so the clothes can be mixed and matched between them to create endless outfit possibilities.
Choose your favourite animals and outfits and have fun making the perfect gift for friends and family.
‘Knitted Animal Friends‘ is published by F+W Media in ebook and paperback format.
How stinking adorable is this book?! I have a couple of animal making books by various authors, but they are all sewing based, so this book is EXACTLY what I was looking for!
Not only do the knitted clothes match the same size animals I make, but the knitted animals can be swapped with my handsewn wardrobes offering a whole new world of mix and match toys!
I absolutely loved it, from the cover to the layout and the instructions are super clear.
I am an experienced knitter but even I can always use extra tips and tricks to make my knitting more neat and professional.
There are 13 different animals to make, all with their own outfits and accessories as well as a whole chapter on shoes to make an endless variety of heirloom toys, gifts for special occasions or just because!
I am absolutely going to make all the things in this book, currently there are a multitude of tiny balls of wool from projects lying all over the house so this is a perfect scrapbuster collection of patterns.
Excellent value for money with a high end production value, I found this entire book a delight to read and plan what I am going to make first.
Follow me on Instagram to watch what I make , all I need now is a book on clothes and accessories for dragons and I will be a happy crafter!!
About the author…
I am Louise Crowther, a British knitting designer who loves knitting dolls, toys and decorations – basically anything that is small and neat and you don’t need to worry about whether it will fit you or not when you’ve finished!
I have been involved with textile design all my working life, starting my career as a Jacquard designer based in Yorkshire, creating elaborate, woven cloth designs for the corporate market and high street fashion retailers.
My passion for knitting started about ten years ago when my eldest son wanted to learn how to knit, and although his interest in knitting lasted no longer than a week, I was hooked! Unable to find any knitting patterns for toys that really appealed to me, I decided to have a go at creating my own; and so began the next chapter of my design career. I have become one of those lucky people who’s hobby has turned into a day job, and now run the small but successful business Boo-Biloo.
My work has been featured in various magazines including Making Gifts and Simply Knitting and my first book ‘My Knitted Doll‘ was released in October 2016.
Although I will always be a Yorkshire girl at heart, I now live in a lovely little town in Northamptonshire, where I divide my time between looking after my family, designing and knitting.
Links-https://boobiloo.co.uk/
15 comments
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Way beyond my skills I’m afraid…..They do look adorable though and I’m sure will be a delight to any child who gets one
Some of the needle sizes used are nit a us number. I’m going to try larger needles and heavier weight yarn. Had I known everything was so small and fine I probably would not have ordered the book. My daughter ordered the book for me
Ah I see! Do you have a US to UK conversion chart? Most of them I used Double Knit or Worsted Yarn and Size 4mm needles. I couldn’t afford most of the yarn books use,so improvised usi g my stash. If you make anything, it would be lovely to see pictures, if you feel happy to share them?
Hi there, I am enjoying the patterns in Knitted Animal Friends but seem to have a problem with the head of the hedgehog. Row 7 has 13 stitches for yarn B. Row 8 wants me to work 15 stitches. Can you help with this.
Hi Judi, thanks for your comment. I have looked in my copy for the Hedgehog pattern, and I think the way it is written is a little difficult to follow.
What I take it to mean is that in the first part of Row 8 when using Yarn A, you only use 10 out of the 11 knit stitches from row 7.
As you use yarn A at the start and end of the row, this leaves an extra 2 stitches to be used with Yarn B by stranding the yarn across the back, or front of the work.
This is explained better than I can do it at the back of the book, on pages 124-125 under the Techniques section, ‘Colourwork’
I have found this tutorial which comes highly commented upon on Youtube-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtJdamqXlAU
Hope this helps! Please let me know if I can help any further 🙂
Really struggling to understand how to create the tongue on the monkey trainers….
I will have a look and see if I can help 🙂
I’m so confused right off the bat! I’m making the dog. Cast on 11 stitches. After the purl row k1, m1 to the end, k1. That’s only 16 stitches. None of the rows add up as written. What an I doing?
That does sound really confusing I will dig my copy out and check that as I haven’t made the dog sorry. Have you contacted the publisher to see if maybe it is a typo? Also I can highly recommend the Facebook group Louise Crowthers Knitted Animals and Dolls which had always been helpful with pictures and advice as there are lots of parts in these makes . Hope that helps@
I haven’t been knitting very long I’m having trouble with the shoes could you explain how to do the sole please
Hi Linda don’t worry I am sure you will be doing grand, I am not the best knitter myself! I can recommend the Facebook group Louise Crowther’s Knitted Animals and Dolls which may help you and I will have a good look at the book and see if I can help too 🙂
Hi
What is the bobble technique used in Harry the Ram?
Thanks,
Floice
I will get the book out today and see if I can work out a way to describe it without confusing you,its hard to explain in words rather than ehen you are sitting next to someone with needles and yarnThere is a really good group over on Facebook of knitters who have made Louise’s animals and who have pictures and videos which might help? It’s called Louise Crowther’s Knitted Animals and Dolls 🙂
I have the book knitted animal friends and I can’t see a reference on how to attach the head to the body many thanks Marian
Hi Marian, many thanks for your question
At the back of each book is a section on techniques, with pictures to illustrate how to put each animal together.
Personally, I used long pins to get the head just where I wanted it to be and mattress stitched it on
This is because when I eyeball the position, I invariably end up with a toy permanently looking over its’ shoulder.
How that helps, there are lots of tutorials on Youtube about how to mattress stitch heads onto bodies, good look and let me know how you get on!