Knitted Fruit (Twenty to Make)

Oct/Nov 10

I really cannot resist sharing with you a recent discovery of mine. If anything is going to persuade people to hunt out their knitting needles again and get clacking (sorry - the puns seem to be coming thick and fast this time) it must surely the new additions to the Twenty to Make series published by Search Press. Already available are Knitted Aliens and Knitted Mug Hugs (cosies for keeping your cuppa warm) but what I really cannot wait for are Knitted Vegetables and Knitted Fruit, both available soon. The designs in themselves are absolutely delightful - from knitted leaks, cauliflower and mushrooms so realistic they cannot help but make you smile, to strawberries and a pineapple which would not look out of place in anyone's fruit bowl! What is really clever, however, from a retailing point of view is that all the designs are appealing enough for experienced knitters whilst at the same time simple enough for a determined beginner to achieve quickly and easily.

As the series title suggests, each book contains twenty designs. Each pattern is in itself a complete project but they can all be mixed and matched. The simpler long designs are knitted on two needles in the normal way. The round ones use a set of four double pointed needles but, as the introduction helpfully suggests, this need not be too daunting if the simpler ones are produced first. Each project occupies a double page spread with a large, close up photograph of the knitted article. Patterns are set out clearly with materials, needles and making up instructions in an at-a-glance format and the retail price of GBP4.99 per book of twenty designs is bound to make these super books very popular indeed.