juan0505

Washing EnzymeKnitted Critters for Kids to Wear by Jean Adel is a collection of over 40 animal themed accessoriesto knit for kids. Dozens of different animal hat patterns areincluded, many with matching scarf and mittens. The patterns are all quite basic. Hats are basicstockinette-in-the-round patterns. Mittens are basicfour-fingers-and-a-thumb creations with ribbing at the wrist.Scarves are largely stockinette pieces, sometimes with a trim or astripe. The differences come in in the finishing. Buttons are addedfor eyes, mouths are sewn on with scrap yarn, and ears are knittedseparately and sewn on after. You are sure to find your kid’s favorite animal amongst thewide variety of critters: frog, fish, panda bear, mouse, whale,horse, lion, hippo, pig, bunny, and several variations of cats anddogs. The projects are separated by difficulty level. Even the“more difficult” projects in the intermediate chapterare pretty easy – a knitter on their second or third projectshould have no problem with the intermediate chapter. The projectsare great for gifts. They are small (requiring little yarn, andallowing you to use up leftovers that you probably have layingaround) and simple to knit. Any of these projects could be finishedin an evening, making them great for last-minute gifts. Theprojects are so simple that they are great for kids to dothemselves. Perfect beginner projects for your kid, or greatchild-parent bonding activities. There is a distinct lack of sizes in this book. Patterns areoffered for kids aged 3 years, 4-5 years, and 6-7 years. Any ofthese patterns (namely the hats) would be adorable for newborns,but if you want to make it for a baby, you are going to have to doa bit of math to shrink it down. Not hard, but sometimes annoyingwhen you just want a quick knit. Likewise, if you are a nuttygrown-up like myself and want a fish hat, you will have to work itout for yourself. Yes, I would wear a crazy animal hat – Imade myself a sock monkey hat that gets compliments whenever I wearit. This book is a bit repetitive, and experienced, long-time knitterswill probably find it redundant. However, it is full of really fun,cute ideas, and is a great way to bring kids into knitting.
2008-06-06 13:28:35