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Hands Occupied

Contemporary yarn crafts by Heidi Gustad. Knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame.

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Knockout Knits

October 15, 2014 6 Comments

Knockout Knits Book Review at handsoccupied.com

Knockout Knits is a new knitting book featuring accessory patterns by Craftsy instructor and knitting designer Laura Nelkin. As one would expect from this publisher, Potter Craft, the photography and styling are wonderful. Knockout Knits has a really nice rustic vibe, and the patterns featured are super perfect for fall knitting and wearing. (For a fuller look at the patterns in this book, check out this page of Laura Nelkin’s website.)

Knockout Knits Book Review at handsoccupied.com

The book is divided into three chapters: Wrapped Stitches at Play, Get Your Lace On and Beaded Beauties. Each chapter kicks off with a pattern for a knitted cuff designed to get your feet wet with that chapter’s featured technique. As you knit your way through each chapter, the patterns get progressively more advanced within that technique. As someone who learned to knit by working her way through every pattern in her knitting books in high school, I love that Knockout Knits is formatted this way. It’s time consuming, but I’ve always found it a really fun way to improve your knitting.

Knockout Knits Book Review at handsoccupied.com

If you’re getting this book hoping to add to your knitting skill set, but you’re worried you might not be at the right level, you’re in luck. There’s an illustrated Knitting Essentials section at the back of the book you can refer to for help as you go. I love appendices like these  because you won’t find yourself stranded while knitting on a plane trip (you know, when there’s no wifi or smartphone data to Google that stitch you’ve never heard of?). Not that that’s ever happened to me before… ;)

Knockout Knits Book Review at handsoccupied.com

Overall, this book is absolutely on my to-gift list for the holidays this year, particularly for knitting friends who are looking to build their skills. If you’re looking for a knitting book that has appeal for millennial knitters, I really think this is a good pick!

You can get Knockout Knits by Laura Nelkin for $22.99 at Random House. Blogging for Books provided a copy of this book in exchange for a review. Opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: book review, fall knits, knit accessories, knockout knits, kntting books, laura nelkin, potter craft

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is a craft book author & content creator in love with primary colors & vintage vibes. She specializes in knitting, crochet, latch hook and macramé, and her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now!

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Comments

  1. Laura Nelkin

    October 15, 2014 at 9:35 am

    Thanks for the great review! I’m thrilled you “got” it!

    Reply
    • Heidi

      October 15, 2014 at 9:48 am

      NO problem! Now to find the time to knit it all, haha! :)

      Reply
  2. Denise

    October 15, 2014 at 10:04 am

    The book and its contents are gorgeous. I thought it’d be filled with foo-foo stuff I’d never make like many accessory books are, but I bookmarked so many pages on the copy from the library that I’m going to have to get a copy. Which I forgot to do. Eep! I have an excuse–two new kittens :)

    I love how the patterns are meant to teach and expand skills. I’ve been knitting for almost two years and I’m ready to learn new stuff, but not sure what. I’ve looked at the “next steps” for newer knitters and nothing really grabs me. But Knockout Knits offers new techniques I haven’t seen before and a bunch of ways to use them. I think it’s a great next-step book, no matter what someone’s skill level.

    Reply
  3. Jaime

    October 15, 2014 at 11:12 am

    What a great book! I’m a new knitter and I pick projects that will teach me something new. I love how Laura Nelkin’s book is organized, it’s like having a tutor with me all the time!

    Reply
  4. Leslie

    March 12, 2018 at 6:35 pm

    I love hats, which is how I happened to stumble upon this book – and I am so thrilled that I did! What beautiful, artistic, and unique work Laura Nelkin does.
    I’ve knitted for many years, but haven’t actually knitted anything for many years, if that makes sense – because it gets stale and you need something new – something that speaks to you, grabs your interest – and it is so nice to have something interesting and fresh in knitting!
    I am looking forward to learning new techniques, how to apply old ones differently, and trying as many of the patterns as I possibly can.

    Reply
    • Heidi

      March 13, 2018 at 9:04 am

      That’s the best part about this lovely craft! A great excuse to keep learning. :)

      Reply

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi, an author, yarn craft designer and content creator specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. My work unapologetically features primary colors and vintage-meets-modern style. My first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is now available!

Professionally I’m most known for: advanced intarsia knitting design & modern latch hook design.

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Craft book author & content creator in love with primary colors & vintage vibes. / #latchhookbook out now!
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knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé

Heidi Gustad 🧶✂️
A look at the halo on the back of my wrestling-ins A look at the halo on the back of my wrestling-inspired punch needle project! It’s interesting to see how fuzzy the handspun beige yarn is compared with the primary color sections of @knit_picks Wool of the Andes Bulky. ❤️💛💙🤎 
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Pictured: The back of an in-progress punch needle project. A wooden punch needle tool sits on the work.
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#punchneedle #woolrug #rugmaking  #kpambassadorsapr21 #sponsored #griefproject #handsoccupied #wrestlingfan #universalchampion #yarn #yarncraft #wool #needlepunch
Happy Easter / One week til Wrestlemania! Finishin Happy Easter / One week til Wrestlemania! Finishing up the punch needling part of this crazy @wwe inspired project by tonight. 💪🏻🧶 Anybody else have crafty plans for this fine spring day? 
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Pictured: A blond woman sits, smiling and holding an in-progress punch needle project inspired by the Universal Championship belt. Houseplants are in the background and there’s lots of sun. 
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#punchneedle #griefproject #handsoccupied #heidigustad #wrestlingcrafts #wwe #universalchampion #universalchampionship #wool #wooloftheandes #primarycolors #oxfordpunchneedle
I'm finally starting to get some of my energy back I'm finally starting to get some of my energy back from the past few weeks, and as I dip my toe back into production mode, the long-promised seamed sweater knitting YouTube series is at the top of my list. I've got FOUR versions of a simple sweater I've been playing with since last JULY to feature as a free pattern for folks who want to knit along during the series. Pictured is the first prototype for the series, knit in 2 colors of @knit_picks Mighty Stitch yarn. I imagine this soon-to-be short sleeved number will come in handy as an emergency Waldo costume or Christmas sweater. 🌲 
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I've got my own list of topics I think folks would like to see in a series like this: things like tips for construction, working with vintage patterns, how to seam as invisibly as possible, and more, but as always, I'd love to hear from you: What scares you about knitting seamed sweaters? What would be helpful to cover, especially since we'll be doing more long form video content. I get so much positive feedback on my series of 20 minute+ intarsia tutorials, so I'm using those as a starting point as I produce this series. Seamed sweaters using vintage or self-improvised patterns are one of my favorite things on the planet, so I'm eager to share some seamed sweater skills with y'all super sweet folks. 😉 
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Pictured: A red and white striped, short sleeved sweater knit in pieces that have yet to be seamed. They are laid out on a yellow and orange colorblock background and one sleeve is yet to be bound off. 
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Work continues this evening on my absurd punch nee Work continues this evening on my absurd punch needle pro wrestling inspired championship belt project. I’ve finished most of the front pretty quickly thanks to the @knit_picks Wool of the Andes Bulky yarn I’m using. For now, I’ve got a couple more weeks until Wrestlemania, & I’m on track to finish this in time! 
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The biggest question I have is what to do with the “plates” - the open circles in the picture. Should I try to closely replicate the Universal Championship belt or go rogue and make it wool themed? Please advise in the comments. ☺️🧶🙏🏻🐑 
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Pictured: The front of an in-progress punch needle project. A wooden punch needle tool with navy yarn running through it rests on top of the work. 
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The latest Hands Occupied stitch tutorial features The latest Hands Occupied stitch tutorial features the Dimple Stitch & landed on YouTube last week... right in the midst of a bunch of life chaos. In the hubbub, I forgot to share the beautiful “wrong side” of the stitch. Isn’t it lovely? 😍 Read more about the hidden inner architecture that gives the Dimple Stitch its great depth on the blog & catch the video tutorial, both linked in bio. ✌🏻
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Pictured: The wrong side of a large swatch of dimple stitch knitting on a light blue background. It is knit in red wool yarn. 
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Yarn is @kelbournewoolens Germantown via @knit_picks. 🧶☺️
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